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crimemagazine · 3 years

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The Otaku Murderer

Tsumoto Miyazaki. There's a chance you have never even heard that name before, so who is he? Despite the fact that Miyazaki grew up to be one of Japan's most sadistic killers, he started out as an insecure, quiet child.

In august of 1962. Tsumoto Miyazaki was born prematurely with a birth defect that kept him from bending his wrist completely. Due to the defect, he spent most of his childhood alone and was often bullied by others.

Even though he was not a social student he was a successful one, ranking in the top 10 of his class. Going into high school he had hopes of becoming a teacher, but his dreams were not met. His grades began declining. He went for being in the top 10 of his class all the way down to 40th. The reason for his grades declining stays unclear.

The Miyazaki family was well known in the Itsukaichi district of Tokyo. His father owned a newspaper. Tsumoto was supposed to take over after his father retired but he showed no interest in doing so.

Miyazaki became convinced that his family only cared about his financial and material success. “If I tried to talk to my parents about my problems, they’d just brush me off,” claimed Miyazaki. He felt that his younger sisters despised him but he was fairly close with his older sister.

The only person in his family that he didn’t despise was his grandfather. Miyazaki considered him to be the only person that cared about his personal interests.

In college Miyazaki’s strangeness deepened severely. He took ‘crotch shots” of young women on the tennis courts. He looked through pornographic magazines but soon became bored with those as well. He stated that they “black out the most important part.” In 1984 he began looking at child pornography which wasn’t yet illegal in Japan.

Then in 1988, What experts now believe was the turning point for Miyazaki, his grandfather suddenly passed away. Family members saw a momentous change in him immediately after. The said that he was caught spying on his little sister while they showered and even attacked his mother at some point.

Miyazaki admitted himself that after his grandfather was cremated, he ate some of the ashes so that he could “feel closer too” his grandfather.

Despite all this, the worst was yet to come.

One day after his birthday in August of 1988, Miyazaki kidnapped four-year-old Mari Konno. According to Miyazaki, he simply approached her outside, led her back to his car, then drove off. He then drove to a wooded area and parked the car under a bridge. He waited in the car for half an hour and then murdered her. He then proceeded to remove her clothes and rape her corpse. He left her naked body in the woods and took her clothes home with him. For several weeks he let the body decompose in the woods, checking on it occasionally. Eventually, he removed her hands and feet and kept them in his closet at home. He then called her parents. He didn’t speak, but only breathed heavily into the phone. He then sent the little girl’s family a box that contained a photo of the outfit Mari had been wearing when she disappeared, several small teeth, and a postcard with a message, "Mari. Cremated. Bones. Investigate. Prove.”

In October of 1988, Miyazaki kidnapped a second little girl. This victim was seven-year-old Masami Yoshizawa. He spotted her walking home, and offered her a ride. But the little girl never made it home, instead she was driven into the woods, where she was murdered, her corpse raped, and left naked in the woods just like the first victim.

Within the next eight months, Miyazaki would escalate as two more children would go missing both young girls, and both in the same manner as the first two.

Four-year-old Erika Namba was soon kidnapped, like Yoshizawa, while walking home along the road. However, this time Miyazaki forced her into the car, and made her take off her own clothes in the back seat. Miyazaki took pictures of her, murdered her, and then tied her hands and feet. Rather than leave her body at the murder scene, he put her in the trunk of his car under a bedsheet. Then, he dumped her body in a parking lot and her clothes nearby in a wooded area. Like Mari Konno’s family, Erika Namba’s family also received a disturbing note. It read: “Erika. Cold. Cough. Throat. Rest. Death.”

Although this is very disturbing Miyazaki was far from done. His last victim was the most disturbing of them all.

Miyazaki abducted five-year-old Ayako Nomoto in June of 1989. He convinced her to let him take photos of her, then murdered her and took her body home, rather than dumping it in the woods as he’d done before. At home, he spent two days sexually abusing the little girl's body, photographing her and masturbating, as well as dismembering the body, and drinking the little girl’s blood. He even ate part of her hands and feet. As soon as she began to decompose, Miyazaki dismembered the rest of her body and deposited the parts in various locations around Tokyo, including a cemetery, a public restroom, and nearby woods. However, he began to fear that the police would find the parts in the cemetery and two weeks later he returned to retrieve them. After that, he kept the body at his home in his closet.

Miyazaki was finally caught as he was attempting his fifth kidnapping. In July of 1989, Miyazaki spotted two sisters playing in their yard. He managed to separate the youngest one from her older sister and lured her to his car. The older sister ran to get her father, who arrived to find Miyazaki taking photos of his daughter in the car. The father attacked Miyazaki, and got his daughter out of the car but was unable to subdue Miyazaki, who fled on foot. When Miyazaki came back for his car, police captured and arrested him.

After arresting him, they conducted a search of his car and apartment, which turned up incredibly disturbing evidence. In Miyazaki’s apartment police found over 5,000 videotapes, some of anime and slasher films, and some homemade videos of himself abusing the girl's bodies. They also found photographs of his other victims and pieces of their clothing. And, of course, they discovered the body of his fourth victim, decomposing in his bedroom closet, her hands missing.

Throughout his trial, Miyazaki remained incredibly calm. Reporters noted that he was almost undaunted about his arrest and entirely unaffected by the things he had done or the fate he was facing. He answered questions calmly, and appeared almost rational in his thinking, even though he had committed senseless, horrifying crimes. When Miyazaki was asked about his crimes, he blamed them on “Rat-Man,” an alter-ego who lived inside him and forced him to do terrible things.

Psychoanalysts who examined Miyazaki during the trial pinpointed his lack of connection with his parents as an early sign of his disturbance. They also noted that since he had no connection with his family, he had instead turned to a fantasy world, including manga and slasher films, to give him solace. Meanwhile, his parents publicly disowned him and his father refused to pay for his son’s legal fees. His father would later commit suicide in 1994.

After his 7-year trial the courts eventually found Miyazaki guilty, and eligible for the death penalty. In 2008, his sentence was carried out and Tsutomu Miyazaki, the Otaku killer, finally answered for the terrible crimes he committed. He was hanged.

#crime #otakumurderer #killer #japan #tokyo #true crime #little girl killer

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anna-justice · 4 years

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Lost or Found - 7

Summary: As Jay, Hailey, Kim, Adam and Kevin start their junior year in the wake of a tragic summer, the past year of their lives comes back to haunt them. If you enjoyed Pretty Little Liars, this is for you! *UPSTEAD/BURZEK High School AU

...

7 - What Hurts the Most ...

Within seconds, a missing persons case turned to homicide, leaving Hailey sitting at her kitchen table in shock. “What?” She stuttered, her aunt and uncle gave her sympathetic looks.

“We wanted you to hear it from us and not the news.” Trudy explained.

“She’s dead?” Hailey wasn’t sure where reality ended and her imagination began. She had been thinking of theories to explain her disappearance for weeks now, who could have done it, whether or not she was in hiding, even thinking that it was maybe her all along. But never during any of it did she think that Erin was actually dead. “How do they know?” Her voice was quiet, she didn’t recognize herself talking.

Randall sighed, “I don’t have all the information, but from what I heard, they said that the body had been decomposing for a while now. The only way they know it’s her is by an already existing fracture in her left wrist and the fact that the bracelet she was wearing said “Erin” on it.”

“We think you should stay home today, there is no telling who will try to talk to you about all of this.” Hailey nodded, her gaze never lifting above her hands. She wracked her brain for any alternate reality, that this was all a set up and Erin was making the biggest show of her life, but all she could find was worry. Jay. She needed to talk to Jay.

She excused herself from the table and mindlessly headed for the stairs. She pressed the contact and then the call button, he answered on the first ring.

“Hi.” She said when she heard the line click.

“Can I come over?” She could hear the pain in his voice.

“Of course. I’ll see you in a few minutes.” He hung up without answering and a few minutes later Hailey was answering the front door.

