Category Archives: Caribbean

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) Deaths from the coronavirus pandemic continue to affect Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries and some regional states are again urging its nationals to comply with the various measures and protocols aimed at curbing the spread of the disease.

While the Bahamas, Guyana, and Trinidad & Tobago continue to record deaths almost on a daily basis, islands like St Vincent and the Grenadines were reporting increased positive cases of the virus.

The authorities in Kingstown reported that there were now four new COVID-19 active cases after an adult traveler arrived from the United States on Sunday with a negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result.

All of the close contacts have been informed and will continue in quarantine as per their medical officers orders, the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) said, adding that the adult will remain in isolation until cleared by two negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test results.

In the Bahamas, where the number of positive cases is 5,923, the authorities reported 150 new cases over the past 24 hours.

They said that New Providence continues to have the highest number of cases among the group of islands making up the archipelago with 4, 541, followed by Grand Bahama with 671 and Abaco with 162.

The country has recorded 124 deaths, including that of a 64-year-old woman from New Providence. There are 24 non-COVID-19 deaths and 14 others under investigation.

In St Lucia, where the 37th case was recorded on Tuesday, the Ministry of Health said the 43-year old male from the northern town of Gros-Islet has been linked to previous cases and placed in quarantine.

With these newly diagnosed cases, all efforts are being made to rapidly respond in order to contain further spread of infection, the authorities said, adding that they are grateful for the support which has been provided to our public health team undertaking contact tracing and community-based interventions.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has called on the public to pay attention to official sources of information regarding COVID-19 and reject fake and second-hand news.

From all we have heard COVID-19 could be with us for a while, so we must learn to manage it, act responsibly and refrain from spreading any fear or panic, it said in a statement cautioning against stigma and discrimination against teachers, students, and staff, particularly those of a secondary school where a 14-year-old male student and a 62-year-old female worker are among individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

I want to continue to reassure the public, parents, and guardians, that we are committed to safeguarding the health and safety of our nations children, teachers, and ancillary staff and I ask the public to continue to cooperate with us, and to adhere to the protocols because the only way we can overcome this is if we do it together, said Education Minister Dr. Gale Rigobert.

In Belize, figures released by the Office of the Director of Health Services noted that 53 new cases were identified over the past 24 hours from a total of 339 samples.

The office said that 35 recovered cases from the virus and a total of 38.6 percent of cases remain active.

Belize has recorded 2,886 positive cases with 1,114 being active. It has reported 45 deaths.

The Ministry of Health in Guyana reported 31 new COVID-19 cases after 121 tests, pushing the total known cases to 3,796.

It said there are 14 patients in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, 67 in institutional isolation, and 805 in home isolation. An additional 41 individuals who came in contact with a positive patient are in institutional quarantine.

To date, 114 people have died and 2,796 have recovered.

One person died in Trinidad & Tobago over the past 24 hours, according to the Ministry of Health.

It said 35 people have tested positive and that the deceased was an elderly male with pre-existing medical conditions. His death brings the total number of COVID-19 related deaths to 98.

The country has 1,477 active cases and there are 1,346 people isolated at home and 369 in state quarantine facilities.

There have been 56 recovered community cases and a total of 3,758 recovered patients. The total number of positive COVID-19 cases is 5,333.

In Barbados, health authorities are complaining that people who have been ordered into COVID-19 quarantine are breaching the order.

Acting Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Kenneth George, in a statement, said the Ministry of Health and Wellness had received at least four recent reports of people, both locals and visitors to the island, leaving approved quarantine facilities without permission.

I wish to issue a strong warning to everyone who has been placed in quarantine in Barbados that this practice will not be tolerated, and when identified, abusers will be brought before the courts and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Quarantine is a means of separating persons from the general population who may have been exposed to COVID-19, but who are not showing signs of disease, said Dr. George, adding: It is mandatory for all persons arriving in Barbados from countries categorized as high risk to go into quarantine for a period of four to five days from the receipt of their first valid negative COVID-19 PCR test.

He said at the end of the period, they are retested and if they continue to be negative for the virus are discharged from quarantine.

The practice of quarantine is a well-accepted public health measure to control and limit the spread of disease. Persons in quarantine are prohibited from leaving the quarantine facility, accepting visitors, or mixing with the public.

