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Wallaby missing from Memphis Zoo after severe storms
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Memphis Zoo is on the search for one of its animals after severe storms wreaked havoc on the city Wednesday.
During the lightning, thunder and thrashing rain a wallaby went missing, WMC reported.
The zoo says it experienced flash flooding inside its KangaZoo exhibit due to the overflow of Lick Creek amid the storm. All animals inside the KangaZoo exhibit were evacuated and relocated to the animal hospital.
After doing a headcount of the animals, zoo officials noticed one wallaby was unaccounted for.
Memphis Police Department is assisting in the search.
The zoo says wallabies are smaller in stature than kangaroos and advise that people do not approach them.
The wallaby was the talk around Overton Park Thursday as hundreds of people enjoyed the break from the week’s severe weather.
While many were keeping their eyes out for the wallaby, some had to make sure they even knew what one looked like.
“I had to look it up. It’s like a smaller kangaroo-type mammal,” Taylor Skees said.
Everyone had high hopes for the missing wallaby.
“I hope they find it and if they do it’s okay,” Utica Ferguson said.
The Memphis Zoo is asking people to call them at 901-333-6500 if they spot the wallaby, and tell them the location and time of the sighting.
Copyright 2022 WMC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/15/wallaby-missing-memphis-zoo-after-severe-storms/ | 2022-04-15T14:14:04 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/15/wallaby-missing-memphis-zoo-after-severe-storms/ |
Ukraine's port of Mariupol holds out against all odds
Unbroken by a Russian blockade and relentless bombardment, the key port of Mariupol is still holding out, a symbol of staunch Ukrainian resistance that has thwarted the Kremlin's invasion plans.
More than six weeks after the Russian siege began, Ukrainian troops are continuing to fight the vastly superior Russian forces in ferocious battles amid the ruins of what once was a bustling city on the Sea of Azov coast.
The city's mayor says that an estimated 120,000 people remain in the city, of Mariupol’s pre-war population of about 450,000.
The Ukrainians' fight against all odds has scuttled Moscow's designs, tying up significant Russian forces and delaying the start of a planned Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine's industrial heartland, Donbas. The Kremlin hopes that an attack in the east could reverse the battlefield fortunes for Russia after a humiliating failure of its attempt to quickly storm the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Mariupol has been a key objective for Russia since the start of its invasion on Feb. 24. Capturing the city would allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014 and deprive Ukraine of a major port and prized industrial assets.
The giant Azovstal steel mill and other industrial plants have been heavily damaged by the ferocious Russian bombardment that has flattened much of Mariupol, indiscriminately hitting homes, hospitals and other public buildings and killing thousands.
The victims include about 300 people killed in last month's Russian airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theater that was being used as a shelter and had the word “CHILDREN” printed in Russian in huge white letters on the pavement outside to ward off aerial attack.
Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko told The Associated Press that at least 21,000 people were killed in Mariupol with bodies “carpeted through the streets.” He said that the Russians deployed mobile cremation equipment to Mariupol to methodically dispose of the victims' bodies in order to hide the evidence of the massacre and prevent international organizations from documenting "the horror the Russian army is responsible for.”
The discovery of hundreds of bodies of civilians apparently executed by Russian forces in Kyiv's suburbs after the Russian retreat from the area has fueled global outrage and accusations from Ukrainians and the West that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine.
Moscow has deployed fighters from Chechnya, known for their ferocity, to wage street battles in Mariupol. Chechnya’s Moscow-backed leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has repeatedly boasted on his messaging app channel about defeating Ukrainians in Mariupol, but the fight has continued.
Boychenko said that several Ukrainian units are still fighting the Russians in Mariupol, including the 36th Marine Brigade, the Azov Regiment, some Interior Ministry troops and border guards.
The Azov Regiment, a seasoned volunteer force that is widely considered one of the country’s most capable units, is defending the mammoth Azovstal steel plant that covers an area of nearly 11 square kilometers (over 4.2 square miles). It has taken advantage of the plant's sprawling network of concrete buildings and underground facilities to repel continuous Russian attacks.
