Daily Archives: May 17, 2022

Jordan Peterson Tells Graduates Faith ‘Is a Form of Courage, ‘Warns Them of the ‘Devil at the Crossroads’ – CBN.com

Posted: May 17, 2022 at 7:35 pm

Famed clinical psychologist and two-time author Dr. Jordan Peterson warned the graduates of Hillsdale College in Michigan on Saturday about the devil at the crossroads during his countercultural commencement address.

After thunderous and sustained applause, Peterson told the graduating class they are at a crossroads in life.

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A crossroads the metaphor works because you make a decision, he said. You go one direction or another. Theres an old blues idea that you meet the devil at the crossroads. I always wondered why that was I found it true. Its a really compelling idea. Its an image that has a good narrative fit, and it sticks in your memory once you hear it.

Its milestones like graduation, the 59-year-old mused, where people are forced to examine their consciences.

Why do you meet the devil at the crossroads? he asked rhetorically. And the answer is, most fundamentally, because when you come to a place in your life where you have to make a choice you aim up or down. And there is always an agent of temptation at every choice point, enticing you to aim down.

Peterson then turned to Scripture to explain how sin which he defined as missing the mark factors into the crossroads that punctuate people's lives.

To paint a word picture of aiming down, he referenced the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Cains sacrifices, he said, were not everything that they could be and not in the service of the highest good. He added that, when people make insufficient sacrifices, we believe in the deepest part of ourselves that weve pulled one over God.

Peterson noted the English word sin found throughout the Old and New Testaments of the Bible comes from the Hebrew word khata, which is roughly translated as to fail or to miss the goal.

It implies that it has something to do with aim or the lack thereof, explained Peterson. I love that. Theres a variety of ways you can miss the mark, right? Dont aim at all thats a good one. Assume there is no such thing as aim. Assume all aims are equal.

Run From Pridefulness

One of the biggest obstacles that cause people to miss the mark repeatedly, he said, is pride.

Again, Peterson turned to Scripture, this time referencing the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, when, after the Flood, Noahs descendantswere overcome with prideand sought to build a structure to reach the heavens, failing to follow the Lords commandment to fill the earth (Genesis 1:28).

Its a continual temptation for human beings to build complex organizations that get too high, said Peterson. So what does that mean? How about too many layers? Not local enough, not distributed enough, right? Too separate from the people that they serve. Its also a Luciferian story. Lucifer is this spirit of intellect the light-bringer whos flown too high and challenges God Himself, and falls. Its a symbol of prideful intellect. And it is the prideful intellect that raises itself up against what is most properly placed at the highest place which is what God is.

Im very opposed to the idea that the fundamental human motivation is power which is pretty much what every student is taught at every level of their education, in every educational institution except a handful across your country, he continued. Its such a dismal philosophy. You could not formulate a more pathological philosophy. It obliterates your faith in society, and it eradicates the notion of the individual. It removes the notion of good faith and goodwill, and it makes communication impossible.

Rather than allowing arrogance to disturb ones aim, Peterson told the graduates they should see the pursuit of what is right and good as practical.

By practicing any good in any rigorous sense, and making the proper sacrifices in that direction, you simultaneously learn to approach the good that is the sum or the essence of all those proximal goods, he told them. The essential insistence in Christianity is that the good that unites all those goods is the same good thats reflected in the image of Christ, which is an image of acceptance of the suffering of life, and the necessity of serving the lowest as the highest calling.

The truth of Jesus, he added might be more true than anything else.

Faith Is Courageous

In what is certainly a countercultural message, Peterson a great intellect in his own right esteemed the graduates to disabuse themselves of the secular suggestion that having faith means abandoning logic and reason.

The world will tell people faith is a form of weakness because it implies an unwillingness to contend with that which cannot be explained, the difficult and dark corners of life. Peterson, however, told the Hillsdale students he doesnt believe that is the case.

One of the things Ive thought a lot about in relationship to faith we have this idea, and its not a good idea, and its certainly an idea for which religious people are often pilloried that faith means the sacrifice of reason and the willingness to believe things that are patently not true, he said. [I] dont think thats what faith is at all in some fundamental sense. I think faith is a form of courage.

