Category Archives: High Seas

What, are you crazy?

Boy, are you brave!

We were neither crazy nor brave just itching to hit the high seas because we love sailing. After our congregation Covid-canceled our March 2020 trip to Greece and Israel, we languished landlocked for two years. Our last major trip was a November 2019 Portuguese Viking River cruise.

In March 2021, we thought Covid was ebbing. Aware that our use-by dates were narrowing as we aged, we signed up for a Viking Ocean cruise: South America & the Chilean Fjords. On this touted journey to the end of the world, we hoped to hike in the Andes; strut among five species of penguins in the Falkland Islands; tour Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world; and fill our buckets with wonderment at Iguaz Falls, an extra on the trip.

Then along came omicron, and our buckets slowly sprang leaks.

Even before Dec. 19, when we left the Bay Area for Santiago, Chile, the Falklands canceled our ships visit because of Covid concerns. Then our pre-trip jitters went into overdrive. The Chilean government now required us to undergo a PCR test for Covid within 72 hours of our departure and, hopefully, receive the results before we boarded our flights. Adding to the stress, my husband underwent an emergency tooth extraction two days before we left home.

Then, as if our negative PCR tests and proof of three vaccination doses were not enough, Chile demanded more documentation. Two days before we left, while Allen was getting his tooth pulled, Viking sent us a notice that Chile required a cryptic C19 entry certificate showing proof of travelers insurance and our quarantine address.

When we landed at the airport in Santiago, officials perused our paperwork and sent us to an on-site lab for yet another Covid PCR test. Fortunately, we made the grade, but we never again saw the casual Southern Californians who stood in front of us in line at the airport and told us they had ignored the to-do-list emails from Viking. Presumably, they were among half a dozen potential cruisegoers sent back to the U.S. for failure to fill out Chiles paperwork properly.

After we arrived at our Santiago hotel, we couldnt leave until our test results came back negative. Then the next day, Viking Cruises sent a crew to our hotel for another PCR test. The result is we spent the better part of two days marooned in the hotel and had only one short private bus tour of Santiago with our fellow cruisegoers, all fully vaxxed and thrice negative. Meanwhile, Chile required us to file reports of our Covid status for 10 days.

Theres more. After we boarded the Viking Jupiter on Dec. 22 at Valparaiso, our stateroom attendant smiled and handed us two test tubes for us to spit into so our saliva could be tested in the ships onboard laboratory, a process we repeated every day. Our temperature also was checked daily, usually on our way into breakfast. Hand-sanitizing devices were mounted throughout the ship, and everyone was required to wear masks except while eating, drinking or in ones own stateroom. We also wore tracking devices around our necks that not only revealed our location on or off the ship, but if we had been in close proximity with someone whose tests came back positive.

Early in the cruise, undersubscribed with only 314 passengers on a ship that can hold 930, 14 passengers were taken off the ship, eight on Dec. 25 at Puerta Montt, Chile, and another six on Dec. 28 at Punta Arenas, where actor Liev Schreiber posted a video of himself dancing in his hotel room. As a result, Chile refused to let the rest of us disembark at Punta Arenas, where we hoped to hike in the Andes. Argentina followed suit when we docked at Ushuaia, where we planned to explore Tierra del Fuego. I sighed as I stood on deck, taking in the glaciers and mountain peaks but unable to disembark. Argentina also canceled our stop at Puerto Madryn, where we looked forward to a proper tea in a settlement founded by Welsh immigrants and a trek amid the penguins at Punta Tombo.

On Dec. 30, the CDC advised Americans, regardless of vaccination status, to not take cruises. That advice came a bit late for us, but, to tell you the truth, our onboard cocoon was far safer than our home port, where both our housesitter and my brother, each fully vaccinated, contracted Covid. Our housesitter, who flew to the Bay Area from New York to escape the cold, thinks he contracted Covid in flight or in an airport.

During our eight straight days at sea, we sailed past fjords and the breathtaking Amalia Glacier and rounded rocky Cape Horn, sailing from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. We circled Hornos Island, but we neither hiked in the Andes nor spotted a single penguin.

With Argentina out of the question, the captain sailed to the friendlier Uruguayan resort city of Punta del Este, which had not been on the itinerary. On Jan. 3, when my husband got off the tour bus at a site commemorating the 1939 British victory of the HMS Ajax over the German ship Graf Spee, he lay down on the ground, grateful to be on land after eight straight days at sea.

On Jan. 6, we enjoyed a fun trip to Montevideos Baar Fun Fun, a historic bar and tango hotspot, where superb dancers pulled my husband onto the dance floor. Later that afternoon, I was sitting in the ships theater for a port talk about the following days excursions to Buenos Aires and our own flight to Iguaz Falls, the largest, most spectacular waterfall system in the world. I was more than ready for adventure.

