What lies under the arctic ice?

From The Carbon Wars

Much of what lies under the poles’ thick ice is a mystery, but not everything.

As glaciers melt a lot of messy stuff threatens to be exposed, including some 200,000 litres of diesel fuel, 240,000 litres of sewage and waste water, toxic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)—and an unknown amount of radioactive coolant, left over from the site’s nuclear generator, according to a new study, published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Camp Century was built in 1959, at the height of the Cold War, beneath the surface of the northwestern Greenland ice sheet. There, the US studied deployment of nuclear missiles against Russia.

“It had up to 200 soldiers, called Iceworms, who lived in the ice,” William Colgan, a climate and glacier scientist at Toronto’s York University who is lead author on the new paper, told me. The base was positioned within the ice, not on top of it, so it wouldn’t simply be buried by the relentless snow, he explained.

After it was decommissioned in 1967, the US abandoned pretty much all of the base’s contents along with it, which wasn’t an unusual practice. “It was reasonable to expect it to snow forever,” Colgan explained, adding that Camp Century and other bases were legally established under a treaty between Denmark and the US. “The agreement had an implicit assumption: that it would keep snowing,” he said.

Given what we understand now about climate change and the Arctic, which is warming more rapidly than other parts of the world, it’s apparent these aren’t tombs for much longer.

Camp Century isn’t the only hazardous dump buried under the ice. As Colgan notes, Cold War-era bases are scattered throughout the area.

If you were to visit Camp Century today, it would be all “flat and white,” he said, with no visible trace of what lurks under the surface. (Colgan said he last visited the site in 2010.) That won’t be the case forever. Decades ago, the military buried toxic waste in the ice, and because of climate change, it will soon be back to haunt us.

For more: http://www.thecarbonwars.com/what-lies-under-the-arctic-ice/

2016 is proving to be amazing around the Prospect Playhouse! We have been busy renovating the auditorium this summer and getting ready for a smashing end to 2016!

And Yes! Its election season and what greater way to lighten the mood than coming to see the very funny, Yes Minister!

September 15,16,17,22,23,24,29,30, October 1

Yes Minister is a satirical look at the early career of Jim Hacker MP; a newly appointed cabinet minister in the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs at Whitehall. Hacker goes through various struggles to formulate and enact legislation or effect departmental changes that are continually opposed by the British Civil Service in particular his Permanent Secretary, Sir Humphrey Appleby. His Principal Private Secretary Bernard Woolley, is usually caught between the two. The British comedy, written by Sir Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, was fist broadcast by BBC Television in the 1980s has now been adapted to the Cayman stage by Chuck and Barrie Quappe. As the Cayman Parliamentary system is based on Whitehall, any of the situations will be undeniably familiar to all that live in Cayman!

Cayman Islands Pirates Week calls for food vendors

The Pirates Week Festival Office is inviting participants for the annual Food Festival to submit their vendor applications for the below dates/times:

Vendor applications must be submitted beginning on Monday 1st August, 2016 to the Pirates Week Office on Shedden Road, George Town (upstairs next to KFC). Vendor space is limited therefore applications must be submitted as soon as possible after the opening date above. Deadline for submission is Monday 31st October.

 All vendors must comply with the rules and regulations set by the Pirates Week Festival Office and must present a valid Food Handling Certificate for all persons handing food by the 31st October. Food handling certificates can be obtained from the Department of Environmental Health by contacting Mr. Gideon Simms on 949-6696 or email gideon.simms@gov.ky .

 For application forms and more details please contact the Pirates Week Festival Office at 949-5078 or info@piratesweekfestival.com.

COMMUNITY EVENTS (Date Order)

THU AUG 18

Catch the Olympics

Catch the Olympics on a big outdoor screen on Thursday (18 Aug) at 7pm on the Crescent at Camana Bay.

3rd Annual CCUK Cayman Summer Reception Aug 18

2016 CCUK Summer Reception in Cayman

Date: Thursday 18th August 2016

Time: Workshop (5pm-6pm) & Reception (6pm-8pm)

Venue: St. Ignatius Catholic High-School Hall

Join us for an evening of networking and fun as we host our 3rd Annual CCUK Cayman Summer Reception! These receptions are historically a time for students, friends and associates who have connections to the UK to get together and share experiences. It is also an opportunity for those considering tertiary education the UK to meet others currently there, and glean some advise, tips and tricks!

RSVP BY FRIDAY 12TH AUGUST

RSVP here: http://caymanconnection.org/rsvp/

PLEASE SHARE WITH CAYMAN FRIENDS AND STUDENTS.

