‘Moon Knight’ Producer Teases New Kit for the Character’s Next Appearance – We Got This Covered

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Moon Knight has plenty of tools and abilities to use that were shown during the Disney Plus series, but producer Grant Curtis has teased that we could see even more in the heros next MCU appearance.

During an interview with Phaze Zero, Curtis said that theyve only scratched the surface when it comes to weaponizing Moon knight, and theres a lot more to come.

Theres so much groovy stuff out there. We just scratched the surface with the crescent darts and the truncheons and all that Hes got a whole bag of tricks that we didnt even get into. So yeah, Id say when and if and where this character lands, hell have a new tool chest.

Its not clear when fans will see Moon Knight on their screens next as the show has not been confirmed for a second season nor has the character been confirmed to show up in any other Marvel Studios productions.

This being the case, the show was extremely well received and the character has quickly become popular so its likely we will see Moon Knight again.

While the heros toolset was limited during the series, there was still plenty of skills on display. These included the characters healing factor which Curtis explains, isnt the same as immortality. The producer likened Moon Knights current skillset to that of the Green Goblins.

Hes got a healing factor. He bounces back when he gets shot or stabbed, he heals. He doesnt heal right away, hes not immortal. If you get him the right way, hes gonna go down for good, but thankfully in our show, he got back up. He can glide, hes stronger than most people, hes faster. So its a little bit like a super soldier, like my pal, the Green Goblin from Spidey 1. Not quite the same thing but a little stronger, a little faster, heals, glides, kicks ass, takes name. The usual.

Moon Knight is available to stream in its entirety on Disney Plus right now.

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'Moon Knight' Producer Teases New Kit for the Character's Next Appearance - We Got This Covered

Liverpool vs. Tottenham: Premier League 2021-22 Preview and Team News – The Liverpool Offside

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LIVERPOOL VS. TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR

Look, Ive got nerves for this one. The lads are so close to immortality you can almost taste it.

Liverpool dropped points against Spurs this season, and Antonio Contes Spurs have done the double over City (after winning on the opening day). That said, they last won at Anfield in 2011 (picking up two draws in that period, in 2016 and 2018 a draw would be just as bad, really).

In terms of away form, Spurs have played 19, won eight, drawn five, and lost six. Four of those six losses have come against big six sides (and West Ham) over the course of the season. They havent beaten any top six side away in the league other than, you know, Manchester City.

The atmosphere will be key, as we want to make it as hard for Spurs as possible. We know our lads will be up for it. They want the immortality even more than we do on their behalf.

When we played Spurs in December it was an exciting game for the worst reasons: Andy Robertson scored (he could have had a brace after going close in the opening minute), but was later sent off for a challenge on Emerson Royal a fair enough sending off though Harry Kane could well have seen red for a similar challenge prior to this.

The Reds played a much-changed side, with Tyler Morton and James Milner in midfield during the busy holiday period. Spurs had piled the pressure on, with both Ibrahima Konat and later even Alisson (uncharacteristically) not having their best games.

Liverpool will certainly be stronger in this matchup, though Spurs will as well: new boy Dejan Kulusevski has been massive for them, combining well with an in-form Son Heung-min (who is pushing Mohamed Salah for Golden Boot) and Harry Kane. Kulusevski got a breather in Spurs win against Leicester at the weekend, coming on to lodge two assists.

Given the pace (and chemistry) of the Spurs attack, Liverpool will need to look to limit service into them and to avoid complacency in the defensive line.

While Tottenham are certainly dangerous, their form is less consistent than their highlights might make you believe: they won against Leicester at home on Sunday after drawing to Brentford (A), losing to Brighton (H), and winning heavily against both Aston Villa (A) and Newcastle (H). Though these last two wins came in a stretch of four consecutive wins (West Ham at home and Brighton away), for the most part theyve struggled to put two wins together, largely alternating WLWLWL since January.

Tottenham have had more time to prepare and are fighting hard for a top four place. This will most definitely be a challenge, while City, coming off their disappointing (for them) Champions League exit, face Newcastle at home an entirely different proposition.

Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Matip, Van Dijk, Tsimikas; Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago; Salah, Jota, Daz

Manager Jrgen Klopp has been making one or two changes each match to maintain squad fitness, and theres no reason to think anything will change now that the Reds have added a game to their schedule (in the small matter of the Champions League final).

Its possible that Andy Robertson could get a breather (despite being the main character in the reverse fixture), and Jol Matip could return to the side though Ibrahima Konats pace would be helpful in dealing with the Spurs front line.

Kostas Tsimikas, who came on to get a few minutes against Villarreal, could well feature here or against Villa at the weekend: notably, the manager has lately enjoyed subbing a player on late in one game to start him in the next (CC: Joe Gomez), and Tsimikas came on mid-week.

The same pattern could hold for Luis Daz, though the front three is anyones guess. Bobby Firmino has returned to full training, though Klopp hinted that he is likely to remain just training for a bit maybe a return to the lineup against Aston Villa? You would think Mohamed Salah will be asked to go again; whether we see Diogo Jota or Sadio Man through the middle is possibly a flip of a coin.

Given the threat that Tottenham pose, I would hope we see as close to a full-strength side as possible; this one feels like a major challenge.

Jurgen Klopp: [Tottenham] have speed like crazy up front, Harry Kane, what a player, they have a blind understanding (the front men). Its probably the biggest challenge for protection weve faced in a long time. We have to find a way to keep them calm as often as possible.

Antonio Conte: Jurgen Klopp is doing a great job with this team, especially for an English team to arrive at the end of the season to stay in the race for all the competitions you compete in, I think that its incredible because you can see Liverpools players. They run a lot and they dont have many injuries. Theyre doing a fantastic job. Their enthusiasm is 200% and you dont feel fatigue at this point.

We need to go there and play our game. We are in the race for a place in the Champions League and we have to find a way to get points in every game. We are playing against one of the best teams in the world away. We prepare like usual.

Referee: Michael Oliver Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett Fourth Official: Martin Atkinson VAR: Darren England Assistant VAR: Marc Perry.

Kickoff is set for 7:45PM GMT/3:45AM EST tomorrow. In the meantime, The Liverpool Offside team will keep you updated with all of the team news and match buildup as it becomes available, along with providing a matchday liveblog and post-match recaps and reaction. If you want to join the discussion, sign up for an SB Nation account and have your say on the action as it happens.

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JZZ Technologies, Inc. Enters into an Agreement to License up to 12 Million NFTs from Film and TV Content – Yahoo Finance

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JZZ Technologies, Inc. has agreed to license up to 12 million images of video content licensed by the Company from Michelle Ciardulli for the creation of NFT (Non-Fungible Token) digital artworks.

Anderson, South Carolina--(Newsfile Corp. - May 11, 2022) - JZZ Technologies Inc. (OTC Pink: JZZI) has entered a license agreement for the non-exclusive NFT license / production rights for up to 12 million NFTs (100,000 frames with up 120 permutations per frame) of video content licensed by JZZ Technologies, Inc.

Under the terms of the agreement, JZZ Technologies, Inc. acquired the rights to license at least 12 hours of video for the express purpose of creating, modifying, and selling NFT (Non-Fungible Token) digital artwork. Modifications and production of the NFTs from original frames are at the sole discretion of JZZ Technologies, Inc.

NFTs are a digital asset that represents real-world objects like art, digital works and videos. They are bought and sold online, mostly using cryptocurrency. NFTs are generally encoded with the same underlying software as many cryptos using blockchains. NFTs are also designed as one of a kind, or one of a very limited run, each identified by a unique code.

The content acquired by JZZ Technologies includes a variety of images, movie stock, TV stock, out takes, and B-Roll footage from the productions of Actor and Cinematographer Michelle Ciardulli. In all, the raw footage accounts for over 1 million raw images from video and stills, each of which can be artistically produced into numerous NFTs.

The Agreement provides that Michelle Ciardulli shall provide a letter of authenticity, permission for publicity and bio information for the content, and Michelle Ciardulli for sales, marketing, and publicity purposes. Michelle Ciardulli will receive an upfront fee of 3 million shares of common stock of JZZ Technologies, Inc., plus 25% of sales compensation in the same manner as received for each NFT derived from the licensed content.

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JZZ Technologies, Inc. plans to create over 12 million NFTs from this material and market them through their online database of 30+ million seniors, and through social media channels.

"The acquisition of the rights to productions of Actor and Cinematographer Michelle Ciardulli is an important point for our planned digital acquisitions", states Charles Cardona. "There is a lot of rare and untapped film footage that is aligned with developing and selling NFTs that we produce. The works can quickly become a major revenue source for our company as we sell through our ready-made marketing channels."

About JZZ Technologies, Inc.

JZZ Technologies, Inc. is a diversified technology company engaged in the following three distinct business sectors: (i) its digital media business which includes online media and apps (activelifestylemedia.com), content creation, and digital marketing, targeted to active adults 55+, (ii) strategic biotechnology and bioscience related to Human Life Extension and (iii) Human Longevity that can be immediately leveraged to support improved quality of life for the senior population. For more information, please visit http://www.jzztechnologies.com.

