Daily Archives: July 27, 2022

Small Island Developing States: Looking Past the COVID-19 Pandemic – Harvard International Review

Posted: July 27, 2022 at 12:21 pm

The COVID-19 pandemic has been the single most discussed issue in the world for the past two years. From the first hundred cases in Wuhan to the race to develop vaccines against the many variants, it is safe to say that the media has been effective at documenting the major impacts of COVID-19 on the world. However, rarely has mainstream media covered the impacts that the pandemic has had on smaller countries.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a subset of 58 of the worlds countries and dependent territories that were hit especially hard by the pandemic. Although they are a heterogeneous bunch, SIDS are grouped together because they contend with similar social, environmental, and economic challenges. Amongst these challenges are high levels of poverty and inequality as well as rising sea levels and the increased frequency of natural disasters, the latter two which are driven by climate change. One issue in particular, economic vulnerability, is an especially concerning matter for the majority of SIDS.

The fragility of the SIDS economies was blatantly exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, these states were deeply impacted by the macroeconomic shock of the pandemic due to their overreliance on a narrow base of commodity exports and on a few service sectors, revealing a crippling lack of economic diversification.

Commodity Exports

When agricultural, energy, and industrial metal commodity prices and exports fell drastically during the beginning of the pandemic, the SIDS economies, most of them already boasting a negative trade balance, were greatly affected.

SIDS were affected in such a large way by this drop in prices and exports because 57 percent of them are considered to be export-commodity-dependent. This number is in stark contrast to the 13 percent of developed countries that earn this same title. Not only do many SIDS have commodity dependent economies, meaning their merchandise exports rely heavily on commodity exports, but numerous SIDS are also single commodity exporters.

For example, in Cabo Verde, Kiribati, Maldives, Micronesia and Tuvalu, seafood alone accounts for 70 percent of all exports of goods. In the Caribbean, ores, metals, precious stones, and non-monetary gold compose more than half of Jamaicas merchandise exports, while petroleum oils and bituminous minerals represent over 75 percent of Saint Lucias exports.

Tourism

The massive slowdown of international tourism from the pandemic did not spare island states. While some SIDS forbade foreign tourists from entering their territories, others welcomed tourists, but grappled with the fact that foreign governments were highly discouraging and, in some cases, forbidding international travel for non-essential purposes. However, one thing was true across the board: SIDS tourism industries, which make up almost 30 percent of their GDP, suffered crippling economic shocks.

Although official analyses and numbers have yet to be released, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development estimated that a 25 percent collapse in tourism receipts for SIDS as a group could decrease their GDP by US$7.4 billion, or 7.3 percent on average. For SIDS such as Maldives and the Seychelles that rely on tourism for over 50 percent of their GDP, the pandemic could have caused a contraction of up to 16 percent of GDP. These sharp declines in economic output are primarily due to previously bustling resorts becoming ghost towns and the loss of tourist spending in local businesses.

Overall, the reduction in commodity exports, and the sharp decline in tourism, deeply affected the SIDS group. The GDP of these island countries was expected to contract 6.9 percent in 2020. This number is significant in itself, but it jumps out even more when it is compared to the global average of just 6 percent and 1.7 percent for the least developed countries.

Although COVID-19 had disastrous consequences for SIDS as a group, it also revealed some opportunities. Indeed, the pandemic drew special attention to the precarious state of SIDS economies and provided them with an opportunity to initiate or accelerate economic diversification. In particular, many have been taking steps towards a blue economy, which is defined by the World Bank as the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems. For example, the blue economy comprises sectors such as fishery and aquaculture, maritime transportation, coastal tourism, and renewable energy.

Economic Diversification

The macroeconomic shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the realization that similar shock could happen again, was a wake-up call for SIDS that rely primarily on tourism to finally seriously consider economic diversification, a key element of a blue economy. To foster economic diversification and resilience, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) suggests that SIDS turn towards their oceans to find new economic opportunities. One such way to do this is to fund research and development efforts in the fishing and aquaculture industries. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) also recommends investing in subsea mining, water desalination, renewable energy, and the bioprospecting of marine genetic resources for pharmaceutical or chemical applications.