Persons in breach in any of the above stipulations will, on summary conviction, be subject to a fine of BDS$50,000 (One Barbados dollar=US$0.50 cents), imprisonment for one year, or both.

Dr George said Barbados has been very successful so far in keeping COVID-19 out of its general population, due in no small measure to the cooperation and responsible behavior of residents.

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Coronavirus deaths and cases rise in the Caribbean | New York Carib News - NYCaribNews

Sunbathing mothers keep an anxious eye out for children enjoying horseback rides, as groups of young men engage in energetic games of beach football and cricket. Further along, a boombox blasts as the smell of fresh fish wafts across the shoreline.

For years, this was the scene at the Hellshire Beach in Portmore, St Catherine, on a public holiday or weekend when Jamaicans and visitors alike would flock to one of the islands most popular beaches. Today, however, parents no longer bring their children. The horses, along with most of the beachline, have long disappeared and the few visitors who come to Aunt Merls or Prendys on the Beach two of the few remaining seafood restaurants left standing are confined to the benches inside.

The beachfront has been swallowed by the surging tides, a result of decades of climate change and mismanagement.

The recreational areas are totally gone so the sea is now right at the steps of the business places, says Gladstone White, director of the Half Moon Bay Fishermens Co-operative, which has been lobbying for funding for infrastructure work to stabilize sections of the beach.

While island nations like Jamaica contribute a tiny fraction of the greenhouse gas emissions that are heating the planet, they are poised to suffer the worst consequences of the climate crisis. Coasts play a critical role in the economies of many Caribbean nations, whose population centers are close to the shore and who rely heavily on their ports and on tourists attracted to their picturesque waters. But beaches throughout the Caribbean are eroding as a result of rising sea levels and dangerous storms resulting from climate change. And many island nations lack the funding to invest in the infrastructure and innovation necessary to combat the changes a situation made worse by the Covid crisis.

While Jamaica has a mixed record on environmental protection, the country is part of a coalition of small island nations that has been instrumental in lobbying for global climate action, and recently became the first Caribbean nation to increase the ambitiousness of its plan under the Paris climate agreement to reduce its carbon emissions.

But the US is set to withdraw from the agreement on 4 November, imperiling the treatys goal of limiting global heating to well below 2C, along with prospects for global action sufficient to ward off increased risk to the people and lands of the Caribbean.

Hellshire Beach, where the marine ecosystem is rapidly eroding, offers insight into whats at stake for many Caribbean communities. Intensified storm activity and increased water temperatures are helping destroy offshore coral reefs that otherwise buffer the shoreline from pounding waves. The problems are compounded by unregulated commercial development and waste treatment, along with the removal of sand dunes and other vegetation. A landmark report published in 2012 found that Hellshire had lost up to 120 meters of shoreline in four decades.

When the scope of Hellshires destruction became clear, the government seemed ready to act quickly and decisively. A master plan to rehabilitate the beach was created but then dashed in 2016 when the Peoples National party (PNP) was swept from power. Since then, budding initiatives meant to invest in the beach have been consistently shut down, often without explanation.

Jamaicas economic difficulties will thwart any short-term action to save the beach. The coronavirus has served a major blow to tourism and remittances, the countrys top two sources of revenue. The post-crisis receipts from both are forecast to fall to just around half the US$5.4bn of value they represented before the pandemic, with remittances expected to decline by 17% and tourism by 68%.

Jamaicas National Environment and Planning Agency says that while rehabilitation efforts have been derailed by the economic impact of Covid-19, they will be picked up next year. But despite Nepas reassurances, a tourism official told the Guardian that the Hellshire master plan has been shelved indefinitely.

White, director of the fishermens co-operative, says the decision to scrap the master plan will hit members big time.

Thing are so bad that fishermen are finding it difficult to find places to dock their boats, he said.

Prendys on the Beach was once arguably the biggest and most popular seafood restaurant on Hellshire. Now that the beach has disappeared, so too have many of its customers a situation exacerbated by government-imposed Covid-19 restrictions on public gatherings.