Just as shore excursion manager Christopher McPherson was unveiling the possibilities for the following day from visiting Evita Perons final resting place to evening tango performances the voice of Captain Erik Egede Saabye boomed over the loudspeaker. McPhersons face fell. No Buenos Aires, no Iguaz Falls, no Argentina. Period.

The bottom line: We spent two extra days on board, docked in Montevideo, enjoying a splendid visit to a winery in the Uruguayan countryside where we sampled a luscious port, among other wines. Meanwhile, Viking rearranged our transportation back home, arranging a charter to fly most of the passengers from Montevideo to Miami.

On Jan. 10, we awoke a half hour before our 3:30 a.m. bus ride to Montevideos small airport, where our flight took off at 10:20 a.m. When we arrived in Miami after 6 p.m., most of the passengers located their luggage. We did not. We scrambled, luggageless, to catch an 8:30 p.m. flight to SFO and missed it. A Viking representative personally shepherded us to the airport Sheraton, where he delivered our luggage after midnight. We awoke at 5:30 a.m. to bolt down a quick breakfast and catch our rescheduled flight to SFO on Jan. 11. As a result, we probably clocked six hours of sleep in two nights.

Friends are asking us about our adventure, but other than the final trip home, we enjoyed nearly three weeks of peace, quiet and fabulous meals. With more than 400 Covid-free crewmembers to wait on 300 passengers, the experience became sybaritic. I never made it to the gym, but my husband and I took advantage of the extra sea days to book two massages each.

Although we spent 11 days at sea on what turned out to be a 19-day cruise, I welcomed the time to unwind, my husband said.

Arlene Verona of Boca Raton said she gained a serenity over our time at sea, adding that a fellow passenger noticed that cruisegoers seemed to have lost the bags under their eyes. So did I.

With topflight entertainment, informative lectures, filet mignon topped with foie gras, blinis with caviar and orgiastic pastries, what could have been a nightmare quickly turned into a dreamy vacation one in which I learned to roll with the tide. One of the highlights was afternoon tea in the ships Wintergarden, where Ildi, a cellist from Hungary, and her husband, pianist Adrian from Spain, played soothing, classical music. In the ships theater, Ukraine-born Canadian musician Dennis Daye, dazzled audiences playing piano with his left hand and trumpet with his right as well as accordion and ocarina all without music. When he couldnt disembark at Punta Arenas to board another ship as scheduled, he used the time to create a couple of additional performances, some with other shipboard entertainers.

At three short, self-led Shabbat services every Friday night, we met other Jewish passengers and shared our traditions, which varied immensely. One woman from Texas asked whether our Los Altos Hills congregation, Beth Am, was one of those synagogues with a female rabbi and a guitar-playing cantor. We smiled, said yes to both, and changed the subject.

Most of the passengers were frequent cruisers whose previous trips had been canceled by Covid, and many were already planning their next trips. As for us, were happy to be home for now.

Read more:

When CDC said 'Don't cruise,' our sails were already up J. - The Jewish News of Northern California

Sasha Regans All-Male H.M.S. Pinafore returns for performances from March in Winchester and London. Book now for this award-winning company!

Sasha Regans award-winning all-male Gilbert & Sullivan Companys production of H.M.S. Pinafore sails into Wiltons Music Hall for one month, from 16th March 9th April, before the crew embarks on another nautical adventure to the Theatre Royal Winchester for one week, 21stApril 27thApril 2022.

Following their smash-hit run of The Pirates of Penzance in the West End, the all-male crew invites landlubbers below deck for a bold re-imagining of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivans fourth collaboration and first international blockbuster: H.M.S. Pinafore or The Lass That Loved a Sailor.

With infectious tunes and a beautifully constructed libretto, H.M.S. Pinafore is a charming comic operetta dealing with the age-old conundrum of love between social classes.

Sasha Regans inventive production is set onboard a World War II battleship where troops create a distraction from the goings-on above board. The Captains daughter, Josephine, falls for lower-class sailor Ralph Rackstraw but her father wishes for her to marry the upstanding Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty.Will Josephine follow her hearts desire or will she honour her fathers wish? Find out in March!

Expect plenty of mischief, mistaken identities and surprises on the high seas from a diverse crew of handsome Popeyes and their gorgeous lasses.

Joyful, witty and fun for all the family.

H.M.S. Pinafore is directed by Sasha Regan, choreography by Lizzi Gee, design by Ryan Dawson-Laight, lighting by Ben Bull, and casting by Adam Braham Casting.

More dates to follow.

More:

Sasha Regan's All-male HMS Pinafore returns this Spring - British Theatre

Japan has been conducting its own freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea to warn China but in a cautious manner, Japans largest newspaper reported.

The Yomiuri Shimbun quoted unnamed government sources as saying that Japanese naval ships sailed through waters near the artificial islands and reefs claimed by China in the South China Sea on at least two occasions, in March and August last year.

