Category Archives: High Seas

SAN DIEGO Most happy couples have similar interests but separate hobbies. In this Zevely Zone, I set my sails for Point Loma where I discovered if you want to retire someday, you'd better make some plans.

"This is my model shop," said 77-year-old Al Powell. When he was a boy, he started building car models, but after a seven-year stint in the Navy, he graduated to the high seas. "The problem is I can't sit still," said Al.

As the decades passed shelves became shipyards for his model ships. He has a fascination with the sea and lines his walls with memories of white water. "It's a fleet submarine," Al said while pointing to a large model submarine in his garage. Al was a submariner in the Navy, so when a friend asked if he could find a place to dock this big boy. "I said, well, why not. I had the only car that could carry it home," laughed Al.

His car was also big enough to haul the essential wood, glue, and patience. "You get the plans, and you get a box of wood," said Al. He spent eight years crafting one masterpiece whaling ship that turned out to be his Moby Dick. "This is the overall drawing. It gets a little more detail and a little more detail, oh even more detail and eventually you end up with a finished model," said Al while me the designs.

If only, Al had could sail his ships to a beautiful beach. "My wife Helen has a sand collection. That is pretty astonishing," said Al. For that part of the story, we head to higher land. Al's collection is in the garage and Helen's collection is in the house.

"I started this probably 30 years ago. These are all sands from all over the world. This is from the Amazon river," said Helen. Five hundred samples in all. "It's a sickness, ha, ha," said Helen with a chuckle.

When you're married for 48 years, all your little quirks get put under a microscope. We started at the beautiful grains under a scope and took an up-close look at true love passing the sands of time in Point Loma.

"I don't watch football on TV or baseball or any of that," said Al. Helen and Al's advice for happy retirement? Find a hobby you love and never leave San Diego.

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Point Loma couple sails the sands of time and love - CBS News 8

King of Seas may not have quite gone down as well as Team17 and 3DClouds had hoped when it launched earlier in the year on console and PC, with some serious grind holding it back, but with the introduction of the new Monsters Update, seafaring adventurers at least have something in place to help keep things fresh.

Rolling out for all players on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Nintendo Switch and PC who already have access to King of Seas, the Monsters Update will bring forth new quests and creature encounters, along with amended (easier to complete) questlines, quality of life improvements and even mouse support for those on PC.

The new cargo is being offloaded into 3DClouds pirate action RPG today, giving players even more reason to head off on the high, procedurally generated, seas, as they work to clear their name and engage in some strategic naval combat. Why? Well, so they can become the true king of the high seas.

The thing is, the monsters of the deep are awake, and theyre hungry with the new update triggering and summoning mythical sea creatures including a Basilisk, Abyssal Fish, Cursed Golem, and Kraken for players to fight and loot.

The update also includes:

Full patch notes for the King of Seas Monsters Update can be found on Steam but this is rolling out to a format near you right now. Youll obviously need a copy of King of Seas to hand in order for it all to work.

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New Monsters Update makes waves in King of Seas - TheXboxHub

Ilkley Playhouse

IF you are looking to enjoy a bit of original theatre this weekend, then head to Ilkley Playhouse. On Friday and Saturday night National Theatre acclaimed actor William Ilkley returns to his home town of Ilkley to premiere Alexa Cry Me a Dance. In the play, Trevor journeys through the present dark, towards a distant light, with a curious companion, cementing the past to the present, and connecting memories of love and music as he dances with hope towards our new normal future. Trevor is an ordinary 60 year old man, living through extraordinary times. His story is one that every man can identify with. As he travels through the darkest dark, unexpectedly finding the brightest light, he treads the path of a time walker, with the belief that this too will pass if we can all walk and talk together, beyond the present, unafraid of a different and changed future. Although a modern tragedy, the play looks beyond the bleak, by spreading joy through the music, the dance and the humour, illustrating the resilience and hope of the human spirit.

Trevors journey is a tale of our time, performed as a one man show in the safe and intelligent hands of William Ilkley, who for three years played Arthur Narracott in the UK and World Tour of War Horse. His extensive career has now spanned forty years after starting out at Ilkley Grammar School and Ilkley Playhouse. Both performances will be followed by a Q&A with William.

In December the Wharfeside theatre will be transformed into the high seas when our Greenroom students storm the stage in our swashbuckling Christmas production Treasure Island. Written by Robert Louis Stevenson and adapted by Phil Willmott, this is the first adaptation of Treasure Island with both male and female performers. Expect a rollicking, timber-shivering production, including audience participation, swordfights, a little dance and some sea shanties. You can consider it a pantomime as much as a play and it will provide perfect family entertainment. The play runs from the 9th to the 18th December and includes two matinee performances and two socially distanced performances.