The 36th Marine Brigade was maintaining defensive positions at the Azovmash and Zavod Ilyicha factories until it ran out of supplies and ammunition and made a desperate attempt to break through the Russian blockade earlier this week.
In a post on the brigade's Facebook page, one of its officers described the unit's heroic resistance, saying that “for more than a month, the marines have been fighting without replenishing amunition, food and water supplies.” “The wounded accounted for nearly a half of the brigade's strength, but those who still had their limbs and were capable of walking reported back to duty," the post said.
Boychenko said that some of the marines managed to join the Azov regiment, while others were captured by the Russians. He didn't give any numbers.
The Russian military said Thursday that a total of 1,160 Ukrainian marines surrendered this week, a claim that couldn't be independently verified.
As the Ukrainian troops continue to offer fierce resistance in Mariupol, fears have grown that the exasperated Russians could resort to chemical weapons to deal with the remaining pockets of resistance at the Azovstal plant and other areas of the city.
Eduard Basurin, a Russia-allied separatist official in eastern Ukraine, appeared to call for that Monday, telling Russian state TV that the Russia-backed forces should block all the exits out of the factory and then "use chemical troops to smoke them out of there.” He later said that no chemical weapons were used.
The Azov Regiment claimed Monday, without providing evidence, that a drone had dropped a poisonous substance on its positions but inflicted no serious injuries. A Ukrainian defense official said the attack possibly involved phosphorus munitions.
Ukrainian authorities have said that the Russians have blocked humanitarian convoys from reaching Mariupol, keeping it without food, water and power since the siege started. The Russian troops have turned back buses sent to evacuate residents, but about 150,000 have been able to flee the city in their own vehicles.
Boychenko said that at least 33,500, and, possibly, up to 50,000 Mariupol residents have been taken to “filtration camps” in the separatist-controlled east before being forcibly sent to distant, economically depressed areas in Russia.
Mariupol has seen communications cut since the start of the siege, and as the Russians moved to capture sections of the city they launched radio broadcasts to brainwash the population.
“They unleashed propaganda, telling people that Kyiv and other cities have been captured and they have been abandoned,” Boychenko said.
The continuing fighting in Mariupol has forced the Russian military to keep a significant number of troops in the city, delaying the start of the planned new offensive in eastern Ukraine.
“As long as the street fighting is going on, Russia can't remove troops from Mariupol and deploy them to other areas, including Donbas,” Oleh Zhdanov, an independent military expert, told the AP.
“The Ukrainian troops in Mariupol are still fulfilling their main task by diverting the Russian forces from other areas. Mariupol remains a major symbol of the Ukrainian resistance." | https://www.wisn.com/article/ukraines-port-mariupol-holds/39734587 | 2022-04-15T14:14:10 | 0 | https://www.wisn.com/article/ukraines-port-mariupol-holds/39734587 |
Warm, sticky weekend with a couple inland storms around
A flood advisory has been issued for parts of coastal Palm Beach County until 12:45 p.m. Friday.
The National Weather Service said there is a risk of minor flooding, as well as flooding of highways, streets, and underpasses.
Highs will be in the mid 80s Friday afternoon with showers and storms lining up along the seabreeze then pushing inland by late afternoon.
For the weekend, highs in the mid 80. Partly sunny and some inland showers and storms possible.
MORE WEATHER: Radar | Alerts | 7-Day Forecast | Hourly Forecast
Monday, scattered showers, and storms ahead of a weak cool front. Highs in the mid 80s.
Tuesday, some showers in the morning, then clearing skies throughout the afternoon. Highs in the low 80s.
Wednesday & Thursday, breezy with less humidity. Highs in the low 80s and only a slim chance of an isolated shower.
