How the Bitcoin Blockchain Is Being Used to Safeguard Nuclear Power Stations – CoinDesk – CoinDesk

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Nuclearis, a manufacturer of precision mechanical components for the nuclear industry, is using the Bitcoin blockchain to verify the manufacturing blueprints of parts that make up nuclear power reactors.

Announced Tuesday, Nuclearis, which is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has offices in the U.S. and China, is using the Bitcoin-powered RSK blockchain as an immutable anchor, keeping tabs on critical documents. The firm has open-sourced the framework so other players in the nuclear industry can use it.

Its not the first time blockchain tech has been leveraged within the nuclear industry. Estonias Guardtime has been using its own version of DLT for some time to distribute data as a way to prevent cyberattacks on nuclear infrastructure. There have also been projects using blockchain to track the uranium fuel supply chain and also track what happens to nuclear waste.

Safety is everything when it comes to nuclear. The track and trace use case for manufacturing documents is important because there have been forgeries in the past, where antiquated nuclear reactors have opted for shortcuts to revamp equipment (a high-profile case of this sort went through the courts in France in 2016.)

Some 150 new reactors are set to be built over the next 30 years and the NuclearTech space is all about instilling trust within the operators of nuclear power plants, said Nuclearis CTO Sebastian Martinez.

Part of the problem is that there are many intermediaries in this supply chain and parts of it are still paper-based, said Martinez. We hash the manufacturing documents and upload to the blockchain at the point of creation of the steel part. Months or even years later, when we deliver the part, the power plant can check if everything digitally matches.

Nuclearis, which is working with Argentinas three power plants Atucha I, Atucha II and Embalse said the Argentine government and the countrys main operator of nuclear power plants, Nucleoelctrica Argentina, are looking to adopt its blockchain system.

The RSK blockchain developed with consultancy IOV Labs uses a process called merged mining to run a sidechain on the Bitcoin blockchain and harvest the hash power of the largest cryptocurrency.

The immutability and security that blockchain provides are of the most importance for the nuclear industry, IOV Labs CEO Diego Gutierrez Zaldivar said in a statement. We are very excited about Nuclearis solution in that industry and thrilled they have chosen RSK blockchain and RSK Infrastructure Framework (RIF) technologies for its development.

The RSK-based platform now in use is only for tracking the provenance of new parts, but there are lots of interesting use cases going forward around areas like decommissioning of parts, Nuclearis said.

If you replace something like a pump from a primary circuit that has been radioactive for the last 50 years, you have to decommission it, get it out of the reactor and dismantle it, said Martinez. Traceability of that stuff is very important so it doesnt turn up on some black market, or worse, finds its way into a dirty bomb.

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How the Bitcoin Blockchain Is Being Used to Safeguard Nuclear Power Stations - CoinDesk - CoinDesk

Something good has to come out of this crisis and it begins with finding our souls – Majorca Daily Bulletin

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Serge Obolensky Beddington-Behrens.05-09-2020

Dr. Serge Obolensky Beddington-Behrens, MA (Oxon.), PhD., K.S.M.L., is the first to admit that he was born with a golden spoon in his mouth, but once he completed his education at Oxford, he turned his back on what would have been an extremely privileged and comfortable life and embarked on his own journey which eventually led him to Majorca some seven years ago.

Serge had often visited the island since he was a little boy, but an old school friend invited him out to the island and suggested he bought a holiday home on the island, which he did in Moscari - a small finca - before moving to Pollensa three years ago. He now spends his time between England and Majorca, where he is extremely happy with his second wife.

For forty years he has conducted spiritual retreats all over the world. In the 1980s, he co-founded the Institute for the Study of Conscious Evolution in San Francisco. He is the author of Awakening the Universal Heart and has recently published Gateways to the Soul; Inner Work for the Outer World, which is enjoying huge success in the United States and has just been released in the United Kingdom.

Serge, who trained and studied all over the world and was awarded an Italian knighthood twenty years ago for services to humanity, explained to the Bulletin this week that he actually started his latest book some two years ago but that its message or teachings could not be more apt than now, as the world struggles through the Covid pandemic.

In the book I explore the connections between healing your personal wounds and healing the planet. I try to explain how embracing inner qualities such as love, friendship, joy, courage, forgiveness, and truth, as well as facing your shadow sides and confronting world evil, enables you to move through important gateways leading to the soul.

The book also offers a variety of transpersonal exercises, meditations, and guided visualisations at the end of each chapter, so its also a self-help publication. We are all going through a dreadful and dark time right now and no one really knows whats going to happen next. Will there be a vaccine soon or will the virus mutate and return even stronger? How long will this last? No one has the answers. But what is clear is that life is never going to be the same again and we need to seize this moment, make good of this crisis and change the way we live and our attitude toward others and the world in which we live.

And what is crucial to us being able to move forward in this new world we are entering into is to reconnect with our souls, rediscover who we are and repair our own wounds instead of inflicting them on others. I see a change in civilisation, we need one. The old way of doing things, be it politics, economics or simple social affairs has reached its sell-by date. Its old school - the blame game has got to end and weve got to become accustomed to being accountable for our own actions and positively influencing the actions of others.

And Ive got plenty more to learn as well. I love to create. I guess I write because Im a hopeless musician, although I love to sing and strum a few chords on my guitar. For example, Ive lived in Pollensa for some three years now and until the lockdown, Id never known my neighbours. But once the daily 7pm applause for the health service and frontline workers began, I would join in and also play a few chords and sing a few songs from my balcony. Before I knew it, I not only got to know my neighbours, but weve become good friends who met sharing a common sense of community and respect for the greater good and selfless hard work the medical fraternity was carrying out and continues to do to this day.

Humanity is in a great crisis of soul today, but there is also much goodwill around. As a species, we are challenged to start embracing a new story, one that enables us to be less greedy and materialistic and to espouse peace not war, kindness not cruelty, and heart as opposed to indifference. What we need is to bring more soul into the world.

Serge also works as consultant for large companies around the world helping them adapt to a new way of thinking, operating and recovering their souls.

My message applies to everyone from the top to the bottom, from politicians, big business, economists, international leaders and ecologists; its all interconnected. Its no longer all about making as much money and obtaining as many material items as possible at the cost of the misfortune of others. This new civilisation I see does not, is not, going to work on those bases, beliefs or attitudes. And it does not matter what colour, religion, culture or standing you have in life; those barriers have to be broken down. But to do that we have to start with ourselves.

We have to rediscover our souls, what really matters and learn to enjoy life and the company of others again, learn to laugh, love, help and share. The blame game has to stop. Individuals have to be able to be self-critical and also be held accountable. Our future, the future of the world we and our children will live in is at stake here, and if we fail to learn the lessons and wake up during this crisis then, unfortunately, its going to take an even bigger one to wake us up.

Weve become imprisoned within ourselves and we need to find the key to releasing ourselves and making a stand. If you object to the Japanese whale culling, for example, then join Greenpeace and take part in the maritime blockades to try and protect the whales. We can all make a difference in numerous ways, but now is the time for us to change.

And in the midst of the pandemic we have all these problems. There are conflicts in Belarus, the Lebanon. There are people starving, there is immigration and the Black Lives Matter issue, which is being fuelled by far-right factions not only in the United States but across the world which are intent on sparking off more problems as opposed to finding solutions; that is a human trait we have to shake off.

That said, it doesnt help by having someone like Donald Trump in charge of the most powerful country in the world. Ive never seen a more unhappy person. Ive yet to see him smile or laugh. Hes classic old school, old civilisation. He grew up indoctrinated in thinking about himself, making as much money as possible while becoming all powerful. He doesnt care about anyone else apart from himself and when things dont go his way, he simply blames everyone else.

Give him a week on one my retreats and I will make him laugh and smile again and help him heal the internal wounds he continues to inflict on everyone else. And the same can be said for many leading politicians. Theres little thought for the common good, all they think about is popularity, standings in the polls and votes, which amount to even more power. We need to remember how to listen and appreciate other peoples ideas and respect their way of thinking, its the only we can move forward as a new civilisation and in a much more civilised world."

His latest guide, which is available on Amazon, from the only newsagent in Pollensa (or as a signed copy direct by contacting him by email), is about engaging in inner work to bring change into the world. Serge reveals how the healing of our personal wounds combined with the growing of our soul life leads us directly to the addressing of world problems.

Sharing inspirational stories from his own personal journey of becoming a transpersonal psychotherapist, shaman, and activist, he shows you how, by transforming your inner world, you begin creating important positive ripples that reverberate around all areas of your outer one.

And should anyone who is suffering during this crisis feel the need for some help or guidance, Serge is offering a one-hour free session via Skype for residents here in the Balearics. All you have to do is contact him via email. Its my way of trying to help.

For more information email: infosergebb@gmail.com

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Something good has to come out of this crisis and it begins with finding our souls - Majorca Daily Bulletin

The story of Sealand a most improbable sovereign state – Spectator.co.uk

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Sealand: The True Story of the Worlds Most Stubborn Micronation

Dylan Taylor-Lehman

Icon Books, pp. 320, 16.99

In 2012, the editors of Vice ran an article aimed at would-be contributors to their self-avowedly edgy magazine headed Never Pitch Any of These Things to Us Again. Among a list of no-nos that included burlesque dancing and art made of bodily fluids was the principality of Sealand. They wrote:

OK, so an independent sovereign state floating just outside the UK sounds great, right? Except, well its not really, is it? I mean, its not an independent sovereign state like, say, France. Its more like a big, floating turd of mental illness in the North Sea.