If youre hurt by life and you will be its understandable that you might react in a nihilistic and hopeless fashion, the psychologist continued. [A]nd I think part of what helps you through that is faith. And part of that faith is that its incumbent on you to maintain faith in the fundamental goodness of existence, including your own, despite the evidence to the contrary.

When one faces trials, Peterson said he or she ought not to give in to despair. Instead, those staring down a difficult crossroads should rise up in courage and see if you can resist going down the wrong path.

Its better for you, and its better for the people around you, he said.

***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up forFaithwires daily newsletterand download theCBN News appto stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

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Poilievre says he wants to ‘curtail’ Emergencies Act to prevent it from being used again for ‘political purposes’ – National Post

Posted: at 7:35 pm

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During a conversation with Jordan Peterson, Poilievre accused Trudeau of invoking the act because he was 'angry' about being personally targeted by Freedom Convoy protesters

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Conservative leadership hopeful Pierre Poilievre says he is consulting with legal experts to find a way to curtail the federal Emergencies Act to prevent it from being used for political purposes like during the Freedom Convoy protests in Ottawa.

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Im consulting with legal scholars on how we can curtail the power and limit the use of the Emergencies Act in the future, Poilievre said during an hour-and-a-half conversation with media personality and former University of Toronto professor Jordan Peterson uploaded to social media Monday.

But I do think we need to craft changes to the act that will prevent it from being abused for political purposes like this again, he added.

Poilievre was referring to how the Justin Trudeau Liberals controversially invoked the Emergencies Act in February, granting government and police forces new and exceptional powers to quash the Freedom Convoy blockades that closed down some U.S. border crossings and clogged the streets of downtown Ottawa for weeks.

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The Act namely allowed police to force tow truck operators to move against blockading vehicles, but also gave government the ability to freeze financial accounts tied to convoy participants.

The act was revoked nine days later after a three-day police operation cleared the streets of Ottawa and led to hundreds of arrests. The citys police chief repeatedly said the protests were illegal and amounted to a siege of the national capital.

The Liberals have since argued they had no choice but to invoke the powers to put an end to the blockades, which they say were crippling the economy to the tune of $390 million per day in lost trade.

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But critics, including civil liberties groups, experts and opposition parties such as the Conservatives, have accused the Liberals of overstepping the boundary and wielding excessive force by invoking the act.

During the conversation with Peterson, Poilievre accused Trudeau of invoking the act because he was angry about being personally targeted by the protesters and wanted to avoid facing the political consequences of a democratic protest.

He also wanted to be as malicious as possible to deter any similar protests, Poilievre said.

The Conservative MP did not detail how an eventual Poilievre government would curtail the Emergencies Act, but he insisted that it had to be done carefully because he did see a purpose for those powers in certain extreme cases.

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I want to be very careful though in how I do it because, you know, this is an incredibly blunt instrument. But in times of war for foreign attack or something like that, you can understand why there might be an occasion where these powers might be needed, he told Peterson.

You would think that it would be used in a case where there was a foreign invasion, or a monstrous terrorist attack, or something of that magnitude, he also said.

That was far from Poilievres only attack on Trudeau and his government during the wide-ranging interview that covered issues like freedom, media funding,

Poilievre called Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault a total nut that is bonkers, accusing him of being against nuclear energy as well as oil and gas.

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When asked by Peterson what he thought about the prime minister, Poilievre immediately called Trudeau an egomaniac who takes power away from individuals or families and instead gives it to the government.

He also likened Trudeau to French king Louis XIV, who ruled for over 70 years and was known for his lust for power.

I think hes an egomaniac, and I think everything he does comes back to his egomania, Poilievre said. If you really think about his expansionistic role of the State, it never comes back to serving an individual objective other than to make him more powerful or his legacy more grand.

He believes the State has to be everywhere always. Thats because, as King Louis would say, Ltat cest moi, he added. The State is him.

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Ellen DeGeneres net worth revealed as star bids goodbye to the show – HITC – Football, Gaming, Movies, TV, Music

Posted: at 7:35 pm

The final episode of the Ellen DeGeneres show aired on May 17. With time, the show has managed to grow its following while also increasing the stars net worth.

Ellen has been vocal about her decision to end the show after 19 seasons. On May 17, the last episode of the show aired and only the memories of it have been left behind.