I have to be creative, says Donnete Prendy Prendergast, who has been operating her restaurant at Hellshire for more than 20 years. So I do family packages for people who still come out even if they cant get to swim. But honestly, not being able to swim takes away from the Hellshire experience, because they come here not just to eat but to have some recreation.

Jamaica has long sent mixed signals on its commitment to environmental protection. Environmentalists recently protested against the governments decision to allow bauxite mining in an area that supplies drinking water to the parishes of Trelawny, St Elizabeth and St Ann. The government also met with outcry over its decision to sell off fertile land to developers to build a new city, despite the fact that just a fraction of Jamaicas land is available for farming.

And environmentalists, archaeologists and residents have been united in their opposition to the construction of a floating pier for cruise ships in Port Royal, arguing that the fragile ecosystem is in danger. Despite this, the pier opened last year to much fanfare but generated little economic spinoff for locals.

For her part, Prendergast would be content with the government showing its commitment to addressing climate change by taking one small step towards resolving beach erosion at Hellshire.

I think the authorities need to really give Hellshire some love because it is really a beautiful place and what we offer is really unique because you cant go get our festivals anywhere else, she says, referring to the cornmeal-based Jamaican fried dough sold on the beach.

But time is running out for the Hellshire Fishing Village beach and its natural and manmade allures. Soon, the forces of nature, along with local and global inaction, will make it, and many more pristine beaches in the region, no more than a distant memory a faded photograph in an old scrapbook.

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A beloved Jamaican beach is succumbing to climate change. It wont be the last - The Guardian

A group of the most legendary rum makers in the Caribbean is heading to St Barth in November for the Caribbeans ultimate rum experience.

This years Caribbean Rum Awards and St Barth Rum Festival will gather a whos who of the rum world, includingMountGays Trudiann Branker, Rhum Neissons Gregory Vernant; Rhum Karukeras Gregoire Hayot and Ron del Barrilitos Eduardo Bacardi.

All of these legends of the rum world will be giving master classes to the VIP attendees of the Caribbean Rum Awards, which run in St Barth from Nov. 10-Nov. 15, 2020.

The event is headquartered at the worlds leading Caribbean rum bar, The Rhum Room in the heart of Gustavia.

Were so excited about this lineup of boldfaced names in the rum world forthis years Experience, said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal and co-founder of the Caribbean Rum Awards. This is an unmatched opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds in rum and try an incredible selection of expressions.

The socially-distanced, limited-attendance event will also feature a lineup of cigar and rum evenings with each of the aforementioned rum makers, with cigar pairings provided by Davidoff.

Thats of course along with the Caribbean Rum Awards signature competition, tasting expo and ti punch seminar, culminating with a pair of festival rum cocktail-pairing dinners at the Quarter Kitchen and Cocktail Lab in Gustavia.

It is amazing to see the support we are receiving from these top-notch Caribbean distilleries representing both Agricole and Molasses-based rums, they are coming to our little island to share their passion and knowledge with connoisseurs and aficionados alike between the Expo, Master Classes and VIP tastings this is going to be quite a week, said Christopher Davis, founder of the St Barth Rum Festival and proprietor of the Rhum Room and Quarter Kitchen and Cocktail Lab in St Barth.

This years Caribbean Rum Awards partners include WIMCO Villas; Tradewind Aviation; Les Ilets de la Plage; Davidoff; Accutron, Empire Social and SC Capital.

Only VIPs at the Caribbean Rum Awards have access to all of the Master Classes at this years event.

You can find more on how to attend here.

You can also visit the Caribbean Rum Awards.

CJ

Original post:

Why the Caribbean's Top Rum Makers Are Coming to St Barth - Caribbean Journal

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Caribbean nationals on the first day of early voting in New York, Oct. 24, lined up for hours at Intermediate School 68 on 81nd Street in Canarsie, Brooklyn, determined to cast their ballots during a historic voter-turnout for a presidential election.

Some, who said they had been on line for more than seven hours, others, longer, were fired up to speak to this reporter about why they were prepared to wait for as long as possible to get into a voting booth.

Wearing a mask emblazed with the words, I am a voter, 28-year-old Crystal-Angeleeburell, an activist, said she was determined to stand on line for how long it took to vote.