Unsurprisingly, Dylan Taylor-Lehman, the American author of this doggedly respectful account of how an abandoned, rusting former second world war naval fort in the North Sea became the worlds most stubborn micronation, hardly subscribes to this point of view. A 12-page appendix is supplied to support Sealands legal claim to a France-like stateness.

Yet both turds and madness do put in appearances here. The author believes that those islands covered in seagulls droppings which were seized by turd-harvesting colonists following the passing of the United States Guano Island Act of 1856 can be seen as historical forebears of Sealand. Navy grunts, meanwhile, who had the misfortune to be stationed on what UK government officials still scrupulously refer to as Roughs Tower during the war, frequently suffered fort madness. At least one soldier, we are told, jumped to his death in despair, preferring to drown in the North Sea than stay another moment on the fort.

Insanity, it appears, was therefore baked in at the start, and present long before the retired army major and self-described self-made millionaire Patrick Paddy Roy Bates, in the heyday of the pirates, ousted a crew from Radio Caroline to take possession of the fort for his own rival radio station in 1967. The hare-brained scheme to declare this decaying concrete hulk, then lying unambiguously outside Britains territorial waters, an independent principality was dreamt up in a pub, and initially seem to have been a bit of a ruse to get around such legislation as the new UK Marine Broadcasting (Offences) Act.

But Bates won one legal battle, and saw off more than a few attempts to evict him and his family from the fort. Sealand, as it was named, began to acquire the trappings of nationhood with its own constitution, anthem and motto E Mare Libertas (From the Sea, Freedom), a flag, stamps and passports. In 1972 it issued its first coins, and seven years later hosted its first wedding. An invitation was apparently extended to the newly elected prime minister Margaret Thatcher, but she proved a no-show.

Much madness duly ensued in the subsequent decades. From the appearance of a Sealand passport in the murder investigation of the Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace to the countrys brief role as an internet data haven for a band of black-clad American cyber-libertarians, Taylor-Lehman relates the good, the bad and the ridiculous with a mostly straight face and with plenty of input from the Bates family. The longtime regent and current ruler, Prince Michael, provides some of the pithiest lines, describing his late father as an unstoppable nutter, and self-deprecatingly summarising the whole enterprise as largely one of blood, sweat, tears and wages, fuel and generators.

There are nevertheless nastier elements here. In 1978 Sealand was subjected to a coup by some of the principalitys more mercenary (in all senses of the word) German and Dutch business associates. Shadowy descendants of this thwarted venture continue to lay claim to the territory and operate a government in exile with links to some decidedly unsavoury, not to say anti-Semitic, groups which, given the forts origins as a defence against Luftwaffe bombing raids and Sealands founders distinguished service in the second world war, the Bateses regardas more than a bleeding liberty.

Taylor-Lehman points out that Bates Snr was born in Ealing, home to the film studio responsible for Passport to Pimlico. With its declaration of independence, its dubious foreign emissaries, rackety offshore business ventures and tussles with men from the ministry, the story of Sealand certainly shares some similarities with that rather genteel 1949 film though its hard to picture Stanley Holloway defending his turf from intruders with petrol bombs and pistols, as Bates and his then teenage offspring often did.

But the Bateses seem fundamentally more Essex than Ealing or Pimlico. Rough Diamond Roy, with his endless get-rich schemes, and his wife Princess Joan, a sometime model, lived most of their onshore lives in and around Southend, on the Thames estuary. That continues to be the clans base, and their more reliable business interests are in cockling though the internet now ensures that Sealand does a brisker trade in titles and merchandising than was ever possible in Roys day.

But Taylor-Lehman also mentions that this is an area with a proud heritage of non-conformity, and he sees Sealand in the continuum of such experimental communities as the Land Colony at Hadleigh though it seems to me more in the spirit of the plot land settlements of Canvey Island, where dreams of autonomous self-sufficiency were pursued in converted railway carriages on strips of unwanted marshland. Film rights have, apparently, been sold many times over, yet nothing has come of it, and a reality TV show also failed to get beyond a pilot. Which seems rather a pity, because theres a kind of tooled-up TOWIE crying out to be made here.

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The story of Sealand a most improbable sovereign state - Spectator.co.uk

E-Voting App Maker Voatz Asks The Supreme Court To Let It Punish Security Researchers For Exposing Its Flaws – Techdirt

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from the be-the-injustice-you-want-to-see-in-the-world dept

Voatz has decided to weigh in on a Supreme Court case that could turn a lot of normal internet activity into a federal crime. At the center of this CFAA case is a cop who abused his access privileges to run unauthorized searches of law enforcement databases. The end result -- after a visit to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals -- was a CFAA conviction for violating the system's terms of use.

That's why this case is important. If the CFAA is interpreted this broadly, plenty of people become criminals. And it won't just be security researchers risking criminal charges simply by performing security research. It will also be everyone who lies to social media services about their personal info. Lawprof Orin Kerr's brief to the Supreme Court points out what a flat "no unauthorized use" reading would do to him.

Like the majority of American adults, I have a Facebook account. Facebooks terms of service require its users to [p]rovide accurate information about themselves. See Facebook Terms of Service, https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms/plain_text_ terms (last visited July 1, 2020). I recently violated that term by listing my home city as Sealand. Sealand is an offshore platform in the North Sea near England built during World War II to host anti-aircraft guns. Its not actually my home city. I list it only to make a point about the CFAA. But under the governments position, my joke is no laughing matter. It is a federal crime.

No one should want the law to be read this way. Not even sites that would greatly prefer users to respect the terms of service. The collateral damage of a broad reading would make it far easier to prosecute people who use sites in ways owners don't expect or engage in research efforts that require ignoring the rules. And it would give abusive site owners plenty of ways to harass users and visitors they don't like.

But one developer wants this to happen. And it's a developer of notoriously flawed e-voting systems. Voatz has made plenty of headlines lately. None of them have been flattering. MIT researchers discovered a bunch of flaws in Voatz software. Voatz tried to combat this negative press by hiring outside researchers to perform an independent audit of its systems. This went no better than the MIT study. Voatz is full of holes, which made its accusations that the MIT researchers were only in it for the clicks look even stupider.

Voatz thinks the court should read the CFAA as broadly as possible, which will make it easier for it to punish security researchers for finding flaws in its software. It's literally the only thing it's arguing. Its 16-page brief [PDF] makes this ridiculous claim:

A BROAD READING OF EXCEEDS AUTHORIZED ACCESS IN THE CFAA WILL NOT HAVE A DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON COMPUTER SECURITY

That's it. That's the argument. That is all Voatz wants to say.

The brief says researchers won't be harmed because bug bounty programs and controlled access for authorized penetration testing, etc. operate using completely different terms of service. Under these guidelines, researchers are "free" to conduct their research without worrying about CFAA charges.

But that's a very limited view of security research. Lots of security research is ongoing and not limited to hunting bugs for bounties or at the behest of sites and services. That's what would be affected by a broad reading and Voatz's interest in securing a broad reading can be traced back to the MIT research it still claims is incorrect. It's also still very defensive people have accused Voatz of sending the FBI after some freelance researchers. For no apparent reason, it recounts this incident in its brief, submitting as evidence of something.

The Computer Researchers also cite a news account claiming that Voatz reported two college students to the Federal Bureau of Investigations. (Computer Researchers amicus brief, p. 24). That account is at least partially inaccurate, in that Voatz made no report to the FBI or any other federal authority. Rather, Voatz reported the students unauthorized attempts to access its systems to its customer, the State of West Virginia, because the students ill-advised activity was indistinguishable from a hostile attack and the students did not seek any prior authorization privately or through Voatzs public bug bounty program. It is a standard practice for technology companies to report attack attempts to their clients and Voatz is contractually required to report such potential attacks during live elections the same way an electric company would be required to report an attack on an electric grid to state and federal authorities, or a dam operator would be required to report an attack on software that monitors and operates dams to authorities such as the Army Corps of Engineers. Officials in West Virginia, in their discretion and independent of Voatz, then chose to refer the matter to the FBI. To Voatzs knowledge, no one was prosecuted.

Following Voatz's argument to its logical conclusion, a broad reading would result in more prosecutions because there's very little security research that doesn't involve violating terms of service agreements. It would allow everything to hinge on "discretion." This might mean something if entities caught with their security pants down were more reasonable in their responses. Unfortunately, shooting the messenger is still the most popular response.

And the less said about the supposed "discretion" of prosecutors the better. Prosecutors pursue convictions, not justice. And the DOJ has not shied away from pursuing very questionable CFAA prosecutions in the past.

Voatz wants messengers shot. It's that simple.

While the Computer Researchers portray themselves as under threat of being victimized for inadvertently tripping over a restriction, the reality is different: they wish to be free to deliberately infiltrate a live system in violation of readily accessible terms, openly publish any results obtained, and be immune from being intercepted or reported for doing so.

Voatz thinks the law should aid and abet its antagonism towards researchers who've uncovered flaws in systems it hopes to sell to government agencies. If the Supreme Court decides to side with Voatz, it will be open season on researchers. This is what Voatz wants. And there are others like Voatz out there that would welcome the chance to punish people for exposing problems they're not interested in fixing. But only Voatz has put it in writing.