Sustainable Tourism Industry

Another important step towards a blue economy is the development of the sustainable tourism industry, an industry whose objective is to advance the socio-economic status of a countrys inhabitants and highlight a country's national features while also preserving its natural ecosystems. The need to invest in sustainable tourism was recognized by stakeholders of this industry, who took the pandemic-induced downtime to collaborate and develop ideas for novel and more effective business practices.

The Pacific Sustainable Tourism Policy Framework, for example, provides a road map to help Pacific countries develop their sustainable tourism industries. This framework, published in April 2021 and supported by SIDS in the Pacific, offers concrete suggestions for supporting sustainable tourism. Some of these suggestions are to reduce carbon emissions by transitioning to renewable energy and to improve resource efficiency by implementing better water and waste management processes. Another priority of this framework is to position this regions unique destinations and quality experiences in tourism advertising materials as being environmentally conscious.

Not only do countries need to invest in their respective sustainable tourism industries, but demand for sustainable tourism also needs to be accelerated. One way of doing this would be using multichannel marketing, and focusing on promotion via social media to highlight the positive benefits of sustainable tourism. The United Nations also stresses the importance of establishing and maintaining strong partnerships with organizations that have conservation at the core of their mission. These partnerships are beneficial to the sustainable tourism industry as they popularize responsible travel and make people aware of the importance of this industry. For example, National Geographic Expeditions supports sustainable tourism by organizing trips that are aligned with the principles of this industry.

In short, while the COVID-19 pandemic had disastrous consequences for SIDS, it also provided them with an opportunity to become economically resilient, and thus reduce their vulnerability to future macroeconomic shocks.

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Small Island Developing States: Looking Past the COVID-19 Pandemic - Harvard International Review

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Growing India-Vietnam economic relations – Times of India

Posted: at 12:21 pm

The year 2022 is an important landmark in the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

While the formal diplomatic relations were established in 1992, the relations between the two countries are more than 2000-year-old. Historians point out that economic and cultural links can be traced back to the 2nd BC. They point out that Buddhism reached Vietnam via Indian delegations in the 3rd or 2nd BC. As per legends, Chu ong Tu (a famous Vietnamese divine being and a ruler) became a disciple of an Indian Buddhist monk and Luy Lu, in Bac Ninh Province became the centre of Buddhism. The Cham civilisation is yet another symbol of long relationship.

The last fifty years have witnessed a significant growth in the India-Vietnam bilateral relations, which have acquired a new dimension with common strategic, diplomatic, security and economic interests with special focus on people-to-people linkages. India-Vietnam ties are one of the most crucial bilateral relations that India has in the South-East Asia. India and Vietnam have elevated their relations from Strategic Partnership in 2007 to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016. This reflected the commitment of two countries to become more invested in boosting their bilateral relations in a wide array of fields.

This year has witnessed high-level exchanges between the two countries to mark the celebration of 50-years of diplomatic relations. At the end of 2021, Mr Vuong Dinh Hue, Chairman of the powerful National Assembly of Vietnam visited India along with a high-level delegation on the invitation of Vice President Sri Naidu and Sri Om Birla, Speaker of the Lok Sabha. This was the first high-level interaction to celebrate the 50 th year of diplomatic relations between the two countries and spell-out an action plan for further cooperation between the citizen representatives of the two countries.

This year, Sri Om Birla visited Vietnam in April 2022. During his visit, he stressed that India and Vietnam should further expand their cooperation in areas such as climate change, sustainable development, health care, and the digital economy. On the 15 th April, PM Modi had a telephonic conversation with the Secretary General of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, who briefed the former over the targets of the 13 th National Congress on socio-economic issues that included Vietnams aim to emerge as a key manufacturing hub for global giants and to upgrade its economic profile from a low-cost labour industry concentrated on labour-intensive manufacturing into high-tech centre for science and technology. The Indian Defence Minister Sri Rajnath Singh visited Vietnam in June 2022. This visit was important both from the defence and economic dimensions.