Press Contact:JZZ Technologies, Inc.Charles Cardona, CEOccardona@jzztechnologies.com

DISCLAIMER and FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements contained herein are "forward-looking" statements (as such term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Because such statements include risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and such Forward-Looking Statements are intended to be covered by the safe harbors created thereby. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to the viability of the company's business plans, the effect of acquisitions on our profitability, the effectiveness, profitability, and the marketability of the Company's products; the Company's ability to protect its proprietary information; general economic and business conditions; and the volatility of the company's operating results and financial condition. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates, and projections about the company and the industry. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances or to changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, management cannot assure the public that their expectations will turn out to be correct. Investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/123529

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JZZ Technologies, Inc. Enters into an Agreement to License up to 12 Million NFTs from Film and TV Content - Yahoo Finance

UMaine Extension 4-H introduces teens to adulting concepts in June – UMaine News – University of Maine – University of Maine

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University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H will offer a short-term online 4-H club for youth ages 1318 about basic adult life skills 45:30 p.m. Wednesdays, June 22July 27. Required registration closes June 6.

The 4-H Adulting 101 Series will introduce basic adult life skills by exploring a different topic each week, including life/work balance and stress management; saving, spending and credit; nutrition on a budget; resumes and interviews; rent and roommates; and a topic chosen by the participants. UMaine Extension 4-H staff will lead the discussions.

The club is free; limited to 20 participants. Register by June 6 on the event webpage to receive the link and at-home materials. This series is supported in part by the Maine 4-H Foundation. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact 207.324.2814; erin.mcdonald1@maine.edu. Additional information also is available on the Extension 4-H Virtual Learning webpage.

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UMaine Extension 4-H introduces teens to adulting concepts in June - UMaine News - University of Maine - University of Maine

Gov. Newsom open to extending Diablo Canyon nuclear plant’s life, but analysts differ on feasibility and need – Utility Dive

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom, D, is open to the possibility of delaying the closure of the states last operational nuclear power plant, Diablo Canyon, according to media reports, but some industry players remain skeptical about the feasibility of such an effort.

Last week, the Los Angeles Times reported that Newsom may try to delay the retirement of the plant, currently scheduled to occur in 2024 and 2025 when the federal licenses for its two units expire. Newsom told the newspapers editorial board that California could try to tap into the $6 billion in federal funding announced in February for nuclear reactors facing retirement, noting that the state would be remiss not to put that on the table as an option.

Some experts, however, are skeptical about whether the plant can and should be kept open, given the process that would be required to get its Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license extended, as well as recent efforts in the state to build gigawatts of clean energy generation to replace it.

There have always been groups in California pushing to keep the 2,240 MW Diablo Canyon plant open, because of the vast amount of greenhouse gas-free generation it provides, but its somewhat surprising to change course at this point, given the work that the California Public Utilities Commission has done to replace that resource, Seth Hilton, partner at Stoel Rives, said.

And the fact that [Diablo Canyon] is supposed to retire in 2024 and 2025 thats not a long runway to change course, he added.

Pacific Gas & Electrics (PG&E)Diablo Canyon plant provides roughly 15% of Californias carbon-free electricity. In 2018, state regulators approved a settlement to shutter the plant completely in 2024 and 2025, but some experts have maintained that there are benefits to keeping the plant online. Last November, a report from experts at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology concluded that California could reduce its power sector emissions by over 10% from 2017 levels and save $2.6 billion in electric system costs by continuing to operate the plant through 2035.

PG&E in 2009 applied to the NRC to extend the Diablo Canyon plants license for another 20 years beyond the 2024 and 2025 expiration dates. However, the utility withdrew that application in 2018, following the decision to shutter the plant. The Stanford and MIT study stated that NRC staff typically conduct license extension reviews in less than 22 months, and the Diablo Canyon review could be shorter, given that some work was completed on it when PG&E first submitted its renewal application. Moreover, the report stated that if the plants current license expires while a new application is being reviewed at the NRC, the facility could continue operating until that process is completed.

Its very tight, but its possible, Jacopo Buongiorno, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor and lead author of the study, said, on whether Diablo Canyons license renewal process could be completed before the plant is scheduled to retire.

If PG&E were to opt out of pursuing such a process, an alternative is that another company could buy the plant and do so, he added.

In response to Newsom's comments, PG&E spokesperson Carina Corral said in an emailed statement that the utility is proud of the role that the Diablo Canyon power plant plays in California.

We are always open to considering all options to ensure continued safe, reliable, and clean energy delivery to our customers, Corral said.

Other experts, however, dont think that pursuing a license renewal process for Diablo Canyon is feasible at this point.

If they were going to extend the life of the plants, theyd have to reapply to the NRC and that would mean preparing the applications again. And I think enough has changed since they originally submitted, that that would be a pretty heavy lift, Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety with the Union of Concerned Scientists, said.

If the decision to keep the plant open were made tomorrow, it is highly unlikely that Diablo Canyon's Unit 1 would receive a renewal before its license expired, although that would still be possible for Unit 2, according to Lyman.

And on the issue of whether another party could take over ownership of Diablo Canyon and move forward with the renewal process, they would have to transfer the existing license to a new entity and that in itself is a regulatory action that could be subject to challenge, he said.

Any application for license renewal requires detailed plans to account for the effects of aging on plant systems, and an environmental report that requires time to develop, NRC spokesperson Scott Burnell said in an email. The agencys staff currently aims to complete the safety and environmental review of a docketed license renewal application in 18 months.

If a plant applies for renewal more than five years before its license is set to expire, it could get the benefit of continuing to operate even if something delays the final NRC decision past its expiration date, he added but if the application is filed with less than five years remaining on the license, the plant would likely have to lay out a legal and technical justification for this treatment, he said.

While Newsom does not have authority over Diablo Canyons license, he is in support of keeping all options on the table to ensure we have a reliable grid, especially as we head into a summer where CAISO expects California could have more demand than supply during the kind of extreme events that California has experienced over the past two summers.This includes considering an extension to Diablo Canyon, which continues to be an important resource as we transition to clean energy," Newsom spokesperson Erin Mellon said in an email.

However, in the long term, the Governor continues to support the closure of Diablo Canyon as we transition to clean energy while ensuring the reliability of our energy grid, Mellon added.

Another issue is that while Newsom talked about tapping into federal funding for nuclear plants with the Los Angeles Times, the Diablo Canyon facility may not be eligible for that funding, according to Ralph Cavanagh, energy program co-director with the Natural Resources Defense Council, who was involved with the negotiation of the original joint proposal to retire and replace the plant. The federal subsidies are only available to plants that are operating with short-term losses and arent recovering their operating costs, which PG&E is fully recovering, he noted.

Theres also the broader question of whether, even if it could, California should consider extending the life of Diablo Canyon to help bolster reliability as well as decarbonization efforts.

Californias energy agencies have concluded that the California Independent System Operators grid is short around 1,500 MW to 2,000 MW of needed generating capacity between now and 2026, CAISO spokesperson Anne Gonzales said in an email. The past two summers, she added, have demonstrated that the state needs additional resources to account for extreme conditions and supply delays that are not adequately captured in the traditional planning metrics.

Although Californias grid is in better shape than last year, it requires additional resources to ensure reliable energy during the summer months, when it could face extreme temperatures, drought, wildfires and low hydroelectric supplies, Gonzales said.

Last year, the CPUC issued a procurement order for 11.5 GW of clean energy resources the largest ever capacity ordered by the agency in one shot to help replace the Diablo Canyon plant as well as a suite of natural gas plants that are expected to retire soon. The agency and load-serving entities are well into procuring resources to replace that capacity, Hilton pointed out.

That order will help replace Diablo Canyons capacity, and its ability to meet grid reliability requirements, Mark Specht, Western states energy manager and senior analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, agreed although regulators could be more carefully thinking through what it means to replace the plant without an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, he added.

If all else remains the same, thats an easy question to answer, whether youre replacing it without an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, Specht said. But the grid is changing very rapidly so there are a lot of other factors at play here, and its not all that straightforward to determine whether were replacing Diablo Canyon without an increase in emissions.

In addition, the retirement of the Diablo Canyon plant is tied into Californias offshore wind plans, Hilton noted regulators are currently looking to preserve some of the transmission capacity off the Morro Bay area that will be freed up after the nuclear plant goes offline and use it for offshore wind.

Meanwhile, efforts to build out renewable and storage projects have faced their own share of challenges, including interconnection issues, soaring commodity prices for lithium, and tariff issues.

At the same time, Diablo Canyon isnt scheduled to shut down for another few years, Specht said, and so unless those supply chain issues really continue year after year, Im hopeful those wont be a huge barrier to getting resources online to replace Diablo."

Another source of hope for Californias longer-term reliability needs is the continued progress on Western grid integration and better coordination among all the power systems in the region, according to Cavanagh. This week, for instance, he noted, two major regional electric providers the Bonneville Power Administration and Tucson Electric Power joined the Western Energy Imbalance Market, a real-time wholesale energy trading market in the West.

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Gov. Newsom open to extending Diablo Canyon nuclear plant's life, but analysts differ on feasibility and need - Utility Dive

Home for life, with light and space in Blackrock, for 2.25m – The Irish Times

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Houses on Granville Road in Blackrock tend to be family homes for life, and this is evident in the fact that since the Property Price Register commenced on January 1st, 2010 only seven houses on the road have changed hands.

