Monthly Archives: September 2021

Blooming pest pops up on Tourism New Zealand website despite efforts to halt promotional pics of Russell Lupin – Stuff.co.nz

Posted: September 20, 2021 at 8:50 am

Blooming pest, or blooming beautiful?

Russell Lupin provoke varied reactions, and efforts to banish promotional images of the brightly coloured wild flowers are having mixed success.

The officially designated pest plant pops up in Tourism New Zealands latest spring campaign, and a photo of Russell Lupin beside Lake Tekapo covers an entire wall in the first of 40 Kiwiso stores to open in China selling New Zealand skin care and well-being products.

Following a plea from the Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board last year, tourism agencies ChristchurchNZ and Mackenzie Tourism stopped using Russell Lupin in their promotional material and on social media channels, and encouraged tourism businesses to adopt a similar policy.

READ MORE:* Struggle against wild lupins sows the seeds of change in the South Island* Mackenzie operators upbeat despite Aussie travel pause* The mystery of Tekapo's disappearing lupins: Who killed the social media star?* Russell lupin: iconic to Mackenzie Country or invasive weed?

Brook Sabin/Stuff

The Mackenzie region is famous for its Russell Lupin, but there have been efforts to limit use of promotional images of the pest species.

Mackenzie Tourism Development Manager Lydia Stoddart said operators who wished to could still include the blooms in their own promotions, however when featuring their content we avoid using imagery with lupins.

Tourism New Zealand said it had not been approached by the conservation board regarding use of Russell Lupin images, and it would contact the board and the Department of Conservation (DOC) to determine its response, which might be removing imagery that contains them.

Kiwiso spokesman Mike Arand said store owners Alpha Group were unaware of the pest status of Russell Lupin when the first outlet was designed, and the enlarged photo obtained from Getty Images would not appear in any future stores.

Screenshot

Tourism New Zealand. Despite being a pest plant, Russell Lupin appear in a spring promotion on Tourism New Zealand's newzealand.com website

The photo already in the store is a bit more problematic to replace in terms of location and how it is applied, so for now we will have to leave that one there.

Arand said now knowing the lupin variety was regarded as a noxious weed, he was surprised to find Tourism New Zealand featuring Russell Lupin, and to see online guides on the best places to view and photograph the flowers.

Under the Biosecurity Act, the wild Russell Lupin is a declared pest in Canterburys regional pest management plan making it illegal to grow the plant within specified distances of waterways and property boundaries, but the Act does not prevent lupin images being used for commercial purposes.

supplied

Russell Lupin are among the landscape shots used in this Kiwiso store which opened in China earlier this monthselling New Zealand skin care and well-being products.

DOCs eastern South Island operations director, Nicola Toki, said the departments position was that Russell Lupins should not be promoted.

We know New Zealanders have a high affinity for the landscapes and natural values of places like the Mackenzie.

These landscapes dont need lupins to make them awe-inspiring, they are sufficiently striking in their natural state.

Toki said allowing weeds like lupins to invade New Zealand braided rivers had a significant impact on their functioning, and by providing hiding places for predators, such as stoats and feral cats, they put vulnerable species at risk.

Alden Williams/Stuff

Tourists amongst a field of lupins on State Highway 8 near Tekapo. Along with their environmental impact, the flowers have also been blamed for creating a traffic hazard as visitors stop on roadsides to take photographs.

But others argue that the striking flowers, beloved by both amateur and professional photographers, have significant economic value for areas where they grow, such as Tekapo.

Mackenzie photographer George Empson said the only ill effect of the lupins was on waterways, so that is where attention should be focussed, and those supporting widespread eradication should consider the potential financial impact.

The lupins are a great part of the landscape here, you only have to see the attraction they are when in bloom, this eradication path is a very short-sighted approach, council should be open to any attraction to draw in the tourist dollar at present.

We run a business in Australia, have done for 30 years, and when clients and others realise Im from the Mackenzie, the first thing they say is I just love that wee church then, when is the best time to visit for the lupins?

George Empson

Photographer George Empson took this image of lupins in the Mackenzie, and he opposes widespread eradication of the plants.

Landscape photographer Megan Maloneys summer photography workshop in the Mackenzie in November ($1800 a head) has sold out and her six students will get the chance to capture photos of the flowers against a mountain backdrop.

Her website has an ultimate guide to New Zealand lupins which acknowledges the ongoing war over the plants, and the polarising arguments between farmers who want to use lupins as stock feed and environmentalists.

What the outcome will be is unclear, but for now we still have the opportunity to enjoy the lupins, so we should make the most of it while we can, Maloneys website said.

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Blooming pest pops up on Tourism New Zealand website despite efforts to halt promotional pics of Russell Lupin - Stuff.co.nz

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On the money: Kate Sheppard and the making of a New Zealand feminist icon – Newshub

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Sheppard became the first president of the National Council of Women (NCW) in 1896, but flanking her in bronze are others central to the women's movement.

