Highbrow Magazine - hawaii https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/hawaii en After Maui Fires, Human Health Risks Linger https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24103-after-maui-fires-human-health-risks-linger <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/news-features" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">News &amp; Features</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Wed, 08/16/2023 - 14:00</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1maui.jpg?itok=4spkmZJN"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1maui.jpg?itok=4spkmZJN" width="480" height="311" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">People returning to what remains of the beach-side town of Lahaina, Hawaii, and other Maui communities after one of the nation’s deadliest wildfire disasters face more dangers, beyond the 2,700 buildings destroyed or damaged and dozens of lives lost. The fires also left lingering health risks for humans and wildlife.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When fires spread through communities, as we’ve seen more often in recent years, they burn structures that contain treated wood, plastics, paints and hazardous household wastes. They can burn vehicles and melt plastic water pipes. All of these items release toxic gases and particles.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Many airborne pollutants fall to the ground, and when debris or dust is stirred up, hazardous particles can enter the air, where people can easily breathe them in.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Chemicals can also contaminate water supplies. On Aug. 11, 2023, Maui County issued an “unsafe water” alert for areas of Lahaina and Upper Kula that were affected by wildfires, warning residents to use only bottled water for drinking and cooking, and not rely on boiling tap water because of the risk of harmful chemicals.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">As an environmental engineer, I work with colleagues to help communities respond to and recover from wildfires and other disasters, including the Marshall Fire in Boulder County, Colorado, and the Camp Fire that destroyed Paradise, California. Lahaina and other Maui communities face similar risks ahead.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2maui.jpg" style="height:440px; width:660px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Chemical hazards in fire debris</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Residents returning to their burned neighborhoods will likely find themselves surrounded by hazards. Some are obvious, such as broken glass, nails and damaged natural gas containers. Broken power lines and gas lines may be live or leaking.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Less obvious are the chemical hazards that can reach well beyond the fire zone.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Black smoke from a fire is a sign of incomplete combustion that can produce thousands of chemicals when wood and plastics burn.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Chemicals like benzene, lead, asbestos and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are common in ash, runoff and sometimes water systems after fires.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Exposure to high levels of chemicals can sometimes cause immediate harm, such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, rashes and respiratory issues. For these reasons it is critical to protect people, especially children and people with health conditions, from exposure.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">State health officials recommended that residents wear close-toed shoes, N95 respirators, chemical resistant gloves and other protective equipment while looking through property debris.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">When disaster debris is eventually removed by professionals, the contractors will be wearing Tyvek suits and possibly respirators to protect their health.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/3maui.jpg" style="height:434px; width:660px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Buildings that didn’t burn can still have hazards</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Even buildings deemed structurally safe may have pollutants that make them unsafe for human health.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Particles and vapors can enter buildings through cracks, doors, windows and other portals. Some of these pollutants settle onto surfaces, while others penetrate fabrics, stick to walls and enter air ducts.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Often buildings must be professionally cleaned or decontaminated by wildfire remediation companies. Cleaning surfaces and ducts, replacing air filters and installing HEPA filters can also help.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Drinking water is another serious concern after urban fires.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Wildfires can make the plumbing outside or inside the building itself unsafe in a couple of ways. Loss of water pressure can allow pollutants to enter pipes. Maui County cited this risk in issuing its “unsafe water” alert on Aug. 11. When plastic pipes heat up, they can also decompose and then directly leach chemicals into water.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">My colleagues and I have documented benzene levels that exceeded hazardous limits for drinking water after several previous fires. PAHs can also be present, as our research has shown.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">These and other chemicals pose an immediate health risk to water users, even if the water smells fine. Simple water flushing can fail to remove severe contamination. Proper inspections and testing in buildings and for private wells and larger water systems are important.