Lying on a quiet leafy avenue off the busy Newtown Park Avenue, which connects to Granville Park via Knocksinna Park, houses here are always in demand. Traditionally they were generous in size and sat on good-sized gardens.

For Ravenna, which occupies Number 13 Granville Road, the property sits on a generous site measuring 0.4 of an acre, which has the benefit of a southwesterly aspect. Set back off the road, and accessed through electric gates via a gravelled driveway, the property was given an entire overhaul and extension in 2001, under the guidance of architect Eamon Regan of Regan & Associates.

It went from its original size of 240sq m (2,583sq ft) to 392sq m (4,219sq ft). In addition, there is a further 83sq m (888sq ft) in the attic space currently used as a gym that occupies the second floor along with a store room. This area is accessed by a full staircase.

In testament to Regans design, the property looks as good from the rear as it does from the front and despite its size, it never has that too big a feeling when rooms can feel overwhelmingly large.

Its double-height reception hall, with polished marble flooring, brings much light into the front of the property and its lovely eyebrow window brings light to the upstairs landing, as do a number of Veluxes that flood the attic with light.

On the ground floor, a dining room and family room straddle the front hall, both of which have bay windows. To the rear lies an eat-in kitchen with plenty of storage, a playroom/TV room and a very large drawing room. All three rooms have French doors that open out to a sunken sandstone patio which extends the full width of the house.

The kitchen/breakfastroom has a large Britannia stove with a six-ring hob, an American fridge and oodles of storage. The design of the house allows for entertaining on a grand scale, which the current owners have done on occasion.

We have had 40 for lunch in the hall, and the fact that two sets of double doors open into the drawing rooms means there is a great flow, says the owner, who is right-sizing due to an empty nest. In addition, the patio to the rear gets sun all day so offers a lovely space for entertaining on summer afternoons and evenings.

The owner loves the sense of space and light the two things that Regan has really achieved with his design and the fact that the rear garden is permanently in sunshine.

The garden, which has been used as a football pitch when the children of the house were young, has lots of potential for green-fingered enthusiasts due to its size and aspect.

The property, in turnkey condition, with five bedrooms and a Ber of B3, has now been launched by Lisney seeking 2.25m.

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Home for life, with light and space in Blackrock, for 2.25m - The Irish Times

UMaine 4-H to introduce teens to adulting concepts in June – Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

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University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H plans to offer a short-term online 4-H club for youth ages 13-18 about basic adult life skills at 4 p.m. Wednesdays, June 22 through July 27. Required registration closes Monday, June 6.

The 4-H Adulting 101 Series will introduce basic adult life skills by exploring a different topic each week, including life/work balance and stress management; saving, spending and credit; nutrition on a budget; resumes and interviews; rent and roommates; and a topic chosen by the participants. UMaine Extension 4-H staff will lead the discussions.

The club is free and limited to 20 participants.

This series is supported in part by the Maine 4-H Foundation.

For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, call 207-324-2814 or email [emailprotected].

To register to receive the link and at-home materials, or for more information, visit extension.umaine.edu.

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UMaine 4-H to introduce teens to adulting concepts in June - Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

Medical tourists are travelling the world in search of the elixir of life – The Guardian

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Every year millions of people cross borders to undergo medical treatments that are either unavailable in their home country or too expensive. For many, this is a last resort to ease the pain of a debilitating disease or defy a terminal diagnosis; for others the goals are purely cosmetic. But in the past few years a new type of medical tourist has emerged: those seeking to radically extend their lives.

There are more older people than ever before and more people in search of longevity. In the UK, people over the age of 65 made up 19% of the population in 2019, a jump of 23% from 2009, in a period when the total population only increased by 7%. And recent advancements in the science of ageing have given them hope that they dont have to go so gently into that good night after all.

But while science has made some promising breakthroughs in studying the causes and implications of ageing, real solutions are some way off. In that gap between supply and demand, a host of fraudsters and scam artists are ready to take advantage of anyone gullible enough to believe they can pay a little extra for a few extra years among the living. Many offer their services abroad, in countries where regulation is light.

Medical tourism has produced a steady stream of horror stories since cheaper air travel kickstarted a rise in its popularity, from botched nose jobs and broken smiles to a fair number of deaths. Despite this, it remains a gigantic industry. According to Patients Beyond Borders, the global medical tourism market was worth $74bn-$92bn (59bn-73bn) in 2019.

A prime example is stem cell therapies, regenerative treatments aiming to use the bodys building-block cells to rejuvenate and fix damage caused by disease or deterioration an area of research with a lot of potential but relatively few established and approved treatments available to patients. However, the potential effects, most often exaggerated or unsubstantiated, lure the desperate to travel far and wide to seek treatments, sometimes from practitioners of ill repute. According to research published last year, the leading countries for stem cell tourism are the US, China, India, Thailand and Mexico. The same report states that stem cell technologies are often associated with inflated expectations of their therapeutic potential.

Stem cell therapies can also help with cancer and other illness, but during my reporting for my book The Price of Immortality: The Race to Live Forever, I found a number of examples of US-based stem cell companies offering miracle cures and solutions to ageing. One clinic in Iowa was found to have made outrageous claims in presentations to potential clients. Anti-Aging: Mesenchymal Stem Cell infusions turned back the hands of Father Time about three years! Would you like to get back three years? read one slide of sales material, collected by the state attorney generals office that was suing the company for false advertising.

Even when prosecuted or disciplined in one country, stem cell practitioners have been known to move on and continue to offer the same services elsewhere. One in Florida had his medical licence revoked in 2015, after two of his patients undergoing stem cell therapy had died. When I looked up the name of the doctor, he was listed as the chief science officer at another stem cell company. A cheerful receptionist told me on a call that the clinic was still operational and carrying out procedures in the Dominican Republic, a medical tourism hotspot.

Stem cell therapies are not the only anti-ageing offerings luring people abroad for treatment. The nascent field of gene therapies is in a similar position, where promising research has yet to result in accessible interventions. I also recently heard from a life extension enthusiast in the US who planned to travel to France to undergo plasmapheresis, a procedure he claimed would rejuvenate his blood and give him a better chance of living until he was 500.

In some cases, patients dont need even need to fly abroad to access drugs that have the potential to make them live longer. I spoke to an elderly woman in London who buys the cancer drug dasatinib from a website in India, and takes it in the hope it will destroy senescent cells, which are thought to play an integral role in the ageing process.

Gerontologists and other researchers find the practice frustrating. Several scientists I spoke to, particularly in the stem cell field, are worried these clinics are making a quick buck on the back of their breakthroughs while damaging the reputation of these nascent medical technologies. They preach patience, a virtue in short supply for people who see the end of their lives on the horizon.

Medical tourism presents clear dangers. Patients may not find the same standard of care they are used to at home, and it is harder to establish that the doctor or clinic is legitimate. Patients can also suffer from side-effects if they fly home too early after a procedure; communication barriers can also cause issues.

For someone seeking treatment they cant afford at home or a last-gasp unapproved cure for a deadly disease, these risks are worth taking. But for people merely seeking to improve their chances of living radically extended lives, the gamble is much larger, particularly when theres no evidence that any medical intervention could work. In a best-case scenario, they leave with a lighter wallet. In the worst, their quest to live a little longer is cut ironically short.

The Price Of Immortality by Peter Ward (Melville House, 20). To support The Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.

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Medical tourists are travelling the world in search of the elixir of life - The Guardian

Eskom pins hopes on returning Koeberg and Kusile power station units – POLITICS – Politicsweb

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POLITICS Eskom pins hopes on returning Koeberg and Kusile power station units

Eskom Media Desk |

11 May 2022

Power utility says these will hopefully reduce pressure on constrained power system

Eskom pins hopes on returning Koeberg and Kusile power station units to reduce pressure on constrained power system

11 May 2022

Eskoms presentation during the State of the System update today revealed that the national electricity grid remains constrained, with an elevated risk of loadshedding over the winter period, particularly during the morning and evening peaks. During the next few weeks, Eskom will return to service two units at Kusile Power Station and Koeberg Unit 2 is expected to return by the end of June 2022. These three large generation units will add approximately 2500MW to the power system.

Unit 2 of the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, together with the two generation units expected to return to service following the modification and correction of the design defects on one unit and repairs to the Flue Gas Desulphurisation technology on the other unit at the Kusile Power Station, will significantly ease the demand pressure in time for the high winter demand. These Kusile units will add a combined 1600MW to the power system while Koeberg 2 will add another 920MW when it returns to service by the end of June.

Since January Eskom has had to operate with only a single unit, or half the capacity, of Koeberg, while the other unit has been undergoing a routine refuelling and other Long-Term Operation activities. Added to this Koeberg capacity being offline for this period, Eskom has also had to cope without the 794MW normally contributed by the damaged Unit 4 of Medupi Power Station. Together, these two units are responsible for the implementation of almost two stages of loadshedding.

As Eskom grapples with loadshedding and other operational challenges, we remain committed to the principles of openness and transparency about our operations. As such, the State of the System update, the Eskom DataPortal and the regular media briefings give us an opportunity to provide insights about the state of the power system and keep South Africans and all stakeholders informed and enable them to plan ahead, are consistent with this commitment accountability, remarked Eskom Group Chief Executive, Andr de Ruyter. Eskom also wishes to thank all South Africans for continuously heeding the call to use electricity sparingly, thus assisting in alleviating the pressure on the power system.

