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cressidagrey · 18 days ago

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The moment I could see it - Part 2

Pairing: Max Verstappen x Ariel Cane (Original Character)

Summary: 5 Times that Gianpiero Lambiase thinks that Ariel Cane and Max Verstappen are weirdly similar…and 1 time he is just happy that the two of them are no longer pining after each other.

Warnings:

GP's POV, mention of cancer, mention of parent's death

Author Notes: I am back to my old tricks...which means I write from the most random of POV's just because. (I once wrote a chapter from a dog's POV so like, GP doesn't even really count.

About 3 months later, GP once again returned home from Race Weekend.

This time for good. Abu Dhabi had gone off well enough, Kvyat ending with a respectable 9th place... and Max Verstappen had ended up with enough penalty points on his special license that he was just 4 points away from a one race ban.

GP shook his head in weary disapproval as he thought of the young driver’s antics. Max really seemed to have no sense of when to stop.

Still, GP had some sympathy. Driving at that level was a high-pressure experience, and Max was still so young.

Well, he wasn’t GP’s problem. Thank god for small mercies…

Though that gritty determination and bravery bordering on stupidity… well, that was something that GP both admired and dreaded.

But…F1 was finished for the year, and he got to go home for christmas. So he would also get to ban all thoughts of Max Verstappen from his brain for the foreseeable future.

It wasn’t a very christmas-sy sight that greeted him as he turned his car into their street though.

Instead it was a hearse.

Parked right across their neighbour’s house.

In front of the house with the red front door.

In the three months since he had first met the Cane Family, Laura and him had indeed taken up Ariel on her offer to babysit twice. Both times Franny had been more than happy with her caretaker for the evening.

There also had been an ambulance at the house twice, once ending in a two week hospital stint for Paul Cane, as Laura had told him over the phone while GP had been in Singapore and Japan…

And now there was a hearse.

Immediately the fatigue of the weekend's race and travel seemed to vanish, replaced by a sudden sense of dread.

He parked and then climbed out of his car, his stomach in knots, and quickly crossed the street to his own house.

He walked up his front steps, forcing himself to take deep, slow breaths. He wasn't going to jump to conclusions. Not yet.

"Honey, I am home!" he called out for Laura. He found his wife in the living room, cuddling a sleeping Francesca. But she wasn't alone.

Emma was sitting on the couch, legs pulled up to her chest, staring emptily in front of her.

"Hey," Laura greeted him, a forced smile on her face, putting Franny down, as she came to hug him.

"Their father died this afternoon," she whispered. "Ariel dropped her off, so that she could deal with the..."

Laura didn’t need to say anything more. GP wrapped his arms around Laura, pulling her close.

"How is she?" he asked quietly, his eyes flicking to the girl sitting almost in a daze on the couch.

“How would you be if your only remaining parent died?” Laura gave back softly.

"Ariel?" he whispered.

Laura shrugged. “I think she is handling this with more maturity than an adult twice her age would,” she said quietly. “I offered to take Emma off her hands for the night, get her out of the house…”

GP smiled sadly at his wife. It was typical of her to be so generous. Despite the fact they had their own baby to look after, she wasn't about to leave the thirteen-year-old alone.

He looked back at Emma, who was still sitting on the couch, looking small and lost. It made his heart ache.

"Ariel refused. Said their older brother is on his way as well," Laura said quietly. "But he seemed...pretty much useless, to be honest."

GP felt a flash of anger at her words. Useless? How could their brother, a grown man, be useless in such a time of need?

He forced himself to take a steadying breath, reminding himself that he didn't know the details. It wasn't for him to judge.

"What do you mean, useless?" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm. He cast a glance at Emma again.

His wife sighed, looking rather frustrated. "He just...he just doesn't seem to be able to deal with any of this," she said, her voice low. "Ariel basically has to walk him through how to actually get here..."

Gianpiero shook his head, his respect for Ariel growing even more. She was already dealing with so much, yet she had to handle her brother as well?

"She's got enough on her plate already," he muttered, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

Laura laid a hand on his arm, giving it a slight squeeze. "I know," she said. "But she's doing all she can to keep things together."

He looked over at Emma again, sitting so quietly on the sofa. She was just a child, watching everyone around her fall apart. It was all so wrong.

GP took a deep breath, trying to push down the feeling of powerlessness. "When will her brother get here?" he asked his wife, struggling to keep his voice neutral.

"He said he'll be here within the hour," Laura replied quietly, her expression one of concern. "I can start dinner for everyone..."

GP nodded, knowing that his wife was trying to do whatever she could to help. But as he watched Emma sit on the couch, still looking so lost, he couldn't shake the feeling of helplessness.

He walked over and sat down next to her, careful not to crowd her. For a moment, he just sat there in silence, not sure what to say.

He stared at his own daughter, asleep and content…once Franny was asleep, nearly nothing was going to wake her up again.

Emma didn't say anything, just continued to stare out into space. Her eyes were dry, but her face was pale and stricken.

"Hey Kiddo..." he said softly, trying to draw her attention.

She turned her head slightly, casting him a quick glance before returning her gaze to the distance.

He continued in a gentle voice, "How are you holding up?"

Emma didn't respond, just pressed her lips together tightly, but the way her chin trembled betrayed her effort not to cry.

He had no idea what to say to her. What could he possibly say to comfort a child who just lost her father? Nothing, really.

"I remember when Mom died," Emma said suddenly. GP started slightly at the unexpected words. Hearing her bring up her mother's death so suddenly was a bit of a surprise.

But he quickly composed himself, keeping his own voice soft. "You do?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Emma said simply. "Ariel was as old as I am now. I was 8. She took care of us. Dad was useless. But Ariel took care of us. Just like she takes care of everything now."

Gianpiero felt a pang of sadness. Emma was so matter-of-fact about her sister taking charge of the family, as if it was an expected outcome.