Both the countries are emphasising the need for promoting trade and investment and cooperation in hi-tech for economic development taking the economic relationship to much higher level for mutual benefits. In pursuance of this objective, Vietnams the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Government of Vietnam sent to India a business delegation led by Mr. Do Quoc Hung, Deputy Director General of the Ministry, and 20 business communities in multi-sectors to India from July 18th to 22nd 2022. The leader of the delegation at the meeting with the Indian Importers Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IICCI) stated that the bilateral trade between the two countries registered a significant growth since 2000 when it was only $ 200 million to 2021-2022 reaching to 4 14. billion and that in 2021-2022, the bilateral trade between India and Vietnam posted a growth of 27 %. Mr Atul Kumar Saxena, President of IICCI highlighting the factors that has made the country an attractive place for doing business, pointed out that Vietnam is providing necessary assistance to entrepreneurs and has a stable economic growth that was noticeable even during the pandemic period.

Of late, Vietnam has taken several steps to accelerate its integration into the global market like signing of a Free Trade Agreement with Europe in 2019. It is also a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP,) RCEP and India-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement. Vietnam is emerging as a favourite destination for the Japanese manufacturing firms, who intend to shift their operations from China. In August 2020, the then Japanese PM (Late) Abe, observed that half of the Japanese businesses that receive support from the Government in expanding supply chains had chosen Vietnam and assured Vietnam of his governments assistance to such firms for diversifying supply chains.

Internal reforms that began with the introduction of Doi Moi in 1986 that aimed at shifting away from centrally planned economy to a market one, are continuing. Vietnam has not only assured continued electricity supply to industrial houses, but has also digitalised the process of registration of firms, introduced transparency and freedom to foreign firms to have 100% ownership. Its anti-Corruption campaign assures the elimination of middle-men. Besides it is focusing on developing skilled labour needed for industrial growth.

Currently, India is one of the top 8th trading partners of Vietnam while Vietnam is the 15th largest trading partner of India and the fourth in Southeast Asia. Vietnam is trying to diversify its trade and intends to make use of Indias growing market. The key Vietnamese exported products to India are mobile phones and components, computers, electronic products and components, chemicals, plastics, rubber, coffee, pepper, and cashew. The main Indian exported products to Vietnam are iron and steel products, textile materials, fishery, corn, pharmaceutical, and pharmaceutical raw materials; auto spare parts.

Vietnam occupies a central position in Indias Act East Policy as also in the Indo-Pacific strategy.

India has made positive contributions towards capacity building and socio-economic development of Vietnam. India has also been providing assistance to Vietnam within the ASEAN framework.

Under the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, India has been taking up Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), each valued at US$50,000, in different provinces of Vietnam for development of community infrastructure. India has 317 valid projects worth over 1 billion USD in Vietnam, ranking 23 th out of the 129 countries and territories investing in that country.

India realises that Vietnam is a potential regional power in the South East Asia with great political stability and substantial economic growth. Its average 7% annual economic growth is very attractive. Even during the worst period of pandemic, its economic growth remained commendable at the 3% while several other nations registered negative growth. Even more impressive is its growth which is driven by a record trade surplus, despite the collapse in global trade.

The drivers for the growth of trade and commerce are both strategic and economic. Both the countries desire to do away from the dependence on China. The problem related to supply chain emerging in the recent years, has also pushed them to consider an alternative supply line. Moreover, both the nations desire stable, open, free and inclusive Indo-Pacific Ocean region. Thus, both have common objectives.