Due to low plant availability Eskom has increasingly relied on the usage of diesel-powered open cycle gas turbines (OCGTs) to limit the implementation of loadshedding, from 1 January to 10 May this year, loadshedding has been implemented for 32 days. This is six days more than the 26 days of loadshedding during the same period last year.

The increase in the implementation of loadshedding came on the back of higher levels of unplanned plant breakdowns, which averaged 26% of the fleet in the period ended March 2022. During this period the energy availability factor (EAF) averaged 62%.

As Eskom has consistently communicated, the high levels of planned maintenance are its major internal response to limit the breakdowns by increasing the reliability of the plant. During the summer months approximately 12% of the generation capacity had been taken offline for planned maintenance in preparation for the winter.

Planned maintenance is Eskoms only weapon to try bring reliability and predictability to a neglected plant, said Eskom Chief Operating Officer, Jan Oberholzer. In order to create space to effectively execute on the Reliability Maintenance Recovery (RMR) programme while fully powering a growing economy, South Africa desperately needs additional generation capacity of between 4 000MW and 6 000MW. With power stations reaching the end of their operational life, the gap will only increase. Bringing on new capacity onto the grid as soon as possible is therefore critical and requires an SA Inc. approach.

Long-term solutions were implemented on coal handling to effectively address coal stock challenges which have long been a contributing factor to poor plant performance. Coal stock levels are healthy with average of 38 days worth, excluding Medupi and Kusile. Coal stocks jump to an average 77 days worth of stock when those two are included.

Significant progress is also being made in the completion of the new build Kusile Power Station. Unit 4 achieved full load of 800MW on 11 January 2022 and successfully accomplishedthe 30-day reliability run on 27 April as commissioning tests continue towards commercial operation. The unit was first synchronized to the national grid on 23 December 2021 and ison course for commercial operation by July 2022.

Modification and correction of the major design defects on the boiler plant at Medupi have been completed. This has significantly improved the performance of the power station, helping to limit the implementation of loadshedding.

Medupis energy availability factor (EAF) rose to 67% by the end of April 2022, up from 46% in April 2020, before the modifications.

Each of the six generation units had to be switched off for 75 days to perform this work. This will indeed prove to be a worthy sacrifice for the people of South Africa, who have had to endure long hours of loadshedding in order for Eskom to correct these poor designs, said Oberholzer. This consistently higher EAF is the clearest testament to the correctness and accuracy of the agreed technical solutions and the corrective work of what had hobbled the performance of the power station.

Once the agreed technical solutions are complete at both stations, Eskom expects both Medupi and Kusile to form the backbone of an evolving and greener power system that will be able to take South Africa into a more sustainable and dynamic energy industry. Similar technical corrections to the design defects of the first two units of Kusile Power Station have also been successfully concluded, the last one (Unit 2) having been completed during May. Corrections to the design defects on Unit 3 are currently under way.

The Koeberg Nuclear Power Station continues to operate efficiently and within the required safety parameters. Unit 1 has been operating without interruption for 196 days since its last refuelling and maintenance outage.

Apart from the postponement of the Steam Generator Replacement (SGR) on Unit 2 due to the significant risk to the grid posed by delays in carrying out the SGR installation according to the outage plan, other maintenance and refuelling outage activities, including the replacement of the reactor vessel head, are progressing as planned.

The unit, which produced electricity for 454 days without interruption ahead of the January 2022 refuelling and maintenance shutdown, is expected to return to service by end June 2022, which will add a great boost to Eskoms efforts to reduce loadshedding and meet the high winter demand. The SGR on this unit has been postponed for the outage next year.

In addition, the Koeberg Long-Term Operation (LTO) activities to enable Koeberg to operate for another 20 years beyond 2024/25 are underway. Eskom will by June 2022 submit the required supporting documentation to the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) for evaluation. Eskom has been consistently working with the regulator and is clearly aware what is required to meet the regulators expectations in this regard.

As part of the review of Koeberg life extension programme, an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team of nuclear experts carried out a review of the life extension activities during March 2022. Eskoms preparations and efforts received reassuring feedback from IAEA team.

Sharing the Winter Plan, Eskoms Group Executive for Transmission, Segomoco Scheppers, highlighted that the outlook shows an elevated risk of loadshedding remains. One thing counting in favour of the country is the world class and effective management by the transmission system operator, whose main task is to maintain the balance between supply and demand, said Scheepers. In executing its duties, the System Operator will unfortunately continue to rely on the usage of the Open Cycle Gas Turbines, which burn expensive diesel to mitigate the impact of loadshedding. The distribution system continues to provide good and sustainable performance.

Meanwhile, the Ingula Nature Reserve was included in the International Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. This international acclaim is a product of the Ingula Partnership, which comprises Bird Life South Africa, Middelpunt Wetland Trust and Eskom), local and national government and other key environmental stakeholders. This Ramsar status shows responsible industrial activity can be of significant benefit to nature conservation and the protection of wetlands, such as the Ingula.

Once again, Eskom wish to express sincere gratitude to outgoing Group Executive for Generation, Phillip Dukashe for his contribution to Eskom and the country over the past 26 years of his employment at Eskom. We also thank the interim Group Executive, Rhulani Mathebula, for readily stepping into the role and accepting this critical responsibility.

Issued by Eskom Media Desk, 11 May 2022

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Eskom pins hopes on returning Koeberg and Kusile power station units - POLITICS - Politicsweb

STEALTH is reinventing the way humans Learn, Work and Play. – Benzinga – Benzinga

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STEALTH is building 1000 companies that are going to change the world forever.

STEALTH is aiming to reinvent the way we learn, work, and play and redesigning the constructs of a new society with a portfolio of companies in AI, VR, Media, Fashion, Wellness, CleanTech, EdTech, and a slew of complementary businesses for the new Metaverse.

Our companies have been voted Best, Top or Most Innovative and Featured in over 50 lists. Heres an introduction to a few of them.

HARD SHIVER is a publishing house that has released 6 books and 10 Albums.

Book Soundtracks are created using C3POE Audio. C3POE Immersive Audiobook Technology can turn any book into an audiobook. Not just any ordinary audiobook claims CEO Ali Sina, this is Immersive PoetryTheater of the Mind for a new age!

C3POE is not only disruptive, its lightning fast. Theyve completed 10 albums in 10 weeks with hopes to get the conversion time down to a few hours an album.

Protagonist Art is an NFT Art gallery with 3 exhibits and over 200 originally minted NFTs.

Olly Olly Oxen Free is a new era production company, creating content for the competing streaming platforms. With a pipeline of 100 projects in a multitude of different genres, Olly Olly functions as a content factory essential for any brand in a digital age.

Olly Olly has created 9 commercials and their first official release, RAGE is streaming on Youtube.

Protagonist Art and Olly Olly are collaborating to make the first ever NFT movie.

STARTUP X is a popular online Startup School. Short online courses teach everyday people how to launch their ideas and turn them into profitable enterprises. Startup X is gamified to keep you engaged with teaching techniques customized to help you better absorb the material. And its fast; made for the modern world.

This is the first school of a series of academies that the STEALTH team envision will supplant a crumbling, out-of-date and improbably expensive college education system. 5000 Students and counting.

Neon White is a modern design studio that captures, influences and fuses the culture of today with the products of tomorrow. Weve designed everything from album covers and movie posters to brand new tech and consumer products.

Forkaia is a one of a kind Work Experience platform that has helped thousands of college students gain work experience, get into grad school and land the jobs they want. The workplace is rapidly changing; remote work has emerged as the new norm. Forkaia has always believed that the Future of Education is Experiential and the Future of Work is Remote so they created a virtual, interactive learning platform that provides college students with a multi-faceted online working experience.

With limitless access to industry mentors, innovation labs, incubators, think tanks and technology to help students unlock their full potential; theres truly nothing that exists like Forkaia. They have collected over 1000 testimonials.

Rise Capital is a Bitcoin & Crypto Asset Investment Fund. Managed by Amadeus One, a built-in crypto Robo-Advisor, RC holds a cryptocurrency portfolio of various digital coins, NFTs and investments in a multitude of blockchain companies.

Round Z is a Robinhood for Startup Investing so you can make money before companies go public. With one dollar, you can invest in 100 startups.

Launchpad is a Talent Agency and Career Accelerator platform that helps college students launch their careers. Launchpad believes college students deserve better tools to assist them in their career journey. So they built a vast ecosystem of talent, tools and resources to help them prosper. Over 500 fellows have successfully landed jobs at Google, Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, LinkedIn, etc.

FASCIA is an AI research and Deployment company with a goal to advance digital intelligence to improve human existence and move humanity forward. Their mission is to crack the ASI code. They want to build an AI that can outperform humans at our most economically valuable work so people can free up their time to focus on new ways of finally moving the human race forward. FASCIA aims to solve planetary-scale problems in areas where humanity is failing and there is no obvious solution today. The FASCIA Teams research focus is on basic income, the future of work and education, building new cities, anthropogenic climate change, gene therapy, life extension, braincomputer interfaces and mind uploading. FASCIA believes what theyre working on will result in products and services that are hard to imagine today.