The Ilkley Playhouse annual Christmas fair returns on Saturday 4th December. Doors open at 9.30am and there will be mince pies, warming drinks, the opportunity to see friends, browse our Christmas stalls and enter our famous raffle. A highlight of the fair is the Greenroom performance: from 10am everyone is invited to the Wharfeside theatre to watch our talented Greenroom students perform seasonal sketches and individually prepared pieces of theatre.

Here is a date for your 2022 diary: the rescheduled Frost/Nixon opens in the Wharfeside theatre on Thursday 13th January. The play, first performed in 2006, is written by screenwriter and dramatist Peter Morgan, whose writing credits include The Queen, The Last King of Scotland and The Damned United. The play is based on the true story of how David Frost approached Nixons office to be given the exclusive right to interview the disgraced President Nixon in the wake of his resignation after Watergate. Whether you know anything about the Watergate scandal or the history of the Frost/Nixon TV interview, this play is a must-see, exposing the vanity of politics, corruption and power. Please note that there will be two socially distanced performances: Thursday 13th January (opening night) and Monday 17th January.

For details of all our plays and events and to book tickets visit http://www.ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or contact Ilkley Playhouse box office on 01943 609539.

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Original theatre at Ilkley Playhouse this weekend - Ilkley Gazette

After much buildup, the virtual summit between U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping finally occurred. Although the end result of the virtual face-to-face meeting hardly provided much fanfare, the main point of the sit down was nevertheless incredibly significant. These two represent the biggest economies in the world. Thus, this summit should have some implications for stocks to buy.

Overall, as CNN reported, the virtual summit between the two leaders saw no substantive policy on key issues such as climate, trade, the pandemic, or arms control. However, it did establish a dialogue that can be built on, potentially easing tensions and allowing for a return to a more constructive, stable relationship. Therefore, you shouldnt ignore what the meeting might mean for certain stocks to buy.

Furthermore, perhaps the most significant outcome from the summit was that the two countries have agreed to relax visa restrictions on each others journalists. It might be a small step but in a world where trust in media has declined precipitously particularly in the U.S. the willingness to foster open communications for the international press represents a substantive signal. And this, of course, has serious implications for media stocks to buy.

While this last meeting may not have sparked as many fireworks as previous diplomatic negotiations, that doesnt mean there werent any. As you might expect, Taiwan was a huge topic, an issue that has put the Biden administration on the hot seat. The president reiterated that Taiwan must choose its own path, which is a middle-of-the-ground position that the Chinese appear to be growing tired of. One things for sure: defense-related stocks to buy look interesting.

Finally, some of the wordings within the summit showed that the U.S. and China have much work to do. President Xi criticized the U.S. influence in Taiwan, stating [s]uch moves are extremely dangerous, just like playing with fire. The summit may have been a non-event to many but there was enough feistiness to warrant implications for these stocks to buy.

As with any narrative featuring stocks to buy, you want to be careful, particularly with betting on geopolitical events. If the novel coronavirus pandemic taught us anything, its that nothing is off the table of possibilities. Therefore, perform your due diligence before making the final decision.

Should the Biden-Xi virtual summit spark better relations with China, Comcast will be one of the clear beneficiaries among stocks to buy. Frankly, its all about the numbers. As Statista.com pointed out, the Chinese box office has now overtaken North America as the largest film market in the world.

Moreover, heres an interesting tidbit. While most cinemas remained closed around the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, movie theaters began to reopen in China from July 2020. If you think about it, China owns Hollywood. And with Hollywood itself reeling from the impact of the pandemic, Comcast cant afford to anger its Chinese overlords.

Furthermore, its important to point out that while the Covid-19 crisis may have accelerated the headwinds impacting the box office, the pandemic itself wasnt the original catalyst. Myriad factors have led to declining attendance at movie theaters, primarily the advent of streaming platforms and other at-home entertainment options.

In the nearer term, though, the loosening of restrictions for journalists will be a welcome headline for Comcast, considering its robust news media portfolio. Thus, CMCSA should be one of the winners among stocks to buy, although prospective investors should beware the equity units presently weak technical posture.

