IMPERIALISM IN AFRICA – SA Upbeat - Intra-African Trade - Problems? - China and SA - Processed Foods - SA Food Prices - SA versus US Trade - Letter from South Africa - [01-11-25]

“On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink. Does not life mean more than food and the body than clothing?" [Matthew 6:25]

AFTER CENTURIES OF COLONIAL EXPLOITATION, AFRICA IS FINALLY BREAKING FREE OF ITS IMPERIAL CHAINS, AND IS BEING LIBERATED BY THE GLOBAL SOUTH BRICS+. The 21^st century will be the "African Century", politically, economically, militarily, and through BRICS+ and China's BRI, will build an advanced infrastructure and transportation system for 85% of the world's populace.

As the sun sets on the former European colonialists, having already been ignominiously ejected from The Sahel, the rise of the 54 countries, 3 dependencies, (and one disputed territory) of Africa, led by South Africa, is the 2^nd largest continent in the world; it is finally reclaiming its rightful inheritance after a century of explotation and resource depletion.

The United Nations divides Africa into five subregions for statistical purposes. They are Northern Africa, Eastern Africa, Western Africa, Middle Africa, and Southern Africa. The borders of Africa were largely drawn up by former European colonial powers, and for the most part do not reflect the ethnic, linguistic, or religious divisions of the continent.

· Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with a population of over 206 million.

· St. Helena, a British dependency, is the least populated territory in Africa.

· Lagos, in Nigeria, is Africa's most populous city with around 21 million people.

· Western Sahara is a disputed territory in Africa.

Southern Africa’s population has an estimated 68 million people, making it the least populous of all of Africa’s subregions. Most of these people live in just one of the subregion’s five countries. South Africa, which has a total population of around 59 million people, is the most industrialised nation on the continent. Southern Africa’s least populous country is the landlocked country of Eswatini, also called Swaziland, with a population numbering approximately 1.1 million people.

Southern Africa’s most populous city is Johannesburg, which is located in South Africa and is home to around 4.4 million people. The subregion’s second largest city, Durban, is also located in South Africa. Southern Africa is probably best known historically for the struggle against the racist régime of apartheid in South Africa, which came to an end in 1994, when the country became a multiracial democracy. Since then, the subregion has been relatively stable compared to other African subregions, otherwise known as "The Rinbow Nation".

BUT, before delving into Africa today, it's worth spending 13 minutes to understand the history and background of where Africa was centuries ago, and thus, where Africa will be in the 21^st century:

IN A REPORT ON THE 'ECOWAS' SUMMIT, published by Al Jazeera, it notes:

“The three nations stated that their territories would remain visa-free for all ECOWAS citizens post-exit. This move has alleviated concerns that their departure could threaten free trade and movement for the 400 million people living across the region. Among those who attended the summit was Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, who has served as a mediator between the 15-member bloc and the three countries set to leave. The Senegalese president, who was appointed to lead negotiations in July, said he was ‘making progress’ in talks with the three countries and added that there was no reason for them not to maintain relations amid ongoing security concerns in the region, where al-Qaeda and ISIL (ISIS) have gained ground.”

Imperialist Weaponry and Shifting Alliances in the Sahel. The AES countries have been plagued by rebel insurgencies which have dislocated, injured and killed thousands within their respective boundaries. Since 2020, Mali and later Burkina Faso, and Niger have broken military and economic agreements with the former colonial power of France.

At present the AES governments have moved closer to the Russian Federation in regard to military assistance. French troops have been forced to leave all three AES countries. In Niger, the US was asked to remove its 1,000 troops and its drone operations inside the country. The political posture of the AES administrations has prompted the severing of diplomatic ties between Ukraine and Mali. The US/NATO-backed Ukrainian government is extending its proxy war against Moscow to countries in West Africa which have strengthened its ties with Russia.

Silent Warriors Conference Held in Tunisia. Meanwhile the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) is continuing its mission through attempts to reassert military presence in various regions of the African continent. Since its formation in February 2008, AFRICOM has enhanced its operations within the AU member-states.

