Cyberpunk 2077: Tyger Claws Gang To Be Featured In The Game – Trending News Buzz

Usually, game developers have to choose between either quality or quantity. It is rare for them to deliver on both. That is unless youre CD Projekt Red. Anyone who has played The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt will confirm this. The number of stories packed into that game and the high quality of those stories are simply incredible.

It should come as no surprise, then, that their CD Projekt Reds upcoming Sci-Fi role-playing game, Cyberpunk 2077, is showing similar levels of detail. The lively, beautiful, gang-infested setting of Night City is certain to be a joy to dive into.

We have already seen Maelstrom, the Voodoo Boys, the Animals and a few of these gangs in action. They are far from the only ones that are fighting for control over the streets of Night City, though.

Weve seen teasers and flashes of another gang, named the Tyger Claws, for months now. They have appeared in some concept art and Cyberpunk creator Mike Pondsmith even hinted at a character whose story may involve the gang. They havent appeared in any gameplay footage, however. This led people to wonder if they would end up in the game.

This speculation caught fire when, a couple of weeks ago, CD Projekt Red started selling a poster on their online store featuring the Tyger Claws. YouTube Madqueen Show, who has been covering the game for years now, compiled all the little breadcrumbs into one video to get you up to speed.

The inclusion of the Tyger Claws is a big deal. Each of these gangs brings with them their own sets of stories. Their ties to the Arasaka Corporation open up a whole new dimension for players to explore in the game. Essentially, an official confirmation of their presence would tell us that the game has an added layer of depth to it.

Their presence in Night City wouldnt just affect the story, either. The Tyger Claws prefer close combat and wear light armour, allowing them to move quickly. This presents an interesting gameplay challenge when it comes to fighting against them. A high-powered shotgun might do the trick.

CD Projekt Red has been mum about confirming or denying such speculation. All we can do wait and watch as the release date draws closer.Cyberpunk 2077 is set to come out on September 17th, 2020 on the PS4, Xbox One and PC. It is available for pre-order now.

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Cyberpunk 2077: Tyger Claws Gang To Be Featured In The Game - Trending News Buzz

Altered Carbon Proves Cyberpunk Is as Immortal as Its Lead Character – The Escapist

Altered Carbon has returned to Netflix for its second season.

The series launched in February 2018, adapted from Richard K. Morgans novel of the same name. Morgans novel is regarded as one of the modern classics of cyberpunk science fiction, winning the Philip K. Dick Award for Best Novel in 2003. The novel and series unfold in a future where mankind has harnessed stack technology to allow consciousness to survive the death of a body, offering functional immortality to those wealthy enough to afford it.

Altered Carbon is certainly a lavish production, as one might expect from a high-profile Netflix Original. The project was announced as part of a $5B investment in original content. As ever, Netflix has played coy with the actual numbers, but actor Joel Kinnaman insisted that it cost more than the first three seasons of Game of Thrones. Estimates suggest that each of the first seasons 10 episodes had a budget of between $6M and $7M each.

The shows ambition matches its budget. Writing before the launch of the first season, Morgan asserted that the long-term aim is to produce at least five seasons of the show. This may be optimistic, given that the streaming services preferred length of three seasons per show would line up neatly with the three books in the core Takeshi Kovacs series. Still, there is some indication that Netflix is happy with the show for the moment, announcing a second season only five months after the release of the first.

Much like The Expanse, a television adaptation of Altered Carbon is the kind of project that has only become feasible in the era of streaming giants. It would be too risky a proposition for traditional broadcast television in terms of genre and content, and it would be unlikely to attract a large enough audience to justify its survival if Nielsens viewership estimates are to be trusted. Its budget would place a heavy strain on boutique cable providers like HBO or Showtime. Netflix was the only way forward.

In keeping with the cyberpunk aesthetic, the first season of Altered Carbon is structured as a noir-infused murder mystery playing off the shows central concept. Takeshi Kovacs (Kinnaman) finds himself released from prison at the behest of wealthy philanthropist and entrepreneur Laurens Bancroft (James Purefoy) to investigate a locked-room murder. This mystery is complicated by the fact that Bancroft himself was the victim, his consciousness restored from a backup with no memory of what happened.

The first season of Altered Carbon uses this mystery as a spine to explore its world. The series is obviously inspired by a wealth of classic science fiction sources, from the original Blade Runner to the work of William Gibson, but the series is most interesting in its exploration of the nature of consciousness what happens when a mind moves from body to body, and what are the implications of that? In a world where life is already cheap, what happens when death is removed from the equation?

Altered Carbon doesnt always push its core ideas in the most interesting direction. There is occasionally a sense that the central stack technology is treated as an abstract thought experiment, rather than following it through to its most fundamental conclusions. Still, the series gets a lot of mileage out of the incongruities of the technology, most notably with the body of a simpleminded gangbanger (Matt Biedel) that alternately houses a Latinx grandmother and a local crime boss over the course of the series.

Still, Altered Carbon is a loving cyberpunk homage. It takes great pleasure in the cheesy hard-boiled dialogue associated with the genre. If I were afraid, would you save me, Mr. Kovacs? coos Miriam Bancroft (Kristin Lehman). Kovacs responds, Im not sure you need saving. Kovacs allies with an artificial intelligence that styles itself after Edgar Allan Poe (Chris Conner) and even engages in a deathmatch in a fightdrome operated by the sadistic Carnage (Matt Frewer). Even the seriess delightfully lurid violence and (equal opportunity but still) gratuitous nudity feel like a loving tribute to the genre.

The second season of Altered Carbon offers something of a fresh start for the series. Kovacs has been re-sleeved given a new body which allows for the series to swap leads from Joel Kinnaman to Anthony Mackie. Whereas the first season operated in the style of a futurist film noir, the second season offers a much larger and more consciously epic story, with Kovacs embarking on a journey back to reconnect with his lost love (and rebel leader) Quellcrist Falconer (Rene Elise Goldsberry).

Altered Carbon doesnt reinvent the wheel, but it doesnt have to. At its core, the show is an affectionate celebration of the tropes and conventions of these sorts of pulpy science fiction adventures, with Netflix affording the series a scale with which few television series can compete. As befits its premise, it spins an old genre back up again for another go-round.

The first and second seasons of Altered Carbon are now streaming on Netflix.

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Altered Carbon Proves Cyberpunk Is as Immortal as Its Lead Character - The Escapist

Minecraft 2.05 PS4 Update Patch Notes and Gamer Creates CyberPunk Inspired World is Amazing! – Tech Times

(Photo : Screenshot from Official Facebook Page of Minecraft)

The popular open-world sandbox action-RPG game that is the behemoth of Minecraft has just released a brand new PS4 update. Version 2.05 is just over 150MB, which fixes small issues and crashes--this is totally fine! Linked to this story is also about a Minecraft player who created his very own Cyberpunk world with his very own block-hands. Thanks, Mojang!

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It only mentions "minor bug and crash fixes," which is usually the case when it comes to newly released updates and will get into more details sooner rather than later.

As for what you might have missed in the Minecraft news, Mojang recently addedcrossplay to their entire Minecraft population. The latest addition allows PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and on mobile to play together in perfect harmony -- or complete chaos depends on what you plan to do.

(Photo : Screenshot from Official Facebook Page of Minecraft)

The last major update from Minecraft is the Buzzy Bees' expansion that added new things to the beloved title. The expansion included new biomes, tools, items, gears, materials, and given by the name, bees. This makes it more interesting for current and new players since there are more things to do now with your friends and with crossplay enabled, the sky is virtually the limit.

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The next update is rumored to be the Minecraft Nether update, which is also a big content expansion. Biomes such as Souls and Valley and Netherwart Forest to the already large roster, items, mobs, and so much more!

Elsewhere, Minecraft continues to go from strength to strength, with all manner of exciting new content in the pipeline to keep players building, smashing, and crafting.

ReddituserDeltagonhas created a world all of his own, and people are going crazy over his works with due appreciation of his craft and creativity for it! Inspired by a cyberpunk vibe and maybe also rooting from the hype of Projekt RED's up and coming gameCyberpunk 2077set to arrive later this September. He has also posted several pictures in Minecraft that are as awe-inspiring and are a testament to the creativity of all users who play the game have. Here are some of his works that are worthy of showing to the public. Salute to all who have a brilliant mind out there!

(Photo : Screenshot from Reddit User @Deltagon)

(Photo : Screenshot from Reddit User @Deltagon)

As the game is hitting critical mass with more updates to come, it is only a matter of time that this game will blow up more than it already is. The game, albeit old, is continuously updated and has a massive fanbase to boot, which is a bit of an understatement. Nevertheless, it is an awesome game that everybody should try out and play at least once and dive into the world that Mojang has created for us all.

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Minecraft 2.05 PS4 Update Patch Notes and Gamer Creates CyberPunk Inspired World is Amazing! - Tech Times

Everspace 2 Early Access Release Delayed to Avoid Competition With Cyberpunk 2077 and Outriders – GamingBolt

It wouldnt be wise to directly compete against two sci-fi shooter RPG juggernauts, says the developer.

When it was announced in August of last year, developers Rockfish Games confirmed thatEverspace 2would be entering early access on Steam in the second half of 2020- but those plans have now been postponed because of very interesting reasons.

In a new update share by the developer, it was confirmed thatEverspace 2searly access launch is being delayed to September. The reason? They very openly admit that they dont want to compete directly against the likes ofCyberpunk 2077andOutriders,mammoth AAA games that are both coming out in that window as well.

As an open world sci-fi shooter with RPG elements, Rockfish Games think theres quite a bit of overlap between audiences of these games, and as such, they dont think its wise to directly compete against two sci-fi shooter RPG juggernauts.