Another blue chip that would be among the top stocks to buy if relations between the U.S. and China normalize is Disney. The Magic Kingdom is no stranger to deftly negotiating the geopolitical landmine that is courting the billion-plus-strong Chinese audience without offending sensibilities at home. That at all came crashing to a head when Disney released its live-action version of Mulan last year.

In an op-ed, the Los Angeles Times described the movie as one of the most controversial of 2020. An uproar ensued when it was revealed that Disney filmed part of Mulan in Xinjiang, a region where China is believed to have detainedat least 1 million Muslims mostly ethnic Uighurs in internment camps.

To critics, the rollout of Mulan marks the latest example of Hollywoods hypocrisy and willingness to sacrifice values to do business in China. Ouch.

Recently, the New York Times mentioned some of the same talking points. However, it also mentioned an incontrovertible (though awfully inconvenient) truth. No overseas market is more important to Hollywood than China, which is poised to overtake the United States and Canada as the worlds No. 1 box office engine.

So, a cooling of tensions would do DIS stock plenty of good, making it one of the stocks to buy or at least monitor closely.

On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, shares of NYT stock are down almost 12%. To be fair, the company has enjoyed a fairly solid second half, with its trailing six-month performance registering a 9.3% return. But overall, the narrative hasnt been too hot for one of the worlds most popular news media agencies.

Much of the problem, in my view, stems from the timing of the news cycle. Last year, there was plenty of stuff to discuss, ranging from the early strike and societal fears of the coronavirus pandemic to the various controversies that former President Donald Trump and his administration found themselves in. The loss of the latter, though the Times probably wont admit it, was a huge loss.

Sure, the Times and its editorial staff were at odds with Trumps policies and ideologies in general. However, in a content-hungry media environment, the two represented strange bedfellows.

Still, statements from both U.S. and Chinese officials that each side have relaxed visa restrictions for journalists presents hope that the Times can provide compelling coverage on this most important geopolitical storyline. Even if relations remain fractured, that alone could provide years of material for NYT.

Admittedly, shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries is in a troubled spot at the moment. Over the trailing month, HII stock has dropped nearly 11%. Considering that the company is one of the vital cogs in the U.S. defense infrastructure, its not the most encouraging of signs.

Also, it must be stated that if the Biden-Xi virtual summit promotes a positive relationship between the two underlying countries and not just a temporary abstinence of harsh rhetoric then Huntington Ingalls could potentially continue its downward slide. But I dont necessarily see that happening, which is why investors ought to consider HII as one of the stocks to buy.

For one thing, dominance of the high seas has always been a top priority, not only for the U.S. Navy but for our broader foreign policy objectives. Irrespective of what may come from the virtual summit, Huntington Ingalls provides a critical service.

But factor in that China seeks to control economically vital sea lanes and you have an enticing (albeit cynical) catalyst for HII, one of the stocks to buy on this geopolitical narrative.

More than likely, a majority of you have not heard about IHI Corp, which isnt surprising at all. As an unsponsored American depositary receipt or an ADR issued without involvement nor consent of the associated foreign company IHICY stock carries significant risks that extend beyond the core fundamentals.

Also, IHICY as do probably most unsponsored ADRs trade over the counter. In addition to volume concerns, you may come across wide bid-ask spreads, among other inconveniences.

However, I mention IHI Corp as one of the stocks to buy to show you that U.S.-China relations dont just affect the stated countries but the rest of the world. Indeed, Reuters reported that Japan plans record spending for defense in light of the Chinese threat in the Asia-Pacific region. Furthermore, IHI, as the manufacturer of the Izumo-class helicopter destroyer, will play an increasingly important role under this narrative.

Now, the thing about the Izumo destroyers is that theyre flattops; thus, its always been possible to launch fighter jets like the F-35B, making them de-facto aircraft carriers. And thats exactly whats happening behind the scenes, creating an intriguing backdrop for IHICY stock.

When it comes to data breaches and concerns about cybersecurity, mainstream news outlets tend to focus on Russia. While not taking anything away from the threat that our longtime adversary poses, China more than holds its own in terms of keeping U.S. cybersecurity officials awake at night.

Of course, it would be wonderful if we could normalize relations between the top two economic powers of the world. And we could have some kind of truce through diplomatic means. At the same time, we must never forget that China has its own ambitions, rapidly transitioning from a mostly agrarian society to one thats a technological juggernaut.

Something tells me that its not going to stop peddling for our sake. Therefore, were going to need a counteracting cybersecurity infrastructure, which certainly bodes well for Palo Alto Networks.

