Category Archives: High Seas

It got very quiet last Friday night. Kind of like Christmas Eve, if a little less twinkly. The supermarket parking lots were empty. It was so still that I could hear the click and buzz of streetlights going red to green. Every passing car was an event.

It was the overture to the Blizzard of 2022, quiet and beautiful as a snow globe.

That was followed by the universal hushing sound we use to help babies fall asleep. Sometimes, when its icy, it sounds like a hiss like butter on a hot skillet, or (if you hate snow no matter what) like Voldemort slithering down a long corridor.

On Friday night, I was counting on a sleepy weekend, swaddled in a deep silence. I didnt mind. I was reading a long novel, and my husband and I were re-watching all of the Harry Potter movies because at this point in the pandemic, I'm happy to regress to my 10-year-old self.

I knew we were in for a big storm, but having lived in New England for most of my life, I do not panic when the local newscasters start hyperventilating three days in advance. Ive been fooled by forecasts of Snowmageddon before. And anyway, the fridge was stocked and we have a generator should the power go down. I thought I was prepared.

I was riding over Kansas with Dorothy in that deafening tornado. I was on the high seas in a sinking schooner.

I went to bed, blankets piled high, hoping for that lovely sleep that comes from the cotton-wool-wrapped quiet of falling snow. I thought Id wake up to the sound of snowplows scraping and spraying salt, maybe a few hardy souls determined to get a start on a long day of shoveling, kids jumping into snowbanks.

I planned to spend the day moving from couch to kettle to desk to couch and enjoy the pause. I would be like that horse who stopped in the snowy woods, though in my case, Id be choosing between hot chocolate or another cup of tea. I might even take a nap.

But I was woken in the middle of the night by King Lears howling wind: raging and blowing and cracking its cheeks. I was riding over Kansas with Dorothy in that deafening tornado. I was on the high seas in a sinking schooner.

The powerful blasts were punctuated at random intervals by loud, echoing thuds. That was scary; tree branches, no doubt. Or, Deatheaters, the fiends that can break into a place as fortified as Azkaban prison, and suck the life out of you.

It snowed all morning, and it snowed all afternoon, but how much it snowed was hard to tell because of the wind. And the wind was in charge, howling, whistling and moaning; loud as an airliner in flight, which is about 80 decibels. By late afternoon, the roaring was the only sound. It pressed against my ears; it was a little like being underwater.

I wasnt in any real danger from storm Kenan, though it was dangerous and deadly. People didnt get to the hospital in time. Homes and businesses were flooded and smashed to bits. As of Sunday morning, 55,000 Massachusetts residents were still without power, in frigid temperatures. There will be millions of dollars in damage and countless lives upended. My neighbors, my city, my state will pay a high price.

But, you could say, it was just our turn.

New England has been relatively lucky in the no-win game of climate change roulette. Weve been spared the worst wildfires, droughts, disastrous water shortages and killer hurricanes suffered by the rest of our hemisphere, the rest of our world.

The science explains how our warming climate raises sea surface temperatures. How, in turn, that creates additional water vapor, which can increase the frequency of extreme snowstorms. And then theres the reality of our melting icecaps, which contribute to sea level rise, and flooding. Maybe you saw the photos of Long Wharf in Boston, already underwater by high tide early Saturday morning.

The Weather Channels ratings go through the roof during bad storms; we tune in for the smart maps and hour-to-hour forecasts. But we pay less attention to the Weather Channels warnings about the inevitable climate consequences of warming oceans, melting ice, fossil fuel emissions, deforestation and the rest of the ways were bringing this upon ourselves.

The wind has a message for us: time is running out.

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The message for us in that fierce, snowy wind - WBUR

Last Updated: January 31, 2022

It looks as though Sea of Thieves is having matchmaking issues as players are unable to get into the game at the moment. The official support Twitter account has said the devs are looking into the problem but hasnt given any indication of how long issues may exist.

UPDATE 31/1: Due to the fact the game was down for so long in the middle of a community event Rare has added an extra 12 hours to the event time. That doesnt;t seem to be the end of the issue though and players are reporting they are not getting their rewards for completing the event quests. The official SoT Twitter has just tweeted:

UPDATE 30/1: The devs have just tweeted that the log-in requests are taking too long due to players spamming and trying to get into the game, they are taking the major step of temporarily disabling sign-in to attempt to alleviate the issue.

Sea of Thieves log in requests are taking too long due to overwhelming demand, with the queue jammed due to constant attempts. Our intent is to temporarily disable sign-in so we can unblock the pipe and trickle players back in thank you for your patience as we do this.

The player base is becoming increasingly frustrated however as SoT is in the middle of a 24-hour long in-game event and four hours have passed since people started having problems. It seems likely that this will have to be addressed once the game is back up and running.