She had never seen him like this. He was swearing sweats and a long sleeve t-shirt, his eyes were bloodshot and Hailey found herself wondering how he got there in one piece. When their gaze met he broke again and Hailey rushed out the door wrapped her arms tightly around him, holding on for dear life.

It was raining, of course it was, the sound of raindrops hitting the awning above them was white noise. Jay had buried his face in her neck, which to all outside parties, looked extremely uncomfortable given the height difference, but Jay was the most relaxed he had been since he heard what had happened.

Hailey eventually convinced him to come inside, earning sad looks from Trudy and Randall as she attempted to get him up the stairs. Unlike Hailey, they had known Jay since he was a little boy and watching him in this much pain along with their niece was heartbreaking.

A little later, Jay sat on the edge of her bed, Erin’s phone in his hands. “She’s dead Hailey.” He said, saying his first words since he arrived. “What is all of this for if she’s dead?”

Hailey took the phone from him gently, placing it on her night stand. She took a seat next to sit, “I honestly have no idea.” Hailey snuck a glance at him, looking for any signs of him falling apart again. “Are you going to be okay while I change my clothes?”

Jay nodded slowly and Hailey jumped up to change, heading into her attached bathroom. She wiped a stray tear from her cheek. She couldn’t break down right now, she could do that later, right now he needed her.

When she exited her bathroom in leggings and an oversized shirt, she found Jay sound asleep on top of her comforter. She sighed and grabbed the extra blanket she kept for cold nights, throwing it over him. Suddenly, Erin’s phone buzzed on her nightstand.

Blocked ID: Don’t believe everything you see on TV, real life is a lot more complicated.

Hailey turned the phone all the way off and put it in the drawer. They needed a stalker free day. She cautiously laid down next to Jay, keeping a safe distance and let sleep consume her once again.

…

Adam saw it on the morning news, and as soon as he did he bolted out his front door. He hadn’t heard from Kim yet and he was hoping he could beat the news there. He knocked frantically on the front door, only to be met with Mrs. Burgess’ sad eyes.

She gave Adam a kind smile before nodding towards the stairs, giving him the okay to go find Kim. He could hear her sobs before he even made it to her room. He pushed the door open, “Baby?” Kim was sitting on her floor, back against her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. She didn’t even look up at him. Adam sprang into action, he sat down in front of her, placing his hand over hers. Kim cried harder, she had someone there to rely on.

They stayed there for what seemed like forever, Kim wrapped in Adam’s arms, he even shed a few tears. When she had finally cried herself out, she reluctantly pulled away. “I thought we were going to get her back.”

“I know.” Adam said.

Kim took in a shaky breath. “What do we do?”

Adam was usually the guy with all the answers, but at this moment he had no idea what to say. He didn’t know how to comfort his girlfriend, he didn’t know how to make it better or how to make it hurt less. It wasn’t a secret that he wasn’t the biggest fan of Erin, he thought she was controlling power hungry. Two of the most important people in his life let their entire world revolve around her.

Sure, she had her moments, but the majority of the time she was guilting Jay about something or having Kim tag along on her torch trips. It was like Erin was a bright, massive star that was mistaken for the sun, but it wasn’t. So, instead of getting warmth and life, eventually she left you cold and dead inside.

“I don’t know,” he said honestly.

Somehow, he got her off the floor and onto her bed. “Are we going to be okay?”

Adam wanted to tell her what she wanted to hear, that it was all over and they were safe. But he couldn’t, because Erin was dead and whoever killed her was still out there, and they were coming after them next.

…

The next few days were absolute agony. There was a small service, burying a inhabited casket this time. They had all decided to stay home for a few days, none of them were feeling particularly studios. Hailey had reluctantly given Jay the phone back that night, and it had been silent ever since then.

The gang had decided to get together away from the prying eyes of their parents, which is why they found themselves sitting in the middle of an elementary school playground in the middle of the night. And unfortunately, without any alcohol.

It had been a laid back night, there was no talk of any stalkers or murderers, and the only words spoken about Erin were fond memories. “I remember this one time freshman year, it was right after we started dating, she insisted that we go to one of those movies in the park, but it was like November so it was freezing!” Jay explained, a smile gracing everyone’s faces. “My mom drove us because she was afraid of Hank scaring me. And then later we were awkward cuddling watching some stupid movie and me getting cocky, I go in for the kiss and then someone coughs behind us. Of course it’s Hank, and I freeze, but do you know what she does? She kisses me!” They all laugh loudly, “I have never been so scared in my life.”

The harsh reality of the situation sets in too quickly, because she was gone and now, he had been way more terrified than he was that night. “I wish I could’ve gotten to know her longer.” Hailey says, breaking the silence. It was true, she and Erin were not that close, but they never really got the chance to be. This whole situation was really awkward for her, she had known Erin, so she felt the loss, but she wasn’t feeling it like any of them.

“Me too,” Kim said, giving her a kind smile.

The night proved to be too good to be true and not five minutes laters, Erin’s phone buzzed.

Blocked ID: Did you miss me? It’s the mystery’s turn to be a little less mysterious, spill the beans on why you really came here. It’s time to mourn Hailey’s secrets.

Hailey’s eyes went wide. “Hailey, what do they mean?” Kim asked.

Hailey could feel her heart ready to leap out of her chest. This could not be happening, she never wanted any of them to know. “Um,” She stuttered, trying to formulate a lie. But it was pointless, she didn’t have a choice.

“Hailey?” She felt her eyes flood with tears, she couldn't bring herself to meet his gaze.

“I-I didn’t want to tell you guys this.” She rushed out, lifting her eyes and letting them shift over the four people in front of her. “Erin was the only one that knew.” A lone tear rolled down her cheek. “I didn’t move here for a change of pace.”

Kevin nodded, “I figured you would have left if you could have, after what happened.”

Hailey sighed, she might as well start at the beginning. “My dad is not a good guy and after both of my brothers left he got way worse. He would hit my mom and then he started throwing me around to get a rise out of Andrew, he’s 21 now.” Jay sucked in a breath and Kim covered her mouth with her hand, Adam’s arm tightening around her. “After he left, Nick tried to fill his shoes and protect mom and I guess me, and it worked for a while but…” She swallowed hard, fighting back the tears. “He graduated and went off to college and I can’t blame him for wanting to get out of that hell hole. But it was like there was years of pent up aggression because of them and one night my dad just snapped.” She couldn’t hold it back anymore as she relived the worst time of her life. “For months it was just a slap every once and a while or screaming matches, but my dad got really drunk and came home convinced that my mom was cheating on him.” Hailey took a few deep breaths, completely oblivious to Jay’s jaw clenching so hard that it was threatening to break. “I jumped in front of her and he-he put me in the hospital.” She was sobbing, and Kim launched herself out of Adam’s embrace and pulled Hailey into her.

“I’m so sorry Hailey.” She said into her ear as she cried.

Hailey pulled away, suddenly very aware that everyone was staring at her in disbelief. “Uh, after that, my mom sent me here to live with her sister.”

“Did she press charges? Did you talk to the police?” Jay questioned, snapping out of his daze. He was angry, too angry for Hailey’s liking.

Hailey stepped back into Kim. “N-No, she’s still with him.”

“What?” Jay yelled.

Kevin placed a hand on his back, “Jay, man, chill, she’s okay--”

“No!” He spat, shrugging off his arm. “She’s not okay!” He gestured to Hailey, waving his arms mindlessly through the air.

“Jay!” Adam shouted, trying to get his best friend’s attention.

Hailey could feel her breathing speed up, she was panicking and she knew what that meant. “I-I’m sorry, I sh-shouldn’t have, I-I--” She took off running towards where they had parked their cars.

“Hailey!” Kim called after her but she didn’t stop.

It was hard to breathe and it wasn’t from the running. She bent over the hood of Adam’s car, praying to anything to make it all stop. Her lungs burned, her chest hurt and she could barely see through the wall of tears. She wanted to come here and never have to think about that night again, but now the few people that she never wanted to tell, knew. And they were already giving her the sad eyes and the pity looks and she wanted to erase all of it.