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyones attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise and every little bit helps. Thank you.

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Filed Under: cfaa, e-voting, security research, supreme courtCompanies: voatz

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E-Voting App Maker Voatz Asks The Supreme Court To Let It Punish Security Researchers For Exposing Its Flaws - Techdirt

People also live in these horrible places, know what’s here – News Track English

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There are many strange places in the world where it is very difficult for a person to go away. Today, we are going to tell you about some of the strange and fierce places that you will be confident of knowing that no matter what the place may be, human beings can make their place of residence anywhere.

The magnificent place in Turkey's ancient Anatolia province is considered to be one of the oldest sites of human beings. Cappadokia shows the process in which human evolution proceeded. The records of the sixth century B.C. here show that it has been the oldest province in the Parsi Empire. The place is also included in unesco world heritage. It is also the highest-altitude walled district on Yemen's Harraj Mountains, known as Al Hajrah.

However, officially it is considered to be of the 12th century. Many of these wall-like houses have been reconstructed from time to time. There is no country's title on the place where these houses are built in the sea. These places are very different to live. Some humans also rated it the smallest state in the world. Built on Sealand, the Seafort is 13 kilometres from the Great Britain Island. In the past, Sealand had his own passport and currency. The Rosanou Monastery (monastery) is present on a pillar-like steep hill in the Thesle region of Greece. At the same time, this place is excellent and frightening.

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People also live in these horrible places, know what's here - News Track English

Yellow Jackets not taking any moral victories in 2-1 loss to Wooster – Mount Vernon News

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Michael Rich/Mount Vernon News Mount Vernons Olivia Reddy (11) scores a goal in the first half of the Yellow Jackets 2-1 loss to Wooster in Ohio Cardinal Conference girls soccer action on Sept. 3 at Yellow Jacket Stadium in Mount Vernon.

The Mount Vernon girls soccer team hasnt fared well against Wooster in the past.

It would take all fingers and most toes to count the Generals goals since the Yellow Jackets joined the Ohio Cardinal Conference before the 2016 season. It would take none of those things to count Mount Vernons output over that period.

But Sept. 3 showed just how far the Jackets have come, even in a 2-1 defeat at Yellow Jacket Stadium to open OCC play.

Mount Vernon coach Bill Lonsinger wasnt taking any moral victories, though.

I almost feel as a program were beyond little victories, he said.

Oliva Reddy tapped in a Makenna Brokaw corner kick that pinballed off the post with 18:40 left in the first half to break the four-year scoring seal and give Mount Vernon a 1-0 lead.

The first half, we looked excellent, Lonsinger said. We looked like we could be state-ranked. But then the second half, it fell apart a little bit. But I gotta give credit to (Wooster) too.

The Generals got goals from Sophie Gamble and Mattie Dunlap in the second half and held off a late rush to escape with the win.

Overall, I hope its a growing process, and we learn, Lonsinger said. But as a program, I feel like were getting there. I think were going to be O.K., but its a tough pill to swallow tonight.

The loss dropped the Jackets to 2-2 this season. Despite the .500 record, Mount Vernon is outscoring its opposition 16-7.

Thats just massive, Lonsinger said. From a team five years that allowed 120 goals and scored 30. Its just a massive change (and) Im really happy for the girls. In the past, we werent even close to (Wooster) and now were getting there.

The Jackets had a 7-0 win over Shelby on Aug. 26 and a 5-1 victory against Johnstown on Sept. 1 after a season-opening 4-3 loss to Mansfield Christian on Aug. 22.

Reddy had a hat trick and added an assist in the win over the Whippets and Stella Bainbridge tallied two goals and an assist in the victory against the Johnnies.

Our team is just working together a lot, Reddy said. I think were going to see more success than weve ever seen in this program. So, thats really exciting.

All told, Reddy has five goals and three assists, Makenna Brokaw has three goals and three assists, and Bainbridge has three goals and an assist as seven different Jackets have found the back of the net so far this season.

Last year, we relied on specific people (to score goals), Reddy said. But this year, were all scoring and were all working together. Were a much older and our skills are much better.

Michael Rich: 740-397-5333 or mrich@mountvernonnews.com and on Twitter, @mrichnotwealthy

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Yellow Jackets not taking any moral victories in 2-1 loss to Wooster - Mount Vernon News

Road construction projects planned for the week | Local News – Herald and News

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Klamath County will have work crews at the following locations next week; please use caution when in these areas and watch for flaggers. Consider alternate routes when able for the safety of workers.

Klamath County

n Washburn Way to Laverne Avenue to South Side Bypass asphalt replacement lane closures with flagging.

n Paint striping stencil crews Sept. 8-10 will conduct miscellaneous chip seal and fog seal on county roads.

n Crack seal crews Sept. 8-10 on Drews Road, Lower Lake Road.

n South Suburban Sanitary District sewer pipe installation on Skyline, Cannon, Watson, Western and Donegal.

n Crescent area will have miscellaneous sewer pipe construction.

n Ogden Street upgrades to add curb, gutter and sidewalks to existing roads.

City of Klamath Falls

n Asphalt crews Sept. 8-10 will be performing paving on the 2200 block of Applegate Avenue at the intersection of Delores Avenue and Fremont Street.

n Paint crews Sept. 8-11 will be painting legends and crosswalks on Main Street and Klamath Avenue.

n Sign maintenance and sweeping will be performed throughout the City of Klamath Falls as needed.

Detours and signage will be in place where needed. Drivers are urged to proceed with caution through construction zones, or consider alternate routes.

For more information contact City Public Works Department at 541-883-5385.

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Road construction projects planned for the week | Local News - Herald and News

Task force: Take the Confederate flag off the Williamson Co. seal – Tennessean

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FRANKLIN, Tenn. A task force designated to determine the livelihood of the Williamson County seal has reported to county commissioners that they should consider removing the Confederate flag from the design.

The 30-page report detailed three key options in removing the emblem from the Confederacy from the seal.

The seal: Williamson citizens speak for, against Confederate flag on County Seal

'A day of reckoning': Debate ensues over Confederate flag in Williamson County seal

The entrance lobby in the Williamson County courthouse in downtown Franklin features the Williamson County seal on the floor which includes a Confederate flag.(Photo: Shelley Mays/The Tennessean )

"After rounds of discussions and several edits, we are proud to say we remained unified in our recommendation because we made sure not to divide over our diverse personal attachments and various historical interpretations over the meaning and evolution of the Confederate flag," the group wrote in the report. "The recommendation of the task force to the Williamson County Commission is to request removal of the Confederate flag from the upper left hand corner of the seal."

They recommended:

The task force emerged after a three-and-a-half hour debate with multiple amendments introduced from the Williamson County Board of Commissioners, which voted 18-5 to approve theformation of a nine-member task force to study the seal.

Adopted in 1968 during the civil rights movement, the Williamson County seal has drawnmountingcriticism from constituents.

Most commissioners said they received an enormous response from the community about the seal in emails, phone calls andpetitions some against the Confederate symbol on the seal and some in favor.

The commissionwill discuss the report at its upcoming meeting this month.

Kerri Bartlett contributed to this report.

Emily West is a reporter for The Tennessean, covering Franklin and Williamson County. Follow her on Twitter @emwest22 and email her at erwest@tennessean.com.

Read or Share this story: https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/williamson/2020/09/05/williamson-county-seal-remove-confederate-flag-task-force-recommends/5730305002/

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Task force: Take the Confederate flag off the Williamson Co. seal - Tennessean

Wargaming Cyber Security – War on the Rocks

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Wargames can save lives is axiomatic in the wargame community. But can they save your network? As modern conflict has become increasingly digital, cyber wargaming has emerged as an increasingly distinct and significant activity. Moreover, its doing double duty. In addition to its application to national defense, its also helping protect the economy and critical infrastructure. Wargaming is a military tool used to gain an advantage on the battlefield. However, it has also found a home beyond national security, frequently used in the private sector. Cyber security straddles the battlefield and the boardroom. As a result, it is not surprising that cyber wargaming is increasingly common across both the public and private sectors. As cyber security concerns intensify, so too does the attention given to cyber wargaming.

Designed well and used appropriately, cyber wargames are a powerful tool for cyber research and education. However, misconceptions about what cyber wargames are, their uses, and potential abuses pose challenges to the development of cyber wargaming.

What Are Cyber Wargames?

Cyber wargames are a specialized class of wargame about how human decisions relate to cyber actions and effects. They distill the complexities of cyberspace into a manageable and functional form, allowing discrete elements to be studied and taught.

They can be categorized as games with cyber and games about cyber. A wargame with cyber may have a significant cyber component, but that is not the wargames focus. Examples include some Department of Defense wargames that attempt to bolt-on cyber operations to games focused on conventional sea, land, and air operations. In these wargames, cyberspace is just one consideration among many. Wargames about cyber are primarily, if not exclusively, dedicated to some aspect of cyberspace, such as investigating how cyberspace operations impact strategic decisions. These are what we often think of when we describe cyber wargames. They run the gambit from cyber incident response inside individual organizations to large, interagency wargames.

Cyber wargames are still wargames about human decision-making. The nature of cyberspace fuels the misconception that cyber wargames should be highly technical as well. This error leads people to conflate several related but distinct technical activities. For example, hands-on-keyboard events like NATOs Locked Shields cyber exercise or other capture the flag events are useful, but they are not wargames. Breach and attack simulations, penetration testing, cyber range training, and even hackathons play an important role in the cyber security ecosystem. But they shouldnt be mistaken for wargames. There is a fine but important line between technical exercises, training, and modeling and simulation on the one hand, and wargames on the other.