Meri Te Tai Mangakhia of Taitokerau requested the vote for women from the Kotahitanga parliament. Amey Daldy was a leader of Auckland's Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) and Franchise League. Ada Wells of Christchurch worked for equal educational opportunities for girls and women. Harriet Morison of Dunedin was an advocate for working-class women and active in the Tailoresses' Union. And Helen Nicol led the important women's franchise campaign in Dunedin.

The monument also recognises the complex layers and themes of women's suffrage, including the place of men such as MP Sir John Hall who played a vital part in the suffrage victory. Seven other prominent suffragists are also named. Smaller panels depict generic women going about their daily lives, all part of the wider movement.

So what makes Sheppard so iconic? As well as her role in a world-first episode in New Zealand history, I would argue Sheppard embodies many of the characteristics common to modern heroines globally.

She is emblematic of a mother figure, specifically as a maternal feminist concerned with home, purity and well-being. Metaphorically, her work involves giving birth to the nation.

Accompanied by an image of the symbolic white camellia flower presented to pro-suffrage MPs, Sheppard's image on the banknote is part of her invention as a feminine, stylishly dressed, commanding figure.

But there are other dynamics at work, too. Sheppard is sometimes framed as a reformer, called to work for a more peaceful and egalitarian society. But the 2015 punk-rock musical That Bloody Woman portrays her as a rebel warrior queen, fighting with bravery and determination.

Intrigue in her private life also adds to Sheppard's appeal. Was her marriage to Walter Sheppard unhappy? They lived apart from 1905 until he died in 1915. Author Rachel McAlpine wrote a fictional account involving an extramarital affair and a love child.

And what of the rumours surrounding Sheppard's friendship with William Lovell-Smith, who she married towards the end of her life after the death of his wife Jenny? Her private life hints at mystery and suggests a woman advancing new ways of co-habiting.

There is also tragedy. Sheppard lost her only child, Douglas, in 1910, and outlived her nearest and dearest friends and relations, including her only grandchild.

Sheppard's shape-shifting presence leaves room for us to create our own versions to augment all the writing she left revealing her beliefs and ideas. The Kate Sheppard Women's Bookshop aptly memorialises her, and her leadership is honoured through scholarships and awards.

All this has helped keep her memory alive, especially with the feminists who have always claimed her as a heroine.

Sheppard is on the money, then, but who else might represent the heroic archetype? Waikato woman of mana and Kngitanga leader Te Puea Hrangi is surely one, described by historian J.G.A. Pocock as possibly the most influential woman in New Zealand's political history.

Te Puea was also a mother figure. A literal healer, she nursed her people back to health -- especially after the smallpox epidemic of 1913 and the devastating 1918 influenza epidemic that killed a quarter of the population at Mangatwhiri, leaving many orphans to be cared for.

Her motto is said to have been "work, eat, pray, work again". Te Puea was called to help her people and was dedicated to leading their resurgence. In particular, her efforts secured the Kngitanga movement. Part of her legacy as the most active leader of her generation was the building of Trangawaewae marae at Ngruawhia.

Like Sheppard, Te Puea's health and welfare work included campaigns against alcohol and smoking. In the face of Pkeh resistance she built an impressive health facility at Trangawaewae. In 1951 she became the first patron of the Mori Women's Welfare League.

Her activism included seeking compensation for land confiscation. An early peace warrior, she led a non-violent campaign against conscription during the first world war. Like Sheppard, she was part of an international network and well-connected around the Pacific.

Also like Sheppard, Te Puea was strategic and collaborated with many men. She launched Mui Pmare's political career and later collaborated with pirana Ngata. Well known in the Pkeh world as Princess Te Puea, in 1937 she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

In many ways, of course, Christchurch and Ngruawhia were worlds apart. While both women challenged the state, Sheppard represented a mainstream Pkeh establishment, whereas Te Puea pursued mana motuhake for her people. Yet, placed side by side and viewed through an early 21st-century lens, both are important heroines in history.

Both stand for citizens working together for the common good. Kate Sheppard might be on the money to represent women's rights as a fundamental part of Aotearoa New Zealand. But, as her memorial suggests, it's important we don't see her as the only woman worthy of being on a pedestal.

Katie Pickles is a professor of History at the University of Canterbury.

Pickles received funding from Royal Society Te Aparangi James Cook Research Fellowship.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here.

The Conversation

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Confessions of a former Air New Zealand and Ansett flight attendant – Stuff.co.nz

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Queen Elizabeth II was apparently so captivated by the view on a 1991 descent into Queenstown that she stood in the aisle for so long the cabin crew worried they wouldnt be able to complete the in-flight service before landing.