"Percy dissappeared afterwards. Left us alone," Emma continue weakly. "I don't think he wanted to be around us anymore."

Gianpiero felt his heart break a little at her words. "Why do you think that?" he asked gently.

"He went off to university.." Emma said softly. “Doesn’t come home until it’s christmas anymore. Some people say he's some kind of genius," she said with a roll of her eyes.

Gianpiero was taken aback by the scoff in her voice. It seemed like Emma had an opinion about her brother.

"You don't agree?" he asked curiously, keeping his voice gentle.

"Yeah well...I guess he's smart and all that," Emma said sullenly. "Good with numbers. Bad with people."

GP could hear the distaste in her voice. It seemed like there was some resentment there, towards her older brother.

“He just left us. Like we didn’t matter.”

He was tempted to ask her more about it, but the sound of a car starting pulled his attention...and then Emma was up from the couch, sprinting outside.

He followed after her, after a glance to Laura.

The hearse was pulling out onto the street.

By the time he was outside, Emma had already collided with Ariel on the sidewalk.

GP felt his heart ache as he watched the two girls hug, Emma clinging to her older sister as if her life depended on it.

Ariel hugged her back, her mouth set in firm line, as she watched the hearse carry their father's body away.

GP didn’t want to watch this. He felt like the worst kind of voyeur to see this…to bear witness to this moment, where he could see their grief laid bare like this…

And still he was rooted in a spot watching… He felt an odd sense of awe watching the girls. They were so young, so vulnerable, and yet so strong.

Ariel was clearly holding back her own tears, putting on a brave face for her little sister. Emma was sobbing quietly on her shoulder, her slender frame trembling against her sister's strength.

He felt a sudden rush of anger towards their older brother, Percy. How could he not be there when his younger sisters needed him so much?

He tried to push down the emotion; there was no point in being angry right now. He was about to turn away and give the girls some privacy, when he noticed a car pulling up onto the street, and then stopping.

The man that got out of the cab was clearly their brother, his red hair a dead giveaway. GP couldn't help but notice the lack of warmth in his movements.

Percy Cane seemed…nearly detached as he took a few steps towards the house, but his steps seemed slow, as if every step he took was something he didn't want to do.

Here were his younger sisters grieving over their father's death, and Percy Cane acted as if he would rather be anywhere else.

"Perce," Ariel greeted him, her voice soft.

Emma turned in her sister's arms, staring at him. "You came," she said, her voice somewhat…actually surprised.

"You are my sisters," Percy responded, nearly robotically.

There was something...off about the way he spoke...so emotioneless...so controlled…

He watched as Percy nodded somewhat mechanically at his little sisters, avoiding making eye contact with them. "Of course, I came," he added after a moment.

"For how long?" Ariel asked him.

"I am finished. I don’t need to go back."

GP was quite sure that he was missing some of the context.

"Finished with what?" Ariel asked him, staring at her brother.

"My doctorate," Percy answered. "I am finished."

Gianpiero's jaw nearly dropped. The boy had finished a whole damn doctorate? How old was he, twenty-two, twenty-three at most? And here he was, talking about it like it was a minor inconvenience…

"What do we do now?" Percy asked Ariel, and for the first time...GP heard something like shaking in his voice.

And suddenly it made sense.

Percy Cane wasn't an unfeeling monster. Even when he sounded like a robot or an emotionless asshole.

GP would have bet nearly everything that Emma's assessment of "Good with numbers, Bad with people" also involved "horrible with feelings”. Clearly, the young man was out of his depth dealing with the emotional fallout of his father's death.

GP couldn't help but wonder if his detachment was just a way of coping, a wall to shield himself from the overwhelming emotions. But it wasn't helping his sisters right now.

But Ariel didn’t let that stop her. Didn’t let it make her hesitate.

GP was struck by that fierce determination that crossed her face. She was taking on the responsibility for her family, no matter what.

"We'll get through this. We have done it before. We'll do it again."

It was a lot for a young woman her age, but she wasn't backing down. She was going to see her family through to the other side of this.

No arguments were heard...not when Emma buried her face against her sisters shoulder...and then for the first time...GP saw Percy Cane's hard shell break.

The usually emotionless young man looked utterly lost.

It was clear Percy hadn't quite figured out how to handle his own feelings about the situation. But his sister's words seemed to break through the walls he had built around himself.

And then…then suddenly he was hugging both of his sisters.

"You hate hugs," came Emma's muffled voice.

"You don't," was Percy Cane's simple answer.

He watched as the three Cane siblings embraced each other, their arms tightly wound around each other.

But it was Ariel...Ariel that was the tower of strength. Who was the center.

And the center must hold, regardless of anything else. Ariel was the foundation, the one who kept them from falling apart.

He could see how hard this was for her, how much she wanted to cry and grieve like any other girl her age. But in her mind, she couldn't. Not now. Her little sister and her oler brother needed her to hold it together so they had something to hold on to.

She was supposed to be a carefree college student, not the responsible head of her dysfunctional family.

Other kids her age only worry was from where to get cheap booze for the next night out.

Being the strong one, the one who had to hold everyone together, was one of the hardest roles to play. It took strength, resilience and a ton of emotional stamina.

And determination.

Ariel Cane seemed to have that gritty determination in spades.

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icedsodapop · 5 months ago

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Baskar Kalithash, a 32-year-old married Indian national, embarked on a journey to Singapore with dreams of providing a better life for his family. Like many migrant workers, he faced the challenges of living away from home, working tirelessly to support his loved ones. However, his life took a devastating turn on the night of May 26th, 2024.

Baskar had fallen from his room on the 4th floor, suffering severe injuries. Paramedics from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived promptly, and he was rushed to the National University Hospital (NUH) at 1:17 am. The extent of his injuries was grave; Baskar had sustained multiple fractures, including a spinal injury, and his life was hanging by a thread.