Why Do Cyber Wargaming?

Cyber security is hard, but cyber wargaming can help. Cyberspace is a cross-cutting infrastructure upon which numerous other infrastructures and systems now rely. It helps drive the economy, guide weapons, deliver memes, and brings people together or regrettably, drive them apart. Listing what networked and digital information technology has not been disrupted, transformed, or destroyed would be easier than thinking through what has. As a result, we face a sea of unknowns. Whats more, the topological vastness, technological complexity, and conceptual vagueness of this domain make cyber security difficult to study and teach. The techno-mysticism and buzzwords around cyber peace and conflict dont help. When well done, cyber wargames can cut through this clutter, advancing education and investigation of a dynamic subject.

Like all wargames, cyber wargames can serve several different purposes chiefly research and analysis, and education. The U.S. Naval War Colleges 2017 Navy-Private Sector Critical Infrastructure Wargame, for example, was a research wargame about cyber. Along with private sector participants, it investigated the threshold at which cyber attacks against U.S. critical infrastructure become a national security incident and the role of government in such a crisis. Alternatively, the Atlantic Councils Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge is an educational wargame series, wherein students around the world develop competing policy responses to fictional but realistic cyber incidents.

Despite ubiquitous workplace cyber awareness trainings, most people are not cyber experts. Generally, people dont need deep expertise about cyberspace any more than they need a sophisticated knowledge about aerodynamics or epidemiology but a basic understanding is valuable. This is especially true for leaders. Like it or not, cybersecurity is commanders business. Wargames have a long history as educational tools, and cyber wargames should be no exception. There is a marked difference between reading about the value of allies and partners in cyberspace and the wargaming experience of trying to secure public and private computer networks that, for instance, connect the United States and South Korea to Pyongyang by way of China. Furthermore, cyber wargames provide a unique vehicle for cyber experts and non-experts to work together towards resolving common problems, as they should in a real crisis. Wargaming helps leaders to understand and respond to the consequential realities about competition between states or businesses.

What Goes into a Cyber Wargame?

For cyber wargames, like wargames in general, design decisions about what to include and exclude about the digital domain have a profound impact. It is impossible to include every aspect of cyberspace in any wargame. Nor is it desirable. Instead, good design identifies the critical elements of cyberspace that are necessary to address the wargames objective(s) and represents them and little else in the wargame. While a simple proposition, this is a difficult problem in practice, given how interdependent and complex many systems are in cyberspace. Determining what part of these complex systems to present, and how, is typically decided on case-by-case.

For instance, a wargame designed to explore gaps in a healthcare companys cyber incident response plan should probably include the firms information technology networks and computer systems. But at what level of detail or abstraction? And do you also need to include the entangled external networks, such as software vendors, service providers, and supply chain partners? What about employees personal electronic devices? Or the internet of things in the corporate headquarters?

Cyber wargames for the armed services are no less daunting. You cant map cyberspace to a geographic theater of operations: Information technology networks reach across borders and continents. Add to that the complexity of different users and owners, such as sister services, civilian agencies, partner nations, neutral third parties, private citizens, and others. Scoping, abstracting, and excluding are essential steps in cyber wargame design.

Game designers should ultimately make peace with uncertainty. There are too many unknowns to quantify all variables. Accurate or not, this is often attributed to a lack of good data. While cyberspace may consist of interconnected networks, information about these networks is nevertheless segmented and distributed across a wide range of different public and private entities. Cyberspace is also dynamic. The newest thing means that something else is often outdated. Important assumptions about a target may change radically after a simple software update or patch. When cyber wargames address these complex dynamics, game design nevertheless requires embracing the pervasive uncertainty of cyberspace.

This uncertainty isnt just about technology. Its also about people. Humans are integral to cyberspace. The multitude of ways that users define and interact with this domain is daunting, even when the hardware and software remain relatively constant. To quote a Naval War College colleague, you never know how sailor Timmy is going to break the network next. People sometimes do unexpected things. Smaller, focused cyber wargames can sometimes help make decision-making more manageable by restricting the range of technologies and user behaviors. Large cyber wargames with more players, more networks and systems, and a broader set of objectives include more uncertainty.

Caveat Emptor

Cottage industries have emerged that cater to every type of cyber security need. A variety of contractors, consultants, and specialists offer bespoke cyber wargames, support services, and wargaming tools. Often, they provide valuable services during a time when people are grasping for insights and solutions. Yet there are also potentially troubling challenges and conflicts of interest. Wargame sponsors and participants sometimes lack the social and technical ability to assess the wargame product they receive critically. Alternatively, the need for immediate, easy answers for hard cyber problems encourages problematic cyber wargames. Whatever the source, and there can be many, the potential problems and pathologies with cyber wargames go beyond the purely technical or conceptual.

In a world of new tech, vaporware, and buzzwords, cyber wargames can be used to sell other products, services, or ideas. The marketplace for cyber security may encourage using wargames as a sales pitch, leveraging the emotional and intellectual intensity of wargames for influence. One example is using cyber wargames to create anxiety or fear with cyber doom scenarios. While this may be appropriate in some specific instances, more often than not, its threat inflation to advance a program, advocate for an idea, or sell a product. This is not a new problem, nor is it limited to cyber or wargaming. Bureaucratic politics and defense procurement raise the specter of ulterior motives in wargames for the Department of Defense. The risks are significant for Fortune 500 companies as well as government agencies.

Theres also the problem of cyber wargames that dont produce anything of value, either by design or by error. The most meaningless and infamous wargames are BOGSATs (a bunch of guys/gals sitting around a table). Cyber BOGSATs are common. These games may appear promising, with distinguished participants and institutions. But they lack clear objectives or game design leading to no substantial finding or benefit. BOGSATs occur when a wargame is not the best tool for the problem, is window dressing for something else, or is just poorly designed.

Particularly egregious are cyber wargames that actively cause harm by teaching the wrong lessons or creating false knowledge. Unfortunately, this is not a new or uncommon phenomenon. Common causes are ill-designed or unrealistic cyber elements and gameplay, poorly specified cyber objectives, and poor communication. A cyber wargame about a high-intensity conflict where cyberspace operations are consistently and catastrophically effective might lead to some skewed perspectives on cyberspace operations. Alternatively, poorly abstracted networks and computer systems may artificially limit player creativity or instill a false sense of security. Finally, and most fundamentally, they might fail to articulate how cyberspace has been abstracted or will be used within the game. Because cyberspace is synthetic, its representation can vary significantly and in different ways from other domains. In any case, poor design will result in games that fail to meet their objectives. Worse yet, they teach the wrong lessons, skew analysis, or stifle new or innovative ideas. My colleague, Dr. Nina Kollars, and I discuss these and related cyber wargaming challenges and pathologies in an upcoming Atlantic Council article.

Conclusion

Cyber wargames are powerful tools for creating and sharing knowledge and grappling with uncertainty. However, like any tool, there are risks of abuse and misuse. While problems facing cyber wargaming have some unique characteristics, others are common to all wargaming. Clear articulation of objectives, transparency, rigor, and accountably are common solutions to wargaming woes. Other, more cyber specific problems require additional efforts to address. Improving access to data, increasing general cyber literacy, and normalizing the role of cyber subject matter experts in designing and playing in wargames will take time.

Wargames are no panacea. That said, cyber wargames are not only a reliable tool to support cyber research and education, but perhaps one of the best. When adhering to the best practices of wargame design and execution, they can help illuminate cyberspace and allow serious exploration of methods and potential solutions for cyber security.

Benjamin Schechter is the resident wargame designer in the Cyber and Innovation Policy Institute and a faculty member in the Strategic and Operational Research Department at the U.S. Naval War College. He helped design the Naval War College critical infrastructure wargame series, as well as an experimental cyber-nuclear wargame that has been played around the world. His current research focuses on cyber security, cyber wargaming, and political psychology.

The views presented here are his alone and do not necessarily represent those of the U.S. Naval War College, the U.S. Navy, or the Department of Defense.

Image: U.S. Army National Guard (Photo by Sgt. Michael Giles)

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Wargaming Cyber Security - War on the Rocks

Did a 16-Year-Old Have A Hand in Twitter Hack? – The New York Times

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When authorities arrested Graham Ivan Clark, who they said was the mastermind of the recent Twitter hack that ensnared Kanye West, Bill Gates and others, one detail that stood out was his age: He was only 17.

Now authorities have homed in on another person who appears to have played an equal, if not more significant, role in the July 15 attack, according to four people involved in the investigation who declined to be identified because the inquiry was ongoing. They said the person was at least partly responsible for planning the breach and carrying out some of its most sensitive and complicated elements.

His age? Just 16, public records show.

On Tuesday, federal agents served the teenager with a search warrant and scoured the Massachusetts home where he lives with his parents, said one of the people involved in the operation. A spokesman for the F.B.I. confirmed a search warrant had been executed at the address.

The search warrant and other documents in the case are under seal, and federal agents may decide not to charge the youth with a crime. If he is ultimately arrested, the case is likely to be handed over to Massachusetts authorities, who have more leverage than federal prosecutors in charging minors as adults. (The New York Times is not naming the teenager at this point because of his age and because he has not been charged.)