Humane Society Pub Quiz

The Humane Society Pub Quiz is Thursday (18 Aug) at Fidel Murphy’s at 7pm.

Cayman Islands DVDL-Restricted Hrs on Thursday 18th August

FRI AUG 19

Cayman Islands Liquor Licence Holders: Remember your 19 August deadline

Liquor licence holders – including those with music and dancing licenses – are reminded of the Friday, 19 August deadline to apply for licence renewals.

They also are reminded that before they can apply for a renewal, their premises must be inspected by relevant Government agencies. Depending on licensees’ particular operations, these inspections may include the Fire Service, Department of Environmental Health, Planning Department, and Port Authority.

To help speed up the process, the Planning Department has advised that licensees must have inspections done by private, licensed plumbers and/or electricians. These inspections are then submitted to the Planning Department for approval.

The Planning Department added that there are a few exceptions. For example, package licences (for retail outlets such as stores and warehouses) do not require electrical or plumbing inspections.

Only complete renewal applications, with either inspection certificates or proof of inspection requests, that are submitted by the 19 August deadline will be heard at the Liquor Licensing Board’s annual session on 30 September.

Applications can be downloaded from the Department of Commerce and Investment’s website, www.dci.gov.ky . For more information, contact the Liquor Licensing Board through Acting Secretary Gavin Dixon on 244-3167 or DCI’s Shelise Jeffery on 244-2202.

Music Happy Hour

Music Happy Hour for kids is Friday from 3:30 — 4:30 pm at Starfish Village every Friday in August.

SAT AUG 20

Culture at the Cinema: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Culture at the Cinema presents Les Liaisons Dangereuses on Saturday (20 Aug) at 7pm at Regal Cinemas.

Lions Tropical Gardens Diabetes Health Fair 

The Lions Club of Tropical Gardens presents a Diabetes Health Fair with free A1C testing at St. George’s Anglican Church Hall on Saturday (20 Aug) from 9 — 1.

Car Boot Sale

The DMS Gives Back Committee is organizing a Car Boot Sale for Saturday (20 Aug) in support of The Humane Society from 6 — 9am in the Regatta Parking Lot. To reserve your spot, call 749.2414

MON AUG 22

TUE AUG 23

Moonlight and Movies: Shrek the Third

The Moonlight and Movies series continues on Tuesday (23 Aug) featuring Shrek the Third at 7pm in Gardenia Court in Camana Bay.

WED AUG 24

Conservation Council Meeting 24 August 2016

The National Conservation Council will hold a general meeting on Wednesday August 24th, 2016, from 2pm to 5pm in the ground floor meeting room (1038) of the Government Administration Building (Grand Cayman). The Agenda of the meeting will be available at the DoE website (www.doe.ky/conservation-council). This meeting is open to observers from the public. If anyone wishes to submit comments to the Council in advance of the meeting they may do so via email to ConservationCouncil@gov.ky.

Post Offices Close Temporarily on Wednesday

FRI AUG 26

Music Happy Hour

Music Happy Hour for kids is Friday from 3:30 — 4:30 pm at Starfish Village every Friday in August.

SAT AUG 27

Theatre in the Court: Rundown

Theatre in the Court presents Rundown on Saturday (27 Aug) at 7pm in Gardenia Court.

CIIPA Running for Red 5 & 10K

The CIIPA Running for Red 5 & 10K is Saturday (27 Aug) at 630am. Log on to caymanactive.com for more details.

Cayman Car Boot Sales

Walk For The Cure charity car boot sale

Starting August 27, 2016

Join us Saturday, August 27, 2016 from 6:30-10:30am in the parking lot at CIBC FirstCaribbean Main Street Branch for a fundraising Charity Car Boot Sale!

TUE AUG 30

Moonlight and Movies: Curious George

The Moonlight and Movies series continues on Tuesday (30 Aug) featuring Curious George at 7pm in Gardenia Court in Camana Bay.

WED AUG 31

Pirates Week Volunteers

The Pirates Week Office is seeking volunteers to assist in the planning in its upcoming events. For more information email at info@piratesweekfestival.com or call 949-5859.

THU SEP 1

Cayman Islands: LCCL applicants must advise TBL board of Caymanian participation

In order to ensure that the law is upheld, procedural changes for the Local Companies (Control) Licence Law (LCCL) will come into effect on 1 September 2016.

The LCCL requires foreign investors to publish ads that solicit Caymanian participation in their potential business endeavours. In these ads, Caymanians are asked to inform the foreign investor of their interest, in writing; however, as of 1 September, Caymanians also must supply a copy of that letter directly to the Trade and Business Licensing Board.

