Daily Archives: December 25, 2019

TV Spies of the ’60s – Ricochet.com

Posted: December 25, 2019 at 6:50 am

Fifty-three Christmas Eves ago, I first saw an episode of an exciting new show that hadnt yet caught on with viewers, despite great reviews in TV Guide and elsewhere. Mission: Impossible was the final entry in what had been a mid-Sixties spy craze on TV and in the movies, all of them of course due to the huge success of James Bond. Spies had never been big box office before Bond, but for a few years they were as common as Star Wars rip-offs would be fifteen years later. Mission: Impossible was unusual for the new genre; no sex, very little violence, jumpy editing that was too fast for most casual TV viewers a half century ago, with complicated, half-explained plots that you had to follow closely to figure out. Above all, its main characters were quite deliberately left blank: you didnt really know who they were, all you ever knew about them is what they did. Yet Mission: Impossible became by far the most successful and long lasting of all the TV spy shows of the 60s. Variety raved, It looks like CBS finally found its U.N.C.L.E., referring to NBCs hit spy show, then in its third year.

The Man From U.N.C.L.E., debuting in 1964, was the first of the TV spy bunch, boldly announced as Ian Fleming for television!, a claim that NBC and its producers, MGM, were forced to hastily retract after Bonds producers and Flemings estate threatened to sue. That claim was a lie, or more forgivably, an awkward exaggeration, and like Mission, U.N.C.L.E. was slow to find an audience. But once it did, it was a huge, if short-lived pop culture phenomenon. Its stars, Robert Vaughn and David McCallum, were mobbed everywhere they traveled. They got bushels of fan mail every week. MGM even happily publicized hundreds of fan letters addressed simply to The Gun, U.N.C.L.E.s custom-crafted handgun, accessorized with a custom stock, barrel extender, silencer, even an infrared sniper scope. Millions of plastic replicas were among the most popular 60s Christmas toys for American boys. Could you imagine the reaction to that today?

The third member of the top hit parade was NBCs other spy drama, I Spy. (NBC was also the broadcast home of Get Smart, whose competing spy agencies, corporate-looking headquarters, gadgets, and auto-opening doors were far more of a parody of U.N.C.L.E. than of Bond, much to MGMs irritation. But its a comedy, so Im skipping it.)

Like U.N.C.L.E., I Spy was popular for its two leading men, their breezy banter and their friendship. The difference was visible, literally on the face of it: Bill Cosby was the first Black leading man of television, a sensation that he and the network coolly underplayed with the brusque, patriotic note that in modern America, equality and an interracial friendship was no big deal. Theres an urban legend of sorts that race never came up, was never mentioned in I Spy. Thats not quite true; the very first episode, Goodbye, Patrick Henry, is about a boastful, rhyming Muhammad Ali-modeled character who defects to Communist China in a worldwide wave of publicity, only to seek a rescue later. Race did come up as an issue from time to time in the series, but it was rare. Cosby, and America at the time, liked it better that way. His character, Alexander Scott, was a Rhodes scholar, an intellectual giant who became one of Black Americas most admired role models. His espionage cover was being the trainer for tennis star Kelly Robinson, played by Robert Culp, who amiably shrugged off being overshadowed by his co-star.

Kelly and Scotty may have talked jivey, like jazz club or comedy club buddies, but I Spy was the most realistic of TVs spy showsno whizbang gadgets, no high tech, no mythical antagonists. It was us versus the Communists, just like real life. Their few on-screen briefings took place at the Pentagon; they learned their jobs at what sure looks like the defense language institute in Monterey, California. Like the other spy shows (and like James Bond himself), in a literal sense, they were rarely spies. Kelly and Scotty were secret agents, mostly couriers and sometimes fixers. That was also realistic: actual spies were often people with professions (sports, culture, academia) that allowed them to enter foreign countries, even Iron Curtain ones, without attracting suspicion.

By 1965, NBC was billing itself as The full-color network, and I Spy took full advantage of it. No other show of the period, and few since, went on international locations like they did, visually making the most of the real Hong Kong, Mexico or Europe. The shows cinematographer, Egyptian-born Fouad Said, was an outspoken advocate of getting movies and TV off the sound stages and into reality. A company he started, Cinemobile, devised and marketed trucks that were fully equipped camera and lighting departments, setting the pattern for the entire industry to this day.

If you havent seen I Spy, look it up on YouTube. Its a treat, well written and acted. Youll see why white and black America alike fell in love with Bill Cosby, and what a damn shame it is that he ended up the way he has. It was on the air for three years. Not every episode is a classic, but by and large, it was consistently good, beginning to end.

Regrettably for its fans, the same cant be said about The Man From U.N.C.L.E., which started strong but went off course by its third year and was ignominiously canceled midway through its fourth season. Its first year was in black and white, which surprisingly helped the shows suspension of disbelief. Unlike other spy agencies, U.N.C.L.E. was politically neutral, with the winking implication that it was part of the United Nations, right outside their window. (The UN didnt like that, so MGM explained the acronym as United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.) Dashing agent Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) even had a Russian partner, Illya Kuryakin, played by Scots-born actor David McCallum. This was the height of rock and rolls British Invasion, Beatlemania ruled the land, and the Brit, McCallum, became a heartthrob for young girls.

U.N.C.L.E.s Manhattan headquarters looked like a modern corporate office, equipped with computers and closed-circuit TV. The men were in suits and ties. U.N.C.L.E.s main opponent was also corporate looking, with secret branch offices all over the world, and their own custom-designed weaponry, distinct from the heroes. Agents of the two sides often knew each other, like staffers of competing ad agencies. When a comely enemy spy coyly declines to say who she works for, Napoleon Solo helpfully reminds her. Thrush. You know, that organization of renegades, spies, and traitorsthe place you pick up your paycheck each week. In keeping with the Thrush theme, enemies often had the names of birdsDr. Egret, G. Emory Partridge. This gimmick got old quickly.

So did one of the shows regular features, bringing ordinary citizens into the center of the action, usually by chance. They were usually (condescendingly silly) young women from what wed now call Flyover Country, impatient with their allegedly humdrum lives and the dull guy they were engaged to. For an hour of television, they had international adventures, risking death in glamorous surroundings, protected by handsome men. Then theyd invariably realize that their dopey boyfriend and dishwater-plain home town werent so bad after all, and return home happier and wiser for the experience.

In the first two years of the show, plots were imaginative with a touch of science fiction. From the second year on, episodes were in color. Strangely, it seemed to take something away; making it look more like real life made the cardboard aspects more obvious. Then a totally unexpected thing would change the course of U.N.C.L.E., not for the better: ABCs mid-season surprise hit, Batman. For a while, silly, joked-up superheroes were a pop culture phenomenon, called high camp for no discernible reason. If you look the term up, its called things like Artificial, affected, effeminate. The spirit of Batman filled other shows with envy, and by U.N.C.L.E.s third season the show became a lame joke, with Illya riding a stink bomb, Strangelove-style, over Las Vegas and Solo dancing the Watusi with a gorilla. NBC also made the unwise move of airing a one-year spinoff, The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. Stephanie Powers was actually quite good as agent April Dancer, but there was just too much U.N.C.L.E. on TV, devaluing the original shows appeal. The producers knew theyd screwed up. Season four was a more sober, back-to-spy-basics show, but it was too late for The Man From U.N.C.L.E. to pull out of its dive. Its time slot was given to a new, brief-lived sensation, Rowan and Martins Laugh-In.

