Category Archives: High Seas

HARRIMAN, Tenn. Pirates arrrrr on their way to East Tennessee!

No, they're not sailing on the Tennessee River (that was the Nia and Pinta) -- they're setting up shop in Harriman, Tennessee with games, contests and vendors.

The fourth annual Tennessee Pirate Fest will lay siege to the Tennessee Medieval Faire site this October -- 30 miles west of Turkey Creek. The interactive outdoor festival will be open rain, shine, or high seas on Oct. 12, 13, 19 and 20.

Characters will be based on "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Captain Blood," two classic pirate movies. The weekends will include live music, comedy and dance shows.

Several musicians and groups will perform Celtic and Caribbean music: Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers, Thunder and Spice, The CrossJacks, PanEZ Steelband, Black Mash Hollow, and Timothy Russell. Comedy and dance acts include The Tortuga Twins, Einstein Simplified, and Misfit Gypsies. The entertainers will rotate on several stages throughout the weekends, and schedules will be available online and at the door.

Festival organizers said they encourage guests to dress in costume and enter the Costume Contest. Guests can join a pirate crew in the Pirate Gong Show. Other activities include Pirate School, the Governors Variety Show, Combat Croquet, a mid-day parade and several kids' entertainment shows.

Vendors will sell custom crafts such as costumes, leather pouches, drinking horns, soaps, blacksmith items and jewelry. A variety of festival food will also be available, including smoked turkey legs, Bourbon chicken, Philly steak, fried catfish, chicken wraps, shaved ice, pineapple smoothie served in the pineapple, and hot and cold drinks -- as well as beer for the more seasoned pirates.

Tickets are $16 for ages 13 and up, $8 for ages 5 to 12; and free for ages 4 and under. You can buy tickets on festival days at festival grounds for cash or credit.

Go here to read the rest:

Pirate Fest to lay siege to East Tennessee this October - WBIR.com

How our brain cells, or neurons, use electrical signals to communicate and coordinate for higher brain function is one of the biggest questions in all of science.

For decades, researchers have used electrodes to listen in on and record these signals. The patch clamp electrode, an electrode in a thin glass tube, revolutionized neurobiology in the 1980s with its ability to penetrate a neuron and to record quiet but telltale synaptic signals from inside the cell. But this tool lacks the ability to record a neuronal network; it can measure only about 10 cells in parallel.

Now, researchers from Harvard University have developed an electronic chip that can perform high-sensitivity intracellular recording from thousands of connected neurons simultaneously. This breakthrough allowed them to map synaptic connectivity at an unprecedented level, identifying hundreds of synaptic connections.

Our combination of the sensitivity and parallelism can benefit fundamental and applied neurobiology alike, including functional connectome construction and high-throughput electrophysiological screening, said Hongkun Park, Mark Hyman Jr. Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Physics, and co-senior author of the paper.

The mapping of the biological synaptic network enabled by this long sought-after parallelization of intracellular recording also can provide a new strategy for machine intelligence to build next-generation artificial neural network and neuromorphic processors, said Donhee Ham, Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering at the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and co-senior author of the paper.

The research is described in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

The electronic chip uses the same fabrication technology as computer microprocessors.(Image courtesy of Harvard SEAS)

The researchers developed the electronic chip using the same fabrication technology as computer microprocessors. The chip features a dense array of vertically-standing nanometer-scale electrodes on its surface, which are operated by the underlying high-precision integrated circuit. Coated with platinum powder, each nanoelectrode has a rough surface texture, which improves its ability to pass signals.

Intracellular recordings of neurons across a connected network. The videos are slowed 4 from real time. (Video courtesy of Harvard SEAS)

Neurons are cultured directly on the chip. The integrated circuit sends a current to each coupled neuron through the nanoelectrode to open tiny holes in its membrane, creating an intracellular access. Simultaneously, the same integrated circuit also amplifies the voltage signals from the neuron picked up by the nanoelectrode through the holes.

In this way we combined the high sensitivity of intracellular recording and the parallelism of the modern electronic chip, said Jeffrey Abbott, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and SEAS, and the first author of the paper.

In experiments, the array intracellularly recorded more than 1,700 rat neurons. Just 20 minutes of recording gave researchers a never-before-seen look at the neuronal network and allowed them to map more than 300 synaptic connections.