The inaugural Sea of Thieves Season 5 Community Day was announced by Rare as a way of encouraging players to tweet about the game the more tweets that get out there the better the rewards on offer looks like they have nailed it

UPDATE 2 30/1: Rare has just further tweeted saying they are listening to player frustrations and assuring players they are doing everything they can to fix it. Its a bad Sunday for somebody thats for sure. They are also (as predicted) looking at potentially extending the event something which will surely happen.

We hear your frustrations, and want to assure you that were doing everything we can to fix log in issues as soon as possible. We are also exploring options regarding the extension or rescheduling of this #SeaOfThievesCommunityDay well let you know when we have news to share.

Currently, yes it is, at least for many people. And at least the devs know all about the issues.

A quick look at DownDetector shows the extent of the problem over the past few hours.

Problems seem to have flared up once again after a similar-looking issue was last reported on 21st January and then before that on 9th January. The server issues seem to have returned to plague the game now for the third time this month.

It seems the problem can manifest itself as the above error although this can also be caused by (if in doubt blame the players) antivirus software or an inaccurate time set on the users PC. What it seems to be however is directly connected to your PC being unable to connect to the host server, and that is why you may be getting the problem showing in this way.

The tweet above obviously suggests there is a delay in accessing the game, but it seems that the delay is long enough that people are giving up.

Hopefully, it wont take too long to fix it up, but if you are struggling to get on the high seas at the moment, at least you know you are not alone.

Players are also reporting seeing the Strawberry Beard error which is another sure sign of a bad connection to the server. You are definitely just going to have to wait this one out, unfortunately.

More:

Is Sea of Thieves down? - Game should be running but rewards slow - WePC - PC Building Community

Last November, the western Mediterranean was the scene of a unique military drill called Polaris 21. Involving half of the French navy and vessels from the United States, United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, and Spain, this exercise simulated a force-on-force conflict that played out on the seas, in the air, and in space. Polaris is a giant laboratory for the war of tomorrow, stressed Adm. Pierre Vandier, chief of the French navy, before adding that preparation for high-intensity operations was now a necessity.

Polaris is the latest illustration of Europeans renewed ambition to play a role in the growing strategic competition at sea. This shift towards high-intensity warfare is noticeable in most E.U. and NATO navies, whether large (France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany) or small (the Netherlands or Norway, for instance). Preparing for high-end naval missions has recently become a chief concern for these countries as they fear that the return of great-power competition be it in the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, or the Indo-Pacific could endanger their prosperity as well as their national security interests. These concerns are even more pressing today as Russia is launching ominous naval maneuvers amid tensions over Ukraine. NATO members are dispatching vessels in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea to reinforce the alliances deterrence and defense.

Nonetheless, this moment of reckoning comes after years, if not decades, of drastic reductions in the size of European navies. Even though European states have managed to sustain various maritime operations, with forces deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, or the Gulf of Guinea, they are still facing major limitations when contemplating high-intensity warfare. The lack of naval assets, aging platforms, and shortcomings in training and readiness are major stumbling blocks facing Europe. Addressing these challenges will require a significant expansion of the collaborative approach that European militaries already employ.

European Naval Decline

European naval forces suffered a dramatic downsizing in the past three decades. This decline is notably due to years of cuts in defense spending following the end of the Cold War. Amid these times of budgetary austerity, European countries decided to rebalance their armed forces at the expense of their navies as they engaged in major counterinsurgency operations after the 9/11 attacks. As counter-terrorism became the highest priority, the prospect of a conventional conflict at sea against a peer competitor progressively lost its relevance, leading to an era of sea blindness. Instead, European navies have been reshaped to focus on low-end missions, from crisis management to the fight against illegal trafficking, search and rescue, counter-piracy, or disaster relief.

Against this backdrop, European navies lost 32 percent of their main surface combatants (frigates and destroyers) between 1999 and 2018. Collectively, Europeans had 197 large surface combatants and 129 submarines in 1990 but only 116 and 66 respectively in 2021 (see table 1). Europes combat power at sea is considered to be half of what it was during the height of the Cold War. Even though it has retained a significant naval power, the U.S. Navy followed a similar pattern. While the United States had plans to build a 600-ship navy in the 1980s, the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act set a goal of 355 ships, although it is not yet clear whether the Biden administration embraces this goal.

Table 1: Number of assets of the major European navies in 2021 (Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2021).

Two major maritime powers, France and the United Kingdom, have particularly suffered from these trends. The United Kingdom has been forced to cede more than half of its large surface combatants and attack submarines. The Royal Navy also had to operate without an aircraft carrier between 2014 and 2021, limiting its ability to project power. The French navy had to reduce or postpone the procurement of new frigates, to renounce the conventional component of its submarine fleet and to cede one of its two aircraft carriers. Similarly, austerity measures forced Spain to decommission its only aircraft carrier and to significantly reduce its submarine force, now limited to two platforms. Budget cuts limited Germanys naval ambitions, as witnessed by its small surface and subsurface fleet as well as the absence of any amphibious capability. Denmark also had to relinquish key capabilities, as Copenhagen decided in 2004 to disband its entire submarine force.

