New York Times | At Ole Miss, a Liberal Agitator's Education New York Times Allen Coon, 21, a junior at the University of Mississippi. He helped lead the movement to take down the state flag from the university's flagpole. I can't go through a day without obsessively thinking about race, he said. Credit Bob Miller for The ... |
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At Ole Miss, a Liberal Agitator's Education - New York Times
Melissa McCarthys Saturday Night Live impersonation of Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, has gone viral. And Alec Baldwins rendering of Donald Trump on the same US show is so good that the president despises it, which was surely the goal. As Michael Moore noted: Trumps skin is so thin we can discombobulate him with satire. So is the political comedy boom spreading to Britain? Private Eyes sales are at their highest ever, and the comedian Bridget Christie is on a 35-date tour of Because You Demanded It, a show devoted to Brexit.
The trouble with satire, though, is that we all love it when it is directed at our enemies and at those who are objectively ludicrous. Just when you thought Trumps real-life entourage had become beyond parody, McCarthy squeezes an extra bit of ridicule out of the spectacle with her depiction of Spicer, the angriest press secretary in the history of press briefings, foaming at the gum-stuffed mouth while he hurls a Moana doll (immigrant) into a cardboard box (Guantnamo) to illustrate extreme vetting.
The real test of satire, though, is if we still laugh when it is directed at our friends. Or at ourselves. Plus, as the editor of Private Eye Ian Hislop has hinted, theres a flipside to the popularity of satire in difficult times. He likes to quote Peter Cooks dry reference to the thriving 1930s Berlin cabaret scene, which did so much to stop the rise of Hitler.
That doesnt mean satire isnt a vital safety valve. Hislop employs that quote only to show that he doesnt take himself or his magazine too seriously: he is satirising himself. But already his warning is being taken literally on social media, where theres an idea springing up that the whole Trump-Brexit thing is just not funny any more, and maybe its somehow borderline treacherous to be making jokes when you should be resisting or marching or doing something really useful like sending a lot of earnest tweets.
This attitude is why liberal America will tie itself up in knots wondering if its morally acceptable to laugh at Trump. (If you really are wondering this, no one can help you. Or possibly ever make you laugh at anything.) And its why in the UK we wont get the thing we should have, which is our own Saturday Night Live.
Its strange in a way because SNL is almost a telly version of Private Eye. With one important caveat: Private Eyes target is anyone and anything. SNLs favourite target certainly currently is always the right. But if the Eyes humour works for us in print, why dont we have anything like it on British television?
The most obvious difference is audience size. Even an unsuccessful topical late-night show in the US is going to have huge viewing figures compared with the UK. Plus US satire has international resonance and an afterlife on YouTube and social media. We flatter ourselves in Britain that our political narrative is as interesting as Trump. But you dont see screenshots of Private Eyes Brexit covers (however brilliant) going viral globally.
But we could hold our own politicians to account via ridicule on TV, couldnt we? And yet we dont. That is largely due to the BBCs public service remit. The BBC has the knowhow and the track record to broadcast something like this. But how would they do it? In a world where statistically more of the audience for Have I Got News for You must be Daily Mail or Telegraph readers rather than Guardian fans, it is amazing that it has survived. Imagine designing a political satire show that appeals equally to those two demographics. Its impossible.
Spitting Image hit the widest range of targets at a time when politics was a broader church and voters were less touchy. The brilliant Yes, Minister got away with a lot by never stating Jim Hackers political affiliation. Later, The Thick of It employed the same trick. The point was: it could just as easily be about any party, because they could all be idiots. The show cut through the partisan.
This is the best kind of satire: one that gets through to everyone regardless of political leanings. Otherwise were just laughing at what we already we agree with in our own cosy bubbles. The real challenge for satire would be to do on British (or American) television what Private Eye manages to do in print: attack everyone evenhandedly and with the self-awareness to occasionally attack yourself.
The main thing in the way of mainstream satire, of course, is the collapse of the centre. In the UK and the US we saw the same trend last year. Half the population is indifferent or hostile to politics and doesnt vote. The other half is split almost down the middle, with the winning side gaining its victory by a couple of percentage points. So half the country doesnt care or is disillusioned; one quarter is insecure in victory; and the other quarter is insecure in defeat. In Britain this does not make for a scenario where you can pull in a national TV audience and get them all to laugh at the same thing.
Still, lets see someone try. Worst case, its an entertaining public crucifixion and what better way to draw us together, Monty Python-style? Satires golden age will truly be upon us when a Saturday Night Live clip mercilessly dissecting liberal angst gets as much traction as the wonder that is Sean-Spicer-as-a-woman dry-humping a desk. I cant see it happening any time soon. Enjoy the bubble.
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A new satire must emerge one that breaks out of the liberal bubble - The Guardian
New York Post | A liberal Tea Party, the pope helps spring a terrorist and other notable commentary New York Post The Washington Post's Paul Kane suggests the tide of anti-Trump protests may be the germ of a new, liberal tea party that Democrats hope will do for them what the populist Tea Party did for Republicans. But he also warns that grass-roots movements can ... |
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A liberal Tea Party, the pope helps spring a terrorist and other notable commentary - New York Post
India's liberal bubble has shrunk to irrelevance in the age of Narendra Modi Quartz I am a liberal bubble. I am made in India and, like most of my kind, I am full of rhetoric. Shakespeare was referring to the likes of me when he wrote of lives full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Originally I was a British-American make, tough ... |
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India's liberal bubble has shrunk to irrelevance in the age of Narendra Modi - Quartz
But a now series of scandals -- and a new neighbor in the White House -- have ushered in a good dose of gloom.
The afterglow burned for months. Then came Elbowgate.
It was a jaw-dropping counterpoint to Trudeau's carefully cultivated image of calm. And it was all caught on camera.
He apologized, twice, and the negative attention was mostly limited to Canada.
No such luck for Trudeau's next misstep.
Even before that ruckus could die down, Trudeau found himself in the middle of yet another scandal. His office confirmed that the Prime Minister spent his winter holiday on the private island of the Aga Khan -- and used the billionaire religious leader's private helicopter to get there. An ethics investigation is underway.
He got grilled, heckled and yelled at.
But some commentators saw it as a successful act of contrition after several weeks of damaging missteps.
"He's authentic," said Oliver, who has known Trudeau since childhood. "He has real good instincts about people and about politics."
As he works to dig out of his domestic rut, Trudeau faces new threats to his progressive politics. There's still a strain of nationalist populism that runs deep in Canada.
Oh, and then there's Donald Trump.
"The world's going to spend a lot of time looking to you, Prime Minister, as we see more and more challenges to the liberal international order since the end of World War II," Biden said.
But is Trudeau up to the task?
"There are things that we hold dear that the Americans haven't prioritized," he said at a town hall event. "And I'm never going to shy away from standing up for what I believe in -- whether it's proclaiming loudly to the world that I am a feminist, whether it's understanding that immigration is a source of strength for us and Muslim-Canadians are an essential part of the success of our country today and into the future."
"Almost everything that Trump represents, Trudeau resents," Oliver said.
As Trudeau preps for his meeting with Trump, some say he should remember the words of his late father, who in the 1960s said that living next to the United States was like "sleeping with an elephant" -- every "twitch and grunt" affects you.
"Agitating the President of the United States is not a good strategy especially when the President is Donald Trump because he has such a thin skin," pollster Nanos said.
"There's just so much riding on it," Oliver said. "You know, 75% of Canada's goods are sold in the United States. That border has to stay open for business."
For his part, Trudeau said as much last week during a public appearance ahead of his White House visit.
"We both got elected on commitments to strengthen the middle class and support those working hard to join it," the Prime Minister said. "And that's exactly what we're gonna be focused on in these meetings -- making sure that the millions of good, middle-class jobs on both side of our borders that are dependent on the smooth flow of goods and services and people back and forth across our border are reinforcing the deep connections and friendship between Canada and the United States."