The first large-scale operational project of AFRICOM was the destruction of the North African state of Libya during February-October 2011, then the most prosperous on the continent. Anywhere between 50,000-100,000 people were killed with two million more displaced. Libyan revolutionary leader and Pan-Africanist statesman, Col. Muammar Gaddafi, who had led the country for 42 years and built the nation into an economic and political powerhouse, was brutally assassinated in the invasion and occupation.

The U.S. government under then President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton engineered the AFRICOM counter-revolution in Libya which resulted in further destabilisation throughout West and North Africa. Between December 9-13, the so-called “Secret Warriors” conference was held in the North African state of Tunisia. The event was coordinated by AFRICOM and two of its internal structures. A report published by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service (DVIDS) said of the event that:

“Special Operations Command Africa and the Tunisian Ministry of Defense co-hosted more than 250 attendees from 40 nations during the weeklong Silent Warrior 2024 symposium, December 9-13, 2024. This year’s iteration was the first time that the symposium was hosted on the African continent in Silent Warrior’s history. A multi-day symposium with broad participation from African and international partners, Silent Warrior aims to enhance operational effectiveness and mission success through cooperation and coordination across African Special Operations Forces. Speakers included the Tunisian Land Forces commander, senior leaders from AFRICOMand the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Tunisia.”

Although several countries in The Sahel have expelled the US and France from their territories, other states are continuing to work with the Pentagon and its allies. The principal issue involving the Pentagon and the French Foreign Legion interventions in the Sahel was their purported “partnerships” with African states had not improved security. In reality, the terrorist threats worsened leaving civilians and state actors even more vulnerable than before.

The persistent attacks by the rebels proved incapable of securing the permanent placement of the Pentagon and NATO troops in the Sahel region of West Africa. These terrorist campaigns, directed against governments and civilian communities, have provided a rationale for the continuing stationing of AFRICOM and French troops on the continent.

Ironically, in Tunisia where the popular uprisings began in late 2010 against the neo-colonial rule of imperialism through the leadership of Ben Ali, was the scene of the first African convening of the Silent Warriors grouping. Egypt, which exploded after the departure of Ben Ali, has not realised the attainment of a just society devoid of Pentagon and State Department influence.

Libya, and later Syria in West Asia, were subjected to reverse "Arab Springs" where the outcome of the purported “revolution” was coloured by the objective reinforcement and expansion of imperialism and Zionism. In Syria it has taken 13 years to accomplish what was achieved in Libya within eight months.

Imperialism Must be Defeated to Transform Africa. As more governments, political parties, trade unions, youth, and mass organisations take a revolutionary stance on the removal of imperialist military forces in Africa, the Pentagon and NATO will seek other means to reimpose their evil influence over the people of Africa. The resources available in Africa, as in West Asia, underline the determination of the Anglosphere to maintain and extend their control over the extractive and financial industries operating in the AU - the African Union [list of member states]

Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, is the founding prime minister, president of modern-day Ghana and Africa, published a pioneering study in October 1965 entitled “Neo-colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism”. The book categorised America as the most serious threat to the development of Africa as well as the entire world. One section of the book which prompted a diplomatic rebuke from the US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs under the then President Lyndon B. Johnson, and G. Menning Williams, former Governor of Michigan, emphasised:

“On achieving independence, almost every new state of Africa has developed plans for industrialisation and rounded economic growth in order to improve productive capacity and thereby raise the standard of living of its people. But while Africa remains divided, progress is bound to be painfully slow. Economic development is dependent not only on the availability of natural resources and the size and population of a country, but on economic size, which takes into account both population and income per capita. In many African States the population and per capita products are extremely small, giving an economic unit no longer than a medium-sized firm in a western capitalist country, or a single State enterprise in a European socialist economy.”