INSOLAR is making the world greener everyday with an innovative online solar adoption platform that makes buying solar simple and affordable. Their cost plus model is a hit; solar shoppers are seeing up to 50% savings. With cheaper and more accessible solar panels, more people can switch to sustainable energy alternatives. INSOLARs SaaS platform is also helping solar companies close more deals, faster and cheaper. Weve transacted well over 1000 successful residential and commercial solar installations and have 3000 reps on our platform.

mooVRoom (Cinema 4D) is the theater of the future with an aim to give moviegoers the ultimate cinematic experience. So you can enter a movie instead of just watching it.

Side Hustle is a Smartphone App for side money gigs. But the gigs are customized, and they come to you. No more browsing. There are currently 1500 freelancers on our platform.

STEALTH has also built a career accelerator that nurtures, trains, and manages a new type of talent the Business Athlete. BAM (Business Athlete Mode) is a health and wellness brand that doubles as a new kind of Athleisure Apparel company: Business Athletics.

We believe AI will transform everything so we are preparing people for these changes with BAM Talent, where the worlds greatest resources in a soon-to-be AI-driven world (young, talented human brains) will be trained, drafted, managed, compensated and placed (traded) where they may maximize the application of their skills for the betterment of humanity as a whole.

And PANDA is a Plug N Play Startup Platform that makes it easy for anyone to bring their ideas to market. So far weve helped 15 founders launch their businesses.

STEALTHs companies span across multiple sectors including TMT, EdTech, Clean Energy, NFTs, Crypto, health and fitness, BCI, VR, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence. Digital ecosystems, Future of work and education, new work paradigms, immersive learning; the teams at STEALTH like new ideas and pushing boundaries. They claim to have some of the most talented humans on the planet working on the most interesting, challenging and groundbreaking projects by breaking the limits of whats conventionally thought impossible.

So whos funding all of this? How much has Stealth raised from investors?

Zero, says STEALTH Founder and CEO Ali Sina, Ive invested my own savings. When asked about future fundraising plans Sina says, I dont think well need it. Our companies are doing well, if we need more money well just sell more products. Im a firm believer in bootstrapping because it forces companies to develop organically instead of synthetically juicing them up with cash so Im not a big fan of the current VC landscape. Were the only VC not only steroids. So were never in a rush.

STEALTH says theyre going to keep building companies whenever inspiration strikes.

STEALTH Founder and CEO Ali Sina says Artificial Intelligence will change the world more than electricity and the internet have, combined. He continues, Deep learning will learn to do everything humans can, thus transforming the workplace by automating a sweeping array of human activity. At STEALTH, were building companies that will reshape work and education to meet the nature, speed, and dynamics of these changes and rethinking the role and purpose of human workers in an age of informational abundance, process automation, and machine autonomy.

STEALTHs mission is to destroy the conventions, rules, and orders of the past that are no longer sustainable and make space for something new. We like using AI to improve life on this planet and make it more interesting. While Billionaires are racing to leave the planet Mr. Sina says, were building the future, here on Earth.

Media ContactCompany Name: STEALTHContact Person: Ali Sina (Founder and CEO of STEALTH)Email: Send EmailPhone: (310) 994-1511Country: United StatesWebsite: http://www.stealth1000.com

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STEALTH is reinventing the way humans Learn, Work and Play. - Benzinga - Benzinga

SAVANNAH’S BEST KEPT STEAK SECRET? Hit the Islands to find out – Connect Savannah.com

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Its hard to keep secrets about food these days. Ive mentioned it in this this space before, but Im regularly amused when people ask about hidden gems and off of the beaten path spots.

Social media makes it hard for those to really exist anymore. When a new spot opens and it is very good, word will travel very quickly. The path will become beaten in short order.

There is, however, a spot in town that gets very close to fitting the bill.

Its The Steakhouse on Whitemarsh Island.

Thats what it is called because that is what it is, and that also gives you a solid glimpse at everything you need to know about this no-frills tucked-away-at-the-end-of-the-strip-mall joint.

Its a steakhouse on Whitemarsh Island which very easily could qualify as one of Savannahs best kept dining secrets.

Truth be told, the word got out really about a year or so ago. But really only among the locals.

We get very little, if any, tourists in here. Says Chris McGary, owner of The Steakhouse on Whitemarsh. We dont cater to tourists. We dont market to them. If theyd like to come see us, sure, but we are easily 98 to 99% locals.

Im guessing that is refreshing to a lot of you. This column isnt a who, what-when-where on tourism, but I can tell you the vibe at The Steakhouse is different because it is more than obvious when you walk in that this is a roof full of your neighbors enjoying a great steak.

Yes, the steaks are great.

Chris and his wife bought the place a few years ago from a friend who got in over his head. Theyd been in the business before. Theyd owned five restaurants around the country along the way.

We sold our last one in 1999 and swore wed never do it again. Chris says. But this was just the right opportunity at the right time. We live around the corner and we know everyone on the islands. It was just a good fit all the way around.

His secret to a full house practically every night they are open? Making sure they offer great value to every customer. Dont overthink. Dont re-invent the wheel.

We keep it simple. Nothing foo foo in here. We are a steakhouse. We offer a great steak at a great price. We dont charge extra for sides. It is all included. Some of our competitors will charge you an exorbitant amount of money for a bowl of mashed potatoes. We dont do that. We just include it in the price.

Chris tells me believes there should be more value out there for your dining dollar, but once again he understands why there isnt.

If you can charge $50 for a piece of meat that you should only charge $25 for and get it? Then more power to ya. I dont think its right, but it is what it is.

Now if I were you and Id never been to this spot, Id be wondering what the catch is. You know, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is? Well in this case, its kinda-sorta.

The menu at this steakhouse is on the short side. Generally, you are dealing with filets and ribeyes.

Their three-pound tomahawk for two is a crowd pleaser. Sliced tableside, the phones all come out when one of those guys is floating through the dining room. Chris says they go through about 15-20 of those a week.

Beyond that, the sides. There are two choices for potato. His very popular garlic mashed and roasted potato. Thats it.

One vegetable per night. Thats it. The last time I was there, it was corn. Again, thats it. They keep it simple because they believe you are there for a well-made steak.

Salt, pepper and put it on the grill and let it do its thing. He says. You do your crosses and serve it.

Its a really easy process but people want to complicate it with all this stuff.

All that stuff he refers to? I personally understand and appreciate at a traditional higher end steakhouse. But if you walk in here knowing that this is not that, then this is a very enjoyable meal. The room feels like youve stepped back into 1981. No frills to speak of and they love it that way.

100 percent. He says. 100 thousand percent.

Theres a shrimp and pasta dish, a fish and a couple of salads and apps. Thats it. He said they keep it simple and they do.

The same goes for their wine list. You will find some usual suspects on there plus a few goodies.

Chris knows his wines so he tries to keep a little something in stock for everyone. Again, at a decent price.

I dont see the point of marking up a bottle $100 like the corporate places do. If I can make a few bucks on something and keep our guests coming back, then I will do that.

Its a formula that is working very well.

Weve been very fortunate. Our clientele has followed us around town. We have a good following here.

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SAVANNAH'S BEST KEPT STEAK SECRET? Hit the Islands to find out - Connect Savannah.com

Mackinac Island hotel, business leader remembered for being islands champion – MLive.com

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Victor Callewaert Jr. may have been known for his signature pink shirt and his big smile, but underneath that folksy, fudge-selling charisma was a doggedly persistent businessman whose legacy can be counted in a number of landmarks lining Mackinac Islands Main Street.

Friends and longtime visitors are remembering Callewaert, who died May 8. He was 85.

Victor was a true Mackinac Island champion, said Tim Hygh, executive director of the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. There wasnt a cause or significant island-wide effort that he didnt have a positive influence on. He was a huge presence that will be forever missed.

Callewaert was an island resident who also had homes in Grosse Pointe Shores and Florida. His familys island portfolio had expanded in the last several decades to include: the Island House Hotel, 1852 Grill Room, Ice House BBQ, Rybas Fudge Shops, Marys Bistro Draught House, Pancake House, Pine Cottage Bed & Breakfast, Seabiscuit Caf and Starbucks.

Last year, Callewaert and his family were honored for their decades of devotion to Island House Hotel, the Victorian grande dame of the islands Main Street. They were awarded the Legendary Family Historic Hotelier of the Year honor by the Historic Hotels of America. The effort to bring back that property was one of the hallmarks of his island career, right along with his love for a good bite of fudge.

In recent years, Vic could be seen cruising through downtown donned in his signature pink Rybas Fudge shirt and Michigan baseball cap, ever ready with a wink or a wave, Island House staff posted on social media following his death. As a steward of Island House Hotel, and enthusiastic fudge connoisseur, he will be fondly remembered for numerous contributions to the Mackinac Island community. It is our honor to carry the torch ensuring that Victors legacy is proudly carried into the future. Friends wishing to remember Victor are reminded to Think Pink, as he would say, and may contribute to Mackinac Islands St. Annes Catholic Parish or Medical Center; or the charity of ones choice. Services will be announced as details are available.

Ryba's has multiple locations on Mackinac Island. MLive photo.