One of the best stocks to buy in terms of sheer relevance, the geopolitical backdrop adds more intrigue to PANWs bullish thesis. No matter what happens in future presidential elections, mitigating the Chinese cyber threat will take priority. Also, potentially permanent or semi-permanent changes in the labor force regarding work-from-home initiatives will likely boost demand for PANW.

For Nike and other powerful retail brands, the death of American hegemony is a stark reminder that they must play under a new set of rules. Back generations ago, these firms only had to worry about distinctly American interests. For instance, if an organization made a social faux pas, it knows to whom to apologize.

With China becoming a supremely powerful play in global consumer economics, western brands must perform a delicate, if not outright contradictory dance. For instance, last year, several companies issued statements of concern regarding allegations of human rights abuses. Naturally, the Chinese were upset at the obvious insinuations of discrimination and shot back, calling for boycotts of popular retailers.

Well, one of the firms caught in the crossfire was Nike. Frankly, it was caught between a rock and a hard place. Forced labor and bigotry are hot-button issues in the U.S. that cannot go unaddressed. But demanding change from one of your biggest markets is also a financial no-no.

Logically, affected companies are hoping that another controversy wont spark. Normalized relations would go a long way, enough so to make NKE one of the stocks to buy.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare.

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7 Stocks to Buy On the Heels of the Biden-Xi Virtual China Summit - Investorplace.com

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Sailors have been circumnavigating the high seas for centuries now, but what could be found beneath the sunlit surface of the ocean remained a mystery until far more recently. In fact, it wasnt until 1875, during the Challenger expedition, that humanity got its first concrete idea of how deep the ocean actually was.

Todays graphic, another fantastic piece by xkcd, is a unique and entertaining look at everything from Lake Superiors ice encrusted shoreline down to blackest, inhospitable trench (which today bears the name of the expedition that first discovered it).

The graphic is packed with detail, so well only highlight a few points of interest.

Deep in Siberia, abutting a mountainous stretch of the Mongolian border, is the one of the most remarkable bodies of water on Earth: Lake Baikal. There are a number of qualities that make Lake Baikal stand out.

Depth: Baikal, located in a massive continental rift, is the deepest lake in the world at 1,642m (5,387ft). That extreme depth holds a lot of fresh water. In fact, an estimated 22% of all the worlds fresh water can be found in the lake.

Age: Baikal (which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is estimated to be over 25 million years old, making it the most ancient lake on the planet.

Clarity: Interestingly, the water in the lake is exceptionally clear. In winter, visibility can extend over 30m (98ft) below the surface.

Biodiversity: The unique ecosystem of Lake Baikal provides a home for thousands of plant and animal species. In fact, upwards of 80% of those species are endemic, meaning they are unique to that region.

Since 1964, a hard-working research submersible named Alvin has been helping us better understand the deep ocean. Alvin explored the wreckage of RMS Titanic in 1986, and helped confirm the existence of black smokers (one of the weirdest ecosystems in the world).

Though most of the components of the vessel have been replaced and upgraded over the years, its still in use today. In 2020, Alvin received an $8 million upgrade, and is now capable of exploring 99% of the ocean floor.

We know more about the surface of Venus than the bottom of the ocean. The potential for discovery is huge. Anna-Louise Reysenbach, Professor of Microbiology, PSU

The deepest point in the ocean is the Mariana Trench, at 11,034 meters (36,201 feet).

This trench is located in the Pacific Ocean, near Guam and the trenchs namesake, the Mariana Islands. While the trench is the most extreme example of ocean depths, when compared to surface level distance, its depth is shorter than Manhattan.

Obviously, the context of surface distance is wildly different than vertical distance, but it serves as a reminder of how narrow the explorable band of the Earths surface is.

The ancient Greek word, byssos, roughly means unfathomable, bottomless gulf. While there is a bottom (the abyssopelagic zone comprises around 75% of the ocean floor), the enormous scale of this ecosystem is certainly unfathomable.

Objectively, the abyssal plain is not the prettiest part of the ocean. Its nearly featureless, and lacks the panache of, say, a coral reef, but there are still some very compelling reasons were eager to explore it. Resource companies are chiefly interested in polymetallic nodules, which are essentially rich manganese formations scattered about on the sea bottom.

Manganese is already essential in steel production, but demand is also getting a substantial lift from the fast-growing electric vehicle market. The first company to find an economical way to harvest nodules from the ocean floor could reap a significant windfall.

