Monthly Archives: July 2017

Independence Day and Fiscal Responsibility – Summit NJ News … – TAPinto.net

Posted: July 2, 2017 at 9:45 am

The4th of Julyis far more than hotdogs, fireworks, and swimming. Its a time to reflect upon the sacrifices our forbearers made so that we would be free, that liberty would reign among all.

Foremost among those liberties was economic freedom, often summarized in the phrase: No taxation without representation.

Unfortunately, our economic freedom is very much in peril. Puerto Rico is essentially bankrupt. The Virgin Islands may soon follow. Illinoiss debt ratings have been slashed to near junk, and unpaid bills total over $14 billion. Our Federal debt has nearly doubled to $20 Trillion in the last nine years. No economist believes those trends are sustainable.

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New Jersey is in very difficult straits, too. Its public pensions are massively underfunded, and our politicians are loathe to come up with concrete plans to remedy.

Here in Summit we are very proud of our triple A credit rating. But, ultimately our footing is no better than the ship we stand in, and Summit and its taxpayers must ultimately backstop our States financial responsibilities. Indeed, the auditors of the Board of Education have required a notation in our financial statements of our contingent responsibility for the pension obligations of BOE employees.

Evaluate each candidate this election season with a simple question. Are they more apt to exercise fiscal restraint, look for the most efficient approach to each problem, and treat the taxpayers dime as if it were their own? Or, are they inclined to say tax my neighbor or the next generation, we are owed this new goodie, and appeal to the short term desires of their supporters?

I am proud of my financial record as Board of Education President, two time chair of the Operations Committee of the Board of Education, and three time member of the Board of School Estimate, as all budgets have come in below the mandated cap.Yet such fiscal discipline has had no adverse impact on the quality of our educational system; we were recently ranked quite highly in the national media for quality of our programs.

If elected as the At Large Candidate to Common Council, I would bring this fiscal experience and diligence to the issues that face our great City.

I wish you and your family a most enjoyable4th of July!

David Dietze is the Republican candidate for Summit Common Council, At-Large.

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GST will be India’s ‘economic freedom’, says Anil Ambani – The Hindu

Posted: at 9:45 am


The Hindu
GST will be India's 'economic freedom', says Anil Ambani
The Hindu
The leadership advantage is backed by strong macro-economic stability, he said while adding that the economy has moved from low inflation to high growth, from fiscal rectitude to prudential current account management, and from one of the highest ...

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Financial matters: American independence and economic freedoms – Helena Independent Record

Posted: at 9:45 am

On Tuesday we proudly celebrate Independence Day. We celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence which proclaims that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

In a time of kings and monarchs it was a bold declaration to state that governments derive their powers from the consent of the governed. It was equally as bold to define the proper role of government as securing a persons unalienable rights to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

In declaring their independence from England the colonies had several complaints against King George III and the State of Great Britain; the one we all remember is taxation without representation.

Under British rule the colonies operated under an economic and trade system known as mercantilism. Leading up to the American Revolution, British mercantilism required that all goods and trade imported or exported through the colonies had to travel on British ships and through British ports. In this way those goods and trade could be taxed and levied with tariffs and duties.

The most famous of the taxes Great Britain levied on the colonies were the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Tea Act of 1773. The Stamp Act required that all legal documents and printed material must bear a stamp provided by commissioned distributors who would collect the tax in exchange for the stamp. It applied to wills, deeds, newspapers, pamphlets, and even playing cards. The Tea Act imposed duties on imported tea. It was an effort to rescue the financially weakened British East India Company. The Tea Act led to the famous Boston Tea Party.

Smuggling was a big problem for the British Crown in the colonies. The colonies smuggled goods in and out to avoid the taxes and duties that the British Crown was able to levy under mercantilism. For much of the colonial period the Crown had a policy of salutary neglect which meant that the trade laws which most hurt the colonies were not enforced. However, that changed with the implementation of the Stamp and Tea Acts which helped spark the American Revolution.