A hand touched her shoulder and she shoved it away, screaming as she jumped back. When she recovered enough from the scare to look up she was met with Jay’s glossy eyes. He looked sad, hurt even, she had been afraid of him. She hadn’t flinched or screamed like that in months and his face gave away that he probably knew that. “Hailey, I’m sorry.” He said, his voice breaking off at the end.

Hailey wiped her hands over her eyes and snifiled, trying to get herself together. “Kev, will you take me home please?” She asked, walking past him.

“Hailey.” Jay said again and the pain in his voice felt like a knife to the chest, but she couldn’t face him right now.

She got in Kevin’s car without looking back, knowing that if she looked at him she would fall apart all over again. The ride home was silent and long, the only words they exchanged were a simple “goodnight,” as she got out.

Hailey stood in her bathroom, staring at the shell of a girl looking back at her. She imagined the bruises that once stained her tan skin, the tears began to fall again, but this time she had no one to judge her. She slid down the wall behind her, burying her face in her knees and for the first time since Erin’s funeral, she felt completely alone.

#jay halstead #hailey upton #upstead #upstead au #kim burgess #adam ruzek #burzek #burzek au #kevin atwater #erin lindsay #hank voight #trudy platt #randall mcholland #chicago pd #chicago pd au #one chicago

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ltwilliammowett · 5 years

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Wreck of the swedish Mars 1564

May I introduce ? this is the flagship of the Swedish Navy under King Erik XIV, the Mars Makalös (the flawless, sometimes also called the Jutehattars, Danish hater) from 1563.

It was part of a major armament campaign initiated by Erik to gain the final upper hand in the Baltic Sea and to force the countries, northern Germany, Denmark and the rest of Western Europe in their places.

Ship type, rigging and crew

She was built between 1561 and 1563 in Birkenes. Her master builder was Holger Ohlsson, a master shipbuilder from Stockholm. What kind of ship she exactly is not yet aware of, it seems to be suspected to be a mixture of Carrack and Caravel. Possibly it is an early galleon, a ship-of-the-line. She was 50 m long, about 13-15 wide and weighed about 1,800 tons. A ship of Mars size during this time may well have had four masts. On a copper plate showing the Mar´s downfall the ship has four masts. Possibly the Mars was one of the first vessels in Sweden who were fitted with a third sail, the “upper topsail” .

This is different from the few years older Elephant which only had two sails on the same mast. Mars may have had five or seven crow´s nest. The crew of Mars amounted to about 670 persons, of whom about 350 were boatmen and the other for the most part soldiers. Most of the sailors and soldiers were enlisted. On board the ship was also the admiral, the old trustworthy Jacob Bagge.

A drawing of the Mars by Jacob Hägg, 1909

Armament

Armament could vary significantly from year to year, depending on availability and needs. Cannons were called simply called “shooter” and the different types went under a series of names, such kartoger , slangor (snakes) and falconets. Of these there were also classes, three forth kartoger, half kartoger and so on.

On Mars’ starboard side, the hull lists towards the seabed. Cannons still point out through their portholes.

Mars was almost exclusively armed with muzzle-loading bronze cannons, but they also had rapid-fire, but less powerful breechloader iron guns on board. There are various data on the number of guns in Mars, one source tells 173 and another 107 pieces, including:

2 pieces of 48-pounder 2 pieces of 36-pounder 9 pieces of 24-pounder 10 pieces of 12-pounder 4 pieces of 9-pounder 20 pieces of 6-pounder 6 pieces of 3-pounder 4 pieces of stone boxes 50 Falkoner / falconets (light cannon)

The guns where cast in Stockholm, but also in Kalmar. Cannon carriages are manufactured at Norrmalm, Stockholm and Kalmar. On the English ship Mary Rose 1545, the big bronze cannons had “four roll boxes”, ie, carriages with four wheels. Iron / chamber guns were in carriages with two wheels. On board the Mars, there were 53 “boxes” (carriages) of unknown type. The building accounts of the ship Elephant from the same period mentioned installation of the “byssebänkar” (shooting benches) which may have meant guns without wheeled carriages.

Cannon still sits in its carriage. To the right are rolls of lead, stacked. The lead was used for hull repairs but also for casting ammunition for muskets and small caliber cannons.

Ammunition

There were a variety of ammunition types on board in addition to round balls. Chain shots where used to destroy the rig. The latter could also be used against the crew which also could face heavy hail from so-called scrap shots or canister shots. They also used the “fireworks”, incendiary grenades, and fire-balls (container filled with flammable material).

Cannon ball made of stone most likely used in back-loaded iron cannons

Small arms

To fight the enemy before boarding, in addition to shooting scrap shots they made use of crossbows, bows, hook guns and muskets. For close combat axes and short spikes where the weapon of choice. There were different types of gunpowder, a faster burning “krönekrut” for muskets and a slower burning gunpowder for the cannons.

Nordic Seven Years’ War

Not much is known about Mars over the period immediately after its completion, and it has only had a short period of service. Its most important historical event was a battle in the Baltic Sea during the Three-Crown War, also known as the Nordic Seven Years’ War. During this conflict, the Kingdom of Denmark stood on one side, forming an alliance with the Hanseatic city of Lübeck and the Kingdom of Poland, and the Kingdom of Sweden on the other.

Sieg der Lübecker über die Schweden in der Seeschlacht bei Gotland am 31. Mai 1564/ Victory of the Lübeckers over the Swedes in the naval battle near Gotland on 31 May 1564 by Hans Bordt 1901 a wall painting on the wall of the red room , Lübecker city hall

On 30 May 1564, a two-day battle between the two conflicting parties took place in the Baltic Sea between the islands of Öland and Gotland. 16 Danish large ships led by Admiral Herluf Trolle and 10 Lübeck large ships led by Admiral Friedrich Knebel faced 16 Swedish large ships commanded by Admiral Jakob Bagge. On the first day the Swedish ships could inflict damage on their opponents after short but fierce battles. With nightfall the battle was interrupted and only continued the next day. When the wind changed on the second day, the Swedish ships had to retreat one after the other because of the unfavourable winds for them - only Mars continued fighting alone and was surrounded by the Allied supremacy. Mars nevertheless succeeded in sinking a Lübeck ship and damaging several Danish ships. The Lübeck Chronicle reports that the numerically superior allies succeeded in disabling Mars’ rudder by gunfire. However, it was found undamaged on the seabed.

Battle of Öland 30 May 1564 by unknown artist

In the course of the following exchange of blows, the crew of Lübeck’s flagship Der Engel/ The Angel, led by Admiral Friedrich Knebel, applied Mars together with the ships Byens Løffue (Denmark) and the Lübeck Fuchs / Fox. In a very hard battle the crews succeeded in approaching Mars in such a way that it could be boarded. During the boarding the Swedish ship caught fire, which spread quickly. The Lübecker managed to capture the commander-in-chief of the Swedish fleet, Admiral Jakob Bagge, and his second-in-command Arvid Trolle. Finally, Mars exploded a short time later, when the Lübecker plundered the ship’s magazine. 880 Swedes, Danes and Lübeckers were on the ship at that time. A large part of it drowned or became victim of the flames and/or the explosion pressure wave or flying explosion debris. Friedrich Knebel later reported to his superiors that “500 were killed, 100 were captured”. Jacob Bagge was imprisoned in Copenhagen and was released several years after the war. Mars finally sank to a depth of 75 m on 31 May 1564.

Finding the wreck

On 19 August 2011 it became known that the wreck of Mars was found by a team of divers at a depth of 75 metres, about 18.5 kilometres north of Öland. The archaeologists hope to find well-preserved artefacts and many new findings about the ship. The cold, low-oxygen water of the Baltic Sea offers ideal conditions for the conservation of the 400-year-old ship - especially as the wood-decomposing shipworm does not occur here either.

The Mars is very intact, in fact all of the wood is still there. Cut marks from carpenters axes can still be seen and traces of white paint. The explosion and the test of time have caused her to partly collapse. The port hull side remains almost completely intact with rows of cannon ports. The wreckage sticks up some 11m from the bottom at its highest point. In the stern divers can swim into the wreck in an area that may have been the admiral’s quarters.