Some AAA blockbuster titles will hit our initial Steam Early Access release date, the developer wrote. The hotly-anticipated open-world sci-fi shooter RPG Cyberpunk 2077 was recently pushed back to September, plus the brand new sci-fi looter shooter RPG Outriders from Square Enix has just been announced to release the same month, too. Obviously, there is quite an overlap between those audiences and ours, so we have decided it wouldnt be wise to directly compete against two sci-fi shooter RPG juggernauts, leaving not much room for any other sci-fi shooter coming out at the same time.

Considering all those new challenges, we had to make a tough decision about postponing the EVERSPACE 2 launch on Steam Early Access, now aiming for early December this year.

Meanwhile, the games closed alpha is also being pushed back as a result, now into late May, while the closed beta will now be in August.

Consequently, were also pushing the closed Alpha back to the end of May and the closed Beta to August, the update reads. We will reach out to backers with creative rewards towards the end of this year.

Rockfish Games also says that the studio is in a financially comfortable position, which means development onEverspace 2is proceeding as planned and hasnt been affected by this.

Even if this is just a strategic decision to mitigate commercial risks when major market conditions change, we are fully aware that some of you wont be too happy about this, but we hope for your understanding, Rockfish wrote. Thankfully, were in a financially comfortable position, so the project itself is not at risk, and we are developing the game internally as planned. This extra time also means well have more content for you to enjoy in the closed Alpha, Beta, and Early Access builds.

Everspace 2is currently in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. You can get more info on the game in our interview with the developer through here.

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Everspace 2 Early Access Release Delayed to Avoid Competition With Cyberpunk 2077 and Outriders - GamingBolt

Altered Carbon’s Stars on Love and Getting a Happy Ending in Cyberpunk – Gizmodo

Takeshi Kovacs (Anthony Mackie) and Quellcrist Falconer (Rene Elise Goldsberry) share an intimate moment. Image: Netflix

In the world of cyberpunk fiction, is there such a thing as a truly happy ending? For the second season of Altered Carbon, the answer is: kind of. As the series moves from explorations of identity to interpersonal relationships, every character is trying to figure out the role of love in their complicated and sometimes immortal lives.

Sometimes we do want a happy ending. Sometimes we want to see a functional relationship survive, Simone Missick told io9.

When we spoke with some of the cast of Altered Carbon season two at a recent press junket, there was one phrase on everybodys lips: This is a love story. That statement largely points to the relationship between Takeshi Kovacs (Anthony Mackie) and Quellcrist Falconer (Rene Elise Goldsberry), as this season is about Takeshis search for his long-lost love. But its not just a single love story, its everyones. Keep in mind: This post contains spoilers through the end of season two.

Every main character is exploring what love means to them in a world where people can live forever through a digital consciousnessif theyre even alive at all, as is the case with Poe (Chris Conner) and fellow AI Dig 301 (Dina Shihabi), who develop a relationship built on their intellectual connection. In the case of humans who strive so hard to live forever, accumulating power and wealth to serve those ends, what space is there to open up to others or earn their affection in return? Thats the big question behind Danica Harlan (Lela Loren) and her father, who she had killed so she could take over.

Her father, Konrad, has been a leader for 300 years. He has raised her and reared her to be entirely in his image, to be geared for his positionand yet he wont ever step down, Loren said. Its almost like she has no other choice but to kill him, because you have this whole generation of children with these parents that never move on. In a weird way, I do think she loves her father, but she loves herself more.

Danica really loves autonomy and freedom, she added. She wants to lead by herself. Does she love people? Mmm, not that much.

The main love story of the season is between Takeshi and Quellcrist, but not in the way you might think. During season one, Takeshi (then played by Joel Kinnaman) had visions of his girlfriend guiding him along his pathbut that wasnt the real Quellcrist, nor was it an accurate portrayal of their relationship. The real Quellcrist is a tragic hero, bent but not broken from years of being trapped in a cave with nothing but her guilty conscience to keep her company (not to mention shes sharing her stack with an alien getting revenge over the colonization of Harlans World). Shes determined to right the wrongs of her past by destroying the technology shed invented. Takeshis goal may have been Quellcrist, but he was not hers. He is a distraction. Even their major sex scene revealed that, as explained by Goldsberry.

The love moment that they have in season two is really her when she is weak, when she needs help. But when she comes to herself in full strength, she doesnt allow herself a moment with him before she moves back on task and back on mission. I thought that was surprising to me that she would be that strong, Goldsberry told io9. I mean, she didnt really have much time, she didnt really have much choice. But probably the romantic in Rene wanted her to take a minute and just tell him that she loved him.

Taskeshi does have other people he cares about in his lifelike Poe, whos become his companion in the second season. Carrera described them as having a bromance, saying their dynamic in season two is that of an old married couple. But there are some uncomfortable, unsettling ways Takeshi treats his friend. Poe spends most of the season struggling with system degradation that risks compromising Takeshis mission, so he continually admonishes the AI to reboot. Poe doesnt want to because it would mean losing his memories, but that doesnt stop Takeshi from lashing out at him about it, over and over. We asked Carrera whether he would describe their relationship as healthy.

Codependency is something that we all struggle with, so there is definitely some codependency in this relationship. But as he says, Youre gonna get me killed and youre gonna get us killed, he told us. And its a struggle for both to figure out where to go next because theres no answer when youre looking for love.

However, the bigger non-Quellcrist relationship for Takeshi was with, surprisingly, Colonel Ivan Carrera (Torben Liebrecht). Carrera is the latest incarnation of Jaeger, the man who recruited Takeshi into CTAC to become a super-soldier, and he illegally re-sleeved a younger, OG version of Takeshi (Will Yun Lee) into a recreation of his original body. Even though Carrera is objectively a terrible persona warmonger who tries to keep the rebellion on Harlans World alive just so hes not put back on icehe sees himself as a father and loves Takeshi like a son. This explains his need to recreate the Takeshi he knew and cared about, and makes it hard for him to recognize the true Takeshi whod long moved beyond him.

If there is a point where he has to stay on ice forever, what will remain? Whats the footprint that he has left on this Earth? You want to have something that other people inherit from you. Even if its only the positive memory that they have of you, Liebrecht said. He saw Takeshi Kovacs as the person he could call in and raise in a way within the set of values that he believes in. And it hurts him all the more to see that everything that he has to offer is not enough for Kovacs.

Carreras love story with Takeshi isnt one that ends happily. He dies having lost not just one, but two surrogate sons (in the form of old and new Takeshi). But in a show like Altered Carbon, death is not the end. Theres still a place for Carrera to come back in the future, something Liebrecht said hed love to do if given the opportunity (though considering how easily the show moves characters from body to body, that isnt a guarantee).

In the end, Quellcrist chooses her mission over her relationship and Takeshi dies in her place to destroy the Elder technology threatening Harlans World. It gives her the space to go forward and become the rebellions leader once again. While its not a true, Disney fairy-tale ending, it is happy-ish if you look at it from a certain point of view. Takeshi loved Quellcrist so much he sacrificed himself for herand now hes serving the same role she did in the first season, an invisible presence guiding her on her quest. His love is still with her.

However, one happy endingone no one expected, including Missick herselfwas the one with Trepp and her family. During most of the season, Trepp is in conflict with her wife, Myka (Sharon Taylor), who lost her career as an archaelogue and got a job in a bar to support their family. Their son is on his second sleeve after stepping on a landmine and the lease payments are piling up. Mykas made sacrifices but cant understand why Trepp, whos spending a lot of their money searching for her brother, wont do the same.

Eventually, things come to a head when Myka and their son are kidnapped. Myka is doing some archaeological work for Danica to keep them alive, but Trepp is determined to come in guns blazing and save them. Trepps father and brother didnt make it, meaning her wife and son are all she has left. The whole confrontation is tense and comes across like Trepp is going to perform the ultimate sacrifice and die to save her family. This was something Missick was afraid of the whole timeespecially given the history of the Bury Your Gays trope, or the tendency to kill off characters in non-cishet relationships. Luckily, that didnt happen.

I kept asking, I was like: Do I die? No youre not going to die. Im like, Are you sure Im not going to die? Because of that same thought [the Bury Your Gays trope], Missick said. Altered Carbon season two is so much about a love story, and its the main love story of Takeshi and Quell. But then you also see this love story between Trepp and her wife and her family and her son...The fact that that love story is to remain intact is, in a way, a beautiful thing.

Youd be hard-pressed to find a lot of hope at the end of the season, as most of the characters are killed, but looking forward theres a lot of it to be found, even through the smoky veneer of the cyberpunk genre. Trepp has her family and is working out of her fathers augmentation shop, Poe and Dig 301 are running their hotel, OG Takeshi is staying on Harlans World to help the cause, and Quellcrist has her memories of Takeshi to keep her company on her journey. The story even ends with a hint that Takeshi isnt gone for good, as Poe had saved a back-up of his stack before rebooting.

Happy endings in cyberpunk arent an easy thing, because the nature of the genre is to serve as a warning for the future. But if theres one thing Altered Carbon has wanted to teach us, its that love will prevaileven across galaxies and centuries. Its no surprise the season ends in sunshine, signifying a bright future for the people whove lived in the shadows of gods.

For more, make sure youre following us on our Instagram @io9dotcom.

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Altered Carbon's Stars on Love and Getting a Happy Ending in Cyberpunk - Gizmodo

Doomsday Preppers Put Faith in God and Plan for the End of All Things – Word and Way

Northern Idaho has a low population density, one of the attractive qualities for those drawn to the American Redoubt. Photo by Tracy Simmons

(RNS) Twenty years ago mass panic swept the globe as 1999 came to a close and programmers scrambled to fix faulty technology that some presumed would send society into disarray at the strike of midnight.