Philippa (Pippa) Field describes serving as a flight attendant manager on the Ansett flight from Queenstown as a highlight of a career that also saw her crew Air New Zealands first ever flight to Rarotonga, share cabin space with the King and Queen of Tonga and South Africas Springboks rugby team.

Pippa Field/Supplied

Pippa was turned down for a role with Air NZs international crew in the late 70s because she was married, a mum and over 30.

Tasked with coordinating the service for the Queen and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and other dignitaries on the British Aerospace 146 Whisper Jet, Pippa admits she felt daunted. And nerves quickly escalated to alarm when another crew member informed her the trollies couldnt be released for service at the back of the plane because the Queen had got up from her seat, pinned her hat to a seat on the opposite side of the aisle and was peering out the window.

Angela (the air hostess charged with serving the royal pair) did not feel she could possibly bump Her Majesty on the bum and say scuse me maam. I need to get the trollies out to the back so that the other passengers can eat, says 75-year-old Pippa. And she wasnt the only one on tenterhooks.

READ MORE:* Air New Zealand's best and worst flight attendant uniforms * Rough Ride: Air NZ's turbulent 80 year history * Air New Zealand: The first flights to London

The on-board chef was so nervous he couldnt get Her Majestys hors doeuvres out of the ovens as his hands were shaking so much! Eventually we were left scrambling down the back to complete service and clear in before landing.

The late duke also gave the crew a bit of grief, refusing to take his seat before landing.

Pippa Field/Supplied

Pippa and fellow graduates from Air New Zealands flight attendant training school in 1979.

Angela gave up trying. Captain John Bartlett told me later that he was very apprehensive about the flights!

Pippa says the day is a bit of a blur now, but she recalls serving the crew a hot meal afterwards to thank them for their hard work, and convincing the captain to crack open a bottle of Krug champagne.

It is of course a big no-no for crew to drink whilst on duty for safety reasons. He said okay, but after weve landed, okay.

Its only thanks to Pippas chutzpah and determination that she became an air hostess (or hostie, as she puts it) at all. When she applied for a job with Air New Zealand in the late 1970s after a career as a nurse in the UK, three things counted against her: She was over 30, married and had a three-year-old child.

While the womens liberation movement was gaining significant momentum in New Zealand at the time, the national carriers hiring policies hadnt caught up.

Air New Zealand/Stuff

The uniform Pippa wore when she started with Air NZ Certainly not up there fashion-wise, but it was practical I guess. We all envied the international hosties with their lovely Nina Ricci uniforms. I think we all felt a tad dowdy beside them.

Convinced the airline wasnt playing fair when it turned her down for medical reasons, she went to see her GP, who ordered a battery of tests for her to undergo. As luck would have it, her GP counted Air New Zealands doctor among his contacts and called him to ask why Fields application had been rejected.

(The doctor) had a very loud voice and the answer came booming out of the phone: Well, shes over 30 and married with a child. We can have our pick of 25-year-olds so why would we hire her? Suffice to say, I started on about human rights and discrimination!

Her indignation served her well: The airline took her on as cabin crew trainee on domestic flights in 1979, the year after its merger with the National Airways Corporation (NAC).

Pippa believes she may have been the first married woman to have been hired by the airline as a hostie, as well as the first with a child. She struggled at first, finding out on her first day on the job that she was terrified of turbulence.

My hands used to sweat so much I feared I would pour the tea and coffee in the wrong places due to hand slippage. I was so scared that I thought I would have to give my dream up, but in the end sheer stubbornness overcame everything.

Pippa Field/Supplied

Top: Pippa never thought of her role as glamorous but enjoyed it nonetheless. Bottom left: A highlight of Pippas career was being stranded in Rarotonga for 10 days during a strike.

That said, it was love at first flight. Flying into Wellington from Gisborne on her first day without her trainer accompanying her, Pippa recalls standing by the flight deck of the Fokker aircraft and watching the planes approach for as long as she could.

It was a wonderful, amazing experience to watch the guys at work. And we got to fly into Wellington on a good day.

There was much she loved about the role: Regularly watching the sunrise and sunset from 30,000 feet in the air and the long layovers in the Pacific Islands being chief among them. But she never found it particularly glamorous, describing the work as hard yakka.

Cleaning up puke, emptying sick bags, pouring tea and coffee, and emptying garbage bags just how glamorous is that? It was similar to nursing, but in a more rarefied atmosphere.

She also felt pressure to ensure she looked her best every day as it was a criteria that one had to be pretty to be hired for the job. A boss I had, once used to call it facial validity but Im a fan of Este Lauder. There are no not beautiful people, only lazy ones.

Supplied

Pippa and fellow hosties appeared with British broadcaster Alan Whicker in Air NZs Nobody does it better campaign.

Still, she had experiences on the job she will never forget. She had another brush with royalty on a flight on which the then-King and Queen of Tonga were guests of honour. She says two sheepskin-lined seats were taken off an international aircraft and placed at the front of the Boeing 737 for them to sit on.