The starboard side of the ship has collapsed outwards revealing her insides. Cannons too many to count litter the wreck site along with numerous other objects.The wreck site is large, there are object as far as 150m from the wreck. Probably thrown there by the explosion. The historical accounts tell of the main mast shooting up like an arrow. To the east of the wreck site there is mast like remains. They have not yet been investigated. To date less than a handful dives have been done on the Mars. Much remains to be discovered. The Mars is sure to hold many surprises in the future.

youtube

A small video to see her and a bit of her history made by National Geographic

(Sources: National Geographic 2017, X-RAY Magazine No.59 2014 and MARIS research institute at Södertörn University, Deep Sea Production, Marin Mätteknik, Swedish National Defence College, The Maritime Museum, The Vasa Museum, Center for Maritime Studies at Southampton University, Kalmar County Museum)

#naval history #swedish warship Mars #16th century #article #long post #age of sail #battle of öland 1564

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yasbxxgie · 3 years

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In college, I drove a little electric truck around campus and picked up bins of fruit and vegetable waste, plant clippings, and coffee grounds, and hauled them to a 50-foot long, 5-foot-tall compost pile at the student farm. Although we asked that our pick-up sites didn’t put any post-consumer waste in the bins, “compostable” plates, cups, and bags inevitably found their way to our pile. And when they did, I’d pull them out and throw them in the trash.

That’s the problem with labels like “biodegradable” or “compostable.” These products—typically made from plant sources, often corn—biodegrade eventually, meaning that microbes and other organisms break the materials down into soil. But the environment the products are disposed in matters. As the banana peels and straw morphed into crumbly compost, the “compostable” bags and “biodegradable” cups hung around, full intact. They would have decayed if they were sent to a large-scale, industrial recycler, where workers manage the conditions and chemistry of materials, ensuring the frenzied action of millions of microbes capable of breaking down these tough materials. But here? Not for years, if at all.

On Sunday, scientists at the University of Plymouth published a study highlighting the problem of confusing labelling. The researchers tested the degradability of several bioplastic bags—with labels like biodegradable and compostable—and conventional high-density polyethylene (read: plastic) bags in soil, outdoor air, and marine water. After three years in water and soil, all but the compostable bag were still able to tote a load of groceries. It was still around after 27 months underground, but easily tore apart.

“In day-to-day living, [these labels are] misleading,” says Imogen Napper, lead author and marine scientist. While the products are intended for an industrial composter, that’s not where most of them are going. Napper argues consumers are misled by the labels into thinking that the products do readily decay in natural environments like the ones she tested, when the reality is that the timeline from product to soil can be many years. “When it says biodegradable or compostable, what’s the time frame that you think of for a product in the natural environment?” she says. “For me, it would be days to months. As soon as you start to say two years to three years, does that have any meaningful advantage to the environment? I'd argue not.”

Headlines about the study have echoed that sentiment, such as Vice's "Biodegradable Plastic Bags Aren't Better For The Environment." Most of the reports focused on the fact that the biodegradable bags could still carry groceries after three years underground. But, as alarming as that finding is, the reality is a bit more complex.

It starts with the difference between labels. In theory, “biodegradable” and “compostable” should mean the same thing—that organisms in the soil can break down a product. But the truth is that “biodegradable” gives you the same amount of information as the label “natural” on a food item does, says Kate Bailey, policy and research director at Eco-Cycle, a nonprofit recycling organization. Biodegradable simply means that at some unspecified time in the future—months, years, decades, who knows!—the product will break down.

To continue the food analogy, the term “compostable” is more like “organic,” in that regulators are trying to ensure it meets certain standards, though what exactly those standards are is still a work-in-progress. When a product carries the label of “certified compostable,” that means when you send it to an industrial facility, it becomes compost in about the same amount of time as other things in the pile like food waste and yard clippings—usually between 90 and 180 days. There are a few third-party verifications of this, including one by the ASTM International, an organization that develops standards for thousands of products and services. “We are definitely seeing some movement toward ‘this [label] needs to mean something,’ and it can’t just be getting thrown out there and confusing consumers,” says Bailey.

But biodegradable remains a stress-inducing word for composters, Bailey adds. “There’s a lot of concern about the labelling,” she adds. “Composters want it to be certified compostable—biodegradable doesn’t work for them.” Really, biodegradable is just another greenwashed phrase, one companies use to make us feel good about a pricey purchase, even though its environmental benefit isn’t actually clear.

Some agencies are taking action. The Federal Trade Commision in its most recent "Green Guides" says that "degradable claims" need to backed up by "competent and reliable scientific evidence that the entire item will completely... decompose into elements found in nature within a reasonably short period of time after customary disposal." California is also cracking down on decomposition deception. The state has banned sales of products marketed as "biodegradable", "compostable," etc. unless they have evidence to prove it. The Golden State has a $1.5 million settlement coming its way after district attorneys sued Amazon for selling products with misleading labels, including "biodegradable."

By now, you might be questioning the little green bags you use to line the compost bin on your kitchen counter or the eco-friendly foodware at your office, wondering if it’s all a waste of money. If your city does partner with a composter, like San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland do, great! There’s a dedicated place where these products can go to become soil. Just double check the label. “Look for the certified compostable label,” says Bailey.

But what if you’re among the roughly 95 percent of households that don’t have such a service available? Even if a product is “certified compostable,” it might not be preferable to plastic. Right now, a lot of compostable bags, cups, and foodware are made from corn, and that process has all sorts of environmental impacts, from the pesticides that leach into rivers to the greenhouse gases emitted from plants manufacturing the products. “There’s a lot of hope that we can make compostable plastic out of things like mushrooms, algae, or hemp—things that could be much more beneficial than plastic,” says Bailey, “But right now … with most things coming from corn, it’s not clear that there really is much of a benefit [compared to plastic].”

Research from the Oregon Department of Environment Quality underscores this point. Scientists reviewed previous life cycle assessments of different "packing attributes"—labels like "recycled content," "biobased," and our friend "compostable." Each study analyzed the product's environmental impacts across its "life," from manufacture to disposal. The analysis concluded that compostable products aren't an easy answer to plastics. "Many compostable packages are made of biobased materials and inherit the significant environmental burdens from their production," the authors wrote. "These burdens are often much greater that the offset benefits that composting provides."

Much of the environment impacts of these greenwashed products arise from their production. As a factsheet for the study states, “39 percent of our domestic greenhouse gas emissions take place before a product even reaches a consumer, and only 2 percent of GHG emissions occurs from disposal (landfill, compost and incineration).”

Still, these life cycle assessments largely ignore what happens when an item doesn't stick to its ideal disposal route, whether that's a landfill, recycler, or compost pile. But plenty of plastic veers off course each year. In 2010, one study found that 4.8 to 12.7 million metric tons of plastic debris wound up in the ocean. And plastic in the environment doesn't decompose—it just breaks into smaller and smaller pieces with the same chemical structure. These microplastics are a problem because they're near-impossible to clean up and are eaten by marine life, even ending up in the fish we eat—and, as a result, inside our own bodies.

Compostable products could have an edge when it comes to curbing this ocean plastic disaster. In the study from University of Plymouth, compostable bags dissolved in marine water within three months. So, while they might not be beneficial from a life cycle perspective, they’re perhaps less harmful to marine organisms.

While there are many ways to weigh the impacts of conventional plastic versus biodegradable alternatives, there is one clear route to win on all environmental fronts. It’s the one you’ve heard before: cut back on plastic, especially single-use items, and you’ll create less litter and use fewer resources. But for those situations when you can’t avoid disposable bags, cups, or plates, “more clear labelling standards [for compostable products] are a great first step,” says Bailey.

#biodegradable #compostable #plastic #popular science #corn #long read

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kristablogs · 4 years

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Save money and protect the environment by repurposing your old outdoor gear

These have seen better days. The good news is, they will again. (Th G / Pixabay /)

Most hikers and campers have at least one torn and tattered piece of gear they refuse to let go. Those are the items that tell the stories of what we’ve seen, where we’ve been, and the muddy canyons and thorny bushes we’ve gone through to get there.