The Maritime Self-Defense Force (Japanese Navy) operations started in March 2021 under the administration of then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, it said. Suga stood down in October.

A senior Defense Ministry official told the paper that the operations were meant to warn China, which is distorting international law, to protect freedom of navigation, and the law and order of the sea.

However, despite being similar to the freedom of navigation operations (FONOPs) conducted by the U.S. Navy, the Japanese ships were only sailing in the international waters and did not enter Chinas territorial waters, the Yomiuri reported, adding that these operations were conducted on such occasions as traveling to or from joint drills with other navies, or deployment to the Middle East.

Territorial waters are the sea areas that lie within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from a countrys coast and China demands that foreign warships ask for permission for so-called innocent passage.

Japan is a treaty ally of the U.S., which retains more than 50,000 troops on Japanese soil. But Mark Valencia, adjunct senior scholar at Chinas National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS), said: These are not FONOPs la the U.S.

They do not challenge China's territorial sea regime nor its sovereignty claims to low-tide features like Mischief Reef like the U.S. FONOPs do, he said.

They are an exercise of freedom of the high seas that is not opposed by China.

Mischief Reef is one of the South China Sea features that China has developed into artificial islands in recent years despite protests from some other claimants including the Philippines and Vietnam.

Beijing also claims territorial waters around those artificial islands though these claims have no basis in international law.

A satellite photo taken March 19, 2020, showing the Chinese-built base at Mischief Reef, a disputed feature in the Spratlys. Credit: Planet Labs.Commitment to an open sea

Australian Rear Adm. (retd) James Goldrick, a prominent maritime affairs analyst, said many U.S. FONOPs in the South China Sea were about warship passage rights without prior notification within self-claimed territorial waters, not only by China but also Vietnam and the Philippines.

But the Japanese effort was about freedom of naval/maritime operations rather than freedom of navigation or supporting the U.S. FONOPs, he said.

The South China Sea is not and should not become a closed sea, Goldrick said.

Alessio Palatano, Professor at Kings College London and an expert in Japanese naval history and strategy, said recent operations show Japan has been exercising its compliance to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea in a way that previously it was very careful to avoid.

This is a step up which brings Japanese behavior much closer to other major maritime powers. Britain and France regularly sail in ways in which at times challenge excessive forms of maritime claims, Palatano told RFA.

Its clear political signaling that shows that Japan is becoming proficient in using its naval capabilities to create a wide-ranging set of signaling options in communicating its political disagreements with Chinese behavior.

So long as the Japanese continue on such a nuanced approach, this is very welcome, he said.

Meanwhile Valencia from the Chinese state think tank NISCSS warned that even though the Japanese operations did not raise alarm, if they actually did challenge China's territorial sea regime or sovereignty claims by entering its claimed territorial waters or violating the innocent passage regime, then China might well retaliate.

Continue reading here:

Japan reported to have conducted free navigation ops in South China Sea - Radio Free Asia

In Europe, 89 kilometers off the east coast of the United Kingdom, 165 giant wind turbines will be operating in the middle of the worlds largest wind high seas by the end of December last year.

A Hornsey 2, windmill Beyond the shore, 1.32 gigawatts (GW) goes into the process of generating clean energy, which will be distributed over a 373 km cabling structure between the submarine substation and the distribution phase in Gillingham, England.

Under construction from 2018, the ambitious project surpassed its big sister, the Hornsey 1, which generated about 1.22 gigawatts. Currently, the two maritime wind farms together provide an estimated 2.3 million homes in the region.

By definition, a windmill is a park of facilities that generate energy through the use of local wind power to move the blades of wind turbines.

These structures can be installed on solid ground (On shore) Or in the high seas (Beyond the shore) To generate power, turbines need a minimum height of 50 m and an average wind speed of 7 to 8 m / s.

According to the Latin American Association for Renewable Energy Production (ALAGER), the source was first used commercially in the 1970s. In the aftermath of the international oil crisis, the United States and some European countries became less interested in reducing their dependence on oil and coal and investing in alternative sources of electricity.

Part of the reason why windmills are not so common in the world is related to the operating conditions of the structures. According to the World Meteorological Organization, only 13% of the earths surface air provides these conditions. This ratio varies widely between regions and continents, reaching 32% of the total in Western Europe which explains the UKs use of this energy source.

Hornsey 2 Offshore Offshore Wind Power Station in the UK

Image: Reproduction / rsted

The worlds largest wind farm is owned by the Danish multinational company rsted, which is another step in the UKs energy transformation: by 2035, the region will have completely eliminated its energy sources from clean sources. The target is another milestone in the biggest goal: by 2050, the government wants to completely reduce its carbon emissions.

The goal, however, is a reflection of the sequence of environmental stresses. Following the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), nations and environmental watchdogs were forced to convert their electricity sources to cleaner sources.

Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing the world today, and we believe the solution lies in the greater use of renewable energy sources than we have ever seen, says project leader Duncan Clark. Launched in the UK.