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Liberal superhero Justin Trudeau is not immune to the forces of Trump - CNN
Rich, Liberal Celebrities Lecture and Claim to Stand for 'We the People' at the 2017 Grammys NewsBusters (blog) The 59th Annual Grammy Awards wouldn't have been an awards show unless somebody went political. A Tribe called Quest led the predictable, tiresome left-wing takes, while singer Joy Villa went the surprising route at the Staples Center in Los Angeles ... |
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Updated February 13, 2017 19:25:31
Several WA One Nation candidates say they will refuse to preference the Liberal Party, contrary to a statewide deal announced on the weekend.
The WA Liberals will preference One Nation above the Nationals in the Upper House in regional areas, with One Nation preferencing the Liberals in all Lower House seats in return.
High-profile One Nation candidate Margaret Dodd, who is contesting the Liberal-held seat of Scarborough for One Nation and is the mother of murdered teenager Hayley Dodd, today condemned the decision and accused the party of bullying its candidates.
Speaking outside a Perth court where her daughter's alleged murderer, Francis Wark, appeared today, Ms Dodd said she had "not been informed of any [preference] deal whatsoever, and I'm sure all the candidates haven't".
"I will make my own choices on who I will give my preferences to, and it certainly will not be the Liberal party," she said.
"The Liberal party will be at the bottom on the how to vote card."
Last month Ms Dodd backed Labor's "no body, no parole" promise to enact legislation where convicted murderers would not be eligible for parole unless they had cooperated with police to locate their victims' remains.
She had long campaigned for the law change, and said she was backing the Labor pledge because she felt the Liberal Government treated victims of crime as "second-class citizens".
"I was told by One Nation they support no body, no parole. We all know that Liberals don't," an angry Ms Dodd said today.
"We all know that Liberals want to sell off Western Power. One Nation doesn't, so what the hell is going on?
"I encourage other members of One Nation to stand up, do not be bullied and do not be dictated to.
"I will not be part of a dictatorship."
One Nation Upper House candidate Charles Smith is also refusing to preference the Liberals.
In a post titled "Re Preferences" on his official Facebook page, Mr Smith urged voters to put the Liberals last.
"If you do not like the Liberals as I don't mark them last!" the post reads
One Nation's Moore candidate Jim Kelly and South Metropolitan candidate Philip Scott also used their Facebook pages to urge voters to choose their own preferences.
Meanwhile, Premier Colin Barnett declared he was not a racist, and denied the preference deal would effectively hand Pauline Hanson's party control of WA's Upper House.
"I am anything but a racist and I will be judged on my values and my standards as will the Liberal Party, that's my accountability, I'm not accountable for One Nation," he told ABC Radio Perth.
But political consultant and so-called "preference whisperer" Glenn Druery said the deal was a "very bad" one for the Liberals and showed they were "desperate to cling onto government".
He said most Australians found One Nation's racist views abhorrent, and the deal would lead to Liberal voters abandoning the party.
"This was a ridiculous, a silly desperate deal by a Liberal party that is no doubt about to lose government and this deal will just stick another torpedo into the side of an already sinking ship," he told ABC Radio Perth.
However, it was a good deal for One Nation, Mr Druery said, and could lead to the party picking up six to nine Upper House seats and gain the balance of power.
Labor has confirmed it will preference One Nation last in all seats in both houses of Parliament, with state secretary Patrick Gorman describing the Liberals' deal as "sneaky and desperate".
"This is a deal, hammered out behind closed doors, that is all about tricking One Nation voters into re-electing Colin Barnett," he said in a statement.
"Make no mistake: a vote for One Nation is a vote for the Liberal Party."
Topics: elections, political-parties, minor-parties, wa
First posted February 13, 2017 12:50:58
Originally posted here:
WA One Nation candidates refuse to preference Liberals - ABC Online
The British pound coin (flickr)
By Daniel J. Mitchell
When I debate one of my leftist friends about deficits, its often a strange experience because none of us actually care that much about red ink.
Restraint v. Tax Increases
Im motivated instead by a desire to shrink the burden of government spending, so I argue forspending restraintrather than tax hikes that would feed the beast.
And folks on the left want bigger government, so they arguefor tax hikes toenable more spending and redistribution.
I feel that I have an advantage in these debates, though, because I sharemy tableof nations that have achieved great results when nominal spending grows by less than 2 percent per year.
The table shows that nations practicing spending restraint for multi-year periods reduce the problem of excessive government and also address thesymptom of red ink.
I then ask my leftist buddies to please share their table showing nations that got good results from tax increases. And the response is awkward silence, followed by attempts to change the subject. I often think you can even hear crickets chirping in the background.
I point this out because I now have another nation to add to my collection.
From the start of the last decade up through the 2009-2010 fiscal year, government spending in the United Kingdomgrew by 7.1 percent annually, far faster than the growth of the economys productive sector. As a result, an ever-greater share of the private economy was being diverted to politicians and bureaucrats.
Beginning with the 2010-2011 fiscal year, however, officials started complying with myGolden Ruleand outlays since then have grown by an average of 1.6 percent per year.
And as you can see fromthis chartprepared by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, this modest level of fiscal restraint has paid big dividends. The burden of government spending has significantly declined, falling from 45 percent of national income to 40 percent of national income.
This means more resources in private hands, which meansbetter economic performance.
But Thats Not Enough
Though allow me to now share some caveats. Fiscal policy is only a small piece of what determines good policy, just20 percent of a nations gradeaccording toEconomic Freedom of the World.
So spending restraint should be accompanied by free trade, sound money, a sensible regulatory structure, and good governance. Moreover, aswe see from the tragedy of Greece, spending restraint doesnt even lead to good fiscal policy if its accompanied by huge tax increases.
Fortunately, the United Kingdom is reasonably sensible, which explains whythe country is ranked #10byEFW. Though its worth noting that it gets its lowest score for size of government, so the recent bit of good news about spending restraint needs to be the start of a long journey.
P.S. The United Statesgot great resultsthanks to spending restraint between 2009-2014. It will be interesting to see whether Republicans get better results with Trump in the White House.
Daniel J. Mitchell is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute who specializes in fiscal policy, particularly tax reform, international tax competition, and the economic burden of government spending. He also serves on the editorial board of the Cayman Financial Review. This article was originally published on FEE.org. Read the original article.