Callewaerts Mackinac Island career actually became a possibility on a Detroit street corner in 1936 when his energetic newspaper hawking skills drew the attention of nearby sweets shop owner Harry Ryba. It wasnt long before Ryba hired the youngster, who later became his business partner and then son-in-law when Callewaert married his high school sweetheart, who was Rybas daughter, Rena. The two men sold their Mackinac Island fudge at big events, festivals and fairs. In 1960, they decided to match the location to the style of fudge, opening their first of four Rybas Fudge Shops on Mackinac Island. Their showmanship style of luring in customers by making fudge right next to the shops windows was a big draw, and Callewaert earned the island moniker of Fudge King. Customers loved seeing the process - and still do - and leave carrying little pink boxes of the sweet treat the island is known for.

But Callewaerts ambitions soon expanded beyond sugar and chocolate. He branched out into Mackinacs other mainstay: old hotels. He oversaw the renovation of the Lake View Hotel as well as teaming up with his brother-in-law, James Ryba, to buy the disheveled Island House Hotel in 1969 to save it from the wrecking ball. It reopened to guests in 1972 and was soon named a historic landmark by the state.

Throughout his decades on Mackinac, business leaders say Callewaert was known for mentoring young workers, some of whom later became business owners themselves. If he was persistent in business, he was relentless when it came to raising money for a good cause. This included the annual raffle tickets that benefitted the islands Lilac Festival and its Medical Center.

Residents would sometimes turn the other way when they saw him coming, knowing Victor would not take no for an answer when supporting worthy causes. His legacy includes financial support for the rebuilding of the Arch Rock steps in memory of his late wife, the reconstruction of Fort Holmes, and the Botanical Garden Walk to Arch Rock, tourism bureau staff said.

Callewaert was preceded in death by his wife, Rena, in 2009. He is survived by their five children, Mary, Todd, Ann, Amy and Gregg, and many grandchildren and other family members and friends.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Annes Catholic Parish or the Mackinac Island Medical Center.

Victor Callewaert and family in front of Island House Hotel on Mackinac Island. Photo provided by the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.

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Mackinac Island hotel, business leader remembered for being islands champion - MLive.com

Audrey Purwana recounts the journey of Spice Islands Distilling Co. – PrestigeOnline

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The co-founder of Spice Islands Distilling Co., Indonesias very first craft spirits distillery, talks about the challenges and the victories of her spirited venture

These past few years has seen the rise of some pretty interesting local brands. A particularly interesting case in point in this regard is Indonesias first authentic craft spirits distillery: Spice Islands Distilling Co., which is based in Bali. Combining age-old distilling techniques with distinctly Indonesian ingredients, its products namely Nusantara Cold Brew and East Indies Archipelago Dry Gin has been recognized by liquor afficionados and has been internationally acclaimed as well. On the former note, Nusantara Cold Brew has won Bronze at the International Wine & Spirits Competition 2022, while East Indies Archipelago Dry Gin won Gold at the International Spirits Award 2022 in Austria.

Running a business is definitely not easy, especially one in an industry with its own, unique market. But Spice Islands Distilling Co. has proven that creating good quality products will result in good outcome. Recently, Prestige had the opportunity to chat with Audrey Purwana, the co-founder of Spice Islands Distilling Co. and also the woman behind the success of the brand. Below are excerpts from our interview.

What keeps you busy lately?

What keeps me busy is, of course, apart from normal life we moved to Bali last year with two young kids is the business we started, Spice Islands Distilling Co. After four years of preparation, it has been officially in production for the past two years.

For any of our readers might not have heard of Spice Islands yet, can you tell us about the brand concept and the inspiration behind the name?

Weve always wanted to create something a beverage brand because Indonesia has many liquor producers. Also, I think people are very focused in price, because Indonesia is a very price-sensitive market. Since the beginning, when we tried to figure out our positioning, we realized that the safest answer would probably be creating something affordable. Then we noticed that there are no local liquor brands in the premium market yet. Here is the thing: Some people still have that mindset of not wanting to pay more for local products; but we created this brand because we believe in making something thats actually premium quality. We wanted to take a risk and give it a try.

I think this is a great time for our generation. The younger folks are more open to try local brands. Or, at least, they are willing to believe that local brands can be good. We have been dependent on imported products for so long. So, the idea is to create something equally good.

In the beginning, when we first started working with the branding team, we looked at what Indonesia truly is. What do people identify Indonesia with? Then we realized that we still identify with our rich history. We also picked a place which is very relevant to our products. So, we finally found the perfect name: Spice Islands. I think foreigners would understand the meaning behind it. And in terms of product, well, our gin, for instance, incorporates a lot of botanicals that used to be found only in Indonesia.

What sets Spice Islands apart from other distilleries and what makes it unique?

For now, it seems like we are the only distillery in Bali that, I would say, puts a lot of focus on quality machinery, packaging, and so on. We dont cut corners; we dont use cheaper packaging materials, for instance. From the beginning, this was something that we are willing to do to improve quality.

We are the first to produce non-wine liquors at the same, premium quality as important brands, in Bali. We dont produce millions of bottles because everything is still handmade. The distilling process is handled by its own team, and the other parts, from selecting ingredients to even the bottling is still done by hand.

What are the major challenges of running a distillery, especially here in Indonesia?

Challenges are normal. There are day-to-day challenges such as machine breakdowns. Of course, the last two years has been the most difficult, as were dealing with the pandemic. Someone would get sick in the middle of a production run and end up having to self-isolate, so we had to look for temporary replacements. Another challenge is how raw materials, such as cartons or labels, would come in late. Since we are still new, and we still have to import some materials, late shipping has become one of the issues we had to face. Commercially, the challenge for these past two years is how we move forward with these products. Our products have good quality, but proving that local doesnt necessarily mean cheap is not that easy. But we are getting there.

On the flip side, what are some of the unique opportunities and possibilities from running a distillery in Indonesia?

First, lets narrow down the scale to just Bali instead of Indonesia as a whole. Bali, fortunately, is more open to new industries. There are many liquor brands and they are all fantastic. Really great brands. I can say that for Bali, this is definitely a new kind of business opportunity. The government is still quite strict, but the business can still get support since it is an investment for Bali. And, of course, we also create jobs.

In Spice Islands Distilling Co.s mission statement, the company states that it aims to raise Indonesian spirit by raising a glass with our communities. Can you tell us about any community outreach programs that youve conducted so far?

For our coffee liquor, Nusantara Cold Brew, we support a number of coffee plantations managed by local farmers. We donate funds to them and we buy green beans from them for our production. In Bali, when we open a factory in an area, we only employ workers from that area. People from others area can join too, but only for positions that cant be filled by the local community. I really appreciate this aspect of Bali. Another thing that we do to raise the spirit of the communities we operate in is by only buying botanicals from local farmers. Anything we can buy locally like kecombrang or torch ginger flowers we do so. We definitely support farmers and local markets.

We are based in Bali, so its the most natural thing to source the coffee locally. We have built a strong relationship with local coffee farmers and we have created a training program for them

Now that Bali is recovering, how excited are you for the future of Spice Islands? And what have you been planning to make the best out of the evolving market?

This is the moment weve been waiting for. Basically, weve been waiting for two years and now weve started to notice the differences. But its still nothing compared to what it used to be.

As for how we prepare, we would definitely produce more, because all this time we have been rather careful in terms of inventory and didnt stock up too much. Now, we feel encouraged to ramp up production. In terms of listing, commercially, our sales team are more aggressive.

We heard that Spice Islands is currently working on programs to help farmers improve their coffee quality. Can you tell us more about it and what encouraged you to start the program?

We are based in Bali, so its the most natural thing to source the coffee locally. We have built a strong relationship with local coffee farmers and we have created a training program for them. Surprisingly, we learned that many coffee farmers simply harvest the beans they plant, dry them, pack them and sell them. Through our training program, we have a coffee specialist from a roasting company educate the farmers to improve their know-how. Thats what weve done so far.

We actually want to also do a program to help local arak producers, which has been requested by the regent. As there are many home-producers of arak in Bali, he hopes that we can help in educating these brewers on how to perform better distillation and generally create better products. Hopefully by next year we can have this program in place.

What is next from Spice Islands Distilling Co.? Are there any future launches, event, or anything exciting coming up?

Hopefully we can gain increased momentum in Jakarta and Bali. We have done a soft launch in Bali previously, but finally did an actual launch event last month. We are also planning to launch the East Indies Archipelago Dry Gin in Jakarta to spread awareness and so that we can better fit the branding with the market there.

Next, we would like to launch two more gin products. But, again, we are waiting for the right momentum. Hopefully, we can add one more gin flavour in the third quarter this year, or later. Another one that we have been planning to launch is rum. But because of the pandemic, it was delayed. Hopefully, we can launch our rum sub-brand near the end of the year.

What are your hopes for the future, for yourself, company, and Bali?

Simple. Our hope is to build a brand that we can be proud of. A brand that is exportable, or at least one that can become recognized and trusted outside of Indonesia. It doesnt have to become a big global brand, just for our brand to be accepted and gain footing in overseas markets.

For Bali, we hope to be a brand that the island can be proud of. And basically just to be recognized as a company that can make good beverages. That would make us very happy

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Audrey Purwana recounts the journey of Spice Islands Distilling Co. - PrestigeOnline

This Swedish holiday island could be on the verge of Russian invasion – Euronews

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As Sweden ponders joining NATO, a remote holiday destination in the Baltic Sea is once again bolstering its defences.

Known as a paradise isle of unspoiled wilderness and sandy beaches, Gotland has long been a popular vacation spot for many Swedes.