In the meantime, Mission: Impossible just kept chugging along, protected by creator Bruce Gellers iron insistence on avoiding high camp, inside jokes, or in fact just about any jokes at all. It started as a product of Lucille Balls Desilu Studios, as did its 1966 stablemate, Star Trek. Martin Landau, in fact, turned down the role of Spock. Years later, he admitted that financially speaking, this wasnt a lucky move. But who knew? Mission: Impossible was a top ten show. Star Trek could barely stay on the air. True.

The very second episode Id seeand the first most Americans would seewas on New Years Eve, Dec. 31, 1966. The show became a hit overnight. Operation Rogosh was so good that for years, the producers screened it as an example for new writers. An unbreakable enemy agent has to be tricked into revealing where germ warfare bombs are placed. Like the movie 36 Hours, they construct an elaborate ruse, convincing their subject that years have elapsed. This kind of fake location plot would later drive The Sting, and in fact they were both based on the same inspiration, a 1940 book called The Big Con. This confidence man trick was called the big store, and Mission: Impossible would return to it again and again. Theyd fool a foreign traitor into thinking his plot to kill his pro-Western boss had succeeded, and while he was in the middle of gloating out loud, the Impossible Missions Forces would roll back the fake wall, and the angry prime minister, whod heard all, would promptly place the hapless villain under arrest. The IMF were con men in a good cause.

Unlike I Spys Alexander Scott, who knew everything about everything, Greg Morriss Barney Collier was strictly a technical whizkid who could rewire or reprogram anything that came his way. He was yet another role model for Black America. In real life, whenever Morriss TV was on the blink, television repairmen were astonished that he needed their help.

Mission: Impossible was an expensive show, a tough challenge for little Desilus tiny backlot. It required various Iron Curtain police and military uniforms, foreign cars and signage, and credible-looking Los Angeles substitutes for overseas locations. Lucille Ball sold the studio to its vastly bigger neighbor, Paramount Pictures, and turmoil erupted that couldnt entirely be kept behind the scenes. First, IMF leader Dan Briggs (Steven Hill) was replaced with Peter Graves when Hill started getting increasingly obstreperous about keeping the Friday sabbath. Industry veterans shook their heads. Can you imagine getting fired from Paramount for being too Jewish?, they laughed.

Two years later, married leads Martin Landau and Barbara Bain refused to report to work until they got massive raises, which the producers would be contractually required to extend to Graves as well. Hard-as-nails Paramount turned them down and they were gone. Landau would be replaced for two now-forgotten years by Leonard Nimoy, but it would take years of female guest stars until Linda Day George became a reasonably good choice. Show creator and co-owner Bruce Geller had one fight too many with Paramount, who banned him from the lot. He still had his ownership rights, he still got his producer feesbut he was gone.

To give the devils their due, Paramount had to do something. By the turn of the 70s, the spy craze was over. The studio wanted more shows in sunlit penthouses and fewer of them in frozen East European dungeons. Crime shows were in, so IMFs complex schemes were now usually aimed at amorphous crime lords called the syndicate. Formerly straight-arrow Greg Morris now had a mild Afro, and often infiltrated criminal rings with a cliched, Yeah, maaan delivery. The show would suffer creatively for all these losses and less-than-sure creative choices, though it continued to be fairly good, professionally done and consistent right through the end, season 7. Mission: Impossible was revived for two years in the late 80s, with Peter Graves still the leader of the IMF team, and was rebooted as a film series by Tom Cruise in 1996. Today, its the only remaining part of the 60s spy craze that people are still familiar with.

When Mission ended in the spring of 1972, we were far removed from the innocent-but-sexy era it was created in. Anyone who thinks wokeness is strictly a modern phenomena surely wasnt around to see feminists burn their bras for eager news cameras outside of the Miss America pageant, or doesnt remember when even the head of the AFL-CIO, as official a Democrat as it got, declared his own party to be the home of acid, amnesty and abortion. Black Americans on the big screen had gone from helping the nuns in Lilies of the Field to the murderous pimps of Superfly. It was a different world. Yet whenever TV reruns brought us back to those exciting musical themes and jazzy opening graphics, we fondly remembered a not-too-distant time of miniskirts, flirtation, Cold War gunplay, and tall, handsome men in immaculate tailoring. Because saving the world never really goes out of style.

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Tunisia marks anniversary of revolution as it grapples with socio-economic woes – The Arab Weekly

Posted: at 6:49 am

TUNIS - Tunisia on December 17 commemorated the start of the uprising that toppled President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, with recently elected Tunisian President Kais Saied vowing to honour the demands of the revolution.

Saied, an academic with no prior political experience, recorded a landslide election victory in October. He has made few public statements since taking office.

However, he made an unannounced visit to Sidi Bouzid, where the first protests of Tunisias uprising erupted, and promised to realise the key demands of the revolution freedom, work and dignity within the framework of the constitution and within legitimacy.

I will work to honour your demands, he told a crowd in Sidi Bouzid.

Though Saied spoke of the political will to resolve many of the countrys problems and meet the demands of the people, he did not present programmes to achieve the goal. He promised to return to the region when funds are allocated for development programmes.

Tunisians expressed their frustration with promises, demanding action to save the country from economic collapse. The despair was noted during parliamentary and presidential election campaigns this year, with voters pushing for change and attempting to create a new political reality.

A recent poll by Sigma Conseil said more than 80% of Tunisian respondents said the country was going in the wrong direction. It showed, however, the president to be the most trusted public figure.

Saied announced in Sidi Bouzid that December 17 would be a national holiday. Tunisia already marks January 14, the date Ben Ali was deposed, as a holiday.

Ben Ali died in September in Saudi Arabia at the age of 83.

Protests broke out December 17, 2010, after street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire to protest police harassment. Since then, the Sidi Bouzid region has experienced further unrest fuelled by unemployment and poverty.

In December, protests broke out in the region after the death of a 25-year-old man who set himself on fire in the impoverished town of Jelma in desperation over his economic situation.

While Tunisia has been praised as a model of democratic transition, wealth and control of the economy remain concentrated in the hands of a small group against a background of regional imbalances, slow economic growth and a large informal sector.

Deteriorating living standards and rising prices are causing increasing atrophy of the middle class. The country is grappling with an inflation rate of more than 6% and the unemployment rate stands at more than 15%, with nearly double that rate among youth and women.

