Daily Archives: June 4, 2021

Photo: Mikhail Zvyagintsev (Shutterstock)

When was the last time that you had overproof rum? Most likely, it was either during an ill-advised, 151-fueled Spring Break bender or while lounging on a Caribbean beach. (Or, if youre me, it was during the first phase of the pandemic when hand sanitizer was as rare as single-origin saffron.) For so long, overproof rum has been the libidinous mistress of the distilled booze world. Its thump is what makes it popularin Jamaica, we say that it puts hair on your chestbut this complex spirit has more to offer than its high ABV.

Luckily, overproof rum has been gaining wider acceptance over the past few years. Both professional and at-home mixologists have been embracing it, and theres a lot to appreciate. According to the founder of The Rum Collective, Dr. Nicholas Feris, overproof rum has not really grown in popularity, but the understanding of it has grown, or rather properly matured, and this growth is significantly influencing how these rums are being used in the U.S. today.

More and more consumers and industry folks are interested in the aromas and flavors in a rum they choose, regardless of proof, said Feris. Jamaican rums have so much to offer, from the lighter-bodied, blended rum, such as J. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum all the way up to the full-bodied tropical bouquet found in a single malt style of rum like Hampden Estates Rum Fire.

Overproof rum has an ABV (alcohol by volume) of at least 57.5%. Caribbean overproof rums, such as J. Wray and Nephew, Bacardi, and Cruzan, are also known as 151 rums and have an even higher ABV of 75.5%. (This is where the name comes fromif you multiply the ABV by two, you get the proof, which is 151 in this case.) To put this into context, tequila and mezcal typically have an ABV of around 40%.

G/O Media may get a commission

Overproof rum got its name on the high seas when Royal Navy officers would test the quality and strength of rum with gunpowder. Gunpowder was wet with rum and then lit. If it burnt with a flame, it was proof that it was quality rum. If it went bang when ignited, it was said to be overproof.

Jeanie Grant is the Bar Manager of the Palmetto Restaurant and Bar in Oakland, CA. Shes also the 2018 Iron TikiTender champion, winning the title using overproof rum (specifically, Rum Fire). I asked Grant why she chose overproof rum for the competition. I chose overproof rum for my cocktail because the flavors and complexities are much more present in a spirit that has not been diluted, she said. Shes a fan of Rum Fires deep tropical notes and almost savory aromas that stood up to the other intense flavors in her winning cocktail.

As we stare down the tunnel towards a Roaring Twenties summer, Im here to spread the gospel of overproof rum and explain how to use it. I use overproof rum a lot in my own kitchencocktails, bread pudding, other baked treats, and barbecue sauces are all improved by its presence. Compared to spiced rums, overproof is a bit more subtle, with enough throat-tingling, lip-smacking notes to keep things interesting. Some of the alcohol evaporates away during cooking, but what remains is a flavor that is pronounced and delicious, but not overwhelming. These are a few of my familys favorite overproof rum-based recipes that will take you from before-dinner drinks all the way to dessert.

This classic cocktail is best when it is not fussed with. Serve it at a party to spread the love around.

Combine all the ingredients in a pitcher and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Serve over ice.

The base of this recipe is a jerk marinade that has been my fathers pride and joy for over 50 years. Yes, there are lots of ingredients, but the recipe is easy to execute. Whether youre cooking chicken, ribs, lamb, tofu, or salmon, youll want to slather this sauce over everything.

Place all the ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a boil, then immediately turn to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes (just so all the flavors marry).

Great for sprinkling over grilled meats or on the rim of your margarita glass.

Pulse salts in a food processor until the combination resembles rough sand. Place in a bowl, add rum and stir. Thinly spread the mixture on parchment paper and place in a dry (not humid) area overnight (or for a couple days) until the moisture has evaporated. You can also dry it in an oven set to 275F to speed things up. Flake and place in jars. When properly stored, it will last for years.

Drizzle over ice cream, or eat an entire jar if youre feeling heartbroken.

Place sugar in a saucepan and add enough water until it resembles wet sand (usually between and cup). Place on low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Ensure that the mixture doesnt bubble during this process.

Once the sugar is fully dissolved, turn up to medium heat and let simmer (do not stir) until the sugar mixture is syrupy and amber in color. This takes approximately 15 minutes.

Next, slowly whisk in the cold butter followed by the warm cream. Once the dairy is fully incorporated, stir in the rum, and simmer until the sauce returns to the consistency of thick caramel.

So refreshing, this rum and grapefruit soda concoction fuels balmy dance parties in Jamaica.

Fill a Collins glass with ice, and squeeze the wedge of lime on top. Add rum and top with fizzy Ting. Stir and enjoy.

Read the original:

5 Ways to Use Overproof Rum Like an Expert - Lifehacker

Liminal or hybrid warfare is not going to result in great tank battles in the Fulda or Suwalki Gaps

Interview by Octavian Manea

SWJ Q&A with Admiral (Ret.) James Foggo, a distinguished Fellow with the Transatlantic Defense and Security Program at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA). Over the last decade in Naples, Italy, he served in multiple major commands as Commander, Naval Forces Europe/Africa; Commander Allied Joint Force Command, Naples; Commander, U.S. Sixth Fleet; Commander, Submarine Group 8; and Commander, Submarines, Allied Naval Forces South.

OM: Seven years after the Crimea annexation, the Black Sea remains what has been called the soft underbelly of NATO. How do you see the transformation/the changes in the Russian way of warfare and what worries you about them? There is a term that I found very useful in this context coined by David Kilcullen in his most recent book where he talks about a special type of warfare that of liminal warfare - essentially riding the edge, exploiting the ambiguity of blurred lines of conflict to challenge an established order and exert control on key parts of the regional commons - practiced in a certain ecosystem, a geographical area transitioning between two states of beingthat are in limbo, that have ambiguous political, legal and psychological status.

