Security and Banned Foods Post Brexit. Macro-Photography. Successful Carrot Cake.

Photography trial with Huwei P10

Mixed messages on Brexit plans today. First, Prime Minister Theresa May gave her vision of Security and the way that the UK and EU should cooperate after Brexit at the Security Conference in Munich. Covering highly relevant aspects, from the benefits of the European Arrest Warrant in rapidly apprehending criminals and extraditing them to other countries in the EU to presenting a united front on potential military threats from outside of the EU and dealing with cyber attacks. She used a carrot and stick approach, for example pointing ut that the UK apparently spends 40% of the EU's total on defence, The desire seems to be to negotiating as close a relationship with the EU on security after Brexit as we currently already have in the remaining year within the EU.

The Observer features the revelation that right wing groups are proposing an 'ideal' UK-US trade deal. The interpretation of two linked articles by the 'Initiative for Free Trade' and the 'CATO Institute' is that the regulation of agriculture and food would be less stringent than the EU requirements and allow agreement on US standards "which are widely seen as weaker than those adopted by the EU". This could allow the import of meat from hormone treated cattle and the import of drugs and chemicals currently banned in the UK.

The articles mentioned are:
An “Ideal” US-UK Free Trade Agreement
Shadow Trade Talks

In the US, no decision was reached between the White House, Democrats and Republicans on the fate of children covered by DACA, the 'Dreamers'. The fear is now that unless there is a legal counter, there is the possibility that tens of thousands of children who have lived and grown up in the US will be deported to their supposed  countries of origin. There seems to be a growing outrage among US students that the gun culture in the US is not being addressed. Numerous ironic and sarcastic memes on the inability to tackle gun control were circulating on Facebook.

Spent some time this afternoon taking macro pictures of some of the flowers that Jane received at the wedding. I tried a range of lenses and spacers, as well as comparing smartphone pictures v those taken with an SLR. Also created image stacks. This is all in preparation for a talk to the University of the 3rd Age (U3A) this coming Friday.

During the day's food shop, suddenly had an urge for carrot cake and bought the missing ingredients to suit a recipe quickly found online. Back home I used half the ingredients of the recipe given by 'Woman & Home' for a "Carrot Cake With Orange Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe" and successfully baked a tasty cake, to be iced tomorrow.