The countrys government has been in limbo since Octobers legislative elections as Prime Minister-designate Habib Jemli struggled to put together a coalition government that could win parliamentary approval.

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Tunisia marks anniversary of revolution as it grapples with socio-economic woes - The Arab Weekly

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Monsoon decided history of Indian subcontinent: study – The Hindu

Posted: at 6:49 am

Deficient rainfall led to the collapse of the Mansabdari system, started by Mughal emperor Akbar, in the late 17th century. Similarly, drought interspersed with violent monsoon rains sounded the death knell for the Khmer empire of south-east Asia in the 15th century.

A recent study by researchers at Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) has revealed that abrupt changes in the Indian monsoon in the last 900 years decided the course of human history in the subcontinent. A paper titled Abrupt changes in Indian summer monsoon strength during the last 900 years and their linkages to socio-economic conditions in the Indian subcontinent by Anil K. Gupta, professor at the geology and geophysics department of IIT-KGP, highlights that decline of Indian dynasties was linked to weak monsoon and reduced food production.

Several dynasties, such as the Sena in Bengal, Solanki in Gujarat in the mid-13th century and Paramara and Yadav in the early to mid-14th century all of which flourished during abundant rainfall declined during the dry phases of Indian summer monsoon (ISM), suggesting role of the climate in the socio-political crisis, the study revealed.

The paper published in international journal PALEO 3 highlights three phases in the 900-year stretch Medieval Climate Anomaly from 950 CE to 1350 CE, Little Ice Age from 1350 CE to 1800 CE and Current Warm Period from 1800 CE till today. The paper highlights strong monsoon during Medieval Climate Anomaly and Current Warm Period and phases of weak and strong monsoon in Little Ice Age.

There can be no doubting the profound impact of the abrupt shifts of rainfall on human history a fact we need to constantly remind ourselves in this day and age of irretrievable climate change. Abrupt shifts in the ISM precipitation has similarly impacted history in India, Prof. Gupta said.

For the study on long-term spatio temporal variability of the ISM, a group of researchers, which also included experts from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, looked at palaeoclimatic records using oxygen isotope proxy record from speleothems (a structure formed in a cave by deposition of minerals from water) at the Wah Shikar cave in Meghalaya.

We took samples from every half millimetre or sometimes even one-third of a mm, and we dated using uranium-thorium time series. Such fine sampling of less time interval means we were covering data at two-three years interval while most researches collect data at 20-30 years interval. We even captured the drought events of last few centuries, Prof Gupta said. The results showed abrupt shifts in the ISM, he added.

For more recent phases of human history the study suggests that from the beginning of the 19 century, the changes in the ISM became more abrupt with a rise in atmospheric temperature that coincides with the dawn of the Industrial Revolution.

An increase in the frequency of abrupt shifts in the ISM during the last three centuries, coincidental with a rise in atmospheric temperature, suggests occurrence of more climatic surprises in future consequent to future rise in the global temperature and subsequently more precipitation in the form of rain at higher altitudes. the paper said.

Prof. Gupta said that they were doing similar work extending their Palaeoclimatic study to 6000 years ago to see the impact of climate change on Indus Valley civilization and on population migrations.

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Heat the Arctic to cool the Earth, scientists say – Eco-Business

Posted: at 6:49 am

With politicians failing to cut greenhouse gas emissions far and fast enough, the only hope may be to find a different way to cool the planet. One group of researchers has put forward an idea so different that critics may regard it as outlandish: heat the Arctic.

To heat the Arctic so much that the sea ice disappears even in the winter sounds like a weird idea. But the researchers believe it would have the beneficial effect of cooling the planet down.

They argue that with the Arcticice already expected to disappear during the summer months within the next 30 years, and large increases in temperature and changes in the polar climate already certain, we should turn this radical shift to our advantage.

Their point is that since, at the current rate of progress, politicians seem unlikely to cut greenhouse gas emissions enough to prevent drastic temperature rise, humankind must find other ways to cool the Earth if it is to survive.

Heating the planet in order to cool it is certainly counter-intuitive. But, whether or not the scheme could ever work, it shows the ingenuity and enterprise now being poured into stabilising global temperatures close to their historic level.

It also, of course, shows how horribly late we have left it to rein in the climate crisis, when wise and determined action 30 years ago could have achieved so much.

Climate change is a major issue and all options should be considered when dealing with it.

Julian Hunt, postdoctoral research scholar, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis

The idea proposed is, in principle, simple enough: to ensure thatthe warm currents of the Gulf Stream, known by science as the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO) continue northwards across the Arctic Circle the whole year round. This would release massive amounts of heat from the ocean into the atmosphere and beyond that into space, so cooling the sea and ultimately the Earth.

The Arctic Ocean ice cover works as a strong insulator, impeding the heat from the ocean below to warm up the atmosphere above. If this ice layer were however removed, the atmosphere would increase in temperature by around 20C during the winter.

This increase in temperature would in turn increase the heat irradiated into space, thus cooling down the oceans, explains the lead author of the study which details the proposal, published in the journalSN Applied Sciences. He isJulian Hunt, a postdoctoral research scholar at IIASA, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.

The problem that needs to be overcome is that very cold and only mildly salty water currently floats on the surface of the Arctic Ocean, freezing in the winter and capturing the warmth of the water in the ocean depths.

The authors say the main factor helping to maintain the Arctic sea ice cover is the fact that the top 100 metres of the ocean is less saline than the Atlantic, preventing the Atlantic from flowing above the cold Arctic waters. Increasing the salinity of the Arctic Oceans surface, they say, would let the warmer and less salty North Atlantic current flow over it, warming the atmosphere considerably and releasing the ocean heat trapped under the ice.

They suggest three ways to keep fresh water out of the Arctic. The first would divert the big rivers of North America and Siberia southwards to prevent them draining into the polar ocean. The second would place submerged obstructions in front of the rapidly melting Greenland glaciers, to slow the speed of the ice sheets melting, while the third would use a solar- and wind-powered icebreaker to pump cold, near-fresh water deeper into the ocean to mix with the saltier water below, allowing the warmer currents to sweep in from the south.

Dr Hunt and his colleagues say there could be terrific benefits. Shipping could navigate the ice-free Arctic Ocean all year round, cutting journey times between Asia, Europe and North America. The need for heating homes in the northern hemisphere during the winter would be drastically reduced, because their plan would raise air temperatures by as much as 20C.

But the massive interference with natural systems in the Arctic would also have its downside. The rapid year-round rise in temperature would dramatically increase the melting of Greenland and therefore of sea level rise the world over.The effect on the northern hemisphere climate, particularly much increased rainfall with a warmer sea and atmosphere, is impossible to predict.

But Dr Hunt says that while there are clearly huge risks, the world is already heading for uncharted waters, so humans must do something drastic. Although it is important to mitigate the impacts from climate change with the reduction in CO2 emissions, we should also think of ways to adapt the world to the new climate conditions to avoid uncontrollable, unpredictable and destructive climate change resulting in socio-economic and environmental collapse.