JF: My introduction to the Black Sea took place in early 2011. In 2010, I became a one-star admiral in charge of Submarine Group 8 in the Allied Submarine South that included the navies of the Southern Mediterranean and Black Sea region countries that operated submarines (Greece and Turkey). At that time, we were bringing the Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers to Rota, Spain as Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF). It was our desire to use those ships in multi-mission capacity, not just for missile defense which is their primary mission, but to perform other multi-missions: anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, maritime interdiction operations, etc. The US DDG is really a versatile platform. We sent one of these destroyers then to the Black Sea for the first time and the Russians were not happy about it. The Burke Class Destroyers have the ability to carry the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) and the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3)--the best ballistic missile interceptor in the world. When the Russians protested against the destroyer sailing in the Black Sea on a legitimate Montreux convention request, the response of the Sixth Fleet Commander at the timeAdmiral Harry Harris was Well, send another one! The important lesson learned here is that you have to be present for both your allies and partners to receive reassurance and to let others that want to challenge you know that you are going to be there with like-minded nations in solidarity. In other words, Virtual presence equals actual absence! Eventually, the Russians got used to a US DDG entering and operating in the Black Sea.

As this relationship progressed with the post-Soviet era Russian Federation, there was actual dialogue, we had joint military activities with their forces. Every year, it became a milestone event to build and approve the Russia Work-Plan. Everything done in collaboration with Russian Forces was approved at the Secretary of Defense level. In fact, during the run-up to the Olympic Games in Sochi we had two ships in the Black Sea, but then out of the blue, came the illegal annexation of Crimea and the Russia Work Plan ground to a halt. We should have seen this coming after the 2008 attack on Georgia but for some reason we didnt. As a community of western allies and partners we were completely surprised. This was accomplished through what David Kilcullen calls liminal warfare or essentially hybrid warfare by a different name. Personally, I dont like the little green men expression, but I do appreciate and understand hybrid. Undermining a sovereign nation can be done without firing a shot through intimidation, spawning social or nationalistic unrest, capitalizing on social-media and utilizing the new domains of cyber and space in coordinated attacks that occur under the threshold of a NATO Charter Article 5. All these things happened and now Crimea has been annexed and there exists a continuing tension along the border in Donbas or what is often called a frozen conflict. Sometimes this area heats up as we saw most recently with the build-up of a 100,000 Russian forces along the line of demarcation between Crimea and the rest of the Ukraine. In the final analysis, I was relieved that the Russians stood down, but they proved they can do this quickly and that it wouldnt have taken much to go from an exercise to a real-world operation and cross that line in Donbas. Accordingly, we need to continue to maintain our presence in the Black Sea - the soft underbelly of Eastern Europe.

OM: What does the hybrid component mean when applied to maritime issues? I think weve seen of glimpse of that when we look to the Russian actions in the Azov Sea or in the broader Black Sea ecosystem.

JF: Hybrid or liminal warfare conveys that something is brewing as I said earlier, and brewing below the threshold of an Article 5 violation. We have this expression in the West called the boiling frog. The frog sits in a pot of water that is slowly brought to a boil. In the final analysis, the temperature change is so subtle over time, that the frog never realizes that its been cooked. Some of the incremental changes or encroachment that have taken place in the Black Sea region during the last decade and my tenure of seven commands in Europe remind me of the boiling frog scenario.

For example, beyond Russian actions in Georgia in 2008 and the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, I was the Commander of Naval Forces Europe in 2018 when the Sea of Azov incident (where Russian FSB vessels fired on, rammed and captured Ukrainian naval vessels) took place. The regulation of the Sea of Azov is different than the regulation of the Black Sea or other body of waters under the UN Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS). The Sea of Azov is regulated by a bilateral agreement between Russia and Ukraine that was signed in 2004. As a result, it is the business of these two signatories to resolve their differences in the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, thereby limiting what Western powers can do on the other side of the Kerch bridge and up to the Ukrainian port of Mariupol. Nevertheless, when I was the Naval Forces Europe Commander, I said both publicly and privately, that left unchecked, the West might see an export of this protocol/pattern of bad behavior from the Sea of Azov into the Black Sea. In other words, the Russians could export this protocol of restricting access to the Sea of Azov to the rest of the Black Sea. I believe this is exactly what happened recently, coincident with the build-up of Russian land and air forces near Donbas, followed by Russian Navy forces announcing a number of closure areas in the approaches to the Sea of Azov from the Black Sea throughout this summer and into the fall. This is a form of hybrid warfare.

They tried the same thing during the Trident Juncture 2018 off the coast of Norway and the Norwegians told me it was the first time that they had seen a declaration of a closure area for a missile exercise in their EEZ very close to their territorial waters, as well as in the middle of Trident Juncture maritime operations. When you declare closure areas, under the auspices of the UNCLOS - you dont own that piece of ocean. The oceans are called the global commons for a reason. Nations declare closure areas to notify their intent to conduct dangerous military activities (like a missile exercise) for the benefit of civilian traffic in the impacted areas. It is intended to be a safety mechanism but can be abused to cut off sea lines of communications and normal transit routes. This is what is happening todayit is an unfair practice and it should be stoppedso what can you do about it? There is no reason you cant sail into those areas, particularly if nothing is going on at the time. Demonstrating the will and the ability to project power and presence is very important. Both sides eventually get used to it. It is important to challenge this kind of hybrid warfare at sea with presence operations that are non-hostile. It is also important that in doing so, we reduce the chance of mistakes and miscalculations on the high seas during close encounters between US/NATO and Russian warships. There needs to be a broader NATO multilateral agreement on this and I would suggest that NATO Navies conduct a closer examination of the Code on Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) for risk mitigation during unplanned encounters, particularly in the Black Sea.

OM: Lets reflect a bit on the broader consequences of Russia investing massively in counter-power-projections bastions to neutralize some of the traditional features of the American/Western Way of war. How do they change local balances of power? What worries you the most? How should US and NATO forces change how they operate in increasingly such non-permissive environments?