Scripps Only Content 2022 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/15/warm-sticky-weekend-with-couple-inland-storms-around/ | 2022-04-15T14:14:11 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/04/15/warm-sticky-weekend-with-couple-inland-storms-around/ |
As a sweeping review of the nation's premier public health agency commences this week, interviews by CNN with more than a dozen people close to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal an agency in need of serious changes to make it more nimble and ready to respond to the next pandemic.
The experts -- current and former CDC staffers as well as outsiders who've worked closely with the agency -- told CNN they hope the review could improve deep-seated problems that showed themselves in glaring ways during Covid-19, the worst pandemic in the United States in more than a century.
"At the end of the day, the killer thing here for me is the layers, the bureaucracy, the clearance, the process -- it just takes way too much time during a crisis, especially when that crisis is moving at warp speed," a senior federal official said.
That official and others described an agency in which scientists are smart, dedicated and hardworking but often siloed and hyperfocused on their individual projects rather than the larger public health picture, working within an inflexible budget that's difficult to change quickly when a new pathogen emerges.
Last week, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky announced the review of the agency's "structures, systems, and processes" to be led by Jim Macrae, a longtime employee of the US Department of Health and Human Services, with input from three senior CDC leaders.
"At the conclusion of this collective effort, we will develop new systems and processes to deliver our science and program to the American people, along with a plan for how CDC should be structured to facilitate the public health work we do," Walensky wrote in an email to CDC staffers last week.
A senior CDC physician said the review would look at how the agency has handled the pandemic.
"How do we take the lessons that we've learned over the last two years and make sure that we don't make any mistakes again, and make sure that we apply them well?" she asked. "It feels like we should codify, formalize, understand lessons learned over the last period of time, things that we did well, things that presented challenges so that we can learn from them."
In response to a detailed list of questions, a CDC spokesperson sent CNN a statement that says, "Beginning April 11, Jim Macrae began a month-long process to engage with our CDC community -- along with key external stakeholders -- to help modernize our processes around developing and deploying the agency's science. During this time, we will also conduct careful review of the agency's overall structure and operations to ensure we are positioned for the future of public health, with a strong focus on the agency's core capabilities -- data modernization, laboratory capacity, public health workforce, health equity, rapid response to disease outbreaks, and preparedness within the US and around the world.
"The work we do will not only inform what we can do during a pandemic, but also what we do during normal operations to ensure our science reaches the public in a timely and implementable manner. The strength of this agency comes from the people who work at CDC. Since the director's arrival, she has heard from many employees and external experts that they would like to see CDC build on its rich history and modernize for the world around us -- this effort will lean into the hard work of transforming CDC for the better."
Of the 16 people interviewed for this story, one is a senior federal official, one is a senior CDC official, and two are senior CDC physicians, and CNN granted those four anonymity given longstanding norms about government employees speaking to the media. The others were willing to be named: eight former senior-level CDC officials, including two past directors of the agency, and four outsiders who have worked with the CDC.
The senior CDC official said "data collection" for the review will take a month, and "synthesizing it and determining what the plan is" will take longer.
Whatever the timeline, a CDC review is clearly a complex undertaking, given the agency's size and the breadth of its mission.
"It's really hard to slice and dice an organization like the CDC to get everything into alignment," said Dr. Nancy Cox, who served as chief of the CDC's influenza team from 1992 to 2014.
Still, she and others hope the review will be a starting point for finding solutions to problems, many of which have plagued the agency long before Covid-19.
1. Get CDC scientists out of their silos
The CDC is huge: 13,000 employees spread across campuses in nine states and Puerto Rico, working in more than 10 centers -- one for injury prevention, for example, and another for immunization and respiratory diseases.
"CDC is notoriously siloed in its organization," said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and a vaccine adviser to the CDC for 40 years. "Everyone is so involved in their own matters that there is very little cross-fertilization and conversation."
"They care about their little potted plant, if you will, their budget line, and not about the broader public health issue," said Dr. Tom Frieden, who served as director of the CDC from 2009 to 2017.
Cultivating one's "potted plant," as Frieden put it, might work when there's not an emergency, but he and others say it hinders the agency when it needs to move quickly.