They sat enthroned up the front with their own special hostie.

Pippa was working at the back of the aircraft so didnt spend time with them during the flight, but was summoned to bid farewell to them after landing.

They swept past us with not even a ta. There was no acknowledgement whatsoever from the King or Queen of the special service that had been given to them at all. I remember thinking this is royal. You just kind of expect that we all busted a gut.

DAVID WHITE/STUFF

Air New Zealand chief executive Greg Foran is one of a handful of people trialing the Iata travel pass app (first published April 2021).

Pippa became something of a VIP herself after appearing in a high-profile Air New Zealand advertising campaign with British broadcaster Alan Whicker in 1979. Featuring the slogan Nobody does it better, the ad was promptly pulled after the Mt Erebus disaster in November of that year, which was and remains New Zealands deadliest air disaster.

Pippa was on duty the night the Air New Zealand DC-10 airliner crashed into Antarcticas Mt Erebus, killing all 257 passengers and crew on board.

I heard the screams of one hostie who was engaged to a crew member on that flight. It was ghastlyI was rostered to work the next day, and it just passed in a blur. There was no counselling or managers talking to us. We just got on and did our jobs.

The disaster is something she and many others will never fully come to terms with but, all in all, Pippa looks back on her career as a hostie with fondness, saying her jobs with Air New Zealand and then Ansett were the best she ever had.

I learned to enjoy the flying, even in rough conditions and there were plenty of those. I liked the hours of work, meeting the passengers and giving service, as limited as it was in those days: Tea, coffee, crackers and cheese in packets that one had to put one's feet on to open. It was a fantastic time.

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Police find six stolen snowboards, three firearms, hundreds of cannabis plants – New Zealand Herald

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Police officers executed search warrants at four Turangi properties and found six stolen snowboards. Photo / File

Police have found six stolen snowboards, along with firearms and several hundred cannabis plants in Turangi.

Officers executed search warrants at four Turangi properties, between September 4 and 14, a police spokesperson said.

They located six snowboards, which were stolen over three days from Turoa and Whakapapa ski fields.

In addition to the snowboards, three firearms were also located and seized aswell as several hundred cannabis plants, the spokesperson said.

"Follow up inquiries have identified five people involved in the snowboard thefts."

They said offenders would be trespassed from both Whakapapa and Turoa ski fields fortwo years, and would likely face charges relating to theft, firearms and drugs.

Sergeant Lane Demchy said the ski industry was a significant part of the local economy.

"When offending occurs on our mountain we will make every effort to hold people accountable.

"In this case it's great to be able to recover some of the stolen property and return it to the rightful owners," Demchy said.

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Roulette Odds & Payouts – Improve Your Chances of Winning with Casino.com – blog.casino.com

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When you play roulette, you are taking part in a game of chance in which no one knows where the little ball will end up. However, you can improve your chances of winning by fully understanding the roulette odds and payouts that are involved.

The first thing worth mentioning here is that you will find both American and European versions of this classic table game. The main difference between them is that the American variant has two zero pockets instead of one (0 and 00). This means that the roulette table odds are lower in European games, making the decision to play European versions one of our top casino rules.

The second factor to take into account is that the odds vary according to the bet that you choose. If you choose a single number, then the chances of winning are 36 to 1 in European-style games, and 37 to 1 if you play an American version. The payout, in either case, is 35 to 1.

Yet, if you decide to put your stake on red or black, the odds of the right colour coming up are close to 50%, and the payout is on a 1:1 basis. It is the presence of the zero, or zeros in American games, that stops this being a straight 50% chance of coming up.

Therefore, you should consider, first of all, how adventurous you want to be. Do you want a bet that has the best chance of winning you a small amount, or would you prefer to look for higher roulette odds on a type of wager that is less likely to come up?

To help you make your decision, we can now look at all the roulette payouts and how they are different on a variety of bets.

Roulette payouts are affected by the odds we just looked at, as the wagers with the lowest chance of coming up also have the highest payouts. If you are using a roulette strategy, this will help you to see which kind of wager to use and where to place your casino chips.

For example, progressive strategies will often use the bets with the best possibility of winning and the lowest payout. On the other hand, someone who hopes to win a lot of money in few spins might decide to look for the biggest payouts, regardless of the high odds of this wager coming up.

Therefore, we can say that the best bet in roulette would be one that gives the odds you are happy accepting and a payout you feel is worth it. This will vary from one person to the next, and even the same person may feel like placing very different bets from one day to the next.

These are tables that show how much you would win if you correctly predicted the outcome of a spin of the wheel. The following roulette pay table shows some of the payouts you will typically find when playing roulette.