Such an observation, calling for the unity of Africa, and any other neo-colonial territory, to take control of its national resources is a serious threat to imperialism. Whether in Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, et al, the aims of imperialism remain the same: "…to fortify and further solidify the control over the valuable and strategic resources on the planet." Source

· Imperialism Remains an Existential Military and Economic Threat to Africa and by implication, South Africa https://www.globalresearch.ca/imperialism-military-economic-threat-africa/5875238

STOP PRESS – SOUTH AFRICANS SHOULD BE UPBEAT FOR 2025 - IMF Optimism Offers Hope for South Africa’s Fiscal Recovery this Year

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has indicated, in its latest World Economic Outlook, optimism that South Africa’s public finances will recover, and that the National Treasury will manage to tame public debt on the back of fiscal consolidation.

The IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO) is a survey of prospects and policies by the IMF staff, usually published twice a year, with updates in between. It presents analyses and projections of the world economy in the near and medium term, which are integral elements of the IMF’s surveillance of economic developments and policies in its member countries and of the overall Global Economic System.

This week, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana presented the 2024 Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS), offering an updated view of the Medium-term fiscal framework. This is the first MTBPS presented under the Government of National Unity (GNU) and is expected to reinforce the government's ongoing fiscal consolidation efforts.

Godongwana said "The mature, forward-looking manner in which we formed the government showed the true character of our still-young nation, the effectiveness of our Constitution and the durability of our institutions. It was a living example of the passage on our coat of arms: !ke e: /xarra //ke, as it reads in the /Xam language, meaning 'diverse people unite'."

Godongwana said further: "South Africa will need to rely on this strength of character to implement reforms that change the long-term trajectory of our economy to build prosperity and sharply reduce poverty and inequality."

In February, Godongwana said debt will peak at 75% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2025/26. The IMF, has already revised upwards South Africa’s economic growth projections for 2024 and 2025, forecasting GDP growth of 1.1% for 2024 (0.9% previously), and 1.5% from 1.2% in 2025. Sources

· The IMF has indicated optimism that South Africa’s public finances will recover https://www.iol.co.za/business-report/economy/imf-optimism-sparks-hope-for-south-africas-fiscal-recovery-9fc01457-eba7-464c-b242-8bfc44f827fa

· Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTBPS) 2024 https://www.treasury.gov.za/documents/mtbps/2024/mtbps/Prelims.pdf

NEWS FLASH - Intra-African trade and its impact on South Africa.

The African average of intraregional trade is biased by the continent’s larger economies, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa thus distorting the picture of the importance of intra-African trade for the rest of the continent. For each of these countries, the reason for the low dependence on the African market varies.

As a country with long-standing market access agreements with the EU, Egypt has in the past prioritised the markets of its northern neighbours. For Nigeria, it reflects the country’s oil wealth; and for South Africa, there are historical reasons, related to its apartheid economy, that make its economy less dependent on its regional neighbours’ markets than would otherwise have been the case. The basic point is that many African countries have a higher dependence on European markets than average figures indicate.

In this Business Talk with Michael Avery interview, Standard Bank’s Amish Shunker and Justin Milo discuss intra-African trade and its impact on South Africa. Shunker is the Head of the Solutions Structuring Group and Head of Trade for Africa at Standard Bank CIB. He has worked at Standard Bank CIB for nearly 15 years and previously served as the Head of Sales for Standard Bank’s Trade and Supply Chain Finance department. Milo is the Executive Head of Trade and Working Capital for South Africa at Standard Bank CIB. He has worked at the bank for over 15 years, holding several key leadership roles during this time.

In this Business Talk interview, Shunker and Milo explain how South Africa’s trade industry has fared in 2024, including in relation to trade with other African countries, and global counterparts. Shunker reveals the top trends and potential catalysts in the trade industry that South African businesses should be monitoring. Milo then unpacks the country's biggest trade relationships – both within Africa, and with the rest of the world. Shunker concludes the interview with his key predictions for intra-African and international trade in 2025.

FUN TIDBIT

[PHOTO]

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK – DO "I" HAVE A PROBLEM? GET USED TO IT SNOWFLAKES.

BREAKING SOUTH AFRICAN NEWS: CHINA OFFERS SOUTH AFRICA POSITIVE POTENTIAL FOR THE FUTURE - Here's Why You Should Be Excited About the BRICS+ Going Forward into 2025.