Emergency neck surgery was performed immediately on May 26th to address his life-threatening injuries. For more than 18 days, Baskar remained in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), fighting for his life. The medical team worked tirelessly to stabilize his condition, and on June 11th, he underwent a second surgery, a tracheostomy, to assist him in breathing.

Despite these efforts, Baskar’s journey to recovery is far from over. He was shifted to the high dependency ward, unable to talk or walk. The doctors have determined that his spinal injury requires at least six weeks of intensive rehabilitation. The road ahead is fraught with challenges, but Baskar remains resilient, holding onto hope for a better tomorrow.

The cost of his extensive medical treatment has been staggering. As of July 11th, 2024, the hospital bills have soared to SGD 180,000. For a migrant worker like Baskar, this amount is insurmountable. He and his family are facing an overwhelming financial burden, unable to bear the weight of these expenses. His insurance coverage only covers SGD 60,000 and that's not enough to help Baskar.

Today, Baskar needs our help. He has given so much in pursuit of a better life, and now he needs us to stand by him in his time of need. We are reaching out to you, compassionate hearts, to extend your support to Baskar and his family. Your generous contributions can make a significant difference in covering his medical bills and supporting his rehabilitation journey.

#migrant labour #migrants #singapore #signal boost

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vanilasky · 1 year ago

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Okay, I just saw a tiktok with a really great take on what is recently going on with Carlos and Rebecca's' relationship and I feel like sharing this here.

In my opinion it's pretty obvious this is a classic PR relationship. She may have not been the best choice considering her being an escort and generally very questionable person, but she was certainly in the right place at the right time to be the best possible choice. She did the Ferrari commercial and fans already noticed that Carlos and Isa were growing apart. Could there be a better way to sell cars than pairing one of your drivers with a "model" who appeared in the commercial?

Apart from that, during Carlos and Isa's relationship we barely saw these two together. Carlos kept saying he protects love and he isn't an affectionate man. And suddenly, just after he announced he broke up with her, we were inundated with pictures of him and Rebecca holding hands, hugging etc. In a spare of two months there were already more pictures of these two together than with him and Isa. What happened to the "I protect love" agenda? And to the people saying that "omg he's finally in love so he can show how happy he is". Nobody can force a twenty-something, rich, childless man to be trapped in a loveless relationship. Especially when your work allows him to travel all around the world and you don't have any commitments.

The weird thing about these photos is that they are always staged and forced. Or leaked to the gossip pages by Rebecca's friend who decided to go public for 10 minutes. There is always at least one photo or one video when Carlos looks directly into the camera and poses cause he knows he's being filmed. He's holding her hand, hugging her or so. But when he doesn't know there's a camera on him, suddenly Rebecca disappears. He's totally ignoring her which is easy to see on some of Singapore's videos from the party. She's basically pushed back from his circles into the crowd.

And now we are coming to the photo posted on "accident" by Pierre. That's the take from tiktok so it's not mine but I feel like sharing it. Pierre posted that photo because the gossip accounts weren't enough. Not many people visit those types of accounts regularly since not all of them are interested in sportsmen's love life. But there's a 99,9% chance that people invested in sport will follow a sportsperson. Therefore, more people will see the photo and start searching. "Leaking" the photos to the gossip account by unknown sources wasn't enough for them. After the Singapore party there were already many people who started digging into Rebecca's past. They found out she is an escort and so they figured out she's only there to escort him to parties. A photo was used as proof that she's not only an escort (look, he took her on a date with his team) and to make this stunt feel more real because it came from Pierre. And obviously Pierre is kinda known in the F1 community as a creator of chaos. There were lots of people saying he made this as revenge on Carlos for calling him "pobrectio".

Last but not least, it's obvious she's (or all of them) are reading what people are saying. When she was at the paddock on Friday people were saying she always looks sloppy, dresses badly and always has her hair up. On Saturday she was wearing a dress, high heels and had her hair down. But sadly, no one cared cause even the gossip accounts didn't notice she was there in the first place. They were writing about Alexa (Charles' girlfriend) being there, but no one mentioned Rebecca, who was standing just a few meters away from Alexa. They posted about her only when another "unknown source" sent them the video of her being in the Ferrari's hospitality.

Honestly I don't know why Carlos' agreed on this. Seems like a very poor move from his team cause the only people who believe it's a true love are twelve years old or bots accounts. He will now be seen either as a person who hangs out with escorts, or as a man who is easy to manipulate and cannot stay single for three minutes. And for her, this whole stunt will backfire at some point. Not only was she not able to erase her past from the internet but people are already finding more questionable stuff about her. If there's at least one smart person involved in this, it's time to stop this.

#carlos sainz #carlos sainz jr #carlos sainz f1 #formula 1 #formula one #ferrari #pierre gasly #charles lecrelc #rebecca donaldson #isa hernaez

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the-garbanzo-annex-jr · 1 year ago

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OPEDS

Is it time to go?

By Howard Sackstein

Today, the South African Jewish community numbers but one third of what it did at its peak. Though our numbers have shrunk, the vibrancy of our community has remained intact.

In the 1970s and 1980s they used to joke, “When the Jews go; it’s time to leave, when the Portuguese go; it’s too late.”

The clock ticked, and stopped on 7 October 2023.

The behaviour of the South African government was nothing short of betrayal. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s failure to condemn the 7 October massacre; his failure to reach out to the families of the two South Africans massacred in the Hamas genocide; his failure to act on the two South Africans kidnapped by Hamas; and his smirk blame of Israel for deserving the attack two weeks after the massacre, while wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh, will forever be a symbol of his Judas moment.

In American politics, they talk of a “tortoise on a lamppost”. Sometimes, the tortoise mistakenly believes that it got onto the lamppost by itself.