"I think [the CDC] is pretty good in peace time," said Andy Slavitt, who worked with the agency as temporary senior adviser to the White House's Covid-19 response team from January to June last year. But he said the agency needs "a less contemplative, more practical approach during wartime."
Frieden and others recommended that the CDC send certain staffers to work in state or local health departments for a period of time because those offices are the ones that carry out much of the public health work during a crisis and receive about 70% of the CDC's domestic funding.
"There are so few people who've spent a lot of time in the state and local, especially local and city health departments [and] that's really quite a major issue," said Frieden, who was health commissioner for New York City before he became director of the CDC.
Dr. Arthur Reingold, a former assistant chief of the CDC's Bacterial Special Pathogens Branch, agreed that sending CDC staff to local health departments was crucial.
"I have worked in a local county health department. I have worked in a state health department. I have worked at CDC," Reingold said. "Many of the people at the CDC, however smart they are, have never worked in a state or local health department. They've grown up, if you will, with the best academic training, [and] they've ended up at the CDC. They have expectations about state [and] local health department partners, but they have no experience working in those agencies and understanding the challenges and complexities that are there, and I think that perspective is badly needed."
The senior CDC official said agency officials do go out to work in health departments "but not at the level that I think others would hope" and that structural changes would have to be made to allow it to happen more often.
"You can't just pluck an MD from here and stick them there," she said. "We have to create a system to make this happen."
2. Practice for a pandemic
It was January 2007, and Dr. Stephen Redd, a retired rear admiral with the US Public Health Service, had never felt so grateful for an ice storm.
It was a CDC pandemic practice event, a military-like exercise in which, for 24 hours at the CDC's headquarters in Atlanta, hundreds of staffers pretended there was a pandemic and played out what needed to be done to stop the dangerous pathogen.
The exercise went so poorly that Redd said he was relieved when an ice storm forced everyone to go home and end the exercise early.
"You could kind of feel the wheels were coming off the car during [the exercise]," he said. "We were not ready."
When the ice storm hit, "I remember thinking that was good that we were able to stop the exercise because it was about to blow up," added Redd, who worked at the CDC from 1985 to 2020 and served as the CDC's deputy director for public health service and implementation science.
There have been many more pandemic exercises since 2007, and the agency's readiness has improved over the years, Redd said. The senior CDC official said the exercises have continued during the pandemic.
Cox, the former CDC flu chief who spent nearly 40 years at the agency, said the exercises were helpful not just for the practice but also because they allowed managers like her to observe staffers and identify who worked well under pressure.
"You have to have a clear idea of how people are going to behave under a lot of stress, because a pandemic, especially one like Covid, is extremely high-stress," she said. "Some people simply don't work well under a lot of stress. You need to have a clear idea of how much of the firehose they can drink from."
3. Learn to 'keep it simple, stupid'
Improving the CDC's communications was high on the list of every one of the 16 experts interviewed for this story. They said the agency must learn how to communicate with real people -- not other doctors, not epidemiologists, not people with Ph.D.s in zoology or biostatistics, but real people.
A senior CDC physician said Walensky asked Macrae, the HHS official leading the review, to specifically address communications during the pandemic in his review.
"How did we handle things?" the physician asked.
For the sources interviewed by CNN, the answer was not well.
The senior federal official gave the CDC a grade of "D" for its communication during the pandemic.
"We weren't nearly as consistent as we needed to be in both the timing and the frequency of providing information that the public needed," the official said.
Several sources said it's ironic the CDC had messaging problems during Covid, given that the agency taught the world how to communicate during a pandemic.
Starting in 1996, the agency published what is now called "The CDC Field Epidemiology Manual," which has a chapter on communicating during an outbreak. There's also the CDC's "Crisis and Emergency Risk Communications" manual, which was first publishsed in 2002.
"It's so odd, because CDC literally wrote the book on how to communicate in a health emergency -- literally," said Frieden, the former CDC director.