JF: This should not come as a surprise to the West. It was back at the turnover of the millennium, around 2000, when it was recognized at least in Washington, in some think tanks and amongst the strategic minds in the Pentagon one of these was Andy Marshall who was the head of the Net Assessment that an anti-access/area denial strategy was a very real and rather inexpensive manner in which to secure an area of a coastline or airspace against any potential threat or amphibious landing of an opposing force. Early in this century, we started to see the build-up of the highest density of weapon systems (an interlocking system of coastal missiles, interceptor aircraft, air-defense systems, surface ships, and submarines) in one geographic area Kaliningrad in the Baltic Sea. It was really the first A2/AD bastion that was created in this post-Cold War Russian Federation world. An A2/AD strategy can be very effective. It builds on the proliferation of weapons of asymmetric warfare and although it is effective in protecting a coastline, it can also reach out much further than territorial waters and into the open ocean where it can restrict the ability of commercial shipping to conduct freedom of navigation on the sea lines of communication in international waters.

When talking about A2/AD, I always refer back to a famous war-game in United States called Millennium Challenge where a retired Marine Cops officer, Lt. Gen. Paul van Riper took command of the Red Force (the opposing force) and created an A2/AD strategy that it was so effective that the exercise had to be re-set and had to started over. Over time, because the A2/AD strategy has been successful, particularly the Russians and now the Chinese, are both investing their resources to protect their interests and project power far from their respective coastlines. Who would have ever thought that the Russians would have established such a significant presence in Syria? In fact, theyve created an A2/AD cordon around Syria and out into the Mediterranean which raises tension in the Eastern Mediterranean. With the annexation of Crimea in Black Sea theyve done the same thing with S-300 and S-400 systems that form a cordon of early warning well beyond 12 miles from land. There are also increasing numbers of reported incidents of GPS jamming or spoofing in the Black Sea and other maritime domains where we operate. These are all functions of the expansion of the domain(s) of warfare from what used to be 3 domains (land, sea, air) into now 5 domains (+ cyber and + space).

One of the things Ive told to my friends in the Black Sea was that if this A2/AD strategy is being effectively employed by our adversaries, why dont you try it yourself? In fact, building a network of connected surveillance along the coastline is exactly what Romania and Bulgaria are doing. The challenge is to connect on the other side with Georgia, Ukraine and Turkey as well.

Its becoming very busy in the Black Sea especially when you add the 6 Kilo class submarines (2 that are operating in the Eastern Med, 4 that are operating in the Black Sea) that carry the very capable Kalibr cruise missile which Russia proved it works very well in combat. With the reach of the Kalibr weapons system, they can essentially target any capital city in Europe. We need to know where those vessels are at any one time. This can be very challenging.

OM: The traditional discussion when you try to counter and A2/AD posture is either to incentivize allies to build their A2/AD capabilities but on the side is also the idea of adopting an ASB (Air Sea Battle) kind of thinking. Is this also part of the broader picture that NATO should have in mind for the Black Sea ecosystem?

JF: The new strategic review that was conducted by NATO happened to be led by one of CEPAs own Dr. Wess Mitchell, a brilliant diplomat and scholar. To my great delight the report underscored the need for a new NATO maritime strategy. The last one was published in 2011, before of the return of the Russian Federation and the rise of China as a peer competitor.

Often times when a crisis occurs, we are late to recognize it because a failure of indications and warnings, we were not paying attention to signals and then we respond by running to the sound of guns. I had two grandfathers in the First World War in the trenches and my father hit the beach in Normandy after D-Daythey

ran to the sound of guns

In the NATO maritime domain, often times we will also run to the sound of the guns. Is it in response to a snap exercise in the High North or the Arctic region? Is it in response to high tension in the waters off Kaliningrad or is it in response to the most recent build-up in Donbas both at sea and on the land?

With a strategy you have a plan. There are branches and sequels to that plan. These plans are adapted to geographical regions, like the GRPs. When you have a plan then you understand what tools, capabilities and what capacity and types of ships you need to successfully deter or defend. When you articulate those types of platforms and the capabilities that goes with them (anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare) that costs the Alliance in terms of resources from individual nations or NATO Common Funding. A strategy can provide some form of coalescence and agreement on who provides what to support the plan.

The last piece of the puzzle that is really important about any strategy is what we in the United States call a Time Phased Force Development Doctrine (TPFDD) i.e. who goes first and when and where do follow-on forces arrive?

Incorporating all of these things in the paragraphs preceding will constitute a maritime strategy that is much overdue.

OM: What are the implications for the West of what you call as the Fourth Battle of the Atlantic? How should NATO adapt its maritime posture to deal effectively with it?

JF: When I coined the expression the Fourth Battle of the Atlantic with my brilliant co-author, Dr. Alarik Fritz back in 2016, neither of us realized how popular that expression would become.

At the time, we were sounding the alarm on the fact that Russia employs an arc of steel from the Arctic through the Baltic and down to the Black Sea. Russia has the capability to hold nearly all NATO maritime forces at risk. No longer is the maritime space uncontested. For the first time in almost 30 years, Russia is a significant and aggressive maritime power.

This response to our warning order on the return of the Russian Federation (particularly in the undersea domain) was met with strong resolve on the part of the Alliance. We are able to assign an extra fleet to augment the 6th Fleet and MARCOM and our NATO Allies in deterring and defending the euro-Atlantic theatre. When people asked me during my time as Naval Forces Europe CommanderIs the US withdrawing from Europe?I said absolutely not. Lets look at some recent events. We just re-inculcated the Second Fleet thats been decommissioned for a while. We agreed to create a Joint Forces Command HQ in Norfolk, Virginia to bolster the pillar of the transatlantic bridge from the North America to Europe. That was a significant event and expenditure of resources on the part of the United States. Vice Adm. Andrew Lewis, USN, has done a great job taking that organization from initial operational capability to full operational capability. He deployed forward and took command of the BALTOPS and established an expeditionary HQ in Iceland in advance of one of our Carrier Strike Group deployments.