Intracellular mapping of about 65 neurons upon a drug application (Video courtesy of Harvard SEAS)

This work was also co-authored by Tianyang Ye, Keith Krenek, Rona S. Gertner, Steven Ban, Youbin Kim, Ling Qin and Wenxuan Wu.We also used this high-throughput, high-precision chip to measure the effects of drugs on synaptic connections across the rat neuronal network, and now we are developing a wafer-scale system for high-throughput drug screening for neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, Parkinsons disease, autism, Alzheimers disease, and addiction, said Abbott.

The research was supported by Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology of Samsung Electronics, the Catalyst Foundation, the US Army Research Office, the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Visit link:

Up-close and personal with neuronal networks | Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences - Harvard School of Engineering and...

Megan Hilty (Smash, 9 to 5), Patina Miller (Pippin, Madam Secretary), Jessie Mueller (Beautiful, Carousel), and Vanessa Williams (Into the Woods, Kiss of the Spider Woman) will join SiriusXM host and Playbill correspondent Seth Rudetsky for a series of intimate concerts at New York's Town Hall in the coming months.

The popular cabaret series blends a talk-show format with a greatest hits concert, where special guests from Broadway share behind-the-scenes stories and revisit the memorable songs from their careers.

Hilty and Mueller, who co-star as country legends Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn in the upcoming Lifetime movie Patsy & Loretta, will join Rudetsky December 2; with Miller to follow February 2, 2020; and Williams April 13. Mark Cortale produces the concerts.

Subscriptions go on sale October 1, with single tickets available beginning October 8. Visit TheTownHall.org.

Olivier and two-time Tony winner LuPone reflected on her career in story and song with host Rudetsky.

Hilty and Rudetsky have been special guest performers 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, Christopher Fitzgerald, Aaron Lazar, 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), with performers soon to be announced. To book a suite or stateroom, call Playbill Travel at 866-455-6789 or visit PlaybillTravel.com.

Read the rest here:

Megan Hilty, Patina Miller, Jessie Mueller, and Vanessa Williams to Appear at Town Hall With Seth Rudetsky - Playbill.com

Despite a rash of scandals that have hobbled its stock, Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) surprisingly has been beating consensus earnings estimates so far this year. Its EPS numbers exceeded expectations by more than 10% in 1Q and by 13% in 2Q, per Yahoo Finance.

By contrast, the performance of Wells Fargo's stock reflects deep skepticism on the part of investors as it prepares to report 3Q profits in mid-October. Its stock has risen by only 9.5% for the year-to-date through Monday while the KBW Bank Index has risen by 17.2%, while the S&P 500 Index (SPX) has posted a 19.3% gain. That lagging performance might stretch the patience even of longterm investors such as Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A), a major owner of the bank's shares.

Like other banks, Wells Fargo faces powerful macro headwinds, including lower interest rates and a slowing economy. The Federal Reserve's decision to embark on a program of cutting interest rates has created a negative macro environment for Wells Fargo's profit margins, particularly its net interest margins, which tend to fall when interest rates are dropping. That squeezed Wells Fargo's profits in the second quarter. In order to attract sufficient funds from depositors, Well Fargo had to increase the average yield that it paid on interest-paying deposits from 0.89% in 1Q 2019 to 0.96% in 2Q 2019, The Wall Street Journal reports. As a result, the bank's net interest margin fell from 2.91% to 2.82%, and its net interest income dropped by $216 million. Investors will be keen to see if this trend continues when it reports.

By some accounts, Wells Fargo's various crises have led the bank to deteriorate from an aggressive, rapidly growing lender into a slow-growth bank that has used cost cutting to boost profits.

Despite that, investors may find that the bank's cost-focused strategy is reaping diminishing returns. Analysts are anticipating an unimpressive earnings report from Wells Fargo. The current consensus estimate projects EPS of $1.16 in 3Q 2019, up by 3 cents or 2.7% on a year-over-year (YOY) basis, but down from $1.20 in 1Q 2019 and $1.30 in 2Q 2019. With respect to revenue, the consensus forecasts $20.88 billion in 3Q 2019, down by 4.8% YOY, and down by 1.0% from 2Q 2019.

Wells Fargo's loan growth has ground to a halt. Average loans outstanding, a key driver of profits, have stagnated, with the 2Q 2019 figure of $949.9 billion up by a mere 0.4% YOY, but down by 0.3% from the prior quarter, per the company's second quarter earnings supplement. On the bright side, nonperforming assets were just $6.3 billion in 2Q 2019, down by 17.1% YOY and by 13.7% from the prior quarter. If 3Q 2019 results show increased loan quality, that may offset some concerns about diminished loan growth.