"I don't know what happened," added Dr. Sonja Rasmussen, co-editor of the field epidemiology manual, who worked at the CDC for 20 years, including as director of the Division of Public Health Information Dissemination.
As an example of poor communication during Covid-19, a different senior CDC physician pointed to "horrible" CDC messaging to immune-compromised people about how many vaccine shots they need.
The doctor treats immune-compromised patients who "didn't get it" that they needed more shots than other people.
"It was just sh*tty. I have all these immune-compromised patients, and they didn't understand it because we didn't do a good job communicating it," the physician said.
Many pharmacies also didn't understand the CDC's directive and turned away immune-compromised people who needed extra shots.
"This was a good example where we needed a spokesperson who could be all over the media and be on webinars with pharmacy organizations and Walgreens and CVS and explain all of this over and over," the physician said.
When the CDC did communicate with immune-compromised people, it was often in technical and confusing language. In January, a CDC website for immune-compromised people stated, in part, "After completing the primary series, some moderately or severely immunocompromised people should get an additional primary shot. Everyone 12 years and older, including immunocompromised people, should get a booster shot. If you are eligible for an additional primary shot, you should get this dose first before you get a booster shot."
Although that exact language is no longer on the CDC's website, it still contains references to technical terms and includes no fewer than six footnotes.
"There's this misunderstanding among CDC scientists sometimes that if 'I write a document and post it to the web, it will happen.' That's called hubris," the doctor said.
The doctor added that CDC scientists are sometimes disdainful of simple messaging, even when it's effective.
"The media is excellent at communicating messages to the public, but some of the scientists say those are dumbed down too much, and I say to them, follow the principles of KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid," the physician said.
The senior CDC official said messaging on fourth shots "is a very good example" of agency communication that wasn't as good as it should have been.
"That's exactly what I'm talking about, which is, how do you translate science to practice? And I think that's an area where we're going to need some feedback and some recommendations of how we can do that better," she said.
4. The CDC needs to regain its voice
The federal official said the reason they gave the agency a D grade on communications is in large part because the White House, under both Biden and Trump, had a "stranglehold" on the CDC, making it difficult for the agency to communicate effectively.
Several sources said a glaring example of this stranglehold happened August 18, when President Biden announced that "we'll be ready to start" booster shots the week of September 20, even though there had been no review -- or at least no publicly available review - of the science to see whether boosters even worked.
Biden did preface the comment by saying that boosters would be made available "pending approval from the Food and Drug Administration and the CDC's committee of outside experts," but sources for this story said it seemed clear the President was prejudging what the scientific data would show on the boosters. Less than two weeks later, two high-level FDA officials announced their retirement amid reports that agency scientists were angry about Biden's announcement.
The sources interviewed by CNN said they were concerned that incidents like this engendered mistrust among Americans who didn't like Biden to begin with -- and that this was exactly the group that was hesitant to get vaccinated.
They said Americans who don't trust the President would be more likely to listen to CDC scientists rather than to Dr. Anthony Fauci, Biden's chief medical adviser, or to Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general, who might be suspected as being too political.
"Some messages are best heard not coming from the White House because a lot of the country isn't going to believe anything this White House says," Frieden said.
"As much as I admire both Tony and Vivek, they ought to sit down and be quiet," added Schaffner, the Vanderbilt infectious disease expert who has served on the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices since 1982.
Although Walensky appears frequently in public, it's often on short television segments, where there isn't enough time to explain the scientific reasoning behind public health decisions, or at White House briefings, which have the appearance of being political and might not engender trust.
The public has rarely heard about Covid-19 from CDC scientists besides Walensky, which is in stark contrast to other outbreaks and undercuts the agency's authority with the public, the sources said.
Dr. William Foege said that while he was CDC director from 1977 to 1983, his policy was to let scientists working under him speak directly with journalists.
"I told them they can talk to journalists; they don't have to go through the front office," Foege said.