Some believed Y2K would be doomsday.

But when the new millennium began, networks and daily life continued as normal.

Survivalist author Jim, Rawles who lives off grid somewhere in the Pacific Northwest and who prefers to separate his given name and his family name with a comma said the frenzy was a good thing.

If it werent for the hype, he said, tech companies wouldnt have put the time and resources into remediating the computer codes, and the effect would have been catastrophic for the banking systems.

Two decades later Rawles is helping people, mostly Christians, prepare for whatever could be the next disaster heading toward civilization.

James Wesley, Rawles. Courtesy photo

His website, SurvivalBlog.com, has 100,000 regular visitors.

Its common sense, he said. The government has proven itself time and again woefully inadequate when it comes to disaster relief. You cant depend on the government. Youre on your own.

He said its up to heads of families to find a way to provide.

Rawles lives with his wife in a lightly populated area in the Inland Northwest, where they home-school their children, grow their own food, raise livestock, hunt and fish. He wouldnt say where they live, and he uses a Georgia phone number so as to not give any hints.

As part of the American Redoubt movement, he advocates for others to do the same. Not just for family preparedness, but also for political reasons.

American Redoubt, he explained, is a migration movement that encourages like-minded people to relocate to the Inland Northwest so they can be in a geographically safe area and make that area more conservative.

For example, he explained, the Palouse a pastoral region in southeastern Washington and northern Idaho has miles of pea, wheat and lentil fields with hydroelectric dams nearby. Its also generally free of natural disasters, like hurricanes and earthquakes.

The Palouse in southeastern Washington. Photo by Lynn Suckow/Creative Commons

The other goal is to take an already conservative Christian area and make it more conservativeby encouraging conservatives coast to coast to move here, he said, to make a red state a deeper shade of red.

The Redoubt movement is growing, but because many choose to live off grid, its hard to know just how much.

Conservative Christian families tend to have large families, so demographically weve already won the war.If liberals moving here have 1.8 children and we have 3.5, we win, he said.

His forthcoming book, The Ultimate Preppers Survival Guide, explains how to survive in the short term as society begins to collapse, and how to thrive in the long term.

Rawles said those who cant afford to move out of a big city can still prepare by storing a minimum of four months of food and, most importantly, keeping a water filter on hand.

And although Rawles does believe collapse of society is near, he doesnt wade into Armageddon prophecy though many preppers do.

However, he does believe we are living closer to the end times than ever, and we need to be prepared spiritually and physically.

A map of the American Redoubt region of the northwest United States. Map courtesy of Creative Commons

He said there are economic concerns, like a potential recession, that will drive more people to the Redoubt.And with the new coronavirus outbreak, more people are likely to move away from populous cities and join, he said.

I think its cause for considerable concern, Rawles said. I think it has the potential to sweep the planet.

In recent years, controversial televangelist Jim Bakker has focused on faith-based survivalism, selling a host of products meant to help believers survive the end times, including packs of 24 buckets, each with 90 meals, for $3,000.

Fears of the end times were also cited in a recent missing-children case in Idaho.

Matthew Sutton, Edward R. Meyer Distinguished Professor at Washington State University and author of American Apocalypse: A History of Modern Evangelicalism, said apocalyptic sensibility has helped fuel the evangelical movement in the U.S.

It you look at the world and you see chaos and despair and death and destruction, it allows you to make sense of that. It gives meaning. It gives purpose, he said.

And, he added, it creates a sense of urgency.

Good religious liberals might be working to build the kingdom of God on earth, but they know theyve got hundreds of thousands of years to do it. So theyre eager to do good, but dont have this sense that the clock is ticking, Sutton said, Whereas apocalyptic-thinking evangelicals recognize that they have to act, and they have to act fast, and they have to act now because Jesus is right around the corner.

He said this mindset spikes when there are global problems, potentially like the coronavirus outbreak.

Pastor Chuck Baldwin. Courtesy photo

Pastor Charles Baldwin of Liberty Fellowship in Kalispell, Montana, is a proponent of people moving away from big cities and to freedomist areas of the country, but he said panic shouldnt be the reason.

Hysteria feeds into the fear factor, which makes people less reasonable and more willing to accept government protection, he said. People under normal circumstances would never surrender to government, but in panic mode look to the government to come save us.

Baldwin, who ran for president in 2008, moved from Florida to Montana in 2010 with his wife and extended family after years of prayer and discernment, he said.

His family doesnt live off the grid, but his home is self-contained with its own water supply, he said.

The purpose of the move, he explained, was to live under Gods law and not mans.

When a city or government is not allowing you to live free, find a place that will let you live free. I think that message is attractive to Christians and non-Christians, he said. People want to be away from the rat race, the big metro areas, and move to a more family friendly community. They want to be someplace they know they wont be persecuted for having a gun in their truck, or because they like to keep to themself. Its more of a live and let live mentality.

American Redoubt, Baldwin said, is more of a freedomist movement than a Christian movement. But the Bible is filled with examples of God protecting his people by leading them to new places, he said.

More concerning than the new coronavirus, he said, is the possibility of nuclear exchange. Rural America is the safest place to be when, or if, that happens.

However, Baldwin said, relocating is a big decision and shouldnt be taken lightly.

You have to know what youre doing and why youre doing it, he said.

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Doomsday Preppers Put Faith in God and Plan for the End of All Things - Word and Way

Jenny Offill’s Novel of Climate Dread – The Nation

Illustration by Tim Robinson.

These days, everything wants to kill us. Postapocalyptic was the go-to modifier of the last decade, as the media discovered thousands of ways to sex up our obliteration. Certainly theres no shortage of inspiration. Every recent threat to human safety or human rights seems to have an analogue in pop culture: The Hunger Games for wealth inequality, The Handmaids Tale for the patriarchy, Watchmen for white supremacist terrorism, The Rain for pollution, Black Mirror for techno-fetishism, Person of Interest for mass surveillance, Contagion for pandemics, and dozens of zombie narratives as a kind of catch-all for the collapse of civilization. Of course, the irony is that you can watch and game and post all day about the world ending, and though it sort of feels as if youre doing something about it, youre not really doing anything at all.1Ad Policy Books in Review

One wonders what the consequences of such widespread cultural eschatology might be and whether its a natural coping mechanism or a self-fulfilling prophecy. It may be that a generation of young people has not only internalized the idea of an impending apocalypse but is also crafting its own art from that internalization. The last decade ended with a death wish; young doomers ate Tide Pods, and they joked about having celebrities back over them with dump trucks. This is a generation raised on Post Malone (It seem like dying young is an honor) and Lil Peep (I aint tryna live, pray I die), and its collective idea of a good time is watching 13 Reasons Why and joining Facebook groups like Memes That Kill You Instantly. If millennial culture has warned us that the world is going to kill us, Gen Z culture has responded, Not if we get there first.2

You could read both tendencies as ways to avoid caring too much. Which might make you wonder what the alternatives are, whether theres a better way to reckon with threats to human survival. Jenny Offills latest novel, Weather, takes up this question. Its characters suffer from the opposite problem: They do almost nothing but care. Mainly they worry about climate changehow it will affect them, what they should do about it now, and what kind of long-term preparations they should make as it continues. Yet all this climate anxiety seems to do is ruin their sleep. Everyone I know is trying to sleep less, the narrator, Lizzie, muses. Insomnia as a badge of honor. Proof that you are paying attention. These literary characters, full of empathy, seriousness, and sincerity, seem just as paralyzed as everyone else.3

A follow-up to Offills 2014 novel Dept. of Speculation, about a middle-aged writer and mother caught in a strained marriage, Weather is also about a middle-aged mother caught in a strained marriage but now also deeply troubled by the impending climate catastrophe. In this way, Weather is definitely not what Id call entertaining; its a beach read for those who like to worry about the beaches. But the book also poses a set of important questions to us. If pop culture asks us to find the fun in human extinction, then Weather does the opposite, insisting that we take seriously the frazzled, burned-out experience of living when you know were all in for a very bad time.4

Set immediately before and after the 2016 election, Weathers plot is scant. Lizzie works in a university library and has a recovering addict brother. She answers depressing e-mails part-time for a doomsaying climate podcast and has an emotional affair with a war reporter. The usual dramatic beats youd find in a domestic novelfights, cheating, divorceget skipped. The books foreboding tone leads us to expect something bad will happen, but not much happens at all.5

In part, thats because the worst has already happenedin real life, to all of us. Weve already blown past 400 ppm of atmospheric CO2 and locked in at least 1 degree Celsius of warming from preindustrial levels, with many places seeing a rise of 1.5C. At a 2C rise, NASA tells us, drinking water will become scarce, and droughts will increase, which will probably lead to famines, and every year will bring more Katrinas, Sandys, Harveys, and Marias. Whatever doesnt drown in the rising sea willlike Australia in recent monthsparch and burn. Some 8 percent of vertebrate species will be in danger of extinction, and mosquito-borne diseases will skyrocket. Also, humankind will prove to be one of the worst hazards: As climate refugees flee the Global South, fascist leaders will scapegoat them and turn the richer nations into fortified garrisons.6

Novels should be able to tackle anything, but climate change seems uniquely resistant to narrative. Its inconceivably vast and complex, and aside from Greta Thunberg, there are few recognizable heroes. The direct causeinvisible gases in the skyfeels remote and abstract, and the deadly parade of hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and droughts are normalized by their very frequency. All of which makes for a story thats as boring as it is terrifying.7Current Issue