Ramaphosa’s spineless leadership has allowed his jihadist foreign minister, Dr Naledi Pandor, and her mujahidin director general, Zane Dangor, to direct foreign policy without intervention. Pandor mislead Parliament by claiming that there were no beheadings of babies and that Israel had attacked the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital. With no South African diplomats in Israel and Al Jazeera as her only source of information, Pandor meanders in the dark. Her ignorance, however, is self-inflicted. Her department was invited to view the 47-minute video of Hamas-captured atrocities, and declined to attend.

Hamas informs us that Pandor telephoned it to congratulate it on the success of its “Al-Aqsa Flood” attack on Israel. Pandor claimed that she was merely offering humanitarian assistance, but refused to release the “call-out” transcript of the conversation. As a convert to Islam, Pandor uses her own zealotry to pursue a pro-Hamas agenda to the detriment of South Africa.

In December, Hamas visited South Africa, was feted in our Parliament, and celebrated in the African National Congress’ (ANC’s) offices in Johannesburg. When Ramaphosa finally met the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, he sprinted to issue a statement and later, while meeting the Muslim community, stated that they had issued a statement as “we’re concerned there are distortions”. Given that the president’s statement was issued first, this both makes no logical sense and effectively paints the official representative body of Jews in South Africa as liars.

It’s a clash of civilizations. Jews have traditionally ascribed to the values of Western liberal democracy. In the ANC’s hard-left, revolutionary world view, Western interests must be opposed everywhere – in Ukraine, in Morocco, and in Israel. South Africa believes that it must be the vanguard liberation movement celebrating the imagined successes of Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, and Russia. Pandor is currently attending the 7th Africa-Cuba Solidarity Conference in White River.

But actions have consequences. The West is becoming increasingly disenchanted by South Africa’s antics. Last year, South Africa’s invitation to the G7 Summit didn’t materialise, and the currency has lost 50% of its value under Ramaphosa. The renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act looks increasingly precarious together with the approximately 250 000 jobs it created. South Africa is increasingly isolated from those countries which could help it the most.

Ramaphosa had a choice to turn South Africa into a Singapore or a Sudan. He chose Sudan.

#south africa #jews #cyril ramaphosa #naledi pandor #zane dangor

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mariacallous · 6 months ago

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In December last year, the UK’s shadow health secretary, Wes Streeting, visited Singapore General Hospital, regarded as one of the best in the world. What he witnessed there surprised him: “Patients arrive having already registered their appointments via an app. They check in on touchscreen kiosks awaiting them at reception. Tablets at their bedside allow them to read about their treatment or call for assistance,” Streeting says. “This is Space Age stuff compared with where the NHS is today.” Streeting characterizes the National Health Service as an “analog system in a digital age.”

“When I visit a hospital, doctors often take out their pagers to show me what they are forced to work with,” Streeting says. According to estimates, 13.5 million hours of GPs’ time is wasted every year due to inadequate IT. Fixing that would be the equivalent of hiring 8,000 new NHS doctors. “For the past 14 years, modernization of the NHS has been put on the back burner by a Conservative government which opts for sticking plasters instead of the major surgery that’s required,” says Streeting, who added that he fears that five more years of Tory mismanagement could mean the NHS ends up like the failed British retailer Woolworths—“a much-loved national institution which failed to change with the times and was left behind.”

Central to Streeting’s plan to fix the NHS is the NHS app, which has been downloaded by 31 million people in England and Wales. “It has the potential to transform how the NHS interacts with patients and promote better public health,” he says. He points out that, for instance, only one in every 200 GP appointments are currently made via the app. “In too many cases, patients still wait on the phone at 8 am, or even queue up in person in the cold on a frosty morning just to see a doctor.”

The NHS app could not only allow appointments to be made, but also let patients receive notifications about vaccine campaigns, health tests, cancer screening, and even upcoming clinical trials. “Clinical trials can use genomics to identify patients who will benefit from the latest treatments, but they struggle to recruit—not for a lack of people willing to take part, but because they can’t access basic data,” he said. He promised that Labour would clamp down on bureaucracy and allow clinical trials to recruit volunteers via the app. “During the pandemic, half a million people signed up to the vaccine trials registry,” he says. “If we can do it to defeat Covid, we can do it to cure cancer.”

At the core of Labour’s plan is patient data. Recently, the NHS has announced the launch of a federated data platform that would centralize hospital data, but would not include general practice or social care data. “The NHS has struck gold here, yet it’s leaving it in the ground,” Streeting says. “General practice data is key to unlocking better population health outcomes.”

Streeting promises that a Labour government would ensure a transparent process about what aspects of patient data would be shared and with whom, as well as the necessary safeguards to ensure patient confidentiality. As for those who oppose it on the grounds of privacy concerns, he has a simple message: “It’s a fight that a Labour government is willing to have,” he says. “While the tinfoil hat brigade takes to TikTok to urge followers to opt out of sharing their data with the NHS—the irony isn’t lost on me—the government refuses to take on their fear mongering.”

He recalled when, last January, he met the parents of a 2-year-old boy at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool. “They have been through hell,” he says. “In his short life, he has already had five operations on his heart.” When he asked them what their main frustration had been, however, the answer surprised him: technology. “Their local GP couldn’t access the notes from Alder Hey and the hospital couldn’t read the records held by their GP. It meant that on every appointment they had to repeat themselves again and again. The health service should be lessening their worry, not adding to their stress.”

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stele3 · 11 days ago

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https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-koreas-acting-president-faces-impeachment-vote-court-meets-martial-law-2024-12-26/

#destiel daily digest

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saff-rons · 9 months ago

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thank you so much for the tag @3ncr1pted! completely forgot that this had been sitting in my drafts till now:,)

15 Questions

Are you named after anyone? i was named after my great-grandmother.

