Cruise Ships Seeing Record Number of Outbreaks

Above, bathers in the pool area on a cruise to the Bahamas. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The following is why I feel having mega cruise ships is a lousy idea, especially since COVID.

I have been on three cruises and I have contracted a virus during two of them. Luckily, they were relatively minor. 

Taking a cruise may seem like a great idea, but having thousands of people in a limited amount of space is bound to spread illnesses. Frankly, cruise ships are floating petri dishes.

This year has been a record year for outbreaks.

According to SFGate:

Cruise ships are seeing a record year for outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses. So far, there have been 20 outbreaks on the vessels, mostly of norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year, which was also a record year for outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness, there were 18.

The latest outbreak involved the Oceania Insignia of Oceania Cruises on an 11-day (October 16-27) Montreal to Boston cruise, the CDC reported. The outbreak affected 75 people: 74 passengers out of 637 passengers (11.6%) and 1 crew member out of 391 (0.3%). Those afflicted saw symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting. 

To read more, go here. 

Chevron Leaving California For Texas

California is losing another corporation to a more business-friendly state.

Chevron Oil is leaving the business-hostile state to Houston, Texas. They are blaming misguided radical liberal policies of the state government for the move.

SFGate posted:

“Houston is home to our largest U.S. employee base (approximately 7,000),” Stuart wrote in a statement. “Texas offers a business-friendly environment, a more affordable cost of living, and better proximity to key counterparts in the service sector, our industry and academia.”

Environmentalists have long blamed Chevron for contributing to climate change and pollution in California. In June, the Richmond City Council greenlighted a ballot measure that, if voters approve it, would add $1 of tax to each barrel of raw material processed at Chevron’s huge refinery there.

The Bay Area Council, a business-sponsored advocacy group, took Chevron’s announced headquarters move as a chance to blast California’s elected leaders.

“Chasing jobs and employers out of California is no way to run the economy,” Jim Wunderman, president of the group, wrote in a statement. “It’s an embarrassment for California that we’ve lost so many global companies because of misguided policies that make it incredibly difficult to do business here.”

Elon Musk’s SpaceX and X also recently announced plans to move their corporate headquarters from California to Texas, after building themselves into corporate giants on the West Coast.

Chevron’s ties with California run particularly deep. The company traces its history back to Pacific Coast Oil Co., which was founded in 1879 in San Francisco and joined another firm to create a California subsidiary of Standard Oil. That company found its first oil gusher in 1910 in Kern County, according to Chevron’s website, and grew its refinement and harvesting capabilities over the ensuing decades. 

To read more, go here. 

NPS Fires Crater Lake Concessionaire

Above, a smoky view of Crater Lake's Wizard Island. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The National Park Service has made good on its threat to terminate Aramark's concessionaire contract at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

The announcement was made on Monday.

SFGATE reported:

After a tumultuous several years, the National Park Service has made good on its recent threat to terminate its current contract and replace Crater Lake National Park’s concessions operator.

Kansas-based ExplorUS announced in a news release on Monday that it had signed a “definitive letter of intent” to take over operations from Crater Lake Hospitality as well as its concessions for the popular West Coast national park.

Crater Lake Hospitality, a subsidiary of Philadelphia-based Aramark, was responsible for handling Crater Lake’s concessions, including food, lodging and other visitor services. The company’s contract was until 2030.

To read more, go here.