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Outside, the ground can also become contaminated in a fire. Once the debris is removed, testing is necessary to ensure that the soil where people will replant their gardens, yards and fruit trees is free of hazardous chemicals and safe for humans and pets.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/4maui.jpg" style="height:440px; width:660px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><em>Photo credit: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/stock-photography.html">Depositphotos.com</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Protecting waterways and aquatic life</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">During firefighting and clean-up, and when it rains, pollutants can wash into waterways and end up in the ocean.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Lahaina stretches along Maui’s west coast and has long been a popular site for seeing sea turtles and other marine life. That sea life may now be at risk from pollutants from burned coastal buildings and runoff. The fire burned to the shoreline, destroying boats, docks and other vehicles, some of which sank.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Debris and sunken boats will need to be removed from the nearshore waters to protect corals. Similar to wildfires near lakes, rivers and streams, water testing will be necessary.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Communities can avoid more harmful runoff during the cleanup process by placing pollution-control barriers near storm drains, around properties and near waterways. These can help intercept pollutants flowing toward the ocean.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5maui.jpg" style="height:440px; width:660px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><em>Photo credit: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/stock-photography.html">Depositphotos.com</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>What happens to all the debris?</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">How to safely dispose of all the debris as the community is cleaned up and recovers is another question.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">After the 2021 Marshall Fire in Colorado, where about 1,200 structures were destroyed, the cleanup generated 300,000 tons of waste. In Maui, debris may have to be taken off the island for disposal.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif">Cleanup and recovery from a disaster of this magnitude takes years. In the process, I recommend residents reach out to public health departments for advice to help them stay healthy and safe.</span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/6maui.jpg" style="height:375px; width:560px" typeof="foaf:Image" /></p> <p><em>Photo credit: <a href="https://depositphotos.com/stock-photography.html">Depositphotos.com</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>This article was updated Aug. 13, 2023, with new damage estimates from Maui County officials.</em></strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Author Bio:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong><em>Andrew J. Whelton is Professor of Civil, Environmental and Ecological Engineering, and Director of the Healthy Plumbing Consortium and Center for Plumbing Safety at Purdue University.</em></strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>This article was originally published in <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-maui-fires-human-health-risks-linger-in-the-air-water-and-even-surviving-buildings-211404" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">the Conversation</a>. It’s republished here with permission under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Creative Commons license</a>.</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><strong>Image Sources:</strong></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--<a href="https://depositphotos.com/stock-photography.html" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Depositphotos</a></em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--U.S. Coast Guard Hawaii Pacific District 14 (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2023_Maui_fires_-_Lahaina_damage_via_Coast_Guard.jpg" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Wikimedia.org</a>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--U.S. Civil Air Patrol (<a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maui-fire-1.jpg" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Wikipedia.org</a>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:18px"><span style="font-family:Times New Roman,Times,serif"><em>--U.S. Coast Guard Hawaii Pacific District 14 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:2023_Maui_fires_-_Lahaina_damage_via_Coast_Guard_2.jpg" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Wikipedia.org</a>, Creative Commons)</em></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/maui-fires" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">maui fires</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/lahaina" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">lahaina</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/maui" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">maui</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hawaii" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">hawaii</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/climate-change" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/marine-life" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">marine