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The current attempts at cli-fi tackle this conundrum in different ways. Ian McEwan in Solar and Barbara Kingsolver in Flight Behavior bring things down to human scale by making climate change a picturesque backdrop for personal drama, while far-future novels like Margaret Atwoods MaddAddam trilogy, Paolo Bacigalupis The Windup Girl, and Anna Norths America Pacifica envision speculative worlds so intricately alien as to seem far-fetched. On the other hand, fictions about the future we might well live to see, like Nathaniel Richs Odds Against Tomorrow and Claire Vaye Watkinss Gold Fame Citrus, are terrifyingly plausibleenough to send any normal reader into denial. Its not that these novels fail on their own terms but that the demands of storytelling often run at odds with making climate change feel urgent; its either not real enough or all too real.8

Offill skirts many of the difficulties of portraying climate change by not portraying it at all. This is a pre-apocalyptic novel, and its subject is dread, not disaster. We get none of the usual tableaux of flooded skyscrapers, huddled masses, or Cat5 hurricanes. Where actions concerned, we mostly watch Lizzie go to work, pick up the mail, and clean mouse crap off her spice rack. Like her brother, shes an addict, but in her case the Internet is the spike in her vein. She spends her nights googling prepper things like climate departure and doomsteading. She becomes a lint trap for scary factoids, such as how New York Citys 6,000 miles of sewer pipe are all below sea level, and the books main trick is to imbue the mundanity of the present with the horror of the future. When walnuts hit Lizzies roof, she hears gunshots. Someone mentions apples, and she thinks, No more apples soon; apples need frost. Even a normal game of Settlers of Catan puts her in mind of the coming resource wars: If you give me wood, Ill give you some wheat and a brick.9

Offills focus on capturing these wabi-sabi moments of dread is so encompassing that the book does little else. Reading it is like trying to remember a whole year of daily occurrences, stray impressions and random events flitting by without a strong sense of continuity or time passing. In lieu of a plotline, we get recurring motifspassing mentions of mild weather (weird clouds, hazy sun, its nice out), survivalism, stabs of white liberal guilt, some knee pain. In little inset boxes, we see the e-mails Lizzie answers on behalf of her podcaster boss, and over the course of the book her replies grow darker and increasingly gnomic:10

Q: How do you maintain your optimism?11

A: If you are not getting enough iron, put a few iron nails into a bowl of lemon juice and leave it overnight. In the morning, make lemonade out of it.12

Given the ecological interest, maybe its fitting that so many aspects of the book are recycled, specifically from Offills previous novel. Both are narrated by a bookish, somewhat unhappily married New Yorker with a young child, a casual interest in Buddhism, and a side gig writing for a powerful person. Both are bisected by game-changing events that happen in the wings, separate from the main action, and both stage the intimate heartaches of daily life against the wonders of the natural world. Both even include podcasts about climate change (though theyre called recorded lectures in Dept. of Speculation). Most conspicuously, both take the form of a collage, a slender dossier of factoids, proverbs, parables, jokes, found texts, and other ephemera mixed with bursts of narration.13

Yet if Dept. of Speculation is wistful and contemplative, Weather is tinged with political ire, however understated it may be. Lizzie takes a few sidelong potshots at Donald Trump and capitalism but reserves her choicest words for the anti-humanism of Silicon Valley, the technocrats less interested in saving humankind than in abandoning it, whether its by jets to Mars, bunkers in New Zealand, or transhuman exits from meatspace. She reads of plans to genetically engineer humans with cats eyes that would require less light. These people long for immortality but cant wait ten minutes for a cup of coffee, Lizzies boss quips.14Related Article

You might expect a novel about climate change to serve as some kind of rallying cry, yet Offill doesnt provide much in the way of redemptive uplift or even any handy coping tips (though heres one from me: Log off). Like Lizzies boss, who complains of having to tack an obligatory note of hope onto something she is writing, Offill is reluctant in Weather to offer false comfort; if anything, it rules out the usual avenues of solace.15

Lizzies failed attempts at meditation merely underscore her inability to detach from the material world, and everything from using antibacterial soap to eating a ham sandwich is cause for guilt. Naturally, this puts a strain on her relationshipsher fed-up husband calls her a crazy doomerand her shortcomings as a parent are magnified, as in this exchange with her son:16

A few days later, I yelled at him for losing his new lunch box, and he turned to me and said, Are you sure youre my mother? Sometimes you dont seem like a good enough person.17

He was just a kid, so I let it go. And now, years later, I probably only think of it, I dont know, once or twice a day.18

Even the respite she finds in her affair with the war reporter, whom she meets in a bar, is eventually spoiled. So sure, maybe I could charm him for a while, she reflects, but when the shine wore off? How long until he figured out I cant chop wood or light a fire?19

Although climate change will likely ravage everyone but the billionaires, its still important to point out that white, middle-class librarians in New York wont have the worst of it, and its maybe for this reason that the novel somewhat sheepishly avoids any direct polemics or calls to action, though it drops hints throughout. Survival instructors have a saying, Lizzie muses. Get organized or die. Her boss, on the other hand, advises her to get very, very rich. But it may be that Offill does not believe that is the role of fiction. Novelists, after all, are under no obligation to provide solutions; their books arent survival guides. They only have to tell compelling stories, and Offill succeeds in distilling the queasy, tranquil terror of a 93F day in Octoberlike the one we had in New York last fall.20

But its natural to be discomfited by the fact that at the novels end, Lizzie is still mired in the same anxious paralysis, and one is still left with unanswered questions about how we might be able to escape it. Is Weather just an exercise in highbrow bourgeois hand-wringing? Is readingand for that matter, writingempathetic stories while the world warms any better than watching zombie movies or posting Tide Pod memes? With 12 short years on the clock to avoid the worst, can anyone justify sitting in a room for several years to produce any work of art, much less one made of trees? To misquote Auden, if novels make nothing happen, should we make them? As a tree killer myself, I often feel that writing in the face of climate change is like seeing a mushroom cloud, turning to your assembled screaming neighbors, and saying, Yo, let me tell you about the weirdest dream I had last night!21

A more productive way to read Weather might be to understand its dread as willfully exhausting and useless. By the end of the book, its impossible to think that worrying alone is going to solve anything. At the very least, dread implies a desire to live, and many of us who have done enough worrying are ready to hit the streets. Even the doomer zoomers are now turning out. At last Septembers worldwide climate strike, a kid in a black punk get-up held a sign that said, I want to die but the planet doesnt.22

Despite its steadfast lack of wishful thinking, Weather finally drops its pessimistic kayfabe after its conclusion, as if to express that activism must extend beyond the novel. In a postscript, Offill adds a link to a website, obligatorynoteofhope.com. As I write this review, the link leads only to teasers for essays on Why collective action is the antidote to fear and dread, How to get involved in the fight for social and climate justice, and What to do if (like me) you hate to march. The essays werent available yet; much like the problems, the answers, I really hope, are COMING SOON.23

Originally posted here:

Jenny Offill's Novel of Climate Dread - The Nation

Analyst: Bitcoin is printing the same pattern that marked Decembers $6,400 bottom – CryptoSlate

Over the past two weeks, global markets have been in chaos; along with Bitcoin plunging below $9,000 to a low of $8,400, equities, namely U.S. stocks, have fallen off a cliff. Just today, Mar. 5, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has fallen by 2.6 percent leaving the index still in the territory of a textbook correction.

Although Bitcoin traded in tandem with the Dow Jones last week, analysts are coming to the conclusion that the cryptocurrency has fuel to jet, so to say, past $10,000 in the coming days and weeks. Heres why.

While BTC seemingly moves without rhyme or reason, its a liquid asset at the end of the day, trading as others in its class does. That means that it follows textbook technical analysis.

Fortunately for bulls, one such textbook predicts Bitcoin is about to surge even higher than it already has over the past days.

Financial Survivalism the crypto trader accurately predicted that Bitcoin would rally to the $9,000s by the middle of January recently shared the below analysis, showing that BTCs chart since the crash from $10,000 is showing strong signs of a Wyckoff Accumulation.

A Wyckoff Accumulation is a textbook chart pattern observed by legendary analyst Richard Wyckoff, which sees an asset fall into an accumulation range, then break higher to where it was prior to the drop.

Per Survivalisms analysis, BTC is in the midst of Phase D of the textbook pattern, which will soon be followed by a rally to $9,800, then potentially even higher if bulls pick up the pace from there.

This pattern is especially notable because a Wyckoff Accumulation is what marked the bottom in December 2019, when the cryptocurrency plunged under $7,000 multiple times.

It isnt only the forming Wyckoff Accumulation that shows Bitcoin is ready to surge past $10,000.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that with the recent price action, the leading cryptocurrency has managed to retake the lower band of the Trading Envelope Indicator, a gauge that smooths moving averages to map out higher and lower limits.

The outlet wrote that this simple technical occurrence may allow it to test the upper limit, which could bring the coin to around $10,600, noting how BTC did the exact same in mid-December when it rallied after it breached the lower band.

On the fundamental side of things, Indias Supreme Court just ruled that Indias central bank ban on banks from servicing crypto companies will be reversed. This ruling allows for crypto exchanges to operate in India after an over-one-year hiatus, opening the door to a massive amount of fiat inflows in the coming years.

Bitcoin, currently ranked #1 by market cap, is up 4.33% over the past 24 hours. BTC has a market cap of $166.42B with a 24 hour volume of $38.68B.

Chart by CryptoCompare

Bitcoin is up 4.33% over the past 24 hours.

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Analyst: Bitcoin is printing the same pattern that marked Decembers $6,400 bottom - CryptoSlate

The 10 Best Adults-Only Hotels in the Caribbean for 2020 – Caribbean Journal

The Caribbean is filled with great adults-only hotels but the vast majority of them are all-inclusive.