Rarely have federal agents gone after someone so young in a hacking case, especially given the apparent sophistication of the attack. During the hack, much of Twitter including President Trumps unfiltered communications on the service was largely immobilized. The attackers gained control of the social networks systems and compromised the accounts of Barack Obama, Joseph R. Biden Jr., Jeff Bezos and many other prominent people, exposing just how vulnerable Twitter could be.

Authorities have already charged three other people in the hack. They include Mr. Clark, who Florida prosecutors charged in late July as an adult with 30 felonies. He has pleaded not guilty and has not made the bail payment to get out of jail. The other two people are Mason John Sheppard, 19, of the United Kingdom, and Nima Fazeli, 22, of Orlando, Fla., who were charged by federal prosecutors.

Twitter declined to comment.

The Massachusetts teenager appeared to get involved in planning the Twitter attack with Mr. Clark in May, according to investigators. While Mr. Clark and some of his accomplices talked with one another on the messaging board Discord, the youth restricted himself to using encrypted messaging systems like Signal and Wire, several hackers who saw the messages said.

He was smarter than the rest, Joseph OConnor, a hacker known as PlugWalkJoe, said of the teenager. Mr. OConnor said he talked with some of the people involved in the hack on the day of the Twitter attack and was aware of the teenagers role in the scheme.

The youths secure communications made it harder for investigators to identify him. But Mr. OConnor and other people in the online conversation that day said that he made video calls to friends on the day of the hack and showed them that he was inside Twitters back-end systems, which some accomplices never got near.

The teenager was known for calling employees of companies, such as Twitter, according to investigators and other hackers. He often posed as a contractor or employee to convince employees to enter their login credentials into fraudulent websites where the credentials could be captured, a method known as voice phishing or vishing. The login credentials made it possible for the hackers to then access the inner workings of the companies systems.

After the Twitter hack, the boy became a focus of investigators because he continued to be involved in voice phishing attacks, people involved in the probe said.

Using vished credentials, cybercriminals mined the victim company databases for their customers personal information to leverage in other attacks, federal authorities said in a warning about the ongoing scheme issued in August.

According to online forensic research and social media posts, the teenager lives in a modest two-story house in a coastal Massachusetts city where he attended a nearby private school. Facebook posts showed him with floppy hair when going for his black belt in martial arts at age 11.

His parents filed for divorce two years ago and appeared to struggle with money. His mother, a wellness instructor, reportedly lost her job after lying about her credentials, according to local newspapers. His father was foreclosed on four times and declared bankruptcy twice, according to public records.

Around age 13, the boy bought a series of websites with pornographic names and tried to resell them using his personal address and email, according to domain records.

Around the same time, online forum accounts tied to his email address and home internet protocol address showed up on the website OGusers.com, a site that was the home for the others involved in the Twitter attack, according to two online forensic firms. The site provides a place for hackers to buy and sell coveted original gangster user names on social media sites, such as single letter accounts like @a or @6.

The teenager rotated among several aliases tied to his various online accounts, according to intelligence analysis done by the firm Intel471. The messages from the accounts included profanities, anti-Semitic remarks and homophobic comments. At one point, the teenager complained about losing around $200,000 on a Bitcoin gambling site. He also offered to sell a user name for $3,000 in Bitcoin, according to messages from the forum that were later leaked.

IF your broke and cant afford or dont think thats a good price JUST DONT EVEN MESSAGE ME! he wrote in late 2018.

He later linked up with Mr. Clark online and they began working together, people involved in the investigation said. Their early work, hackers said and investigators confirmed, was on so-called SIM swaps, a hacking method that is often used to steal social media accounts and cryptocurrency.

Late last year and early this year, hackers and investigators said, the teenager was part of a group that got inside the site GoDaddy, a company that sells and secures website names. The hackers were able to access and change customer records. GoDaddy confirmed the hack in a letter to customers.

In May, the Massachusetts teenager and Mr. Clark began tricking Twitter employees to give up their logins, leading to the July 15 hack. The boys, using the alias Kirk, began selling valuable Twitter user names to customers.

Just after noon California time that day, the other accomplices dropped out, they said in interviews with The Times a few days later. Mr. Clark and the Massachusetts teenager then took over prominent Twitter accounts like those belonging to Mr. Obama and Elon Musk and used them to send out a Bitcoin scam. Investigators said the Massachusetts teenager was logged into Twitters systems and handled at least some of the changes to the accounts and the tweets that went out from them.

People responding to the scam sent the teenagers around 12 Bitcoin, worth around $140,000. Those proceeds appeared to have been roughly split in half between the two people in charge, according to the public ledger of Bitcoin transactions.

Kate Conger contributed reporting. Sheelagh McNeil contributed research.

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Did a 16-Year-Old Have A Hand in Twitter Hack? - The New York Times

1967 Ford Mustang Wood Carving Is Automotive Art At Its Finest – Motor1

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This isnt the first time weve seen the masterful wood carving skills of Woodworking Art on YouTube. It is, however, the first time weve seen that talent directed to a smaller car. In this instance, were talking about real-world size as from the look of things, this Mustang isnt built-to-scale with the F-150 Raptor and Toyota Land Cruiser we covered previously. But that makes no difference in the coolness of this classic 1967 Shelby GT500

As always, the project starts out with big, unfinished pieces of chunky wood that will ultimately serve as the various sections of the car. One might think its all carved from a single piece of wood, but thats far from the truth. The left and right sides of the body are traced out and cut separately, as are the roof, hood, doors, trunk, interior, tires, and wheels. Thats why the classic Stang has so many moving parts, which for this project even includes a steering wheel that turns.

All measure of tools are brought into play for the project. The primary cuts are done with a small bandsaw, but theres plenty of cutting by hand as well. Getting the angles correct for the roof and hood involves a small hand saw, and there is considerable chiseling as well. Thats where the real skill comes in anyone can cut wood with a bandsaw, but the precise use of a wood chisel is something that only comes with years of experience. The chisel is used for everything from basic shaping to adding incredible details such as tread patterns in the tires and detail work on the wheels. And the fantastic finished project speaks for itself.

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We also love the tinted windows of this Mustang being separate stained sections of wood. For that matter, it wouldnt be difficult to seal and paint these wood-carved projects for a more realistic look, but the beauty here isnt simply recreating a scale-replica of a car. Its capturing the Mustangs timeless design in the grain of the wood a process that took three weeks from start to finish according to the video description. Condensed into this eight-minute video, its a timelapse build we could watch over and over again.

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1967 Ford Mustang Wood Carving Is Automotive Art At Its Finest - Motor1

On this day in 1981: Chester v Plymouth abandoned after goalkeeper collides with goalpost – Who Ate All The Pies

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The leaning post of Chester, which caused a matchabandonment at Sealand Road

Eagle-eyed English football enthusiasts may notice an anomaly in the results of the first round, first legs of the 1981/82 League Cup (then known as the Milk Cup): all of the matches were played over one midweek period Monday 31st August to Wednesday 2nd September. All except one, that is: Chester v Plymouth Argyle, which was played a full week later, on Tuesday 8th September.

Why? Well, the original match was abandoned with little more than ten minutes to play, when Chester goalkeeper Grenville Millington (what a name, straight out of the Woodbine era) collided with his left-hand goalpost trying to make a save. The collision broke the post, concussed Millington, and since Chester had no spare goalposts, the referee decided to abandon the match, triggering a replay Plymouth to Chester is a 550-mile round trip, by the way, and so Argyle ended up travelling more than 1,000 miles by coach all to compete in the first round of the League Cup.

Good thing they won, then. Argyle drew 1-1 at Sealand Road in the rescheduled game, then won 1-0 at Home Park in the second leg. There was no fairy tale, mind, as they were knocked out by Middlesbrough in the second round. (Liverpool won the Milk Cup that season, beating Spurs 3-1 in the final at the old Wembley.)

What of the unfortunate Grenville Millington? Show some respect, Pies the Welshman is a Chester legend, playing almost 300 games for them from 1973-83. According to Wiki, he is now 68 and still works as a goalkeeping coach, although we wouldnt be surprised if he hung up his gloves a while ago. Bonus fact: Grens older brother was the late Tony Millington, who played 21 times in goal for Wales.

Fans gather after the final game at Sealand Road, in April 1990 Chester beat Rotherham 2-0 in front of a crowd of 3,827 (photo: Ray Crofts)

As for the stadium, Chester played at Sealand Road from 1906-1990. You can check out a bunch of terrific photos of the stadium on the Cheshire Live website.

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On this day in 1981: Chester v Plymouth abandoned after goalkeeper collides with goalpost - Who Ate All The Pies

One year after Dorian: Restoring hope to the Bahamas – Palm Beach Post

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Nancy Maass Kinnally| Special to The Palm Beach Post

On Dec. 11, 1937, Vernon Malone was born a stones throw from the waters edge, in a wooden house with no electricity and no refrigeration, tucked inside the mouth of Hope Town Harbour.

His father, Edward Malone, had floated the house over by boat from a company town called Wilson City just south of Marsh Harbour, Great Abaco, Bahamas, where it had housed employees of the recently defunct Bahamas Timber Company. He reassembled it to serve as a home where he and his wife could raise their family, which eventually included Vernon and six siblings.

As a young man, Vernon helped his father build a new house on the same land in the mid-1950s, all by hand. And he and his wife Barbara in turn raised their own family there, supported by the small business he launched in 1962, Vernons Grocery and Upper Crust Bakery, located just a block away, across the towns ball field.