life</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/environment" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">environment</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/climate-disaster" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">climate disaster</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/wild-fires" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">wild fires</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Andrew J. Whelton</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">In Slider</div></div></div> Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:00:59 +0000 tara 12049 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/24103-after-maui-fires-human-health-risks-linger#comments Top Trends to Watch This Travel Season https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/12383-top-trends-watch-travel-season <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/travel" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Travel</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 07/05/2021 - 16:07</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/4travel_brandpoint.jpg?itok=zLYZcot-"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/4travel_brandpoint.jpg?itok=zLYZcot-" width="480" height="270" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p> </p> <p>After a devastating pandemic kept people in their homes for over a year, wanderlust is at an all-time high and more Americans are starting to travel again. In fact, 92 percent of Americans will travel, or already have, in 2021, with more than half (52 percent) going as soon as this summer, according to the Priceline Work-Life Balance report.</p> <p> </p> <p>The report studied how travel has changed and what trends are emerging for the summer peak travel season.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Escapism is top of mind</strong></p> <p>When it comes to air travel, hotel stays and car rentals, Americans are prioritizing warm, tropical and entertainment-focused destinations, such as Hawaii, Las Vegas, Mexico and Orlando. Florida, in particular, is a traveler favorite right now. The Sunshine State dominates the top-10 destinations across all three categories with at least four cities on each list</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/5travel_brandpoint.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Local exploration matters more than ever</strong></p> <p>When the pandemic took hold, flights came to an almost screeching halt. According to round-trip flight bookings on Priceline, travelers flew four billion miles fewer in 2020 than they did in 2019. Not only did people fly less often, but they also did not travel as far: The average distance dropped by 20 percent in 2020 (1,307 miles), compared with the same period in 2019 (1,654 miles).</p> <p> </p> <p>Instead, Americans are opting to explore locally, with 70 percent of car rentals used for road trips within their own state and driving an average of 184 miles. Likewise, today’s travelers are booking hotel stays within their own states 10 percent more than prior years.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Wallet-friendly stays in the South and West</strong></p> <p>Travel deals are more important than ever. This year, the average hotel stay costs under $125 a night in Las Vegas; the Black Hills, South Dakota; Denver and Orlando, which means you can enjoy a great getaway without blowing your budget.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/1grandcanyon_michael_quinn_grand_canyon_np__0.jpg" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Package deals enable workcations</strong></p> <p>The blurring of work-life boundaries gave rise to the “bleisure” trip or workcation, a hybrid of business and leisure travel. As flexible work schedules become a long-term possibility for many, these extended leisure-first trips, which incorporate remote work as part of the experience, will continue to drive booking preferences. Because of this, there is is an increased interest in bundled or package trips, which are conveniently booked together and offer savings.</p> <p> </p> <p>As domestic tourism ramps up, expect to see continued preference for beach getaways and entertainment, alongside an ongoing appreciation for the local surroundings and an increased willingness to blend vacations with work.</p> <p> </p> <p><em><strong>For the complete list of trends and details on how Americans are traveling today, visit <a href="https://press.priceline.com/">press.priceline.com</a>.</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong> </strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>This article is provided by <a href="https://www.brandpointcontent.com/article/37793/4-top-trends-to-watch-as-peak-travel-season-arrives">Brandpoint</a>. It’s published here with permission.</strong></em></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong><strong>Image Sources:</strong></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><em>--Brandpoint</em></p> <p><em>--Michael Quinn (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/grand_canyon_nps/5446222759">National Park Service</a>, Creative Commons)</em></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/travel/archive" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">travel</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/travel-trends" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">travel trends</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/florida" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Florida</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/las-vegas" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">las vegas</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/airlines" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">airlines</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/summer-travel" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">summer