When was the last you cried? yesterday! i cry easily, it's cathartic.

Do you have kids? nope

What sports do you play/have you played? i used to fence semi-competitively. but yeah I'm rubbish at everything else - badminton is pretty big in my country and i'm embarrassingly bad at it. also, i started running last summer and it's been great, but i haven't really had the time to do it regularly anymore.

Do you use sarcasm? occasionally? i wouldn't say i use it more than the average person, though

What is the first thing you notice about people? their demeanour and the way they speak.

What is your eye color? brown

Scary movies or happy endings? i love both but probably happy endings. I sometimes get tired of watching shows where the main message is that humanity sucks and we are all selfish creatures doomed for misery. I just would prefer to believe that we are all meant to experience happiness!

Where were you born? in a hospital in singapore.

Any talents? singing maybe? i did the whole ABRSM grading thing and i used to perform in a choir so i think that counts. not sure if fermenting things is a talent but i used to brew kombucha myself. now that i'm in uni, i had to give away my SCOBY because no one at home was willing to take care of it:,) it was so fun experimenting with different flavours though! when uni's over, i'll start on that again. I've also been meaning to learn how to make my own kimchi and maybe sauerkraut?

What are your hobbies? i read (less than i probably should). i usually gravitate towards sci-fi and fantasy but i read a ton of fiction in general. i'd say neil gaiman is my favourite author if i had to pick and i've been waiting for seven sisters to come out for years at this point. boo. i also watch a lot of shows! when i was younger that was mainly anime, but now I'll watch whatever if it seems interesting. i occasionally play some video games, but those are usually visual novels and point-and-click RPGs. outside of general media consumption, i really like hiking, crocheting and writing.

Do you have any pets? i have two back in singapore:) a dog and a cat. i love them sm <3

How tall are you? 159 cm. there was a time when i was pissed that i'd never reach the 160s but then i realised it Did Not Matter.

Favorite subject at school? English Literature, Chemistry.

Dream job? to own a tiny cafe or book store where i'd have a slightly overweight cat to keep me company. realistically though, i think i'd get bored and more practically, we live in a capitalist hellscape and i need to make money to support my family, so i just hope the corporate law job i sold my soul for is interesting enough for me to enjoy it.

tagging whoever reads this and wants to do it!!

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beardedmrbean · 6 months ago

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HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Nguyen Phu Trong, general secretary of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party and the country’s most powerful politician, has died following months of ill health, official media said Friday. He was 80.

“General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party Nguyen Phu Trong passed away at 13:38 on July 19, 2024, at the 108 Central Military Hospital due to old age and serious illness,” the Nhan Dan newspaper said.

Official media said a state funeral would be held.

Trong had dominated Vietnamese politics since 2011, when he was elected party chief. During his tenure, he worked to consolidate the Communist Party’s power in Vietnam’s single-party political system. In the decade before he took the top role in Vietnamese politics, the balance of power had shifted more toward the governmental wing led by then-Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Born in 1944 in Hanoi, Trong was a Marxist-Leninist ideologue who earned a degree in philosophy before becoming a member of the Communist Party at the age of 22. He viewed corruption as the single gravest threat in maintaining the party’s legitimacy.

“A country without discipline would be chaotic and unstable,” Trong said in 2016 after being reelected to the party’s helm. Officially, Vietnam has no top leader, but the Communist Party chief is traditionally seen as the most powerful.

He launched a sweeping anti-corruption campaign known as the “blazing furnace” that singed both business and political elites. Since 2016, thousands of party officials have been disciplined. They included former presidents Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Vo Van Thuong and the former head of parliament, Vuong Dinh Hue. In all, eight members of the powerful Politburo were ousted on corruption allegations, compared to none between 1986 and 2016.

Trong studied in the Soviet Union from 1981 to 1983, and there was speculation that under his leadership, Vietnam would move closer to Russia and China. However, the Southeast Asian nation followed a pragmatic policy of “bamboo diplomacy,” a phrase he coined that referred to the plant’s flexibility, bending but not breaking in the shifting headwinds of geopolitics.

Vietnam maintained its traditional ties with its much larger neighbor, China, dispute differences over sovereignty in the South China Sea. But it also drew closer to the United States, elevating its ties with its former Vietnam War foe to its highest diplomatic status, a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Trong’s legacy is mixed, with the unintended consequence of the anti-graft campaign being an erosion of institutions within the Communist Party, said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow in the Vietnam Studies Program at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. The party institutions were the bedrock ensuring that a balance of power remained among its different factions, he said.

“Vietnam has become more and more like China, where institutions and norms doesn’t really matter as much as personal power,” Giang said.

Vietanamese President To Lam was appointed the party caretaker on July 18 while Trong received treatment for his ill health. As Vietnam’s top security official, Lam had led the anti-graft campaign until becoming president in May, when his predecessor resigned after being caught up in it.

The party’s Politburo asked Lam to “preside over the work of the Party Central Committee, the Politburo, and the Secretariat,” according to a statement from its central office which was the first official confirmation of Trong’s poor health.

Rumors about his health have swirled in Vietnamese politics since he was first hospitalized in 2019, and more recently when he appeared extremely frail while meeting visiting Russian President Vladmir Putin.

Trong’ death leaves behind a yawning political vacuum in Vietnam. Although Lam is widely viewed as the likely next party chief, Giang predicted “a very uncertain time” in Vietnamese politics because the norms and institutions governing the country are “very shaky.”

“Now it isn’t only about the rules or norms, but it is also about who holds the most power,” Giang said.

The central committee of the Chinese Communist Party sent its condolences to its Vietnamese counterpart and “deeply mourned” Trong’s death, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported Friday.