Quantity Is Missing

Even though downscaled, the largest European navies have managed to preserve multipurpose fleets allowing them to pursue multiple, primarily low-end tasks. Over the past decades, European countries have engaged their navies in counter-piracy operations (off the coast of Somalia or in the Gulf of Guinea), arms embargo policing missions (such as operation IRINI in the Mediterranean Sea), or in direct support to military interventions (like the Libyan operation in 2011). European navies have nonetheless been stretched increasingly thin. NATOs reliance on the United States during the Libyan campaign in 2011 was a demonstration of Europes underinvestment in its navies. European members of the coalition suffered from the limited availability of their aircraft carriers and quickly faced a shortage in naval cruise missiles. More recently, the tensions in the Strait of Hormuz in 2019 provided another example of these shortfalls as European countries struggled to mobilize ships for their maritime security coalition.

As the prospect for high-intensity warfare is growing amid the mounting strategic competition with China and Russia, European navies are underequipped and underprepared. Prevailing in such scenarios would require a large number of platforms with high-end capabilities, and European navies today lack such critical mass compared to their strategic competitors (see table 2). Even though Europeans still have more large surface combatants than China, their fleet is aging and overstretched while Beijing is building a modern navy at great speed: China already has one of the largest submarine fleets in the world and is building the equivalent of the French navy every four years. The Russian navy is also increasingly capable with a large submarine fleet and powerful offensive missile systems allowing Moscow to employ an anti-access/area denial strategy.

Table 2: Number of naval assets in the world in 2021 (Source: The Military Balance, International Institute for Strategic Studies, 2021)

Returning to High-Intensity Warfare

European countries are increasingly aware of these limitations and the need to refocus their navies on high-intensity scenarios. In its latest 2021 strategic update, France recognized that the possibility of conflict between major powers can no longer be ignored, insisting notably on the threats that Russia poses in the Euro-Atlantic area and China in the Indo-Pacific. As laid out in this strategic document, the French armed forces therefore aim at being prepared for scenarios of engagement in a major conflict, notably by strengthening their capability for joint collaborative combat and by building up sufficient critical mass. On a similar note, the United Kingdom has acknowledged the need to deter and defend against state-based opponents as recently outlined by its chief of the defense staff. In its recent strategic review process, London gives the Royal Navy a central role in this endeavor. The strategies (the integrated review and the defense command paper) envision more consistent forward presence for the navy around the world and aspire to be able to operate its two carriers simultaneously and maintain [its] continuous deterrence posture at sea.

Similar shifts can be noticed in other European countries although in a more limited fashion. The German Navy seeks to rebalance towards more demanding missions like sea control, securing lines of communication, and territorial defense, as Berlin refocuses on home defense and NATO collective defense. This may include trying to move beyond Germanys historical focus on the Baltic Sea, as recent comments from former German naval chief have indicated, be it in the North Sea or even in the Indo-Pacific where Germany sent one frigate for the first time since 2016. The Italian armed forces are also shifting from an expeditionary, crisis management-oriented structure back to a conventional, territorial defense posture, albeit one that is more narrowly focused on the Mediterranean Sea area. The Italian navys latest planning document calls for an aeronaval force with credible deterrence and intervention capabilities that can act along the entire spectrum of conflict, including medium-high intensity scenarios albeit with the caveat that Italian participation in such a conflict would be limited in time.

Many of these renewed naval ambitions are playing out in the defense spending plans of European powers. European navies are investing in principal surface combatants, amphibious vessels, and submarines but also quietly boosting their capacity for logistics, surveillance, and long-range strike. Some countries, like the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, are also investing in improved air and missile defense capabilities to protect their principal surface combatant in the early kinetic onslaught of a high-intensity conflict. Others, like Norway, Sweden, or Germany, are regenerating their submarine fleets in response to Russias growing use of undersea warfare in the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic. European navies have also increased the tempo and intensity of their exercise schedule in order to be ready to make use of these new capabilities as illustrated by the French-led Polaris exercise or the series of exercises involving both of Britains new aircraft carriers.

Still a Long Road Ahead

Despite these ambitions, most European allies still face many conundrums that put their navies under pressure. First, this sort of shift does not happen overnight. Even when governments allocate the required money, the process of designing and building warships and submarines can take decades and experience important delays.

Second, European countries still face serious budgetary limitations, which are even higher in countries, like France, trying to maintain a balance between the different branches of their military. In the opposite case, the United Kingdom has privileged the financing of the Royal Navy over that of the army, a decision that entails its own risks. The expensive renewal of the French and British nuclear forces will be another constraint on their future naval acquisitions and modernization plans.