On Sept. 1, 2019, after 81 years of living in the same spot, Vernon became something he never imagined he would be homeless.

Hurricane Dorian had shoved the ruins of three buildings including a house that had stood on Eagle Rock in the middle of the entrance to the harbor onto his.

My poor little house couldnt stand all that pressure from the wind and the water and all that debris, Vernon said.

All that remains of the house now is one wall, which includes a fireplace inside of which he now stores a few belongings Dorian spared.

Now 82, Vernon is back behind the register of his tiny grocery and bakery, where he and Barbara rode out the storm, while she stays with family in Boynton Beach waiting for a third Malone family home to rise on the little parcel near the harbor.

This time, Vernon wont be doing the building.

Vernons new home will be built by Hope Town United, a charity operated out of Delray Beach and run by eighth-generation Hope Town natives Brian Malone, who is Vernons son, and Frank Knowles, along with Matt Winslow, a second homeowner whose family has been the largest donor toward Hope Towns recovery from Dorian through their Sands Family Foundation.

The charity born in response to Dorians devastation has accomplished much in its first year, from evacuating 250 residents in the storms immediate aftermath to rebuilding two of the islands three public docks and its primary school, to developing a comprehensive plan to create a resilient, renewable energy grid and attracting investors to build it.

Homes for Hope, which will build homes for local families who lost theirs in the hurricane, is Hope Town Uniteds latest initiative.

Seneca Moss Reynolds of North Palm Beach is Hope Town Uniteds development director. She said the organization has raised about $3 million of the $8 million it needs for the restoration of the docks and school and the construction of the Abaco Community Care Center, as well as several more homes like Vernons.

But just as no one could have been prepared for a Cat 5 storm to park itself over the northern Bahamas for two days, no one could have predicted that a global pandemic would follow less than six months later, ultimately bringing international and even most inter-island travel to a halt.

In spite of Dorians 200-mph winds, 20-foot storm surge and more than a dozen tornadoes that spun off the eye wall, no one died during the hurricane on Elbow Cay, where the historic settlement of Hope Town is located. And so far, no one has died of the coronavirus, but the damage to the local, tourism-based economy from the one-two punch has been devastating.

Currently, only construction crews already on Elbow Cay can continue to rebuild, along with those locals who either stayed or returned before the Bahamas shut down.

Im hoping that very soon this pandemic will run its course and well be able to get started, because its no fun being homeless, said Vernon, who has bounced from family homes in Florida and Virginia to a West Palm Beach hotel to his brothers house, church property and two homes belonging to second homeowners in Hope Town.

Ive lived in seven different places since the hurricane, he said. The place I have now I have for a year, so hopefully well have something built by that time.

New homes will be as strong as concrete bomb shelters

Hope Town residents have always maintained the historic architectural character of the homes built by British Loyalists, including Vernons ancestor and original settler Wyannie Malone, who arrived on Elbow Cay in 1785, having left South Carolina in the wake of the American Revolution.

Vernons new one-story, one-bedroom house will be made of concrete with a Hardie board exterior resembling wood siding and a cedar shingle roof, so it will be hurricane-resistant while still retaining the historic look of the Loyalist cottages that have made Hope Town famous.

Garrett Graue, president of Delray-based Seagate Construction Group, is project manager for all of Hope Town Uniteds reconstruction projects.

He described the homes they will be building as like a concrete bomb shelter in terms of their strength, albeit much more attractive. On Vernons house, they will work to incorporate the wall and fireplace that are still standing, but the designs will otherwise be simple and somewhat standard, while keeping with the historical integrity of the settlement.

He has a crew beginning work on the harbors third public dock, and he expects the school to be complete by November.

Hope Town Primary School Principal Justin Higgs expects 40 to 50 of the schools 70 students to be back for the new school year, which begins Sept. 21 in the Bahamas, a few weeks behind the normal schedule due to COVID-19.

The rest have remained in Nassau or stayed virtually enrolled in the school they attended in the U.S., he said.

Most homes still dont have power

Vernon Malones power was turned on about six weeks ago, and hes one of the lucky ones.

Although the Bahamian utility, BPL, is providing limited power from generators connected to a partially reconstructed local power grid, most homes are so damaged, residents cant connect to it.

Its going to be a long time for some people, said Vernon, who had to replace all his homes boxes before he could plug in.

Hope Town used to get its power from a plant on Great Abaco via undersea cable, but that cable has yet to be restored. Hope Town Uniteds plan would keep Hope Town connected to the BPL grid, but supplement it with community-owned solar power and natural gas backup power, with the power lines being buried so they would not be susceptible to high winds.

We have a plan and we have investors, and were just waiting for permission from the Bahamian government to proceed, Brian Malone said.

Deb Patterson, who serves on the Hope Town District Council, is one of the many residents still living without power.

To take a shower I have to unplug an extension cord from one place and use it for the water pump, she said. I have no hot water. I havent had a hot shower in six months.

Pattersons bread and butter job is office administrator for the Elbow Reef Lighthouse Society, which is raising money to restore Hope Towns iconic, candy-striped lighthouse, which is vital to the community for its tourism value, but perhaps just as importantly, as a symbol of its perseverance.

Since July 3, shes been going without pay, and like many, living off of her savings and accepting food donations from IDEA Relief, as she toils to rebuild her island.

We started receiving a weekly box of food: a bag of rice, some grits, tuna, an apple or two, an orange or two, corned beef. If you literally had no money, in order to prevent starvation, this bag of food would probably keep a family of four alive, she said.

In spite of the daily struggles, her outlook has changed dramatically in the last year.

The day I left here, which was Sept. 8, I didnt think I would ever come back. I didnt think it was fixable. There was so much carnage, she said. There is so much hope now.

She discovered that the meaning of the name Dorian is gift, and she now sees an opportunity for Hope Town to emerge stronger.

I see us now rising better than before, wanting to build resiliently and with forethought.

HOW TO HELP

In addition to homes, docks and a school, Hope Town United is building Abaco Community Care Center, a private, community-based medical center, with partners Hope Town Rising and Flagler Health. Flagler Health, a St. Augustine-based hospital, has pledged to support the new medical facility, for which land has been donated by another family foundation.

Donations to Hope Town United can be made online at http://www.hopetownunited.org/donate or by contacting Seneca Moss Reynolds, director of development, at seneca@hopetownunited.org or (561) 313-5355.

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One year after Dorian: Restoring hope to the Bahamas - Palm Beach Post

COVID-19 has spread to nearly every major island of The Bahamas – EyeWitness News

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS In just two months, the novel coronavirus has spread to nearly every major island of The Bahamas.

As of July 1, there were 104 cases of the virus dispersed across four islands New Providence with 82, Grand Bahama with eight, Bimini with 13 and Cat Cay with one case.

At the time, 89 cases had recovered and no cases were hospitalized.

The Bahamas had not recorded a new infection since June 18, prompting health officials to pronounce that the curb had been flatted after nearly three months of restrictions, including a border closure, 24-hour curfew and weekend lockdowns.

July 1 marked the return of international commercial carriers to The Bahamas.

Since then, 2,276 cases have been recorded across 14 major islands with 97 cases pending locations.

San Salvador and Ragged Island remain the only major islands that have yet to record a case of the virus.

Long Island recorded its first case on Sunday.

Mayaguana recorded its first two cases on Monday.

Grand Bahama saw a rapid rise in cases around July 14, just two weeks after the resumption of international commercial carriers.

On July 23, cases on the island exceeded New Providence for the first time jumping from 81 to 120.

New Providence had just 119 cases at the time.

By the end of July, Grand Bahama had 286 cases to New Providences 232.

Cases continued to surge on both islands and had begun spreading to other islands.

Cat Island recorded its first couple of cases on July 21, andthe Berry Islands followed a day later.

On July 23, cases were confirmed in Moores Island.

Great Guana Cay had its first infection recorded on July 24.

Exuma followed with one case on July 26.

Mainland Abaco recorded its first infection on July 28.

By August 8, Eleuthera had also seen its first case of COVID-19.

The following day, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis lifted lockdown and curfew measures on the southern islands, including Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, Long Island, Rum Cay and Ragged Island.

On August 17, however, the prime minister announced a complete lockdown in New Providence and an extension of an ongoing two-week lockdown in Grand Bahama for another week.

At the time of the announcement, there were 731 cases in New Providence up 70 percent compared to the 428 cases in New Providence seven days before.

Acklins and Crooked Island had yet to record cases at the time.

Amid bitter protest over the lack of time to prepare, the decision to impose a complete lockdown was reversed a day later.

Inagua recorded its first case on August 11, followed by Andros on August 15, and Acklins on August 21.

On August 22, Crooked Island got its first two cases of the virus.

The next day, cases with pending locations nearly doubled from 34 to 67.

In an address on August 24, the prime minister said he had no regrets, insisting the lockdown decision was made to contain the explosion of cases on New Providence and protect Family Islands with older populations.

Of the 2,276 total cases, New Providence continues to lead cases in the country with 1,427 followed by Grand Bahama with 554.

There were also 70 cases in Abaco, 53 in Bimini, 15 in the Berry Islands, eight in Cat Island, 19 in Exuma, 11 in Inagua, seven in Eleuthera, seven in Acklins, one in Andros, two in Crooked Island, three in Long Island, two in Mayguana and 97 cases pending locations.