What are the future prospects for economic relations between the two countries in the current unpredictable global environment? India is pursuing the Act East Policy and is working to make Indo-Pacific free and open, that will promote Security and Growth for All in Region (SAGAR).

Vietnam has set the priorities at the 13 th National Congress that include national digital transformation, development of a digital-based economy, greater stress science and technology development and creating more conducive environment for business development as well as for manufacturing concerns. These make the prospects for further growth of trade and commerce between India and Vietnam bright in the coming period.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Kerry pensioner to attempt non-stop solo voyage around the world – Irish Examiner

Posted: at 12:19 pm

Hes just got the bus pass, but a Co Kerry pensioner wont be using it for several months as hes aiming to become the first Irishman to sail single-handedly non-stop around the world.

If he manages the feat and is back in time to celebrate his 67th birthday next May, Pat Lawless will join a pretty exclusive club.

To put it in context, approximately 6,000 people have climbed Mount Everest and 556 people have been into space, but only 100 people have ever sailed solo non-stop around the world via the five Great Capes.

A large crowd gathered at Crosshaven, Co Cork, to bid him bon voyage as he sailed his 36ft and 34-year-old yacht, Green Rebel, out of harbour to France in advance of the Golden Globe Race around the world, which gets under way on September 4.

He will be among 35 sailors competing, and the only Irishman taking part.

Pat is a former carpenter and fishing trawler owner who operated out of Ballyferriter. He's been sailing all his life, and the yachting genes are in his blood.

His late father, Pat Lawless Snr, sailed around the world at the age of 70, although it wasnt the non-stop version his son is attempting.

The voyage is costing Pat in the region of 240,000.

He is paying half himself and has also received sponsorship, most notably from Green Rebel, a company based in Crosshaven involved in offshore wind energy.

Pat will also be raising money for the Parkinson's Association of Ireland as part of the race, during which the competitors will circumnavigate 30,000 nautical miles across some of the most dangerous seas in the world.

No competitors will be permitted to use modern technology, and can only use items available in 1968, when the first Golden Globe Race was won by the legendary English sailor Robert Knox-Johnson.

There have been 10 such races since, all won by the French. Pat is determined to see a different Tricolour will fly over the winning yacht this year.

This race is a part of sailing history, and I cannot wait to get started. I have enough supplies on board, such as tinned foods and instant mash.

I have [music] cassette tapes and books to keep me entertained. I've trained myself to sleep patterns of 20 minutes and then wake up again with an alarm clock and after a while go back to sleep again.

Pat knows he'll encounter sea storms on the journey, especially around Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope, but he is prepared.

I was in a hurricane once off Rockall, he said.

He'll navigate by the position of the sun using only a sextant and paper charts.

There will be no modern luxuries such as GPS, satellite phones, iPads, electrical auto steering, or water makers.

Competitors must carry all food, water, and tools.If they have to pull into port, they're automatically disqualified.

This race is all about survival and arrival, and I believe I have a better chance of finishing this race than anyone, said Pat.

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Concert picks this week: Sasquatch, Cave In, Los Jarritos, Brother Dege – Orlando Weekly

Posted: at 12:19 pm

Photo by Jay Zucco, ccourtesy Cave In/Facebook

Cave In play Orlando on Tuesday

Sasquatch, Hippie Death Cult, Hollow Leg, Howling Midnight: There will not be a thicker spread of rock all week than at this show. Between the titanic stoner riffs of L.A.s Sasquatch and the classic doom metal of Portlands Hippie Death Cult, the two touring acts are a one-two punch of heavy retro power. Add in the excellent native tonnage of sludge lords Hollow Leg and blues-rock crushers Howling Midnight and youve got one mammoth night.