During the final few episodes, Ellen made a show she welcomed her favorite guests and allowed the audience to have a bit of fun.

As per Celebrity Net Worth, Ellen has an estimated net worth of $500 million. The outlet further notes that the actress has around $75 million as her salary.

Before becoming a daytime talk show host, Ellen had been working as a standup comedian. The reality star had also done odd jobs before she gained popularity.

As per the outlet, she was named the Funniest Person in America in 1984. Following this, she was offered small roles in various shows. However, her life completely changed in 1992 when she got a role in ABCs These Friends of Mine. The shows name was later changed to Ellen.

After the huge success of the show, Ellen landed her own talk show. The television host managed to impress everyone with her charming personality.

Justin Timberlake and Keith Urban were invited for the last episode of the show. Along with the duo, some of Ellens friends who have also been guests on the show shared a special message for her as the host bid goodbye to the show.

One of them had been Kevin Hart. Kevin reminded Ellen about all the fun times they had on the set and even revealed he had sent her a blanket along with a lifetime supply of chicken soup.

The next person to send a farewell message to Ellen was David Spade. The actor looked back at the time when Ellen scared him on the show. While he admitted they still gave him nightmares, David wished Ellen good luck in the future.

Lastly, Chelsea Handler came forward with a special message. She asked the television host to go have fun after running the show for 19 seasons.

Ellen admitted she was ending the show because she thought it was the right time to do so.

In one of her episodes, she said: The truth is, I always trust my instincts. My instinct told me its time. Two years ago, I signed a deal for three more years and I always knew in my heart that season 19 would be my last. I want you to know that Ive thought a lot about this decision. I sat with it for a while. I meditated on it.

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Greg Gutfeld: The parodies we’ve created are now real – Fox News

Posted: at 7:35 pm

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

This will make your blood boil if you have any blood left after it shoots out of your eyeballs. This is an unbelievable story, yet somehow believable these days from the New York Post.

Wisconsin school district has filed sexual harassment complaints against three middle schoolers for calling a classmate by a wrong pronoun. I know, I know. How are these kids supposed to even know what a pronoun is when they're too busy being taught about how racist they are? Priorities, people.

This isn't some loony left-wing city on either left coast. This is a school district in Kyle, Wisconsin, a city of just 3,600 people. Talk about small. Larry Kudlow could fit that many people in his steam room and he's tried. Have you got a court date for that yet, Larry?

Anyway, apparently school administrators charged three eighth-graders from the Kiel Middle School with sexual harassment after an incident in April where these kids refused to use "they" to refer to a classmate who'd switched pronouns a month before the so-called incident.

I'll say it before and I'll say it again. The only time you should refer to one person as "they" is if they are over 400 pounds, as in they love pancakes, or they are blocking the fire exit.

One of the accused kids mom or "birthing person" to Democrats gives us the scoop.

MOM OF ACCUSED CHILD:I received a phone call from the principal over at the elementary school forewarning me, letting me know that I was going to be receiving an email with sexual harassment allegations against my son.

He said he's being allegedly charged with sexual harassment for not using proper pronouns. I thought it wasn't real. I thought, this has got to be a gag, a joke.

You and me both. But her son Braden was indeed charged. And with what? Having a low tolerance for BS? But this feels to me made up because it's so on the nose in terms of fulfilling our own criticisms of wokeness.

It's like the government sending out free crack pipes after I already paid full price. But it's real. I guess that's the world we live in where the parodies we created months ago are now suddenly real. In other words, the far left is so insane, they're now predictable.

Remember, it was five years ago that Jordan Peterson, an obscure Canadian professor, was threatened with punishment at his college for not adhering to new pronoun guidelines. He refused to comply and when people heard his story, he became a hero, which is easy to be in Canada, where your only options for hero are Peterson and a freak in blackface. And he predicted that rejecting compulsory pronouns would end up becoming a crime. People laughed at him, mainly because he was right.

Meanwhile, here's a guy from Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty who's defending the accused students claiming that misuse of pronouns is not covered by Title IX.

LUKE BERG:Title IX sexual harassment typically covers things like rape, dating violence, quid pro quo sexual favors, right? Really egregious stuff. There's nothing even remotely close to that alleged in this case.