#nunyas news #one more good communist

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jordanianroyals · 1 year ago

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12 January 2024: Crown Prince Hussein, during a meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, reaffirmed the deep-rooted strategic relations between the two countries, stressing the need to enhance cooperation in various areas, especially economic fields.

At the meeting held at Istana Palace, he highlighted the importance of cooperation agreements between the two countries, some of which were exchanged during His Royal Highness’ visit, according to a Royal Court statement.

The Crown Prince expressed appreciation of Singaporean institutions’ cooperation with Jordan in knowledge exchange in administrative reform, education, and technical and vocational training.

He noted the Singaporean government’s relief and humanitarian efforts in Gaza, stressing that Jordan continues to work towards regional peace and security, which cannot be reached without a just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. (Source: Jordan Times)

For his part, the prime minister of Singapore commended the humanitarian efforts led by Jordan since the beginning of the war on Gaza.

His Royal Highness attended an official lunch hosted by the prime minister in his honour and in honour of the accompanying delegation, which was also attended by senior Singaporean officials.

In remarks at the lunch, His Royal Highness thanked Singapore’s government for the warm welcome and hospitality during his first official visit to Singapore.

His Royal Highness expressed pride in the growing strategic relations between the two countries over the past decades, noting that both Jordan and Singapore work towards the betterment and prosperity of their peoples.

The Crown Prince said the visit comes at a difficult and painful time for the region.

His Royal Highness noted “the heart-rending scenes coming out of Gaza, the massive loss of innocent lives, the unspeakable daily suffering, the deliberate destruction of not only the essential infrastructure, but also of culture, heritage and places of worship, not to mention the shattering of dreams and hopes of entire generations.”

“The bloodshed must cease. The suffering must end. The internally displaced must return. The deprived rights must be restored,” the Crown Prince said.

His Royal Highness continued, “These critical times require collective action and combined strengths towards the common good; a good that is achieved by equal and unselective adherence to international laws and norms. We are in dire need for voices of wisdom and empathy to prevail over those of division and apathy.”

The Crown Prince highlighted Jordan’s efforts, under the leadership of His Majesty King Abdullah, to keep the Palestinian issue an international priority.

His Royal highness referred to King Abdullah’s keynote address five years ago at the International Conference on Cohesive Societies in Singapore, in which His Majesty stressed that “core crisis of our region is the long denial of Palestinian statehood, and that the continuation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict fuels global discord and radicalism.”

The Crown Prince reiterated that the two-state solution is the only solution to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, stressing that Jordan continues to exert all efforts to reach regional peace and security, along with its allies and friends.

His Royal Highness thanked the Singaporean government for voting in favour of the UN General Assembly resolution proposed by Jordan to stop the war on Gaza and impose an immediate and sustainable truce.

Turning to bilateral relations, the Crown Prince said he is happy to witness new opportunities for synergy and cooperation between Jordan and Singapore, reaffirming Jordan’s keenness to bolster knowledge exchange with Singapore and to learn from its experience.

Speaking at the official lunch, the prime minister commended the deep-rooted partnership between the two countries, noting that Jordan was one of four co-sponsors of Singapore’s application for UN membership when Singapore became independent in 1965.

“Singapore and Jordan signed a Free Trade Agreement in 2005, Singapore’s first with a country from the Middle East,” he added.

The prime minister highlighted the people-to-people ties and close cooperation between the two countries in higher education and vocational training, expressing Singapore’s keenness on expanding its partnership with Jordan.

He noted previous visits exchanged between the two countries, noting His Majesty’s most recent visit to Singapore in 2019, when the King delivered the keynote speech at the International Conference on Cohesive Societies.

“His Majesty spoke about the importance of interfaith dialogue as a key ingredient for building cohesive societies,” the prime minister said, adding, “His Majesty’s words deeply resonated with Singaporeans given our multi-racial and multi-ethnic society, where harmony and social cohesion are some cardinal values of the nation.”

Addressing the Crown Prince, he said “Your Royal Highness’ visit has strengthened our cooperation in several new areas,” noting the signing of several agreements in fields such as youth development, environmental management, vocational and technical training, and civil service training.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, Minister of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Ahmad Hanandeh, Planning Minister Zeina Toukan, Jordan’s Ambassador to Singapore Samer Naber, and Director of the Office of the Crown Prince Zaid Baqain attended the meeting and the lunch.

#crown prince hussein #Princess Rajwa

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9w1ft · 2 years ago

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As an American, is it greedy or even possible in your opinion to purchase Tokyo Dome tickets for February? I’m honestly looking for a reason to visit Japan

while i’ve lived in japan for half my life, i am an american by nationality as well so i’m not sure if i am the best person to answer this. but as someone who might be closer than you to the situation, i will share my perspective.. definitely seek out the opinions of people located in other asia countries though!!

if you are worried if it is greedy, i might wait to see if tickets are still available for general sale after presale (we should know this around 7/15, when presale results are announced). i also think it might be worthwhile to take into account how oversold singapore is (22 million registrations!). there are many countries whose only two viable options rn are singapore or tokyo

now, if you have plans to visit tokyo anyway, you might consider to stop by the ticket counter located outside the stadium on the day of to check for last minute availability, and see if there is a line or not. i feel like you have the slight chance of getting a nosebleed ticket. my friend did this for rep tour. granted, taylor is more popular than ever so… it’s definitely not a guarantee but, it’s better than leaving a seat empty, right? and if you’re out of luck, you can enjoy the festive environment outside. people dress up really creatively and it’s quite fun just to hang.

*please take note that tokyo dome is a closed stadium so you won’t really be able to tailgate. well, around the stadium is very walkable and hospitable but, i don’t think you’ll be able to hear.