For many, thats great, and an adults-only all-inclusive vacation can be wonderful.

But not everyone is seeking an all-inclusive experience; some want the independence and bespoke feel of a traditional EP hotel, without sacrificing the privacy and seclusion of an adults-only property.

Of course, finding an adults-only hotel that isnt all-inclusive isnt easy. But thats what were here for.

Weve narrowed down our favorite adults-only hotels in the Caribbean, all oozing with personality and character, all most exclusively of the boutique variety, and all featuring inspired design, character and cool.

Here are 10 adults-only hotels to try in the Caribbean right now.

Rock House Harbour Island, The Bahamas One of the regions coolest hotels of any variety, this 10-room charmer has an oh-so-cool bar, a colorful, clubby pool deck and what is arguably the best restaurant in all of Harbour Island, a destination that is one of the true it getaways in the Caribbean (thats part of a generally outstanding food and beverage program, including some seriously good rum). It goes without saying, then, that the hotel also has its own beach club on the world-famous Pink Sand Beach. In other words, its a must.

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The 10 Best Adults-Only Hotels in the Caribbean for 2020 - Caribbean Journal

5 Caribbean Islands Where You Can Go Beyond the Beach – The New York Times

A third of Grenada, about 100 miles north of Venezuela, is agricultural, with top exports including nutmeg, cocoa and mace, with cinnamon, turmeric and other spices also being cultivated.

Many farms on the oval-shaped island were once devoted primarily to nutmeg, a top export and so important to the country it appears on the national flag. However, Hurricane Ivan in 2004 destroyed most of the nutmeg trees (as well as much of the island) and cocoa, whose trees mature faster than nutmeg, is increasing in importance.

Introduced to Grenada by French settlers in 1714, raw cocoa for centuries was exported overseas for processing. But Grenada pioneered tree-to-bar chocolate in the region, with a former New Yorker named Mott Green establishing the Grenada Chocolate Company in the late 1990s. The island now has five chocolate factories, along with many cocoa farms, that will educate visitors on the various processes harvesting, drying, fermenting and more required to make chocolate and other cocoa products.

At Belmont Estate, a 400-acre, 300-year-old farm in the north of the island, travelers can tour the fields and cocoa processing facilities, and end their visit at the on-site restaurant which serves organic vegetables grown on the farm as well as the local cocoa tea.

Kim Russell, co-owner of Crayfish Bay Organic Cocoa Estate, calls cocoa tea an acid trip on chocolate. (His version includes coconut milk and a drop of rum, for enhancing the chocolate flavor.) He also offers tours of his farm and factory, but its much more informal. Visitors should plan, he said, to eat a lot of chocolate and listen to me talk for two hours.

If you dont have a car, St. Georges, Grenadas picturesque capital known for its brightly painted buildings and scenic harbor, offers the chance to learn about the islands sweet chocolate history at the new Tri-Island Chocolate Factory Cafe, where visitors can make their own bars, and The House of Chocolate, a small museum, boutique and cafe.

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5 Caribbean Islands Where You Can Go Beyond the Beach - The New York Times

Caribbean tourism threatened by the region’s first cases of COVID-19 – Global Voices

A Carnival cruise ship docked at the Jamaican resort town of Ocho Rios in 2018. Photo by Emma Lewis, used with permission.

As anxiety grows over the spread of COVID-19 outside China, the Caribbean region is becoming increasingly nervous. As of March 3, 2020, three cases of the coronavirus have been confirmedin St. Martin and St. Barthlmy, and another in the Dominican Republic small nations that remain vigilant as authorities fine-tune already existing response measures.

There are concerns, however, that some island territories are ill-equipped to deal with an outbreak on the scale of COVID-19. As at the time of publishing, there were 95,079 known global cases, with 51,432 recoveries and 3,249 deaths, but the figures are constantly changing.

On Twitter, journalist Jacqueline Charles, who reports for the Miami Herald, wondered whether Haiti could cope with the fallout should the virus spread across the border from the Dominican Republic:

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are not limited to the health sector; despite the silver lining of massively reduced carbon emissions from China since the lockdown over the illness, there have also been negative repercussions for international trade, travel and the global economy.

On February 28, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) upgraded its coronavirus risk for the Caribbean from moderate to high, urging health authorities of CARPHA member states toshift their mindset from preparedness toreadiness and rapid response and continue to do everything necessary to strengthen their capacity to respond to the possible importation of cases.Member states were also encouraged to increase their surveillance capacity and urgently adapt national pandemic preparedness plans to deal with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which represents 15 member states and five associate member states, had planned a special emergency meeting in Barbados to discuss a regional strategy, but since the confirmation of the three COVID-19 cases, a virtual meeting took place instead. During the session, which was streamed live on Facebook on March 1, CARICOM Chair and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley announced a regional protocol to handle the virus, following advice from two earlier meetings among regional health officials.

The Caribbean cruise industry experienced a boom year in 2019. In Jamaica, cruise ship passengers made up over 1.5 million of the 4.3 million visitors to the island, but now the industry is beginning to struggle with the fallout from COVID-19. Jamaica's Ministry of Tourism has reportedly downgraded its projected earnings.

Several cruise ships have either been delayed in ports or turned away altogether, because of concerns over passengers showing symptoms that could be associated with the virus. In other cases, passengers from high-risk countries have not been allowed to disembark.

On March 4, a cruise ship carrying hundreds of passengers who boarded in St. Martin (where at least one case has been confirmed) was allowed to dock at Port Royal a port near Kingston, which received its first cruise ship with much fanfare back in January. News reports are hinting at some developing tension between the country's health and tourism ministries over the issue, with Minister of Health Christopher Tufton stressing in a radio interview that the government will not take any unnecessary risks.

There is so much at stake for the cruise line industry that representatives attended the March 1 CARICOM meeting to help ensure that the agreed protocols embraced security and health concerns, and that there would be structures in place to facilitate proper communication between regional governments and cruise operators.

Some cruise lines, however, are beginning to push back against the interim regulations imposed by Caribbean governments. MSC Cruises, which had a ship turned away from both Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, finally docked in Mexico, where President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obradorcommented: We cannot act with discrimination. Passengers turned out to have simply had the flu.

Jamaicas tough stance on cruise ships has also upset operators like Carnival Cruises, who withdrew stops in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands over the past week.

However, many social media users agree that the restrictions are warranted under the current circumstances, as public health comes first:

The nerves continue. Another Jamaican tweeted:

Given the situation, Caribbean Airlines, the main regional carrier, is also reviewing its health and safety measures. In Trinidad and Tobago for instance, passengers from flights originating in countries with confirmed cases of COVID-19 have reported having to pass through an infrared scanner before being allowed to enter the country.

Caribbean citizens have begun, somewhat reluctantly, to limit social contact and avoid the customary hugs or kisses of greeting between friends and family, and handshakes between colleagues and business associates. Well-known Jamaican broadcaster Fae Ellington declared:

Meanwhile, the overall economic impact on small island economies remains to be seen. Despite assertions by Jamaicas Minister of Finance, Nigel Clarke, that there were no cancellations of tourist bookings from the United States (which represents approximately 75 percent of Jamaican visitors), Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, did not appear sanguine in a radio interview towards the end of February. Private sector representatives who are expecting price rises also do not appear confident. The many small businesses and attractions on the ground that depend on cruise ship business are particularly anxious, with one noting that the major losers are the people of Jamaica, the taxi drivers, the vendors.

One Jamaican Twitter user expressed anxiety over COVID-19's potential impact on tourism, a major earner of foreign exchange for the island:

Another shared:

As the Caribbean braces itself for additional cases of COVID-19, however, economic impacts are not the priority. The region is not taking any chances with the illness, which has, thus far, already claimed thousands of lives across the globe.

Check out Global Voices special coverage of the global impact of COVID-19.

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Caribbean tourism threatened by the region's first cases of COVID-19 - Global Voices

Is This The Next Big Vacation Spot In The Caribbean? – Forbes

From the rum punch, to the white sand beaches and the turquoise blue waters ideal for snorkeling, its no secret the Caribbean is the consummate vacation host. But, as an alternative to the tourist-heavy, well-established Caribbean hot spots comes a newcomer to the vacation scene: Michs, which is located along the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic.

About 90 minutes from the airport in Punta Cana, this chilled-out destination is just now emerging on the radars of tourists, thanks in large part to a newly opened highway that shaved an hour off the drive time from the airport, making Michs a more feasible vacation spot.

Club Med Michs Playa Esmeralda opened in late 2019, offering four boutique villages within the ... [+] resort.

In late-2019, Club Med Michs Playa Esmeralda became the first resort to open in the area, debuting its eco-chic, all-inclusive 93-acre beachfront property thats surrounded by a verdant palm grove. Next up, Four Seasons is planning Tropicalia, a 169-room oceanfront resort with luxury residences.

Unlike the big hotels youd find in Punta Cana, though, Club Med gave its resort which is the brands first full Exclusive Collection resort to open in the Americas a boutique hotel vibe by divvying the property up into four distinct villages. The family-friendly Explorers Cove is close to the kids club; punchy colors and tropical gardens define Caribbean Paradise and Emerald Jungle is a zen, adults-only space. The most exclusive space is Archipelago, an ultra-luxe, adults-only village where 750-square foot suites come with private pools and ocean views.

Bursts of bright color fill the lobby at Club Med Michs Playa Esmeralda.

In a sense, Club Meds newest Dominican Republic resort feels much like a hideaway. With that in mind, here are a few of its best-kept secrets.