The charge against students for sexual harassment is an extreme abuse of the Title IX process. It's totally inappropriate and is totally being mishandled by the school district.

Totally. Very informative tape there. Were almost like a news program. Almost. Now the district sees the refusal of a student to use pronouns as a form of bullying, and the district prohibits all forms of bullying and harassment. All forms of bullying. Isnt forcing students to say what they don't believe a form of bullying? Let me save you from some unnecessary internal mental debate and tell you the answer is yes.

Of course, if the alleged victim student had been teased, then the schoolteachers or principal should address it. But not with charges of sexual harassment, which could destroy reputations. That's kind of out of proportion. Like swatting a fly with Joy Behar.

It shows you why so many parents around the country are freaking out now. Not only do they have to worry about CRT or drugs and social media, they've got to worry about some leftist, a-hole school administrator canceling the kid's reputation before he or she is old enough to have one.

Parents, you're now called homophobic if you don't want gender obsessed activists teaching your kids about "they" and "them." You're called domestic terrorists. If you openly question school lockdowns, mask mandates, or the brainwash called CRT.

Yes, parents are terrorists, although the only way they blow themselves up is with a high carb diet. And parents are now told you're a bigot if you feel it's inappropriate having drag queens do storytime in class. And I agree. Keep that crap out of the schools and where it belongs, my house on a Saturday night. Look, I don't have kids. They smell. But I am so pissed I'm thinking about adopting.

But just imagine when it moves beyond the classroom.

STAFFER 1:Hi. Yes, I'd like to speak to Deborah about her extended warranty.

STAFFER 2:Her?My pronouns are dirt and bag.

STAFFER 1:Oh. Well, anyway, I'm calling about your 1996 Geo Prism.

STAFFER 2:Oh, my car identifies as a volt as in "revolt."

STAFFER 1:Oh. Are you having trouble with your electrical system?

STAFFER 2:**** the system.

STAFFER 1:Oh, okay. Well, anyway, our warranty comes with a free tire iron and jack and those come in handy.

STAFFER 2:Handy? You ableist bastard. Also, it's not a car jack. It's a car jill.

STAFFER 1:Okay. Thanks for your time, sir.

Apparently they like dirt bag better than they like Kat.

So we'll keep an eye on this story. Maybe the charges will get dismissed. Maybe it'll turn out there's more to it than meets the eye.

One thing is for sure, just because it sounds absurd doesn't make it false. In today's world, it's the absurd that is now the norm. No wonder parents are pissed, but don't wonder aloud, or Merrick Garland will investigate you with the Patriot Act.

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Tracking the Tropics: Watching the Caribbean, but no systems to track for a while – NBC2 News

Posted: at 7:34 pm

A currently disorganized cluster of showers and storms over the southern Caribbean Sea continues to have some potential of eventually becoming a system before the official start of the 2022 hurricane season.

Its important to stress a named system in the Caribbean is not imminent, any development would likely not even begin until late this week or next and there is no agreement between forecast models on if something will develop (and where it would go if it were to form).

But, because it is now mid-May well need to pay attention to thunderstorm flare ups over the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean as they can sometimes trigger the start of tropical development.

The area were watching this week is north of Central America and northwest of the coast of South America. There is no organization with the activity noted on satellite at the time being, but a weather feature called the Central American Gyre may be what helps to form anything that may develop here over the next 10 days.

The Central American Gyre is a very broad circulation that forms near Central America that can help to organize thunderstorms over the water enough to kick off storm development.

Should the Central America Gyre help to spawn a system this month, it wouldnt be a novel event. Each year since 2015 a tropical system has developed in the Atlantic Ocean hurricane basin before the official start of hurricane season which begins on June 1st.

Some things well be watching over the next week will be water temperatures and wind shear.

At the moment, water temperatures are warm enough for organization, but theres a large amount of wind shear that tropical systems dont like in the upper parts of the atmosphere between Florida and the Caribbean (shown with the bright purple color in the map below).

This means that despite warm ocean temperatures, systems would have difficulty making a move toward Florida today. How the upper level winds change in the next week will be useful to monitor.

Another point well be keeping an eye on is what weather forecast models do with the system.