Demand for resources can force humans into some very inhospitable places, and in the case of Deepwater Horizon, we chased oil to a depth even surpassing the famed Marianas Trench.

Drilling that far below the surface is a complicated endeavor, and when the drill platform was put into service in 2001, it was hailed as an engineering marvel. To this day, Deepwater Horizon holds the record for the deepest offshore hole ever made.

After the rigs infamous explosion and subsequent spill in 2010, that depth record for drilling may stand the test of time.

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Ranked: The 35 Vehicles With the Longest Production Runs - Visual Capitalist

The 25 images in Im With The Band II traverse local heroes, Nashville up-and-comers and even rock-legends Kiss. Its II because this is Mike Matthews second photography exhibit at Lowe Mill. The Huntsville native draws photog inspiration from the likes of Michelle Shiers and Gered Markowitz. Im With The Band II includes both black-and-white and color images. They were shot on a Canon 6D camera at locales like Huntsville recording studio Startlingly Fresh, a music-video set in Nashville and aboard a Kiss Kruise on the high seas.

Im With The Band II photo exhibit, through Jan. 8, First Floor West Gallery, Lowe Mill, 2211 Seminole Drive, no admission cost, lowemill.art/event-directory

Charise Watson is a talented vocal stylist operating in the jazzy R&B realm. At vibey al fresco venue The Camp, shell be backed by local combo J4Sound.

J4Sound featuring Charise Watson, 7 p.m. Nov. 19, The Camp, 59090 University Drive, free to attend, explorethecamp.com

What do the cosmos sound like? By translating data into sound, this Intuitive Planetarium event offers an audible voyage through nebula and planets. Trippy, dude.

Cocktails & Cosmos: Sounds of Space, 7 p.m. Nov. 19, U.S. Space & Rocket Center, 1 Tranquility Base, $15 ($10 for space center members), rocketcenter.com

Huntsville act Chris Garrison & The Blackbirds do Ryan Adams-style alt-country and folk, but without the Ryan Adams-style baggage. GBTBs 2020 album Carnival is full of sharp writing, singing and playing, as heard on standouts like Kill the Pain All You Are Is Love and Bridges.

Chris Garrison & the Blackbirds, 7 10 p.m. Nov. 19, Stovehouse, 3414 Governors Drive S.W., free to attend, stovehouse.com

Theres a quiet catharsis in putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and creating a poem, short story or other literary thingy. And theres a special energy in sharing those works in a room with others. Out Loud Huntsville is a local open-mic where you can do just that. All ages welcome.

Out Loud Huntsville Open Mic, 6 - 8 p.m. Nov. 19, Straight to Ale, Campus No. 805, 2610 Clinton Ave. N.W., free to attend, outloudhsv.com

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5 cool things to do in Huntsville this weekend, Nov. 19 - 21 - al.com

A new research expedition to the wreck of a ferry that sank in the Baltic Sea 27 years ago has not provided fresh evidence contradicting the official accident investigation report, the Estonian and Swedish accident investigation boards said on Tuesday.

In one of Europes deadliest peacetime maritime disasters, the MS Estonia, en route from Estonias capital, Tallinn, to Stockholm in Sweden, sank in heavy seas on 28 September 1994, killing 852 people, most of them Swedes and Estonians.

Only 137 people on board survived. The fate of the vessel has sparked several conspiracy theories, including that it collided with a submarine or that it was carrying sensitive military cargo that played a part in the sinking.

The 1997 official joint investigation by Estonia, Finland and Sweden concluded that the ferry sank when its bow door locks failed in a storm. That separated the bow door from the vessel, opening up the ramp to the car deck and causing extensive flooding of the decks, sinking the vessel in just 30 minutes from the initial distress call.

However, others questioned this amid increasing evidence that there was a large hole in the ferry.

Presenting the preliminary results of a dive by underwater robots in July, Rene Arikas, head of the Estonian safety investigation bureau, said the dive showed that the wreck did have a hole, about 22 metres long and four metres high. The wreck was resting on a slope on the seabed, and its original position had changed over the years because of changes in the seabed, making the hole and other damage more visible, he said.

Despite this, he emphasised, researchers have no evidence proving the official report on the sinking to be incorrect.

New underwater surveys are scheduled in March-April, when visibility is considered the best, Arikas said.

Jonas Backstrand, deputy director general of Swedens accident investigation board, said researchers were surprised to find the seabed wass substantially rocky, and this could well have been the reason for the hole. We dont know how this damage [to the vessel] occurred, Backstrand said, but it was likely it happened when the ferry fell on to the rocky seabed. More investigation was needed, he said.