EspaolBolivia's President Evo Morales has a new museum, and a new nickname to go with. The opposition has dubbed him "Ego" Morales following the US $7.1 million museum he built to glorify his life story and legacy. He led the inauguration of his museum, calledthe Museum of the Democratic and Cultural Revolution, in the remote village ofOrinoca, where he grew up. In anopinion column on Friday, February 10 published in Nuevo Herald,Andrs Oppenheimerdescribed Morales as an authoritarian populist. Read More: Mexican President Denies Approaching Trump to Renegotiate NAFTA Read More: Business Leaders to Trump: Canning NAFTA Could Kill 6 Million US Jobs The building was reportedly built with government funds, and features a life-size statue andseveral portraits of world leaders and Morales' honorary degrees fromseveral universities. He also displayed t-shirts from his soccer collection and childhood memories, such as a trumpet. Minister of Culture Vilma Alanocasaid it is "the largest and most modern museum" in Bolivia, proclaiming with tears in her eyes that its opening marks an important date in history. "This museum is the heritage of those who fought for the liberation of our people," she said. Orinoca is located in a remote area and has only 900 inhabitants, 90 percent of whom live in poverty, according to an Associated Press report on February 3rd. This is not the first time Morales has spent public funds on his own legacy.In 2015, the Ministry of Communications published a book containing poems written by Morales, titled"The Process of Change Turned Into Verse." googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1459522593195-0'); }); This bookwas published shortly after a scandal surroundinga military anthem written by army officers praising Evo Morales, which many at first thought was the country's new official song. In 2014, the government distributed part of another book, this time for children, titledThe Adventures of little Evo,aboutthe President's childhood, and which included illustrations calledLittle Evo Plays Soccer and Little Evo Goes to School. Morales has also tried hard to changeBolivia's constitution to remain in power, but he lost the referendum in February of last year. Source: El Nuevo Herlad
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Why Liberty Advocates Should Focus on Spending Restraint over Tax Hikes - PanAm Post
The Fiscal Times | The GOP's Big Tax Dilemma: Repealing Obamacare Taxes The Fiscal Times Jim Jordan (R-OH), the former chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said last week that Congress and the administration must abandon any thoughts of repairing Obamacare and move ahead to fully repeal the program -- including the taxes that ... |
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The GOP's Big Tax Dilemma: Repealing Obamacare Taxes - The Fiscal Times
Court Rejects Order Forcing Parents to Pay Tuition Inside Higher Ed One of the attorneys said that if Ricci wants financial support from her parents, she should also be open to her parents' guidance and counseling. By accepting legal independence from her parents, she was accepting financial independence as well, the ... |
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Court Rejects Order Forcing Parents to Pay Tuition - Inside Higher Ed
By David A. Singer By David A. Singer February 13 at 8:00 AM
On Tuesday, Federal Reserve Chair Janet L. Yellen will testify before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.On Jan. 31, Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.), vice chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, wrote a scathing letter to Yellen. Citing the clear message by President Donald Trump to put America first, he called on her to cease all international negotiations on regulations covering bank capital, systemic risk and other areas, and suggested that the Fed had no authority to engage in such activities.
[Is Trump an authoritarian at heart? It matters less than you think.]
McHenry went on to call the Feds activities secretive, and suggested that its participation in international forums was killing American jobs. Hisletter echoes the heated rhetoric by President Trump during the campaign in which he said that Yellen should be ashamed of herself for keeping interest rates low for political reasons.
Such intervention by elected leaders is alarming for two reasons. First, research suggests that it is an America first strategy for the Fed to coordinate international financial regulation. Second, the Fed is an independent agency, and congressional leaders have generally refrained from directly threatening a sitting chair. I will explain below.
The Feds ability to negotiate international regulations helps ensure U.S. financial stability and competitiveness
One of the Feds key responsibilities is ensuring the stability of the financial system. It sets regulations for bank holding companies, which include most of the largest financial institutions in the United States, as well as many state-chartered banks and foreign banks with U.S. affiliates. Its independence enables the Fed to commit to a prudent set of policies without having to renege when politically expedient, thereby keeping inflation low and financial institutions resilient which, in a global economy, requires international cooperation.
[3 lessons from Republicans failed attempt to silence Elizabeth Warren]
In my book, Regulating Capital: Setting Standards for the International Financial System, I chronicle 40 years of the Feds efforts to work with its foreign counterparts to set international standards for the worlds largest financial institutions.
Why create international standards? The financial system has become increasingly globalized, which means that the collapse of a major bank in London, Paris or Tokyo could cause U.S. banks to falter. International standards help level the playing field. Applying stringent regulations to U.S. banks would do little good if foreign banks were permitted to engage in risky behaviors. Without international standards, tightening U.S. regulations could give foreign banks a competitive advantage, thereby shifting capital and jobs overseas.
My research shows that the Fed has had tremendous influence over international standards on bank capital since the 1980s, ensuring that domestic efforts to prevent another financial crisis are not undercut by lax regulations in other parts of the world.
[Democratic and Republican appointees to the Fed arent that different after all]
The original cooperative agreement was the 1988 Basel Accord, an international agreement on bank capital and was the Feds solution to a thorny problem. The 1980s were a time of rampant bank failures. The Fed needed a way to shore up the banking system without jeopardizing the United States competitive advantage internationally. The Basel Accord allowed the Fed to enforce more stability-enhancing regulations domestically with the confidence that other countries would do the same.
My research builds on previous work by Thomas Oatley and Ethan Kapstein, who each emphasize U.S. regulators power to use international standards to force other countries to adjust their regulations.
The Feds international negotiations are not rogue or opaque. Although Congress did not have the perfect foresight in 1913 to explicitly mention international regulatory coordination in the Federal Reserve Act, it did specify in Section 13 of the Act that forging relationships with foreign central banks was critical for U.S. financial stability. Today, the Fed cooperates with nearly 30 countries on the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and more than 30 countries on the Financial Stability Board.
Decisions by these bodies are not legally binding. Each countrys regulators must implement and enforce any regulatory standards that might emerge from international negotiations.
Contrary to McHenrys assertion in his letter, the Fed is transparent about its international activities. Its website contains extraordinarily detailed information about proposed rules. Moreover, it actively invites comments from affected banks and other institutions at each stage in an international negotiation.
The Feds independence enables it to focus on long-term U.S. financial health rather than short-term political positioning
The second area of concern is the integrity of the Feds monetary policymaking. Like most central banks in developed countries, the Fed is an independent government agency whose funding is not appropriated by Congress. The Feds members are nominated by the president, confirmed by the Senate and receive 14-year terms that cannot be cut short by anyone except the member. The chair is appointed to a four-year term with the possibility of reappointment. Yellens term as chair expires in January 2018.
All this insulates the Fed politically which helps ensure that interest-rate policy is designed for the countrys long-term health rather than short-term political gains by one side or another. Otherwise, elected leaders might pressure the Fed to lower interest rates in the months before an election, triggering a temporary boost to the economy and an uptick in the stock market. That would come at a cost. The Fed would lose its credibility, inflation would become increasingly difficult to manage and the value of the dollar could gyrate wildly.
Zimbabwes 90 sextillion percent inflation in 2008 is an extreme example of the effect of political interference on monetary policy.But research shows that central bank independence has beenhighly correlated with inflation in developed and developing countries since the 1950s.
All political threats to the Fed are serious. Its independence is a congressional creation, which means that Congress could take it away. But keeping the Fed independent and actively engaged in international coordination is the best way to maintain a stable and internationally competitive financial system in the 21st century.
David A. Singer is associate professor of political science at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of Regulating Capital: Setting Standards for the International Financial System (Cornell University Press, 2010).
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Congress could limit the Fed's independence and hurt the US economy - Washington Post
How does Donald Trump view history and Americas role in shaping it? No one, including Mr. Trump himself, seems able to answer that. To find a grand vision guiding this administration, one must look to Steve Bannon, Trumps chief strategist and the architect of his campaigns final months before his victory via the Electoral College.
On its cover,Time magazine labeled Bannon The Great Manipulator, and in an accompanying article, the magazine asked if he is the second most powerful man in the world, leading the reader to believe indeed he is. Yet at first blush, Bannon does not fit the stereotype of a Washington, D.C., powerbroker. His hair is disheveled, he frequently ditches a tie, and his face is typically full of scruff, giving him the vibe of an absent-minded professor.
The look is intended to reflect Bannons anti-establishment worldview but it conceals his more elitist roots. After seven years in the Navy and a degree from Harvard Business School, Bannon worked as a Goldman Sachs financier and then as an investment banker on his own. He transitioned to producing films, especially conservative documentaries, and then, in 2012, took over Breitbart News, one of the leading voices of fringe and grassroots conservatism. Trump was a frequent guest on his Breitbart radio talk show, and in August 2016, Bannon was appointed Chief Executive of Donald Trumps presidential campaign.
Donald Trumps populist approach to policy seems to blow in the changing winds of public opinion and outrage without much long-term strategic direction. The real guiding anchor for Trumpism comes from Bannon, the man with Trumps ear. Steve Bannon, and therefore Donald Trump, view history as a repeated cycle of civilizations rising and falling. They believe Americas current cycle is in crisis, threatening Western culture itself, and it is their job to rescue it from global elites intent on liberal, secular exploitation of America and its values.