It should be also stated that the Fourth Battle of the Atlantic is not only about the Atlantic Ocean. It is also the other oceans and seas that connect with the Atlantic Ocean including the Arctic Ocean, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea. In fact, the Arctic Ocean represents the trans-Polar bridge between Northern Europe and the Barents Sea in the Western Pacific. It is an area of common ground between the Pacific and the Atlantic and Northern Europe and it brings us together with our Asian allies and partners. This region, encompassing the coastlines of eight bordering Arctic nations, including the Russians (they have 40% of the coastline and a lot of the natural resources are on their continental shelf) we have a new arrivala self-declared Near Arctic Nation China.

The Baltic Sea is another important region. Like the Black Sea is a closed area of water, you have to get through a strait to get there so there is a choke point. It is a thriving economic area and nobody wants to disrupt that through major power conflict or regional crisis. We want to be calm, prosperous, stable, secure and safe for all the Baltic Sea nations. The same situation exists in the Black Sea or Mediterranean Sea. The concept of the Fourth Battle of the Atlantic and how you respond to it or how you prevent in getting worse is important to all these important bodies of water.

OM: You commanded one of the biggest post-Cold War exercises of NATO - Trident Juncture 2018. Core dimensions of NATO adaptation after Crimea annexation such as VJTF or NRF were exercised then. What were the lessons that youve learned from Trident Juncture 2018?

JF: It remains the most successful NATO exercise since the Cold War. For me, Trident Juncture was the pinnacle of my 39-year career and the chance to command a force of 50,000 NATO Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines onboard 70 ships, 265 aircraft and 10,000 tracked or rolling vehicles. It was an Article 5 exercise and even though we used a fictitious adversarys name as reporters continued to press me, I acquiesced that it was all about the Russians and our ability to deter and defend in the euro-Atlantic theatre. We spend 90% of our time deterring but we wanted them to understand that we are capable of moving a very large preponderance of force into the territory of a NATO nation whose sovereignty had been violated in order to defend it.

Under the Total Defence Concept, we received tremendous support in Norway from Viking military and civilian forces alike, including hoteliers, air traffic controllers, cab drivers, barbers and stevedores. The logistical statistics were stunning for the period of the exercise: 58 container ships arrived, 2100 containers delivered, 150 road convoys conducted, 1 million meals served, 660 tonnes of laundry washed, 35,000 beds established in the field.

It was the equivalent of moving 7 brigades in about a month. There was significant planning up until that event and in the future, we are not going to have the time to plan in this time horizon, but what the Trident Juncture demonstrated was that there is an incredible dependence in the Alliance on logistics and military mobility.

The Russians were also invited. They were able to see with complete transparency what NATO accomplished during the exercise. We demonstrated what we wanted to that NATO alliance is extremely strong, cohesive, capable and so dont mess with us!

TRIDENT JUNCTURE contributed to deterrence not only just in the High North and Arctic but also all the way to the Black Sea. The more you raise the risk calculus for the adversary, the less likely they are to cross the line. In the case of hybrid warfare in the Ukraine (not a full member of the Alliance), the risk was low enough to make it attractive. I think that whats went through the Russian leaderships decision calculus. In particular, Russian leadership concluded that it could cross this line and take this territory without firing a shot, and so they did it.

We must consider this carefully in preparing for the future. Liminal or hybrid warfare is not going to result in great tank battles in the Fulda or Suwalki Gaps. I dont think that traditional symmetrical warfare is what is going to happen. It is going to be these little pressurized pockets of intimidation below the threshold of article 5 and the boiling frog scenario it happens and its done before we know it. In conclusion, I submit that if the precursor to war becomes the war itself, then weve got to re-evaluate the whole manner in which we conduct warfighting. I think that is where we are today. The next battle of the Atlantic is going to look a lot different than the Fourth Battle of the Atlantic that we are fighting today. Lets do what it takes to be ready for it

Read this article:

'Liminal or hybrid warfare is not going to result in great tank battles in the Fulda or Suwalki Gaps' - smallwarsjournal

In contrast to other species, tiger sharks revel in the chaos caused by hurricanes, according to a new study published in the online edition of the journal Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science on May 1.

One of the ocean's foremost predators, the sharks take their name from their distinctive patterning. While neither as massive as great whites nor as alarming in appearance as hammerheads, they are responsible for a significant percentage of the attacks and deaths recorded annually, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.

The study found tiger sharks are attracted to, rather than repelled, by the turbulent weather conditions the massive storms create. Many marine animals, including dolphins, flee at the first sign of high seas and strong winds, but tiger sharks stick around, according to The Scientist.

This aspect of their behavior has been a source of fascination to the study authors since 2017. During a research expedition in September of that year, study author Neil Hammerschlag and colleagues noted nurse sharks, bull sharks, and hammerhead sharks responded differently to the arrival of Hurricane Irma in Miami than tiger sharks had to the arrival of Hurricane Matthew in the Bahamas 11 months before. The nine nurse sharks, three bull sharks and seven hammerhead sharks the researchers were tracking fled the area before Irma hit, but the 12 tiger sharks remained even as Matthew battered the ocean floor. In fact, tiger shark detections doubled in the days and weeks immediately following the hurricane.

"I was amazed to see that big tiger sharks didn't evacuate even as the eye of the hurricane was bearing down on them. It was as if they didn't even flinch," Hammerschlag said, according to a University of Miami press release.

While the researchers haven't officially identified a cause, they speculate tiger sharks, which eat almost anything that crosses their path, may seize the opportunity to feed on carrion.

They "were probably taking advantage of all the new scavenging opportunities from dead animals that were churned up in the storm," Hammerschlag told The Scientist, adding the sharks will dine on everything from "sea birds to sea turtles to dolphins to fish to other sharks."

Their bulk may also enable them to ride out hurricanes safely, Hammerschlag said. Both tigers and hammerheads can reach a similar maximum length. However, tigers outweigh hammerheads by a significant margin, making them more physically sturdy.