But just because a beloved jacket or tent has seen better days doesn’t mean it should go in the trash. In fact, you can often repurpose your old gear by using it to create something new. This has the simultaneous benefits of giving new life to a valuable item, saving you cash, and keeping perfectly usable materials out of the landfill.

Good for you, your wallet, and the environment

New gear is expensive, and so are the materials to make your own. So it only makes sense to save yourself potentially hundreds of dollars in new equipment by repurposing and salvaging what you can from items that seem to have fulfilled their purpose.

But it’s not only your bank account you’ll be doing a favor—there’s also the waste factor. Synthetic materials like those often used in technical clothing and gear are, well, synthetic, which means they don’t decompose like natural fabrics. When you dispose of them, they pile up in landfills, overflowing them and hurting the environment..

The average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles every year, so if more crafty outdoors people chose repurposing over trashing, it could make a big difference.

And while saving money and helping the environment are great reasons to preserve buckles, belts, and fabric, you might find yourself repurposing worn items for more sentimental reasons. Our gear has helped us get through mountains, valleys, and everything in between—no wonder it’s hard for us to let go. But with a little creativity, you don’t actually have to.

“It’s cool to give old things new life and a new story to tell,” says Chase Anderson, program coordinator of the Outdoor Product Design and Development department at Utah State University.

And if there’s anything outdoor people love, it’s a good story.

Repairing vs. repurposing

Before you deconstruct a perfectly adequate piece of gear in order to salvage its parts, make sure the item cannot be repaired. Sometimes washing or re-waterproofing items like tents and rain jackets, or patching small holes in sleeping bags or puffer coats, can make them last months or years longer.

Still, sometimes, it’s time to call it—your beloved stuff sack or backpack is worn beyond repair. You might think all you can do is toss it, but there are likely many parts and pieces that are in good working order and perfectly usable on other outdoor gear or DIY projects.

Identifying useful materials

There are a lot of yards of waterproof fabric up for grabs here. (Laura Pluth/Unsplash/)

Before you drop your gear in the garbage, give it a once-over and look for anything you might be able to use—you’re looking for things like large squares of fabric from a tent floor or rainfly, the internal frame of a backpack, zippers and buckles from a hip pack, and straps and webbing from an old pair of sandals. You can often salvage zipper pulls, metal poles, bungees, hook-and-loop strips, and elastics, too.

After you’ve stripped your items down, see if you can recycle any of what’s left. Often, aluminum or titanium tent poles, broken plastic buckles, or metal bits and pieces fall into this category. Still, we recommend you check with your local waste authority before dropping items in the recycling bin.

Even if you can’t use some (or any) of the parts you’ve collected, consider donating them to programs like USU’s outdoor product design and development department—which teaches students design principles, aesthetics, and technical skills in the outdoor product design space—or a local repair or craft shop.

Develop your skills

After you’ve stockpiled a few materials and you’re ready to start creating new from old, you might be tempted to jump into a project, but Anderson recommends first building a skill set that will help ensure success.

Sewing is a big one, but don’t think you have to be an expert to make gear. “Start simple,” Anderson says. “And slowly move up to items with zippers, or buckles, or multiple seams.” That includes things like jackets or backpacks.

In general, a solid base of tools and skills is never a bad idea. YouTube is a great resource for learning how to do everything from sewing to tying knots. If you’re not much of an online learner, check out your local craft supply stores and colleges—they usually offer courses for students of any age.

Project ideas

The key is to start with small project. Leave that DIY camping tent for when you master the sewing machine. (jacqueline macou / Pixabay /)

If you’re just developing sewing skills, don’t start by making your own waterproof multi-pocket jacket. Instead, practice by using fabric from retired gear or clothing to patch holes or tears in newer items. Then you can move on to simple projects, like cutting a pattern out of a threadbare base layer and sewing a face warmer. Anderson’s students have made beanies by cutting and sewing a pattern out of an old sweater, or crafted covers for ski goggles and sunglasses out of jacket lining and an old bungee cord or shoelace.

Once you’ve mastered basic skills and projects, try your hand at more advanced endeavors like sewing stuff sacks, replacing zippers, crafting simple gaiters, or making a hip pack.

And don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Anderson has seen students replace malfunctioning zippers on jackets with buttons or snaps, and come up with an idea for a new chalk bag after digging through boxes of scraps.

I recently had to retire an old backpack. Most of the fabric was worn, torn or tattered, and the bits that were still in good condition were too small to use for other projects. However, I was able to remove several yards worth of straps and webbing, a dozen or more buckles and D-rings, some usable elastic, foam, and the lid of the backpack. I cleaned many of these pieces and used them with some fabric from a leaky inflatable outdoor lounge to make a simple ultralight daypack that would have likely cost me around $50.

One thing to keep in mind, though—never use repurposed materials to make any gear or equipment meant to save your life. This includes items like climbing harnesses, safety ropes, and avalanche airbags. These items must be in perfect condition to perform properly, so you should always buy them new.

Tips and tricks

Obviously, the idea is to make something new using as much recycled material as you can, but if you start a project and don’t have everything you need, don’t hesitate to visit your local craft or art supply store to get it. And if you’re worried about mismatched fabrics, don’t be—part of the beauty of repurposed products is their uniqueness and the story behind it. And if that doesn’t convince you, consider outdoor brands like Cotopaxi, which are famous for their beautiful, mismatched gear made with fabric scraps from their other products. If they can get away with it, so can you.

As for the actual making, Anderson recommends you design your project in cardboard or paper as you practice and experiment with forms and construction. Don’t jump straight into using the expensive materials before you know what you’re creating.

And if you’re struggling for ideas or aren’t sure where to start, find inspiration in the outdoor community by searching for influencers and websites (like Patagonia WornWear or gear repair shops) that celebrate up-cycled and repurposed gear. Browsing through their feeds will definitely help you see products and materials in a new way.

Once you start seeing scraps not for what they were, but for what they can be, you’ll not only save cash on new and original gear and keep non-recyclable materials out of the landfill, you’ll also be giving the items you love a new life.

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scootoaster · 4 years

Text

Save money and protect the environment by repurposing your old outdoor gear

These have seen better days. The good news is, they will again. (Th G / Pixabay /)

Good for you, your wallet, and the environment

The average American throws away 70 pounds of clothing and other textiles every year, so if more crafty outdoors people chose repurposing over trashing, it could make a big difference.

“It’s cool to give old things new life and a new story to tell,” says Chase Anderson, program coordinator of the Outdoor Product Design and Development department at Utah State University.

And if there’s anything outdoor people love, it’s a good story.

Repairing vs. repurposing

Identifying useful materials

There are a lot of yards of waterproof fabric up for grabs here. (Laura Pluth/Unsplash/)

Develop your skills

Project ideas

The key is to start with small project. Leave that DIY camping tent for when you master the sewing machine. (jacqueline macou / Pixabay /)

Once you’ve mastered basic skills and projects, try your hand at more advanced endeavors like sewing stuff sacks, replacing zippers, crafting simple gaiters, or making a hip pack.

Tips and tricks

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gethealthy18-blog · 5 years

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I Switched to a Menstrual Cup…Here’s Why I’ll Never Go Back to Tampons

New Post has been published on https://healingawerness.com/news/i-switched-to-a-menstrual-cupheres-why-ill-never-go-back-to-tampons/

I Switched to a Menstrual Cup…Here’s Why I’ll Never Go Back to Tampons

I distinctly remember sitting in a women’s reproductive health class in college (it was an easy elective!) learning for the first time that there was an alternative option to tampons and pads…the menstrual cup. My best friend and I looked at each other and immediately shook our heads. There was NO WAY we would ever be sticking our fingers up there and using a reusable menstrual product. In this moment I categorized anything that fell under the umbrella of menstrual cup into the “for hippies only” category and then moved on with my life.