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agtictl23 · 1 year ago

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SESSION 5. COMPUTER CRIME

READ: ICTL TEXTBOOK CHAPTER 4

OPTIONAL REFERENCE: L&T BOOK CHAPTER 19

‘Computer Crime’ v. ‘Cybercrime’: Computer and internet usage is on the rise due to lower costs and easier accessibility. As it is another mode of transaction and one that is heavily dependent on the interaction through computers and automatic agents rather than face-to-face meetings, it is another avenue for crimes to perpetuate. What we call “cybercrime” largely consists of common crime, the commission of which involves the use of computer technology, and for which penalties already exists under the Penal Code. Substantively, there is no difference between generic individual crimes such as fraud, theft, extortion, harassment, forgery, impersonation, etc. and their cyber-analogues. Only those that relate specifically to computer usage and materials, etc. are specialized offences for which the Computer Misuse Act (CMA) was specifically enacted to tackle. What is the difference between “Computer Crime” and “Cybercrime” and how are they treated under Singapore’s criminal law?

The Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act: The original Computer Misuse Act (CMA) arose directly out of the increased usage of computers and the internet as well as to protect certain features from objectionable activities. We will be generally considering the Act, its coverage and effect, and some cases illustrating the offences committed thereunder. To deal with new potential abuses of computer systems, the Computer Misuse Act entered into force in 1993. Thereafter, the CMA was amended from time to time to keep up with the changes in technology and to addresses new potential computer abuses such as denial or interruption of computer services and unauthorised disclosure of access codes. The Act was renamed in 2013 as the Computer Misuse and Cybersecurity Act (Cap 50A, 2013 Rev Ed) (CMCA), and provided for penalties proportionate to the different levels of potential and actual harm that may be caused by an offence. For example, it defines a class of critical computer systems (“protected computers”) and provides them with enhanced punishment in case of an offence. This applies to computers used by important institutions including the police, civil defence force, the military, national utilities companies, telecommunications companies, transportation services, major banks, and various emergency services. The CMCA also sought to enhance security, deter computer criminals with harsh penalties, and broaden the powers of the police to investigate such misdeeds. The CMCA was amended in 2017 with additional provisions to deal more with cybersecurity concerns; however, in 2018, after the enactment of the Cybersecurity Act (CA), the CMCA reverted to CMA with the security provisions moved to the CA.

Computer Crime Offences: The offences under the CMA are found in Part II of the Act, from sections 3 to 10. All the provisions provide for enhanced penalties when damage is caused, but the question is damage to what, and in what form? Also, under section 11, there is further enhanced punishment if the computer concerned is a “protected computer” (e.g. computers used for public safety, national defence, hospitals, etc.). The abetment and attempt of any of the CMA offences also constitutes the offence abetted or attempted and is punishable as that offence under section 12. The extra-territorial scope of the CMA is provided for under section 13. What is its effect and how effective can it be in the cyberspace where many actors can be sited, and acts can be committed, in other countries?

Consider the following:

Unauthorised Access to computer material (s.3 CMA): Mainly enacted to deal with hacking, it has since shown that it can extend to other forms of modus operandi. Present some reported cases and scenarios to explain how the provision works and what is required to make out a case under this provision. Do the “knowledge” relate only to the act of securing access or does it also relate to the lack of authorisation? What constitutes “unauthorized access”?

Access to computer material to commit/facilitate the commission of other offences (s.4 CMA): Examples are fraud, impersonation/identity theft or theft of finances such as credit card skimming, Phishing, Carding, Pharming. Explain the statutory limitations/conditions to the scope of this provision and the need to read/couple it with a substantive provisions in other criminal law statutes (esp. the Penal Code). Which offences/provisions in the Penal Code are relevant here. What are the differences between ss.3 & 4 of the CMA?

(a) Unauthorised Modification of computer material (s.5 CMA): The usual cases involve the defacing of websites through the use of computer viruses or worms, etc. Explain the elements of the provision and provide real world examples of such offences. (b) Unauthorised Use or Interception of computer services (s.6 CMA): The cases often involve phone/pager cloning and the tapping of cable broadcast service for free usage or mischief. Explain the elements of the provision and provide real world examples of such offences.

(a) Unauthorised Obstruction of computer usage (s.7 CMA): This will apply, for example, to system attacks, e-mail bombing and denial of service attacks. Explain the elements of the provision and provide real world examples of such offences. (b) Unauthorised Disclosure of access codes (s.8 CMA): An example is the transfer of one’s password to another to gain access to a computer or network without permission. What constitutes “wrongful gain”, “unlawful purpose” and “wrongful loss”? Explain these elements of the provision and provide real world examples of such offences.

(a) What is the objective and effect of the new provisions of the CMA in relation to the use of personal data obtained through existing offences and the act of obtaining tools to commit CMA offences (new ss.9 & 10 CMA). Compare these provisions to the existing provisions of the Act (e.g. the current provision on abetment and attempted (s.12 CMA). (b) What is the purpose and effect of the changes to the jurisdictional provision, particularly from the cybersecurity standpoint? (amended s13 CMA).

Future of Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity is increasingly an issue that the government is concerned with. Although the CMA contained provisions for the Minister to act and for investigations into cybersecurity issues, the Act was amended in 2013 to give the Minister even stronger powers to prevent or counter threats to national security, etc. by taking any measures necessary to prevent or counter any threat to a computer or computer service or any class of computers or computer services. These may cover the “cyberterrorism” phenomenon. Due to the heightened concerns with cybersecurity, the Act contained interim provisions on the issue until a standalone Cybersecurity Act was enacted in 2018. Nevertheless, the CMA provisions continues to be relevant as a part of the arsenal against cyber attacks and to address security concerns.

Cybersecurity Act: The 2018 Act is mainly procedural and relates to CIIs, empowering the Cybersecurity Commissioner to investigate and prevent breach/leak incidents, certification of service providers as well as breach reporting obligations. The approach is one of ‘light touch’ and can overlap with the work of the PDPC and the police under the CMA.