According to the UK Ministry of Energy, 20% of the countrys electricity comes from clean and renewable sources, which has the potential to expand by up to 30%. While part of the change is motivated to avoid the irreversible problems of global warming, another goal is to avoid crises. Energy supply.

In terms of wind, two wind farms, Hornsey 3 and 4, have been approved for construction in 2020. The completion of these two complexes will enable the world to accumulate the largest number of wind turbines. .

According to the National Electric Energy Agency (ANIL), about 248 megawatts (megawatts) of wind power is generated in Brazil, derived from sixteen projects in operation. However, research suggests that this figure may be more significant for the country.

The Brazilian wind power atlas, mapped by the Electric Energy Research Center (SEPPEL), is estimated to generate 143.5 gigawatts of electricity on the ground. Most of these potential sources are located on the northeast coast, generating 144.29 terawatts per hour (TWh / a) per year. The southeastern (54.93 TWh / year) and southern (41.11 TWh / year) regions of the country also have significant potential.

For ALAGER, the numbers are deceptive: Brazilian wind power does not include atlas parts Beyond the shore Do Brazil, with its 7,367 km expansion region, has structures to explore for oil and natural gas deposits in the region. According to the company, the project will be easily adapted to marine wind farms.

This route needs to be further evaluated so that these projects generate a greater amount of electricity by benefiting from the stability of wind regimes at sea, the company said in a statement.

At the moment, it is at the forefront of wind power generation in northeastern Brazil, with projects ranging from conventional wind turbines to bold ones. One of them is a plant in Rio Grande do Norde, which uses gravity to convert wind resistance into electrical energy when landing concrete blocks.

Continue reading here:

To escape the crisis, the wind farm at sea becomes an attractive business - 01/13/2022 - Mediarun Search

The crypto universe is a vast, and often lawless place, so its shocking that the likes of Cosmos and HUH Token are making waves in a market where it can be difficult to make a name for yourself.

More often than not, new and emerging cryptocurrencies dont try to set themselves apart from the already prominent names on the leading boards, in the hope that they can piggyback their way to a windfall.

Cosmos and HUH Token havent done this, theyve made strides and movements to set themselves apart from the common crypto people often come across on the cryptocurrency market.

This article intends to show you what Cosmos and HUH Token have to offer, what makes them two of the most unique cryptos on the market today, and why you could want to be involved with them

Cosmos is a cryptocurrency that aims to bring more people into a decentralised future, where apps and services can co-exist in one, easy-to-use place the Cosmos Ecosystem which is stacked against its cryptocurrency Atom could be the beginning of a crypto future.

Their state-of-the-art blockchain Cosmos SDK has a continuously growing orbit of sovereign chains, but this might not be the main reason that Cosmos is standing out against the crypto crowd.

In fact, its Proof-Of-Stake is reducing the cryptos carbon footprint by 99%, something which is becoming an increasingly important hot-topic around the potential future of crypto.

As more investors, both new and seasoned are looking for a greener alternative to physical money and otherwise high-power-usage crypto, that is powered by proof-of-work, its no wonder that Cosmos is one of the most Googled and sort-after currencies on the planet today.

Cosmos boasts 7-second short transaction times for investors and if youre interested in the blockchain technology side of crypto, Cosmos also allows you to create a plethora of nifty things; finance applications and gamer-owned game economies.

You can even receive ATOM grants to build on Cosmos. Whether youre looking for a new investment or a place to build the crypto world of dreams Cosmos could be the place to do it.

You can check Cosmos out on their homepage, or by Googling Cosmos or their crypto, ATOM.

HUH Token launched at the beginning of December 2021 and in the short space of several weeks, the worlds first utimeme has proven its stand-out-from-the-crowd potential through a series of past and future events.

HUH Token burned a whopping $4million worth of HUH to exponentially increase the value of HUH Token for HUH holders. This multichain crypto is available on MultiChain, previously known as AnySwap, and they are making countless strides in demonstrating that crypto is for all and all can have sway and influence over the rise and fall of a crypto.

As whale investors often rule the high-seas of the cryptocurrency market, what HUH Token have done with their $4million worth burn and will do with their influencer launch on the 19th of this month, is demonstrate that your influence is valuable!

HUH Tokens creators, with their forward-thinking applications, have envisaged a world, MetHUH, where the simplest of acts and comments will be rewarded with currency this is set to revolutionise the way the crypto market and the world, as a whole, perceive digital money and what its worth.

You can find more information on HUH Tokens MetHUH, which sets it apart from other cryptocurrencies on the market today, by visiting the links below and taking a read through their detailed WhitePaper.

When looking for the right crypto to invest in, its always wise to do your research first.