Bannon dubbed these establishment elites the Party of Davos after the Swiss resort where the World Economic Forum meets. In Trumps inaugural address, which Bannon helped write, he said the wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world. Speaking to the Liberty Restoration Foundation in 2011, Bannon complained about the elites socialism for the very wealthy and socialism for the poor at the expense of common sense, practical, middle-class people. For both Trump and Bannon, capitalism is in crisis mode, and it is a consistent theme in their speeches and interviews.
Part of this economic crisis came about through dependence on government programs redistributing wealth, but in their view, global elites also encourage government-dependent immigrants to flock to the U.S. and other Western countries as a source of cheap labor. The Party of Davos can benefit from immigration and leave working class Americans with the responsibility of integrating them into society and dealing with the alleged crime and corruption that comes with it.
Thus, Bannon and Trump believe the Party of Davos created not only an economic crisis but also a cultural one. Bannons documentaries like the 2010 film Generation Zero frequently focus on American values, which, to him, means capitalism built around Judeo-Christian values and a strong sense of nationalism. At a 2016 South Carolina Tea Party convention, Bannon complained the swells, the investment bankers, the guys from the EU are the same guys who have allowed the complete collapse of the Judeo-Christian West in Europe.
Trump and Bannon do not believe in religious tests nor do they believe that everyone must be Christian. In fact, the two rarely attend religious services themselves and seem to care little for theological matters. Instead, their Judeo-Christian values refer more generally to a moral compass opposed to pluralism and relativism. It especially means opposition to immigrants from different cultural and religious backgrounds.
These economic and cultural crises follow an ancient pattern, they believe, and we are due for a monumental battle to resolve it. The Bannon-Trump worldview has deep roots in the classics, and Bannon delights in drawing from it. Ancient statesmen, philosophers, and historians from Lycurgus, to Heraclitus, to Herodotus, and to Plato all believed that history was cyclical. Repeatedly, over and over again, civilizations rise and fall by losing touch with their hard-working, humble traditions.
According to this theme, war is waged by poor and nomadic people, an able leader unites them into a confederation, and they begin to take on richer neighbors. The united front fights and conquers and then begins to take on the rich, soft, effeminate characteristics of luxury. Having abandoned masculine military virtues and the religious values that once united them and helped them succeed, they begin to look down on those who still hold on to traditional values. The conquerors then become the conquered, and the cycle repeats. Each empire and civilization, in turn, gets overrun by its poorer, but more aggressive and fertile, neighbors. The end is always the same: a fallen civilization that lost touch with its noble values.
If there is a recurring theme that political philosophers throughout history keep telling themselves, this is it, and it is one that Bannon and Trump buy into wholeheartedly. The historian Livy, who experienced the Roman Empire at its height, said that Rome was struggling with its own greatness. A century later, the poet Juvenal said, [W]e are now suffering the calamities of a long peace. Luxury, more deadly than any foe, has laid her hand upon us, and avenges a conquered world. Juvenal fretted that success in life used to depend on military excellence but eventually led, instead, through the loins of a rich woman.
Although this mythology draws from the ancient classics, it keeps modern political scientists busy with their own twists to the theme. As the Cold War ended and the Soviet Union disintegrated, President George H.W. Bush triumphantly declared it was the beginning of a new world order. Political scientist Francis Fukuyama viewed the occasion in even grander terms and tried to break free of the traditional cyclical theme, famously proclaiming in 1989 that the end of the Cold War marked the end of history. In Fukuyamas view, World War II represented a massive struggle between three distinct ideologies: liberal democracy, fascism, and communism. The war destroyed fascism, and 50 years later, Soviet communism failed. For him and many political scientists, history was over. Liberal democracy won and was here to stay. Fukuyama admitted that democracy may suffer temporary setbacks but argued, in the long run, it would become more and more prevalent.
Fukuyamas grand theory envisioned that liberal democracys permanence would also bring globalization and a strong middle class. Since democracies engage in less warfare, war itself would even disappear. The new utopia might be a bit boring, but that is a small price to pay for peace and prosperity.
In 1993, just four years after Fukuyamas End of History proclamation, political scientist Samuel Huntington sought a return to the traditional theme with The Clash of Civilizations. Huntington argued that Fukuyama was wrong and that identity, not ideology, shapes the world. These identities are shaped by history, language, culture, tradition, and, most important, religion. These different civilizations are marked by different views on the relations between God and man, the individual and the group, the citizen and the state, parents and children, husband and wife, as well as differing views of the relative importance of rights and responsibilities, liberty and authority, equality and hierarchy. Huntington concluded, These differences are the product of centuries. They will not soon disappear.
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 seemed to bolster Huntingtons thesis, but the American administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama explicitly rejected it, stressing that the United States was fighting violent extremists, not Arabic civilizations or Islam as a religion. However, in Bannon and Trump, we now have an administration, not only believing in that kind of clash of civilizations, but even welcoming it as a way to save the West from an economic and cultural crisis.
For Bannon and Trump, the most powerful theory based on this cycle mythology is one put forward by Neil Howe and William Strauss in their 1997 book The Fourth Turning. Strauss and Howe have a generational theory of American history that predicts repeated cycles lasting about 80 years. Each 80-year cycle has four turnings that are defined by four moods: high, awakening, unraveling, and, finally, crisis.
Following World War II, America experienced a high. The 1960s brought about a tremendous awakening, and then we experienced several decades of unraveling. Now, of course, we must confront the crisis. In Bannons view, this is the fourth time we have confronted the crisis phase, and each time, the stakes and resulting war get more severe. The Strauss-Howe generational theory is featured heavily in Bannons documentaries, and it comes up frequently in his speeches. In a presentation before the Liberty Restoration Foundation, Bannon says, This is the fourth great crisis in American history. We had the revolution, we had the Civil War, we had the Great Depression and World War II. This is the great Fourth Turning in American history.
Subscribing to the latest trendy twist on an old political theory of cycles is not particularly earth-shattering. However, Bannons solution to the supposed crisis has started to gain understandable attention. David Kaiser, the historian interviewed in Generation Zero, told Time magazine, A second, more alarming interaction didnt show up in the film. Bannon had clearly thought a long time both about the domestic potential and the foreign policy implications of Strauss and Howe. More than once during our interview, he pointed out that each of the three preceding crises had involved a great war, and those conflicts had increased in scope from the American Revolution through the Civil War to the Second World War. He expected a new and even bigger war as part of the current crisis, and he did not seem at all fazed by the prospect.
Although Bannon and Trump blame the Party of Davos for causing much of the crisis, the war they envision will not be waged against elites. Instead, the target is radical Islam. In a 2014 Vatican lecture, Bannon said, I think we are in a crisis of the underpinnings of capitalism, and on top of that were now, I believe, at the beginning stages of a global war against Islamic fascism. This may be a little more militant than others. I believe you should take a very, very, very aggressive stance against radical Islam. See whats happening, and you will see were in a war of immense proportions.
Perhaps a global existential war against Islam can be averted, but in Bannon and Trumps view, that will only happen if Americans embrace traditional American values and block those who may not from ever entering the country.
Viewing history through this lens, all of the administrations early goals and executive orders make sense. Ban immigrants from Islamic countries, or at least those most likely to cause trouble. Build a wall along Mexico to stop immigrants and end trade agreements, each viewed as assisting global elites at the expense of the middle class. Bolster the military in preparation for war. In other words, America first.
The Bannon-Trump view of history also accounts for Trumps unusual embrace of Vladimir Putin. Despite Putins many failings, Trump views him as an ally in the war against Islamic extremism. To Trump and Bannon, the European Union seems unaware or uncommitted to addressing the perceived crisis. If they wont stand up for Western civilization, why not enlist Putins help? In his inaugural speech, Trump vowed to unite the civilized world against radical Islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate from the face of the Earth.