"They're built like tanks," Hammerschlag told WUSF Public Media. "They're robust, they're strong, and they don't get stressed out. If they're not getting too stressed out, then why flee? Why evacuate if it's going to take energy and time?"

The results of the study potentially forecast changes in shark behavior in the future because climate change is expected to spawn more hurricane activity.

Continued here:

Tiger Sharks Are Drawn to the Chaos of Hurricanes, Study Finds - Newsweek

Sea ice across much of the Arctic is thinning twice as fast as previously thought, researchers have found.

Arctic ice is melting as the climate crisis drives up temperatures, resulting in a vicious circle in which more dark water is exposed to the suns heat, leading to even more heating of the planet.

The faster ice loss means the shorter north-eastern shipping passage from China to Europe will become easier to navigate, but it also means new oil and gas extraction is more feasible.

Calculating the thickness of sea ice from satellite radar data is difficult because the amount of snow cover on top varies significantly. Until now, the snow data used came from measurements by Soviet expeditions on ice floes between 1954 and 1991. But the climate crisis has drastically changed the Arctic, meaning this information is out of date.

The new research used novel computer models to produce detailed snow cover estimates from 2002 to 2018. The models tracked temperature, snowfall and ice floe movement to assess the accumulation of snow. Using this data to calculate sea ice thickness showed it is thinning twice as fast as previously estimated in the seas around the central Arctic, which make up the bulk of the polar region.

Robbie Mallett of University College London, who led the study, said: Sea ice thickness is a sensitive indicator of the health of the Arctic and, when the Arctic warms, the world warms.

Thicker ice acts as an insulating blanket, stopping the ocean from warming up the atmosphere in winter and protecting the ocean from the sunshine in summer. Thinner ice is also less likely to survive during the Arctic summer melt.

Changes in the Arctic are also increasingly believed to influence extreme weather such as heatwaves and floods around the northern hemisphere. The rapid thinning of sea ice has consequences for human activities in the Arctic as well.

The newly exposed waters enabled storms to hit coastal communities and erode coasts, Mallett said. The opening of the shorter north-eastern shipping route around Siberia means less fuel is needed to transport goods between China and Europe, leading to lower carbon emissions.

In February, a cargo ship made a round trip for the first time in winter. However, this also raises the risk of fuel spillages in the Arctic, the consequences of which could be dire, said Mallett.

Theres also a lot of interest in oil and gas extraction from the Russian shelf seas, Mallett said. But the research revealed much greater annual variability in ice thickness than estimated before. Knowing the thickness of the ice is pretty critical to planning those activities, so the enhanced variability is generally bad news for those planning to work in the Arctic, he said.

The Soviet-era data was hard won, Mallett said. They sent these brave guys out and they sat on these drifting stations and floated around the Arctic, sometimes for years at a time, measuring the snow depth. But the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identified the lack of more recent data as a key knowledge gap in 2019.

Sea ice thickness is calculated from satellite radar data that measures how high the ice sits above the sea surface. Snow on top of the ice is invisible to the radar signals but it weighs the ice down, so it is critical to know the depth of snow.

Sea ice has begun forming later and later in the year, so the snow on top has less time to accumulate, said Mallett. Our calculations account for this declining snow depth for the first time. The research is published in the journal The Cryosphere.

We are still learning about the changes to the Arctic environment, and one of the big unknowns or less well-knowns is snow cover, said Walt Meier, at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, and not involved in the new research. The approach in the study is a significant improvement over older methods, and the results fit with other changes were seeing with Arctic sea ice, including earlier melt onset, lower summer ice cover, and later freeze-up.

Prof Julienne Stroeve, at UCL, said: There are [still] a number of uncertainties but we believe our new calculations are a major step forward. We hope this work can be used to improve climate models that forecast the effects of long-term climate change in the Arctic a region that is warming at three times the global rate and whose ice is essential for keeping the planet cool.

Continue reading here:

Arctic sea ice thinning twice as fast as thought, study finds - The Guardian

Despite marrying Carrie Symonds on Saturday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has enjoyed a "romantic" afternoon tea for two in Cornwall.

It wasn't the real PM and he wasn't spending time with his new wife but an "oilhead" as part of a "creative action" at the Tregenna Castle hotel in St Ives, where many of the world's leaders will be staying for next week's G7 Summit.

Theatrical protesters Ocean Rebellion staged the action to call out British politics' involvement with the fossil fuel industry.

Sophie Miller, of the group, said: "Our political leaders are not in control. The oil industry still exerts excessive influence over our politicians and the International Maritime Organisation, all of whom are complicit in this relationship.

"High level political decisions are keeping us on a trajectory for a catastrophic four degrees of global heating and despite this, the UK government is still investing 32 times more on fossil fuels than on renewable energy."

You can stay up to date on the top news and events near you with CornwallLives FREE newsletters enter your email address at the top of the page.

Rob Higgs, also of Ocean Rebellion, added: "We are in a climate catastrophe that is already affecting us all, particularly those in the global south.

"Instead of acting as if we are in an emergency our leaders and the oil industry focus on short term financial gains while destroying the planet, leaving future generations to face the consequences. Here in Cornwall villages such as Flushing face sea level rises that will render them uninhabitable."

He said:"Despite marrying Carrie Symonds on Saturday, Boris Johnson is continuing his love affair bromance with the oil industry and we fear the G7 will be yet another example of this."

Sophie added: "We call on our global leaders to make the climate a priority at the G7 Summit to show true courage, act with appropriate urgency and to stop the empty promises and green wash. The fossil fuel industry has no place in politics."

Ocean Rebellion has been created by a small group, active in Extinction Rebellion (XRUK) since inception, who are central contributors to its "distinctive branding, media-facing narratives and theories of change".

A spokesperson for the group said: "Ocean Rebellion is formally separate from XR in all respects but draws on lessons learned in XRs development.

"We anticipate that Ocean Rebellion will grow to be a global movement offering facilitation of grassroots actions to protect, enhance and repair the high seas."