Website: https://huh.social

HUH Official Swap: https://swap.huh.social/

Telegram: https://t.me/HUHTOKEN

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HuhToken

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huhToken/

Share This ArticleDo the sharing thingy

About AuthorMore info about author

Analytics Insight is an influential platform dedicated to insights, trends, and opinions from the world of data-driven technologies. It monitors developments, recognition, and achievements made by Artificial Intelligence, Big Data and Analytics companies across the globe.

More:

Soaring Through The Cyrpto Universe With Cosmos And HUH Token - Analytics Insight

Thinking of joining the Navy? Heres what you need to know (Picture: Getty)

The Royal Navy has played an important role in the history of the United Kingdom and the world.

The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing and defending the British Empire, travelling the high seas as a dominant force in the world.

Though the history of the British Empire can and should be criticised today, the Royal Navy has evolved into a powerful force for good: the Navy aims to prevent conflict, aid those in need around the world and protects the UKs economy and welfare.

If you have dreams of going into service, how old must you be to join?

You need to be aged 16 or over to join the Royal Navy.

If youre under the age of 18, you will need the consent of a parent or guardian.

Anyone can join the Royal Navy if youre aged 16 to 39, dependent on the role you choose.

Roles in the Navy vary massively, from technicians to caterers and even more regular office roles like HR.

If youre under the age of 16 but want to experience what it might be like to join the Royal Navy, you can join the Sea Cadets. The Sea Cadets train young teens in a variety of leadership and teamwork skills, while gaining a valuable early insight into life in the Royal Navy.

Because there is such a wide variety of careers and services within the Royal Navy, each role has a unique set of entry requirements.

These can include a series of assessments, which include physical tests, multiple choice exams and a medical.

For specifics on the eligibility for each role, you can find out more using the Royal Navys Role Finder.

In the past, tattoos and visible piercings were enough to bar entry to the Navy altogether, however, the policy on these was changed in 2018.

Most tattoos and piercings wont prevent you from joining the Royal Navy now, providing:

If you do enlist with the Royal Navy, the shortest career is four years, but you can choose to serve up to 22 years and beyond, depending on the needs of the Service.

MORE : Sailor asks what did we just hit? after Navy warship crashes into Russian sub

MORE : Postcard sent by a Navy officer in South America finally arrives 30 years later

Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Share your views in the comments below.

Read the original here:

How old do you need to be to join the Royal Navy? - Metro.co.uk

Djokovic wasn't booted to keep Australians healthy. It was pure politicsGet Access Code.

Enter your email address and Crikey will send a Verification Code

Enter the Verification Code sent to

to confirm your account.The Verification Code will expire in 1 hour.

Nothing says there's an election coming like tough talk on borders. John Howard did it in 2001. Scott Morrison hopes it'll work for him in 2022.

On the face of it, Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic -- the first in his profession to win $100 million in prize money, considered by many the greatest tennis player of all time, and a brand ambassador for, among other entities, an Austrian banking cooperative -- has little in common with an Afghan refugee.

But this past week, when he entered Australia to play in its grand slam tournament only to be detained by immigration officials, Djokovic exposed the punitive and arbitrary nature of the countrys immigration system -- just as a group of Hazara asylum seekers did 20 years ago when the Royal Australian Navy intercepted them on the high seas in what came to be known as the Tampa affair for the Norwegian freighter MVTampathat picked up the migrants at sea when their own boat sank and tried to bring them to Australia.

Immigration systems are usually byzantine by design, so the details of both stories are hard to parse. But here is what we know of Djokovics.

Already a subscriber? Log in to keep reading.Or, register your email address for a FREE 21-day trial.

Amelia Lester

Foreign Policy

Amelia Lester is the executive editor at Foreign Policy.

This story is reprinted with permission from ForeignPolicy.

Insert

" + _localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + "

" + _localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + "

See more here:

Djokovic wasn't booted to keep Australians healthy. It was pure politics - Crikey

Im always confounded by the things I remember, versus the things I forget.

I shop for groceries several times a week. To be honest, its more a sightseeing tour than a major resupply venture, plus in these plague-bestirring days, it also passes for my social life. And because on each trip I buy only a few things, and I take great pride in my memory (perhaps too much pride), I never write a list. Uh-uh, not me Im more clever than that.

So if, for example, Im buying eight things, I make up a mnemonic. Say Im getting lettuce, sour cream, butter, orange juice, onions, crackers, light bulbs and kale. How to remember? Simple, I arrange the first letters of each word into a word, in this case, Bollocks.

Or if I need Edam cheese, yellow bell pepper, aspirin, tea and noodles, the word is Yenta.

And once I have the word, on the way to the store I repeat what each letter represents, kinda like a shoppers rosary, so when I get there, each item is etched in my mind.

Of course, since Im not fluent in Welsh, if my shopping list doesnt have enough items starting with a vowel, I cant make up a word. In that case, bright boy that I am, I just put the letters in an arbitrary arrangement, which if you think about it, is no arrangement at all.