Kids (and anyone else with a sweet tooth!) will feel like theyve stepped into a real-life Candyland once they figure out the passcode to enter this chocolate-themed speakeasy. Inside the decadent Secret Chocolate Room is a chocolate fountain, plus cakes, candies, and ice cream. The resort has a partnership with Xocolat, a Dominican chocolate company that creates its treats with the islands cocoa beans.

The Secret Chocolate Room is like a real life Candyland.

Club Med Michs Playa Esmeralda has plenty of excursion options, ranging from a trip to the scenic El Limn waterfall, a cascading 170-foot fall that you can swim underneath to a whale watching getaway from January to March when humpbacks migrate from Canada to the warmer waters of Saman Bay. But, an especially unique trip is one that winds you up to the top of nearby Montaa Redonda, which translates to rounded mountain. Once there, youll be spoiled with 360-degree views of the regions lush landscape. Several squeal-inducing swings are atop the mountain and are just the prop you need for a jaw-dropping Instagram photo. Those who are afraid of heights can relax in a hammock.

Take a swing on Montaa Redonda, which provides panoramic views (and a great photo for your ... [+] Instagram grid).

Sure, most resorts have volleyball nets and tennis courts. But a unique Club Med amenity? The circus equipment. Trained staff will help you get the swing (no avoiding that pun) of the flying trapeze. Or, let loose on the trampoline.

Take a break from the beach and try your hand a the circus arts.

Other entertaining ways to break up those lazy beach days include archery, trying out a yoga class in the Treetop Wellness Canopy, playing bocce ball or kayaking. But something unique to the resort is jet surfing, and the amateur-approved surfing option is a breezy way to explore the coastline.

A new water sport to try: Jet surfing.

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Is This The Next Big Vacation Spot In The Caribbean? - Forbes

Spotlight On The Caribbean: Changing Weather – Global Finance

Guyanas oil bounty could benefit the whole region, but climate events threaten tourism.

The patchwork of more than a dozen countries that make up the Caribbean zone are more open for business than in the past and have seen their economic prospects improve, although they are still exposed to climate risks and other headwinds. The whole regionincluding Guyana and excluding Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republicshould enjoy 5.6% GDP growth in 2020, according to the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Eclac). This positive projection is due in considerable measure to the impressive 85.6% growth rate expected in Guyana as production kicks off on the largest crude oil discovery of recent years.

Guyanas bounty could generate wealth for its neighbors as well through trade and other business. Exxon Mobil is already exploiting the Liza field, which has a capacity of 120,000 gross barrels per day (bpd) through the end of this year. Production from the Stabroek block is expected to achieve 750,000 gross bpd by 2025, when five floating production, storage and offloading facilities are slated to be fully online.

The transformation of this small country, which has been a gold producer, is anticipated to be huge. As an Amazonian country, Guyana is also engaged in environmental protection: a key requirement for new investments. A green state will emphasize the preservation and protection of the environment and the promotion of renewable energy, ecotourism and value-added production, President David Granger said last February.

Most of the Caribbean states, including Guyana, have implemented reforms making it simpler for medium and small domestic companies to do business, the World Bank notes. And while most of the region still needs to remove obstacles to entrepreneurship, Puerto Rico and Jamaica have made progress in this area. Most Caribbean states have undertaken tougher management of their public accounts, says Daniel Titelman, chief of Eclacs Economic Development Division, and have reduced their public debt: a path he hopes they will continue on in the future.

However, the improved macroeconomic landscape must compete with the regions main vulnerability: devastating natural events exacerbated by climate change, like the hurricane that devastated the Bahamas last year.

The regions exposure to climate risks continues to require strong policies, says Alejandro Werner, director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the IMF, in the funds January Latin America and Caribbean regional outlook report.

Tourism is especially sensitive to climate events. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association is expecting a profitable year, especially in countries that were affected by the disasters of 2017 and have since rebuilt and bolstered their infrastructure to withstand future storms. Antigua and Barbuda are projected to grow 6.5% and Grenada 4%.

But the Bahamas, still recovering from last Septembers tragedy, will suffer negative 0.6% growth, according to Eclac. The Cuban economy, weakened by US bans reinstated in 2017 and implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, rendering foreign investment in the island risky, will grow only 0.5%. Cuba is also facing an oil shortage, as US sanctions against Venezuela have deprived the country of more than 50% of the fuel it needs.

Projections for the regions commodities-exporting countries are not so dire: They at least will improve their growth performance over last years 2% drop. But with prices and demand for oil and gold going down, Suriname should grow just 1.7%, down from 2.1% in 2019.

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Spotlight On The Caribbean: Changing Weather - Global Finance

Curried Cabbage, the Perfect Caribbean Vegan Recipe – Caribbean Journal

Sometimes trying to stick with a vegan diet, you can hit a wall trying to come up with new and exciting things to cook. Today was one of those days for me. It didnt help that my fridge and cupboards were like Old Mother Hubbards, so there wasnt much to choose from either. A giant head of cabbage, a couple of small potatoes, some red and green peppers and half dead okra was about all I could find during the fridge shakedown.

I remembered my mom would prepare cabbage very simply by steaming it in an inch or two of water with just a sprinkling of salt as a side dish. I guess it could be considered poaching since the cabbage is actually partially in the water but lets not get lost in specifics. The end result would magically have an underlying sweetness one would not expect from the product or the techniques simplicity.

Since I didnt have much else to work with, and my belly was screaming for attention, I decided to take that magical simplicity and build on it to create a slightly more elaborate version and make it the star of the show since there was no other talent available.

Rather than just water, I decided to add red split peas (quick cooking split peas) and curry powder to make a thin dhal; fortify it with some vegetables and aromatics, then add the cabbage to slowly steam (or stew at this point) and hope it would still impart the inherent sweetness it is supposed to reveal using this cooking method.

The end result was nothing short of amazing. Apart from being very budget friendly and exceptionally wholesome in its nutritional value, the flavor satisfied the savory element my stomach craved and was surprisingly filling.

Its also the gift that kept on giving, because re-heating it the next day for lunch revealed an even deeper flavor profile than the initial finish, with the dhal now thick enough to serve over steaming hot white rice or a hot roti.

Who said eating vegan, or on the cheap had to be boring?

Enjoy!

Curried Cabbage

1 Large Cabbage -quartered

4 whole new Potatoes

10 whole Okra, tip and tail removed

cup red Split peas (red lentils)

8 cups Water

3 Tablespoons Coconut oil

2 sprigs fresh Thyme

2 Tablespoons Curry powder

4 cloves fresh Garlic, minced

cup Onions, med dice

cup Tomatoes, rough chopped

cup red Bell peppers, med diced

1 teaspoon fresh Ginger, minced fine

teaspoon Scotch bonnet pepper, minced

Pinch of powdered Hing (optional)

METHOD:

In a large saucepan over medium heat add coconut oil. Add onions, bell peppers, scotch bonnet pepper, ginger and garlic. Saut for 1 minute then add curry powder and mix well for another minute. Add tomatoes, split peas, hing and water. Bring to a boil then add potatoes. Continue cooking for 15 minutes. Lower the heat and add okra and the cabbage. Cover and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes, then turn the cabbage over to submerge the other side in the curry and continue cooking for 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly and serve, spooning the curry sauce over the cabbage along with the potatoes, okra and peppers.

OPTIONAL: Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and/or tamarind sauce.

Nigel Spence, a Culinary Institute of America alumnus, was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Nigel freelanced at the Television Food Network for 3 years where he worked with culinary luminaries such as Bobby Flay and Emeril Lagasse. Chef Spence has appeared twice on Throwdown with Bobby Flay where he emerged the victor in cook offs against the Food Network star and was featured on CBS when he appeared on Tonys Table as well as ABCs Neighborhood Eats, NBCs The Today Show , Sirius Everyday Living with Martha Stewart and TVFNs Chopped. The acclaimed and New York Times-reviewedRipe Kitchen and Baris Mr Spences first entrepreneurial endeavor.

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Curried Cabbage, the Perfect Caribbean Vegan Recipe - Caribbean Journal

This One Pirates of the Caribbean Line Plays on a Loop in My Head – Vulture

In which Hunter Harris attempts to exorcise the movie quotes haunting her brain.

Were not one nation under God, were one nation under this Geoffrey Rush quote. Photo-Illustration: Vulture and Walt Disney

Unless we time-travel back to me being 17 and breaking curfew, Im not an actor. I cant look at a script and devise a perfect line reading. But I have another gift: I can watch a movie and get a certain line-reading stuck in my head for all of eternity, in this life and the next. I have written previously on one such line that I cant get out of my head, from Marriage Story. There, Adam Driver, biggest boy, confronts his wifes allegation of infidelity with a frown and the words You shouldnt be upset that I fucked her, you should be upset that I had a laugh with her! That Marriage Story line is obtuse and vexing and hilarious, the most unrealistic moment of a hyperrealistic romance. I have returned with another line that twerks around this noggin of mine. In Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, there exists a line that feels distinctly opposite: Its the most realistic moment in a high-seas fantasy. You best start believin in ghost stories, Miss Turner, Geoffrey Rush snarls. Yer in one!

I am brave enough to admit that we dont give this line enough credit. Even if it were printed on every American dollar bill, like the words In God We Trust, which I think are printed on dollar bills, it would not be enough. Add this line to our Constitution, stitch it onto a pillow, go as this line for Halloween! I dont think Im being dramatic when I borrow a quote from another good Keira Knightley period piece and say: This line from Pirates of the Carribean: The Curse of the Black Pearl has bewitched me, body and soul!