In this context, European navies are forced to make agonizing tradeoffs, often prioritizing quality (e.g., speed, reach, reliability, survivability) at the expense of quantity (e.g., number of platforms, personnel, and armaments). France and the United Kingdom are not planning to significantly increase the size of their navies, privileging instead investments in modern and sophisticated platforms such as submarines, destroyers, or aircraft carriers. Both countries are nonetheless aware of the risks of this orientation and are trying to mitigate some of these capacity shortfalls by investing in unmanned surface and subsurface vessels. These programs are still at an early stage, however, and will not deliver tangible capabilities in the near future.

These tensions are amplified by the global outlook of European navies that are increasingly overstretched as they try to strike a difficult balance between the European theater and distant regions like the Indo-Pacific. The shift toward high-end platforms is also challenged by the need to address persisting low-end challenges, such as piracy and illegal trafficking. These low-intensity, forward-presence missions tend to hinder the warfighting readiness of European navies. To mitigate this difficulty, European navies are slowly acknowledging that quantity can be a quality of its own and are therefore investing in smaller patrol vessels.

Admittedly, even the U.S. Navy is facing similar dilemmas. Yet, these tensions are even more pressing for Europeans. The most straightforward solution to the challenge is more defense spending especially in countries like Germany, Italy, and Spain and more importantly more collective action, be it in a NATO, E.U., or ad hoc context. Even in 10 years time, no European country could operate in a high-intensity conflict alone, save perhaps France and the United Kingdom in certain limited scenarios. But if Europeans decide to better invest, train, and act together, the picture could be different.

First, Europeans should pursue more joint procurement. As of now, European navies suffer major redundancies with 29 different types of destroyers or frigates, as compared to four for the United States. Building on NATOs defense planning and taking advantage of the European Unions funding mechanisms, European countries should foster industrial cooperation. Some collaborations are already encouraging, such as the one between France and Italy which led to the development of the European multi-mission frigate (known as FREMM).

Second, Europeans could better coordinate their naval deployments especially when operating far from the European theater. As mentioned earlier, Europeans have already launched joint missions in the Mediterranean Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, and off the coast of Somalia. Yet, Europeans navies could do more by flexibly coordinating their naval assets in other strategic areas such as the Indo-Pacific. This is the goal of the coordinated maritime presence mechanism established by the European Union, which was first tested in the Gulf of Guinea and should be extended to the North West Indian Ocean. This coordination could be reinforced by a better access of European partners to their respective naval bases located both in Europe and overseas. This mutual access would facilitate and sustain the projection of power in distant regions like the Indo-Pacific.

Third, European navies should collectively work on their readiness to respond to high-intensity situations through shared operational planning and a robust exercise schedule. The former will give the United States and NATO planners a clearer understanding of what to expect from different allies and partners, in which theaters, and on what schedule. And exercises and training, especially at the NATO level or though multinational groupings such as the Joint Expeditionary Force led by the United Kingdom and focused on northern Europe, play a critical role not only in honing the skills and familiarity that will increase the odds of success in combat, but also as geopolitical signals of capability, intent, and solidarity. The stress-testing of rigorous exercising may also provide value by unearthing any shortcomings that newly procured naval capabilities may have.

The evolution of European navies will not happen overnight. Many of the most significant forthcoming assets will not arrive until after 2030. Yet, the trends are positive, starting at the strategic level and moving down to well-targeted procurements as well as increasing attention to demanding exercises. Equally important, however, is the question of political will. It is not a given that the political tides, especially in countries like Germany and Italy, will necessarily support the idea of buying expensive naval assets and engaging them in fraught situations, especially in more remote theaters like the Indo-Pacific. Germanys deployment of the frigate Bayern to that region last year, for example, turned what could have been a demonstration of geopolitical resolve in the naval sphere into a tightrope act calibrated to avoid overly antagonizing China. Operational preparation for high-intensity scenarios is therefore only the beginning of the story. Europeans also need to have a collective discussion on the political implications of this new military imperative.

Pierre Morcos is a French diplomat in residence and visiting fellow in the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. You can find him on Twitter at@morcos_pierre.

Colin Wall is a research associate with the Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. You can find him on Twitter at @ColinCWall.

Image: Defense Department

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Are European Navies Ready for High-Intensity Warfare? - War on the Rocks

Director Kim Jung Hoon recently participated in an interview with News1 about The Pirates: Goblin Flag, the follow-up to the hit 2014 film The Pirates.

The Pirates: Goblin Flag is a period action-adventure comedy about a group of fortune-seekers who take to the high seas searching for lost treasure. It stars Kang Ha Neul, Han Hyo Joo, Lee Kwang Soo, EXOs Sehun, Chae Soo Bin, Kwon Sang Woo, and more.