Fast forward 5 years later. I’m 26 and am struggling with my hormones. I’ve taken the pill, come off of it, switched to an IUD, come off of that and my body was not pleased. I had cystic acne on my face, back and chest and for the first time in my life I’m actually learning about my cycle and the hormones that control it. It was quite the wake-up call.

I started to track my cycle, taking note of what changes I would see in my body throughout each stage and began learning more about ways to support my cycle holistically. I tried everything from seed cycling, to herbs, to adjusting my exercise routine to whatever stage of my cycle I was in. And for the first time I looked up what was in my beloved box of tampax.

Dioxins Glyphosate Malaoxon Dichlofluanid Mecarbam …the list goes on

I was shocked, to say the least. As someone who cares what I put in and on my body, it was mind-boggling to me that certain ingredients we would never allow in our food for being known human carcinogens were being used every single day by menstruating women. And so began my search for a better, cleaner tampon. Fortunately, these days there are organic and natural tampons available (LOLA is a great brand!) but the more I learned about tampons the more I realized how detrimental they are to the environment. So what started as a search for a cleaner tampon for my body led me to finding a cleaner menstrual product for the planet.

It’s been 4 years since I switched to a menstrual cup and honestly, I’ve never looked back.

So Why Switch To a Menstrual Cup?

As I mentioned above, there are two main reasons to switch to a menstrual cup.

1. It is a better choice for the environment

This is by far the biggest reason to switch. Many tampons and pads use plastic applicators or linings that are harmful to the environment. Much of this ends up in landfills and are not biodegradable. Even plastic-free or applicator-free tampons (which are marginally better) oftentimes end up in the landfill where they take a very long time to decompose. One single menstrual cup can replace up to 3-5 years worth of tampons and pads with no waste byproduct. And depending on where you live when it’s time to replace your menstrual cup, many can be recycled.

2. They are better for our bodies

Tampons and pads are viewed as medical devices in the US and are reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration. As a result, they are not required to list the ingredients on their packaging, which means unless it’s been third-party tested it’s hard to know what’s really in your menstrual products. Of course, there are many organic tampon and pad companies popping up that thankfully are being transparent about their ingredients but nonetheless, your safest bet is to go with a single-source product made from silicone (or rubber): the menstrual cup.

3. They last longer

Bonus! You can keep a menstrual cup in for up to 12 hours which means you’re really only changing it once a day. So you don’t have to worry about leaking or carrying around tampons with you.

How Does The Menstrual Cup Work?

Menstrual cups come in all different shapes in sizes, but for the most part they are cone-shaped device made of silicone or rubber that is inserted into the vagina to enclose the cervix. Unlike tampons which soak up menstrual blood released from the cervix, a menstrual cup will trap and collect it. This means that when you remove it you will dispose of your blood in the toilet or sink before re-inserting.

Most have a silicone end that extends from the cone to help with easy removal. In order for the cup to successfully prevent leaking it most be inserted in the correct way to ensure that the cervix is properly sealed. It can then be left in place for up to 12 hours.

If you are out in public and don’t have access to a private restroom, you can dispose of the blood and reinsert the cup immediately. If you are at home it is recommended you rinse and wash your cup in between uses. Every few months I will place my cup in a pot of boiling hot water to ensure it is fully clean and help it last longer. They typically last 3-5 years so long as you keep it clean in between uses.

Which Menstrual Cups are the Best?

So I’ve convinced you to switch to a menstrual cup. *Patting myself on the back*. But now, which brand should you choose? Here’s where I’m going to be 100% transparent with you: I don’t know.

I, myself, have used two different brands: The Diva Cup and the Lena Cup. I have had zero complaints with either. I initially went with the Diva Cup because that’s the one I had heard most people talk about. After 3 years it was time for a new one and I’d heard a few people rave about the Lena Cup (what I’m holding in these pictures) and so I made the switch. I’ve noticed absolutely no differences between the two and have had no problems with either.

That being said, there are tons of other brands out there including:

Each brand has a different mission, style, price-point and story. Find the one that most resonates with you. But most importantly, know that no matter which brand you start with, it’s a learning curve…

It’s a Learning-Curve

“I tried the Diva Cup but it didn’t work”, “I don’t know if I’m doing it right”, “I feel weird using my fingers”. I’ve heard it all. Whenever I talk about using a menstrual cup I immediately hear about people’s undying love for theirs or their horror stories. Because switching to a menstrual cup takes a little getting used to.

First things first, get over “putting your fingers up there”. Periods are natural. So are vaginas. My 21 year old self didn’t understand this but now I do…and so should you. It’s just blood and it will be gone with a little hand washing. Deep breaths. You got this.

Each style is slightly different but most require you to fold in half, insert and twist. It’s the twisting piece most people need some time to get used to. Eventually you will get the feeling of when the cup is fully secured over your cervix. If it isn’t, you will leak. If it is, you will be good to go for up to 12 hours. Give it time and practice.

You may notice the menstrual cup when it’s in, but it should not bother you. If it does, you may need to invest in a new style. Every body is different so give yourself some time to figure it out.

So that’s that! Here to answer any questions you might have. In the meantime, don’t bother asking me for a tampon since I don’t have any!

Like this post? Feel free to check out some of these women’s health articles from THM:

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sovindep · 5 years

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bharatiyamedia-blog · 5 years

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Mass extinction damage land crops, however DNA reveals that some fungus/plant combo organisms rose up -- ScienceDaily

http://tinyurl.com/y5uzjol4 When an asteroid smacked into the Earth 66 million years in the past, it triggered mass extinctions all around the planet. Essentially the most well-known victims had been the dinosaurs, however early birds, bugs, and different life types took successful too. The collision brought about clouds of ash to dam the solar and funky the planet’s temperature, devastating vegetation. However a brand new research in Scientific Stories reveals that whereas land crops struggled, some sorts of lichens — organisms fabricated from fungi and algae dwelling collectively — seized the second and developed into new types to take up crops’ position within the ecosystem. “We thought that lichens could be affected negatively, however within the three teams we checked out, they seized the prospect and diversified quickly,” says Jen-Pang Huang, the paper’s first creator, a former postdoctoral researcher on the Area Museum now at Academia Sinica in Taipei. “Some lichens develop refined 3D constructions like plant leaves, and these ones stuffed the niches of crops that died out.” The researchers obtained fascinated by finding out the consequences of the mass extinction on lichens after studying a paper about how the asteroid strike additionally brought about many species of early birds to go extinct. “I learn it on the practice, and I believed, ‘My god, the poor lichens, they should have suffered too, how can we hint what occurred to them?'” says Thorsten Lumbsch, senior creator on the research and the Area Museum’s curator of lichenized fungi. You have seen lichens one million occasions, even in the event you did not understand it. “Lichens are all over the place,” says Huang. “In the event you go on a stroll within the metropolis, the tough spots or grey spots you see on rocks or partitions or bushes, these are frequent crust lichens. On the bottom, they often seem like chewing gum. And in the event you go right into a extra pristine forest, you could find orange, yellow, and vivid violet colours — lichens are actually fairly.” They’re what scientists name “symbiotic organisms” — they’re made up of two completely different life types sharing one physique and dealing collectively. They are a partnership between a fungus and an organism that may carry out photosynthesis, making power from daylight — both a tiny algae plant, or a particular form of blue-green bacterium. Fungi, which embrace mushrooms and molds, are on their very own department on the tree of life, separate from crops and animals (and really extra carefully associated to us than to crops). The primary position of fungi is to interrupt down decomposing materials. Throughout the mass extinction 66 million years in the past, crops suffered since ash from the asteroid blocked out daylight and lowered temperatures. However the mass extinction gave the impression to be factor for fungi — they do not depend on daylight for meals and simply want numerous useless stuff, and the fossil report reveals a rise in fungal spores presently. Since lichens include a plant and a fungus, scientists questioned whether or not they had been affected negatively like a plant or positively like a fungus. “We initially anticipated lichens to be affected in a destructive approach, since they include inexperienced issues that want gentle,” says Huang. To see how lichens had been affected by the mass extinction, the scientists needed to get inventive — there aren’t many fossil lichens from that time-frame. However whereas the researchers did not have lichen fossils, they did have numerous trendy lichen DNA. From observing fungi rising in lab settings, scientists know typically how usually genetic mutations present up in fungal DNA — how regularly a letter within the DNA sequence by chance will get switched throughout the DNA copying course of. That is referred to as the mutation charge. And if you recognize the mutation charge, in the event you evaluate the DNA sequences of two completely different species, you possibly can typically extrapolate how way back they should have had a typical ancestor with the identical DNA. The researchers fed DNA sequences of three households of lichens right into a software program program that in contrast their DNA and discovered what their household tree should seem like, together with estimates of how way back it branched into the teams we see right this moment. They bolstered this data with the few lichen fossils they did have, from 100 and 400 million years in the past. And the outcomes pointed to a lichen growth after 66 million years in the past, not less than for a number of the leafier lichen households. “Some teams do not present a change, so that they did not endure or profit from the adjustments to the setting,” says Lumbsch, who along with his work on lichens is the Vice President of Science and Training on the Area. “Some lichens went extinct, and the leafy macrolichens stuffed these niches. I used to be actually completely satisfied after I noticed that not all of the lichens suffered.” The outcomes underline how profoundly the pure world we all know right this moment was formed by this mass extinction. “In the event you might return 40 million years, essentially the most outstanding teams in vegetation, birds, fungi — they’d be extra just like what you see now than what you’d see 70 million years in the past,” says Lumbsch. “Most of what we see round us these days in nature originated after the dinosaurs.” And since this research reveals how lichens responded to mass extinction 66 million years in the past, it might make clear how species will reply to the mass extinction the planet is at present present process. “Earlier than we lose the world’s biodiversity, we should always doc it, as a result of we do not know after we’ll want it,” says Huang. “Lichens are environmental indicators — by merely doing a biodiversity research, we are able to infer air high quality and air pollution ranges.” Past the potential implications in understanding environmental impacts and mass extinctions, the researchers level to the methods the research deepens our understanding of the world round us. “For me, it is fascinating as a result of you wouldn’t be capable to do that with out giant molecular datasets. This may have been unimaginable ten years in the past,” says Lumbsch. “It is one other piece to the puzzle to understanding what’s round us in nature.” “We count on loads of patterns from finding out different organisms, however fungi do not comply with the sample. Fungi are bizarre,” says Huang. “They’re actually unpredictable, actually various, actually enjoyable.” This research was contributed to by researchers from the Area Museum, Kasetsart College, Brigham Younger College, and Academia Sinica. Source link