In Black Pearl, Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightley) plays Port Royal, Jamaicas first daughter. Like many a Disney ingenue, she is wealthy and privileged and a habitual line-stepper. At ten years old, shes onboard a ship that picks up Will Turner (another 10-year-old who will, in about ten minutes, turn into Orlando Bloom), at which point she pockets a pirate medallion around his neck, worried that her father will arrest her new crush for his criminal associations. For years, Elizabeth has kept this medallion tucked away, forgotten, until she dreams about it one night and decides to wear it around her own neck.

A decade after Wills arrival, in what seems like a total coincidence, pirates raid Port Royal. Elizabeth is kidnapped by the titular pirates on the titular Black Pearl, and its captain, Barbossa (Rush), explains to her the titular curse. (Because Elizabeth stole the medallion from Will Turner, she uses his surname as her own.) [This medallion is] one of 882 identical pieces [the Aztecs] delivered in a stone chest to Corts himself, Barbossa explains over dinner. Blood money paid to stem the slaughter he wreaked upon them with his armies. But the greed of Corts was insatiable. So the heathen gods placed upon the gold a terrible curse. Any mortal that removes but a single piece from that stone chest shall be punished for eternity. Elizabeth almost guffaws in disbelief. Of course she does! This is nuts! I hardly believe in ghost stories anymore, Captain Barbossa, she says. To this, his pockmarked skin grins.

Aye, he begins. Thats exactly what I thought when we were first told the tale. The pirates aboard the Pearl found the island, found the chest, and found the gold. Like the Bling Ring, they robbed it of every gold piece. The more we gave em away, the more we came to realize the drink would not satisfy, food turned to ash in our mouths, and all the pleasurable company in the world could not slake our lust. We are cursed men, Miss Turner! Like every woman who has ever had to endure the monologue of a man, Elizabeth Swann looks on, rather nonplussed by this information. They are cursed men, but we are cursed by men, so its hard to muster up a lot of empathy whether you are being held captive, as she is, or just a woman living in New York City, as I am.

And here is when it happens: Elizabeth makes a botched attempt to stab Barbossa with a steak knife and escape, but upon exiting the captains quarters, she finds herself among a skeletal crew. Not skeleton crew, like, understaffed. Skeletal crew, like, where there once were human men, there are now sentient skeletons dressed in tattered rags. Captain Barbossa points his index finger and walks out of the shadows into the moonlight, his body transforming to bones before our very eyes. You best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner, he tells her. Yer in one!

Whats nutty is that Pirates of the Carribean has many quotable lines: The way Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp, relatively pre-controversy) twists his braided beard and whines, But why is the rum gone?! The way an amber-eyed pirate peers into a hiding spot and says, Hello, puppet, the words twisted and mangled so that they come out: Ehlow, Pop-ette! Barbossa declines Elizabeths plea to return her to Port Royal, sneering, Im disinclined to acquiesce to your request. But its been 17 years since Curse of the Black Pearl was released enough time for these lines to learn to drive a car and apply to college and fight with their moms over how short prom dresses can be and its the ghost stories delivery that I just cannot get out of my worms-for-brains head.

Around 300 days ago, on April 10, 2019: I went public with a truth I hold to be self-evident: dont avada kedavra my ass, I wrote, but last night i came to the conclusion that u best start believin in ghost stories miss turner YER in one is better than YER a wizard harry i would make a poll but i know that im right and also its too many characters. Was it unwise to pit two powerful women a Pirates line and a Harry Potter line against one another? Perhaps! But I did it, and I was right to do it.

Did a former crush suddenly start watching your IG story again? Girl. You? Best start believin in ghost stories, Miss Turner. Because youre? In one! Did you just confidently lie to your local Apple Genius Bar technician, nodding your head and insisting that yes of course youve backed up your computer, and no you dont know how all that water got in there. You! Best! Start! Believin in ghost stories, Miss Turner! Because! Congratulations, theres a good chance youre about to be in one! If, on Christmas Eve, as is his tradition, Kevin Spacey releases another unhinged home video? We all better start believin in ghost stories, Miss Turner were in one!

Perhaps this line appeals to me so much because, at present, we are living in a parallel universe that feels a little like a ghost story. Children are in cages. Our planet is dying. The Renegade dance is too hard for my brittle bones. Joker earned more Oscar nominations than The Farewell. Victoria never got a Jellicle name. Olive Garden has changed its motto from When youre here, youre family to Were all family here. Who will answer for all the raw chicken in the streets of Boerum Hill that one time? Why has it felt like Halloween since Christmas 2017? What Im saying is this: We are walking around in dark and uncertain times of political and personal turmoil. A ghost story this might be! I can only hope that somewhere, Rooney Mara is placing an order for pie.

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This One Pirates of the Caribbean Line Plays on a Loop in My Head - Vulture

The Invention of the "Healthy" Caribbean – JSTOR Daily

As spring break season approaches, many U.S. students are planning vacations to the Caribbean. Yet as environmental studies scholar Mark Carey explains, visitors from the U.S. and Europe have had a complicated relationship with the region for centuries. Disease has been a particularly common concern.

Before the late nineteenth century, when the germ theory of disease began to be accepted by the public, Europeans thought bad air caused sickness (miasma theory). So, as Carey writes, opinions on the healthfulness of Caribbean destinations depended on the specific features of the land and its air quality. Many doctors associated marshes with fever, liver disease, and even simple unhappiness. On the other hand, wind was supposed to not only cool the body but purify the spirit and prevent sickness. One 1775 publication on animal husbandry claimed that the dry air found along hilly coasts was healthy, but when a meridian sun unites with a marshy rotten soil, in which the heavy rains stagnate, then it is impossible for a country to be tolerably healthy.

For instance, Europeans saw Barbados as one of the healthiest spots in the Caribbean, thanks to its rocky ground. Among the health-seeking visitors to that island was George Washington, who traveled there in 1751 to escape the northern winter.

Carey notes that Europeans also insisted that clearing land for farms improved the local climate. As one British doctor wrote in 1806, a place can only be made healthy by the unceasing toil of man. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this theory supported the idea that colonial governments should organize land use and economic activity in ways that were advantageous to Europe. Visiting Haiti in 1803, after the revolution, one Polish soldier complained that The air here is most unhealthy, especially since the time of the black revolt twelve years ago.

Through the nineteenth century, there was a widespread sense in Europe and the United States that Caribbean climates were dangerous. Its probably not surprising that the public felt that way, given the high rates of malaria among U.S. soldiers serving in the Spanish-American War and, later, among workers building the Panama Canal. But Carey writes that doctors worked to portray at least some parts of the region as healthful. In the late nineteenth century, a British surgeon suggested creating a health resort for U.S. residents on a hill in Jamaica, reasoning that yellow fever couldnt reach high elevations.

Attitudes shifted gradually. This was partly due to improved understanding of disease vectors and projects to reduce mosquito populations. Savvy marketing also helped. As early as 1865, the Church of England recruited missionaries to the Bahamas with a report touting the island climate. Over time, steamship travel made the Caribbean accessible for more tourists. A suntan fad that swept the United States in the 1920s contributed to the appeal, tying time in the sun to health. Carey writes that marketing material lured foreigners who sought not only relaxation and romance but also power over much poorer populations.

If that marketing campaign worked then, it hasnt necessarily outweighed the legacy of anxiety among travelers to the Caribbean. This spring, many of them will be following in a long tradition as they weigh the appeal of sun and sea with a vague fear of dangerous diseases.

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JSTOR is a digital library for scholars, researchers, and students. JSTOR Daily readers can access the original research behind our articles for free on JSTOR.

By: Mark Carey

Osiris, Vol. 26, No. 1, Klima (2011), pp. 129-141

The University of Chicago Press on behalf of The History of Science Society

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The Invention of the "Healthy" Caribbean - JSTOR Daily

Strengthening Caribbean regional integration – Caribbean Life

Ding Ding is deputy division chief, Caribbean 1 Division, Western Hemisphere Department (WHD) at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), & Inci Otker currently works at the Western Hemisphere Department, IMF and is mission chief for St. Kitts and Nevis & Trinidad and Tobago and Division Chief of Caribbean III.

WASHINGTON DC, Feb 7 2020 (IPS) The Caribbean economies have long recognized the value of working together. Improving regional integrationfor instance, through more intraregional trade and policy coordinationcan help the regions small-size economies build greater resilience and scale, as well as enhance bargaining power on the global stage.

According to the latest IMF research, further liberalizing trade and labor mobility in the region can generate significant economic benefitspotentially over 7 percent of the regions GDP in 2018.

While policymakers of the Caribbean Community* (CARICOM) remain committed to further integration and progress has been made, the implementation of integration initiatives and policies toward the goal of a regional economic union has been slow and needs to be accelerated.

Work in progress

Compared to other well-integrated regions, like the ECCU and EU, the Caribbean lags. The integration indices, which measure the degree of intraregional economic and institutional integration, suggest that Caribbean communitys integration has proceeded in several waves, with periods of integration followed by slowdowns in progress, including in removing remaining tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and constraints on intraregional labor movement.

Financial integration has proceeded faster with tightly-interconnected financial systems across the region, but capital markets remain underdeveloped and fragmented. Harmonizing economic and structural policies to support a single economic space is still work in progress, with lacking harmonization and coordination of investment codes, tax incentives, and macroeconomic policies.

Pain points

Why has progress in regional integration been slow for the Caribbean? A combination of institutional, political economy, and structural factors underlie the slower implementation of integration policies.

The lack of a regional body with powers and accountability that can help transform community decisions to binding laws in individual jurisdictions is a key impediment. A decision-making process based on unanimity principle, where each member retains its sovereign authority, also hinders progress.

In the absence of a facilitating regional architecture, cooperation must rely on well-aligned national interests and shared goals, but national incentives do not seem to be well-aligned for integration, with its potential benefits perceived by some as uncertain, potentially uneven, and only materializing over a long horizon.