Americans of all political stripes now seem to agree we face a crisis of some sort. Trump and Bannon blame the Party of Davos and radical Islam, while their detractors see a different type of crisis spurred by Trump and Bannon themselves. As David Brooks wrote recently, We are in the midst of a great war of national identity.
Martin Luther King, paraphrasing the 19th-century abolitionist Theodore Parker, famously said, The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice. Unfortunately, the arc of history seems to be bending toward something other than justice.
Whether you support or oppose Trump and Bannons efforts, the history they seek to bend is fluid. Those who act as if justice or progress is inevitable will be sorely disappointed.
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The Bannon-Trump Arc of History | The American Spectator - American Spectator
National Junior badminton squad at Nadi International Airport. Photo: Fiji Badminton Association
The national badminton junior team flew out of the country on Sunday to participate at the Oceania Junior Championship 2017 in Noumea, New Caledonia.
The seven-member team of Liam Fong, Justin Tang, Chang Ho Kim, Monica Chan, Carmen Loo, Sonali Kumar and Shristi Nadan had been training hard for the last few months in anticipation for a tough competition.
In a press release, the Fiji Badminton Association stated that although most of players are competing internationally for the first time, they are excited of the challenge that lies ahead of them.
Team manager and coach Steven Low said Fiji has not sent a team to compete internationally for a few years now and this is a development squad they are taking to the Under-19 Oceania competition.
We hope that these players will do well and also learn a lot from the tour to be able to keep pushing their standard of play higher and ultimately make the national team, he said.
Association vice-president Dennis Fong said they are currently in a rebuilding phase and this is the first step towards ensuring that they continue to dominate badminton and win gold during the Pacific Games and other meets in the region.
Our goal is to send a team to upcoming international tournaments as well as to the Commonwealth Games in 2018 and raise our level of competition.
We thank all the players, parents and administrators who worked hard to ensure that this tour was possible.
We have also put in place strategic plans for the next few years and we are looking to grow the sport in Fiji, added Fong.
The Oceania Junior Championship brings together teams from New Zealand, Australia, Tahiti, Guam, New Caledonia, Fiji and Tonga to compete for regional honours.
Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj
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Melanie Reffes, Special for USA TODAY 8:08 a.m. ET Feb. 13, 2017
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Making a big splash in Jamaica, the Caribbeans first villas built over the water are open at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay.(Photo: Sandals Resorts)
As the region where the modern-day all-inclusive was born, the Caribbean is chock-full of resorts that come with unlimited food, drink and play. Planning a getaway in the sun is a no-brainer, but choosing a resort that fits the bill is another story.Whether youre traveling with the kids or in the mood for an adults-only holiday, check out our best-of-the-best for families, foodies, couples and those seeking adventure.
Family time
Bigger is better on the southwest shore of St. Maarten, where youll find the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, the largest all-inclusive (395 rooms and five restaurants) on the Dutch side of the dual-nation island and the first and only resort with a watery playground just for kids. Coming in at 4,000 square feet, Aqua Park is splash-central with animal-themed slides with water just 20 inches deep, making it ideal for kids over 3 years old.For grown-up onlookers, the pool deck is a comfy perch with loungers and sun umbrellas. Maho Bungalow Kids Club features an indoor slide that connects to a loft for dance classes and arts and crafts, and a 2,500-square-foot outdoor funhouse. Other kid-friendly features include treasure hunts and a tree house on the beach. Kids can play and swim all day and for lunch, they choose between a slice at Pizzeria Napoli, big buffet at Ocean Terrace or nachos and burgers at the Palms Grill, says Jeriesha David, who has been entertaining kids at the resort since last spring. The resort fronts Maho Beach next to the Princess Juliana International Airport where kids of all ages are spellbound watching the big jets come in. Sweetening the pot, kids under 12 stay, play and eat free, and the nightly rate for 13- to 17-year-olds is $45. When the sun sets, pajama parties, disco nights and movies by the pool keep families entertained.Ratesthrough April 16 start at $160per person, per night based on double occupancy(rate dips to$127per person, per night based on double occupancy for travel April 17-Dec. 22 ).
On a 75-acre ribbon of prime Grace Bay oceanfront real estate, Beaches Turks & Caicos is one of three Beaches all-inclusives in the family-friendly fleet (two are in Jamaica). The ginormous 758-room, suite and villa resort is also home to a 45,000-square-foot Pirates Island Waterpark with a wave pool, water slides and lazy river. More kid-pleasers include the Xbox Play Lounge, Club Liquid Dance Club for teenagers, Kids Camp for 3- to 5-year-olds and a nursery for wee ones under 2 years old. Larger-than-life Sesame Street characters roam the sprawling resort posing for snaps and tucking kids in bed at night. Picky eaters will find plenty of variety at 19 restaurants, sun tanners like the 12-mile-long alabaster beach and the whole brood can splash around in six pools, three with swim-up bars and one just for toddlers.For kids on the go, theres the Junior Golf Club, Kids Scuba Program, tennis and a boatload of water sports.Rates start at $330 per person, per night for adults; $61per person, per night for children ages 2-16;kids under 2 stay gratis.
The first all-inclusive in St. Thomas, Bolongo Bay Beach Resort is family-owned for four decades. The 74-room resort on the south side of the U.S. Virgin Island offers unlimited water sports like kayaking, windsurfing, aqua tricycles, snorkeling, stand-up paddle boarding and scuba lessons in the pool. Home to St. Thomas Dive Club, tours explore the coral reefs and wrecks at the bottom of the sea and aboard the resort's own catamaran called Heavenly Days, families swim with sea turtles and sail to nearby St. John: the most laid-back of the U.S. Virgins. For parents and teens older than 18, Snorkel Booze Hunt is a 30-year-old resort tradition where snorkelers scour the bay for big bottles of Cruzan Rum distilled next door in St. Croix.Those with energy to burn sign up for deep-sea fishing tours, golf at Mahogany Run, horseback riding, day trips to sky-high Paradise Point and duty-free shopping in Charlotte Amalie where the cruise ships dock.Rates start at $595 per room, per night until May 1.
Romantic resorts
Making a big splash in Jamaica, the Caribbeans first villas built over the water are open at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay. Over-the-top from infinity-edge soaking tubs, rope hammocks above the waves, gigantic teak beds and glass-bottom floors, the 2,000-square-foot suites also come with butlers, 12-year-oldAppleton Estaterum and Molton Brown amenities in the massive bathroom with a rainfall shower. Built along a wooden boardwalk, the sweet suites area is connected to the resorts offshore island called Sandals Cay, where youll find the Jerk Shack and Royal Thai two of eight restaurants at the 227-room resort. With these suites, guests experience a direct link to the Caribbean Sea, says Gordon "Butch"Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resorts. The five villas come with nightly rates of $1,435 per person including expedited immigration and resort transferfrom Montego Bays Sangster International Airport, which is a short 10 minutes away. Twelve over-the-water bungalows (slightly smaller and without private infinity pools on the deck) will be ready in the spring starting at $1,078 per person, per night.
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Peek inside the Caribbean's first overwater bungalows
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Marrying rustic with romance, Nisbet Plantation Beach Club in Nevis is the only beachfront plantation-turned-resort in the Caribbean. Across the channel from St. Kitts on the northeastern side of the smaller sister isle, the 30-acre all-inclusive (breakfast, afternoon tea and dinner) is home to 36 lemon-hued wicker-furnished cottages that sit on a palm-fringed 18th-century sugar and coconut plantation. Its history reads like a love story as the home of Fanny Nisbet, who married British Navy Captain Horatio Nelson in 1787 after he visited the plantation.With a AAA Four Diamond rating and honored by TripAdvisor as one of the Top Resorts in the World for Romance, the resort keeps the theme with a trio of fine restaurants including The Great House, built in 1778. To kick-start the day, Coconuts is the breakfast go-to for wait for it coconut pancakes. Weddings are popular on the palm-flanked great lawn or seaside on the beach with champagne-hued sand and to celebrate the occasion, a coconut palm is planted in honor of the newlyweds. For couples looking for a nicely wrapped package, Nevis is for Lovers includes candlelit dinner on the beach, breakfast in bed and a couples massage.Rates start at $1,009 per room through April 1.