Read more stories:

Cornwall's homeless are moved out of hotels to make way for tourists

Isolated paedophile avoids jail partly due to learning difficulties

See the original post:

Ocean Rebellion mocks Prime Minister Boris Johnson at G7 summit host hotel as part of 'creative action' - Cornwall Live

Sitting in his carefully curated home, surrounded by military emblems and aviation books, Jim Jennings smiles.

His eyes light up as he describes his countless adventures over his 60-year career as a pilot in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

He is the only person to ever fire rounds at a foreign ship in New Zealand waters, hes travelled the world for his country, and hed do it all again in a heartbeat.

The 79-year-old retired from the force last week, but his passion for the skies will never waver.

READ MORE:* Royal New Zealand Navy celebrates 21st birthday of Te Taua Moana Marae in Auckland* New Plymouth teenager excited by military career prospects after joining Navy* Meet three Kiwi women who serve their country on sea, land and in the air

Raised on a farm in Canterbury, Jennings knew he wanted a different life.

Mechanically minded, he used to watch as the planes would take off from Christchurch Airport in Harewood.

He was tempted by commercial flying, but why drive a bus when you can ride in a sports car.

Supplied

Jim Jennings sits in the nearest Skyhawk in a line-up at the hakea No. 75 Squadron tarmac.

Nothing made his blood boil quite like the rush of speeding through the sky in a jet plane, he said.

He joined the service in 1961 as an aircraft mechanic, but simply working on the fixed-wings wasnt enough.

If you enjoy something, and youve put your heart and soul into it, you can get it.

The itch to take the controls took hold of him, and six years later he took to the skies.

You suddenly realise everything is up to you. Theres a bit of pressure on but once you get that milestone you're away.

Its one of the best decisions I ever made.

He spent his time piloting jets like the Harvard Mk.II, the DH104 Devon, and the de Havilland Vampire, but it was the McDonnell Douglas A4-K Skyhawk that stole his heart.

Supplied

A Navy ship chases the Kin Nan fishing ship through Taranaki waters.

The Kin Nan, a Taiwanese squid boat, was lurking in New Zealand waters in 1976, which gave Jennings the story of a lifetime.

New Zealand was surrounded by fishing boats, he said. Just about every Asian country, plus the Russians, were pillaging our fisheries around the countryside.

There was very little policing going on because the Navy only had small patrol crafts that were designed for inshore work, not out on the high seas.

Navy ships were battling to bring Kin Nan in and away from the 12-mile invisible line that separated legal and illegal fishing. But, with limited firepower, they were helpless to stop them, Jennings said.

Two of these [Navy] patrol crafts had been chasing this Taiwanese fleet, which had been cruising the Taranaki coast, and had finally caught one of these boats in the 12 miles.

The boat turned due west and sailed and the Navy were in hot pursuit. They fired a few shots off the bow and the Taiwanese thing did not stop.

As Jennings returned from a practise bombing exercise in his Skyhawk, he was ordered to take flight again in search of the ship.

They just think, Theyre nice people they're not ogling to shoot at us, they havent got any Navy thats going to do much about it, Jennings said.

What we were doing was what we trained for all the time. The difference was we actually had something to stop.

With armour piercing ammunition he headed for the vessel.

It took something with a bit of firepower. I was the lucky guy in the right place.

In just over one second he fired 53 rounds, about 300 yards ahead of the ship.

They got the message loud and clear, he said.

It put up an awful lot of spray. It was huge. That little finishing boat stopped absolutely dead in its tracks. Unbelievably quick.

The crew was arrested and taken back to New Plymouth and charged.

Supplied

Jim Jennings stands in front of a Skyhawk at Base hakea in his final days of service.

Jennings was proud of the role he played in changingthe course of fishery protection.

You get an awful lot of satisfaction, not just personal, but youve done stuff for the country, you changed things.

It sent a very clear message back to other nations who were doing the fishing and poaching around New Zealand that we were prepared to take action.

His wife Faye and two sons have been at his side as he travelled the world following his passion.

He was grateful for the sacrifice they made when he moved them to Malaysia for almost three years, and for being patient when he was deployed to Iran for six months.

As he takes a step back from the ranks and back into civilian life, he was looking forward to taking some time to relax with Faye.

But if the opportunity comes, hell be back in the cockpit.

Read this article:

Top gun leaves the skies after six decades of service - Stuff.co.nz

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: Andrey Solomonov/Sputnik)

The Soviet government used all kinds of bait to lure people to eat fish. Why?

Thursdays fish day is a phrase familiar to many Russians from childhood. In the USSR, a fish day was introduced not once, but twice, yet still it struggled to catch on.

In 1932, People's Commissar for Supplies and future Minister of Food Industry Anastas Mikoyan was seriously concerned about the shortage of meat. Collectivization and aggressive food taxes on the peasantry had led to a pig breeding crisis, a reduction in livestock and, ultimately, mass famine in 1930-33.

This prompted Mikoyan to issue an order on the introduction of a fish day at public catering establishments. It didn't have to be Thursday, but from that moment on, factory and other canteens began to serve fish one day a week in a variety of forms: cutlets, croquettes, fried, in soup. Fish is rich in easily digestible protein, phosphorus, iodine and many other beneficial vitamins and nutrients.

"Time for everyone to know how tasty and tender canned crab is

Soviet propaganda went into overdrive, advertising fish products everywhere from outdoor posters to in-store displays. There appeared a popular slogan that reverberated around all canteens: Theres always room on the menu for fish! Fish dishes make meals more diverse!

At the dawn of the Soviet state, the Main Directorate of Fisheries (known as Glavryba) was set up under the People's Commissariat for Supplies. In 1939, it was decided to allocate a special place to fish and create an entire People's Commissariat for Fisheries, to be headed by Polina Zhemchuzhina, the wife of Foreign Affairs Minister Vyacheslav Molotov.