The death toll from the virus stands at 46 with seven deaths being classified as non-COVID-related those with COVID who died from another illness and 14 deaths that were under investigation.

As of July 1, there 11 COVID-related-deaths.

There have been 12 deaths in the last week, including four that were under investigation and two deaths classified as a non-COVID-related

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COVID-19 has spread to nearly every major island of The Bahamas - EyeWitness News

UPDATED: Restrictions eased for Grand Bahama and number of islands – Bahamas Tribune

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BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

With a 75 percent drop in COVID-19 infections reported on Grand Bahama, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis commended Grand Bahamians for their community spirit, sacrifice and discipline which have resulted in significantly reducing the spread of coronavirus on the island.

Dr Minnis thanked the people of Grand Bahama for their cooperation during the lockdowns, and said their sacrifice made a tremendous difference.

I came here to personally thank the people of Grand Bahama for your cooperation during the various lockdown periods, he said on Monday at a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in the Harold DeGregory Government Complex.

Your actions and community spirit made an extraordinary difference in arresting the community spread of COVID-19.

Thank you for your sacrifices; thank you for your determination; thank you for your resilience during this most difficult time. I know it has been very hard for so many people. But your sacrifices and discipline have made a tremendous difference.

The PM stressed residents must keep following the rules: washing and sanitizing hands regularly, wearing of masks properly over the nose and mouth, practising social distancing and not attending mass gatherings.

COVID-19 will be part of our lives for some time. We have to learn to live with it, he said.

We must strike the responsible balance between keeping our economy open and practicing the public health measures, so the spread of the virus is kept as low as possible, explained Dr Minnis.

Keeping the virus suppressed, he said will bring about more normalcy to the lives of Bahamians.

While in GB, the PM also announced updates to the ongoing and phased reopening of the country and the economy, including a number of changes to the Emergency Orders.

A number of amendments to the Emergency Orders will apply to all islands in the Second Schedule, except for New Providence, where work is still needed to lower the community spread of COVID-19.

These changes apply to Grand Bahama, Abaco, Acklins, Andros, the Berry Islands, Bimini, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Eleuthera, Exuma, Inagua and Mayaguana.

Dr Minnis said businesses, agencies, establishments and institutions will be able to operate subject to the safety protocols, with few exceptions that are high risk activities.

The high-risk prohibited businesses, he noted, continues to be casinos, bars, discos, cinemas, gyms, regattas, festivals and similar activities.

According to the new amendments, retailers will be able to offer in-store services. Restaurants can now offer indoor dining services, provided they follow the physical distancing, mask wearing and sanitization protocols in the Orders.

Fish Fry establishments will continue with take away and curbside services only.

Said the PM: The changes announced today mean that businesses that had not been permitted to open or that were opened with restrictions may now operate, following the public health measures. They may determine their operating hours, operating from 5 am until 10 pm, except for New Providence.

Dr Minnis stressed the risk of spreading COVID-19 is higher with regard to indoor activities, and lower in regard to outdoor activities. This, he explained, is the reason why they have continued to make certain distinctions in terms of outdoor and indoor activities.

In terms of social gatherings in keeping with these distinctions, he stated residents on all islands in the second schedule, except for New Providence, may have small social gatherings of up to a maximum of 10 people in a safe manner.

All islands in the Second Schedule, including New Providence, will also now be able to exercise outdoors in their neighborhoods from 5am to 10pm.

Outdoor group exercise between 5am and noon is permitted for residents on all islands, including New Providence.

Beaches and Parks will now be open for slightly extended visiting hours from 5am to 12noon for residents on all islands, including New Providence.

Additionally, the PM announced a number of amendments that apply to the entire country, regarding inter-island travel.

According to Dr Minnis, charters are now allowed, including inter-island charters, provided that individuals comply with the inter-island travel Orders.

Inter-island commercial air travel may resume as normal on Wednesday, September 9, he said.

COVID-19 negative test results are no longer required for inter-island travel, except for those travelling from New Providence, noted the Prime Minister, who said it is subject to change.

However, those individuals travelling from the islands included in the second schedule, including Grand Bahama, will continue to be required to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at their destination.

The Prime Minister also stated a COVID-19 RTPCR negative test result must be obtained if individuals travel to New Providence and seek to return to any other island.

On the matter of private medical facilities and dentists, they are now able to provide services outside of the curfew hours, and medical services during the curfew hours in an emergency.

Regarding worship services, Dr Minnis indicated that in sanctuary services are permitted for New Providence, following the health measures and guidelines for such services.

Let me also thank all of the public and private officials, including medical and security personnel, feeding networks, businesses, officials at OPM (Grand Bahama) and others who worked in a spirit of unity. It is with enormous gratitude and admiration, that I thank all of you.

Dr Minnis expressed concern over those who continue to participate in high-risk behaviour by having parties.

He stressed that wearing masks in public places is mandatory for persons while in public on every island and noted that the police will be enforcing these measures, including issuing tickets for those in violation.

In relation to construction sites, he warned that the police will be monitoring sites to ensure mask wearing protocols are being followed by all construction workers.

Dr Minnis said construction operations will now be fined for non-compliance with the Orders related to mask wearing and other physical distancing protocols established by the Bahamas Construction Association as approved by the Ministry of Health.

The Prime Minister offered condolences to the families of all those who have lost loved ones because of the deadly virus.

He said the country must continue to pray for all of those in hospital or at home who are ill and those recovering from the virus.

I want to thank the health care and medical officials who have been on the frontline of this battle from the beginning of the pandemic, he said. They too have demonstrated the spirit of we should. They are the face and the spirit of courage and resilience.

Dr Minnis said: We are able to relax or we must implement more restrictive measures depending on what we do together to limit the spread of COVID-19, which you see from the news is still very much out of control in many countries in the world.

He noted there are a number of very ill people in the hospitals. This virus has lasting effects, some of which we still do not know about and which may do damage for a long time or lifetime. This is why I keep asking you to be safe and to take care of yourselves, he said.

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UPDATED: Restrictions eased for Grand Bahama and number of islands - Bahamas Tribune

Montage to Open Private Island Resort in the Bahamas in 2023 – Luxury Travel Advisor

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Montage Hotels & Resorts is headed to the Caribbeanwith plans to open Montage Cay, a 48-acre private-island resort and residential community in The Abacos Islands in the Bahamas. The resort is set to open in 2023.

Owned in partnership with Sterling Global Financial, the project will see the rebranding and complete redevelopment of the private island of Matt Lowes Cay in The Abacos, reopening as Montage Cay, alongside the launch of The Residences at Montage Cay. The private island has seven beaches, varied topography with elevated sight lines for sunrise and sunset views, and mature and diverse landscaping.

Montage Cay is located less than one mile off the coast of Marsh Harbour. The private-island resort will have 50 all-suite accommodations and a limited collection of Montage Residences. The rooms will be ocean-view with luxury outdoor amenities, such as plunge pools, outdoor showers, private gardens and lounge areas. A 46-slip marina accommodating vessels up to 110 feet anchors the resort, allowing guests and residents of Montage Cay access to an array of boating, fishing and water sports activities from the robust water sports and recreation center.

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There will also be a selection of restaurant and bar experiences, including all-day dining, a signature dinner-only restaurant, two beach bar and grilles, lobby and pool bars, as well as a spa caf and juice bar. Additional resort amenities include a full-service Spa Montage, a health and wellness program, fitness center, swimming pools and Montages signature Paintbox Childrens Club. The resort will additionally offer indoor meeting space, as well as wedding and social-event lawn space with unobstructed views of the clear blue sea.

The Residences at Montage Cay will have a collection of fully furnished Villa Residences and Estate Lots with custom homes. Situated within private enclaves adjacent to the resort, the Villa Residences at Montage Cay will include ocean views and will range from two to four-bedrooms. The Estate Lots, located higher up on the island, will offer buyers the opportunity to create their own personalized Bahamian retreat.

Montage Cay guests and residents can easily access the resort through direct flights offered from major American and European markets to the Bahamas, as well as a modern FBO that welcomes private jets and charters. After arriving on Marsh Harbour, Montage Cay guests and residents will take a 10-minute boat ride to the resort, or dock a private boat at the Montage Cay marina. Sea plane access directly to the Montage Cay dock will be available.

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Montage to Open Private Island Resort in the Bahamas in 2023 - Luxury Travel Advisor

Schools in The Bahamas to Reopen in October – Caribbean News – caribbeannationalweekly.com

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The Bahamas government says schools will reopen on October 5 throughout the archipelago with a number of new initiatives as the country gradually reopens its borders due to the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd, said that a substantial increase in virus in New Providence and other Family Islands, had forced the Department of Education to engage in more urgent planning and considerations. Schools were previously scheduled to open on September 21.

The comprehensive Back-to-School address on Monday highlighted measures the Ministry of Education (MOE) has taken to enhance education in the country and its delivery plans for the 2020 -2021 academic year.

Among the initiatives include the digitization of the education system, universal pre-primary education, professional development for educators, increased tertiary level education, curriculum reform and children with special needs having the opportunity to receive appropriate instructions.

Lloyd said that in New Providence, Abaco and Eleuthera, schools will have a virtual format while schools in Grand Bahama and other Family Islands will offer face-to-face classes.

He said the delay allows the Ministry and parents/care-givers the opportunity to secure the needed devices for the full participation of all involved in the teaching and learning process.