A separate, privately funded expedition commissioned by relatives of the victims of the MS Estonia conducted a dive in September. Initial results are expected to be published early next year.

The wreck lies on the seabed about 80 metres (265ft) below the surface in international waters off a Finnish island, and is considered a graveyard, which gives the area protection under the law.

This headline has been updated to more accurately reflect the story

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1994 Baltic ferry disaster: new dive finds no evidence to back alternative theories - The Guardian

Operation Outdoor Freedom, a program run by the Florida Forest Service, mixes forest therapy with adventure therapy immersing wounded veterans in state forests to go camping, hunting, fishing, even participating in week-long cattle drives across the state peninsula. (Facebook)

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (Tribune News Service) In the last decade, there has been a surge in experimental therapy programs forUnited Statesveterans.

Emerging practices involve everything from psychedelic drug treatments and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy to trial medications and neurological treatments like Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB), which involves an injection to the neck. But of all these emerging forms of therapy, one has proved to be both timeless and consistently effective.

Its common name is outdoor or wilderness therapy, but other variations include forest therapy, adventure therapy, and even forest bathing. While these might sound simplistic compared to more cutting-edge treatments, an emerging body of research is now proving forest therapy to be not only successful, but accessible and appealing to veterans, as well.

Anybody whos been on a quiet morning walk through the woods can attest to the inherently calming nature of the outdoors. Trees, wooded lakes, mountain hikes, and forest streams all have a tendency to slow down our ever-racing minds and allow us to take a step into the present moment. AndJammie Schmunk, a certified forest therapy guide that operates out of theW.G. Jones State ForestinConroe, Texas, believes this effect could be helpful for both veterans and civilians alike. She describes this practice as both mindfulness and body-fulness.

What were doing in forest therapy is bringing all of our senses online, said Schmunk. When we awaken those, the mind slows down. We call it a slow walk through the forest because when we slow our body down, our mind will slow down as well.

Schmunk, along with many others, believes that this phenomenon is a key component to helping veterans as they transition out of the military and as they learn to live with the changes to their mind, body, and identity.

The evidence

While this kind of language might appear abstract, its actually grounded in a practice that began centuries ago and was formally recognized in 1982 Japan as shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. It has since been quantified by scientific research, including a hallmark study that measured physiological components of people before walking in the woods, and again afterwards.

The study covered 24 different forests aroundJapanwith twelve different subjects per forest, and a control group that walked through cities instead of woods. Cortisol levels (the stress hormone), blood pressure, pulse rate, and heart rate variability were measured before and after each session, and the results showed that forest environments promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity than do city environments.

These findings are particularly relevant to veterans, since a common symptom of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) is an elevated level of cortisol in the blood stream and an inflammation of the fight-or-flight response. The findings of greater parasympathetic nerve activity translate to an increase in the state of rest-and-digest, which is essentially the opposite of fight-or-flight and occurs only when the body is relaxed and calm. Meanwhile chronic stress, or prolonged exposure to cortisol, has been found to increase the risk of anxiety, depression, heart disease, weight gain, and memory/concentration impairment. Lowering those cortisol levels is an immediate way to alleviate many of those symptoms, and to combat PTS in veterans.

Subsequent studies have even found that walks in the woods trigger significant boosts in serotonin. Serotonin is the key hormone for stabilizing our mood and making us feel content and happy. It helps with sleeping, eating, and digestion, and its more permanent and longer lasting than dopamine. High levels of serotonin have generally been linked to feelings of overall well-being and happiness.

But beyond our own physiological response to forests, trees also clean the air and provide higher concentrations of oxygen for the brain, purifying the air that we breathe. Trees even release pheromoneswhich interact with their surroundings in ways we dont entirely understandand they put off a fragrance called phytoncide, which might even improve our immune systems.

The physical, mental, and social benefits of trees dont stop there. A full list of studies and potential benefits for veterans and civilians alike can be found at the Healthy Trees, Healthy Lives website:https://healthytreeshealthylives.org/

Adventure therapy

While this growing body of empirical evidence continues to support the effectiveness of forest and outdoor therapy, many organizations are taking a more kinetic approach to treating veterans via the outdoors. One example of this is by combining outdoor therapy with adventure activities, such as hiking, hunting, or skiing.