Reference: (optional)

Gregor Urbas, An Overview of Cybercrime Legislation and Cases in Singapore, ASLI Working Paper Series No. 001, December 2008

Cases:

Lim Siong Khee v Public Prosecutor [2001] 2 SLR 342; [2001] SGHC 69 [ss 2(2), (5), 3(1), 8(1)]

Public Prosecutor v Muhammad Nuzaihan bin Kamal Luddin [2000] 1 SLR 34; [1999] SGHC 275 [ss 3(1), 5(1), 6(1)(a)]

Statutes: (for reference in class, important provisions will be highlights during class)

Computer Misuse Act (2020 Rev. Ed.)

Cybersecurity Act (No. 9 of 2018)

CoE Cybercrime Convention

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allaboutmedical · 3 days ago

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Hepatitis B Vaccine in Singapore: A Crucial Step in Protecting Your Liver Health

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that targets the liver, and it can lead to severe complications like cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer if left untreated. The Hepatitis B vaccine singapore is an essential preventive measure, and Singapore has made remarkable strides in combating the disease with effective vaccination programs. This article explores the significance of the Hepatitis B vaccine in Singapore, who should get vaccinated, and where to access the vaccine.

What Is Hepatitis B?

Hepatitis B is caused by the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can be spread through contact with infected bodily fluids, such as blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. Common modes of transmission include:

Unprotected sexual contact

Sharing needles or other drug paraphernalia

From mother to child during childbirth

Blood transfusions, though rare due to stringent screening processes

While some people may experience mild symptoms, others may develop chronic Hepatitis B, which can result in long-term liver damage. Chronic infections often go unnoticed for years, earning Hepatitis B its reputation as a "silent" disease. Fortunately, the Hepatitis B vaccine offers a robust defense against this potentially deadly virus.

Why Get Vaccinated Against Hepatitis B in Singapore?

Singapore has long recognized the importance of vaccination in the prevention of infectious diseases. Here’s why the Hepatitis B vaccine is crucial:

Prevention of Chronic Disease: Hepatitis B can become a chronic infection that leads to serious liver complications, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. The vaccine significantly reduces the risk of developing these conditions by preventing the initial infection.

Protection Against Liver Cancer: Hepatitis B is one of the leading causes of liver cancer worldwide. By preventing the infection, the vaccine also helps reduce the incidence of this deadly form of cancer.

Reducing Transmission: The vaccine not only protects individuals but also helps reduce the transmission of Hepatitis B in the community. Widespread vaccination leads to herd immunity, reducing overall infection rates.

Who Should Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine?

The Hepatitis B vaccine is recommended for various groups in Singapore:

Infants: Hepatitis B vaccination is included in Singapore’s National Childhood Immunisation Schedule (NCIS), with the first dose given to newborns within 24 hours of birth. Additional doses are administered at 1 and 6 months of age.

Children and Adolescents: If children and teenagers have not received the vaccine as part of their childhood immunization program, they are encouraged to get vaccinated to prevent exposure to the virus later in life.

Adults at High Risk: Adults who are at higher risk for Hepatitis B, such as healthcare workers, individuals with multiple sexual partners, intravenous drug users, or those who live with an infected person, should also get vaccinated.

Pregnant Women: Pregnant women who are at risk of Hepatitis B are advised to get vaccinated, particularly to protect their babies from being born with the infection.

How to Get the Hepatitis B Vaccine in Singapore?

The Hepatitis B vaccine is easily accessible in Singapore:

Polyclinics: The vaccine is provided as part of the National Immunisation Program for infants, and adults can receive it at subsidized rates through government programs like the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).

Private Clinics: Many private clinics and general practitioners offer the vaccine for both children and adults. Costs may vary depending on the clinic.

Hospitals and Specialized Centers: Healthcare institutions, including hospitals and specialized clinics, also offer the Hepatitis B vaccine, particularly for high-risk groups or individuals seeking private care.

Cost of the Hepatitis B Vaccine

The cost of the Hepatitis B vaccine in Singapore varies depending on where you receive it:

Polyclinics: Vaccination for infants is free under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule. Adults who are eligible under schemes like CHAS may receive the vaccine at a subsidized cost.

Private Clinics: In private clinics, the price for the vaccine typically ranges from $40 to $80 per dose. A complete vaccination series involves three doses.

MediSave: For adults, MediSave can be used to cover the cost of the vaccination, making it more affordable for eligible individuals.

Is the Hepatitis B Vaccine Safe?

Yes, the Hepatitis B vaccine is extremely safe and well-tolerated. It has been used globally for decades with a proven track record of safety. The vaccine is made from non-infectious components of the virus, so it cannot cause Hepatitis B. Common side effects are generally mild and include:

Pain or redness at the injection site

Mild fever

Fatigue or headache

Serious side effects are rare, and the benefits of vaccination far outweigh the minimal risks.

The Role of the Hepatitis B Vaccine in Singapore's Public Health Strategy

Singapore has a long history of addressing Hepatitis B through targeted vaccination programs. Since the inclusion of the Hepatitis B vaccine in the National Immunisation Schedule in the 1980s, the country has significantly reduced the incidence of chronic Hepatitis B infections. Public health campaigns and widespread vaccination have contributed to decreasing the prevalence of liver cancer associated with the virus.

Moreover, Singapore’s healthcare system offers comprehensive screening programs for Hepatitis B, allowing for early detection and treatment for those at risk.

Conclusion: Take Control of Your Health with the Hepatitis B Vaccine

The Hepatitis B vaccine is a crucial step in protecting your liver and overall health. Whether you're an infant receiving the vaccine as part of your childhood immunization or an adult who needs to catch up on missed doses, vaccination is essential in safeguarding against this silent and potentially deadly infection.

#hepatitis b vaccine singapore

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