Also, when submitting their applications to the board, foreign investors must include copies of the two local newspaper ads, published in accordance with section 11 (4) (e) of the law, that solicited Caymanian participation.

‘These procedural changes will help the board to know if the applicant has complied fully with the LCCL’, said Minister of Commerce Wayne Panton.

LCCL applications must be submitted in person at the Business Licensing Counter, on the first floor of the Government Administration Building. The counter is open Mondays to Fridays, between 9:00am and 4:00pm. In addition to the two newspaper ads, applications must be accompanied by due diligence such as a police clearance, copies of passports, references, and the relevant fees.

Letters from Caymanians are to be addressed to the Trade and Business Licensing Board, c/o the Department of Commerce and Investment, Government Administration Building, 133 Elgin Avenue Suite 126, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

For more information, visit www.dci.gov.ky or email info@dci.gov.ky

FRI SEP 2

Cayman Islands Golf: Weekend of Winners

We are looking forward to this years Red Cross event labels Weekend of Winners. The event will take place at the North Sound Golf Club on September 2nd.

SUN – THU SEP 4-8

URISA’s 2016 Caribbean GIS Conference in Barbados

URISA’s 2016 Caribbean GIS Conference on September 4-8, 2016 in Barbados. Check out the latest information!

• Keynotes from Chris Shedrick at What3Words and Tyler Radford from Humanitarian OpenStreetMap

• High Level Meetings and participation from UN-GGIM International Forum on Geospatial Information and Services for Disasters.

• A full-day track on Caribbean Disaster Management developed in conjunction with the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency

• Missing Maps MeetUp

• Tons of education – More than 20 comprehensive sessions with presentations from nearly 60 of your peers.

• A high-powered panel session on “Confronting Land Administration Challenges: The Key to Unlocking Economic Prosperity”

• Take advantage of free preconference workshops and training

• Networking and a Busy Exhibition – Gold Sponsors Esri and Spatial Innovision; Silver Sponsors GeoOrbis and Hexagon Geospatial; Bronze Sponsor – GeoTechVision!

Reserve your hotel room by August 15 to take advantage of discounted group rates!

Check out all of the conference details and register right away at: http://www.urisa.org/education-events/urisa-s-caribbean-gis-conference/

SUN SEP 11

CXC Education Program Registration

The CXC Education Program is inviting volunteer teachers. Registration takes place on Sunday (11 Sept) at 2 pm, at the John Gray High School Auditorium; classes begin on September 18th. For further information visit www.education.adventisteducation.org.

SAT  &  SUN SEP 18 & 19 

British Schools Fair Cayman Islands

Street: Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman

District: Seven Mile Beach

Island: Grand Cayman

Country: Cayman Islands

Description

Ritz-Carlton

Sat 18 Sep & Sun 19 Sep

2.00-6.00 p.m.

A chance for Cayman families to meet leading UK boarding schools. If you are considering the possibility of your children having the opportunities afforded by an overseas education, this is your chance to speak to some of the top schools.

Free entry

For more information contact niall@bvs-education.com

AUGUST EVENTS AT CAMANA BAY

Be part of the action and support your nation with The Games at Camana Bay – a series of festivities inspired by the 2016 Olympics. Take in cultural experiences by catching the last chance to see Rundown, getting lost in poetry readings or by supporting a local author as they celebrate their latest book.

Moonlight & Movies: Summer Series

Tuesdays until 30 August

7pm

Gardenia Court

Music Happy Hour for Kids

Fridays until 26 August

3:30-4:30pm

Starfish Village

The Games at Camana Bay: Moonlight & Movies

Thursday 11 and 18 August

7pm

The Crescent

Floetry

Wednesday 17 August

6:30-7:30pm

Books & Books

Culture at the Cinema: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

Saturday 20 August

7pm

Regal Cinemas

Theatre in the Court: Rundown

Saturday 27 August

7pm

Gardenia Court

NATIONAL GALLERY EVENTS

Early Watercolours

Rarely displayed watercolour paintings from the early collections of the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) and the Cayman Islands National Museum (CINM) will be on show at the National Gallery throughout summer. The temporary exhibition titled, A Legacy of Light features a wide selection of landscapes, seascapes and architectural studies by both established and lesser-known artists from the Cayman Islands. The exhibition opens to the public 1 July 2016 and ends 16 September 2016.

Take it Home

The gift shop at the National Gallery has a fabulous selection of creative gifts for all ages. Brand new watercolour paint sets, brushes and books have arrived so you can try your hand at creating a masterpiece of your own!