"The Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China (RDCY) has successfully completed several studies in 2024 which contributed to China’s success story for 2024 and, in addition had an international flair."

Main studies included,

Policy briefs for key decision-makers

Hosting, (i) the Tongzhou Global Development Forum, drawing over 1000 participants, to discuss the future of global development, security, and sustainability; and (ii) the China-Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) States Roundtable on Human Rights in Rio, Brazil

RDCY’s global presence, visiting 17 countries, engaging with political leaders, strengthening global partnerships, and advocating for peaceful cross-border collaboration; and

Finally, contributing to Chinese and international academia with the publication of multiple books and articles translated into several languages, on burning international socioeconomic issues, such as international finance, development economics and reforms, with outlooks to 2029, 2035 and 2050.

The study’s vision of the future is providing a formidable reflection of China’s continuous outstanding socioeconomic performance, domestically as well as internationally. The outlook for China in 2025 and beyond is as bright as it was in 2024.

In 2023, China embarked on her sixth reform since 1979. It involved economic restructuring by modernisation and further opening-up. China’s periodic reforms mean extraordinary flexibility for adjusting her 1.3 billion-people-economy to ever-changing international circumstances.

In 2025 and beyond, China’s focus will remain on Global South markets, including South Africa and the nine-country BRICS association, as well as on the different ASEAN Free Trade Agreements, and on APEC. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation is an intergovernmental organisation promoting trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region. APEC is closely linked to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

These forward-looking strategies may render China more robust and independent from the sanctioned, weaponised, US hegemonic dollar-economy, while opening new markets in the Global South, i.e. in Africa and South America. Chinese international competitiveness is practically unbeatable.

Therefore, president-elect Donald Trump’s tariff-threats, copied by vassal Europe, will hardly impact China’s economic growth. To the contrary, the West is losing an important trading partner. The European Union is blocking a formidable opportunity for Europe’s stable trade and growth, thereby pulling western economies further down the drain.

Because of these nonsensical western globalist policies, the West has been declining for at least the last three decades, accelerating to warp speed in the last five years. Independent of President Trump, a new era is dawning which will change everything, and President Xi’s idea of a new Eurasian market, initiated by the BRI, may re-emerge for the benefit of all.

Meanwhile, BRI will continue moving forward. In November 2024, the new fully China-funded and managed Peruvian port of Chancay was inaugurated under the banner of BRI. The merchant harbour, one of the largest on the South American Pacific Coast, is expected to pool exports and imports of several South American countries, thereby promoting new markets and economic growth for Latin America, as well as Asia, including China.

In the years ahead, China’s position and endeavours for peaceful growth and peacefully connecting the world in time of wars and conflicts, is exemplary and may lead China to take on a more important role in mediating for international peace-making. Sources

· China, Forward-Looking – 2025 and Beyond https://www.globalresearch.ca/china-forward-looking-2025-beyond/5876591

· The picture of intra-African trade is distorted by commodity exports to destinations outside the continent https://www.brookings.edu/articles/why-the-extent-of-intra-african-trade-is-much-higher-than-commonly-believed-and-what-this-means-for-the-afcfta/

SURVIVAL MONITOR – YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT – PROCESSED FOODS ARE POISONOUS. This is the Glaring Hypocrisy and Embedded Deceptions of the Global Food Giants [Lightly edited précis from an article by Colin Todhunter]

Bryce Martinez (18) from Pennsylvania is mounting a legal challenge against major food companies. 11 firms are listed in the lawsuit, so as a guide, consider avoiding these (mainly American), global manufacturers, having spread their poison around the post-WW2 world, but also note the notice above!

· Kraft Heinz

· Mondelez

· Coca-Cola

· Post Holdings

· PepsiCo

· General Mills

· Nestle (Swiss)

· WK Kellogg

· Mars

· Kellanova

· Conagra

Yes, the only alternative for most foods is to buy local and/or grow your own (check seeds for GMO). Ultra-processed Foods (UPF) have undergone multiple processing steps and often contain additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients. These UPFs have become staples in many households. Examples of UPFs are prepackaged soups, many breakfast cereals, sauces, frozen pizza, ready-to-eat meals, hot dogs, sausages, sodas, ice cream and store-bought cookies, cakes, candies and doughnuts.