travel</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tourists" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tourists</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hawaii" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">hawaii</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/vacation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">vacation</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">BPT</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 05 Jul 2021 20:07:46 +0000 tara 10488 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/12383-top-trends-watch-travel-season#comments New Surfing Sci-Fi Book Promotes Marine Biology, Ocean Conservation https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10633-new-surfing-sci-fi-book-promotes-marine-biology-ocean-conservation <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/books-fiction" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Books &amp; Fiction</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Sun, 05/10/2020 - 18:33</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1surfing.jpg?itok=qJzx_ifR"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1surfing.jpg?itok=qJzx_ifR" width="480" height="240" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p><strong><em>This is an excerpt from author Brian Tissot’s new book, </em>Songs of Thalassa<em> (Chapter 4) -- an action-packed surfer novel that focuses on environmental consciousness. Printed with permission.</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Three days later, Milo called an early team meeting. As he made a dramatic entrance, Sage couldn’t help but admire his tall, lanky stature, auburn hair, and sharply chiseled face. She had to admit that his good looks combined with his charismatic on-screen personality created the perfect social media dynamo.</p> <p> </p> <p>As he worked with Moshe and Georgia to prepare his presentation, Sage reminisced about first meeting Milo. Despite surfing all her life, she never heard of him until they met after she won her first big-wave contest at Jaws. As he scrutinized her with sharp looks, she should have known he was sizing her up to beat her.</p> <p> </p> <p>Later, she learned he was born into a family of movie stars and media darlings, and his entire life had revolved around fame and fortune. His parents raised him in the social media world, with every achievement, or failure, being broadcast to the galaxy. Although they loved him, they simply didn’t have time for Milo in their busy schedules, as they so publicly claimed in each broadcast, so he was raised by nannies and assistants and guarded by Moshe. Now, he lived and died through the adoration of his fans on the holoscreen. Sage hated to admit it, but she knew he was a superstar.</p> <p> </p> <p>Now, at the age of 33, he had starred in several major films, sang in a rock band, danced in music videos, and broke records in extreme sports, including paragliding, rock climbing, sailing, and, more recently, big-wave surfing. Sage knew that he jumped around so much because he quickly grew bored after each accomplishment—he would do anything to draw attention to himself. A one-person entertainment industry, some called him. Milo lived for the limelight. But it wasn’t enough. He always wanted more, and Sage thought he would go too far to get it.</p> <p> </p> <p>“OK, listen up,” he said. “We’re just a few days out from the planet, and we have some new data to show you from the probes we sent out last year.” She could see that Milo was relishing the moment—and the attention—as Moshe turned on the holoscreen projector. Instantly, an image of a giant blue 3-D globe with small white poles expanded to fill the control room and began rotating. Milo proudly announced with outstretched arms, “This is our first detailed view of Thalassa, which we’ll be orbiting in a few days. And it’s not your typical holoscreen projection. It also contains detailed physical and biochemical signatures scanned by the probes. By the way, these are proprietary enhancements developed by Cutten.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Although Sage had mixed feelings about the holoscreen, the latest and most immersive virtual social media experience of the time, she was in awe as everyone ran over to look at the magnificent projection of the planet. Using tech advancements, Cutten had added visual, aural, tactile, and olfactory elements to the projection. As Sage approached the bright-blue globe, she felt like she was floating in space and could reach out and touch the planet’s surface.</p> <p> </p> <p>Leaning in, she could smell its oceans, hear wind rushing through the mountains, and holding her hands close to the globe, she felt the cold over the poles and warmth from the tropical seas. Drawn to the projection, she touched the ocean near a string of island. Images flashed through her mind: a deep-blue ocean encircling white islands; a wall of erupting volcanoes; a touch of soft fur; spiny creatures pulsing through crystal-clear water; then, a dark, mountainous wave towering in front of her that caused her to suck in her breath. Milo’s loud voice jolted her back to his presentation.</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2tissotbook.jpg" style="height:600px; width:398px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>Milo continued, “She’s an ocean world, 99 percent water to be exact.” Then he motioned to a long spine of land running north and straddling the equator.</p> <p> </p> <p>“There’s a single continent, about the size of California, broken up into hundreds of islands, cays, and islets, and there are two small polar ice caps.”