One of her main tasks was to develop the canning industry. Back then, canning was the only quick way to get fish to every table in the vast Soviet empire. Saury, salmon, sprats through Zhemchuzhina's efforts, more than 50 types of canned goods appeared in abundance in all stores.

Soviet housewives came up with numerous recipes that are still popular today, including sandwiches with sprats and festive salads, such as herring under a fur coat and "mimosa" with pink salmon.

Salmon, Sevruga: Natural canned foods

Whats more, until the death of Stalin, black and red caviar was very inexpensive and accessible. Actively farmed in the Caspian Sea, it was one of the countrys top exports. But whereas in tsarist times caviar had been willingly consumed, Soviet people didnt really get it. Some posters even exhorted: "Make yourself eat caviar."

"Make yourself eat caviar"

During WWII the fish lobby quietened down, but the 1950s soon gave birth to the mass production of cheap and popular canned foods such as "sprats in tomato". According to legend, Secretary General Nikita Khrushchev, having tasted it, said that it was impossible to imagine a better dish. "Sprats in tomato" became a favorite of students, hikers and drinkers looking for a tasty snack.

Herring is an indispensable snack

In the 1960s, the USSR decided to master the high seas, becoming a leading ocean-fishing nation in the process. Such fish was uncommon in that it reached the consumer only in frozen form, plus no one knew how to cook it properly.

After another meat shortage in 1976, the Central Committee of the Communist Party decided to introduce a specific fish day , settling on Thursday.

"Save time: buy fish products"

The official reason given was that Thursday would be the best day for fish sales. Another opinion holds that Thursday was chosen as a poke in the eye to Orthodox believers, since their fasting days are traditionally Wednesday and Friday (official doctrine did all it could to encourage atheism).

Workers did not like this day fish dishes in the canteen were rarely tasty. As such, it was believed that fish day might negatively impact productivity, so it was set later in the week.

Quality inspector at the canning workshop of the Yamalo-Nenets Fish Factory, 1972

I couldnt stand Thursdays. The smell and sight of that canteen fish! I tried to bring a sausage sandwich with me or just skipped lunch that day, Muscovite Sergey recalls his youth in the late 1970s.

Russians had many jokes about fish day: for example, on Thursdays, it was said, brothels were swimming with mermaids.

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

Check your email to confirm the subscribtion

') }, error: function() { $email.val(''); alert('An unknown error occurred. Try later.'); } }); } }); }; initFormSubmit(); $completeButton.on('click', function (evt) { evt.preventDefault(); evt.window.location.reload(); }); }());

Link:

Why Thursday was fish day in the USSR - Russia Beyond

The day is finally here. The engines kick-start with a mighty roar, the deck sways gently and the air grows thick with the clinking of champagne glasses. Its sunset on May 20, 2021, and as I watch the port of Southampton fade into the horizon, the gravity of the situation finally hits me cruise ships are back.

The LED ceiling onboard the MSC Virtuosa. (Credit: Ivan Sarfatti/MSC Cruises)

Today, I am lucky enough to be on board not only the maiden voyage of the brand new 1 billion MSC Virtuosa, but also the first cruise to embark from the UK since the coronavirus pandemic brought this much-loved industry to a standstill.

The MSC Virtuosa at sea. (Credit: Ivan Sarfatti/MSC Cruises)

Im excited for this four-day jaunt around the English Channel with a quick stop in Portland but nowhere near as excited as cruise director Gene Young. This is a historic moment, he tells me, emphatically. We have been through 14 months of hell but now We. Are. Back!

MSC Virtuosa UK Restart

Gene is a charming and charismatic man, but I detect a hint of nervousness in his voice. As we all know, the entire cruise industry in fact, the entire tourism sector is watching this voyage with bated breath. Everything must go perfectly. One slip-up could send us right back to square one.

No wonder, then, that the embarkation process has been so strict. Two days ago, I took a PCR test (99 from Boots) in order to show my negative certificate at check-in this morning. I had to fill in a health questionnaire, then bought special Covid-19 cruise insurance (22 from Europ Assistance). I had my temperature taken as I made my way through the port, then a nasal swab test. Once that came back negative, I was finally allowed to embark.

Not a single passenger, I discover, tested positive at the port but that doesnt mean we can rest on our laurels. Even now, while on board, I am asked to wear a mask and observe social distancing in all public spaces. I have my temperature taken daily and the entire fourth deck is off-limits, acting as an isolation deck in case of an outbreak.

The restrictions may be strict, but the end result is that I feel totally safe and able to enjoy the impeccable hospitality onboard the MSC Virtuosa.

That experience begins in the Virtuosas gorgeous Italianate promenade. This boulevard is home to one of the worlds largest floating retail spaces, selling over 240 brands. One of the most prominent is Swarovski, who have also shelled out the materials for the Virtuosas million-euro staircase very glitzy.

MSC Virtuosa UK Restart

The promenade is also home to four speciality restaurants, several bars, a theatre and a Balinese spa (where you can enjoy a 45-minute massage for 119). Four days is seldom enough to sample everything, but even so, I try my best to take advantage of my Finest Four dining package.

While all guests are entitled to eat at any of the standard restaurants, upgrading to either the Duo (81), Trilogy (97) or Finest Four (124) dining packages is recommended. These allow guests to indulge in two, three or four restaurant experiences respectively. The standard of the food in these four venues is certainly a cut above.

By far my favourite of the Finest Four is Hola Tacos. Here, I get to dine with Jacques, the mastermind behind this novel concept of Mexican street food served on the high seas.

Hola Tacos_Ancho Tinga Taco Blue Corn Shell_MSC Virtuosa

In Hola Tacos, we have tried to create a unique concept, he explains, A fast, casual, affordable experience, with food to go.

The menu features everything from soft-shell tacos (from 1.79 each) to nacho platters (from 7) and burritos (11.99), all made with authentic ingredients (theres nothing TexMex going on here). The highlight is Jacques curated range of mezcals, a high-calibre agave alcohol which, despite being of the same family as tequila, tastes more like Scotch whisky. Jacques takes me through a prototype mezcal tasting, an experience he will soon start to offer from 25.