I will leave after I vote. This election is about the soul and integrity of America, that is why I am standing on line, and I am voting, Biden, Harris, she said.

Brooklyn-born, Angeleeburell, with her Jamaican mother, said this election means more than ever for the generations to come. I have been protesting, I have donated funds to elect people who align with my values, I mentor, and I think primarily, we must vote, she urged.

Marcia Beckford, Crystals mother who is inspired by her daughters activism, noted that the first day of voting was a proud moment for her, and an opportunity to vote, not only as a Democrat, but because a black woman, and a woman of Jamaican heritage, could create history as the first female vice pPresident of America.

The line was wrapped around Avenue J, 81st Street, Flatlands Avenue and 82nd Street, where everyone was socially distant, and wearing masks, like Dahlia Slater, another Jamaican-born, who wants to get rid of President Trump.

He is making all of these changes that are not fair to us, whatever he is doing will affect my kids, and my grand kids, she said, insisting. We have to vote. If you are a citizen, you should exercise that right, she urged.

First time voter, Dean Harty, said we have to get rid of President Trump, he has no respect, and he is not for us. He says he is not racist, but he is racist. I think Biden will do a better job, not for just Democrats, but for America. Whatever I have to do, I am going to wait and vote.

Lorraine, a Guyanese native, who stood on line with her daughter Dale for more than seven hours, said. I am not moving until I vote. I am tired of Donald Trump. I want peace, security, and reasonableness, she said.

Reverend Althea Bailey, of St Anns Jamaica, who sat on a beach chair, was eager to cast her ballot. She reminded, that it is a privilege to vote.

We stand on the shoulders of people who paved the way before us. It is an opportunity to make the change that we want to happen. I consider early voting an opportunity to come out in live and in living color to cast my vote, to be the change we want to see.

From Carmen Craig-Lawrence, a Jamaican-American who said waiting on a long line to vote was worth it, to Bylene Hendrickson of Nevis, who wants her voice to be counted for change in America, to a Haitian voter who has four children and wants America to help them, and future generations to have a brighter future, to African Americans from South Carolina, who are looking for a sense of decency from government, and the next generation to be treated fairly, all were committed to casting their ballots.

Finally, after a five-hour wait, Judy, a Barbadian-American, stepped out of the voting site wearing a sticker that said, I voted Early. With a smile on her face, she shared, it was all worth it. I did it for my American-born grandson. I am happy, I voted for Joe Biden, she added.

According to the Board of Election, more than 93,000 voted on the first day of early voting. Early voting ends on Nov. 1.

Election Day is Nov. 3. Get out and vote!

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Caribbean nationals are fired up for a change in the White House - Caribbean Life

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Tues. Oct. 27, 2020: A new report from a D.C. organization says immigration rate is one of the highest in the world from one CARICOM nation.

An analysis of the Guyanese Diaspora done by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), found that about 30,000 Guyanese leave the country annually, a sizable portion for a nation with a total population that has never reached one million.

The Guyanese Diaspora, published last month, says the number of Guyanese living abroad has increased since the 1960s. The reports authors says the pull factor, represented by a growing number of Diaspora family members, has only helped to keep the immigration flow steady due to difficult economic conditions, a tense social and political environment, a weak educational system, high levels of insecurity, and an inefficient healthcare system.

The first-generation immigrant Guyanese Diaspora was put conservatively at 550,000 worldwide, not including their descendants.

The Guyanese Diaspora immigrants in 2019 were: North America, accounted for 80 percent of Guyanese immigrants worldwide; the Caribbean and Latin America, with 12.4 percent, the majority of whom reside in the Caribbean; and Northern Europe and the United Kingdom, with 5.9 percent.

You May Also Like: 10 Fast Facts About Guyanese Immigrants In The US You Should Know

The report highlights that the United States continues to be the most popular destination for emigrating Guyanese. According to the report, it is estimated that over 400,000 people in the United States are Guyanese or of Guyanese ancestry with most of them residing in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Georgia, and Maryland, though smaller communities exist in other places, including Illinois, Minnesota, and California.

Canada, according to the report, has been another popular destination for Guyanese emigrants since the 1980s. In 2016, 88,570 people living in Canada reported Guyana as their country of birth, although some members of the diaspora estimate that Canada could be home to as many as 120,000 to 200,000 Guyanese.