About why he chose to make a follow-up to The Pirates, director Kim Jung Hoon said, Asthe father of two children, I felt attracted to the genre of adventure films that you can watch with your kids. I was part of the generation that grew up watching adventure movies since I was little, so I always wanted to make a family adventure film, and The Pirates 2scratched that itch for me.

He continued, The first movie was such a big hit that it would be a lie to say that I didnt feel pressured. Its a difficult time for Korean movies right now, and we felt pressure to overcome the success of the first one, but its a fun movie that we made to entertain audiences, so Im hoping that it will receive a lot of love over the Lunar New Year holidays.

The movie involved a large-scale production including elaborate sets, underwater filming, and advanced CGI. The director said, Its a fantasy adventure movie, so the visual elements are very important. A fantasy adventure movie isnt possible with CGI alone. The cinematography and lighting are also important. And the most important factor are the actors who have to imagine what theyre seeing around them. The filming was pushed back to the winter,when it was cold. We couldnt film in the summer because of COVID-19 and the rainfall season, so the actors really gave ittheir all in the bitter cold. Their expressions and acting brought the CGI to life.

Kim Jung Hoon continued to express his gratitude for the cast. Moo Chi, played by Kang Ha Neul, is a cheeky character who needs a lot of diverse acting. I had very high judgment of Kang Ha Neuls acting spectrum and talent, so I cast him. Han Hyo Joo was just right for the role of Hae Rang because she combines a strong interior and stable acting within her own femininity. As I worked with the cast, just as I heard through reports, Kang Ha Neul is very upright and very focused on his acting. Han Hyo Joo is very professional. Shes passionate, works hard, and manages herself well, and her behavior toward others was exemplary. I think that everyone did even better than I expected, including Chae Soo Bin, Sehun, and Park Ji Hwan.

About Sehun, he added, I think that an archer basically pins down an enemy with his gaze alone. Thats why I searched for an actor with a powerful gaze, both strong and cold. I happened to come across Sehun, and I liked his gaze, and he had the right atmosphere andlooks for the character too.

Regarding the underwater filming, he said, Filming those scenes is much harder than it appears. Its hard fromthedirectors perspective and from the actors perspective to an unimaginable degree. The actors can hardly do anything when theyre submerged in water, and so its meaningless for a director to try to give directions. I am so grateful to the actors who could act even when they were in the water. Park Ji Hwan got water in his ear during filming and got a middle ear infection. Kang Ha Neul got water up his nose and had to go to the hospital to have it extracted. Lee Kwang Soo and Han Hyo Joo would spit up water when I yelled cut. Thats how hard it was on everyone. The production staff, who were assisting, also went through a lot as well. I am deeply, deeply grateful to the actors, the camera directors, the stunt director, and the stunt actors.

The interviewer mentioned a scene in the movie involving penguins, and he said, I thought a lot about what kind of animals could relate to and communicate with the humans. I thought about fantasy animals too, but in the end I chose the friendly and familiar penguins. That scene was really Lee Kwang Soos one-man show. He was just acting opposite blue dummies, but when he was acting, you could see the penguins reactions. He was very good, but when the scene ended, he told me that his head was messed up. He said that the penguins even showed up in his dreams.

Watch the first The Pirates movie below!

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The Pirates 2 Director Talks About Casting Kang Ha Neul, Han Hyo Joo, EXO's Sehun + Difficulties Of Filming With Water And CGI - soompi

Monday 31 January 2022 8:26 pm

The City is not always portrayed well in the wider media, but a certain kind of Square Mile institution was rather effectively deployed at the beginning of Monty Pythons The Meaning of Life. The Crimson Permanent Assurance, a once proud family firm fallen on hard times, fights back against its new ownership by the Very Big Corporation of America.

Eventually, this old City outfit fights back casting off the Square Mile for the high seas. The triumph of the Home Counties-dwelling accountants over the Wall Street corporate titans is extremely satisfying. Indeed, for all our friendships and partnerships, the battle for supremacy with the US remains a real one.

In that context, activist investors have perhaps always felt a little more Wall Street than they have the Square Mile until now, that is. T

his year seems set to be their year, with many of them lining up (or rumoured to be doing so) FTSE-100 giants. The City should welcome this new-found scrutiny, unsurprising as it is. London-listed firms are undervalued on a global scale, for reasons both fair and otherwise. It is not a surprise that activists look on them as juicy targets.

Some are more obvious than others. Trian Partners stake in the increasingly error-prone Unilever may be just what the firm, and embattled chief executive Alan Jope, needs. Elliots dogged pestering of GSK has forced Dame Emma Walmsley to come out fighting, too. Cevians assault on Aviva boss Amanda Blanc is less obvious, bearing in mind she seems to have already been delivering on her plan to ditch distracting international divisions. But having somebody mark the homework is always a worthwhile exercise.