Guests try a mezcal tasting onboard the MSC Virtuosa

Maybe its the mezcal in my system or maybe its the gentle rocking of the ship, but I sleep like a baby on my first night. Maybe, then again, its because of my cabin. While nothing fancy, the balcony cabins offer everything a couple or solo traveller needs, most of all an incredibly comfortable double bed. Those wanting something a little more special can upgrade to one of the Royal Suites in the MSC Yacht Club, and family cabins are also available for up to ten people.

Balcony cabin onboard MSC Virtuosa

Speaking of families, I am especially struck by the great range of activities for kids. The Virtuosas top deck houses an adventure water park, featuring giant flume slides and high rope adventure trails. Below deck, there are a number of play areas for kids aged one to 17, the most eye-catching of which is the new Teens Lab, an AV club where young people can create a video memento of their time on the high seas. An arcade with bowling alley and an exciting Formula One simulator also feature.

Formula One simulator onboard MSC Virtuosa. (Credit: MSC Cruises)

Shore excursions are back on the agenda too, and my Covid-safe bubble gets to experience a leisurely trip around the Dorset countryside. We travel by coach from our dock in Portland, past the Cerne Abbas Giant hill figure on our way to the village of Minterne Magna. Here we enjoy afternoon tea and a (rather rainy) walk around the Himalayan Gardens of Minterne House.

Shore Excursion_Author shot_MSC Virtuosa

As one might expect, the experience is somewhat pared back by various restrictions masks and social distancing notwithstanding, we are shepherded very strictly to make sure we dont interact with anyone outside our bubble, and must of course take a temperature check on either side of our trip. But as far as experiences go at a time like this, this MSC shore excursion delivers to the best of its ability.

All in all, its safe to conclude the MSC Virtuosa has proven, definitively, that cruising is not only a safe and viable form of vacationing, but can still go above and beyond expectations. Yes, there are numerous restrictions and inconveniences, but these hardly spoil an otherwise luxurious, decadent, relaxing and altogether exciting experience.

How to plan your trip

Prices start from 299pp for two nights and 799pp for seven nights. Next cruises to leave the UK are seven-night sailings on June 12 and 19 from Southampton calling at Portland, Greenock and Liverpool. Visit msccruises.co.uk.

Read more from the original source:

Cruise ships are back but whats it really like to travel on Covid-safe seas? - The Independent

Actor Sebastian Stan doesnt get an on-screen love interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But that doesnt mean he doesnt have one in real life. In June 2021, the star shared his love for his girlfriend, Alejandra Onieva, on social media. So what is the age difference between them?

RELATED: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: How Old Is Bucky Barnes? Sebastian Stan Celebrated His Birthday

Stan began acting steadily in the 00s. After graduating from college, where he studied theater, he appeared in films likeThe Covenant, Hot Tub Time Machine, and the Oscar-winningBlack Swan. He also held recurring roles in popular TV series such asGossip GirlandOnce Upon a Time.

But far and away, Stans best-known gigs are within the MCU. He began portraying Bucky Barnes in 2011sCaptain America: The First Avenger, a role hes reprised several times since. Stan also starred alongside Anthony Mackie in the Disney+ Marvel seriesThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

Like many celebrities of his stature, Stans brought in media attention surrounding his personal life. However, there isnt too much to tell. Aside from reported short-lived romances with co-stars like Dianna Agron, Leighton Meester, and Jennifer Morrison, the 38-year-olds love life has remained relatively private.

In 2020, most stars got away with keeping their romantic relationships under wraps due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. So with minimal public appearances, no one knew who was dating whom. But when Stan stepped out with Onieva in mid-2020, it became clear this was serious.

As Stan spent the better part of the past year filming and doing press forThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, hes been very busy. And though hes spoken about his work in interviews, hes kept his personal life private. That is, until June 1, 2021, when he shared a video for Onieva for her 29th birthday.

Happy Birthday @ale_onieva, Stan wrote on Instagram. Over a year ago, out of a lot of darknessyou became the light, he continued, adding, Im so grateful. In the video, Stan spends a day with his phone, where an image of Onieva is displayed. Likely, the two had to spend much of the year apart, thus the joke.

Despite their almost 10-year age difference (Stan turns 39 in August 2021), Onieva and Stan have things in common. Neither was born in the U.S. Stan lived in Romania and Austria before moving to New York as a child, while Onieva was born and raised in Madrid, Spain.

Onieva is also an actor by trade. She first gained notoriety for the telenovelaEl secreto de Puente Viejo. Shes continued to act on TV in the years since. Onieva starred in the Netflix mystery dramaAlta Mar(High Seas), which ended in 2020. In 2021, she began filming the movieHistorias Para No Contap(Stories Not to Be Told).

Link:

Sebastian Stan and Alejandra Onieva: The Age Difference Between the MCU Star and His Girlfriend - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Officers responded to a 911 call of a boat sinking in Fire Island Pines Harbor at approximately 1 a.m.

Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau officers recently rescued two men from a sinking 25-foot sailboat in Fire Island Pines Harbor.

Police Officers William Houst, John Mullins, Michael Klarmann and Steven Squires, onboard Marine X-Ray, responded to a 911 call of a boat sinking in Fire Island Pines Harbor at approximately 1 a.m.

The lines on the sailboat broke and were being smashed against the dock and other boats. Chris Sinforter, 32, of Brooklyn, and Christian Teneyck, 37, of Jersey City, were onboard the sinking sailboat and unable to get off safely due to high seas.

Officers maneuvered Marine X-Ray next to the sailboat and helped the two men to jump safely to the rescue boat at approximately 2:30 a.m.

Officer Squires sustained minor injuries while catching the victim jumping from his vessel. He was transported to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment. Sinforter and Teneyck were uninjured.

See original here:

Suffolk Police Rescue Two Men from Sinking Sailboat in Fire Island Pines Harbor - LongIsland.com