Climate change is a major issue and all options should be considered when dealing with it.

This story was published with permission fromClimate News Network.

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The populist on the correct turned out to be a keeper – OBN

Posted: at 6:49 am

What defines a decade? The farther youre from a interval, the better its to reply that query in a number of key phrases. Say "the 1930s," and everybody is aware of what you're speaking about: Colijn, National Socialism, Threat of War. The 50s: Drees, frugality, reconstruction. The 90s, that additionally goes nicely: Cook, Third Way, Purple. This is how political historical past canonises.

And the 10s? One factor is for certain: Mark Rutte (VVD) was prime minister for nearly the complete decade. His identify will all the time be linked to this time interval. But additional? What made this decade completely different from the earlier a long time?

Five political scientists do, on the request of NRC, an try. Ask them concerning the political local weather within the Netherlands between 2010 and 2020, and youll hear surprisingly uniform solutions.

The 10s, says Rudy Andeweg, are the years that "alarmist visions" from the previous grew to become true.

The 10s, says Armen Hakhverdian, "were the decade of political fragmentation in the Netherlands."

The 10s, says Sarah de Lange, "have intensified the polarization."

The 10s, says Merijn Oudenampsen, have proven "a shift in political dividing lines."

The 10s, says Cas Mudde, supplied "even more success for far-right parties."

Dutch politics fragmented this decade at a dramatic tempo, say political scientists. The massive center events, who have been all the time in management, have, aside from the VVD, virtually performed out. Social contradictions grew to become bigger. This was, they are saying, to a lesser extent about socio-economic themes, however rather more about id. It was, briefly, the last decade of the cultural battle.

Rudy Andeweg, emeritus professor of political science at Leiden University, quotes PvdA veteran Ed van Thijn. At the tip of the 1960s, he already warned of "fan democracy". He meant that the political extremes would diverge additional and that the center imploded. That pattern may threaten democracy. The Dutch parliamentary system may implode, simply because the Weimar Republic collapsed in Germany in 1933.

Andeweg: Ed van Thijn was far forward of his time. What he was afraid of on the time is now occurring. Middle events are eroded, voters are not loyal to their very own group. They typically severely punish events that do rule. "

"Middle parties are eroded, voters are no longer loyal to their own group"

This "billing culture" has drastically modified the connection between citizen and politics, says Sarah de Lange, extraordinary professor of political science on the University of Amsterdam. The record of punished authorities events is lengthy. The CDA (-20 seats), the PvdA (-3) and the ChristenUnie (-1) seats in 2010. The CDA (-8) and tolerant accomplice PVV (-9) in 2012. The PvdA suffered the largest defeat in 2017 the get together historical past (-29). Only the VVD, who has been supplying the prime minister since 2010, was capable of circumvent this legislation.

There has all the time been division within the Netherlands, says Sarah de Lange. But the character of that division has modified. "People differ less and less on the basis of arguments, as it should be in a healthy democracy, but have come to see each other as moral enemies."

People reject not a lot what somebody finds, however what somebody sees of their eyes. Affective polarization, that's what political scientists name it. This has made politics extra private, says De Lange. At the tip of the last decade, the proportion of people that say they hate different folks for his or her political opinions has risen to the extent of the late 1960s, the post-war peak of social polarization.

What causes that battle? Politicians eagerly quote from the guide The street to someplace concerning the Brexit, by the British journalist David Goodhart. The "anywheres", Are the extremely educated cosmopolitans, whove an curiosity in globalization and mayWebcheres", The losers, who are afraid of change and feel" at residence "somewhere. De Lange: I think that dividing line is too simple. One moment you can be a winner of globalization, for example because you are hiring a cheap Polish plasterer, and the next you can be a loser, because your job is running out, because your company is moving to India. "

According to De Lange, its extra about the perception that people have of their own lives: did they consider themselves a winner or loser? People asked that question about the major crises of this decade: the economic crisis, the refugee crisis and the climate crisis.

Political scientist Merijn Oudenampsen, now working on the University of Amsterdam, obtained his PhD final 12 months on the University of Tilburg for the concepts behind the Fortuyn revolt of 2002. For a very long time, he says, political conflicts have been primarily socio-economic: for instance, the distribution of wealth . That battle has pale into the background and has been changed by a cultural battle.

It began within the aftermath of Purple II (1998-2002), with the rise of Pim Fortuyn. The distinction between left and proper watered down. The Third Way the PvdA embraced resembled the VVD market capitalism in follow. Because political battle wants, says Merijn Oudenampsen, the controversy slowly however absolutely shifted to different subjects. "From that time it was about the multicultural society or Islam."

The 2015 refugee disaster strengthened this pattern, says Cas Mudde, professor on the University of Georgia. "In extra nations, together with in Central and Eastern Europe, the unconventional right-wing folks grew to become frames dominant. The course of that started within the first decade continued into the second decade. Nowadays, mainstream events, main however not unique proper, not solely wish to restrict immigration and make integration stricter, however they need this explicitly to guard nationwide tradition and safety.

This cultural battle works out nicely for right-wing conservative politicians, says Merijn Oudenampsen. The collapse of the center events within the 10s, particularly the CDA, has triggered a conservative wave. "The CDA united regents and employees, conservatives and progressives. For example, the CDA was for a long time a stronghold against the rise of right-wing populism, while that trend did arise in other European countries. After the collapse of the people's parties, the gap between "folks" and "elite" still arose. "

The populist proper has not solely talked about Islam, as within the years after 9/11. It is now a few repressed common will. Oudenampsen: Thierry Baudet feels the zeitgeist higher than Geert Wilders, who virtually completely turns towards Islam. Baudet's Owl of Minerva speech (after successful the States elections this 12 months), handled the particles of Western civilization. Not solely does he distance himself from migration, he additionally turns towards feminism and modernity, which might weaken the West. "

In the previous few years, local weather has develop into the dominant theme for the populist proper. Oudenampsen: In their criticism, they concentrate on morally high-flying goat wool sock varieties, on the life-style of upper educated folks. "Look: Jesse Klaver is flying too."

This is partly political advertising. If you wish to be politically profitable on this time, you promote financial topics as a cultural battle, says Rudy Andeweg. "The climate debate today is about redistribution: we have to structure the economy differently, and the costs of this end up with citizens. Thierry Baudet made a cultural debate out of it, that was a master move. The debate about Europe shows the same pattern. It should be about the economy, but proponents and opponents talk about it as a cultural project. "

Sarah de Lange says that populist events within the years after Purple gave a voice to discontent that had been round for a while. That's excellent news, she says. But: "The groups that vote for PVV and FVD are also influenced by those parties. Sentiments deepen. For example, a group of voters is drifting further and further away from the rest of the electorate. The polarization has a self-reinforcing effect. "

It is a gentle variant of what has occurred within the United States in recent times. Americans are not political, however socially divided, wrote political scientist Lilliana Mason within the guide final 12 months Uncivil Agreement. Race, place of residence, tradition and faith have develop into figuring out components within the period of "mega identity politics", as she calls it. "American citizens think they are in a struggle for life and death against a socially homogeneous other group."