</p> <p> </p> <p>He pointed at a series of dots lining the western continent. “This string of islands spreads north and south for hundreds of miles. They are perfect for capturing deep-water swells from multiple directions. These islands are the ultimate surfing paradise. Plus, we’ve identified a massive underwater reef we call the Bulge.”</p> <p> </p> <p>He pointed to a shallow light-blue area in the ocean, west and offshore of the continent, then he paused for effect. Dina was astonished at its size. “Wow, that is something. How’d it get so big?”</p> <p> </p> <p>Georgia happily answered, “It’s a geological feature of small planets. You see, Mars-sized planets like Thalassa cool quicker than Earth once they form. The heat from their inner core dissipates, and there is insufficient heat to drive plate tectonics. With no molten core, the magnetic field fades away, and the atmosphere and oceans eventually boil off into space from the solar winds. In essence, the planet dies, like Mars did billions of years ago.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Milo tried to interrupt her, but she continued. “However,” she said, glaring at Milo. “Thalassa is only 1.9 billion years old, less than half of Earth’s and Mars’s age, so it could still be relatively hot, despite its small size. But we also know that Procyon has a higher metallicity than our sun, probably due to the interaction with its white dwarf. As a result, Thalassa may have a higher abundance of naturally occurring heavy metals like iron and nickel and radioactive elements.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Georgia paused to look around and see if everyone was following. “Does that mean we’ll glow in the dark?” asked Dina. Georgia laughed. “No. These elements are deep in the planet’s core and mantle, but they help the planet generate heat, which drives volcanism. The island arc—the line of islands Milo showed you—demonstrates that there once was significant volcanism and crustal motion, but it appears to be mostly dormant now, as the older island remnants have subsided. Without plate tectonics, hot magma from the mantle pushed up into the stationary crust and created a massive shield volcano—in this case, the Bulge.”</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/2surfing.jpg" style="height:302px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>“Like the Tharsis bulge on Mars that created Olympus Mons,” added Byron, referencing the largest volcano in Earth’s solar system.</p> <p> </p> <p>“Exactly,” Georgia replied. “Except Thalassa has an ocean, and the sea levels have risen and fallen so that waves have eroded the Bulge until it’s worn down and underwater and bisected by dozens of submarine canyons.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Then she pointed to a string of mountains along the eastern edge of the continent. “The enigma is why these other volcanoes are still active. Normally, massive shield volcanoes like that signal the end of plate tectonics, but something caused volcanism to restart after the Bulge formed. Strange.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Milo tapped his foot and prodded her to move on. “And the waves?”</p> <p> </p> <p>Georgia smiled and continued, “Yes, of course. The geomorphology of the Bulge makes it a high-probability target for waves, potentially large waves, as it’s an offshore shoal in deep water. We’ve identified at least four potential surf breaks so far,” she said while pointing to areas around the edges. “But the shoal is fairly deep, so it only breaks on big swells.”</p> <p> </p> <p>“How big?” asked Sage.</p> <p> </p> <p>“We don’t have enough data yet to be sure, but it probably needs at least 100-foot waves to break,” Georgia replied. “Beyond that, based on depth, it may hold swells 200 to 300 feet high, perhaps bigger. Remember, it’s a low-g planet, so the applications of physical oceanography from Earth are limited. After all, I never got to study Mars’s real oceans, which would have been a better proxy for Thalassa.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Dina was skeptical. “We’re not riding 200-foot waves, that’s impossible. It’s simply too dangerous, and we can’t move fast enough. You all know what happened at Cortes on that monster El Niño last year, and some of those were only in the 130-foot range.”</p> <p> </p> <p><img alt="" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/1planetearth.jpg" style="height:338px; width:600px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>“Why?” Byron asked. “What happened?” Sage cringed at the memory. “People died. They just weren’t fast enough to get down the wave’s face before it broke, and they got blasted by a shit ton of water. But the Bulge is like a giant, slow Cortes Bank. Right? Time for a new world record, eh, Milo?”</p> <p> </p> <p>“I can’t wait to set it,” he replied. “Remember the gravity on Thalassa is only 30 percent of Earth’s, so with my new motorboards and the slower waves, I’ll be invincible.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Georgia motioned at the oceans. “There’s more. The data we have so far indicates that the wind and weather systems of the planet, due to the lack of large continents, continuously circle the globe and create large storms that generate massive swells. The small continent with its string of volcanoes isn’t big enough to significantly disrupt the winds. As a result, storms are constantly churning out large swells, in both the southern and northern hemispheres, all of which focus on the Bulge and the chains of islands. Once we launch the new probes, with real-time oceanographic data feeds and weather scans, I’ll be able to develop a wave model for the planet soon after we arrive. With the model, I can generate predictions for wave heights, periods, and directions anywhere on the globe.”</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>This is an excerpt from author Brian Tissot’s new book, </em>Songs of Thalassa<em>  (Chapter 4).  