It is important to understand our history and heritage, including the principals set forth in the Declaration of Independence. As the British statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke who served in the House of Commons and spoke out in support of the American colonies in their dispute with King George III said, Those who dont know history are doomed to repeat it.

In the Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson and our founding fathers established that the new United States would be based upon the principals that our liberties and rights are not granted by government, but are instead unalienable and that government derives its powers from the consent of the governed, not that the governed are granted rights from the government.

As we watch and listen to the debates on healthcare legislation, tax policy, financial and other types of regulation, the debt ceiling, the federal budget, etc., take place over the next several months, try to think about those issues in the light of the principals set forth in the Declaration of Independence. For example, how will a rise in the debt ceiling and a corresponding increase in the federal debt help to secure our unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? And does the passage of any proposed piece of legislation or implementation of regulation serve the government or the governed?

I suspect our founding fathers would have a vastly different view of our laws and government than is common place in our day.

Barry Nielsen has worked in capital markets for over 20 years with a focus on fixed income portfolio and risk management. He has an MBA from George Mason University and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He currently works for Opportunity Bank of Montana.

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Financial matters: American independence and economic freedoms - Helena Independent Record

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5 powerful steps towards financial independence and retiring early … – Motley Fool UK

Posted: at 9:45 am

Kevin Godbold | Sunday, 2nd July, 2017

Many people dream of retiring early with enough money to be able to do as they please for the rest of their lives. Turning that dream into reality is possible, as long as you take it seriously and commit to taking action. I reckon that if you take these five steps you?ll be well on your way to creating the conditions necessary for you to retire early and be financially secure. It probably won?t be easy to achieve, but with persistence and determination, I?m sure you can make it happen.

1. Believe you can do it

Many fail to achieve

Many people dream of retiring early with enough money to be able to do as they please for the rest of their lives. Turning that dream into reality is possible, as long as you take it seriously and commit to taking action.

I reckon that if you take these five steps youll be well on your way to creating the conditions necessary for you to retire early and be financially secure. It probably wont be easy to achieve, but with persistence and determination, Im sure you can make it happen.

Many fail to achieve financial freedom because deep down they dont really believe they can do it, so they end up fighting against self-sabotage.

Accumulating a fortune seems like a daunting task when you are at the beginning of the journey, and I reckon many people have a tendency to give up in a thousand little ways along the way. Perhaps you end up blowing your savings on that holiday of a lifetime. Perhaps you keep on doing that kind of thing. If youre striking for early retirement, thats self-sabotage.

To be successful, I think step one is to adopt a mindset of belief and determination that will guide you on your journey and help you make better choices along the way.

With your can-do mindset in place, step two is to grab your finances by the whatsits and get in control of debts and outgoings with the aim of living below your means. Its a well-touted concept, but it works.

Spend less than you earn and cultivate a saving habit. Plan to save, and work your plan as hard as you can. If you do that, the magic starts to happen.

This is like step two, but magnified then put into action and underlines just how important control of yourmoney is. With your domestic finances working better, step three is to really toughen up and act decisively, bearing down on personal outgoings and making hard choices. Hone the management of domestic finances until they work like a well-oiled machine so you can squeeze every penny possibleout of the leaky bucket and direct it towards your dream of financial freedom.

Im not suggesting a life of total abstinence and austerity, just a measured, balanced and controlled approach to your finances with you firmly in charge. Every pound counts because those pounds will compound over time into many more pounds.

Now that youve fixed all the leaks in your domestic budget step four is to direct your creativity to earn more income. Direct the surplus you earn straight to building up your savings and dont be tempted to self-sabotage by raising your standard of living and spending if you are already enjoying a happy and fulfilling lifestyle.

After applying yourself to building up your saved capital, step five is to make that money work hard for you by looking for ways to compound it, such as investing on the stock market.