Democracy, as conservative commentator Charlie Sykes wrote, "has become a binary tribal world." "Everything is at stake: the fate of Western civilization or the survival of the planet. That is why it is all about the victory of the own tribe. "

The left is aware of little to do with the brand new relationships. Left-wing events are divided internally about cultural issues. They dont wish to alienate extra conservative white staff. The SP, and to a lesser extent the PvdA, have subsequently began to make use of stricter language on migration. The progressive vanguard, seen within the anti-racism motion for instance, has remained a small avant-garde.

And in relation to economics, "it is difficult for left-wing parties to deviate from the center-right discourse," says Merijn Oudenampsen. "The financial crisis that started this decade has not led to a real debate. In the Netherlands left and right hold each other when it comes to the economy. Although Western left parties no longer strive for a balanced budget, the PvdA still has it in the last election program. Internationally, everything is shifting on the left. Capitalism is under discussion everywhere. But in the Netherlands there is hardly any commotion. "

And what concerning the "economism" of Jesse Klaver (GroenLinks)? Or VVD get together chairman Klaas Dijkhoff and his CDA colleague Pieter Heerma, who wished to speak concerning the excesses of capitalism? It was largely "witness politics," says Oudenampsen. It by no means grew to become concrete. That lies, he says, on the Central Planning Bureau, which calculates and rejects applications and counter-budgets, thus blocking new concepts. "But it is also because new economic ideas would mean that we will mess around with the structure of all institutions."

And massive reforms, Dutch politicians hate that: manner too difficult. Rather than cultural coverage, thats solely symbolic. Oudenampsen: "Thierry Baudet could consistently say:" We are being undermined by our universities. "But then (SP leader) Emile Roemer in 2012"about my useless physique"When it came to budgetary policy, it immediately disqualified him for government participation."

Dutch democracy, the political scientists say, has however carried out its dampening work. Cabinets fell, however the system by no means wavered, not like different Western nations. According to Sarah de Lange, the fragmentation and tribalization of politics generally triggered voters to vote extra strategically. "In this way, left-wing voters gave the PvdA a big victory in 2012, because they did not want the VVD to win the elections."

Armen Hakhverdian, political scientist on the University of Amsterdam, says that the 10s confirmed a serious democratic decline worldwide. "About ten years in the past we skilled a peak in democratization. Since then, a setback has been set in movement, significantly in main democracies such because the US, India and Brazil. It doesn't occur with coups. But within the US youll be able to see how democracy is being killed in small steps, for instance by the best way by which constituencies are redesigned.

The Netherlands has escaped the wave of authoritarianism, says Hakhverdian. Paradoxically, exactly as a result of the political panorama was so fragmented. "As a result, voters are much less blind to the shortcomings of their get together. They can change to a like-minded get together. Moreover, the ability is not concentrated with one get together. Seen from that perspective, fragmentation is one blessing in disguise proved: the worldwide anti-democratic pattern has largely ignored the Netherlands. "

"The international anti-democratic trend has largely ignored the Netherlands"

According to Armen Hakhverdian, the truth that Mark Rutte has been the undisputed prime minister in such a divided nation since 2010, thus making certain stability, is "the great mystery of our time." "Somewhere its sometimes Dutch: weve got solely had 4 prime ministers within the final 35 years. They don't normally polarize, is the concept, and are normally discovered sympathetic. Rutte additionally has such a realistic picture. That is unusual, says Hakhverdian. Behind the coverage of the Rutte cupboards was an ideology, that of neo-liberalism.

Other political scientists additionally dont have any reply as to why its Mark Rutte who has dominated this decade. Rudy Andeweg: Rutte is a technocratic director within the custom of Kok and Lubbers. He depolitizes the controversy. That works out nicely for Rutte, however he has contributed to the gradual weakening of the political heart. Coalition companions are eaten. The CDA and the PvdA are removed from that blow. "

The recognition of Rutte, and the steadiness of the VVD, are each finite, says Armen Hakhverdian: "The Netherlands has long premierships that always end dramatically for the largest government party. The CDA after Lubbers, the PvdA after Kok and again the CDA after Balkenende all collapsed at the end of their reign. "It could be a singular achievement if Rutte and the VVD may evade this within the subsequent decade."

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Santa takes to the high seas – Eternity News

Posted: at 6:47 am

This Christmas, thousands of invisible workers will spend the day miles away from their family and perhaps even from the nearest land. These often forgotten workers are seafarers, who spend an average of eight to 11 months at sea as they ship cargo around the globe.

In their remote, watery world, many seafarers not only spend the entire Christmas season away from those they love, but they often miss the most significant moments in family life.

Separation from family is the number one problem. Garry South

You can just imagine telling your wife and your children Ill see you next year. Thats a really hard thing for some of them, especially if their wife is expecting. They miss the birth. Theyre on board for another four or five months and they see pictures of their new baby, but they cant hold them, chaplain Garry South explains to Eternity.

South is one of the few people who has regular contact with up to 38,000 seafarers each year as they pass through Port Hedland Seafarers Centre, on the north coast of Western Australia. These workers power the ships that visit the port to export the Pilbara regions lithium and iron ore resources to China and beyond. Port Hedland is the worlds largest mineral export port, and also Australias biggest port based on total annual tonnes shipped from it.

For the past nine years South has served there as port chaplain for Mission to Seafarers a worldwide ministry of the Anglican Church that provides practical and pastoral care to seafarers and their families in more than 30 Australian ports. Over the years South has discovered the toll that demanding conditions and isolation take on seafarers and their loved ones.

Separation from family is the number one problem if their children are sick or things happen at home, they cant go home. And then if a seafarer is injured or sick on board, they dont always get help because theyre too far out to sea. You sometimes have deaths on board.

South gives another example of a young Japanese cook who discovered his sister was gravely ill just one month after his contract started. Within two months, his sister passed away but he said he couldnt go home because I have a wife and a three-year-old daughter, and if I go home I lose my contract.

So, basically, he had to stay on board.

While employment conditions are not as bad as they used to be, according to South, the chaplain says theres still a lot of improvement to be made. In particular, he singles out support for the mental health of seafarers.

I go to the hospital and visit those that have been injured or sick and its just really sad. Theyre worried about how theyre going to survive because theyre worried their contract will be cancelled For the seafarers, having someone to show them a little bit of interest and try and help them, it lifts them up.

Its about trying to identify with whats going on in their world When we finish work we can go for a walk or go to the supermarket; when they finish work they can only go to their cabin. Garry South

On an average day, South hops into a launch boat and visits at least two ships anchored in the port, staying on each vessel for a couple of hours to chat to the crew. He also takes the opportunity to hand out Bibles, which are funded by Gideons and Bible Society Australia.