As you can see, the roulette payouts for each bet are slightly lower than the odds of the bet coming in. This is where the house edge comes from, as the zero pocket(s) skews the odds slightly in favour of the casino. It also allows us to work out the RTP in the same way as on slots.

More complex bets, such as called bets, are a little more difficult to calculate on a roulette payout chart like this, as you generally place several chips across a series of numbers. The payout varies on these wagers, depending upon which of the chosen numbers the ball lands on.

As shown in the roulette odds chart, the odds and payout of each bet vary by roughly the same amount in each case. What this means is that there is no single bet that is significantly better than others in terms of the return vs the odds.

It could eventually come down to whether you are comfortable going through a sequence of losing spins before winning, or whether you would feel happier with low odds that mean you should win a fairly small amount more regularly.

By understanding the subject of roulette odds and payouts, you can start to choose your wagers more wisely and find a strategy that works for you.

Did you know that the house edge in roulette has changed over the years? It first changed when Francois and Lois Blanc added a zero to the wheel in 1842. It changed again later in the century when American casinos added a second zero, taking the number of numbers from 37 to 38.

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The Origin of Roulette: Everything You Need to Know About It – blog.casino.com

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5 Heros Who Set the Roulette Wheel in Motion – blog.casino.com

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The origins of online gaming are shrouded in a mystery. Who was first to market? Who wrote the code for the online casino? Who developed the first game of online poker.

We dont have all the answers but here are some of the key players who set the roulette wheels in motion.

In 1983, computer studies student Ian Sherrington met Austrian bookmaker Detlef Train. Seven years later, on a fishing trip, they hatched a plan to use the fledgling Internet as a medium to make bets.

On January 17th, 1996, they launched the system and the worlds first online bet was made. The business rapidly took off and relocated to the Caribbean where it targeted the dormant US market.

At the same time that Sherrington and Train were bringing their sportsbook to the Internet, South African entrepreneur Martin Moshal was busy creating the worlds first online casino.

At one point, Microgaming was the software behind 35% of the worlds online casinos. Today, the business is more diluted and based in the Isle of Man. Moshal concentrates on philanthropic distractions, having sold his share of the business.

PartyPoker wasnt the first online poker room but it was the one that held all the best cards. Planet Poker and Paradise Poker developed the initial software but it was Ruth Parasol and her partners that took the business into the financial stratosphere.

Canny affiliate marketing, custom skins for partners, and clever software that really hasnt changed much in 20 years made PartyGaming the market leader. Since then, due to its legal withdrawal from the American market, the business has waned and is now a fraction of the size it was.

Today, Mitch Garber is the CEO of Caesars and appears on the Canadian version of Dragons Den. In the 1990s, newly qualified lawyer Garber was a key mover and shaker in the online gaming business.

He handled state legislation, as well as developing online financial services. He helped set up the worlds first online sportsbook in Antigua and kept the industry one step ahead of the regulators. He was also one of the highest paid executives in the world, when he was the CEO of PartyGaming, earning an annual package worth 17 million.

Ayres contribution to online gaming is stylistic. Ayre launched Bodog in 2000 and its cool look and aspirational branding made it an instant hit. Ayre wrote his own code, brought the cool, and Bodog bloomed.

Ayre was true to his creation and enjoyed the life of the rock star. Always living the dream, complete with yachts, supermodels, and all the playboy trimmings. Today, Ayre dodges the feds and commentates on the industry.

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‘Red Roulette’ by Desmond Shum exposes the hidden fortunes of China’s red aristocrats – The Australian Financial Review

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While he presumed she had been detained, there was never a trial, and he did not know whether she was dead or alive. That was until his phone rang on Saturday, September 4, just days before Red Roulette was due to hit the shelves. His ex-wife was on the line.

Whitney told me that shes on temporary release and could be redetained at any time. She asked me to cancel the books publication, Shum, 52, says in an interview with The Australian Financial Review from his home in Oxford, England.

It was a ridiculous request which could only be dreamed up by some bureaucrat in Beijing, where they can disappear a book off all the shelves in China overnight. But this is the rest of the world. The book was already on the way to the bookstores, contracts have been signed. I cant disappear the book even if I wish to.

With US and British newspapers already previewing the book, Shum says the authorities in China were desperate to kill off the story they did not want told. He believes Duan was calling him under duress to pass on a threat. In some respects it was a breakthrough. He knows she is still alive and his 12-year-old son, Ariston, spoke to his mother for the first time in four years.

Duan and Shum in Switzerland in 2004. Shum says the photo was taken while they were on a trip with Auntie Zhang.

Duans reappearance is another twist in Shums story which, if true, confirms suspicions about the lengths to which the Chinese leadership will go to cover up information about the privileges available to those in power. It comes at a politically sensitive time for Xi, who last month spoke out against wealth inequality and is stepping up a crackdown on the private sector.