Printed with permission.</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p><strong>Author Brian Tissot, Ph.D., knows the ocean. Not only is he a career marine ecologist and </strong><strong>director of Humboldt State University’s marine lab, he is a lifelong surfer and has dedicated his life to ocean advocacy and exploring and protecting the world’s marine life. He has now focused his passion and interest in marine biology in his new book, <em>Songs of Thalassa, </em>an action-packed surfer novel that focuses on environmental consciousness.</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Highbrow Magazine</strong></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Image Sources:</strong></p> <p><em>--Courtesy of the author</em></p> <p><em><a href="https://www.goodfreephotos.com/united-states/hawaii/other-hawaii/surfer-riding-giant-wave-in-hawaii.jpg.php" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">--GoodFreePhotos</a> (Creative Commons)                     </em></p> <p>  </p><p><em>--Anthony Quintano (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eddie_Aikau_Big_Wave_Invitational_Surf_Contest_Waimea_Bay_Hawaii_Febrary_2016_(24910836009).jpg" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Wikimedia</a>, Creative Commons)</em></p> <p><em>--<a href="https://pixnio.com/computer-arts/photomontage/man-galaxy-astronomy-art-stars-planet-earth" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Pixnio</a> (Creative Commons)</em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/brian-tissot" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Brian Tissot</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-books" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new books</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/song-thalassa" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Song of Thalassa</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hawaii" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">hawaii</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/surfer-books" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">surfer books</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/environmental-novels" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">environmental novels</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/climate-change" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">climate change</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/maine-biology" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">maine biology</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Brian Tissot</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Sun, 10 May 2020 22:33:52 +0000 tara 9538 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/10633-new-surfing-sci-fi-book-promotes-marine-biology-ocean-conservation#comments How Hawaiian Food Went Mainstream in New York City https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/5250-how-hawaiian-food-went-mainstream-new-york-city <div class="field field-name-field-cat field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/food" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Food</a></div></div></div><span class="submitted-by">Submitted by tara on Mon, 09/14/2015 - 18:35</span><div class="field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="og:image rdfs:seeAlso" resource="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1HIfood.jpg?itok=knrZs1lZ"><img typeof="foaf:Image" src="https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/field/image/1HIfood.jpg?itok=knrZs1lZ" width="480" height="359" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p> </p> <p>When you’re hungry in New York, the world is at your fingertips. You can sample food from all over the globe just by hopping on a subway.</p> <p> </p> <p>A recent food arrival comes by way of Hawaii. Hawaiian food is greatly influenced by Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Portuguese cultures, among others. Hawaiian food today mostly reflects the massive immigration to Hawaii in the late 1800s.</p> <p> </p> <p>The most iconic Hawaiian dish is probably the plate meal: grilled or fried meat, macaroni salad and rice. Spam is often used as a main meat. Spam musubi, fried spam on a bed of rice wrapped in seaweed, is a popular snack in Hawaii and also found on sushi menus. The popularity began in WWII, when GIs consumed Spam, according to Spam’s website, and the meat had become a staple in local culture by the end of the war.</p> <p> </p> <p>Polynesian islanders were the original settlers of Hawaii. Poi was a Polynesian staple made from the taro plant and is still enjoyed today along with yams and sweet potatoes. Pineapple was first cultivated in 1813 and by the late 19th century became the state’s largest crop along with sugarcane. Poke means “chunk” or “section” in Hawaiian, and is chunks of raw marinated fish or seafood like yellowfin tuna or salmon.</p> <p> </p> <p>Hawaiian regional cuisine took off in 1991, launched by 12 chefs in Hawaii who wanted to showcase the local goods of the land and the different ethnicities that contributed to Hawaiian food culture. The cuisine is dubbed “island cuisine.”</p> <p> </p> <p>Chef Jon Matsubara is chef de cuisine at Japengo in Waikiki, an Asian fusion restaurant serving island classics and seasonal tasting menus. He said Hawaiian food has seen positive change during his career.</p> <p> </p> <p>“We are using more local ingredients than ever before and have been able to share our progress through various social media channels,” he said. “I am equally excited and honored to play an active role in the Hawaiian food movement.”