Though its true some models do develop a storm here, other models do not, and when there is such a giant range in forecast outcomes it offers little confidence on what will transpire.

As we monitor how the data changes, well look for trends and similarities and see if something clearer becomes present from the data.

Summary bottom line:

Whether or not what were looking at in the Caribbean becomes something, its time to brush up on your tropical weather knowledge. Read up with the NBC2 First Alert Hurricane Guide here.

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Remote Work programmes in the Caribbean and internationally | Loop Caribbean News – Loop News Caribbean

Posted: at 7:34 pm

Working anywhere in the world is very popular now and thanks to private programmes and those offered by some countries, there is a wide variety of choices if you prefer not to do it alone.

Below are some Caribbean and international programmes you can consider.

CARIBBEAN

Cayman Islands Global Citizens Concierge Programme

The Global Citizen Concierge Program allows people who are employed outside of the Cayman Islands with the financial independence to live and work remotely in the Cayman Islands for up to two years.

See requirements here:

Curacao

The government of Curacao offers remote workers with Dutch or US citizenship the opportunity to stay and work on the island for a longer period.

See requirements here

Barbados Welcome Stamp Visa

This visa allows people to work remotely in Barbados for a maximum of 12 months. The visa is available to anyone who meets the visa requirements and whose work is location independent, whether individuals or families.

See requirements here

Montserrat Remote Work Visa

This visa is up for one year and is open to anyone employed in a foreign country, conducts business with a company registered in a foreign country and someone who provides freelance or consulting services to clients in foreign country.

For more requirements

Anguilla

Launched in August 2020 the Lose The Crowd Find Yourself. Work. Life. Bliss. programme allows digital nomads to live on Anguilla from three to twelve months while experiencing their remote work dream

For morerequirements

Aruba One Happy Workation

This is open to US nationals for a maximum of 90 days.

For more requirements

Work from Bermuda Certificate

This certificate is open to executives and students for up to one year

For more requirements

Dominica Work in Nature Visa

The Work in Nature (WIN) Extended Stay Visa programme provides individuals and families the opportunity to work remotely in Dominica for up to 18 months.

For more requirements

Bahamas Beats

This programme allows workers and students to stay for up to one year in The Bahamas.

For more requirements

Image: iStock

INTERNATIONAL

Remote Year

Remote Year offers programmes ranging in duration from one month to one year. Programmes can take you all over the world. Click here for more details.

Unsettled

Unsettled offers one to two week co-working retreats in places such as Bali, Tuscany, Cape Town and Tokyo

WiFi Tribe

This programme carefully curates its travelers for an experience called The Chapter. The aim is to help participants advance their careers while discovering adventure in between.

Selina

With over 145 destinations, Selina creates fun experiences with accommodation tailored to your pocket and co-working spaces

Behere

Through Behere, you can book accommodation, workspaces and fitness centres in exotic locations around the world.

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The Caribbean’s Newest Reggae Hit Is a Love Letter to Antigua – Caribbean Journal

Posted: at 7:34 pm

Caribbean all-inclusive brand Elite Island Resorts has partnered with reggae legend Causion on a major new musical tribute to the island of Antigua.

The song, Antigua Me Come From, is a common phrase of identity and heritage for Antiguans; a love letter to the island, its a message to travelers to forget their troubles, to come take a load off their shoulder and feel the energy when their feet touch the ground.

Its another major video for Causion, whose long career includes touring with Third World, Rita Marley and Freddie McGregor, among others.

Personally growing up inAntiguawas the greatest experience I can imagine. I grew up on the water in English Harbour, and most of my childhood was on the water, sailing and fishing, and the freedom to do that was phenomenal, he says. Antiguais a place I have loved from the bottom of my heart, and there is no place I would rather be. As a musician and writer, when you go toAntiguathe words keep coming, the artistry and creation keep coming because you find that place of peace.

The idea of the song and video, according to Elite Island Resorts Chairman Rob Barrett was to give the people ofAntigua and Barbudasomething that shares the beauty and spirit andAntiguawith the world for years to come.

This amazing collaboration between Elite Island Resorts and Causion captures the essenceAntiguaand is a project we can all be very proud of, Barrett said.