It is claimed that the 'MegaFood' corporations have deliberately engineered their products to trigger addictive responses and this makes sense in the same way that BigPharma create poisonous medications in order to keep their customers sick. It’s all profit-driven, excluding any vestage of humanity or moral accountability. The banks and financial instituions do the same thing by keeping their customers in continual debt. A quick review of corporate adverts tells the undeniable story.

Martinez had regularly consumed popular UPFs throughout his childhood. The lawsuit challenges the food industry’s argument that consumers have free choice in their dietary decisions. It argues that the notion of free choice is compromised by aggressive marketing tactics, especially aimed at children (who know no different), and the addictive nature of these products.

UPFs are highly profitable for corporations. The same companies that dominate the UPF market are intertwined with investment firms like BlackRock and Vanguard, which also hold stakes in the pharmaceutical industry. This dual investment creates a cycle where investment firms profit from both the sale of harmful foods and the treatment of diseases associated with these products.

There is a famous quote often attributed to farmer, poet and campaigner Wendell Berry:

"People are fed by the food industry, which pays no attention to health, and are treated by the health industry, which pays no attention to food.” For decades, this has served both industry’s interests at the expense of the health of ordinary men, women and children.

The influence that giant corporations have on the global food system is encapsulated by the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI). Presenting itself as an independent scientific organisation, across the world, from China to India, the ILSI plays a crucial role in promoting narratives that benefit its corporate funders.

According to the report Partnership for an Unhealthy Planet (Corporate Accountability, 2020), political interference by food and beverage transnationals like Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nestlé and PepsiCo is pervasive. The report shows how these corporations have leveraged the ILSI to cripple progress on nutrition policy across the globe.

After documenting that the ILSI has spun a complex web of revolving doors or partnering with leading research institutions in India (including “controlling” the Niti Aayog, the Government of India’s policy think-tank) to denigrate traditional diet

Funders of the ILSI have included at some point Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Mars, Mondelez, General Mills, Nestle, Kellogg, Hershey, Kraft, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Starbucks Coffee, Monsanto, CropLife International, Syngenta, Dow AgroSciences, Pioneer Hi-Bred, Bayer CropScience, BASF, Cargill, Unilever and Campbell Soup (see the reports: Pushing partnerships: corporate influence on research and policy via the International Life Sciences Institute and ILSI is a food industry lobby group).

In late 2020, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) released a report that described how Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Nestlé and PepsiCo used the COVID event to aggressively market UPFs. In South Africa, Coca-Cola donated soft drinks to families in townships and multiple healthcare centres.

A peer-reviewed study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) was associated with more than 10% of all-cause premature, preventable deaths in Brazil in 2019. UPFs have steadily replaced the consumption of traditional whole foods, such as rice and beans, in Brazil (see also the report: Free trade and Mexico’s junk food epidemic).

In high-income countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, UPFs account for more than half of total calorific intake, a much higher figure than that for Brazil or South Africa where traditional values prevail. It is the poorer sections of society that rely more on UPF items because of their low cost. Yet corporate-backed narratives often downplay these risks or frame them as issues of personal responsibility rather than a systemic problem.

Bryce Martinez is up against some very powerful forces that will do everything they possibly can to stave off any challenge that could potentially represent a critical threat to their power, profits and practices. There's much more knowledge to be gleaned HERE. For further insights, see the author’s books Sickening Profits: The Global Food System’s Poisoned Food and Toxic Wealth and Power Play: The Future of Food. Also, in flipbook format here.

HOT FOOD TIP

INFLATION - SA FOOD PRICES SOAR

The rising cost of living in South Africa has become a growing concern for millions of households, with the financial strain of putting food on the table seemingly ever-increasing. This has played a significant role in the country’s growing malnutrition crisis. According to the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity (PMBEJD) Group, the average cost of a household food basket sat at R5,383.38 in December 2024, over 68% increase from the R3,199.86 in December 2019 and above the general inflation rate of 26% during the same period.