Over time, shares have outperformed all other asset classes and you can get involved by using such vehicles as low-cost index tracking funds, managed funds, directed stock-picking services such as those offered here at the Motley Fool, or by embracing the concept of private investing completely and picking your own shares and investments.

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JENKINS: Traffic scammed in suburban utopia – Gwinnettdailypost.com

Posted: at 9:43 am

In one corner of our fair county lies a lovely little hamlet known as well, lets not mention names.

Oft have I marveled, while passing through that charming village, at its well-shaded streets, neatly manicured medians and pleasant parklands. Ive also noted the size of its police force, relative to population. And Ive wondered:

How do they afford all that?

A few months ago, I learned the answer, which is that those two features the upscale amenities and the number of patrol cars are directly related.

The occasion was a visit to traffic court in one of the towns nice, new, modern buildings, constructed just for that purpose and designed to accommodate more than a hundred people waiting to plead their cases. On that particular day, an otherwise unremarkable Thursday, every seat was filled.

I found myself there because, a couple months earlier, Id been cited for running a red light even though the light was yellow when I entered the intersection, and I was more than halfway through before it turned red.

Of course, if it had been a normal yellow light, I should have been all the way through. Thinking about the timing led me to conclude, as I told the ticketing officer, that it must be the shortest yellow light in history.

He was unmoved. Nevertheless, I believed I had been cited unfairly and decided to fight it.

In preparation for my day in court, I researched the national standard for yellow lights, which turns out to be about five seconds. I also went back to that intersection, parked at a gas station, and timed the yellow for 10 consecutive cycles. It averaged just under three seconds.

Armed with several videos, and now believing myself fully in the right, I took a day off work and showed up at the appointed time only to find myself awash in a sea of humanity. When my name was finally called, my day in court turned out to be more like two minutes with a harried city prosecutor, which went something like this:

Prosecutor: Youre charged with running a red light.

Me: I didnt do it, and I think I can prove it.

Prosecutor: We can knock the charge down to a non-moving violation. Your fine will be $122 instead of $178, with no points against your license.

Me: But I didnt do anything wrong.

Prosecutor: Youre welcome to come back next month and tell that to the judge.

Me: So I have to take another day off work? What if I lose?

Prosecutor: Then youll have to pay the $178, plus youll get the points.

Me: Where do I pay the $122?

As you can see, this is a highly organized, well-thought-out, perfectly legal and extremely lucrative scam. Youre ticketed for some dubious violation and then theyve got you over a barrel.

But, hey, at least its a very nice barrel.

Rob Jenkins is a local freelance writer and the author of four books, including Family Man: The Art of Surviving Domestic Tranquility, available at Books for Less in Buford and on Amazon. E-mail Rob at rjenkinsgdp@yahoo.com.

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Cruise Ship Tour: Public Spaces on Oceania Cruises’ Sirena – Travel Agent

Posted: at 9:43 am

Editor's Note: In Part One of a two-part photo tour, we show somepublic spaces onboardOceania Cruises' Sirena, including the pool deck area, atrium, theater, card room, fitness areaand spa. Part Two of this series, coming soon, will show the top suites on the ship.

Travel Agent magazine boarded Oceania Cruises'30,277-grt Sirena for a brief day visit this month at PortMiami. Before the ship set sail on a 16-day transatlantic voyage to Civitavecchia(Rome), we checked out some of the ship's public spaces.

The 684-passenger Sirena, a sister ship to Regatta, Insignia and Nautica, joined the Oceania fleet in spring 2016followinga 35-day, $40 million refurbishment. In essence, it was a keel-to-mast rebuilding that almost created a completely new vessel.

Overall, Sirena is abit lighter and brighter than those three shipsas Oceania incorporatedsome decorative effects and colors from the largerMarina and Riviera. But it's not dramatically different otherwise from its trio of sister ships, except for the larger suites and two new specialty dining options.