Cave In, Author & Punisher, Royal Graves:This loaded heavy-music showcase will probably be the weeks most stunning and dynamic live experience. For one, groundbreaking prog-metal legends Cave In are pushing their first studio album in more than a decade (Heavy Pendulum on Relapse Records) and its a mighty return. But industrial drone innovator Author & Punisher, himself touring behind his first album in four years, is always a magnificent live spectacle with a one-of-a-kind rig of self-engineered, self-fabricated sound devices that impressively blur the line between man and machine. And Orlando post-metal leviathans Royal Graves always drop massive atmosphere. (6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, The Abbey, $20)

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Black Adam Trailer: Dwayne Johnson, The Rock, booed at San Diego comic-con; know the reasons – Economic Times

Posted: at 12:18 pm

Henry Cavill did not appear at the Warner Bros. panel, and it is now up for speculation who will don the famous red cape. Dwayne Johnson famously known as The Rock all but confirmed that Henry Cavill would not be returning as Superman as he answered a question about who would win between Black Adam and Superman. He said it was a good question, and he would answer it. He added that it'd been an age-old question, and it really depended on who played Superman.

Johnson's response suggested that the red cape was up for grabs, and Cavill would not be seen as Superman again. Jaume Collet-Serra, Director, Black Adam, confirmed that neither Shazam nor Superman would appear in Black Adam. Jaume stated that his movie is original, and he does not know who Superman or Shazam is by the time the film finishes. However, Johnson hinted that DCEU could bring back Superman sooner than later, even if a different actor plays the part.

He went on to say that he likes reminding audiences that Superman has a couple of weaknesses in the form of magic and Kryptonite. One of the anchoring powers of Black Adam is magic.

Disclaimer: This content is authored by an external agency. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein.

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How To Wash Your Summer Linens And Keep Them In Perfect Condition – Glam

Posted: at 12:18 pm

Before you just throw your linen goods into the washer, always be sure to read the label for special care instructions, as some linens may be mixed with other types of fabrics, treatments, or dyes. If you're unsure about what the label means, refer to a guide to help you (via Who What Wear). Once it's time for it to go into the washer, be sure to put it on the gentle cycle with lukewarm water. Linen Beauty notes that linen garments and materials should not be overcrowded in the washer as it could twist or pull the fabric. Additionally, it must be paired with other items of similar material, delicacy, or color.

You may also opt for handwashing your linen for an even gentler wash that you have more control over. If your garment is unsoiled, hand-washing is the recommended method to go with. Do so in a soft, swishing motion, and do not wring, twist, or scrub it (via Linen Beauty). Whether you are machine or hand washing your linen, also be sure to use a mild detergent made for delicate fabrics (via Dengarden).

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Beach Bunny stay tried and true on ‘Emotional Creature’ – Far Out Magazine

Posted: at 12:18 pm

(Credit: Artimio Blackburn)

Beach Bunny - 'Emotional Creature'

Love sucks. Its also the best thing in the world. Its the stuff that makes you crazy enough to scream, sometimes filled with joy and sometimes filled with anger. Love is universal, and until the big star in the sky burns out for good, well all be dealing with it on an everyday basis. That makes love potent material for writing songs in fact, you cant throw a stone without hitting ten love songs on the way. With over 100 years of love songs to contend with, the trick is not to get bogged down by expectations. Thats the lesson Beach Bunny took to heart on their sophomore LP, Emotional Creature.

Featuring 12 songs of peppy pop punk guitar rock all centred around love, both good and bad, the Chicago outfit blaze a path by staying tried and true. Emotional Creature is easy to take in and admittedly not terribly deep there arent any massive metaphors or complicated detours to parse through in order to understand what lead singer Lili Trifilio is getting at. That lack of complications might not seem like a selling point, but it absolutely is.

Thats because Beach Bunny hunker down and deliver the goods. Through the barrage of cymbal crashes, fuzzy power chords, and sunny melodies, the band blast out memorable tracks like they could make them in their sleep. Whether theyre taking on the positive side (Entropy, Oxygen), the negative side (Deadweight, Weeds), or somewhere in between (Scream), theres always a catchy vocal line and a fist-pumping backing track ready to get lost in.