A journalist said to me recently you will be a marked man for the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] for the rest of your life. I knew that when I made the decision to publish but when someone says it to your face, it still sends a chill down your spine, Shum says.

I was resigned to the fact that I was signing my life away. I dusted off my will to make sure things are in order. I perceived what my ex said on the phone as threats, so I notified the UK police.

While there is no way to verify much of what Shum has written, his memoir is being taken seriously by seasoned China watchers. His ex-wifes links with Zhang were the subject of an explosive New York Times investigation in 2012 which showed Wens relatives controlled assets worth at least $US2.7 billion ($3.7 billion).

A key moment in Red Roulette is his account of a dinner at Beijings Grand Hyatt Hotel in 2002, when Duan introduces him to Auntie Zhang a well-connected diamond trader in her own right, who was married to one of the most powerful men in the country.

Shum, who moved to Beijing in 1997 and had only met the charismatic Duan a year earlier, writes affectionately about his ex-wifes ability to insinuate herself into the world of the elite. In the book, he compares it to a Chinese soap opera about ladies-in-waiting vying for the attention of an empress in an ancient imperial court. My encounter with Aunty Zhang in the Grand Hyatt at the beginning changed everything for me, Shum tells me.

From that moment on, the doors opened.

Shum writes about the ministers, vice-ministers and the heads of powerful state-owned enterprises who flocked nightly to the private dining rooms they set up discreetly in the top floor of a Beijing hotel. Officials were wooed with private lunches where the fish maw soup would cost $US1000 ($1400) a pop, or a $US10,000 set of golf clubs or a $US15,000 watch. The couple travelled on private jets with members of the so-called red aristocracy, including the son-in-law of a top official who told Shum he had not completed his business training in China until he had spent time in prison.

The couple also spent lavishly on themselves. He writes that Duan spent $US200,000 on a special car licence plate for her Audi which exempted the driver from regular Beijing traffic rules. They enjoyed luxury holidays with Zhang, including one trip to the Australian outback, although Shum says they never did any business in Australia.

While Duan made her name setting up the investment vehicle for the Wen familys investment in insurance giant Ping An, Shum says their biggest deal was the countrys largest air cargo logistics hub attached to Beijings international airport. Shum writes that it took 150 different chops Chinese seals that act as a form of signature from officials within seven different government ministries to get the project approved.

My employees waited for months trying to curry favour with officials, bringing them fine teas, doing their errands, taking them to saunas, looking after their wives and kids. One of my employees accompanied so many people to so many bathhouses that his skin started peeling off, he writes. To seal the deal, he was only allowed to build the project after agreeing to include tennis courts, a gym, karaoke bar, theatre and other facilities worth $US50 million in the new customs building.

Under their arrangement, Zhang would get 30 per cent of any profits from their joint enterprises and they and any other partners would share the remaining 70 per cent, he writes. In theory, the Wens were responsible for putting up 30 per cent of the capital as well, but they rarely did, he adds.

Red Roulette depicts Wen as a workaholic who was oblivious to his wifes business dealings, an account that contradicts US State Department documents released by WikiLeaks that suggested he was not happy she used their relationship to build her diamond-trading empire.

Despite Xis anti-corruption crackdown when he came into power in 2012, Shum says the relatives of Chinas Party elite are still shielded.

It is baked into the system. Seven busloads of top princelings came to the 100th [Communist Party] anniversary party [in July] and joined Xi in Tiananmen Square. The only reason they were there was because of their bloodline. They are not even contributing citizens, but they are still the real powerbrokers, he tells me.

While he is now critical of a system he and Duan made a fortune exploiting, Shum says he is not ashamed of anything they did.

We were careful, and we never actually did hard-cash-on-the-table corruption. We did do influence peddling for sure, he says. He goes on to explain he was just trying to succeed in a system that many believed at the time was making China a better place.

Red Roulette: An Insiders Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption and Vengeance in Todays China (Simon & Schuster) was released this month.

The entire world, myself included, looked at China and thought whatever they are doing is making things better. They are becoming more free, they are becoming more prosperous. Press freedom is loosening up. People have more liberties. We are all contributing to that.

Shums view has since changed. Already angry about Duans detention and the direction China was heading under Xi, Shum says the final straw was the 2019 protests in Hong Kong, which prompted a security crackdown by the Chinese authorities on the city where he was raised. That prompted him to take a book he initially started writing for his son to the publishing houses in New York.

In June 2019, I flew back to Hong Kong to be in the protests. I was a couple of hundred metres from the tear gas at the frontline. I saw the police brutality. I thought maybe I can do something with my book.

He is not be surprised by Xis latest crackdown on Chinas technology giants and billionaires such as Jack Ma, saying the state started taking back control of the private sector as early as 2008 during the global financial crisis. This merely accelerated under Xi.