We found the ship fresh and ship-shape. Here's aphoto tourfrom our all-too-short visit to this lovely mid-sized cruise ship.

Photo by Susan J Young

Sirena's atrium is a grand staircase, showing that even a ship the size of Sirena can "go regal." We liked the red, black and gold decor and the fresh flowers. Shown below is the adjacent top level area off the atrium, which has shops and seating.

It's also home to the Oceania Club Ambassador, whowill assist guests with future cruise bookings. Agents will receive commission and can service those bookingsif their client chooses to make a future cruise reservation here.

Photo by Susan J Young

Despite its modest size, Sirena hasplenty of nooks and crannies where guests can relax. Above is one of the many lounge spaces where guests can enjoy conversation and drinks.

Photo by Susan J Young

Sirena's library is a comfortable enclave of relaxation and elegance with more than 2,000 books and periodicals -- everything from mysteries to classical literature, from travel guides to current best sellers.

While strolling through the room taking photos we encountered several Oceania guests who told us how much they love this space, having sailed with the line on multiple cruises.

From our perspective, this is a place we could have plopped down easily with a good book. We liked the comfortable seating areas, the fireplace and the high ceiling with tropical bird art design. It added a lightercontrast to the rich, dark features of the room.

One of the classic features of the storied ocean liners of the past was the "card room." Sirena offers its own version of that card room (shown above) with tables for playing bridge, Scrabbleor other card or board games.

During our visit, one table displayed the outer border of jigsaw puzzle with pieces strewn about, just waiting for guests to play.

The center of nightly entertainment onboard Sirena is the Lounge, shown above. It'sa classy theatervenue outfitted in grey, blue and gold decor. Comedians, magicians, singers, headline acts and jazz ensembles entertain guests here.

In addition to the venue's fixed theater seating, includinglong couch-like seating, there are living-room-style chairs (movable), which givethe space flexibility for events. The lounge also has a bar.

For those who prefer outdoor activities, the ship has a top-deck shuffleboard area, shown above, as well as an adjacent putt-putt course, shown below.

Sun worshippers will likely appreciate the padded loungers on the topdeck. It's just a short stairway down to the pool deck below, which has two whirlpools, a bar and outdoor dining area.

Photoby Susan J Young

Photo by Susan J Young

After a day in the sun, or a busy day ashore to seethe sites, cruisers can return to Sirenaand enjoy fine dining in multiple venues as well as the more casual Terrace Cafe.

On our quick inspection, we dined in Terrace Cafe to meet with industry friends, butdidn't have time to see all the other dining spots. That said,we soaked in the yummy smells coming fromTuscan Steak, one of two new specialty restaurants onboard (Red Ginger is the other).

In the photo below, readers can see this lovely place setting at one of Tuscan Steak's tables. What's for dinner? Here guests can order Italian favorites, steaks and fresh seafood inspired by Toscana and Polo Grill.

Oceania's guests like fine dining, but many are also partial to healthy choices and fitness activities. We saw a robust fitness room with state-of-the-art machines, as well as this separate area below with spinning machines and colorful Pilates balls.

Photo by Susan J Young

After a hard day ashore or exercising in the fitness facility, guests can book a pampering spa treatment at Sirena's Canyon Ranch SpaClub, perhaps opting for an Ohana Circulation Polish, an exfoliation with crushed bamboo, bamboo sap and oils of ginger and fir that can remove rough, dry skin and stimulate circulation.

Or, many other options await including a Canyon Ranch Stone Massage, seaweek leaf wrap, detoxifying ritual, aromatherapy muscle soother or an Abhyanga massage. Here's a look at a spa treatment room, the locker room area and outdoor private deck for spa goers.

Photo by Susan J Young

The Canyon Ranch SpaClub's ladies' room locker area is shown above, andthe men's locker area is similar. Both have shower and steam room facilities.

Outside, spa guests also can head for the spa's private relaxation area including this thalassotherapy pool, shown below.