So if I need spaghetti sauce, dog food, cat food, detergent and pepper, even though I mumble SDCDP to myself from my house to the store (and even in the store, earning some curious stares from fellow shoppers), while Ill remember the letters, Ill inevitably forget what one of them represents. And then, hubris being what it is, Ill force myself to fill in the blanks. For instance, if I forgot P stood for pepper, Id come up with another P item, maybe paper towels. When I get home and find Ive already got six rolls of paper towels, Ill feel a tad foolish for a while. But after I convince myself how vital paper towels are and everyone should have at least 14 rolls in their digs, Im fine with it.

Then theres the issue with my keys and eyeglasses. Obviously, I cant function without either, so I need to know where they always are, right? Of course. So with my glasses, when I take them off, I make sure to put them back in the case. And I put both the keys and my glasses in the same place, next to my telephone always. Until the times I somehow space it out. And then Im as lost as the treasure of Edward Teach.

And its not like misplacing my telephone handset, when all I have to do to retrieve it is push a button and follow that annoying beep. Instead, I can only retrace my steps precisely or more exactly, try to retrace them. Which is near impossible, because if I really could retrace them, Id find what I was looking for in a flash. Instead, Im doomed to stumble around, looking here, looking there between couch cushions, on the car floor, on the bannister, maybe in a jacket pocket, maybe on a bookshelf, or for all I know, in the fridge, behind the mayo.

And as much as Id like to say Ive always found them, I havent. And Ill thank you in advance if the next time you see me, you do not ask if I have any idea where I left them.

Minutiae

But theres wonderful irony with my memory, namely while I can lose my keys and glasses and have no idea whats that one item I need at the store, there are other things I simply cant forget. And, like the things I lose, theres no pattern how or why I remember them.

My phone rings, its my childhood pal Peter MacIntyre calling from The Land of the Lotus Eaters, Myrtle Beach. Peter often calls just to shoot the breeze, but hell also call with a specific purpose, and its always the same one to fill in some miniscule gap in his memory.

Bobby, hell say, what was the name of that kid who lived on Helen Hill, or maybe it was River Street, who always swallowed his bubble gum cause he thought itd absorb all the germs in his stomach? The family moved away when we were in fifth grade, and he had a weird nickname.

Oh yeah, Ill say. That was Teddy Gilroy. His nickname was Crankcase, and Ive no idea how he got it.

Or Petell want to know what year Don McNeil was the king of Winter Carnival, the number of Laurie Williams Cub Scout pack, or how much an ice cream soda cost at Meyers lunch counter (25 cents, lest you wonder).

But whatever he asks me you can count on two things: One, its about as obscure as it gets. And two, Ill know the answer, even though theres no reason why I should.

And then theres another odd quirk about my memory. It is the things I should forget, but dont. At the top of that list is stuff I learned in grade school history lessons that was presented as gospel but is pure bumpf. The two that immediately spring to mind are of a patriotic motif, or at least are supposed to be.

A sea story

The first is the sad tale of Philip Nolan. I doubt any teacher today lays that fable on his charges (or at least I hope none does), but it was the sine qua non of fourth or fifth grade when I was a wee poppet. Peeps my age may not remember him by name, but Im sure every one of us remember him by his real title The Man Without a Country.

Philip Nolan was an army officer accused of treason, and at his trial he yelled something to the effect of, Damn the United States! I hope never to hear its name spoken again. The judge sentenced him with the finest Solomonic reasoning (and with callous disregard to the Eighth Amendment), to spend the rest of his life at sea, literally: He was confined to Navy ships on the high seas, going from one to another, and not only would he never see our shores again, all the crews were instructed not to utter United States in his presence.

This obviously was meant to keep all us potential commies in the Petrova School of 1955 in line (and in line at the induction center, I suppose). And the point was driven home by the storys end, which was a real kicker. After old Phil finally shuffled off this mortal coil and his remains were dropped into the briny deep, the crew discovered hed made his own little American flag and had hidden it under his mattress.

I doubt there could be a more powerful object lesson for little kids thinking of defecting, especially since we were told it was historical fact. As I said, it was total BS something I probably never learned till I was out of high school.

Honesty is the best policy?

The other tale told to us by schoolmarms who no doubt believed it themselves was George Washington and the cherry tree. According to this one, when he was a little boy, Washington chopped down his fathers cherry tree. When confronted by his father, little Geo said, I cant tell a lie, Pa; you know I cant tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet. And because he told the truth, Washingtons father didnt punish him.

This, like The Man Without A Country, is also utter fabrication, written in an early biography of Washington. The author was a fabulist named Parson Weems, who was basically as full of crap as a Christmas goose. No matter, his tale of George and the cherry tree was given to us as historical fact, and we believed it, though I think I quit believing it fairly early in the game especially when I saw what happened to me and my peers when we confessed our rascalities.