Shum says he and Duan had dinner with Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, in 2008 but he was not impressed. Xi, who was pegged as a potential successor to then president Hu Jintao, let his wife do all the talking that night. But he says Duans charms did not work on Peng. The couple were already too powerful, too guarded.

Shum, who says he is now retired and focusing on his son, concludes the interview by congratulating the Australian government on pushing back against Chinas economic coercion.

He paints a hawkish picture of a country where he spent most of his life but to which he can never return. I ask if he ever expects to see Duan again.

They may let her out of the dark cell while the spotlight is on her, but I dont think they will ever let her out of the country.

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'Red Roulette' by Desmond Shum exposes the hidden fortunes of China's red aristocrats - The Australian Financial Review

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Where Can You Find the Best Bet at the Casino A Top 5 – blog.casino.com

Posted: at 8:49 am

Its true: casinos can be intimidating places for the uninitiated; the flashing lights, the impatient croupier, the grumpy guy at the Blackjack table. Do you split? Is it time to double down? Should you raise the ante or just bail out and head for the bar?

As with most things in life: knowledge is power. Fortunately for you, were bringing you some basic casino 101 on the secrets of the house edge. Our top five guide to the games to aim for when you are heading for the casino both online and offline.

First things first: lets explain what the house edge is. Casinos are businesses and they need to make money. The house edge is the mathematical advantage that any gambling game will have. It is the profit that the casino will make on each game.

One of the best examples of house edge, which makes it very easy to understand, is Roulette. On a Roulette wheel, there are 36 numbers. If you bet a single number and it hits, you win 36 times your stake. The odds of hitting a single number are 36 to 1.

However: on a typical Roulette wheel, there are 37 slots. The extra slot is the zero. When this number hits, the house wins. All odd/even, Red/Black, and number bets lose. The only bet that wins is a straight up on the zero. The zero basically represents the house edge. For a single zero table, that house edge is 2.70%. If the casino turned over a million dollars on the roulette table over a weekend, it would expect to earn $27,000.

Every game at the casino comes with a house edge. If youre nervous of the Baccarat and Blackjack tables, its time to wise up and overcome your fears. These table game classics come with a much better house edge than the slots, keno, and the wheel of fortune.

Calculating the precise house edge of Blackjack is tricky. There are a lot of different elements to factor in. Will the dealer hit on a soft 17? Can you split cards more than once? Is it a single deck game? Are you playing using basic strategy? Does Blackjack pay at 3 to 2 or 6 to 5? There are also dozens of different version of this classic card game. You can find scores of them at any online casino.

If you keep it simple, use basic strategy, and play a single deck with liberal Las Vegas rules, it is possible to get the house edge as low as 0.16%. That means you lose only 16 cents for every $100 gambled. In reality, you are more likely to end up with an edge of around 1.00%.

Heres the good news: online casinos are competitive and there is a lot of choice. Avoid games that offer big jackpots and seek out a Blackjack table with a low house edge. This is where you can max out your game play and unlock some real value.

Unlike blackjack, there really is no strategy to baccarat. James Bond might look pretty cool, with his shaken martini and a femme fatale in tow, but it is essentially a game of luck. What makes it appealing is its low house edge. If you are playing common rules, the house edge is about 1.09%.

In baccarat, you have the choice of three bets: player, banker, and tie. If you bet the banker, there is a commission to pay if the bet wins. Its normally about 5%. This creates the house edge. Look hard and you can find baccarat games with lower commissions.

Roulette is one of the most popular games at the casino. Easy to understand and simple to play. Just walk up, drop off your chips, and hope for the best. People talk of systems, track the wheel, and watch the numbers. In truth: if the table is balanced and fair, this is a game of pure luck. European roulette has a single zero and a house edge of 2.70%. American roulette has both a single and double zero, with a house edge of 5.26%.

However: there are some interesting twists. If you can find a roulette game that offers la partage, the house odds shorten dramatically to 1.35%. This is when a player loses only half their odds/even stake when a zero hits. Check out a few casinos to see if you can track down a Roulette game that offers this deal.

Read the small print. Check the Terms and Conditions. It may not be the first thing you do when you want to get stuck into the slots, but the house edge is critical when you play these popular games at any online casino.

With slots, the house edge is called the RTP (Return to Player). To find out what the RTP on any given slot, just click the question mark icon or rules link. The exact RTP should be displayed. One of the lowest RTPs on any slot is on NetEnts Mega Joker at up to 99%. This is a house edge of 1.00%. You do have to make the maximum bet to get the best RTP. Once again: shop around for the best deal.

Craps is one of the most fascinating games to play at any casino. Its complex and takes time to learn. Its also the croupiers favourite game with one of the only bets in the casino without any house edge. With so many betting options, the house edge varies from nothing to nearly 17%.