Differing export/production structures and income and development levels make it challenging to harmonize economic and structural policies around well-integrated policy frameworks.

Some regional authorities attribute the slow pace of implementation to a crisis of will, as much as to wasteful duplication and slow progress in harmonizing legal and institutional frameworks and to binding resource/capacity gaps.

A worthwhile goal

The Caribbean authorities broadly agree that integration should remain a top priority and greater collaboration is critical to tackle common challenges. It is important to capitalize on this momentum.

Recent IMF research finds that further liberalization of trade and greater labor mobility within the region can generate significant benefits.

A 25-percent reduction in non-tariff barriers and trade costs within CARICOM and vis--vis non-CARICOM trade partners can boost trade and improve welfare gain for all membersat about $6 billion, or 7.6 percent of the regions GDP in 2018.

It can also help restructure economies from contracting to expanding sectors, resulting in a net employment gain across the region.

Way forward

Greater cooperation is the key to furthering regional integration in the Caribbean. While these economies small size and supply constraints may potentially limit benefits from economic integration, acting as a group can enhance the scale, bringing widespread benefits and helping the region further tap into global value chains.

That is, regional integration should not be an end-goal, but a means to an end of deepening Caribbean integration into the global economy.

At a time when momentum for economic integration seems to have stalled, close cooperation in high priority areas for the region can help demonstrate benefits of coordinated action and serve as a building block to the ultimate goal of full integration.

Key areas could include:

What is CARICOM?

*The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is comprised of twenty countries (fifteen Member States and five Associate Members), mostly island states in the Caribbean stretching from the Bahamas in the north to Suriname and Guyana in South America. It was established by the English-speaking parts of the Caribbean in 1973 with the primary objectives to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members, ensure that the benefits of integration are equitably shared, and coordinate foreign policy. CARICOM is the oldest existing integration movement in the developing world.

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Strengthening Caribbean regional integration - Caribbean Life

Caribbean Health Agency Raises Virus Threat Level to High – The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (5 March. 2020) Having raised the risk level of coronavirus (COVID-19) to the Caribbean from low to moderate to high, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) yesterday encouraged regional tourism leaders to be ready to respond to possible importation of cases and local transmission.

At the same time, the health agency assured ministers and directors of tourism and other senior tourism officials, that while there have been no cases of local transmission the two cases reported in St. Martin and one in the Dominican Republic were all imported it was working closely with member countries and Caribbean coordinating partners such as the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) on mechanisms to prevent further transmission from any possible imported cases.

The assurance came at COVID-19 information session for member governments coordinated by the CTO and facilitated by CARPHA. Yesterdays session was part of the CTOs programme of full engagement in the regional response to the COVID-19 outbreak, in collaboration with CARPHA, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association and the Global Tourism Resilience Centre.

The CTOs web site, http://www.onecaribbean.org provides updated information from member countries and links to the CARPHA site (www.carpha.org) which is monitoring the virus and providing regular, reliable updates.

The organisation is also utilising a range of sources to track the global and reported regional impact of the virus, which has affected 93,090 people in 76 countries (80,422 in China alone), according to the latest World Health Organization figures. In the meantime, travellers are advised to:

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Caribbean Health Agency Raises Virus Threat Level to High - The St. Kitts-Nevis Observer

Royal Caribbean Is Starting To Look Attractive – Seeking Alpha

Source

Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL) have fallen 37% from their recent highs. The shares have been under immense pressure due to the recent Coronavirus outbreak. Many fear traveling will come to a complete stop and any unnecessary vacations will be put on hold. However, many of these bookings are made in advance, so it is more than likely that the effects will be delayed. However, while there may be a period of softness, moving into the summer months the virus should see a decline in infection rate. This will help promote the feeling of safety and travelers will once again resume their bookings. While I expect an earnings hit, the important factor to remember is that ultimately, the virus will likely pass and investors would have had a great buying opportunity. We take a look below to see if the shares are now worth buying.

Royal Caribbean operates in an industry with few players. It has its largest peer Carnival Cruises (CCL) and a smaller peer Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCLH) that are both public and compete in the space. Each has its strengths which make them appeal to their customer base.

Carnival Cruises owns and operates many brands besides its namesake. The Carnival brand itself tends to be more family-oriented and competes directly with Royal Caribbean. Norwegian is typically smaller and a bit higher priced for a more exclusive experience. It tends to appeal to a higher aged demographic.

Royal Caribbean operates under its own name as well as the Celebrity, Azamara Club, Silversea, TUI cruises, and Pullmantur names. The company currently has 61 ships in its fleet with 17 more expected to be put into service in the coming years. In 2019 the company carried 6.5 million passengers up from 6 million in 2018. The expanded capacity of course helps increase revenues, routes, and service. However, demand needs to be present for the return on investment to be worthwhile.

Recently the company reported results that showed growth was still present. At first glance a miss on both the top and bottom line appear to make results look weak.

Source: Seeking Alpha

Revenue grew 8% which was quite healthy. While net income declined year over year, it was due to one time events such as hurricanes and the cancellation of trips to Cuba.

The company reported full year earnings of $9.54 per share.

Source: Earnings Presentation

This represented 8% earnings growth over 2018 earnings of $8.86. Quite impressive considering the cancellations of Cuba cruise lines and other impacts. The company should continue to see growth going forward however it has warned that the Coronavirus could impact earnings by $0.65 in 2020. We may even see these estimates get revised higher. Originally the company had guided for earnings of $10.40-$10.70 for the year. The good new is that if $0.65 is all that earnings are impacted, the company would still see a mid digit earnings growth number for the year.

The company has been steadily growing revenues and earnings for the last several years.

Source: 10K

It has 2020 goals of earnings per share of $20. This would be quite impressive given the short number of years away this is and the current price shares trade at.

Looking at the balance sheet, the company could work to improve its financial condition to be considered a safer investment.

Source: 8K

The company has less than $250 million in cash on hand and $8 billion in long term debt. The current ratio is astonishingly low at 0.15x. The company has to continue to make investments into its new ships and current ships to attract customer leaving it in a capital intensive position. This could become a problem should earnings be impacted for any extended length of time.

Looking at its 5 year historical average valuation levels, we can identify whether or not shares offer a discount compared to their own history.

Source: Morningstar

The shares currently offer a discount to their average P/S, P/E, P/CF, P/B, and forward P/E. However, some of these metrics could change as earnings guidance is impacted by the virus issue. If the virus sees containment, than currently shares offer an enticing entry point.

Compared to peers, we can see how valuation stands for Royal Caribbean.

Data by YCharts

Currently, Royal Caribbean trades at a premium to its peers, however, the valuation gap appears to be the lowest it has been in a while on some metrics. With P/S ratio and forward P/E coming down to almost the same levels as the less stellar operators in the space.

Lastly, looking at historical yield, we can identify if shares are offering an above average dividend yield.

Source: Yieldchart

Currently shares offer a 3.79% yield, this yield is so abnormally high that it can't be measured how often is was offered in the company's history. The average yield for shares is 1.72%. This means currently, investors can get a yield that is almost double the average. The dividend appears to be well covered as well with a payout ratio of around 30%.

Source: Seeking Alpha

The company has been raising its dividend for the last 7 years and at an attractive pace. Should this trend continue, investors purchasing shares at current levels could lock in a yield on cost of over 4%.

While the impact from the Coronavirus could be significant and results could become pressured, I believe it will be contained. Significant progress on vaccines are already being made and in time the issue will pass. for investors with a higher risk tolerance looking to take advantage of a negative situation currently, now may be the time. While it may be hard to time the bottom, starting to dip your toe in the water and building a position in this cruise line operator could be a good move. The shares offer below average valuation levels and an above average yield. While it may take time for shares to recover, an enticing dividend is paid to wait. I will look to possibly start a position in the near term.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, but may initiate a long position in RCL, CCL over the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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Royal Caribbean Is Starting To Look Attractive - Seeking Alpha

Caribbean-style roti shop, On the Double, coming this spring to Union Market. – PoPville

From a press release:

Chef Eric Adjepong, a first-generation Ghanaian-American bringing West African cuisine to the mainstream, will open his first solo restaurant, On the Double, this spring. The fast-casual counter in Union Market will offer food of the African diaspora through the lens of a Caribbean-style roti shop, giving guests a more approachable introduction to African cuisine.

Adjepong initially made a name for himself as the citys own entrant into season 16 of Bravos Top Chef, where he finished third and became an instant fan favorite. He will also compete on the upcoming season of Top Chef All-Stars, airing March 19, where the idea for On the Double first took shape.

During one of the challenges, I decided to do my take on a doubles, a popular Caribbean street snack of spicy cumin and turmeric frybread traditionally served with chickpeas. It dawned on me that this simple, but unfamiliar, dish could serve as a great jumping off point to trace how ingredients have migrated from Africa to places in the Caribbean, like Trinidad and Jamaica, Adjepong said. While Id like to pursue a full-service West African restaurant down the road, my goal with On the Double is to showcase this food in a more accessible setting.

Adjepongs menu begins with a choice of baked roti or fried doubles as a base, topped with either rice or curried chana and aloo (chickpeas and potatoes), and finished with one of an assortment of proteins chicken yassa, curry goat, coconut curry shrimp, or stewed beef. The signature dish, or The Double as its dubbed, will be a version of Adjepongs Top Chef contender, served with crispy pancetta, chermoula, and calypso hot sauce. Jollof rice, fried plantains, collard greens, and other sides with African roots, as well as drinks like sobolo (hibiscus sweet tea) and tamarind lemonade round out the meal.

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Caribbean-style roti shop, On the Double, coming this spring to Union Market. - PoPville