Im finding a lot more Myanmar crew coming to Port Hedland now A lot of them are Buddhist and Im giving out lots of childrens Bibles. The Filipinos and Myanmar crew are quite happy to receive a childrens Bible. When they get home, theyll send me a picture of them with their children and wife.

South continues: Recently I was on board a vessel and I spoke to a Myanmar captain. I think he was trying to convert me to Buddhism. It was an interesting conversation because in Buddhism, there is no forgiveness. So I was able to tell him that my Gods into forgiving.

Garry South (centre front) with crew from Myanmar

Souths conviction about the ability of chaplains to change lives comes from a place of personal experience. As a young man he was converted by a chaplain during a 15-minute conversation in a hospital, after a motorbike accident.

God really got my attention then it was a turning point, says South, who afterwards began attending an Anglican church in his home town of Forbes in central-west NSW.

He later entered into church ministry in Narooma on the south coast of NSW, then worked in chaplaincy for a juvenile justice centre in Wagga Wagga in the NSW Riverina and in a drug rehabilitation centre near Coffs Harbour in northern NSW. Then he received a phone call inviting him to take up the chaplaincy position at Port Hedland.

This year, South and his wife Kathy have also taken over management of the local visitors centre to help fund the chaplaincy work. The importance of the couples contribution hasnt gone unnoticed, with South winning the 2019 International Seafarers Personality of the Year award.

For South, it is a labour of love. With most of his three daughters and grandchildren living far away, he says, we understand seafarers a little bit because we only get to go back once a year to visit [our family]. Its about trying to identify with whats going on in their world. What I try and do is to take my shoes off and put theirs on. When we finish work we can go for a walk or go to the supermarket; when they finish work they can only go to their cabin.

And so, South is quite prepared year after year to spend his Christmas serving seafarers.

Since November 30, staff at Port Hedland Seafarers Centre, along with community volunteers, have been packing 2000 Christmas gift bags to give to seafarers. The bags, largely funded by mining companies, each contain souvenirs from the centre (such as a cap and drink bottle), as well as practical items (like toothpaste and a toothbrush) and Christian literature. This year they will also contain beanies hand-knitted by nursing home residents and provided through a local Rotary club.

Crew receive gift bags via helicopter

We start giving the Christmas bags out to each individual seafarer around December 21 for vessels leaving our port then, South explains. Then on Christmas Eve day, I usually fly out to an anchorage which is 16 miles out. So we land the helicopter on a ship there and the crew come and meet us on the helipad, and we give them the bags and then we fly over to the next vessel. Last year I went to about 36 vessels out there.

Then on Christmas Day, we go around the harbour and deliver direct to the vessels that are alongside. Theres 19 berths, so we go around the harbour on the launch boat to each vessel and drop off the Christmas bags.

While Garry admits this outreach is full-on and exhausting, he adds, I have the seafarers thanking me for the presents for the whole of the next year.

But for Garry, the biggest payoff is just seeing the seafarers actually getting looked after.

To find out more or support the Mission to Seafarers visit mts.org.au. To visit the Port Hedland Seafarers Centre directly head to phseafarers.org.

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Belfast mum to spend Christmas on the high seas in round the world sailing race – Belfast Live

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A Belfast mum will be sailing the high seas instead of tucking into Christmas dinner with her family this December 25.

Jacqueline Kavanagh says she will miss her husband Terry and children, Bailey, 18, and 16-year-old Megan over the festivities .

Because while the rest of us are tackling turkey dinners or nut roasts, the 48-year-old novice sailor will be battling all the Southern Ocean has to throw at her team as they embark on the fourth of eight legs in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

The former volunteer, who has been sailing for just two years, said: "It's the hardest but most amazing experience of my life."

The mum-of two, who is originally from Dundalk but lives with her family in Belfast, left London on September 1 for the 40,000 mile race around the globe.

So far they have braved storms and waves taller than buildings as well as ice-cold conditions, 70mph winds and extreme heat on the race.

"I started sailing a couple of years ago and went over to see the start of the previous edition of the Clipper Race in 2017, which left from Liverpool," she explained.

"I thought it looked amazing but I put it out of my head because I thought only crazy people would do it!

"Then I met somebody who had just signed up for the race and she said I should do it, and then kept going on about it. So I signed up for one leg, which turned into two legs... then three, and then it was five of the eight legs.

"I was thinking five was a big achievement and then everyone was like 'why are you doing just five?' So then I found myself signing up to the entire thing! Before I knew it, I was at the start line thinking 'what am I doing!?' I am still kind of thinking that now Im in Australia!"

Jacqueline and her 20 teammates are racing Vietnamese-sponsored yacht the Ha Lon Bay Vietnam against 10 other identical yachts in the Clipper Race.

Already half way round the globe, she recently got to spend some time with her family down under before they headed off on the next leg.

She said from Australia: "My husband Terry and my son Bailey and my daughter Megan have all come out to see me. It was super emotional when they arrived.

"Im sad to say goodbye to them but I will see them in Derry when the race calls in next summer. It was so nice for them to come and see the boat and meet the team so when they read the blogs they have more of an idea who we are talking about. Everyone here has been so amazing to them."

Eleven months away from her family might be tough, but Jacqueline said her loved ones have been incredibly supportive and that she is relishing the challenge.

"My family are proud I think! They tell me they are. I hope they are," she added.

"As well as the amazing opportunity to sail around the world, I am getting the chance to meet some really, really fantastic people who all have totally different stories and backgrounds.

"Steering the boat in big weather has been a highlight. Just being out there and feeling that I can do it - that I can control the boat. The sea is a pretty mad place and it teaches you that you have to respect it.

"I just count myself really lucky that I am able to do this."

This Christmas, Jacqueline will be racing in the Southern Ocean during the aptly titled Australian Coast-to-Coast Leg, a 3,400-mile race from Fremantle to Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays and the fourth of eight stages that forms the global Clipper Race route.

The route takes around 20 days with her team expected to reach dry land between January 9-12.

"I cant think of any other adventure that is anything like the Clipper Race," added Jacqueline.

The Clipper Race is the only event of its kind and gives everyday people, regardless of previous sailing experience, the chance to race the worlds oceans with 40% never having sailed before they signed up.

Almost 700 crew will take part in the 41,165 nautical mile circumnavigation which takes eleven months to complete and crew can choose to race around the world or take part in one of more of the eight individual stages with the global route.

Each team is led by a professional skipper and first mate and is crewed by everyday people from 43 different nationalities.

So far the race has taken them to Portimao, Portugal, Punta del Este, Uruguay and Cape Town, South Africa and Fremantle, Australia.

After reaching Australia's Whitsundays Islands they head for Sanya in China; Subic Bay in the Philippines; Zhuhai and Qingdao in China; Seattle and New York in the USA and Hamilton in Bermuda. They will also dock in Derry before finishing back in London in Summer 2020.