Elite Island Resorts has a portfolio of five hotels on the island of Antigua, including Hammock Cove; the Pineapple Beach Club; the Verandah Resort and Spa; the Galley Bay Resort and Spa; and the St Jamess Club and Villas.

Music has a way of touching us and bringing us closer to where we want to be. Exploring the concepts of happiness, and what fuels it, he compares the joy from acquiring material things with the lasting power of memories, Causion says. A lot of the things I experienced inAntiguawhen I was younger, those fond memories are still with me today. You cant buy that kind of happiness.

Covid has brought the rest of the world and theCaribbeaninto a frame of mind to open up their eyes and respect each other more. To appreciate each other and what we bring to the table, he says. We also appreciate that people are coming to our shores. Now more than ever, in this world when nothing can be assumed, we are learning to appreciate, respect, embrace, and welcome each other.

The song is especially poignant for the artist, in light of his recent, ongoing battle with cancer, one that sees him traveling monthly between Antigua and Florida.

Its a battle that has put his island home in a new light, he says. I go on hikes to experience the country in a way I didnt before. Its an enormous feeling, seeing it from a different perspective for the past two years, and I have found a new love for the country.

For more, visit Elite Island Resorts.

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How Caribbean and Latin Home Cooking Inspired This East Bay Chef’s Upcoming Debut Restaurant – Eater SF

Posted: at 7:34 pm

Verna McGowan is reinventing herself once again. In a past lifetime, she worked at Levi Strauss following a degree in fashion buying and merchandising at the Fashion Institute of Technology; another career saw McGowan getting a clinical psychology degree from San Francisco State University and working with at-risk students. In her latest career, McGowan has become a chef, first cooking for expats in South Africa while she lived there for a few years, then opening a catering business after graduating from the California Culinary Academy and working as author Alice Walkers personal chef for seven years.

Now, McGowan will start her own kitchen and cook for the public, opening Calypso Rose Kitchen at Emeryvilles Public Market on June 30. Its the culmination of McGowans food experiences from growing up in New York with a Caribbean and Southern upbringing, to learning about Guayanese cuisine from her mother-in-law and Puerto Rican food from friends. McGowan calls her new restaurant an expression of the recipes that have been passed down to her over generations. Its everything that I love that has meant something to me in my personal life, because food is connected with memory, McGowan says. Food is the connection that lingers on, that reminds me of people that I love tremendously.

Calypso Rose Kitchens menu zigzags through those memories and serves almost as a biography of McGowan, with her longtime general manager and sous chef Mimi Garcia working alongside her. Diners can expect dishes like oxtail stew, based on the Guayanese pepperpot dish, which is traditionally served at Christmas and Easter. McGowans version is a mixture of beef, oxtail, and stew meat, cooked with cassareep, a spiced, molasses-like ingredient made from the cassava plant. Guyanese beef patties are also on the menu, learned from McGowans mother-in-law. Some Puerto Rican dishes will be available also, such as a sopa de pollo, arroz con pollo, black bean soup, and pernil, a dish featuring pork shoulder thats slowly roasted until the meat falls off the bone.

There will also be a shrimp and chicken curry with roti sourced from a family member in New York, and Jamaican brown stew chicken thats marinated overnight in a browning sauce, a dish that McGowan says give classic island vibes. Although there is a jerk chicken item on the menu, part of McGowans mission to show diners that theres tons of Caribbean islands and that not all Caribbean food is the same. In developing the menu, to me it was important that people have an experience of Caribbean cuisine outside of jerk chicken, McGowan says.

Food has always been a huge part of McGowans life, she says. Its really a heartfelt expression of gratitude and love to share, and then honoring those people that are no longer with us, she says. Calypso Rose Kitchen is the latest career for McGowan, but its one thats closest to her heart. What Ive learned in this lifetime is that dont tie yourself up in the numbers, she says. Do what moves your spirit; follow your heart and youll never, ever fail.

Calypso Rose Kitchen (5959 Shellmound St, Emeryville) debuts June 30.

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The top problems Royal Caribbean is facing as it returns to full capacity – Royal Caribbean Blog

Posted: at 7:34 pm

It's incredible to see how much progress Royal Caribbean has made in less than a year with its restart plans, but there are still a handful of issues the cruise line is working through.