Complete with Viking-age settlements and iconic rock formations, the 170-kilometre outcrop attracts over two million visitors every year to enjoy the peace and simplicity of island life.

But just over three decades ago, the holiday hotspot served a far different purpose.

Strategically located just 300 kilometres from the home of Russia's Baltic Fleet, it acted as a key deterrent against Soviet expansion.

And as tensions surrounding Swedens proposed application to NATO grow, the Scandinavian nation is rebuilding its military presence on Gotland once again.

"There will be more soldiers and more activity on Gotland, says Colonel Magnus Frykvall, commander of the Gotland Battalion.

We have to build a bigger and better military capacity due to the current situation."

Sweden - alongside Finland - is expected to reveal in the coming days whether it will ask to join the NATO military alliance.

Coming out in favour of joining would be a historic development for either nation. Sweden has avoided military alliances for more than 200 years, while Finland adopted neutrality after being defeated by the Soviet Union in the Second World War.

Earlier this week, Russia warned of severe consequences if either nation were to join the alliance. But as Putins war in Ukraine continues, many Gotland locals are eager to defend their nation at all costs.

"People are a bit worried, but we're trying to keep everybody calm, says Camilla Selander, a deli-counter worker who has joined the island's Home Guard.

We talk about what is happening there, but we just tell each other that it's going to be fine.

In a forest near Visby, Camilla and her fellow volunteers squeeze off shots from nine-millimetre pistols handed out during target practice. For now, the firing range remains the only active military site on Gotland, but memories of the islands combative past are clear for all to see.

One thousand machine gun nests were built here at the start of World War Two, says Lars-Ake Permerud, a retired army officer.

We had machine gun and cannon defences all around the island."

Many of those artefacts are now on display in military museums, and the retired servicemen who curate the exhibitions are well aware of Gotlands strategic significance.

"This is an aircraft carrier, says Rutger Banholtz, former head of the Home Guard.

"He who sits on Gotland controls large parts of the Baltic Sea."

While Sweden says it does not believe Russia has plans to attack Gotland, Putins invasion of Ukraine has forced the nation to rethink its security policy.

NATO membership provides safety in numbers, promising unilateral protection for all member states.

Both Sweden and Finland are expected to decide whether to apply to the 30-nation alliance in May. Finland's President Sauli Niinisto is expected to give his support on 12 May, while Swedens ruling Social Democratic Party is expected to announce its decision later this week.

Watch the video above to find out more about Swedens paradise island.

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This Swedish holiday island could be on the verge of Russian invasion - Euronews

Rotuman Language Week: Music summons the islands for the young – Stuff

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For Rotumans who grew up in New Zealand, more than 2700 kilometres away from their home islands, it can be hard to picture the way their parents or grandparents were raised.

How did they get to school? What did they eat and drink? What did they do for work?

Its that curiosity that Rotuman composer Darlene Inia channels in her music for her community. When it comes to dances, or tautoga, the lyrics are almost always about life on Rotuma for those who have yet to see it themselves.

Darlene Inia/Supplied

A Rotuman community group during Rotuman Language Week 2021.

In one song, the Auckland womans lyrics describe the youth gathering and trying their best to imagine the life on Rotuma their elders had.

READ MORE:* Kiwi Rotuma's challenge to keep endangered Pacific Island language alive* Rotuman Language Week: Corporate world helping sustain endangered language* Rotuman Language Week: Sustainability, Vetkia, at the heart of the language protection

The elders respond to them, telling them about the clean white sands, the clear blue ocean that surrounds the islands, the lush nature of Rotuma and its yams and taro.

Supplied

Darlene Inia learned to write Rotuman music from her mother and aunt.

These are the scenes we try to capture, by listening to our elders, Inia said.

Inia, who lives in Glendene, has been composing traditional Rotuman music since she was young and learnt the trade from her mother and other elders in her family.

When she was in her 20s, she wrote her first piece of original music and two decades later she is still going.

When she writes, Inia wants to bring contemporary influences into her work, but carefully, not to stray too far from tradition.

She consults often with her family and other elders in the community, who guide her, she said.

Spoken Rotuman is quite different to sung Rotuman, so Inia said she was careful to check her grammar and vocabulary with her elders.

I am of that younger generation where out of respect I still consult with my elders. That is a Rotuman value. The last thing I want is to deviate from the tradition.

However, she said she was always looking for ways to make the traditions fun and engaging, especially for the youngest Rotumans out there.

We cant live without one another, our elderly and our young. If youre looking at the survival of heritage, you cant live without one another, its always collaborative. You need to talk to one another and bounce ideas off each other.

Inia teaches groups of young people to perform traditional dances and songs, as well as more contemporary numbers.

In 2021 she was honoured with the Toa Award from the Ministry of Pacific Peoples for her services to the language and the community.

Ka sei ta ou asa? What is your name?

Otou asa le __________ My name is __________

Ka e le ne tei? Where are you from?

Gou le ne __________ I am from ___________

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Rotuman Language Week: Music summons the islands for the young - Stuff

Amazon fires two employees tied to Staten Island union effort – CNBC

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Workers stand in line to cast ballots for a union election at Amazon's JFK8 distribution center, in the Staten Island borough of New York City, U.S. March 25, 2022.

Brendan Mcdermid | Reuters

Amazon has fired two employees tied to an organizing campaign that resulted in the company's first unionized warehouse in the U.S.

Mat Cusick and Tristan Dutchin told CNBC they were fired by Amazon in recent days. Both Cusick and Dutchin have been working with the Amazon Labor Union, an upstart group led by current and former company employees, to organize workers at the e-commerce giant's warehouses on New York's Staten Island.

The ALU notched a historic win last month, when workers at Amazon's largest warehouse in New York City, known as JFK8, voted to join the union. The ALU hoped to replicate its success at a smaller facility nearby, called LDJ5, but the site rejected unionization last week. Still, the victory at JFK8 has spurred organizing efforts at other Amazon warehouses, and the ALU has received high-profile recognition, most notably from President Joe Biden.

Dutchin, who worked as a package picker at JFK8 for almost a year, said he was fired on Saturday after he wrapped up his shift. Amazon told him he had failed to meet the company's productivity goals, which require employees to pick hundreds of packages per hour.

Dutchin said he'd received previous warnings from Amazon about his performance, but had since received additional training. Dutchin said his manager even congratulated him recently on his improved performance.

Cusick, who serves as ALU's communications director, said he was fired last week after going on "Covid care leave," which allows employees to care for family members sick with Covid-19.

A woman holds a placard as Amazon and union workers attend rally outside the company building on April 24, 2022, in the Staten Island borough of New York City.

Kena Betancur | AFP | Getty Images

An employee from Amazon's human resources department allowed him to go on leave until April 29, Cusick said. But on April 30, he received an email from Amazon saying he had been absent from his job for three days, which was grounds for firing, Cusick said.

The next day, Cusick, who sorted packages for delivery at an Amazon facility called DYY6, near JFK8, discovered he'd been locked out of Amazon's internal employee portal.

"I called ERC," Cusick said, referring to the employee resource center, "and said, 'What's going on, it looks like I've been terminated.'"

"I think the first person may have said I wasn't terminated," he said." "I went from China, to India, to a few different teams in the U.S., and everybody had a different take on what was going on."

On May 4, Cusick received a letter from Amazon informing him that he'd been fired "due to job abandonment," according to a copy of the letter viewed by CNBC.

Amazon's employee HR systems have been a subject of scrutiny in the past. Investigations by the The New York Times and Bloomberg identified issues with the heavily automated system, which has struggled to keep pace with the company's rapidly expanding workforce, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

Cusick described his dismissal as "an automated termination."

"Amazon's systems are almost entirely digital," Cusick said. "I was locked out of the system where all that material is stored. I'm locked out of the building so I can't even go to the building where I work to talk to the people inside."

Vice earlier reported on the firings. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said Cusick and Dutchin's cases are unrelated to each other and denied that they were dismissed in retaliation for their organizing with ALU.

"We work hard to accommodate our team's needs, but like any employer, we ask our employees to meet certain minimum expectations and take appropriate action when they're unable to do that," Nantel said.

Amazon has previously fired employees who were outspoken critics of the company's labor practices, including Chris Smalls, the president of ALU. Amazon was recently ordered to give JFK8 employee Gerald Bryson his job back after a judge found the company "unlawfully" fired him two years ago for participating in a pandemic protest.

"I've been doing interviews, going to rallies," Dutchin said. "Me being part of the ALU and making national headlines, they pay attention to that stuff."

The union victory at JFK8 was a major win for labor groups, which have sought to organize Amazon facilities for several years. For the ALU, the challenges aren't over, as it now has to try and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with Amazon, which has already sought to delay a contract by challenging the election outcome in court.

In addition to firing an organizer at JFK8, the company has also made changes to the site's upper ranks in recent days.

Amazon last week fired at least half a dozen senior managers at JFK8, The New York Times reported. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the firings were a result of several weeks of evaluations of "operations and leadership" at JFK8. But the fired managers saw the move as a response to the recent union victory, according to the Times.

While Amazon may be legally allowed to fire managers who are not part of the bargaining unit, the company could face a further fight from the National Labor Relations Board for dismissing union organizers, said Tom Kochan, a professor at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

"It's clearly immoral and a violation of the law to fire union organizers, but it may pay off for the firm to do so because the penalties are so weak," Kochan said. "It's also very difficult to enforce the law to prove that the worker was fired for union activity, rather than not showing up on time or somehow doing the job effectively."