Further, approximately 30,000 Guyanese live in the United Kingdom, mostly in the North East region, the East Midlands, and in the London metro area. Unlike the United States and Canada, the United Kingdoms Guyanese immigrant demographic is mostly made up of well-established communities of older generations, given that its biggest immigration waves were in the early-1960s.

The report which was authored by Michael Matera, Linnea Sandin and Maripaz Alvarez, suggests a framework within which this valuable asset could be utilized for the benefit of both the Diaspora and their home country.

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Immigration Rate Among Highest In The World From This CARICOM Nation - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas

St. Vincent and the Grenadines is on Tuesday celebrating its 41st anniversary of political independence from Britain with the eyes of the nation firmly fixed on the upcoming general election on November 5.

Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, who is expected to address a youth rally of his ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP) in North Windward, has called on citizens to return his government to office for an unprecedented fifth consecutive term.

On this Independence Day, we recommit ourselves to defending our national identity, defending our passports, defending our land and defending what it means to be Vincentian.

On November 5th, we will decide whether we should sell out our identity, our passports and our land. Or, if we will defend the nation. The choice is yours, Gonsalves said in a message posted on his Facebook page.

The statement is in reference to claims by the ULP that the main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is seeking to enter into the controversial Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI) that several other member countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have introduced as a means of raising much-needed revenue.

Under the programme, the countries provide citizenship to foreign nationals in return for making a substantial financial contribution to the socio-economic development of these islands.

Gonsalves has said that his ULP administration does not favour the CBI and would never be privy to any scheme involving the sale of St. Vincent and the Grenadines passport and citizenship.

The NDP, which lost the last two general elections by an 8-7 margin, is being led for the first time into a general election by Dr. Godwin Friday, and in an address to supporters on Monday night, paid tribute to those early pioneers who have contributed to the unique way of Vincentian life.

He urged supporters to give the NDP their vote in the general election so as to bring a fresh start and a prosperous future.

Let us set aside the rhetoric, the propaganda, the distortions and the downward lies of the ULP, who after years of failing to deliver jobs and good health care, of failing our people will say anything to get your vote.

Let us put our hearts and minds together to confront our difficult conditions. Let us examine where we are, where we need to go and the best way to get there, Friday said, noting the high unemployment figures and other social ills confronting the country.

In its message to mark the occasion, the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Christian Council said perhaps the independence observance this year has a tinge of uniqueness since this may be the closest an election has been to independence in recent memory.

The two things are so intimately connected that it demands a ponder. Part of the philosophy and reality of independence is self-governance and part of the phenomenon of self-governance is choosing who will govern. Systems vary but the principle remains, independent nations decide who governs even when the citizens seem less aware that it is their choice, the Church group said in a lengthy statement.

It said the matter of governance is complex and choosing who will govern is equally complex.

While the candidates thrive on making us think the choice is simple and obvious, scrupulous analysis of this phenomenon will always reveal otherwise. Some may contend, reasonably so, that there is a place for loyalty referring to those who will vote as they have always voted and as their family would vote. Others may contend that the primary principle of informing our choice should be leadership related issues such as integrity, charisma, influence, vision, character along with other virtues. Still, others will argue that it is about values and what we value. Yet, no group of politicians ever seem to score an A in all the things people value and all their most important values.

The Council said that this is where it gets more complex.

While one set of persons may give values A-D priority another may give values C-E priority. Whichever combination of values you use, you can often come up with a different option.

Whatever the choices we make along with the motives behind those choices are all part of what independence means for a nation and has implications for our custodianship of this considered noble virtue of self-governance.

We do believe that prayer, seeking Gods wisdom and making your decisions with the counsel of Paul in mind will augur well for our choosing and our democracy. Paul writes do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit but be deliberately invested in the wellbeing of the other advocating for love, selflessness, humility, servanthood and submission to God as an important part of our sowing if we are to anticipate a bountiful and exalted harvest, the Council said.

It said choosing and evaluating governments, therefore, is fundamental to our independence but, the act of choosing (what some call democracy) like independence itself is really a tool towards taking us as a nation to where we wish to go.