Fundamentally, activists want to create value, doing what they can to improve both company performance and share prices. Activists thinking in the long-term can hold businesses to account and they certainly prevent drift in either leadership or strategy. In our post-Brexit world, in which London-listed firms will need to be nimbler and sharper, their attention should be seen as a sign of faith in the capitals future.

Read more: Corporate standards might be well noted down the road in Whitehall

Read more here:

Editorial: The activists are a welcome sign of faith in the City's future - City A.M.

Taylor Grieger returned home from the military with PTSD. After miraculously failing at an attempt to take his own life, he decided to sail around Cape Horn in an effort to raise awareness about military veterans suffering from PTSD and to record his healing journey through adventure therapy in a new documentary called Hell or High Seas.

Grieger, director Glenn Holsten, and producer Chayne Gregg spoke about making the documentary on a new episode of the Factual America podcast. You can listen to the episode above, on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, or right here:

Hell or High Seas is about Taylor Griegers adventure journey, actually to heal himself, but also raise attention to the troubling fact that many people who return from the military dont return healthy and then end up taking their lives, dying by suicide, said Holsten. Taylor wanted to raise awareness about this fact that exists in America that an unfortunate number of people die every day by suicide veterans. But he also wanted to challenge himself by taking this adventure and sailing around Cape Horn, which is the bottom tip of the world, and some of the most dangerous waters.

Grieger said he wanted to make the documentary to show other veterans that even after their darkest moments, it gets better.

Also Read: Matthew Heinemans The First Wave Doc Depoliticizes the Pandemic: Theres No Trump in My Film (Video)

One of the biggest things that happened me whenever I got back was my adrenaline would start running for no reason at all. And I didnt know why, Grieger said. It was weird, and it was really scary, honestly, because I thought that something was really wrong with me. And so the goal of the film and the reason why we made the film was to show my experience so the guys coming out after us didnt have that same experience I did, but they knew exactly what was going on with their body and they didnt just go down that PTSD spiral which can just ruin your life.

The veteran added that he hopes that if other soldiers returning from the military saw what he went through, they would know that you can heal, and you can get better that they wont have to go through what I did when I first got back.

Grieger also likes to hold Q&A sessions after screenings in order to meet other veterans and tell them that its possible to recover from PTSD.

For me, I didnt want to live in this world anymore. It was just so dark and disgusting, dude, there was no reason to want to stay in this world and be a part of it. And thats all I saw every single day. We hear it over and over again at these screenings that we do now, veterans from Vietnam, from World War II, come up and say the exact same thing. They say, Ive been living like this for decades, and nobody has ever told me this. And that breaks my freakin heart, dude. Those guys have been in pain for 20 years, 30 years. Thats why we made this film to talk about it and say, there is a physical problem here that you can actually heal, he said. W talk about that in the film, too, that your hippocampus can regrow whenever you are in environments where your adrenalines running, your endorphins running. Thats one of the biggest things we talk about when we do Q&As in the screenings is adventure therapy and how you can heal you dont have to live in the darkness anymore.

Hell or High Seas is available to stream on-demand on YouTube, Apple TV, Google Play, Vudu, and on more VOD services via the Hell or High Seas website. Here are the timestamps from the Factual America interview:

00:00 The trailer for Hell or High Seas.04:04 What the film is about.05:24 Why Taylor Grieger set himself such an extreme challenge.06:31 How they got the idea to sail around Cape Horn.07:40 How Chayne and Glenn got involved with the production.11:14 How Taylor got quality footage without having any prior filming experience.16:50 Glenns experience in creating films around mental health.18:59 What PTSD is and how it affects you on a physiological level.21:54 Taylors advice for family members of people who suffer from PTSD.24:45 The possibility of recovery from PTSD and how this can be achieved.28:12 How people have responded to the films screenings.31:22 The work Britain is doing to help its veterans after combat.37:19 How people can help raise awareness about veterans struggles with PTSD.39:51 The next projects Glenn is working on.42:15 What Taylors goals are now.

Factual America examines America through the lens of documentary filmmaking. Guests include Academy Award, Emmy and Grammy-winning filmmakers and producers, their subjects, as well as experts on the American experience. We discuss true crime, music, burning social and political topics, history and arts with the creators of the latest and upcoming documentary films in theatres and on the most popular digital platforms. This podcast is produced by Alamo Pictures, a London- and Austin-based production company that makes documentaries about the US from a European perspective for international audiences.

Main Image: A still from Hell or High Seas, courtesy of Factual America.