Sandals LaSource Grenada is unplugged romance in a Sky Pool Suite with a soaking tub for two, solar-heated ocean-view infinity-edge plunge pool, premium spirits and a butler who arranges dinners on the beach and bubble baths pour deux. Sprawling over 17 acres, the posh 257-room and suite resort on the southwest coast is sweet on romance with swinging hammocks, hanging chairs built for two, chocolate buffets, five pools and 10 restaurants. Fronting a sugary swatch of Pink Gin Beach, where the water is so clear it shimmers past the rocks, couples surf, dive, explore down under on a glass-bottom boat or tie the knot on the waterfront pier. We arrange 24 weddings a month, says Deannette Johns, the resorts wedding captain, but only one couple each day marries at sunset. If you forgot to pack the bling, a duty-free jewelry store is open from 9 a.m.to 9 p.m.Celebrating comes easy at a six-pack of bars where the Grenada Sunset stirred with passion fruit, coconut rum and mango is a fruity refresher. Add-ons worth the splurge include Scents of Love couples massage at the Red Lane Spa,a Champagne and Seafood cruise,and the Spicy Island tour which visits the Belmont Chocolate Estate and the picturesque waterfront capital of St. George's.Rates start at $255 per person, per night.
Active all-inclusives
On a 300-acre island 2 miles off the northeast coast of Antigua, Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort is AAA Five Diamond for those on an escape mission from the 9-to-5. Accessible by small boat from the mainland (about 10 minutes), 40 rooms, suites and villas come with views of the beach and Caribbean Sea. Eco-focused before it was trendy, the resort produces its own electricity,the nursery houses thousands of trees and flowers and the only way to get around is on foot, golf cart and bicycles (no cars allowed, guests get loaner bikes).The beaches are protected areas for Hawksbill turtles and popular with nature buffs who come to see the endangered sea turtles during nesting season and also during the summer Hawksbill Turtle Experience. Other incentives to get active include three tennis courts (two lit for night play), 3 miles of hiking and biking trails, croquet lawn, a 25-meter lap pool, lawn bowling, putting green and a fitness pavilion with a yoga deck. In the water, theres no shortage of calorie-burners like windsurfing, kayaking, snorkeling and paddle boarding. For the bird-watchers in the brood, white egrets and blue pelicans also call the island home. Chill-outs include massages at the Sense Spa, cocktails and locally caught spiny lobsters at five restaurants and bars including The Estate House, the oldest building on the island dating back to 1830.Rates through April 22 start at $1,850 single or double occupancy.
On the west coast of Barbados, all-inclusive at the 76-room Mango Baycomes with paddle boarding, snorkeling, kayaking, water-skiing and pedal boating.For those with scuba diving on their vacation to-do list, complimentary lessons are offered and for an afternoon on the water, theres glass-bottom boat cruises and cavorting with the Leatherback and Hawksbill turtles that call the west coast home. Sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean's swells, this side of the island is the calmer side and favored for the pink and white sandy beaches and gentle surf. In the town of Holetown in the Parish of St. James, the beachfront hotel is a short stroll to the upscale Limegrove Shopping Center and home to Julian Restaurant, where bands perform nightly.Rates start at $670 per room, per night, based on double occupancy.
It truly is a holiday for the body at The Body Holiday on a secluded cove on the northwest coast of St. Lucia. Surrounded by 40 acres of sweet-smelling gardens along Cariblue Beach, the 155-room resort with five restaurants and one bar is a magnet for those who enjoy more exercise than it takes to balance a pia colada in the pool. Activities include archery, spinning and yoga classes called Spoga in Tree House Spin Studio, golf and tennis.Keep moving with cycling along the coastline, hiking in the mountains and sunrise power walking on the beach. In the water, theres plenty to choose from like swimming lessons, two-tank boat diving, kayaking, sailing and snorkeling.For those who like to plan ahead, the resort offers a customized activity schedule arranged prior to arrival. Perks are creative like a pillow menu, herbal tea and cookie turn-down and daily treatments at the spa with a heated marble massage bed. Personal trainers are on hand for those serious about getting in shape.Rates start at $700 per person, per night.
Wine and dine
Foodies give the thumbs-up to the curated culinary experiences at Spice Island Beach Resort on Grenadas Grand Anse Beach at the edge of the Caribbean Sea. With a AAA Five Diamond rating and member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, the 64-suite resort is beachfront elegance with stellar service, superb dining and spectacular suites with ocean-view whirlpool tubs and Phillip Starck designs. Where Prince Harry popped by for lunch during his recent visit to the Southern Caribbean, dining choices range from Oliver's, where the five-course dinner menu changes every three weeks (herb-crusted lamb rack with coconut rice is a standout), Sea & Surf Terrace and Barfor a light bite and a Spice Island Classic cocktail potent with sparkling wine and the island herb called sorrel and a bowl of deliciously addictive flash-fried green banana chips. The resort is all about eating local. Many of our staff havebackyard gardens, says Janelle Hopkins, deputy managing director, we buy what they grow like lemons, tomatoes and callaloo rather than import from outside the island. If you particularly like a dish on the menu, ask chef JessonChurch to show you how to make it and hell happily set up a mini-cooking lesson.Rates start at $1,387per room, per night, based on double occupancy.
Those who prefer their lobster and mango served with a side order of dramatic views are in for a treat in St. Lucia at Jade Mountain. High above its sister resort Anse Chastanet, distractions are minimal in the upscale suites withno TVs or phones (there is Wi-Fi ) and no fourth wall, leaving the impeccably appointed sanctuaries open to the warm breezes. On the southwest coast coveted for vistas of the mighty Piton Peaks and the Caribbean Sea, gourmands bunking in one of 29 suites with infinity-edge pools or Jacuzzis take their pick of haute cuisine at a quartet of restaurants. Michelin-starred executive chef Stefan Goehcke and James Beard-winning chef Allen Susser prepare works of art on a plate. Dining venues include Jade Mountain Club wrapped around an infinity pool, and the seaside Trou Au Diablofor a curry-filled West Indian flatbread called a roti and a frosty mug of Piton Beer to wash it down. Wine pairing menus at The Treehouse which really is a tree house are a big hit, while at Emeralds small plates are perfectly shareable. As the resort has its own farm, explains Karolin Troubetzkoy , co-owner along with her architect husband Nick, we deliver afarm-to-table experience with our own organic produce complemented by our handcraftedartisanalchocolate harvested from our estate cocoa trees. For fans of the sweet stuff, the Chocolate Alchemy package is chock-full of chocolate cocktails, chocolate-themed breakfasts in bed, chocolatey spa treatments, a tour of the Emerald Cocoa Estate and a class in the chocolate lab where choco-philes create their own bars.Rates start at $1,680 per couple for travel until April 15.
In Antigua, its all about coconut and codfish at the St. Jamess Club on the southeast coast. On 100 acres, 240-rooms, suites and villas are close to four restaurants and the seaside grill on Mamora Beach. Rainbow Garden is where youll find chef Dave Ralph cooking up an island storm of delectable edibles like shrimp and salty codfish dressed up in a tomato garlicky sauce, sides of callaloo and boiled bananas and his savory bowl of Fish Water filled to the brim with snapper and peppers. Ask for the national dish called fungee pronounced foon-jee and sometimes spelled fungi which is a robust mash of cornmeal and okra that looks and tastes like polenta.Every cook adds his or her own touch to the recipes, explains Chef Ralph as he flits about the open-air restaurant, these are dishes I have eaten since I was a small child and now as a chef, its my pleasure to encourage our visitors to try them. For a sweet finish, coconut dumplings with a cinnamon sprinkle and rum balls infused with real rum hit a home run.Rates start at $195 per person, per night.