The 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping has also congratulated St. Vincent and the Grenadines with the Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque, noting that as an Independent nation, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has achieved global recognition in fields such as academia, music and diplomacy.

The overwhelming support the country received from other nations in its successful bid for a seat on the United Nations Security Council is testament to the esteem in which St. Vincent and the Grenadines is held, the Secretary-General said.

He also acknowledged the Prime Ministers unwavering commitment and leadership that he demonstrated as Chair of the Community during this unprecedented time resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Community looks forward to St. Vincent and the Grenadines continued active participation in the work of its Organs and Institutions, and to its continued role in the area of Transportation in the Quasi-Cabinet, LaRocque said.

CMC

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St. Vincent and the Grenadines Observes 41st Anniversary of Independence - caribbeannationalweekly.com

A decent amount of rain has fallen in parts of the area overnight but the rain is expected to gradually taper off as we head into the afternoon.

Pockets of showers are still expected to linger into the afternoon and the foggy conditions should also stick around, so if you have any travel plans, be sure youre aware that you will have some concerns with fog to deal with.

On Sunday night, well see some pockets of drizzle and fog continuing in much of the region. Clouds should linger as well into at least the first half of Monday but we should see some peaks of sunshine as we head into the afternoon hours on Monday.

Tuesday and Wednesday should both remain dry but more rain is in the cards into the latter part of next week.

Overnight, Tropical Storm Zeta was born in the western Caribbean. Over the next several days, the system is expected to slowly gain strength and possibly become a hurricane as it comes into the Gulf of Mexico early next week. Unfortunately for hurricane-ravaged Louisiana, Zeta does appear to be heading in their direction. As Zeta comes on shore, it is expected to head in our general direction which will likely produce rain in the region on Thursday and maybe into Friday as well. The Pinpoint Weather Team will continue to monitor Zeta and its possible affects on our weather into next week. BTW, Zetas birth officially ties the record for the most named storms in the Atlantic basin since records have been kept. 2005 was the only other year that we saw this many named storms which is the same year that we had Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.

Now, regarding temperatures, the rain and showers will help to keep us cooler today as well stay in the 50s for highs today but warmer weather returns quickly.

On Monday, were back up into the upper 60s and lower 70s across the region. Highs will remain in the 70s into midweek, but as Zeta makes its approach, our highs will likely drop slightly back into the 60s for highs on Thursday.

As Halloween approaches next week, highs are expected to cool off back into the 50s.

Stay dry today!

Gary BoyerMeteorologist

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Pinpoint Weather: Rain slowly exits Sunday, eyes on western Caribbean as Zeta is born - WFXRtv.com

Travis Long said he didnt think it would work that well.

But the pretend fire feature in his familys spooky Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display worked so well and looked so real some thought their Riverside house was on fire.

Between Oct. 3 and 9, people called the Riverside Fire Department five times to report a fire, city spokesman Phil Pitchford said.

Firefighters stopped by for a look once, he said, then realized the fire was merely a realistic re-creation of a scene from Disneylands beloved Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

In a bit of similar trivia, the Anaheim Fire Department worried when the attraction debuted in 1967 that its fire scene looked so authentic that people wouldnt be able to tell the difference between the fake blaze and a real one.

Riverside residents, from left, Dax Canillas, 6, sibling Nico, 2, and Nash Meeks, 10, pose Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, as their moms photograph them at a neighbors Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

The Long family created a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display in front of their Riverside home at Magnolia Avenue and Chapman Place in Riverside on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

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Riverside resident Esmeralda Granado, left, reacts Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, to skeletons hanging off a second-story window as daughter Savannah, 11, is more interested in her tablet at a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display in Riverside. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Travis Long, who created a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween scene at his Riverside home, prepares pirates for visitors Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. Hes very mechanically inclined, his wife, Carmen Long, said. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

A Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display mixes humor, a phony fire and moving skeletons in Riversides Wood Streets neighborhood on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

A Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display is seen at the Riverside home of Travis and Carmen Long on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. The fake fire is created using satin sheets and lighting. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