But the tale had widespread credence, even being repeated as far away as Asia, as told to me by Sam Grimone, who swears its true.

A Chinese father assembled his three sons and calmly asked them, Who tipped the outhouse into the Yangtze River?

Not I, said the first son.

Not I, said the second son.

Not I, said the third son.

Now, said the father, let me tell you a relevant story. A great man, George Washington, when a young boy, chopped down his fathers cherry tree. When the father asked who did it, little George said he could not tell a lie, it was him. And because he was honest about it, his father spared him any punishment. Now I ask again, who tipped the outhouse into the Yangtze River?

Not I, said the first son.

Not I, said the second son.

I cannot tell a lie, said the third son. I did it.

His father then took off his belt and whipped the bejammers out of the kid.

Between heaving sobs, the kid said to the father, I dont understand. When little George confessed to chopping down the cherry tree, his father didnt punish him because he was honest. But when I admitted I tipped the outhouse into the Yangtze River, you still punished me. Why?

Because, said the father, at the time George Washington chopped down the cherry tree, his father was not in it.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Read more here:

When fiction is stranger than truth | News, Sports, Jobs - The Adirondack Daily Enterprise

RHODE ISLAND Another round of snow, high wind gusts and frigid weather is coming to Rhode Island this weekend.

Below-zero wind chills as low as the negative teens will return Friday, with wind gusts as high as 50 mph in some parts of the state. That brings the possibility for power outages, a major safety concern with temperatures so dangerously low.

There's also the possibility of snow during the day Friday, though Rhode Island isn't expected to see more than a coating.

The cold temperatures will continue into Saturday, with highs only expected to peak in the high teens. A slight warm up will follow on Sunday, though don't expect anything above freezing the expected high is only 30 degrees.

The biggest concern will come Sunday night, when forecasters expect a "significant storm" to hit the region. It's hard to tell too much about the forecast this far out, but the NWS said there is a "significant risk" for rain or snow in interior areas and strong winds with high seas along the coast.

Here's a look at the latest Rhode Island forecast from the National Weather Service.

ThursdayPartly sunny, with a high near 46. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph.

Thursday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Calm wind becoming north 5 to 7 mph after midnight.

FridayA chance of snow before 10 a.m., then a chance of rain between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., then a chance of snow after 2 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy, with a north wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday NightMostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 5. Wind chill values as low as negative 13. Blustery, with a northwest wind 22 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 37 mph.

SaturdaySunny, with a high near 18. Northwest wind 11 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Saturday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 6. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

SundaySunny, with a high near 30. North wind around 6 mph becoming southeast in the afternoon.

Sunday NightA chance of snow between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m., then rain and snow likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 21. East wind 5 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Martin Luther King DayRain likely, mainly before 4 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. East wind around 15 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent.

Monday NightA chance of rain before 8 p.m., then a chance of snow between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 26. West wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.

Patch editor Mike Carraggi contributed to this report.

See the article here:

RI Weather: Frigid Weather Returns, Winter Storm Incoming - Patch.com

A HUGE winter storm has hit the country this weekend, with power outages and states of emergency declared.

The storm, named Izzy by The Weather Channel, has poured down on the East Coast with intense ice, snow, wind, and rain.

There will be "major travel headaches" from North Dakota all the way down to northern Georgia and sprawling back up to Maine, saysThe Weather Channel.

As of Sunday night, 260,000 power outages were reported, 3,000 flights were canceled, and five states declared emergency.

Duke Energy estimated 750,000 customers could lose power in the Carolinas, and the company is encouraging its customers to be prepared.

The storm will end after a stint in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Sunday and into Monday.

Heavy snow is forecast in the Northeast region with up to 18 inches by late Monday.

Read our snowstorm Izzy live blog for the latest news and updates...

Iowa sees heavy snowfall

Iowa has seen significant snowfall, with 14.3 inches of snow recorded at Des Moines International Airport.

The Weather Channel said Des Moines is facing its biggest January snow storm in 51 years.

Several airlines issued travel waivers

CNNs Pete Muntean reported Southwest, United, Delta, and American Airlines all issued travel waivers ahead of the winter storm.

American Airlines published a travel alert for 21 states, DC, and Canada that will allow customers to rebook without change fees.

Alabama Highway 17 partially closed

A truck reportedly jackknifed on Alabama Highway 117 in DeKalb County, which caused part of the road to close.

Road conditions were difficult to navigate throughout much of the southeast.

Virginia views

Izzy delivered a blanket of snow in Virginia this weekend, as one Twitter user shared a photo.

What is a winter weather advisory?

A winter weather advisory is an indication that winter weather conditions are likely.

However, the conditions expected are not severe enough to warrant a warning.

What is a winter weather watch?

A winter weather watch indicates that there is potential for severe winter weather.

If a winter weather watch is issued, prepare for dangerous weather conditions.

What is a winter weather warning?