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Caribbean all-inclusive resorts: Top spots for families, foodies, more - USA TODAY
CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) has expressed concern over poaching in the hospitality sector where new hotels are stealing the trained and experienced staff of established properties, warning that such a practice could affect the customer service rating across the region.
CHTA President Karolin Troubetzkoy told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that there is an opportunity to reduce employment by building a larger segment of hospitality workers that can be hired for new properties.
I dont like what I am seeing, in some instances where a new property is being built in the Caribbean and there are not enough skilled workers to man the operations, we just seem to be stealing each others staff.
If we are not careful we would keep training and our best trained people keep moving from property to property then you will eventually affect the customer service rating of the destination.
Since the influx of Spanish owned properties in Caribbean territories such as Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and more recently St Lucia, several of the established properties have complained that their trained staff were being lured to work in these establishments by offering higher salaries.
The CHTA President, who herself is an hotelier, stressed the danger in relying on just the few that are trained.
We must bring more and more trained people in, not just for one new hotel but in an effort to have the best customer service rating across the island and region she said, adding that most hotels start with untrained staff.
Troubetzkoy disclosed that the issue of people development was at the forefront of her Associations agenda and recently signed agreements with several companies including Springboard Caribbean and Forbes Travel Guide.
She said the two professional development organisations will help address the training needs of member countries at both the national and regional levels.
In addition, she said that the CHTA Education Foundation will continue to grow its scholarship programme providing special assistance for the education of the Caribbean tourism industry personnel and students pursuing tourism and hospitality careers.
2017 will bring a host of new educational trainings, online and offline. Every CHTA signature event will include a professional development, as well as awards and recognition programmes to show case those that hold us up to a high standard by exemplifying Caribbean excellence, she announced.
We must find a way of training everybody and having more skilled workers available, not just in customer service but in culinary arts, and the technical side such as in IT technology maintenance, there are lots of job opportunities in the tourism sector, she told CMC.
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Caribbean hoteliers concerned over poaching - Jamaica Observer
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MSC Cruises, the leader in the European cruise market, is making waves as the cruise line jockeys for position in the #1 cruise market in the world, the Caribbean.
Last week I had the opportunity to sit down the CEO of MSC Cruises, Gianni Onorato, and we discussed tendifferent ways that the cruise line is going to elevate the Caribbean cruise experience.If youre not familiar with MSC Cruises and love cruising to the warm waters of the Caribbean, here are tenexciting features coming to MSC and the Caribbean.
11 New Cruise Ships MSC Cruises has an astounding 11 new cruise ships scheduled to debut in the next 10 years. Two of those ships, MSC Seaside and a Meraviglia class ship, will be sailing out of PortMiami by 2019. MSC Seaside will be christened in PortMiami this December and promises to be unlike any other cruise ship ever built. Not only will the ship turn heads, but the ship will offer more outdoor space per passenger than any other cruise ship in the world.
Lets be honest, you dont cruise to the Caribbean to stay inside. Its all about the sun, getting a tan, and enjoying the calm, blue water. With all of this outdoor space on MSC Seaside, passengers will be closer to the sea than ever before. From the extra wide outdoor promenade to the three separate pool areas (four if you count the Yacht Club), its no wonder that MSC Cruises calls this The ship that follows the sun.
Choices MSC Cruises will be all about choices. After all, its your cruise and you love to have options. Dining will have all of the options that we are now accustomed to, early/late seating as well as anytime dining. There will be a great variety of specialty restaurants that include an American steakhouse, sushi, seafood, Asian, and Teppanyaki. MSC will fly in fresh sea bass, oysters, and other seafood from the Mediterranean each week. No other cruise line does that.
However, the biggest choice will be when it comes to entertainment. MSC Cruises is known for their award winning shows, and on MSC Seaside, there will be afternoon and evening options so everyone can see the shows that they are interested in without dinner plans getting in the way.
Family Cabins In an effort to be the most family friendly cruise line, MSC will have joining cabins that will hold up to 10 passengers. This will be perfect for large families who like to cruise.
Solo Cabins Since no one enjoys paying double occupancy when you cruise solo, the Meraviglia class shipwill have cabins for solo cruisers that will also have a shared lounge.
Wearable Technology MSC Cruises has been working on wearable technology that promises to do everything that the Ocean Medallion from Carnival Corp. will do according to Mr. Oronato. Wearable technology, whether in a watch, bracelet, necklace, or by another method is the future of cruising. This will help the cruise line cater to your interests giving you the best possible cruise experience.
Smoke Free Casino While the casino on MSC Divina is entirely smokefree, MSC Seaside will have a separate section for smokers. This will allow everyone to be happy, especially since you often have to walk through the casino to get from one end of the ship to the other.
Different Ship MSC Seaside will be unlike any other cruise ship ever built. The aft section of the ship will resemble condos, and there will be open deck space everywhere you look.
View Cruises on MSC Seaside
Ship for Adventurers MSC Seaside will not only have the longest zip line at sea, but the vesselwill also have the largest and most interactive waterpark ever found on a cruise ship.
App/Tablets Passengers soon be able to download an app before their cruise and enter their preferences on it. Once on board, crew members will have tablets that will be able to instantly pull up that information. This will be perfect not only for passengers who travel with food allergies, but those who want a custom cruise experience catered to their likes and dislikes.
Future of Cruising The future of cruising will be all about accessibility. It will be affordable, but not done in a cheap manner.
Bonus Reason I would be remiss if I didnt mention Ocean Cay, the private island experience in the Bahamas being built by MSC Cruises. Ocean Cay will be an exclusive 85 acre Bahamian Marine Reservethat will have a dock so there will be no need for tendering.
The island will have six different beaches, an exclusive spa and wellness sanctuary for MSC Yacht guests, an inland lagoon for absolute tranquility, a thrilling zip line that crosses over the island, and a pavilion for weddings and celebrations. Ocean Cay will open in October 2018 and MSC Seaside will make weekly visits from PortMiami.
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10 Ways MSC Cruises is Elevating the Caribbean Cruise Experience - Cruise Fever
NEW YORK, United States (CMC) Caribbean/American and other elected officials and leaders in New York are calling for a very strong stance against the Donald Trump administrations immigration policy in the United States.
Speaking at an immigration forum, New York City Council member Jumanne D Williams, the son of Grenadian immigrants, New York State Assembly member Rodneyse Bichette, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, Haitian District Leader Josue Pierre, and New York Senator Kevin S Parker, said the goal was to energise the Caribbean community to take action, organise and learn how to survive during the next four years of the Trump administration.
We have to change how people feel about Trump and his attack on immigrants, said Williams, who represents the largely Caribbean 45th Council District in Brooklyn.
I agree with Congressman Hakeem Jeffries when he said every racist voted for Donald Trump. Ill add that every xenophobe also voted for Trump, and were seeing it play out.
While some people are telling us to wait, Im saying we have to resist from day one, added Williams, stating that its, however, been difficult to engage particularly Caribbean and African immigrants.
Our Latino brothers and sisters have done a great job in getting involved, but I need everyone involved in the immigration discussion, he said.
Bichotte, who represents the 42nd Assembly District in Brooklyn, said the immigration forum was very much needed, in particular, for the black immigrants in her district, who are never at the forefront in regard to the immigration issue.
Getting accurate information to people in the community is so critical, especially now, because things have been moving so quickly, she said.
I was glad to hear of the 9thCircuit Court of Appeals decision to continue to block the travel ban, but I know this is not the end, and we need to prepare people for what is to come.