About 400 a night visit a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed display in Riverside on Fridays through Sundays. Guests are seen at the Wood Streets neighborhood site Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Mia Long, 16, on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, rolls down the sails at her Riverside home, which boasts a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display. It includes an indoor fire scene and cannon-firing pirates. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Riverside homeowner Travis Long prepares his Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. The scene, now in its fourth year, is lit up on Fridays through Sundays. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Riverside resident Esmeralda Granado, left, photographs skeletons hanging off a second-story window as daughter Savannah, 11, uses a tablet Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

A home Halloween display that includes pirate skulls is seen Friday, Oct. 16, 2020, in Riversides Wood Streets neighborhood. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Pirates fire cannons at passersby at a Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween scene in Riverside on Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

Skylar Jacobs, a 7-year-old Riverside resident, left, and sister Madison pose at a neighbors Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween scene Friday, Oct. 16, 2020. (Photo by Cindy Yamanaka, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

As for the Riverside firefighters, Pitchford said they left a note with dispatchers that, in essence, says if someone reports a fire in the Wood Streets a neighborhood known for elaborate holiday decorations it may be the Halloween house. Ask additional questions before sending a fire engine.

Longs wife, Carmen, said she calls the fire department every Friday to remind firefighters their display will be drawing attention over the weekend.

While fire engines arent rolling anymore to the house at Magnolia Avenue and Chapman Place, plenty of holiday-fun-seeking residents are.

Carmen Long said the display is lit from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and will run through Halloween night. During each two-hour window, about 400 people drop by to see it.

Visitors are wowed by the seeming realness of the fire, but also by the skeleton pirates spread across the property.

Travis Long said he created the fire effect with a satin sheet hanging from a curtain rod, a fan that blows the sheet around and an orange light trained on the sheet.

Besides the fake fire, there is pirate in a ship on the lawn, several pirates on the house, another pirate climbing a fence and two others firing a cannon for total of 10, Travis Long said.

We have more, he said. We just havent put them out. Were running out of space.

One pirate leans against the house and sings, Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me, he said. And we cant get it out of our heads now.

Meanwhile, sound and light effects mimic thunder and lightning.

Carmen Long said this is the fourth Halloween season she and her husband have transformed their home into a set from Pirates of the Caribbean and, yes, its their favorite Disneyland ride.

Its the second year that we have had the pretend fire, she said.

Carmen Long asks visitors to wear masks and maintain a safe distance from each other and park on a side street instead of on Magnolia Avenue, where they are likely to block a bicycle lane and impede traffic.

We want to be good neighbors, she said.

At the same time, the couple is thrilled that people are finding joy from the display in this pandemic-altered holiday season.

This year, Travis Long said, people are just happy to have something to take their kids to for 10 minutes.

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Pirates of the Caribbean-themed Halloween display so good that Riverside residents called 911 - Press-Enterprise

All of the monsters youll find terrorizing the open seas are fully realized and incredibly detailed. The mutated whale is one of the most intimidating monstrosities youll encounter, with its open wounds leaving its rib cage exposed, its tentacles and razor-sharp teeth like something out of a nightmare. Mermaids, one of the most common enemies in the game, are revoltingtheir gaping maws are lined with fangs, and their ghastly gills and fins make them a particularly frightening addition to the game. And dont get me started on the cursed wanderers, who seem to have been lost at sea for so long that theyve sprouted lobster claws for hands and sport particularly gross-looking goatees.

Play Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War Now

Ive been pleasantly surprised at just how fright-forward the art design is. Its nice to interact with all of the protagonists from the films like Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner, and Captain Barbossa, but what drew me in was the fact that the game world surrounding the main characters was so faithful to the darker themes and designs that made the films so compelling. Even the games menus are creepy, like the smoky, hand-painted backdrops that await you in Shansas cave.

The most narrative-driven corner of the game, Shansas cave is something of a story mode that allows you to revisit classic moments, battles, and characters from the films by way of the sea witch delving deep into Jack Sparrows memories. Youll relive commandeering the Black Pearl, which is subsequently helmed by Jack Sparrows Shade, a spectral double of the captain. Youll go head-to-head with Davy Jones and his sea-rotted Flying Dutchman, and even join forces with the slimy scoundrel by adding him and the Dutchman to your fleet. The most recent film in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Dead Men Tell No Tales, is also represented in the campaign, and for my money, Salazar is the most terrifying character in the entire series (his image is featured prominently in the games menus, and no lie, his pale, crusty face makes my skin crawl every time I see it).