For more of today's top stories in Belfast and beyond, click here.

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Liz Callaway Reflects on The Swan Princess on 25th Anniversary of Animated Film – Playbill.com

Posted: at 6:47 am

In a video for NBCs Today, Tony nominee Liz Callaway reflects on her work in the 1994 animated musical film The Swan Princess.

In the video above, the Broadway favorite, who provided the singing voice for Princess Odette, recalls working with Tony nominee Howard McGillin and the late Michelle Nicastro and discusses the lasting impact of working in film.

Says Callaway, You do a play or a musical, and it's there for a limited amount of time. These movies and soundtracks, they live on forever. What I particularly like is when someone says that, and then they burst into tears. I'm not happy they're crying, but it means there is something with the movie and the songs that just really struck a chord with people. That is possibly one of the most gratifying things for me to know about.

The Swan Princess, which was directed by Richard Rich, features a screenplay by Brian Nissen, based on a story by Rich and Nissen. The film has music by Lex de Azevedo and lyrics by David Zippel. The cast includes Jack Palance as Lord Rothbart (voice), McGillin as Adult Prince Derek (voice), Nicastro as Adult Princess Odette (voice), Callaway as Princess Odette (singing voice), and John Cleese as Jean-Bob (voice).

See What Your Favorite Stars Are Up to Away From Broadway With Playbill Universe

Callaway has also appeared on Broadway in Merrily We Roll Along, The Three Musketeers, Miss Saigon, The Look of Love, and Cats.

From Elaine Paige to Leona Lewis, see some of the previous Glamour Cats of Cats.

Callaway has been a special guest performer on Playbill Travels Broadway on the High Seas cruises. Cabins are now on sale for Broadway in the Great Northwest, Playbill Travels first domestic cruise featuring Kate Baldwin, Tedd Firth, Aaron Lazar, Beth Leavel, and Faith Prince (April 26May 4, 2020), and for Broadway on the Mediterranean (August 31September 7, 2020), featuring Audra McDonald, Will Swenson, Gavin Creel, Caissie Levy and Lindsay Mendez, and for Broadway on the Nile (December 27, 2020January 7, 2021) and Broadway on the Caribbean (February 1522, 2021), with performers soon to be announced. To book a suite or stateroom, call Playbill Travel at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.

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On the road to Gaza: The Freedom Flotilla will sail again – Jordan Times

Posted: at 6:47 am

What is Gaza to us but an Israeli missile, a rudimentary rocket, a demolished home, an injured child being whisked away by his peers under a hail of bullets? On a daily basis, Gaza is conveyed to us as a bloody image or a dramatic video, none of which can truly capture the everyday reality of the strip, its formidable steadfastness, the everyday acts of resistance and the type of suffering that can never be really understood through a customary glance at a social media post.

At long last, the chief prosecutor of the International of Criminal Court (ICC), Fatou Bensouda, has declared her satisfaction that war crimes have been, or are being, committed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. As soon as the ICC statement was made on December 20, pro-Palestinian groups felt a rare moment of relief. Finally, Israel will stand accused, potentially paying for its recurring bloodbath in the isolated and besieged Gaza Strip, its military occupation and apartheid in the West Bank and much more.

However, it could take years for the ICC to initiate its legal proceedings and render its verdict. Moreover, there are no political guarantees that an ICC decision indicting Israel would ever be respected, let alone implemented.

Meanwhile, the siege on Gaza persists, only to be interrupted by a massive war, like the one of 2014, or a less destructive one, similar to the latest Israeli onslaught in November. And with every war, more dismal statistics are produced, more lives shattered and more painful stories are told and retold.

For years, civil society groups across the world labored to destabilise this horrific status quo. They organised, held vigils, wrote letters to their political representatives and so on. To no avail. Frustrated by government inaction, a small group of activists sailed to Gaza in a small boat in August 2008, succeeding in doing what the United Nations has failed to do: they broke, however fleetingly, the Israeli siege on the impoverished Strip.

This symbolic action of the Free Gaza movement had a tremendous impact. It sent a clear message to Palestinians in occupied Palestine, that their fate is not only determined by the Israeli government and military machine; that there are other actors who are capable of challenging the dreadful silence of the international community; that not all Westerners are as complicit as their governments in the prolonged suffering of the Palestinian people.

Since then, many more solidarity missions have attempted to follow suit, coming across the sea atop flotillas or in large caravans through the Sinai desert. Some have successfully reached Gaza, delivering medical aid and other supplies. The majority, however, were sent back or had their boats hijacked in international waters by the Israeli navy.

The outcome of all of this has been the writing of a new chapter of solidarity with the Palestinian people that went beyond the occasional demonstration and the typical signing of a petition.

The second Palestinian Intifada, the uprising of 2002, had already redefined the role of the activist in Palestine. The formation of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) allowed thousands of international activists from around the world to participate in direct action in Palestine, thus fulfilling, however symbolically, a role that is typically played by a United Nations protective force.

ISM activists, however, employed non-violent means of registering civil societys rejection of the Israeli occupation. Expectedly, Israel did not honor the fact that many of these activists came from countries deemed friendly by Tel Avivs standards. The killing of US and British nationals Rachel Corrie and Tom Hurndall in Gaza in 2003 and 2004 respectively, was just the precursor of Israeli violence that was to follow.

In May 2010, the Israeli navy attacked the Freedom Flotilla consisting of the Turkish-owned ship MV Mavi Marmara and others, killing ten unarmed humanitarian workers and wounding at least 50 more. As was the case with the murder of Rachel and Tom, there was no real accountability for the Israeli attack on the solidarity boats.

It must be understood that Israeli violence is not random nor is just a reflection of Israels notoriety and disregard of international and humanitarian law. With every violent episode, Israel hopes to dissuade outside actors from getting involved in Israeli affairs. Yet, time and again, the solidarity movement returns with a defiant message, insisting that no country, not even Israel, has the right to commit war crimes with impunity.

Following a recent meeting in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, the International Coalition of the Freedom Flotilla, which consists of many international groups, has decided to, once more, sail to Gaza. The solidarity mission is scheduled for the summer of 2020, and, like most of the 35 previous attempts, the Flotilla is likely to be intercepted by the Israeli navy. Yet, another attempt will likely follow, and many more, until the Gaza siege is completely lifted. It has become clear that the purpose of these humanitarian missions is not to deliver a few medical supplies to the nearly 2 million besieged Gazans, but to challenge the Israeli narrative that has turned the occupation and isolation of Palestinians to a status quo ante, to an Israeli affair.

According to the United Nations Office in occupied Palestine, the poverty rate in Gaza seems to be increasing at an alarming speed of 2 per cent per year. By the end of 2017, 53 per cent of Gazas population lived in poverty, two-thirds of them living in deep poverty. This terrible number includes over 400,000 children.