Wells Fargo has yet to put its 2016 sales practices scandal completely behind it, which has tarnished its reputation and led to enhanced regulatory oversight. To meet sales targets, Wells Fargo staff had opened accounts for customers without their knowledge or consent on a massive scale. The scandal has made prospective customers wary to this day, per another Journal report.

Indeed, the bank has indicated that its overall program of cost reduction is being hampered by the need to spend more on risk management and compliance efforts in response to increased regulatory scrutiny.

It will take a new CEO to give the bank direction--if they can hire one. Management is in turmoil, with the CEO slot still not filled on a permanent basis since the previous incumbent retired in March. Worse yet, sources indicate to the Journal that several top candidates have turned down offers to lead the troubled bank. "That is like a ship without engines in high seas," as Brian Kleinhanzl, an analyst at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, wrote to clients, per the Journal.

Read more here:

What to Expect From Wells Fargo Earnings - Investopedia

Meg Reilly '12, Entrepreneur and Ocean Racing Champ, Shares Her Story With Students on October22 to Celebrate Women Entrepreneurship Week.

Meg Reilly '12, initially took a conventional path to her marketing career, accepting a position at Y&R Global, one of the world's biggest advertising networks, after graduation from the Stillman School of Business. Until one day, when she quit her day job to pursue entrepreneurship at top speed and race yachts around the world. "When you think in terms of 'I can' instead of 'I can't,' a lot can happen," the Scotch Plains, N.J. native says.

Reilly will speak about her adventures both as an entrepreneur and sailing the oceans of the world on at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 22in the Business Faculty Library, Jubilee Hall. All students and faculty are invited to the event which is sponsored by the student Entrepreneurship and Women in Business clubs, in partnership with the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies. Susan Scherreik, the Center's Director, says: "I can think of no better role model than Meg to inspire our students and help us to celebrate Women Entrepreneurship Week. She is fearless young entrepreneur who challenges herself and others to be the best they can be, while doing good in the world," Scherreik adds. Women Entrepreneurship Week is celebrated at Seton Hall University and some 150 other higher education institutions in 38 U.S. states and in 23 countries.

"I am really looking forward to coming back to SHU to share my story and inspire some dreamers into doers," Reilly says. "I had a crazy dream, and I made it a reality. It hasn't been easy being a young, female entrepreneur in a male-dominated field, but it's possible. I didn't even know how to sail when I graduated, so there you goanything is possible!"

In 2013, at the age of 23, Reilly embarked on a year-long, 43,000 mile ocean race, circumnavigating the globe. After winning the Clipper Round the World Race, the novice sailor was hooked. "I compare the appeal of ocean racing to why people watch scary movies and like roller coastersit scares you into life," Reilly said. The race is the longest ocean race in existence, and during that epic year Reilly visited 15 ports on six continents.

SHU Alumna and Entrepreneur Meg Reilly.

Upon return from the Clipper Race, Reilly created Canadian Ocean Racing with her partner Morgen Watson, which later evolved into the international sailing team and network: Ocean Racers. Meg also manages her brand consultancy startup businessComplementary Connectionswhich creates new marketing, events and media opportunities through complementary brand partnerships. Currently, she specializes in the sailing industry and serves as a brand ambassador for Mustang Survival, which make waterproof yacht racing gear.

Reilly credits Complementary Connectionsa business she started while at Seton Hall Universitywith allowing her to make the connections that led to her ocean racing success. "My unique marketing strategies through partnerships have brought together top brands in impressive events and engagements around the world," Reilly says. "It's how I was able to obtain a sponsorship to participate in the Clipper Round the World Race!" In another favorite success story, Reilly recalls how she launched a STEM Summer Sailing Camp program between Offshore Sailing School and the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. "My true passion is to shift the business paradigm from competition to collaboration with each new partnership I forge through Complementary Connections," she adds.

Reilly hatched the idea for Complementary Connections during a Junior Year Mentoring Project which she was required to complete as a member of the Gerald P. Buccino '63 Center for Leadership Development. Reilly worked one-on-one with Wakefern Food Corporation President Joe Sheridan on her assignment to development a new branding solution. Reilly later recognized that her project had the potential to become a profitable business. So as a senior she pitched her savvy business idea at the Seton Hall University annual Pirates Pitch startup contest and won second place in the competition. Reilly credits the cash award she received as instrumental in helping her to launching Complementary Connections.

Reilly welcomes everyone to follow her ocean racing team on social media at @oceanracers to get a look at her life in long haul racing on the high seas.