There is also a need to complete installation of the adequate level of internet service needed for connectivity to the departments virtual platform for thousands of students who will now remain at home in both the public and the private education sectors, he said.

The government said, furthermore, fulfilling its commitment to the United Nations goal of providing quality and inclusive education for all, the MOE will be providing for students who will not have access to devices and internet connectivity and those who are without electricity in their homes, resource instructional packages to be collected from the respective schools by their parents. The packages will be returned to schools for grading by teachers on a weekly basis.

The MOE recognizes that online learning is new for many parents and may result in logistical challenges while both parents work away from home.

We recognize that our schools provide critical support services that will allow parents to return to work with a greater peace of mind, knowing that their children are in a safe environment. While our schools owe a duty of care to its students and have been carrying that out, we are also aware that that duty of care transfers over to parents once our students have left our campuses, said Lloyd.

The reality is that, due to COVID-19, parents are now faced with having to oversee the instructional responsibility of their children, and due to persistent health concerns on some islands, duty of care will continue to rest upon the shoulders of our parents for a much greater period of time.

Public libraries will be equipped with the necessary health and safety protocols to provide an alternative study space for students to access remote learning.

Additionally, the MOE is collaborating with churches and civic organizations to consider giving aid to parents and providing a safe space for the children of their congregations and those in the surrounding communities to safely meet and access the online learning platform.

MOE director, Marcellus Taylor, appealed to churches, non-governmental agencies, and civic groups for their support.

We know that some people will have challenges. We have to be in this as a community. We have to see this as a problem that we will collectively solve. The state is doing its part in the ways that it can. Families, communities, friends, we have to all come together to support where there may be cases.

Employers, to the extent that they can, should consider some levels of flexibility around working arrangements or allowing children to come along with their parents if those things are possible, along with any other program such as what the government may put on through Urban Renewal, churches, etc.

We want to be clear that people have to exercise some personal responsibility and we have to support one another on an individual, familial and community level, he added.

CMC

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Schools in The Bahamas to Reopen in October - Caribbean News - caribbeannationalweekly.com

Tiger Woods’ Playground par-3 course opens in the Bahamas – MSN Money

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Provided by Golfweek

Tiger Woods 10-hole Playground has opened at Jacks Bay in Eleuthera, Bahamas, with the 10-hole par-3 course joining a growing trend of premium short courses at destinations around the world.

The Playground sits atop a bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and the holes range from 55 to 170 yards and can be played in multiple configurations. The Blue Bar snack shop sits off the fourth tee.

It is great to be part of this spectacular project in paradise, Woods said in a press release. The natural terrain and coastline are incredibly beautiful and call for an equally spectacular golf experience. The golf course complements the true spirit of the Jacks Bay development because its designed for golfers to have fun, foster friendships and create memories within an unforgettable setting.

Tiger Woods designed the par-3 Playground course at Jacks Bay in the Bahamas. (Courtesy of Jacks Bay Company)

The private Jacks Bay is a 964-acre property with 2 miles of Atlantic Ocean frontage 10 minutes from Rock Sound International Airport. Woods TGR Design also is slated to build an 18-hole course at the property that will include approximately 500 residences, bluffs that reach 80 feet above the ocean and a pink sand beach. The Playground was the first major recreational amenity to open at the community.

Bringing Tiger to this private membership community opportunity in the Bahamas is nothing short of remarkable, Franklyn Wilson, chairman of Jacks Bay Company, said in the release. Uniting the rich Bahamian cultural heritage and Eleutheras unmatched beauty with the skill and attention to detail brought to the table by Tiger Woods and TGR Design, makes this an exceptional opportunity.

The welcome sign for the par-3 Playground course at Jacks Bay in the Bahamas. (Courtesy of Jacks Bay Company)

Adding short courses is a growing trend for operators of premium golf destinations, with the 13-hole, par-3 Preserve at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon and the nine-hole, par-3 Cradle at Pinehurst in North Carolina serving as prime examples.

Other recent openings include the Nest at Cabot in Nova Scotia and the Short Course at Forest Dunes in Michigan. Woods also is renovating the par-3 Peter Hay Golf Course at Pebble Beach Resorts in California.

The shorter courses can attract families and novices as well as serve as a fun break from larger, traditional courses for traveling groups of players looking to fill an evening with a few cocktails and laughs.

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Tiger Woods' Playground par-3 course opens in the Bahamas - MSN Money

Tampa airport eyes tentative return to international flights – Tampa Bay Times

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At a virtual board meeting on Thursday, a Tampa International Airport executive showed off a slide that might have caught frequent travelers by surprise.

The slide listed more than a dozen international flights from Tampa to cities such as London, Zurich, Frankfurt, Havana and Toronto some resuming as soon as Oct. 1.

Considering most international travel right now is a government-mandated no-go due to the coronavirus pandemic, the timetable sounds ambitious, if not impossible. But it came from data provided to the airport by air carriers, who are eager to resume service in Florida, said Chris Minner, the airports executive vice president of communications.

By the end of the year actually, October, for example youd be able to fly to Frankfurt on Lufthansa again, Minner told Hillsborough County Aviation Authority board members. All of this, obviously, is subject to the continuing dynamics of COVID, and what governments are doing with their restrictions.

Its not the first time international carriers have offered potential restart dates for service in and out of Tampa, Minner, said. As long as travel restrictions remain in place, theyll continue to be pushed back.

Still, the resumption of international flights is the No. 1 question that we continue to get, Minner said.

Tampa International Airport passenger traffic has plummeted during the pandemic, with just 594,000 passengers in July a 68 percent year-over-year drop.

But that figure actually included 97 international travelers who flew to Nassau, Bahamas on Silver Airways. After stopping in August, those flights resumed on Thursday, and will continue twice weekly, said airport spokeswoman Emily Nipps.

There obviously is a lot of pent-up demand, Minner said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection staff is not screening passengers in Tampa due to the lack of international flights Nipps said the Nassau travelers were screened in the Bahamas which would complicate any travel between nations.

The idea that the world is ready for international air travel may be wishful thinking, said Diane Ross, owner of Kingsbridge Travel in Tampa.

Am I optimistic that theyll actually open next month? No, Im not, Ross said. I wish I could tell you yes. I wish I had a crystal ball. I will tell you that I personally am not booking travel for people until the second quarter of next year.

Ross said she and her husband are waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine before they travel abroad again.

Im chomping at the bit, she said. But I want to be safe.

At Thursdays Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, Tampa International Airport officials listed the following possible return dates for international carriers. All dates are subject to change:

Air Canada: Toronto, Oct. 1; Montreal, Oct. 25; Halifax and Ottawa, Dec. 17

British Airways: London, Oct. 25

Cayman Airways: Grand Cayman, Nov. 1

Copa: Panama City, Nov. 21

Edelweiss: Zurich, Oct. 1

Lufthansa: Frankfurt, Oct. 25

Southwest: Havana, Oct. 8

Swoop Air: Toronto, Dec. 13

WestJet: Toronto, Oct. 5; St. John, March 7

Clarification: Tampa International Airport has U.S. Customs and Border Protection staff on site, but they are not screening international passengers due to a lack of international flights. An earlier version of this story was unclear.

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Tampa airport eyes tentative return to international flights - Tampa Bay Times

Mozo wins first Islands of The Bahamas Virtual Shootout – Bahamas Tribune

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COMPETITION on the course may be on a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic but the Bahamas was still engaged with the international womens golf community through a new initiative.

Beln Mozo of Spain was the winner of the first Islands of The Bahamas Virtual Shootout, hosted Wednesday night by The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. The virtual closest to the pin golf shootout, streamed live on the WGT Youtube, featured 16 contestants.

Mozo topped a field that included two-time Pure Silk Bahamas LPGA Classic Champion Brittany Lincicome, 2019 Bahamas Shootout Champion Alison Lee, long drive champion Troy Mullins, and trick shot artist Tania Tare.

The competition format was survive and advance in a March Madness-style bracket configuration. The livestream benefitted the Bahamas Red Cross.

While the current environment has impacted the way golf players and fans enjoy the sport, The Islands Of The Bahamas remains a top golf destination, so we are thrilled that we are able to virtually bring fans to the course to watch the Closest to the Pin golf shootout from the comfort of their own homes, said Ellison Tommy Thompson, deputy director general of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation.

The event underscores the unique, ongoing relationship between Global Golf Management and Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

Previously, GGM and BMOT partnered with the LPGA Tour to conduct the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic at Ocean Club Golf Course.

In 2019, the Bahamas White Sands Golf Series was launched. The series featured a Pro-Am event, custom television content, and a NCAA golf invitational that included top mens and womens teams.

The Bahamas White Sands Series is scheduled to return in 2021.

Global Golf has served as a conduit for the sport of professional golf for 28 plus years and the Virtual Golf Shootout allowed us to develop a unique concept with existing and new partners, said Jeff Raedle, principal at Global Golf Management.

Our goal was to pivot from some of the traditional golf activities and provide the golfers, fans and corporate partners like The Islands of the Bahamas, Atlantis, LPGA TOUR and WGT by Topgolf new opportunities to connect with each other. What a great opportunity to showcase an incredible destination that is very close to our hearts, see world-class athletes compete online, and continue to work with extraordinary partners, added Raedle.

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Mozo wins first Islands of The Bahamas Virtual Shootout - Bahamas Tribune