Beach Bunny managed to make ragged charm their most potent weapon on their debut LP, 2020s Honeymoon. That album was quick, punchy, and seemingly recorded in the back of a defunct Circuit City (at least it sounds that way sometimes). Thankfully, a new polished sound and tighter arrangements dont sacrifice any of that same charm on Emotional Creature.

Its been almost half a decade since the viral success of the bands debut single Prom Queen, but nothing on Emotional Creature seems to be pandering towards anything like viral stardom. The most refreshing aspect of Emotional Creature is that Beach Bunny are now fully confident in their identity as a band, whether any casual fans or scrolling newbies want to care or not.

Theres nothing complex about what drummer Jon Alvarado, guitarist Matt Henkels, and bassist Anthony Vaccaro are doing throughout Emotional Creature. Just a few chords and some straightforward arrangements are all that these songs need in order to connect, and the major pull of the bands sound is that ego and flash never factor into their compositions. The members of Beach Bunny are great musicians, and great musicians know how to serve their songs.

In fact, the first sign that the band are interested in creating a sound outside of their established comfort zone comes on Gravity, a floaty synth-pop song that plays into the space rock and Star Wars fandom that the band have been playing with in their recent music videos. Its just a quick instrumental interlude, but it could represent a new future for the band, especially since the next track, Scream, features prominent synths and electronic drums. It doesnt take long for the group to return to guitar rock, but its an interesting thought exercise to start thinking about the future.

Its appropriate that the record ends with a literal Love Song, considering how weve spent half an hour taking in love song after love song. Instead of being just another track in the sequence, this time, Beach Bunny sprawl out for their ultimate summation of confusing feelings and heavenly joy. Its the perfect ending to an album that sets its sights on a very specific target and nails it each and every time. We even get some reprises of Entropy and Fire Escape, just to tie the entire album together.

Even if these are familiar beats, Beach Bunny hit them all with a new level of confidence and self-assuredness that its impossible not to get swept up in the sing-along choruses and infectious blasts of energy. More than anything else, Emotional Creature is a damn fun ride, even when its trying to parse through anxiety and heartbreak. Thats the magic of great pop-punk, but Beach Bunny are finally transcending that limiting genre tag. Now and forever, Beach Bunny are making Beach Bunny music.

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Kristen Stewarts Boldest Looks On The Red Carpet Are Here – IWMBuzz

Posted: at 12:18 pm

Although Kristen Stewarts taste is constantly evolving, one thing is for certain: she always looks amazing on the red carpet. In the early years of her Twilight popularity, the actress wore candy-sweet skirts and gowns; a decade later, she wore utterly punk crop tops, Doc Martens, and flight suits. Whatever Kristen wears, she totally owns it.

In this photo, Kristen is sporting a sequin and glitter-covered minidress from Germanier that is fierce as hell. At the Los Angeles Charlies Angels premiere in 2019, the rainbow dress looked right at home on the red carpet and displayed her rock-hard abs through cuts around the waist. Its undoubtedly one of her best looks yet, complete with tousled hair and bold eyeliner. And to see more of Kristens incredible red carpet ensembles, all the way back to Twilight, scroll through this gallery!

Kristen Stewart sparkles in a multicolored crop top and white, silky, apron-style skirt for the Cannes Film Festival premiere of Crimes of the Future. She wore traditional heels and put her hair back in a sloppy ponytail.

On May 24, 2022, Kristen Stewart looks gorgeous in a red Chanel dress as she attends a photocall for her movie Crimes of the Future at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in France. She added stylish yellow sunglasses for a vintage touch and let her jacket unbuttoned to reveal some skin.

On March 27, Kristen Stewart dazzled in a long, lace dress with buttons up the front and down. She had a messy bun in her hair and a bow on the front of her dress.