Read the original here:

Meg Reilly '12 Entrepreneur, Circumnavigator, and Ocean Racing Champ Speaks to Students - Seton Hall University News & Events

Photocredit: Adobe Stock

The call on Monday comes as EU interior ministers from four countries met to discuss the latest migrant and asylum crisis.

At the meeting, ministers from Germany, France, Italy and Malta hope to strike a deal on the relocation of people rescued at sea and migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

According to a draft of the agreement the aim is to set up a more predictable and efficient temporary solidarity mechanism in order to ensure the dignified disembarkation of migrants taken aboard on the high seas.

On Sunday, the EUs Commissioner responsible for Migration, Dimitris Avramopoulos travelled to Malta where he met with the countrys President George Vella. On Monday, Avramopoulos visited the European Asylum Support Office as well as participating in the meeting with the four interior ministers.

RELATED CONTENT

Just ahead of the get together, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), headed by former UK foreign minister David Miliband, called for urgent action to tackle the ongoing migration and asylum problems in the Mediterranean.

An IRC spokesman told this website, The devastation caused by short term solutions to the migration response is seen on a daily basis, with overcrowding in reception centres in Greece and lives lost at sea across the Mediterranean making headlines each summer.

The EU meeting of interior ministers is an opportunity for European leaders to take action and put the idea of solidarity into practice. This can be achieved by establishing a predictable disembarkation and relocation system that safeguards the rights of refugees and asylum seekers reaching the European shores.

Moreover, ahead of this weeks UN General Assembly, EU countries must lead the way by demonstrating they do not leave behind displaced people within their own borders.

The devastation caused by short term solutions to the migration response is seen on a daily basis, with overcrowding in reception centres in Greece and lives lost at sea across the Mediterranean making headlines each summer International Rescue Committee spokesman

Over 4,000 people have arrived on Greek islands since the start of September and, according to the IRC, have been met with a lack of adequate shelter and record levels of overcrowding.

The IRC says the tragedy behind the numbers is clear: this is not an unforeseen emergency but a vicious cycle that requires a measured and collective response by European leaders.

The IRC has joined 11 NGOs in a joint call on the Greek government and European leaders to abandon ad hoc solutions to migration and instead focus on a long term strategy that puts the livelihoods of refugees and the interests of host communities at its heart.

Currently, there are 22,360 asylum seekers languishing in reception centres,living in poor conditions and often exposed to violence and exploitation. Reception centres on many Greek islands are 500% percent over capacity, says the IRC.

This is avoidable but the only way to achieve a durable solution is through European solidarity and political will to protect those in need, provide decent housing and support refugees to get jobs, says the Committee.

Migration is a complex issue and sustainable solutions must be implemented Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, International Rescue Committee Greece director

Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, IRC Greece director, noted, Although public interest in the so-called crisis on the Greek islands is waning, desperate people continue to seek protection on its shores.

The devastation caused by short term solutions to the migration response is seen on a daily basis, with headlines dominated in summer by overcrowding in reception centres and stories of people living in tents in the midst of winter. Migration is a complex issue and sustainable solutions must be implemented.

Greece must invest in the assets that refugees bring to their new communities and support them to rebuild their lives, while meeting the needs of local communities. Similarly, other European countries must acknowledge their role in the response and share the responsibility to relocate those who are now caught in limbo on islands like Lesbos.

Go here to see the original:

Leading aid agency calls for urgent EU action to tackle the migration and asylum crisis - The Parliament Magazine

South Whidbey Elementary School students Weston Dill, right, and Taylor Jones, left, pull ropes aboard the Lady Washington historic tall ship in Langley harbor on Thursday. Photo by Wendy Leigh/South Whidbey Record

When the first of 200-plus elementary students from the South Whidbey School District stepped aboard vessels in the Langley harbor this week, the concept of field trips was forever transformed. At least on Whidbey Island.

The Carlyn scientific research vessel and the Lady Washington historical tall ship sailed in and out of Langley from Wednesday through Friday, teaming with enthusiastic fourth and sixth graders while launching an innovative and immersive place-based education program.

Susie Richards, principal of South Whidbey Elementary School K-4, explained how programs like this help relieve the pressure young people today feel over whats happening with the environment and climate change, and it gives them a real way to make a difference.

Were going to really have a focus on the Salish Sea that surrounds our beautiful island and help our kids feel more connected to it, Richards said. It will help their academic learning have meaning and relevance as related to their local home and local community.

When exploring the outdoors through expeditions such as the sailings this week, students may forget theres some in-depth learning going on. From skill-building to collaborations, problem-solving and seeing marine life through scientific lenses, they are connecting with the world around them in new ways.