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Cruise Ship Tour Part 2: Top Suites on Oceania Cruises’ Sirena – Travel Agent

Posted: at 9:43 am

Travel Agent magazine boarded Oceania Cruises' 30,277-grt Sirena for a brief day visit this month at PortMiami. Before the ship set sail on a 16-day transatlantic voyage to Civitavecchia, (Rome), we checked out some of the ship's public spaces and accommodations.

Agents can see a sampling of public space photos(the spa, pool deck, atrium, library, card room, exercise facility and other spaces) in Part 1 of our Cruise Ship Tour.

In this Part 2 of that Cruise Ship Tour, we showcase some of the ship's top accommodations, including the Owners Suite, #8067, plus the adjacent Concierge Level Stateroom #8069. Youll also see a few Penthouse Suite shots. All are located on Sirena's Deck 8.

Entering the 1,000-square-foot Owner's Suite aft (#8067), guests will discover a spacious, comfortable living area with a light blue seating area. It'slarge enough for hosting many friends over for cocktails and conversationor watching a movie on the suite's large flat-screen TV.

This living space also has a dining table and chairs that can seat four people. Across the room is a longblack credenzawith a mini-fridge, drawers, glasses and more. In the suite's entry area is a large mirror and smallshelf-like table that hugs the wall.

Photo by Susan J Young

The master bedroom of Sirena's Owner's Suite is very large. Are you a clothes-aholic? No worries if you're booked in this suite, as those who can't bear to leave clothes and shoes at home will gleefully discover a massive wall of closets and drawer space.

Inside are soft robes, slippers, a safe and more. Plus, the master bedroom has an attractive make-up and desk area with a large lighted mirror.

Photo by Susan J Young

Photo by Susan J Young

In the photo above, anice master bedroom feature is the humongous full length mirror on the wall.

Shown below, the Owner's Suite master bathroom is visually appealing with different shades of marble and a very large shower.

Photo by Susan J Young

Outside, the aft Owner's Suite has two deck chairs on one side of the teak-floored, open-air balcony, and a dining table and chairs on the other. See the two photos below.

The positioning on the aft section of the ship provides slanted structural framing for that balcony.

Photo by Susan J Young

This suite also has a guest bathroom, which is shown below.

Photo by Susan J Young

Adjacent to the Owner's Suite above is #8069, a Category A Concierge Level Veranda Stateroom.

While this stateroom doesn't connect directly to the Owner's Suite, its close proximity to that suite is appealing, particularly for acouple booking the Owner's Suite who wants to bring along adult children or parents.

The side-by-side accommodations offer easy access for family members to gather for dinner or cocktails en suite.

Here are just a few photos of those Concierge Level Veranda accommodations, which span 216 square feet and include many amenities and exclusive privileges, along with the services of a dedicated concierge.

Photo by Susan J Young

While we snapped a photo of the bathroom in this accommodation, it didn't turn out. Let's just say the small bathroom is basic (no marble) with a sink, toilet and shower. There is no cabinet under the sink, just a shelf.

We also had just a quick peek at #8062, a Penthouse Suite (PH3), also far aft in the same corridor as the two accommodations above.

It's important to note that hospitality crew members were still preparing these accommodations for guestarrival, so we had to breeze quickly in and out. And not everything was "final" as it would be when the guest enters. Yet, the shots offer some visual perspective about these suites.

Photoby Susan J Young

Photo by Susan J Young

And here's another Penthouse configuration with twin beds, from #8057, Penthouse Suite (PH2) category. This suite is along the same Deck 8 corridor that leads to the Owner's Suite.

Photo by Susan J Young

Photo by Susan J Young

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Iran ranks 3rd in 2017 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships – Press TV

Posted: at 9:43 am

The national Iranian women's sitting volleyball team hasput a satisfactory end to its campaign at the 2017 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships in China, and ranked third at the end of the regional event.