Also Read: Kristen Stewart Proved Satin Dresses Were Made To Ease The Blues And Get Us Ready To Rock All Parties: See Pics Here

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Monsoon 2022: Flagstaff residents brace for new round of flooding as they clean up from recent flood – FOX 10 News Phoenix

Posted: at 12:18 pm

Residents in Flagstaff brace for another round of potential flooding

Parts of Flagstaff are already ravaged by flash flooding, as a result of wildfires in recent years. As residents clean up from the last round, they are now preparing for a new round of flooding that could come this weekend. FOX 10's Marissa Sarbak reports.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - As Flagstaff prepares for another round of flooding, they are still dealing with the aftermath of last weekend's storm.

"It's exhausting just to have the sandbags on site, but I know how important it is," said Cindy Wilson.

Wilson is placing hundreds of sandbags around her Flagstaff property. The sandbags are perfectly aligned to guide the water away from her house. It is something she hasn't had to do since flooding after the Shultz Fire in 2010.

"It's all about the angles," said Wilson. "You want to make sure that what you're doing is to move the water and not stop it, so, when we put barriers right up against our house, we're trying to stop it."

2022's monsoon season is already shaping up to be the worst Coconino County has seen in a decade, because the Pipeline Fire just re-burned the same area of the mountain as the Schultz Fire.

"When you get a very severe burn like that, you get a type of soil created called hydrophobic," said Lucinda Andreani with the Coconino County Flood Control District. "If you were to pour a glass of water on it, it would just run off it like you poured it on your kitchen counter."

There is no vegetation left to soak up the water, and 1.5in of rain that fell last weekend not only would not soak into the charred mountain, it began eroding away at it.

"That area up there, we call it an alluvial fan, or a fan. That has now unraveled. This is the result. All this rock. All this rock, debris has now come down," said Andreani.

Coconino County is working with some of the homeowners in Flagstaff to take the rocks that were deposited, move them, and use them in another area of the city that is also seeing erosion. However, if something is not done permanently, officials with the Coconino County Flood Control District say floods will continue to happen during every substantial rain in the next few years.

"There are 6ft to 10ft deep channels, and potentially through this season, they could grow to 25ft. That's what we saw after the Schultz Fire," said Andreani.

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The Iconic T. Rex Album Cover That Was Shot by a Beatle – Ultimate Classic Rock

Posted: at 12:18 pm

The iconic cover of T. Rexs 1972 album The Slider came with a famous photo credit: Ringo Starr.

The black and white image, which featured T. Rex frontman Marc Bolan in his Mad Hatter top hat, was taken at John Lennons Tittenhurst Park country home, an estate in Berkshire that was some 72 acres of land and a Georgian-style mansion. Starr and Boylan were friends, and the Beatles drummer was on hand directing Born to Boogie, a documentary and concert movie about T. Rex.

The photos that graced The Sliders front and back covers were said to have been taken by Starr while he was in the midst of shooting the documentary. However, Tony Visconti, who produced the album -- as well as notable releases by David Bowie, Thin Lizzy and more -- disputed the claim.

The cover credits Ringo Starr as the photographer of the front and back covers, when in fact Marc handed me his motorized Nikon and asked me to fire off two rolls of black and white film while we were on the set of Born To Boogie, Visconti insisted. Ringo, the director of the film, was busy all day lining up shots. But Marc apparently saw a photo 'credit' opportunity and gave Ringo the credit for the photos.

Starr, for his part, has never disputed the credit, recalling Bolan as a dear friend and insisting the cover art was his.

Released July 21, 1972, The Sliderreceived wide critical acclaim and remains a landmark glam rock album.

Bolan would die an untimely death in 1977 in a car crash two weeks before he turned 30. Starr remained a lifelong fan, and later inducted T. Rex into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He was a great performer, just incredible. And thats why I called the film we did together Born to Boogie, because he really was, Starr said in his speech. I told Marc, Ill bring the camera and everything else, you just bring yourself.

From AC/DC to ZZ Top, from 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' to 'London Calling,' they're all here.

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