The Carlyn is a 61-foot yawl designed specifically for experiential education. It hosted the sixth graders on Thursday and Friday for a marine science program. The boat is part of Salish Sea Expeditions, whose mission is to inspire youth to connect with the marine environment through boat-based scientific inquiry and hands-on learning, instilling curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking.

This translates into hands-on-deck experiences and education about the ecosystem, water-quality issues and nautical science in several stations while sailing. The students worked in areas such as navigation, latitude and longitude, salinity, analysis with oceanographic equipment, and observing plankton and microplastic through microscopes in the onboard lab.

On Wednesday, the Carlyn embarked on a journey carrying a group of fifth- to sixth-grade girls funded by a No Child Left Inside grant created by the state Legislature. The program facilitates outdoor environmental and other natural resource-based education to encourage academic performance while building things like self-esteem, personal responsibility, health and understanding of nature.

On Thursday and Friday, the South Whidbey fourth-graders boarded the Lady Washington for a Washington State History expedition. It was all hands on deck as the boys and girls helped to set and trim the sails before gliding out to sea.

Capt. Jamie Trost cut the engines while deckhands called for silence as the wind gently rocked the vessel. After a moment, the students were asked what they didnt hear, and the answers came quickly: honking cars, cannons, cell phones, televisions. The point was obvious: Being aboard Lady Washington was like falling back to days gone by.

The crew made the past come alive as students rotated through three onboard stations. Joining Trost on the upper deck, they studied the science of speed, depth, direction and timekeeping. The young sailors then ducked below deck to get schooled in trade routes and cargo with artifacts and maps.

On the bow, boys and girls wrinkled up their noses at the smell of pig snouts and other sailor grub while learning how their swarthy ancestors survived on extended journeys. Sea shanties and stories ended the days work in much the same way sailors of old passed time on the high seas.

Lori OBrien, the part-time environmental and sustainability coordinator whose position in the South Whidbey school program is funded through the parent and community-instigated Growing our Potential Campaign, noted that the students benefit from a plethora of interconnected programs and related organizations.

Young girls benefit from the schools partnership with Young Women Empowered organization from Seattle in which island girls go to places like Microsoft to sit down with female scientists. As part of the Washington Green Schools initiative, students will be focusing on plastic awareness, recycling and food waste.

Weve also established relationships with Whidbey Watershed Stewards and with the Orca Network. All grades K-8 will get Orca 101, a class offered by the network, OBrien said.

A major component of the place-based curriculum for the 2019-20 school year is a salmon program through which students will learn about the salmon life cycle by actually raising them on campus.

Salmon are an indicator species, so they can tell us how healthy the ecosystem is, OBrien said. Were going to raise salmon at this school and at the 5-6 school and then release them in the spring.

Richards stressed that this approach to hands-on, activity-based learning isnt about putting academics aside.

The research is already out there showing the connection of these types of learning experiences to academic achievement, Richards said. It really captures kids in a way that just cant happen in a traditional learning approach.

OBrien and Richards pointed out that each program incorporates elements of learning in meaningful ways.

For example, there could be a writing activity requiring a persuasive essay about why residents should be reducing waste and toxins before they get into the Salish Sea. Composting exercises can reveal elements of science, while data collection strengthens math skills, all connecting to academic learning through a sense of place.

Jo Moccia, superintendent of the South Whidbey School District, supports the all-encompassing approach to learning, noting that she personally would be taking one of the sailing excursions from Langley with the kids this week.

I am so pleased that we are able to offer these opportunities to our students, Moccia said. Our community has many outdoor adventures to experience, and we want to continue to provide them to students as we are able. Teaching young people to care for the environment, specifically our Salish Sea, is critical to the future.

Katie Shapiro, one of the volunteers helping to spearhead the Growing our Potential program, explained that the South Whidbey Schools Foundation serves as the fiscal agent through which the program is funded. Community members can make a donation by clicking the growing our potential link at SWSfoundation.org.

See the original post here:

Students set sail to save the Salish Sea - South Whidbey Record

Talk Like a Pirate Day is returning to port on September 19th and you can bet your boots that a few celebrants will be using the terms pirateand buccaneerinterchangeably. Most people do. Nevertheless, these two words arent actually synonymous.

Four hundred years ago, if you were a seafaring thief, the label that you received said a great dealmainly about whoever it was doing the labeling. Anyone who called you a "pirate" probably hated your guts. But those who cited you as a buccaneer might have had a very different attitude. Within certain contexts, the latter group may have even embraced you as a national hero.