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wineanddinosaur · 5 years

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It’s Time to Start Treating Southern California as a Serious Wine Destination

If someone you knew were planning a trip to California wine country in previous years, it meant they were going to Napa or Sonoma (or, perhaps, both). Now, a new generation of winemakers in a small patch of Southern California real estate is looking to change that.

Temecula Valley lies in the southeast corner of Riverside County, less than an hour north of San Diego. It is home to 40 wineries and a Mediterranean climate. Thanks to the gap between the coastal California mountains and the high rises separating Temecula from eastern deserts, the area gets long sunny days, breezy afternoons, and cool nights.

“We have a perfect climate for growing high-quality grapes and making high-quality wine,” Devin Parr, brand marketing partner for the Temecula Valley Winemakers Association, says. “Most people don’t realize it… They think Temecula Valley is going to be too hot.”

That misperception is one of many that surround Temecula’s wine community. Many winemakers here feel that long-haul travelers and national media are biased against Southern California as a viable wine destination.

“It’s recognition that we’re looking for,” Jon McPherson, master winemaker, South Coast, says. Right now, most wine media “won’t go south of Santa Barbara,” he says.

And so we are exploring Temecula Valley, the California wine region no one should overlook.

Climate And Community

Outsiders may think of Southern California as the land of surf and sunshine, but the weather in Temecula mirrors the Rhône Valley, certain parts of Tuscany, and southern Italy.

“We have sandy loam soil, a lot of decomposing granite,” Parr says, “which your vines kind of want. [They want] to struggle a little bit. They don’t want to be bombarded with water so they want to be in well-draining soil so that they can dig deep and find all these nutrients deeper and deeper in the soil.”

Parr believes the success of Temecula Valley wines is due to equal parts climate, competence, and community.

“One of the things is the level of collaboration as far as rising tide lifts all boats,” Jim Hart of Hart Family Wines, says. “Everyone helps one another here, and that’s unique. You don’t see the level of collaboration and camaraderie in other wine regions.”

There’s incentive for every winery to make good wine, and not for one winery to stand out among the mediocre. And so it’s incumbent on the old guard and newcomers to learn from one another.

“There are the pioneers that are still here dropping wisdom,” Damien Doffo, CEO of Doffo Winery, says. “They’re very approachable. The sentiment within the community is great. There’s a big focus to continue to develop better wines. There’s a core group of people really trying to elevate the game.”

That sense of community is also attracting winemaking talent who, in previous years, might have carved out careers elsewhere.

“We get together, taste each others wines. It’s all because we want everyone to improve year after year,” Olivia Bue, winemaker, Robert Renzoni, says. Bue is one of the region’s brighter stars. After studying viticulture and enology at UC Davis, she worked in Australia and Napa. Eventually, the Encinitas native found herself back in Southern California.

“We all share the same goal, which is to be recognized for the quality of the wines here,” Bue says. “Most other wine regions have reached their peaks as a region. They’re all so credited. They’re more individually trying to become successful. In Temecula, we’re as a whole working together to achieve more.”

To many in the wine industry, Temecula still feels like an underdog. The region began producing wines relatively recently, in 1968. Some locals believe previous generations of winemakers lacked the expertise needed to navigate its climate and terroir.

“Our wines in the beginning were hit and miss as far as quality,” Hart says. “These days, you can find well-made, varietally-appropriate wines. The primary thing that’s changed is the knowledge base and talent of winemakers.”

“Every wine region faces their own challenges, and we’re no different, but over the years we’ve found ways to better deal with these challenges – varieties and clones more suited to our terroir, as an example,” Tim Kramer of Leoness Cellars, a Temecula pioneer, says. “These adaptations have helped to increase the quality of Temecula wines in general.”

Overcoming Biases

Many Temecula winemakers cite consumer and media biases about Southern California wine among their top challenges today. Doffo believes that most national publications treat Temecula as an interesting place to travel, not a serious winemaking destination.

“In reality, we make as good wine as any other region in the state,” Joe Wiens of Wiens Family Cellars, says. “If we took one of our high-quality Cabs and slapped a Napa [price] tag and not a Temecula tag, it’d get a ton more respect.”

“Our main focus is wine quality,” Bue says. “We just need people to try and visit and give the wine an unbiased opinion. We want to be recognized all over the world and for people to identify us as a quality wine region.”

Of course, for the 23 million people living in cities within two hours of Temecula (San Diego, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs), the word is out about Temecula. According to the area’s tourism bureau, travel to Temecula wine country has been steadily increasing year over year, with nearly 3.3 million overnight visitors in 2017.

“We make great wine,” Wiens says. “Why are we bending over backwards to say we’re as good as Napa when people who come here know that?”

“I love it down here,” he adds. “I wouldn’t want to do it anywhere else but Temecula.”

Six Temecula Wines to Try

With over 40 vineyards to choose from in Temecula Valley, there are ample options. Here are our picks:

Hart Family Winery

In 1980, Joe Hart left teaching to open Hart Family Winery. His son Jim is now at the helm. “We always have a stellar Sauvignon Blanc,” says Hart. “We’re really proud of our Arneis.” Hart Family’s Estate Syrah, a varietal that typically does well in Temecula, has won numerous awards in the style. True to their nature, the Harts remain teachers. Jim teaches Intro to Wine at MiraCosta College.