On Saturday and the final day of womens fixtures in the southern Chinese city ofHangzhou, the Iranian team defeated the Kazakh squad 3-0 in thethird-place play-off.

Separately, Iranian physically-challenged men took on their Kazakh counterparts in a preliminary round meet, and trounced the Central Asian contingent 3-0 (25-13, 25-15 and 25-14) to post their fourth straight win in the tournament.

Iran men's national sitting volleyball team is scheduled to play Iraq in its last group stage match at 10:30 a.m. local time (0230 GMT) on Sunday.

The 2017 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships opened in Hangzhou, China, on June 27, and will wrap up on July 3.

The tournament has brought together national mens sitting volleyball teams from China, Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka.

National mens sitting volleyball teams from China, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia were in action as well.

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Disneyland plans a PC makeover for its Pirates of the Caribbean attraction – Los Angeles Times

Posted: at 9:40 am

At Disneyland, pirates can still drink, pillage and fight.

But the swashbuckling tradition of abducting and exploiting women is being sent to Davy Jones Locker.

Call it a sign of the times.

The park plans to revamp a section of the popular Pirates of the Caribbean attraction that depicts a parade of women being put on the auction block under a decidedly un-PC banner that reads Auction, Take a wench for a bride.

The auction will be replaced next year by a less offensive scene of pirates forcing the local townsfolk to give up their valuables. After all, who can be offended by a little pirate pilfering?

In the 62 years since Walt Disney welcomed his first visitors to Anaheim, Disneyland has sometimes struggled to adapt the founders version of fantasy with public sensibilities that differ from those of park visitors of the 50s and 60s.

On Tom Sawyer Island, the mock frontier rifles were removed along with the victim of an Indian arrow, who lay sprawled for years in front of a burning settlers cabin.

For several years, the skippers in the Jungle Cruise were not allowed to blast a fake revolver at the animatronic hippos in the river until visitor complaints forced Disney to re-arm the cruise ship captains and give them the green light to fire at will.

But the Pirates attraction, the last ride that Walt Disney himself helped design before he died in 1966, may have been reined in the most to conform to a more politically correct world a tricky task given the rides original rowdy spirit.

Remember those scene of pirates chasing women throughout a pillaged town? In 1997, Disney put trays of food in the womens hands so that it looked like the pirates are lusting after the food instead of the fleeing women in their flowing gowns.

Another scene that got pitched overboard showed a pirate holding up womens lingerie while a frightened woman, apparently naked, hides in a nearby barrel.

At Disney, their specialty is scrubbing everything to be squeaky clean and palatable, said Rick Rothschild, a ride designer for Disney from 1978 until 2009. Thats the Disney way.

Walt Disney Co.

An artist's rendering of the scene that will replace the bride auction in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

An artist's rendering of the scene that will replace the bride auction in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. (Walt Disney Co.)

But Disney is not the only company that has had to change an attraction to avoid offending todays guests.

At Six Flags Over Georgia, a ride that was originally based on the Uncle Remus stories of the old South was renamed Monster Mansion in 2008. The previous name, Monster Plantation, it seems, recalled for visitors scenes from slave life on a Southern plantation.

Gary Goddard, an attraction designer who worked for Disney in the 1970s and early 80s, said that changes to rides are expected but if the modifications dont make the attraction more thrilling and fun the ride suffers.

Im not against change, he said. Im against change if it makes it bland. If it keeps the spirit of the ride and makes it more fun, Im for it.

Indeed, the Pirates ride has also been injected with some Hollywood pizzazz.

Characters from the multi-billion-dollar movie franchise starring Johnny Depp were added to the ride in 2006. An animatronic Depp, in full pirate regalia, later replaced the frightened woman in the barrel.

Its normal for theme parks to modify and upgrade attractions, primarily to increase return visits.