Time for a swashbuckling semantics lesson. In article 101 of theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), piracy is defined as "any illegal acts of violence or detention ... committed for private ends by the crew or the passengers of a private ship." UNCLOS also states that, to be considered piracy, a crime must occur within international waters. If the event in question takes place within a particular countrys territorial waters, the aggressors will be deemed armed robbers rather than pirates.

Historical definitions tended to be a lot broader. During the 17th and 18th centuries, England regarded piracy as any criminal act committed on the high seas or below the low tide mark around shores, rivers, and estuaries. Hundreds of years earlier, in the year 100 CE, Plutarcha noteworthy Greek scholar talked about pirates as anybody who attacked a ship or maritime city without legal authority.

Just what did he mean by legal authority? Plutarch was probably alluding to warships. Nowadays, these are generally owned by national governments, but this wasnt always the case. From medieval times through the early 20th century, it was common practice for a nation at war to recruit private vessels to assault its enemys ships, steal their goods, and plunder their ports. Mariners who engaged in such state-approved mischief were called privateers.

Usually, a privateer vessel was allowed to operate under a license that was granted by the country it served. Dubbed the Letter of Marque, this document laid out a code of conduct and payment policy for the crew. (Privateers almost always got to keep a percentage of whatever they took.)

Essentially, privateers were independent contractors, acting as hostile, government-commissioned, seafaring mercenaries. Therefore, they technically werent pirates because real pirates didnt behave in accordance withany national laws or regulations. But the dividing line here was pretty blurry. Many privateers eventually became pirates and vice versa. Also, a captured privateer would sometimes be tried as a pirate by the country he or she was victimizing.

This brings us back to buccaneers: Throughout the 16th through 18th centuries, Spain more or less controlled the Caribbean. However, in the 1600s, she started to get some not-so-friendly competition. By the middle of that century, settlers from various other European countriesincluding England, France, and the Netherlandshad colonized parts of the Leeward Islands and Hispaniola. Among these newcomers, transplanted Frenchmen were especially common. The Gallic colonists would frequently smoke their meat over a wooden platform that they called a boucan. Thanks to this cooking technique, the frontiersmen were given the nickname buccaneers.

Before long, many turned to piracy. Because of Spains huge colonial presence in the Caribbean, buccaneers more or less exclusively targeted Spanish ports and ships. This turned plenty of heads across the Atlantic. In an attempt to cripple Spains empire, the English, French, and Dutch began issuing Letters of Marque to buccaneer vessels.

Eventually, the word buccaneer came to possess its currentand very specificdefinition, which is: any of the piratical adventurers who raided Spanish colonies and ships along the American coast in the second half of the 17th century. (Told you it was specific.)

The most famous buccaneer of them all was undoubtedly Sir Henry Morgan. Little is known about his early life, although most historians believe that he was born in Wales at some point in 1635. Nearly 20 years later, he set sail for Barbados as a member of an expedition that saw England seize Jamaica from the Spanish.

Morgan quickly emerged as a leading buccaneer, and as Englands most ruthlessly effective privateer. In 1668, he seized the heavily guarded city of Porto Bello, Panama, holding it for ransom until the Spanish coughed up an amazing 250,000 pesos. Three years later, Morgan raided and sacked Panama City, which promptly burned to the ground. Such exploits did not endear him to the Spanish, but in England, Morgan was a widely beloved figure. Knighted by King Charles II, he was made Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica in 1674. Following his death on August 25, 1688, Morgan received a grandiose state funeral, complete with a 22-gun salute.

And, yes, that rum was named after him. Clearly, buccaneering had its perks.

Have you got a Big Question you'd like us to answer? If so, let us know by emailing us at bigquestions@mentalfloss.com.

Read the original here:

What Are Those Squiggles of Tar You See on Roads? - Mental Floss

To what extent Pyongyang will cooperate with Moscow in enforcing maritime laws remains to be seen

According to a press release issued by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) on Tuesday, two North Korean schooners were detained off the coast of the Kito-Yamato sandbar within Russias exclusive economic zone. Members of the FSBs border security division were carrying out a routine patrol when they detained the vessels.

Accompanying the two schooners were several smaller vessels. One schooner contained a crew of 21 individuals, while the other was crewed by over 45 people. Members of the second schooner opened fire on an FSB boarding party, injuring three officers.

The FSB detained the schooners for transportation to the port city of Nakhodka. Meanwhile, a total of 80 North Korean citizens are said to be in detention.