Last Thursday, a United States federal appeals panel unanimously rejected Trumps bid to reinstate his ban on travel into the US from seven Muslim countries, stating that the government showed that no evidence that anyone from the seven nations Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen had committed terrorist acts in the United States.
The ruling also rejected Trumps claim that courts are powerless to review a presidents national security assessments, according to the New York Times.
The appeals court, however, acknowledged that Trump was owed deference on his immigration and national security policies, the Times said.
But the panel said Trump was claiming something more and that national security concerns are unreviewable, even if those actions potentially contravene constitutional rights and protections.
Shortly after the ruling, Trump angrily vowed to fight it.
Caribbean American Congresswoman Yvette D Clarke had condemned Trumps travel ban, warning that it would eventually affect the Caribbean.
At the YMCA immigration forum, Haitian American Lawyers Association of New York (HALANY), a co-sponsor of the event, said that Trumps executive order barring refugees and immigrants from select countries from entering the United States is both unconstitutional and unethical.
Make no mistake, this ban is only the beginning, warned Ritha Pierre, HALANYs president.
If we do not take a stand now, the state of immigration in this country will only become worse and soon it will not just be refugees and people from a certain region getting barred; it will be everyone who does not fit the criteria of the Trump administration.
I am here to say that we, as an organisation, stand in solidarity with our community in speaking out against this injustice. We stand in support of our immigrant brothers and sisters, and we vow, as a legal organisation, to be present and to take an active role in this issue.
Parker, whose 21stSenatorial District in Brooklyn has a very high concentration of Caribbean immigrants, said he and his colleagues will not allow the current presidential administration to create a culture of fear for residents of our districts.
We will continue to come together, and keep everyone informed and aware of their rights, regardless of their immigration status.
Undocumented immigrants, their lawyers and advocacy groups are bracing for heightened enforcement that Trump has advocated, as immigration raids have intensified, in recent days, across the US.
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Caribbean/American leaders want strong stance against Trump's immigration policy - Jamaica Observer
Nassau is back in business. The main port of the Bahamas quickly bounced back from Hurricane Matthew last fall, with resorts, restaurants and tourist attractions on line. If youre planning a first or return visit this spring, here is how to explore the Caribbean destination right now, from sampling fresh catches to diving to relaxing on secluded beaches.
A couple miles from downtown Nassau is Goodmans Bay, a vibrant beach where you can find cookouts, parties with bright umbrellas and locals swimming and snorkeling on the placid beach.
To eat like a local, too, head to a fish fry, like Nassau's Fish Fry, near Goodman's Bay. And at Twin Brothers (multiple locations, twinbrothersbahamas.com), tryclassic Bahamian cuisine like grilled mahi mahi, rice and plantains.
For something quite unique, head to dive resort Stuart Coves Dive Bahamas (stuartcove.com) on the southwest side of the island and explore underwater in a SUB aquanaut, a machine that combines motorcycling and scuba diving. Be sure to watch out for pirate fish, seabass, yellow tail snapper and stingrays.
Hop on a boat and head to Blue Lagoon Island, a secluded nursery for more than 100 species of marine life. Choose between shaking fins and wet kisses from dolphins or sea lions with an animal encounter (dolphinencounters.com), then rest up at the adults-only VIP beach.
For boutique shopping, head to the downtown Nassau area, along West Bay Street. Highlights include Straw Market, where a plethora of vendors selling colorful Mexican wares like baskets, blankets, and tchotchkes, and Cotton House, which sells colorful boots with intricate designs.
The all-inclusive Melia Nassau Beach (melia.com) is a kid-friendly resort located on Cable Beach, about a 20-minute bus ride from downtown Nassau. The most scenic views of the beach can be taken in on one of the wrap around balcony suites; if you have a family or a group of friends, opt for the 2-bedroom/3-full-bath suite. Indulge in the selection of free water sports like water biking, kayaks and stand-up paddle boarding. Fancy getting certified to dive? The property offers a complimentary scuba diving introduction at the pool area. The on-site restaurants offer a selection of cuisine from all over the world, from the Marketplace buffet restaurant, where dinner is themed each night, to the tapas bar Estavida.
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Nassau, Bahamas: Where to eat, dive and lay out on the sand - amNY
NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) The police on Monday appealed to citizens to provide information no matter how small or insignificant the tip may seem as they launched investigations into several murders in the Bahamas over the weekend.
Police said that the information could be provided anonymously or through Crime Stoppers.
They said that on Sunday, a man was shot dead while standing outside of his home. The authorities said that the unidentified man was approached by two armed gunmen who shot him before fleeing on foot.
In another incident, the police said two separate shooting incidents have resulted in one man being killed and two others hospitalised on Saturday.
The police said in the first incident, a group of people were attending a party, when the occupants of a blue self-drive vehicle pulled up and fired several shots into the crowd before speeding off. Two males were shot and taken to hospital where one of them remains in serious condition and the other in stable condition.
In the second incident, an unidentified male was standing outside of his home when the occupants of a vehicle pulled up and shot him before speeding off. The man was pronounced dead on the scene.
Police said that two of their colleagues have been hospitalised after they were shot by a suspect who has since been detained.
They said the shootings on Sunday occurred when the male and a female police officer responded to a domestic incident at a home in the capital.
While at the home, a man arm with a shotgun approached and shot both of them. The officers returned fire but the suspect was able to flee in a vehicle. The two officers were taken to hospital where they remain in stable condition, a police statement said, adding that the suspect was held suffering gunshot wounds. Police also recovered a shotgun from the suspect.
Police said on Friday, three people were shot dead during two separate shooting incidents.
In the first incident, a male was walking with two other males when a male armed with a handgun approached and shot him before fleeing on foot. The victim was pronounced dead on the scene.
In the second incident on Saturday, a group of people were at a nightclub, when an altercation occurred that led to a male armed with a handgun firing several shots into a crowd.
One male was shot as he attempted to leave in his vehicle. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Another male was taken to hospital where he later died, the statement said, adding that the police have launched an island-wide manhunt for the suspects.
In other criminal activities over the weekend, police said they seized several rounds of ammunition during an operation in Nassau Village.
An American national along with three Bahamians including two women have been taken into custody in connection with the discovery.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) has called on the government to break its silence on the crime situation in the country.
Those charged with ensuring the safety of our nation, must reassure citizens, and all residents, that the situation is under control, said the FNMs Marvin Dames.
He said that with 25 murders already on the record, an average of one murder every two days, and a pace that, if continued, will certainly lead to another heinous murder record, making a case that the nation is secure is extremely difficult.
However, silence on the part of our national security officials will not do, he added.
Originally posted here:
Bloody weekend in Bahamas, Opposition calls for Gov't to break silence - Jamaica Observer
A crew worker on a ship has demonstrated the frustrating realities of sea life when you neglect to secure your stuff
For some reason, people romanticise a life on the open water.
People think it's all Titanic before that whole iceberg thing went down and mucked things up.
But life on the water isn't all steamy window handprints and being drawn like a French girl.
As this video proves, it's a little less epic romance a little more poltergeist-y.
With the rolling of the ocean, your stuff gets knocked around like you're being haunted by an 11-year-old ghost who thinks it's funny to chuck stuff on the floor.
We know what you're thinking.
"Why didn't old mate just break out the duct tape?," you shout at your screen through a mouthful of cereal.
And we hear you.
This crew member clearly didn't toe the line when it came to securing his stuff to exaggerate the effects of the rocking ship for the video.
And we know that duct tape and zip ties can fix anything, but this poses the question about the lesser of two evils: having your fridge fly open all the time, or having to go through all the effort of un-taping the door every time you want a treat.
This is why you should stay on dry land people that and icebergs.
Excerpt from:
Cabin cam shows the hilarious frustration of rolling on the high seas - Pickle