The 'Household Affordability Indexes' show that rising food prices alongside stagnant wages are putting immense pressure on South Africans already facing economic hardships. Several factors have pushed up food prices in South Africa over the past several years. The main driver has been the rising cost of agricultural inputs like fertilisers, feed, and energy.

Global supply chain disruptions, worsened by economic instability and political tensions, have also increased import costs for key raw materials. In addition, experts say that climate change and extreme weather have affected local farming, lowering crop yields and pushing prices even higher. Regardless, these dramatic increases in prices are not just statistics, but a harsh reality for South Africans, many of whom are now forced to make difficult decisions about their spending.

Families have been forced to cut back on other essential, nutritionally-rich foods, ultimately impacting their health and well-being. Looking at just a core staple food basket, these prices have increased by nearly 60%, from R1,303.18 in December 2019, to R2,078.68 in December 2024. The core food basket includes essential items that low-income families in South Africa prioritise to avoid hunger. These staples form the foundation of their diet and are bought first, even amid price increases:

· Source - Food prices in South Africa skyrocket over five years https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/805957/food-prices-in-south-africa-skyrocket-over-five-years/?utm_source=everlytic&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=businesstech

NARRATIVE BATTLE – South Africa faces a showdown with the United States.

South Africa has benefited from the 'African Growth and Opportunity Act' (AGOA), which provides participating countries with preferential access to US markets. Which is just another lever that the hegemon uses to coerce the Global South countries into trading, on what might appear to be favourable grounds, but in fact is yet anther silent weapon used by the dominant West to plunder the wealth and resources of the Global South.

South African products currently enter the world’s biggest market duty-free under AGOA, which benefits local producers. However, South Africa’s close ties with Russia and China, its anti-Israel stance, and its refusal to condemn Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine have angered many US lawmakers. United States lawmakers have been critical of South Africa after it correctly took Israel to the International Court of Justice over accusations of genocide in Gaza.

In June 2024, the US House passed a key annual defence policy bill with an amendment calling for a review of South Africa’s national security risks to the United States, This annual defence policy bill still needs approval from the United States Senate and the White House.

If passed, it could complicate the status of thousands of South African products and cause damage to the country’s exports. BUT, so what? South Africa needs the US like a hole in the head - our ties to BRICS+ and China will put America into the shade, a place it richly deserves. The United States is South Africa’s largest trading partner (at the moment) after China and is an important country for many exports, which I wrote about last month; read HERE.

Maintaining favourable commerce ties between the two countries is key to the newly formed South African coalition government’s efforts to bolster an economy. The AGOA will expire in 2025, and its beneficiaries are still awaiting formal guidance about its future. The positive news is that South Africa will retain preferential access to the US markets for its goods in 2025 despite strained relations between the countries.

However, this can change with increasing pressure from United States politicians to review their relationship with South Africa. Many economists warned that South Africa is alienating its biggest trading partners, including the United States and Europe. The country is siding with countries it does not benefit from or have big trading relationships with, like Iran and Russia. This is BS, writ large, as I explained HERE.

FINALLY - What "terrible" weather we are having in the Cape - LOL - Monday is ideal for a braai!

COMING NEXT:

• BOOM Weekly Global Review - Tuesday, January 14,, 2025

• The Financial Jigsaw Part 2 - Chapter 8 (37) – POLYCRISIS – Saturday, January18,, 2025

REFERENCES

· My Book: “The Financial Jigsaw” Parts 1 & 2 Scroll: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/358117070_THE_FINANCIAL_JIGSAW_-_PART_1_-_4th_Edition_2020 including regular updates.

· BOOM Finance and Economics Substack (Subscribe for Free) - also on LinkedIn and WordPress. Plus Covid Medical News Network CMN News and BOOM Blog -- All Editorials (over 5 years) -- BOOM Finance and Economics | Designed for Critical Thinkers — UPDATED WEEKLY (wordpress.com)