</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/2HIfood.jpg" style="height:415px; width:311px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>As far as creating authentic Hawaiian food in NYC, Matsubara says it’s all about creativity.</p> <p> </p> <p>“I think this can be replicated in New York City if chefs can find ways to creatively substitute hard-to-find Hawaiian ingredients with more readily available ingredients,” he said.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Hawaiian food in NYC</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>About six years ago, Alfred DiMartini fell in love with poke in Hawaii. When he got back to New York he couldn’t find it.</p> <p> </p> <p>“For a couple years I was flying back every summer to Hawaii or San Diego. Sometimes the most exciting part of planning my trip was looking forward to some poke,” he said.</p> <p> </p> <p>He poked around on Chowhound forums and found he wasn’t the only one hungry for authentic poke. He decided to feed the need with East Coast Poke, selling poke bowls for $12 at various events. After a rocky first few weeks at Smorgasburg in 2014, poke became popular and has really taken off this summer, DiMartini said.</p> <p> </p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/3HIfood.jpg" style="height:328px; width:438px" /></p> <p> </p> <p>One thing DiMartini has noticed at Hawaiian restaurants here is the quality of the tuna.</p> <p> </p> <p>“It’s good ahi but you can tell they’re using the frozen stuff,” DiMartini said. “I think I’m the only one that’s really doing the authentic poke bowls.”</p> <p> </p> <p>DiMartini gets his tuna weekly on Fridays from a vendor in Hawaii who also supplies Le Bernardin and Mario Batali’s restaurants, he said. Native Hawaiians here in New York have lauded him for the poke’s authenticity, he said.</p> <p> </p> <p>The deliciousness starts with a bowl of soft rice, slightly sweetened with flecks of pineapple. A layer of seaweed is next, then a hearty portion of tuna chunks on top. The tuna is silky and impeccably fresh. On top are black and white sesame seeds, red salt and a sprinkle of wasabi, all imported from Hawaii as well.</p> <p> </p> <p>East Coast Poke is available for the remainder of Smorgasburg this year and at other events in the city. DiMartini hopes to expand into college campuses like Rutgers and Stonybrook.</p> <p> </p> <p>Noreetuh, which means “playground” in Korean, is the most recent of the Hawaiian restaurants to hit New York City. Located in the East Village, it’s run by three veterans of fine dining staple Per Se and serves a modern take on Hawaiian dishes. Also in the East Village, tiki bar Mother of Pearl offers totem pole seats, rum drinks and foods like tuna poke and ginger glazed kalua pork belly. More fast food style fare can be found uptown in two locations of Hawaiian and Japanese BBQ spot Makana.</p> <p> </p> <p>In Brooklyn, Onomea in Williamsburg serves more traditional Hawaiian fare, while Suzume offers musubi, sushi, ramen and tacos in an informal setting, fusing Japanese, Filipino and Hawaiian influences. A Hawaiian fried chicken bowl combines market greens, chicken katsu and pineapple macaroni salad. Both opened in 2013.</p> <p> </p> <p>“Aloha” in Hawaiian means “sharing the breath of life.” It’s not just a greeting, but it’s a way of life for Hawaiians - all about loving yourself and spreading that love to others. What better way to do that than by sharing the gift of island cuisine with the rest of the world? Hopefully the love for Hawaiian food will spread, offering us more delicious discoveries around the island of Manhattan.</p> <p><br /> <img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/4HIfood.jpg" style="height:396px; width:541px" /></p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Author Bio:</strong></p> <p><strong><em>Beth Kaiserman is</em> Highbrow Magazine’s <em>chief food critic.</em></strong></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hawaii" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">hawaii</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/hawaiian-food" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">hawaiian food</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-york-city" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">New York City</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/new-york-city-restaurants" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">new york city restaurants</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/poke" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">poke</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/tuna" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tuna</a></div><div class="field-item even" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/ahi" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">ahi</a></div><div class="field-item odd" rel="dc:subject"><a href="/poi" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">poi</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-author field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Beth Kaiserman</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-pop field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Popular:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">not popular</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-photographer field-type-text field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Photographer:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Beth Kaiserman; Google Images</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-bot field-type-list-boolean field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Bottom Slider:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Out Slider</div></div></div> Mon, 14 Sep 2015 22:35:01 +0000 tara 6337 at https://www.highbrowmagazine.com https://www.highbrowmagazine.com/5250-how-hawaiian-food-went-mainstream-new-york-city#comments