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Hell or High Seas: A Veteran's Quest to Raise PTSD Awareness

We understand that a convention a big as Eurofurence might be overwhelming and confusing at first, so here's what you need to know to get you started for your first time. The following guide is for people new to EF or new to cons at all. If you find any information lacking or a question left unclear, don't hesitate to write us.

First and foremost, as an attendee of Eurofurence, you must have read and agreed to all general policies.Take your time and make sure you understand everything. If in doubt, contact our security department about questions regarding these rules.

You'll find all policies under "Policies", section "General Policies".

Furthermore, all policies listed under "Event Policies" apply to all attendees who attend certain events or activities at the convention.

There are various dates and deadlines to keep in mind. Generally, you'd want to keep track of registration, booking and payment dates:

Artists may additionally need to keep an eye on application deadlines for Art Show and Dealers' Den:

Fursuiters may want to keep the fursuit badge registration deadline in mind:

Getting a spot at the popular main hotel is tough, we know that. Part of our efforts to improve this situation is by providing alternatives; On our Overflow page, we'll point you towards suitable hotels and hostels. Expect this information to be available some weeks before the convention. If you rely on such an option, check the page frequently!

You won't be left alone to find your way to the convention. Our Travel Guide provides useful information on how to get to Berlin and the Hotel itself, where to park your car, how much it costs, and so on.This page is being updated more frequently as the convention draws near, so make sure to check back for updates!

Once arrived at the convention, there are two very first things to do in no particular order:

If you ever need to identify our staff, that's easy:

If you'd like to lend a helping hand at or around the convention, we've got a list of open positions to fill. Make sure to check the page frequently, as we keep updating it throughout the entire year.

There are generally two ways of selling merchandise at Eurofurence: by auction in the Art Show / Art Auction and directly in the Dealers' Den or Artist Alley. All options except Artist Alley require you to to register beforehand until a given deadline and apply for a panel or table accordingly. Read on for deadlines and application processes:

More here:

Welcome to Tortuga On the High Seas - Eurofurence 26

Forecasters say inexperienced boaters should avoid the open water as the winds kick up.

TAMPA, Fla Its a long-standing tradition: hundreds of boats joining the Jose Gasparilla as it makes its way up the Seddon Channel and into downtown Tampa.

But this years weather forecast could and maybe should have some people thinking twice about joining the flotilla.

It would be foolish, said Master Sgt. Ryan Balseiro with the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office Marine Unit. Youre talking 3-foot seas in the bay.

Balseiro says theyre carefully watching Saturdays forecast, which currently calls for sustained winds of 23 mph and seas 3-5 feet outside the channel. A small craft advisory goes into effect Friday night and runs through Saturday evening.

There are going to be days that are no-go days. And when the Coast Guard puts out small craft advisories, you know, you need to heed that warning, Balseiro said.

Another danger is density. With so many boats packed so close together, it could make for some difficult, if not dangerous, navigating. In 1971, they still had the parade, but the flotilla was called off because of bad weather. This year?

They are monitoring it the same as us, Balseiro said. Paying very close attention to wind.

The decision as to whether the pirate ship sails, said Balseiro, is a call made by the towing company that pulls the barge, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard. Something else to think about? Its going to be cold out there. That means people are going to be wearing sweatshirts and heavy coats.

Safety experts say to make sure your personal floatation devices and life jackets are big enough to fit over all of that. People we spoke with who boat on a regular basis say they might sit this one out.

If you dont have to go out on the water, I would personally recommend not, said Josh Campbell, who started boating about a year ago as many have during the pandemic.

Things can flip a switch real quick, said boat captain Will Robertson. Ive seen it happen multiple times.

And its just not fun anyway, added Joe Williams, a life-long boater. Why do you wanna be out on the water on a rough day, cold rough day?

For those working to ensure public safety, it's their advice, too. Especially for those wanna-be pirates whose boats arent built for the high seas. Or those small-sized boats that could become a big problem.

Yeah, heed the warning. Stay inside the protected area. And, you know, just be mindful, Balseiro said. Theres a lot of things to consider.

Go here to read the rest:

Weather warning: Here's why some boaters should consider skipping this year's Gasparilla invasion - WTSP.com

MIAMI (CBSMiami) With big smiles on their faces, twin brothers Justin and Mitchell Callahan made it official in front of friends, family and teachers at Immaculata-LaSalle High School.

They put pen to paper and signed letters of intent to attend Harvard University in the fall.

The two high school sailing champions will hit the high seas as members of the Ivy League Universitys sailing team.

Harvard doesnt offer athletic scholarships, but the twins are getting early admission as outstanding scholar-athletes.

I dont think its completely sunken in yet, Mitchell Callahan said. Itll get more real as our senior year goes on, but were grateful to everyone who supported us and showed up today. It shows how nice everyone is at this school and how supportive they are as we go on this journey.