Stacy Bare an Iraq War Veteran, the former director of theSierra Club, a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, and the subject of a REIs short documentary Adventure Not War conceived the idea of returning to areas of conflict where he served, but for the purpose of adventure instead of combat and war.

Ten years after finishing his tour inIraq, Bare returned with a cadre of veterans to climb and ski the highest peak inIraq,Mount Halgurd. The idea was to experience stress, adrenaline, and euphoria all in the same place he had prior, but this time in a healthy, exciting way, in order to help balance the memories and trauma of his deployment toIraq.

I can look back now on the symptoms and challenges of post-traumatic stress, adjustment disorder, depression, and a mild traumatic brain injury, manifesting primarily as drug and alcohol abuse, said Bare at a TedX Talk in his hometown ofBrookings, S.D. So its no small statement to say that I was hooked, and later saved, by the outdoors.

Another example of adventure therapy followsTaylor Grieger, a former rescue swimmer and Navy veteran, who underwent a similar experience: sailing aroundCape Horn theMount Everestof Sailing in order to overcome and raise awareness about PTSD. His journey was documented in the feature film Hell or High Seas, and he has since gone on to help establishAmerican Odysseus Sailing Foundation, which takes veterans on sailing expeditions to provide a healthy outlet for their pent-up fight-or-flight response, and to blend that response with positive experiences like watching the sun rise over the ocean after a long storm.

Not every veteran is able or willing to climb the tallest mountain inIraq or navigate the sailors graveyard at the tip ofSouth America but other programs have emerged that serve as a moderate blend of adventure and outdoor therapy.

Operation Outdoor Freedom

Operation Outdoor Freedom, heralded by theFlorida Forest Service, is a prime example of a program that mixes time spent in forests and the outdoors with adventure activities such as hunting, archery, fishing, or even week-long cattle drives through the middle of the peninsula. Operation Outdoor Freedom is open to anyFloridaveteran with a service-connected disability rating of 30% or greater from theU.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

Operation Outdoor Freedom was founded in 2009 as a means to utilize public lands for the benefit of wounded veterans. During their first year, theFlorida Forest Servicepartnered with theWounded Warrior Project, and ever since they have been providing opportunities for disabled veterans to return to nature and to pick up an activity like hunting or fishing that they either havent done since their injury, or that they had never tried before.

It gives the veterans a certain sense of purpose, and it makes being outside more fun and exciting, saidEdgar Rodriguez, theVeterans AffairsDirector for theFlorida Agriculture Commissioners Office. With the adventure aspect, I wouldnt say its intense in any way. Its actually pretty relaxing.

Since its conception, Operation Outdoor Freedom has held over 700 events with 5,300 veterans served. The organization is also volunteer and donation driven, with most events taking place on state forests or public lands. The outcome has been overwhelmingly positive.

According toDavid Hunt, the state program coordinator of Operation Outdoor Freedom, the impetus for these events is the powerful bond that exists between foresters, wildland firefighters, and veterans. Veterans are often drawn to serve in state forestry agencies, and when theFlorida Forest Servicewas donated a tract of land in 2007, they decided to use it in a way that gives back to the men and women who have served our country.

Whether they are hunting, fishing, or sitting by the campfire, these experiences bring all generations of veterans together, said Hunt. Letting these veterans know that they can still enjoy the outdoors is an important part of learning how to live life after an injury.

While the recreation aspect empowers these veterans and gives them confidence in themselves and their abilities, the most impactful part of each event comes at night, during campfire time. According to Hunt and Rodriguez, there is no methodology or prompt to kick-start campfire time. Participants simply gather in a circle around a campfire after the days activities and start talking.

They definitely open up over the campfire times, said Rodriguez. And thats one of the reasons they really want to come back. They bond and they see it as a really positive experience.

Forest therapy

WhileAmerican Odysseus Sailing Foundation, Happy Grizzly Adventures, and Operation Outdoor Freedom are great examples of outdoor therapy, there is another option that is free and accessible to everybody: state forests. And according to forest therapy guideJammie Schmunk, veterans can reap the benefits of forest immersion in the same way as everybody else.

I have yet to see anybody go on a walk in the forest and then come out the same. It just doesnt happen, said Schmunk. And thats the point. Theres a place for every single one of us.

State forests

The mission statement ofTexas A&M Forest Serviceand many state forestry agencies is to conserve and protect the resources and lands of their state. ButTexas A&M Forest Serviceis also a steward ofTexaspublic lands, including five state forests and over 7,528 acres of land, all of which are free and open to the public. According toAl Davis, the Interim Director of Texas A&M Forest Service, their hope is that veterans will start utilizing those lands to find healing.