In response to the incident, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairscalled in the DPRKs charge daffaires in Moscow for an explanation.

Likewise, the foreign ministry, having admonished the North Korean government that it would take any measures necessary to enforce the law in its waters, requested that Pyongyang do its part to prevent such incidents from happening again.

The clash between North Korean poachers and Russian law enforcement comes only two months after DPRK authorities detained a crew of 15 Russians and two South Korean nationals for an alleged violation of North Korean territorial waters.

During the brief row over the detention of Russian citizens, one Russian diplomatic official expressed the belief that the situation would blow over quickly due to the strong relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang.

It is unlikely that North Korean officials were completely unaware of the activities of as many as 80 of its citizens

In light of the most recent incident, voices within Russias academic and policy communities have warned against letting criminal acts derail the upward political trajectory of DPRK-Russia ties.

One prominent Russian sinologist, Alexei Maslov, cautioned against letting what he called an act of piracy spoil North Korea-Russia relations, declaring that the best thing for Russia to do would be to extradite the detainees back to the DPRK to face justice.

Thanks precisely to the progression of Moscow-Pyongyang relations, repatriation to face justice remains a very real possibility for the detained North Koreans. In February of this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law an extradition agreement between the Russian Federation and North Korea.

The agreement allows for a citizen of one of the countries who has been sentenced to a prison term to be extradited to their country of citizenship to serve out their sentence.

Furthermore, the agreement stipulates that an appropriate sentence for those convicted will be carried out by the receiving country in accordance with that states laws.

15 Russian and two South Korean nationals were released in July after having allegedly violated North Korean territorial waters but the stakes are higher this time | Photo: Russian embassy DPRK

That fact may be of cold comfort to the North Korean crew, particularly anyone found guilty of participating directly in the violence against FSB agents.

Andrei Klimov, a member of the foreign affairs committee of the Russian parliaments upper house,stated that the perpetrators could face the death penalty if they are indeed extradited to the DPRK.

Im under the impression that if those guys were in Pyongyangs hands, theyd be shot, Klimov declared.

Klimov, however, was also quick to caution against letting the situation develop in a way that could have a wider negative impact on the North Korea-Russia relationship.

In addition to acknowledging that poaching was often one of the only ways for families to support themselves, Klimov warned that other countries may see this as a golden opportunity to drive a wedge between Moscow and Pyongyang.

The irritation between us and North Korea is working in favor of many, and those many are not friends of Russia said Klimov.

An incident involving large-scale poaching as well as an armed attack on law enforcement officials will not likely go unpunished. As such, the fallout from the detention of the two fishing crews could well put the vitality of the extradition agreement as well as Moscow-Pyongyang ties themselves to the test.

Indeed, the strength of DPRK-Russia ties may have played a part in the relatively quick resolution of the detention of the Russian crew last July.

Yet given the nature of this most recent development, the stakes are higher.

This particular development will be a small yet significant test of how strong the overall DPRK-Russia relationship really is

One aspect that the most recent maritime incident underscores is the difficulties North Korea and Russia could face in future bilateral as well as multilateral economic cooperation.

Fishing comprises one of the nine bridges of cooperation between Russia and South Korea as part of the latters New Northern Policy. The New Northern Policy, though at present focused primarily on deepening collaboration between Moscow and Seoul, also envisions bringing the DPRK into the fold.

For the second time in two years, North and South Korean officials were present at the 2019 Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Russia.

How Pyongyang reacts to a development such as the detention of a large number of citizens for poaching as well as armed violence could shape how the Kremlin perceives the feasibility of economic cooperation with the DPRK, particularly in a maritime context.

The incident likewise highlights the question of to what extent the DPRK can be a reliable partner for the Russian Federation in areas beyond those on which Moscow and Pyongyang mutually agree, such as denuclearization.

Tuesdays incident will be a test of how strong the DPRK-Russia relationship really is | Photo: The Kremlin

Of course, no country can prevent its citizens from engaging in illegal acts outside of its jurisdiction.

Nevertheless, it is unlikely that North Korean officials were completely unaware of the activities of as many as 80 of its citizens, even in the openness of the high seas.

One of the major tests for North Korea-Russia relations, therefore, is the extent to which Pyongyang is willing to cooperate with Moscow to enforce maritime laws.

A North Korean state feeling increased financial pressure from sanctions might possibly not be interested in curbing illegal activities that also provide a source of income.

Yet a Russian government intent on economically developing the Russian Far East would in turn be hard-pressed to turn a blind eye to criminal activities occurring in its economic waters, even in the name of international friendship.