Traditionally during outbreaks, CDC directors and agency scientists have held regular media briefings that explained in detail the science and the agency's public health measures.
"You do need very clear, frequent communications: Be first, be right, be credible, express empathy, promote action, show respect," Frieden said.
During the SARS outbreak of 2003, which resulted in zero US deaths, the CDC held 17 media briefings on the outbreak, according to CDC records. During the Ebola outbreak of 2014, which resulted in two US deaths, the CDC held 20 telebriefings on the virus. During the Zika outbreak, two years later, which resulted in two US deaths, the agency held 16 telebriefings.
But under the Biden administration, the CDC has held just nine media briefings on Covid-19. During that 16-month period, more than half a million people have died from the virus in the US.
Even at arguably its most contentious moment during the Biden presidency, the agency did not hold a briefing to explain its science. In December, Walensky announced new CDC guidelines to shorten the quarantine time for Covid-19, earning the agency severe -- and extremely rare -- rebukes from the American Medical Association and others.
It's unclear why there have been relatively few briefings under the Biden administration -- whether it's been the CDC's choice or if it was done at the direction of the White House.
When CNN asked the senior CDC official about the small number of briefings, she said that "we've heard this feedback loud and clear."
If the CDC had fewer briefings because of pressure from Washington, all the reviews in the world won't help, said Glen Nowak, a former communications specialist at CDC who co-authored the communications chapter of the CDC field manual.
"You can change the structure all you want, but if at the end of the day CDC is always going to be overridden by HHS or the White House, I don't know that the organizational structure is going to matter much," said Nowak, who spent 14 years at the CDC, including six as the agency's director of media relations.
If the CDC has been under pressure from Washington, what could help is joining forces with medical organizations and other partners, said Dr. Walter Orenstein, who worked at the CDC for 26 years.
Orenstein was director of the CDC's National Immunization Program from 1988 to 2004, and he said when HHS tried to "direct CDC" to make certain decisions, he found it helpful to get groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Defense Fund on his side.
"No one wants to tick off the Children's Defense Fund," Orenstein said.
5. The CDC needs a more modern data system
Dr. Robert Redfield has been relatively quiet since leaving his position as CDC director under Trump, but last week, he said one sentence that resonated with the sources interviewed for this story.
"I always thought it was bothersome that the data the nation used to track the epidemic was from a medical school rather than CDC," Redfield said at an event at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Redfield was referring to data from Johns Hopkins University tracking Covid-19 cases and deaths, which the media and others have often relied on instead of CDC data.
A senior CDC physician said Hopkins data was "faster" than CDC data because the university can "webscrape" -- take data from state, county and local websites -- but the CDC isn't allowed to do that.
"We can't webscrape. We report [data] from the states, and the states gave it to us slowly," she said.
Beyond webscraping, there are concerns that the CDC's data infrastructure is in serious need of modernizing.
The senior CDC official said the agency is making efforts "to move data collection to the cloud" so that it could be more "interoperable."
Tempering expectations for the review
During the measles outbreak of 2018, when anti-vaxxers were spreading lies to the Orthodox Jewish community, the CDC turned to Shoshana Bernstein, a pro-vaccine activist in the religious community in Monsey, New York.
The CDC staffers flew from Atlanta and met with Bernstein, who shared ideas about educational videos and publications that could help turn the tide.
"The impression I got was that everyone was committed and dedicated to public health," she said. "I can't stress this enough: They were wonderful people and kind and caring. They were public servants. They were not just there to collect a paycheck."
Bernstein said the CDC staffers were enthusiastic and followed up with emails. But then, to her surprise, it became clear there wasn't CDC funding readily available to make the videos or the publications she'd suggested, even though measles was raging in her community and the projects were small and relatively inexpensive.
"It was such a disconnect. They were so dedicated and committed and compassionate about public health, but there was so much red tape and processes that there didn't seem to be a structure for pivoting from 'that's a great idea' to actually making it happen," Bernstein said.