But Disneys Anaheim park one of the nations oldest theme parks faces a unique problem when rides that have been around for decades are overhauled. Hard-core fans who grew up with the attractions feel like a part of their childhood is being erased when attractions are altered.

Todd Regan, a Disneyland fan for more than 30 years and author of the Disney website MiceChat, said he received dozens of angry, even, hate-filled responses when he wrote on his website last week that he supported the removal of the bride-auction scene.

Its very interesting how some people are justifying a scene of human trafficking in an attraction, he said.

One of Regans readers responded to news of the changes by promising to boycott all Disney parks forever. No joke. With the other changes in the parks I didn't like, I accepted them and got over it, and but not this time, the fan wrote.

Scot Squires, 43, a marketing professor and Disney fan who has visited every Disney theme park in the world, described himself as a traditionalist who is still fuming that Disney revamped the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride at California Adventure Park to incorporate Marvel superheroes.

But Squires said he has no problem with the change proposed to the Pirates ride, saying, Times have changed and I think Disney is just trying to keep up with the changes.

The ride is among the parks biggest attractions a popularity no doubt boosted by being the basis of the long-running Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise now in its the fifth installment. The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced films have grossed $3.7 billion worldwide.

Disney Enterprises Inc.

Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the film "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," the latest in the five-film franchise.

Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the film "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales," the latest in the five-film franchise. (Disney Enterprises Inc.)

And while some previous modifications have sparked fan outrage, they have not hurt Disneylands attendance numbers or damaged the popularity of the ride, which has welcomed more than 400 million riders since it opened, according to the park.

Martin Lewison, a theme park expert, does not expect that the latest change will hurt the Burbank companys bottom line either.

Some people will be intrigued and some disappointed and the net effect will be zero, said Lewison, a business management professor at Farmingdale State College in New York.

For its part, Disney defends its actions. Asked to comment, the company cited Marty Sklar, who helped design several of the original rides at the Anaheim park.

I cant think of a single attraction that has not been enhanced and improved, some over and over again, Sklar, 83, said in a statement. Change is a tradition at Disneyland.

Still, previous changes have not been welcomed by everyone, even within the Disney company.

Francis Xavier Atencio, a longtime Disney ride designer who retired in 1984, clearly was not happy with the changes made in 1997 when the trays of food were added to the attraction.

Nobody asked me but my reaction was this is Pirates of the Caribbean not Boy Scouts of the Caribbean, he said in an interview with D23, Disneys officials fan club. Atencio also wrote the lyrics to the rides theme song, Yo, ho (A Pirates Life for Me.)

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Caribbean Currents: Stilt walking, junkanoo dancing and moko jumbie more popular than ever – The Philadelphia Tribune

Posted: at 9:40 am

Old time something come back again! The older folks will say the old becomes new again or the more things seem to change is the more they remain the same. Stilt walking, junkanoo dancing and the moko jumbie phenomenon can be traced back many, many years as far back as the 1700s. In an online article dated 2011 the Virgin Islands Traveler focused on The Evolution of the Moko Jumbie. After reading it, I got a much clearer understanding of what stilt walkers, junkanoos and moko jumbie is all about. This part of our Caribbean culture originated in Africa where traditional dress was donned as stilt walkers were fulfilling various spiritual roles by communicating with the ancestors. They also played a key role in coming-of-age ceremonies.

B. E. Laine, a Delaware County resident recalls her memories of junkanoo dancing. I must have been about 4 years old when I became aware of junkanoo dancers. Back in those olden days they were a grass-roots group accompanied by their makeshift band. There was drumming, along with other homemade instruments mainly fashioned from kitchen utensils. Graters, spoons and pot covers made a great rhythm that kept the dancers in sync. This was not the greatest entertainment for most children, Laine said.

I can still recall how terrified I was when I saw a stilt walker for the first time in my life! A person that towered over everyone with a painted face and a scary costume. I clung to my mother for dear life! I almost lost my mind when the junkanoo dancers grabbed at other children in the crowd, Laine said. After that experience, whenever there was a parade and I heard the moko jumbie music, I would make a beeline to my bedroom and hide under my bed until I was sure that they had already gone by our house.