A winter weather warning indicates that a storm is more than likely in your area, and you should take action immediately.

Expect dangerous conditions and try to avoid travel.

Monday's weather in New York state

New York state can expect temperatures in the mid to high 20s on Monday, according to Buffalo meteorologist Carl Lam.

Wind will be severe in some places, up to 45 MPH, and in the western part of the state, snowfall may total as much as 20 inches.

Snow falls in New York City

New Yorkers shared photos of the snowfall to Twitter.

The snow was mixed with rain and sleet.

Keep hydrants clear in snow

Ahead of snowstorms in the northeast, a Rochester, NY fire department shared tips for keeping fire hydrants clear in the winter.

Remove snow and ice on the hydrant, and clear a perimeter around the hydrant.

A three-foot perimeter gives firefighters enough room to work.

Clear a path from the hydrant to the street, too.

U-Shaped track

The Weather Channelwarned of the unique path winter storm Izzy could take this weekend.

With cold air much more widespread and an active jet stream plunging southward across the eastern two-thirds of the nation during the heart of winter, the stage is set for this winter storm to take a U-shaped track from the Northern Plains to New England this weekend into Monday, the outlet reported.

Winter storm names

These are thenames the Weather Channel chose for winter stormsduring the 2021 to 2022 season:

Picking names

The Weather Channel chooses names for snowstorms, and explained the process on itswebsite.

The names will be used in alphabetical order to identify winter storms that meet objective naming criteria based on National Weather Service winter storm warnings, blizzard warnings and ice storm warnings, the outlet noted.

Who names snowstorms?

TheWeather Channelnames snowstorms.

The outlet noted that the 2021-22 season is the 10th season The Weather Channel will be naming winter storms.

Southeast region's snowfall totals

These are the towns and cities in the Southewast that have received the most snowfall so far, according to the Weather Channel.

Brevard, NC is in first place with 10 inches.

Scarly, NC received 8 inches.

Boiling Springs and and Mountain Rest, both in South Carolina, saw 6 inches.

And Clarkesville, GA received 5.6 inches.

Mid-South top snowfall totals

The Weather Channel has released top snowfall totals for the mid-south region.

Harrison, AR and Canaan, AR are in the lead, with 12 inches of snow each.

Rigedale, MO received 8 inches.

Shoccoe, MS was close behind, with 7.8 inches.

And Goshen Springs, MS has seen 6 inches of snow.

Record-breaking snow in Asheville

According to the Weather Channel, Asheville, North Carolina has received 10 inches of snow so far.

With that total, Winter Storm Izzy broke the previous snowfall record, set in 1891.

Storm 'far from over'

"Winter Storm Izzy is far from over," the Weather Channel said on Twitter.

The storm will continue to bring snow, wind and ice to the Northeast overnight.

Over 80million people are still under weather alerts, the outlet reported.

Is North Carolina under emergency order?

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed an emergency order and the administration urged people to stay at home through the weekend.

The state highway agency warned that labor shortages meant crews might not respond to problems areas as quickly as normal.

We just dont have as many people to drive the trucks or operate the equipment, said Marcus Thompson, a spokesman for the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Footage from North Carolina

A Twitter user in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina shared footage of sleet, snow and wind on Twitter.

Iowa sees heavy snowfall

Iowa has seen significant snowfall, with 14.3 inches of snow recorded at Des Moines International Airport.

The Weather Channel said Des Moines is facing its biggest January snow storm in 51 years.

Midwest expects heavier snow

Anywhere from 6 to 12 inches of snowfall is expected to encompass the eastern Dakotas to western Minnesota and Iowa,AccuWeathersaid.

Minneapolis, Des Moines, St. Louis, and Kansas City are all in the path of the storm.

Difficult driving conditions are expected throughout this region.

Southern states expecting snowfall

The National Weather Service said from 2 inches (5 centimeters) to 5 inches (12.7 centimeters) of snow could fall as far south as northeast Georgia from Saturday evening though Sunday, and power outages and travel problems will be made all the worse by an additional coating of ice and winds gusting to 35 mph (56 km/h).

Snow accumulations could reach 8 inches (20 centimeters) in the highest elevations.

Gulf sees high winds

The National Hurricane Center's Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch put a Gale Warning in effect for the Atlantic High Seas and the Gulf of Mexico.

"Another day with a spectacular scatterometer pass depicting very well the gale wind areas: Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Tehuantepec and West Atlantic," the center tweeted.

Conditions are expected to persist through Monday.

Safety tips for power outages

The West Virginia Emergency Management Department shared safety tips for winter storm power outages.

Anyone who loses power should use caution when using candles, space heaters, or open flames.

Portable generators should be placed a safe distance from the home.

And make sure to check in on neighbors and keep the local community safe.

Continue reading here:

Izzy snowstorm 2022 path tracker LIVE Forecast prompts winter storm warnings and advisories for this w... - The US Sun