I think leveraging the forestry ofTexasis an initiative worth pursuing, said Davis, a retired colonel in theMarine Corps. And Im proud to share our state forests with any and all veterans looking for a restorative experience, or simply for a respite from their day-to-day lives.

Programs such as Operation Outdoor Freedom are paving the way for the utilization of public lands as recreational retreats, and individuals likeStacy BareandTaylor Griegerare helping revolutionize the field of veterans therapy. But there is a holistic beauty and simplicity to forest therapy that doesnt have any social requirements and doesnt require anything, really, other than a forest.

As the guide, I just open the doors, said Schmunk. The forest truly, truly is the therapist. And I believe that if we could just take a 10-minute walk each day in nature, wed live in a whole different world.

(c)2021 The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)

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Programs utilize the outdoors for veterans therapy - Stars and Stripes

With China flexing its muscle in the Indo-Pacific and acquiring the worlds largest navy, theres no denying that the most consequential strategic battles of this century will play out on the high seas. This means that India needs to reorient its military which has traditionally been focussed on land-based forces to boost its naval prowess. Against this backdrop, its welcome that the Indian navy aims to become a 170-warship force from its current strength of 130 warships over the next decade. This is absolutely crucial to protect Indias maritime boundaries and cultivate force projection capabilities to counter Chinas aggressive tactics exploiting Beijings Malacca Strait Achilles heel depends on it.

However, the pace of Indias naval modernisation leaves a lot to be desired. The initial plan was for a 200-plus naval force, including both warships and submarines. This was scaled down to 170 warships by 2027. The new plan extends that time by at least another five years. In contrast, China already has 355 warships including at least 50 conventional and 10 nuclear submarines. India currently has just one nuclear-powered submarine with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, the INS Arihant. Therefore, the question is if Indias pace and scope of naval modernisation are enough.

Considering that China is estimated to acquire 460 warships by 2030 and now poses a collusive threat with Pakistan to whom it recently transferred its largest and most advanced warship India cant afford to lag behind. True, the target of 170 warships for the Indian navy seems doable given that 39 naval ships and submarines are already under construction in various Indian shipyards. Additionally, two more of our warships are under construction in Russia. But the time taken from contract signing to commissioning of warships is still 8-10 years. This time frame needs to be drastically cut along with faster approvals and enhanced budgetary allocation for the navy. The strategic parts of Asia are seascapes. India must strengthen its sea-legs.

This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.

END OF ARTICLE

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Naval ambition: Plan to add 40 ships in 10 years is doable only if current practices on shipbuilding are chang - The Times of India Blog

11/20/2021 at 11:35 CET

LOM

The civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organization that introduced hashish by the shores of Malaga, an operation called Kroll in which they have been arrested and brought to justice 20 people and investigated 13 others.

According to the Benemrita in a press release, the operation began in March when they identified several people of Cuban nationality that provided fuel to drug traffickers, known as petaqueros.

Agents discover that the organization refuels the powerful boats RIBs that cross the Strait of Gibraltar. After some time carrying out refueling, the organization manages to obtain liquidity to carry out operations and thus introduce hashish on the coast by recreational boats.

The way of proceeding was such that recreational boats that are warmed with double bottoms they load the bales brought by the semi-rigid boats into the high seas from Morocco. Once the transshipment has been carried out, they are transported to the marinas in the province of Malaga or to a beach where they unload the bales of hashish.

The organization was run by a Spanish citizen with numerous drug trafficking records, his lieutenant being a Cuban citizen. The branch led by his lieutenant also occupied luxury homes.

Thus, the OCON Sur researchers find that those identified lived in luxury villas on the Costa del Sol. As they know, they normally occupied houses of foreign residents that were exchanged in such a way that they never left the residences empty.

On the other hand, the organization was also made up of natives of the area with which they achieved an exhaustive control of the places they used to pack hashish.

The eight searches authorized by the Court of First Instance of Instruction number 4 of Estepona (Malaga) have been carried out in the towns of Marbella and Estepona in Malaga, and San Roque and La Lnea de la Concepcin in Cdiz.

Operation Kroll concludes with the arrest of 20 people and 13 investigated. In addition, 900 kilograms of hashish, three off-road vehicles, four boats, as well as 2,275 liters of fuel for narcolanchas have been seized.

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Up to 20 detainees from a network that introduced hashish along the coast of Malaga - Central Valley Business Journal