An image, a video, a chart or a social media post can never convey the pain of 400,000 children, who experience real hunger every single day of their lives so that the Israeli government may achieve its military and political designs in Gaza. Indeed, Gaza is not just an Israeli missile, a demolished home, and an injured child. It is an entire nation that is suffering and resisting, in near-complete isolation from the rest of the world.

True solidarity should aim at forcing Israel to end the protracted occupation and siege on the Palestinian people, sailing the high seas, if necessary. Thankfully, the good activists of the Freedom Flotilla are doing just that.

Ramzy Baroud is a journalist and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of five books. His latest is These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons (Clarity Press). Dr Baroud is a non-resident senior research fellow at the Centre for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Zaim University. His website is http://www.ramzybaroud.net.

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Five positive travel trends from 2019 – The Globe and Mail

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Several hotel chains are moving away from single-use in plastics in favour of bulk toiletries, such as these bottles at a Holiday Inn Express.

Corey Stovin/Handout

For those of us who have been relying on hotel stays and cruises for a steady supply of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and sweet-smelling moisturizer, the jig is finally up. As concerns mount about the devastating impact of our over-reliance on single-use plastics, the travel industry is starting to respond.

In July, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) announced that it will switch to bulk-size amenities for every one of its almost 843,000 hotel rooms a transition expected to be completed in 2021. Marriott International followed suit in August with a goal to eliminate single-use toiletry shower bottles in all global properties, a switch expected to be mostly complete by December, 2020.

When it comes to the friendly skies, United Airlines flew from Chicago to Los Angeles in what it billed as the most eco-friendly flight in history in June, swapping plastics for recyclable or compostable options. And earlier this month, Air New Zealand which in July announced plans to remove single-use water bottles and single-use sauce packets from certain cabins began test driving edible coffee cups.

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On the high seas, Norwegian Cruise Line unveiled a new partnership with Just Goods, Inc (founded by Will and Jaden Smith, no less) to replace all single-use plastic water bottles with paper cartons across its 16-ship fleet by Jan. 1, 2020 a move it says will eliminate more than six million plastic bottles a year. In 2018, NCL eliminated all plastic straws from both its fleet and private destinations.

Five years ago when this first came up, it felt more like something for positive spin, says Harry Sommer, incoming president and CEO of NCL. But its turned into a really core belief of the company. We see the same news about trash in the ocean. Everyone on the executive team has children and grandchildren and we want to leave the world a better place than we found it.

In Canada, Indigenous tourism growth is outpacing Canadian tourism activity over all, according to the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), and demand from international travelers is at an all-time high, with one in three international visitors looking to explore Indigenous culture and traditions.

In 2019, ITAC hosted the largest Indigenous tourism conference in the world, with more than 700 delegates and announced the launch of an Indigenous culinary tourism program, as well as a strategic partnership with WestJet (complete with a $100,000 commitment from the airline). Destination Indigenous, ITACs new consumer travel brand, will be launched in 2020.

Keith Henry, CEO of ITAC, believes that the growing interest is part of the countrys broader reconciliation project. Beyond just activity-based tourism, were seeing a desire to learn about Indigenous people and hear their stories, he says. Visitors want to learn more about the original history and land of this country.

Indigenous tourism experiences run a wide gamut, from hunting and fishing in Quebec or spotting wildlife in British Columbia to learning the traditional art of moccasin making or sampling contemporary Indigenous cuisine while staying at high-design Indigenous-owned lodges. Crucially, these experiences follow the dictate of nothing about us, without us which is why ITAC has also named Indigenous-owned Indigeno Travel as its preferred travel agency.

As the travel industry aims to become increasingly inclusive, new initiatives for people with disabilities are being rolled out. In particular, autism-friendly travel has gained traction.

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In July, Pittsburgh International Airport announced the opening of a sensory space, joining the ranks of other airports including Atlanta and Birmingham in the United States, and Gatwick in Britain.

In November, Mesa, Ariz., became the first-ever Autism Certified City in the world. In practical terms, that means providing specialized training for frontline staff and handing out sensory-sensitive guides that offer a framework for navigating the destination.

Vivian Ly, executive director of Autistics United Canada, says she is encouraged by some of the efforts to improve sensory, communication and cognitive access for autistic people. Airports are a sensory nightmare, she says. They are loud, busy, bright, crowded and overwhelming for anyone really! Reducing this and providing sensory-friendly services would benefit anyone and especially hypersensitive people.

In an ideal world, Ly says, universal design would reduce anxiety. A new joint project from Boise State University and the municipality of Boise, Idaho, uses virtual reality to alleviate some of the stress that autistic children and adults may feel before arriving at an airport and boarding the plane especially if its the first time. The VR experience, which can be used both at the airport and at the Boise Library well in advance of a flight, allows passengers to be guided through the check in process, the security line and boarding the aircraft.

Swimming with dolphins, riding on elephants and posing alongside (highly medicated) tigers remain popular photos on dating apps but the travel industry is finally coming around to the deep harm some of these activities can cause. In June, National Geographic ran a sizable feature dedicated to social media-driven animal encounters and the miseries of captivity, including bears who spend their days chained in an unnatural standing position, elephants beaten by their handlers and sad anteaters fed a diet of flavoured yogurt.

An unofficial ethical code of conduct is emerging, driven in part by consumer preferences and in part by growing and irrefutable evidence of neglect and abuse. In October, G Adventures released their first official animal-welfare policy, which outlines a commitment to avoid physical contact with non-domesticated animals, eschew any shows where animals are required to perform and cuts out the consumption of any endangered creatures. In November, Costa Rica launched a Stop Animal Selfies campaign to encourage visitors to enjoy wildlife from a responsible distance.

Intrepid Group became the first major tour operator to end elephant rides in 2014 and have been a vanguard of this movement ever since. Tara Kennaway, Intrepids senior product manager overseeing operations and responsible business, says that wildlife should be viewed doing what they do best: living in the wild. We know that by showing our travellers and local communities the value of these environments through the economic benefits of tourism, were helping preserve these amazing places and the wildlife that call them home.

While there was much debate in 2019 about who should be flying and how often, the growing popularity of rail travel (both luxe and basic) ties into both environmental concerns and the move toward slow travel a desire to immerse oneself in the journey just as much as the destination.

This year, Eurostar (which recently added Amsterdam as a destination) celebrated its 25th year of service, adding a series of master classes led by experts in food, culture and wine on some of its London to Paris routes. In June, Scotlands Caledonian Sleeper debuted upgraded suites with double beds and private bathrooms. In September, Amtraks CEO announced plans to modernize services, citing the indignities and inconveniences of short-haul flights as the perfect catalyst. And this month, Siemens begins construction on 13 new night trains in Austria sleeper cars to serve the Western European market. Passenger numbers on some routes, such as Vienna-Zurich, have reportedly grown 20 percent over the past year.

With so many options, travellers can now ride the rails and avoid a conversation with friends and family about what emits more greenhouse gases your air travel or their children. Which seems like a good thing for everyone.

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