Much of their journey has taken place on the water as competitive sailors, a passion passed down by their father. Paul Callahan is a quadriplegic who competed for the U.S. Paralympic Sailing Team.

My dad went to the Paralympics twice for sailing and its a wonderful sport, Justin Callahan said. Its been a wonderful ride and we cant wait to see whats in the future.

Paul Callahan has been in a wheelchair since suffering a freak accident when he was 21 years old. It didnt stop him from graduating from Harvard, having a successful career as an investment banker and starting Sail to Prevail, an organization that promotes sailing for disabled children and adults. Paul has cheered on his boys since they took up sailing at age seven.

Im more than proud of them, Paul Callahan said. Im happy for them. They worked hard academically and athletically. Im glad they are getting rewarded with something they really wanted.

He really is my role model in life, Justin Callahan said about his father. He acts like he can do anything, and growing up Ive seen it for myself. For us, hes really special.

When they get to Harvard Justin plans to study engineering. Mitchell plans to major in economics.

Read more:

Miami Twin Brothers Will Set Sail For Harvard In The Fall - CBS Miami

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Traveling over the past two years has been difficult for many Americans, with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic prompting safety concerns and resulting in ever-changing travel restrictions from both the state and federal governments.

However, as more and more Americans get vaccinated, fears of contracting, spreading and becoming severely ill from the coronavirus have started to subside, with many eager to return to their annual vacations.

With that in mind, AAA has released a list of 2022 travel tips to help prepare Americans for their trips, whether theyre traveling by air, land or sea.

So far this year, flight cancellations, wintery weather and the COVID-19 omicron variant have all combined to create the perfect storm for travelers, said Ellen Edmonds of AAA. However, AAAs travel advice makes it possible to travel in the pandemic without losing your mind or your money.

GENERAL TRAVEL TIPS

Regardless of where youre going and how youre getting there, the coronavirus is still a threat, and travelers should pack with that in mind, ensuring that they have multiple high-quality masks and an adequate supply of hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes.

While you may be traveling with your vaccine card, theres always a chance that it could be misplaced. To safeguard yourself from being denied entry to a place that requires vaccination, travelers should carry some digital documentation of their vaccine card on their phone, whether that be a photo of the card itself or a virtual card, like New Yorks Excelsior Pass.

Its also important for travelers to keep up-to-date on their destinations current coronavirus restrictions. Most importantly, whether a negative coronavirus test is required before arrival or returning home. If a test is required, AAA encourages travelers to schedule an appointment well in advance of the trip to make sure they have their results within the required timeframe.

Travelers may also want to notify their credit card providers of their plans, which decreases the likelihood that their cards will be frozen due to suspicious activity.

AIRLINES

Those traveling by air should brace themselves for possible delays and cancellations, with crew shortages associated with the pandemic impeding many airlines abilities to run all scheduled flights in recent weeks.

Should travelers find themselves in such a situation, there are federal laws in place to ensure that theyre either accommodated on a later flight or issued a full refund for their ticket.

For travelers looking to avoid any delays or cancellations, their best bet is to take the earliest flight possible, according to AAA.

Book the first flight in the morning. Because of how routes are planned and crews set up, early morning flights are less susceptible to encountering problems from cancelations or delays, Edmonds said.

Travelers should also consider checking into their flights online 24 hours in advance and signing up for mobile alerts from their airline so theyre immediately notified of any changes to their flight.

ROAD TRIPS

For those hitting the road, its important to make sure that their vehicle is prepared for the journey ahead. Road trippers should ensure that their oil has been changed, their tires are properly inflated and that their windshield wipers are in working order in the event of rain or snow.

When traveling during the winter months, its important for drivers to keep their cars well-stocked with certain items in case they get stranded during a heavy snowstorm.

This includes: jackets, blankets, hats and gloves to keep warm; water and non-perishable food items to stay hydrated and well-fed; a cellphone charger; an ice scraper or snow brush, and road flares or emergency markers to signal for help.

Should travelers find themselves temporarily stranded on the side of the road, AAA encourages drivers to stay in their car as much as possible to avoid falling or being struck by another vehicle.

In these situations, make sure to only run your car sporadically, as leaving it on for too long with the windows closed could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

CRUISES

Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising travelers to avoid cruises, there are still some Americans planning to hit the high seas.

Those travelers are strongly recommended to plan their trip with a travel agent who can offer them a better idea of what to expect onboard and while docked in port.

Many popular onboard activities and shore excursions may be modified or unavailable due to the pandemic, and new safety protocols, like coronavirus testing or daily health assessments, may be in place.

Should travelers have to postpone a cruise, AAA advises them to do so as early as possible for the best rescheduling options.

Demand is already pent up, and dates will book up fast as conditions improve, Edmonds said.

Excerpt from:

Planning a trip in 2022? Experts offer tips amid ongoing pandemic. - SILive.com