Royal Caribbean is on the brink of having the last ship in the fleet restart operations (Rhapsody of the Seas), which is an important milestone for a company that was decimated by a "black swan" event in the form of the global health crisis.

While the cruise experience has improved rapidly with higher guest satisfaction scores, more ships back in service, and rolled back Covid protocols, there are still a few notable issues that Royal Caribbean is tackling.

It's important to note that these issues are not just Royal Caribbean problems. Nearly every form of travel leisure has their fair share of challenges. The reason why I'm bringing these issues up is to help anyone with a cruise manage expectations properly.

There has been many bumps on the road to Royal Caribbean's restart, but they've been able to navigate them well, and it stands to reason these issues are likely temporary as well.

Here are the challenges Royal Caribbean has to tackle at the moment, which anyone with a cruise this summer should be aware of.

Covid isn't gone by any means, and that means there are still Covid cases on cruise ships.

To be fair, there's always been some level of Covid cases on any Royal Caribbean sailing, but Royal Caribbean's protocols have limited the spread to ensure it doesn't become a ship-wide problem.

Covid cases are going to be an ongoing problem for a while, just like every facet of life. Just like in society, we're learning to live with it, but that doesn't mean there won't be cases popping up onboard.

Based on reader feedback, it seems guests are reporting seeing or experiencing Covid cases on individual sailings and it's almost certainly a reflection of a general rise in Covid cases around the world right now.

YouTube vloggers Travel Spree unfortunately caught Covid and had to be isolated while on their Symphony of the Seas cruise.

RoyalCaribbeanBlog message board useranxiouscruiser shared their experience testing positive for Covid while onboard Serenade of the Seas, "it sucks but I knew the risk when I chose to cruise. I just wish it didn't happen to us."

According to theU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions weekly review, there has been a week-on-week increase in the number of counties with high levels of COVID-19.As of May 11, 2022, the current 7-day moving average of daily new cases (84,778) increased 30.7% compared with the previous 7-day moving average (64,863).

In short, more Covid cases in society is going to likely translate to more Covid cases onboard cruise ships. Unlike on land, cruise ships at least have requirements and protocols that do their best to mitigate the spread of Covid.

What this all means is you should becognizant of the fact there are more Covid cases, and take whatever precautions you deem fit. Perhaps that's wearing a N95 mask while indoors, or changing shore excursion plans to prioritize outdoor tours.

Every company is dealing with not enough workers, and that includes cruise ships.

On some ships, certain venues or forms of entertainment are not yet open so that they can better utilize crew members. In other cases, there may simply not be enough crew members to manage every situation that can arise.

There's an interesting message board thread discussing the general issue on the Royal Caribbean Blog message boards.

While many guests are understanding of the general problems all business have in hiring, they also feel moving to full capacity with less than a full compliment of crew causes guest satisfaction problems, "I think we all understand the troubles of staffing right now, but Royal Caribbean should match their ships capacity with their staffing.," saidcarlosalonsor.

"I think Royal Caribbean just found it a bit harder to staff up than they expected to," smokeybanditopined. "For those who do want to return, lots of red tape to get them on board again. Then there are those who have found a happy life off a ship or those that are just hesitant to return for various reasons."

Royal Caribbean Blog readerRobert Joseph Dulo shared a similar issue with staffing shortages on Explorer of the Seas last week, "The staff and the ship could not handle the capacity with many service and food issues."

"I left them detailed survey responses and hope they look closely at them as my experience was similar to others that I talked to. I hope they make the appropriate changes or they will start to lose cruisers, especially me. They seemed to not be ready for higher capacity."

Even if Royal Caribbean could snap their fingers and hire everyone they need right now, there's still the issue of visa delays, quarantine rules in some countries, vaccine requirements, and more.

The good news is Royal Caribbean is indeed trying to hire as many new crew members as they can, with recruitment drives in countries around the world. It does not appear to be a problem the cruise line is not aware of by any means.

In the meantime, bring extra patience with you, along with sunscreen, a camera, and a good book.

Tangentially related to the first two issues, you may run into certain items not available onboard your cruise.

Primarily, we've seen this in the past in the form of certain brands of liquors not available. Remember the CocoCay-branded beer? That was an early victim of supply chain issues.