Bernstein said to her great surprise, the CDC asked her if she had any ideas for where to get money to fund the pro-vaccine educational projects.
"I was like, 'wait, aren't you the CDC? Aren't you this giant agency with a huge budget, and you're asking me for help finding money?' " Bernstein said.
Bernstein ran into what former CDC director Frieden calls "inflexible funding," where the director cannot easily move funds around when a new public health threat emerges.
"When Ebola hit, it happened to be at the end of a fiscal year, and we literally didn't have enough money to buy plane tickets for staff. We had to borrow $3 million from another agency," Frieden said. "When I was New York City health commissioner, I had 20 times more flexible funds than I had as CDC director."
Despite efforts by the CDC, that hasn't changed since Frieden left the agency five years ago.
"That's an unfortunate part of the CDC budget," the current CDC senior official said. "In the 150-plus individual disease and risk factor specific lines, [it] leaves minimal to no flexibility throughout the year to respond to public health emergencies."
Because of this inflexibility, Frieden and others tempered expectations about what a review of the CDC's internal processes and structures could accomplish.
"I think it's important that there not be the impression that structural changes alone are going to make a big difference in some of the big problems, because they won't be sufficient," he said.
One of the CDC senior physicians said she wanted to "set the stage for managing expectations" about what the review will accomplish.
Anyone who thinks the review is "going to fix all the problems the CDC had and public health had, I think, is not sort of seeing the forest for the trees," she said. | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/health/high-hopes-but-tempered-expectations-as-cdc-launches-review-of-agencys-structure-and-systems/article_6b4cce3c-255d-5684-906d-86d0a1d048dc.html | 2022-04-15T14:17:39 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/health/high-hopes-but-tempered-expectations-as-cdc-launches-review-of-agencys-structure-and-systems/article_6b4cce3c-255d-5684-906d-86d0a1d048dc.html |
Get up and move -- even small doses of physical activity, such as brisk walking, may substantially lower the risk of depression, according to a new data analysis.
"Most benefits are realized when moving from no activity to at least some," the study authors wrote.
Recommended levels of exercise in the United States, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, include aerobic activity at moderate levels (such as a brisk walk) for 2.5 hours a week, along with a workout of all major muscle groups twice a week.
Alternatively, a person can choose a vigorous aerobic exercise, such as running, for 1.25 hours each week, along with the same amount of strength training.
Moderate to vigorous exercise is good for us, according to the CDC. It improves sleep; lowers blood pressure; protects against heart disease, diabetes and cancer; reduces stress; boosts mood; and fights anxiety and depression.
But in today's busy world, many people find it difficult to fit in a jog or a visit to the gym. Add depression to the mix, and the motivation for exercise drops even further, experts say.
Every little bit helps
The meta-analysis, published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, looked at 15 studies involving over 190,000 people to determine how much exercise was needed to reduce depression.
Adults who did activities equivalent to 1.25 hours of brisk walking per week had an 18% lower risk of depression compared with those who did not exercise, the study said.
Moving up to an "activity volume equivalent to 2.5 hours of brisk walking per week was associated with 25% lower risk of depression," the study authors said.
The benefits were strongest when a person transitioned from being a couch potato to adding movement to the day, the study said. However, exercising over the recommended levels did not provide any additional benefits.
"Our findings therefore have important new implications for health practitioners making lifestyle recommendations, especially to inactive individuals who may perceive the current recommended target (of exercise) as unrealistic," the authors wrote.
Prior research
A study published in 2018 found similar results: People who exercised had about 43% fewer days of poor mental health.
"Even just walking just three times a week seems to give people better mental health than not exercising at all," study author Adam Chekroud, an assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at Yale University, told CNN at the time.
Exercising in 45-minute sessions three to five times a week was the most beneficial for improving mental health, the 2018 study found. However, even doing household chores reduced poor mental health days by about 10%, the study said.
A study published in 2020 found that even light exercise helped protect children against developing depression. The 2020 study revealed that 60 minutes of simple movement each day at age 12 was linked to an average 10% reduction in depression at age 18.