To get the only zero house edge bet in the casino, you have to play the odds bet. The odds bet pays 2 to 1 on points of 4 and 10, 3 to 2 on points of 5 and 8, and 6 to 5 on points of 6 and 8. Trouble is: its so tempting to take a punt on rolling snake eyes (1,1) or boxcars (12,12) with sucker odds of 33-1. Dont do it!

The secret: do your research. The house edge varies from game to game and from casino to casino. The basic rule of thumb is this: the easier a game is to play, the more likely it is that it will have a high house edge; scratch cards, keno, and the lottery all are very hard to beat.

Take the time to wise up and learn games like Blackjack and Baccarat. This way, you can get a lot more bang with every buck you bet. Get an education get the edge.

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When The Chips Are Down, Are You Ready To Clean Up? – blog.casino.com

Posted: at 8:49 am

Its tough at the top and even tougher at the tables. You know howit is: youve been setting the blackjack table on fire, rolling naturals at craps,and rockin it on the river over at the poker table. Suddenly, a chill windblows through your soul; the dice die, the picture cards disappear, and youreall-in on a hope and a prayer. This is when a steady hand is needed to keep theship afloat. Dont panic: just follow these 10 simple rules and let the mojoflow.

Benjamin Franklin once famously said: By failing to prepare, youare preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin also invented the lightning rod,bifocals, and was one of the founding fathers of the United States. This guyknows what he is talking about. Preparation is everything, if you want to max out your chances at the casino. Are you sittingcomfortably? Lets begin.

Theres a reason why drinks are free in most Las Vegas casinos.Alcohol and gambling are poor bedfellows. If youre out for the night, lookingto party and have some fun, enjoy the comped drinks and dont bother to countyour chips in the morning. If, however, youre hoping to roll high and playserious, keep the martinis and the Mai Tais at a distance.

Theres a reason why Las Vegas casinos dont have windows. Time isyour enemy and the casinos friend. The more hours you spend at the tables, themore likely it is that the house wins. If you start to get sleepy, its time tohead off to your (hopefully complimentary!) hotel room and get some rest. Theblackjack table will be there in the morning and you will still have some chipsto play

Youve got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, knowwhen to walk away. Kenny Rogers song is nearly 45 years old but its messageis as true today as it was back then: quit when its starting to go sour.Chasing lost chips is the classic mistake casino players make. If you can feelthe adrenalin kicking in for all the wrong reasons, stand up and walk away. Youcan always live to fight and play another day.

Knowledge is power. There is no secret to your chances of winningin a casino. The odds of all the games are either on display or easy to lookup. The house always has the advantage. Games like keno and slots require noskill and have a significant house edge. However, games like blackjack andcraps both come with rules. Learn those rules and you improve your chances;when to make that bet, when to go large, and when to fold. Do the homework. Ithelps!

Online or offline, the choice is huge. If youre playing online,make sure you are playing with a reputable website. Online casinos likeCasino.com operate under very strict regulations and restrictions; protectingboth the player and the business.

The fact is: you are just as likely to win the lottery with thenumbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 as you are with any combination of numbers.Its also never, ever, the case that: after the roulette has hit red for 20spins, the next one is more likely to be black. This illogical but bizarrelyreasonable assumption is called the Gamblers Fallacy. Put simply: its abelief that because something hasnt happened for a period of time, it is morelikely too. The chance of either black or red hitting, playing roulette, isalways 50/50 (less the house edge).

For some reason, citizens of the United States often want to play onlyAmerican Roulette despite the fact the game has both a zero and a doublezero; this gives it a slightly higher house edge. Blackjack is a game thatcomes in many forms. Watch out for single deck games, games that hit on a soft17, and multiple variations on splits, doubles, and surrenders. Study the rulesof the games. They can vary from casino to casino. It all makes a difference.

Online casino gaming is a different kettle of fish. There areliterally hundreds of games to choose from; multiple versions of blackjack,video poker, and roulette, as well as scores of different online slots. Itsworth taking the time to discover what games suits both your style of play andyour budget.

Its the deal of the week. When we go shopping, we always scourthe supermarket shelves for a BOGOF bargain. Its exactly the same at thecasino. Buy a lot of chips at any Las Vegas casino and you could be in for freeaccommodation and a weekend to remember .

Online, there is a world of bonuses to discover. It might take alittle time to find the deal that best suits you. However: look closely, takeyour time, and choose wisely, and there are financial gains to be made. If youare happy to jump a few hoops, these bonuses, reloads, and special offers cansignificantly improve your edge.

At the end of the day, gambling is not a career. It should be fun. It can be exciting. Its often memorable. Most of the time, you will leave the casino with a lighter wallet but hopefully a few laughs and memories richer. Occasionally that last gasp $10 roulette single bet will hit and you will end up a winner; a great night at the tables and none the poorer. Keep it simple. Do your homework. Stay in control. Have fun!

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When The Chips Are Down, Are You Ready To Clean Up? - blog.casino.com

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