Aside from the games haunting imagery and overall vibe, what truly makes it such a great game to play leading up to Halloween is its thriving community. Ive been a member of my alliance for a while now, and in addition to supporting each other with missions and amassing resources, theres an ongoing chat that allows us to connect in a real-world context. If youre a Halloween enthusiast looking for other people to talk horror movies with or even create a new, Halloween-themed alliance with, I guarantee you youll be able to find like-minded individuals in Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War. Setting sail to hunt down wailing banshees is absolutely better with friends.

See the article here:

Why Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War Is the Perfect Mobile Game for Halloween - Den of Geek

Royal Caribbean often trademarks words or phrases that it thinks may have a business use down the line, but these trademarks do not always get used.

Royal Caribbean recently filed a trademark for something called a "tracelet", and while it remains to be seen what that registration might be for, it is a good opportunity to look back at some notable trademarks that were never used (yet).

These trademarks are filed with theUnited States Patent and Trademark Office, and Royal Caribbean typically registers a couple dozen over the course of a year.

Here is a list of 8 trademarks Royal Caribbean filed recently, but I have not found anything that they have done with them.

The current health crisis lead Royal Caribbean to trademark a name for its own brandof sanitary masks named "seaface".

The trademark was filed on April 8, 2020 and is intended for cruise ship services. The trademark lists it as a "medical apparatus".

In June, Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Richard Fain said they would not go ahead with any plans for a seaface mask, "that was one idea that was thrown out of which we're not pursuing."

On February 15, 2020, Royal Caribbean trademarked "Anchors Up" and it sounds like it might have been their own brand of wine.

The registration says it is intended to cover the categories ofwine; Red wine; White wine.

Thus far, I have yet to hear or see any reference to a cruise line branded wine.

Trademark registrations are always vague, and "Floating Vistas" registration matches that, with simply a description of being for "cruise ship services".

It is possible this is/was intended for the floating cabanas at Perfect Day at CocoCay. The Coco Beach Club features floating cabanas, and perhaps Floating Vistas sounded like a better marketable name.

In January 2020, Royal Caribbean filed a trademark for "Cox & Kings", which sounds like perhaps its own type of British pub.

However, the trademark almost sounds like a hotel brand name.

"Trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of hotel and motel services; restaurant and catering services, arranging and booking of facilities for meetings, conferences, and for exhibitions; reservation services for hotel accommodation, arranging and booking of temporary accommodations, booking agency services for hotel accommodation, arranging and booking of campground and caravan facilities, arranging and letting holiday accommodation, letting of and reservation of tourist accommodation, tourist agency and tourist office services, namely, booking accommodations for others."

The filing was rejected because of a likelihood of confusion between it and three existing trademarks.

Also registered in January was a trademark for "Rec Room", which is described as "intended to cover the category of cruise ship services".

The registration also listed as for use with "night club services", indicating perhaps it would be the name of a new club.

Like Cox & Kings, it was rejected as well for likely confusion with three other trademarks.

Royal Caribbean made two different trademark registrations for "Bohio" and "Bohio Beach Bar", and once again fell under the catch-all category of "intended to cover the category ofcruise ship services".

The word "bohio" is Spanish, and refers to asmall timber dwelling with thatched roof in the Caribbean.

The registration lists it as under an additional category of "bar services", and the words "beach bar" later appear in the registration as well.

Both registrations were approved.

A play on words for the famous mountain in Africa, "Thrillamanjaro" was registered by Royal Caribbean as the name of a water slide.

"Recreational services in the nature of a water slide."

While no water slide has been announced with that name, the trademark was approved in April 2020 and could still be used later.

The most well-known examples of Royal Caribbean filing a trademark but not doing anything with it are cruise ship names.

Royal Caribbean regularly trademarks names of cruise ships that it might use later. Part of the process for coming up with cruise ship names is brain storming new names, and finalists get trademarked.

Here are some recent cruise ship names that never got used (yet):

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8 things Royal Caribbean trademarked but never did anything with - Royal Caribbean Blog