WATCH: Amazon Labor Union wins

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Amazon fires two employees tied to Staten Island union effort - CNBC

Science of Weather: Urban Heat Islands & Planting Trees – CBS Detroit

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Cities hold and absorb quite a bit of heat, but when trees are planted that helps improve the environment. An urban heat island is when a city experiences warmer temperatures than rural areas nearby. Think about it as a dome of heat surrounding a city. Materials used to build cities trap the heat, like pavement, cement, rooftops, and sidewalks. Those substances hold and absorb more of the suns heat enhancing hotter temperatures. Whereas less-developed rural areas dont absorb and hold as much heat from the sun. Plants also act as natures air conditioning. Plants take up water from the ground to their roots and the water will travel to small holes on the plants leaves. From there, the liquid water changes to water vapor and is released into the air.In our city you dont see as many trees and plants, so thats why The City of Detroits General Services Department is committed to planting trees in communities. The plan is to plant 10,000 trees, and so far, they are more than halfway to that goal. This will help beautify the city and dramatically help the environment.

Angel Squalls with Detroits General Services Department speaks about the importance of trees, Trees help the environment by helping to mitigate storm water run-off. As you know in Detroit we have experienced increase in frequency and rate of water with our current rain events weve been having. So by planting trees it will help mitigate that by helping reduce the rate of speed in which the water is running off to the ground and the roots will also help absorb some of water to help decrease flooding in our neighborhoods.

Planting trees in the city have other benefits for residents which you may have not thought about.

Theyre going to help cool our communities with their leaves once they leaf out into a big canopy and help cool our neighborhoods and also decrease energy bills in the city as well as helping to mitigate asthma in the cities. Angel adds.

This initiative is helping create a healthier environment for everyone. So next time you are taking a walk, take a few moments to enjoy nature because its helping our environment. Im Meteorologist Kylee Miller.

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Science of Weather: Urban Heat Islands & Planting Trees - CBS Detroit

Review: Goose Island Craft Cocktails – The Whiskey Wash

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Editors Note: These products were provided to us as review samples by Goose Island. This in no way, per our editorial policies,influencedthe final outcome of thisreview.

A tenet of life on this planet is that moving sucks. Even if you believe its the right thing to do. It doesnt matter if you have a lot of stuff or a little. Or whether its sunny or raining or snowing or hailing. Even the best laid plans will snag in the process of moving. I promise.

Goose Island Craft Cocktails to the rescue?

Much as we love bourbon in these parts, those bottles are heavy! Especially when youre lugging boxes and boxes of them. Or they might break or spill. But Chicago-based andas of 2011Anheuser-Busch-owned (Goose Island Beer Cos got just the thing: Crack open a cocktail like you would a beer. Nicely portable, which these days, I really, really appreciate.

The canned craft cocktail markets already pretty crowded. Delish lists almost 40 different varieties to try. The Spruce Eats published their top 10, and Liquor.com narrows it to nine.

So, I think its safe to say these spirited spirits are nothing new.

But neither is Goose Island. As weve said before, Goose Island Beer Cos brewers have been experimenting and blending with bourbon barrels for the better part of 30 years. The evidence? Their bourbon-barreled stouts, which are annual releases. Their craft cocktails use MGP-sourced three-year-old bourbon, and they explain why on their website: The TL, DR version is that younger whiskey doesnt develop the complex tasting notes of oak, vanilla and caramel that you can only get from aging in a barrel.

Personally, I think three years whiskey aging still runs immature.

But some may be impatient.

I get that.

Late last fall, Goose Island released three craft cocktails: the Old Fashioned Highball, the Whiskey Sour, and the Blackberry Smash. Here are there vital stats: Each is 9 percent alcohol by volume and will be $15.99 per 4-pack of 12 oz. cans. At time of release they were only available in the Chicago are, but may roll out in a wider area this year. Each uses three-year-old whiskey sourced from MGP. The cocktails can be imbibed straight from the can or over ice. For tasting purposes, I tasted each in a glass, un-iced, at room temperature in a cold-ish room.

Goose Island Craft Cocktails (image via Goose Island)

Appearance: I dont know what color I would expect, exactly, from a canned cocktail, actually, but this is somewhat pale, like the color of ginger ale, or light and non-cloudy apple juice.

Nose: The nose is really lovely! Its a welcoming cherry, and a kickass orange. It tastes like how a good and proper Old Fashioned should smell. It smells like a candle Id like to burn.

Palate: I dont really like this. It tastes like a very watered-down cocktail. It tastes youre on a bad date and shaking the ice in your glass while you desperately await a refill. Also, there is an acrid note on the finish. It smells so good and tastes so disappointing! I am sad. I expected more. Boyfriend sauntered into the kitchen to see what was up and had a sip. Said: A soda that has been around too long.

Appearance: A little cloudy, I bet its from the citrus. Its the color of the lemon juice that comes from the plastic lemon. Then again, I would hope this was cloudy though and not clear because sour mix iscloudy and not clear. Right?

Nose: A muddied citrus. Kind of stale, like stale lemon, like lemons after a while in a drink thats gone flat but still has lemon in it. Very lemony. The bourbon smell comes through, too. I hate to say this before I have even had a sip but this smells likehow I imagined a canned cocktail to taste. Tinny.

Palate: Color me surprised! I actually do not hate this, though it certainly does not have the complexity of a Real Drink. The smell put me off more than I expected (or maybe exactly as much as I expected). But its pretty refreshing, actually. I tasted this on a cold and gloomy day, but I could see reaching for one of these from an ice-stuffed cooler on someones patio come August. Boyfriend: Tastes like you made a drink and let it sit on the coffee table for three days and decided to drink it. (He has done this.)

Appearance: A very pretty color. And a precise oneit is, exactly, the color of smashed blackberries. Like the color of a juicy, jammy Zinfandel during a vineyard visit.

Nose: It smells, so much, like the aai flavor of Emergen-C. Kind of sweet, a little fake. But its also also juicy on the nose as well as the eyes. And it smells a little like they blended ripe-to-bursting cherries in it. I hope this does not taste like cough syrup.

Palate: This is not as sick sweet as I had feared. Its the best balanced of the bunch! The whiskey and the berry offset each other very well. I think this would be a solid summer choice over ice. And in fact, Im surprised they rolled this out last fall, because this shouts summer to me. Theres a slight finish of art gallery wine but its not a huge problem, I happen to like art gallery wine. It tastes a little like getting to the bottom of a Manhattan where some Amarena cherry juice has settled. Boyfriend: Cherry coke.

Final Thoughts: I feel like these need to be really cold on a hot day for them to be truly refreshing. But if you like whiskey, dont care about cocktail complexity, and you like to travel light, these may be your thing.

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Review: Goose Island Craft Cocktails - The Whiskey Wash

Portfolio Of Premier – Government of the Virgin Islands

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Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley is Premier under the National Unity Government of the Virgin Islands.

Premier Dr. Wheatley has responsibility for the following subject areas as gazetted via eservices.gov.vg on May 10:

Agriculture

Archives

Building Standards

Co-ordination of Government Policy

Consumer Affairs

Cooperatives

Ecclesiastical and Religious Affairs

Economic Planning

Electrical Inspection

E-Government

Fisheries

Food and Food Security

Gaming

Housing

Human Resource Planning

Immigration

Industrial Development (including Incentives)

Information (including Standards for Media)

International Affairs

Investment Promotion

Maritime Administration and Shipping

Regional Affairs

Science and Technology (including Digital Transformation)

Statistics

Tourism

Town and Country Planning

Trade and Business (including Licences)

Veterinary

Weights and Measures

The Premiers appointment which was effective 5th May 2022, is in accordance with section 56 (1) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 where His Excellency the Governor of the Virgin Islands Mr. John Rankin CMG, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, may by directions in writing, assign to any Minister responsibility for the conduct of any business, including responsibility for the administration of any department of Government.

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Portfolio Of Premier - Government of the Virgin Islands

Hawaii COVID-19 Weekly Update: 718 Cases On Big Island – Big Island Video News

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(BIVN) There were 5,768 new cases of COVID-19 identified in the State of Hawaii this week, up from the 4,249 reported last week. Of that number, 718 new cases were identified on Hawaii island, up from the 565 cases reported the week before.

Health officials say there have been 1,137 active cases on Hawaii island over the last two weeks. There has been a 14-day average of 93 new cases per day on the Big Island, and the average test positivity rate for the same time period is up to 11.8%.

On the Health Departments zip code area map showing reported COVID-19 cases with onset dates in the past 14 days, there are now sixteen (16) zip code areas on the Big Island showing over 11 cases. Zip code areas not listed below have recorded 10 cases or less in 14 days.

* The 96773 zip code area includes zip code areas 96710, 96774, 96728, 96764, and 96780. The 96704 zip code area includes zip code areas 96726.

The State of Hawaii says 2,932,889 total COVID-19 vaccines have been administered. Health officials say 77.4% percent of the State population has been fully vaccinated. 84.6% of the population has initiated vaccination, and 39.6% has gotten a booster or third dose.

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Hawaii COVID-19 Weekly Update: 718 Cases On Big Island - Big Island Video News