Just like staffing problems, this is not likely an issue that will go away overnight. In its first quarter 2022 earnings, Royal Caribbean Group said they're managingsupply chain challenges, mainly related to fuel and food costs.

In my experience, how much of an impact it has on your sailing will greatly depend on which brands of types of food and drink you prefer, as well as general demand onboard. Each sailing has a different assortment of guests onboard, and the ships are doing their best to supply accordingly.

After reading about these issues, what should your takeaway be for an upcoming sailing?

Certainly the problems Royal Caribbean is facing are the sort of things the company has to mitigate and address in order to improve, but if your cruise is coming up in the next few weeks, it's possible it could impact your cruise.

At a minimum, it's food for thought. Throughout the restart of cruise operations, there have been hurdles for passengers to navigate. So while today's problems are a concern, it's not like there haven't been things Royal Caribbean has overcome in the past year.

It may also be an opportunity to gauge how comfortable you are with embracing a certain level of flexibility. Nothing is perfect, including cruise ships, so if the prospect of your favorite liquor not being available, or a longer wait for drinks at bar truly irks you, then perhaps you should put off your cruise until the situation improves.

As cruise fans, we love this kind of a vacation and no one ever wants to be disappointed. It's why I think it's critical to be as honest and up-front with what others are seeing so we can all make the right decision to sail or not.

The sort of problems Royal Caribbean has are also being dealt with at plenty of other land-based travel destinations. So the grass is not greener necessarily elsewhere. But that doesn't mean a cruise right now is superb either.

An educated consumer tends to have a better experience overall, and this article is intended to ensure you are up-to-date with what's happening.

Continued here:

The top problems Royal Caribbean is facing as it returns to full capacity - Royal Caribbean Blog

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Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (9 – 15 May 2022) As of 16 May 2022 – Haiti – ReliefWeb

Posted: at 7:34 pm

Attachments

CENTRAL AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN: FOOD SECURITY

KEY FIGURES

12.7M PEOPLE IN 5 COUNTRIES IPC PHASE 3 (CRISIS) FOOD INSECURITY OR WORSE

According to the Global Network Against Food Crises 2022 Global Report on Food Crises, rising food prices, the COVID-19 pandemics economic effects, extreme weather and high insecurity drove nearly a million more people into Crisis levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) in El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua in 2021.

The increase from 11.8 million foodinsecure people in 2020 to 12.7 million in 2021 saw all five countries reach six-year highs, populations that had already been growing in Central America prior to the November 2020 impact of hurricanes Eta and Iota. The economic impacts of COVID-19 containment measures lasted well into 2021, as the pandemic precipitated one of the regions worst recessions and exacerbated existing structural problems. Haitis situation was marked by violence as well as the August 7.2-magnitude earthquake and Tropical Storm Grace in the south. While there was a slight decrease in the number of people in Phase 3 from September 2021 thanks to improved food availability due to harvests, the population in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food insecurity increased after the impacts of the earthquake and tropical storm.

CENTRAL AMERICA: MIGRANTS & REFUGEES

24K IRREGULAR MIGRANT ENTRIES INTO HONDURAS FROM JANUARY TO APRIL 2022

HONDURAS

According to ECHO, Honduras recorded more than 24,000 irregular migrant entries between January and April 2022, mostly people from Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela. The Danl and Trojes municipalities are seeing a daily average of more than 500 people seeking shelter. Needs identified include food and water access, basic hygiene and sanitation services, health and psychosocial support services, protection, restoring family links, information on migration procedures and access to National Migration Institute services.

PANAMA

Mdecins Sans Frontires (MSF) reports an average of 1,500 monthly medical consultations from migrants in Darien on Panamas eastern border with Colombia, including responding to nearly 400 women victims of sexual assault between April 2021 to March 2022. The dangerous jungle, which saw 19,092 irregular crossings from January to April 2022 (a 66 per cent increase from the 11,487 reported in the same period in 2021), is rife with protection issues due to criminal groups that routinely assault migrants and subject women migrants to sexual violence, including rape.

Read more:

Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update (9 - 15 May 2022) As of 16 May 2022 - Haiti - ReliefWeb

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