Recommended bottle: 2015 Arneis ($28)

Doffo Winery

Founded in 1997, Doffo Winery is 100 percent family-owned and operated. Come for the award-winning Zinfandels and world-class Malbecs, an homage to the family’s Argentinean roots, but stay for the motorcycle museum. (Marcello Doffo, the patriarch, started a collection of motorcycles that today hang on winery walls like art pieces.) “People started associating us with motorcycles,” his son says. “For us it was funny. We put them in the tasting room because we had nowhere else to put them.”

Recommended bottle: Any of the MottoDoffo Reds (from $46)

Robert Renzoni Vineyards

Robert Renzoni Vineyards specializes in Sangiovese and Pinot Noirs. The Renzoni family has been making wines for over a century, starting on the northern coast of Italy and continuing today in Southern California. Its tasting room resembles a Tuscan villa and is one of the region’s most picturesque spaces.

Recommended bottle: 2015 Brunello di Sangiovese ($45)

South Coast Winery, Resort, & Spa

This vineyard also has a resort and a spa, just in case you’d like a massage after your Merlot (and before another). Everything produced by South Coast comes from the estate. (“Cradle to the grave,” says McPherson.) Don’t miss South Coast’s Carter Estate Wines, which McPherson calls the “cream of the crop.”

Recommendation: 2015 Carter Estate Penrose ($30)

Wiens Family Cellars

Wiens Family Cellars came to Temecula 10 years ago and has one of the more prolific wine profiles in the area. Focusing mainly on reds, the five-person operation has produced over 60 wines in the last year, hoping to create “a different tasting room experience every time,” Wiens says. “People are adventurous in a tasting room. They’re open to trying wine styles they’ve never heard of.” Wiens also has an eponymous brewery across town.

Recommendation: 2015 Reserve Zinfandel ($65)

Leoness

Leoness has the best of three worlds: Its facility is beautiful, the wine is delicious (and at a fair price point), and its on-site restaurant is one of the valley’s top spots. These wines have consistent quality, but Leoness strives to always “be better, and make wines that really wow your guests who take the time to visit,” Kramer says.

Recommendation: 2015 Cellar Selection Meritage ($40)

The post It’s Time to Start Treating Southern California as a Serious Wine Destination appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/temecula-southern-california-wine-country-travel/

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thetrumpdebacle · 6 years

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Transcript for One of two men hired by man who planned his family’s murder confesses to cops: Part 4

Call, visit, or go to xfnitymobile.com. Reporter: Cerralvo, Mexico. A tough little town about 50 miles south of the border. Legend has it, mobster Al Capone once hid out here, and if it was good enough for scarface, it was good enough for another American stranger who suddenly showed up here looking for work — and a new identity. Translator: He caught my attention because he was different. He was a white guy. It was a very unusual thing because you don’t see workers — American workers — right here in a little town in Mexico. Reporter: Osvaldo Benavides and his close friend Ubaldo Salinas quickly accept the likeable man who says his name is Rudy Rios. He tell me the name was Rudy. He was a nice person. So this guy, Rudy, of course, is made up. He was a person, an identity concocted by Bart Whitaker. He didn’t tetold us that he was a soldier. That was my legend down there. I was a soldier that was awol because I had been shot up and didn’t want to go back. That was told from the very first minute I was down there in order to cover me. ??? Reporter: Posing as Rudy Rios, Bart begins turning up at church, and turning on the charm for a guitarist he meets there — Sindy Lu Salinas. Translator: He would bring me flowers. “Look! I brought you flowers!” I thought he was so handsome and — I don’t know — mysterious. Reporter: She brings her new boyfriend home to meet her parents. He’s an immediate hit. Her father, homero, even hires him to work at the family’s furniture store. Translator: I ended up loving him like a son. Very, very much. ??? Reporter: Sindy Lu knows nothing of her boyfriend’s true identity. But one night she gets a terrifying glimpse. It’s what he says while consoling her after she smashes her guitar during an argument with her mother. Translator: He said, “No, relax. Let’s fix things.” He said, “Don’t be angry at your parents. If you want we can kill them.” So I told him “No, but it’s not a big deal. And that’s the only time I felt a bit of fear, but I know maybe he said that so I would calm down, or to get me to laugh. Reporter: But no one was laughing. Certainly not back in Texas, where even Kent Whitaker was now beginning to believe the worst. When he ran away it kinda kicked the third leg out of the stool, that he must actually have been involved. By that point in time I’m thinking it’s pretty hard for me to extend any potential arguments against it. Reporter: But investigators still had no physical evidence, no clue who fired the murder weapon, and no idea what happened to Bart Whitaker. I had nowhere to look for him and no leads to follow up on to try and find him. So that was disappointing at times. Reporter: The investigation is cold, until a big break from two men who knew Bart while he was pretending to be a college student. Almost two years after the crime occurred, Steven champagne called me. Steven champagne was a marine in 2005, but back in 2003 when the murders occurred, he was a bartender. He worked with Bart Whitaker at the country club up near lake Conroe. Reporter: Now champagne was pouring out secrets about himself, and Bart’s roommate back then named Chris Brashear, two aimless guys at the time who were ripe for a payday. Bart promised them if they’d help him pull off an outrageous scheme. And when they came in the house Chris was to shoot ’em all. That was absolutely the break we needed. Reporter: Champagne gives up the entire story of what happened on the night of December 10, 2003. What was Bart’s part in the plan? He pretty much set it all up. How did you know which restaurant? Bart had told me before they left. Reporter: As the whitakers unknowingly celebrate Bart’s bogus college graduation at a popular cajun restaurant, Steve champagne watches from the parking lot. Meanwhile, Bart’s roommate Chris Brashear hides in Bart’s SUV outside the Whitaker home. At that point Chris got out of the vehicle and entered the house with the key and the alarm code. Did you see them leave pappadeaux? Well, yeah. So then I pretty much followed them home. They pulled in the driveway and I just kept going just around the block, you know, one block over. And then in a minute, Chris came walking, like, out to the car, got in the backseat. He said Bart’s brother had walked in first. And, when Chris shot him — he said before he shot him he thought he smiled. And then Chris shot his mom and then shot Bart’s dad in the shoulder. And then, he acted like he wrestled around with Bart and shot Bart in the shoulder. You could characterize that interview as chilling. I don’t think there’s anyone who could watch that and not wonder how a person could be so cold. Reporter:ware of champagne’s confession, Chris Brashear agrees to an interview — but quickly becomes very uncomfortable. I’m just gonna go. Is that all right? Yeah. There’s the door. Reporter: So sergeant slot, Steven champagne’s confession yields the one thing that links this trio to the crime. He mentions a key piece of evidence that only the police knew about — a single glove dropped by the shooter, found beside Bart’s SUV. He knew about the missing glove. And, obviously, we had this glove in evidence already. So everything fit together just based on one small piece of evidence. Reporter: But sergeant slot still has no physical evidence to link Bart to the murders — until now. Steven champagne explained to me that he and Chris Brashear had thrown items from the crime scene into a bag and thrown that off of a bridge that runs over lake Conroe, near Bart’s town home in Willis. Reporter: Down below, a dive team discovers a duffel bag. In the soggy bag, a treasure trove of decomposing evidence. It’s a windfall for crime lab investigator max hunter, beginning with an innocuous-looking plastic water bottle. You just go around the rim of the bottle. Reporter: And even after two years in the bottom of a lake — They were able to obtain a DNA profile. From that swab, and that DNA profile matched the DNA profile for Chris Brashear. Reporter: Among the other items in the bag — a rare brand of ammunition identical to the fatal bullets. A glove that matches the one found at the crime scene. A pry tool that matches the marks on the whitakers safe. And a badly damaged cell phone. A lab in England identifies Bart Whitaker as the owner. Finally, sergeant slot has the physical evidence he needs to link Bart to the murders. This is definitely when we said, “We’ve got it.” Reporter: But where is Bart Whitaker? Sergeant slot obtains an arrest warrant, but he does not know that Bart — now known as Rudy Rios — is hiding in Mexico. And then, the biggest break of all — a phone call from the real Rudy Rios — when we come back.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

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1ce11u1a · 7 years

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Whoppers, Alpacas At 10,000 Feet

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