Moscow and Pyongyang may be in relative agreement over the best way to proceed in the DPRK security crisis, butthis particular development will be a small yet significant test of how strong the overall DPRK-Russia relationship really is beyond diplomatic platitudes.

Edited by James Fretwell and Oliver Hotham

Featured image: The Kremlin

According to a press release issued by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) on Tuesday, two North Korean schooners were detained off the coast of the Kito-Yamato sandbar within Russias exclusive economic zone. Members of the FSBs border security division were carrying out a routine patrol when they detained the vessels. Accompanying the two schooners were

Read the original here:

Following high-seas incident, North Korea-Russia ties face an unusual test - NK News

Humberto strengthens to a hurricane overnight, what it means for South Florida and whats on the tropical horizon.

Humberto is mustering to a major Category 3 hurricane far from the U.S. coastline, but ripples from the burgeoning storm are pounding Florida beaches with dangerous swells.

From Palm Beach County through the Space Coast, high waves and sloshing seas radiating from the slowpoke cyclone triggered small craft advisories, rip current warnings and high surf alerts that could continue through the week.

As of the 11 p.m. Monday advisory from the National Hurricane Center, the 90-mph hurricane was 625 miles west of Bermuda and expected to build to a 115-mph cyclone by mid-week. It was moving east-northeast at 8 mph with a reach that drew surfers from hundreds of miles away to southeast Florida.

Im always keeping an eye on what its doing, said Chris Ulman, who drove from Sarasota on Monday to surf the south side of the Juno Beach Pier. Today, its fairly challenging.

Red flags flapped in an offshore breeze at Juno Beach, which is just north enough to catch swell sneaking around the Bahamas. Head-high waves were common, but Ulman said by midday they started closing out, meaning the wave crashed all at once, instead of forming a long barreling line.

The National Weather Service has a high risk of dangerous rip currents in effect for Palm Beach County to north of Vero Beach. A high surf advisory is in effect for the Volusia and Brevard county coasts.

Palm Beach Countys offshore waters could have seas building to 9 to 12 feet by the end of the week. If that holds true, a high surf advisory may be issued.

Humbertos tropical storm-force winds extend about 105 miles from its center. Its hurricane-force winds extend about 30 miles.

Whenever you have large, long period swells coming in, its going to enhance the rip current threat because they allow a lot of water to pile up on the beach and it has to run out somewhere, said Matt Bragaw, a meteorologist with the NWS in Melbourne. If portions of a sandbar break, and the water finds a preferred channel, it can overpower even the strongest of swimmers.

Why hasn't Palm Beach County been hit by a massive storm lately? Well, it ain't science. @BMcNoldymade a map that was so shocking we had to write a story https://t.co/IEhk4VdaaW pic.twitter.com/acTQskumjH

Humberto is also opening a window for north- northwester winds to drag down some drier air from higher latitudes, reducing rain chances to just 20 percent Tuesday and Wednesday.

South Florida will get northwest winds turning north as Humberto continues to pull away and an area of high pressure moves in. High temperatures are forecast to reach near 90 degrees with heat index temperatures in the triple digits.

RELATED: Why a warming planet may mean more Dorian-like storms

Theres always a chance the dry air doesnt materialize in South Florida, said Harry Weinman, a meteorologist with National Weather Service in Miami. But Im looking forward to seeing some of it.

Weinman said the high waves could stick around into the weekend.

Humberto may be one of the more memorable hurricane swells in the past two seasons with 2018s Florence promising bigger waves, then flaking out.

Mesmerizing view of the cloud structure & motions in intensifying #Hurricane #Humberto pic.twitter.com/SrwBnGrzPY

John Higgins, a Sunny Isles Beach resident who drove north for waves Monday, said Humbertos waves were chunky and messy, and quickly fizzled.

It wasnt very good, he said about Dorian after surfing at the Juno Beach Pier Monday. It was too rough, and then much smaller.

Humberto may not be the last chance for hurricane swell this season.

The National Hurricane Center is giving a system about 1,200 miles east of the Lesser Antilles a 90 percent chance of development over five days, but said a tropical depression could form by Wednesday.

Also being watched is a disorganized cluster of showers and thunderstorms in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. While it has just a 20 percent chance of development, it could still mean heavy rain along portions of Texas coast.

The next name on the 2019 storm list is Imelda, followed by Jerry.

kmiller@pbpost.com

@Kmillerweather

See original here:

Hurricane Humberto brings big waves, high seas and surfers to South Florida - Palm Beach Post