Since then, the art form has taken on a whole new look. The costumes that are worn have evolved into brightly colored costumes and the music that they dance to is more modern calypso, soca and reggae. When the children hear the lively beats, they jump up and start dancing to the music or tapping their feet and clapping their hands.

Stiltwalkers, moko jumbie and junkanoo have become a traditional act in circuses, parades and shows throughout the United States and other parts of the world. The UniverSoul Circus, for example, has a permanent dance group from Trinidad and Tobago called the Caribbean Dynasty Dancers. My daughter and I look forward to seeing them every time they come to Fairmount Park in Philadelphia because they bring something new and fresh to the big top every year. They are amazing. When they enter onto the stage the crowd livens up and starts to move. As someone from the Caribbean, it makes me very proud (as I am sure it does for all of us) to see other cultures embracing the beauty of the performance. We were recently at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and a part of the Lion King Circle of Light show features stilt walkers with the same type of lively Caribbean music.

Most of the Caribbean Islands boast several carnivals that feature these performers as a main tourist attraction.

Gone are the days when one has to travel to the Caribbean Islands to experience this form of entertainment. Today many stilt walkers, junkanoo dancers and moko jumbie dancers have organized themselves and are available at a price to those who so desire to make them a part of their next affair. These performers are being hired for entertainment at weddings, banquets and parties.

But, if you want to experience the original, true junkanoo, carnival, moko jumbie, you have to check the list below and visit one of the islands of the Caribbean. You wont regret it.

Anguilla: August (Carnival and Boat-Racing)

Antigua: August (Road March and Steel Drum)

Aruba: Lent (Torch Light Parades and King and Queen Elections)

Bahamas (Junkanoo): December-January (Rush-Out Parade)

Barbados (Crop Over): August (Calypso Music)

Bermuda (Bermuda Day/Junkanoo): May (Celebration of Bermudan Ancestry)

Bonaire: Lent (The Burning of King Momo)

British Virgin Islands (Emancipation Festival): July-August (Food Fairs and Street Jamming)

Cayman Islands (Batabano): April-May (Bar Hop and Soca Performances)

Cuba: Lent (Comparsas street performances)

Curacao: Lent (Tumba music)

Dominica: Lent (Jump-up Street Parade)

Dominican Republic: Lent (Elaborate Masks and Multi-town Celebrations)

Grenada: August (Local Band Performances and Queen Show)

Guadeloupe: Lent (Dance Marathons and Competitions)

Haiti: Lent (Rural Rara Festival and Creole Celebrations)

Jamaica (Bacchanal): April (Mas Camp and Bacchanal Fridays)

Martinique: Lent (Burning of Vaval, the Carnival King)

Montserrat: December (Beauty Pageants and Masqueraders Dancers)

Saba: July-August (Celebration of the Old Caribbean)

St. Barts: Lent (Vide Parade Day and Costume/Dance Competitions)

St. Eustatius: April-May (Carnival Village and International Show)

St. Kitts and Nevis (Sugar Mas): December-January (The Sugar Cup and Cocktail Party)

St. Lucia: July (Boutique Carnival and Parade of the Bands)

St. Martin/Maarten: St. Martin: Lent; St. Maarten: April (Balloon Parade and Light Parade)

St. Vincent and the Grenadines (Vincy Mas): June-July (JOuvert, Miss Carnival, and Junior Pan Fest)

Trinidad and Tobago: Lent (biggest and most well-known Carnival in the Caribbean)

Turks and Caicos (Junkanoo): December-January

U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Croix, December-January; St. Thomas, April (Food Fairs and Fireworks)

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Caribbean Currents: Stilt walking, junkanoo dancing and moko jumbie more popular than ever - The Philadelphia Tribune

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