The types of movement included running, biking and walking, as well as activities like doing chores, painting or playing an instrument. | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/health/it-doesnt-take-a-lot-of-exercise-to-fight-depression-study-says/article_38b0140c-d283-5265-a0cf-10c8b534663f.html | 2022-04-15T14:17:45 | 1 | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/health/it-doesnt-take-a-lot-of-exercise-to-fight-depression-study-says/article_38b0140c-d283-5265-a0cf-10c8b534663f.html |
All eyes had been on the Darby Township Commissioners since early February to see what their decision would be on the fate of one of their three fire companies.
Several firefighting personnel from the Briarcliffe Fire Company were caught on a hot mic back on Jan. 27 making racist and disparaging remarks about Black residents and fellow Black firefighters from a local squad.
They also made offensive comments about Fanta Bility, the 8-year-old Black girl killed by police officers in August 2021 in Sharon Hill.
The incendiary remarks that were made public by Goodwill Fire Company ultimately led to the Briarcliffe Fire Company getting slapped with a 30-day suspension from Darby Township Commissioners.
Wednesday night’s Commissioner’s meeting was supposed to discuss the possible decertification of the Briarcliffe Fire Company — but the squad beat the officials to the punch.
Shortly before the meeting, Media-based attorney, Robert C. Ewing let it be known to the public that the Briarcliffe Fire Company had voted to disband itself.
In a more thorough press release sent from Ewing on Thursday, Briarcliffe said “public outcry caused by the Goodwill Fire Company’s actions and misinterpretations caused the termination” of ambulatory services with their squad which ultimately led to Briarcliffe pulling the plug on their own operation.
The press release also denied fire company members ever used the “N-word” or disparaged Bility in the tape that they allege “was recorded without their knowledge.” However, the statement does address other statements the company said were “taken out of context.”
“There were certain statements made out of frustration that were racially charged. The members of the Briarcliffe Fire Company sincerely apologize for those remarks. They were completely out of character,” the press release said.
While upset at an unexplained “ultimatum” from the township and a lack of an opportunity “to meet and explain,” the letter concluded by saying that the members of the company will cooperate with the township as it transitions.
WHYY News reached out to township solicitor Michael Pierce, but he was not immediately available for comment.
The Darby Township Board of Commissioners still held a tense meeting on Wednesday night.
Pierce told residents at the meeting that the Delaware County District Attorney’s Office found no criminal wrongdoing from Briarcliffe, but added that the “public outrage is appropriate, the comments are hateful and offensive.”
While the township initially followed up with Briarcliffe Fire Company through their attorney requesting the identification of members present at the meeting, a formal apology to residents, the removal of the members involved, a formal vote to establish new leadership, and the scheduling of a new meeting with new leadership, the demands were not met.
“Briarcliffe is non-operational within the Township of Darby as a recognized fire company,” Pierce said. “That apparatus will be dealt with when we look at the overall picture of fire services located within the Township of Darby for the entire township.”
Two attendees from the meeting, Delaware County Councilmember Richard Womack and resident Ashley Dolceamore, said frustrations were running high.
“You had some of the residents that were happy about the decision, that you have those that kind of were not happy. So they felt like that it was a harsh penalty for them not still being served as that they were losing the fire company. But in fact, the township was already talking about merging, and only having two fire companies anyway, because they could not contain or continue to support three fire companies in a small area,” Womack said.
Darby Township is actually made up of two distinct parts with no common border — they are, in fact, separated by other towns. The Briarcliffe, alongside Goodwill, previously covered the northern end, where most of the white residents live.
The Darby Township Fire Company, which has an all-Black membership, covers the southern portion, where most of the Black residents live. The squad was the subject of Briarcliffe’s remarks.
WHYY News reached out to the Darby Township Fire Company and Chief Tim Eichelman from the Goodwill Fire Company, who brought the racist remarks to the township’s attention, but no one was immediately available for comment.
Womack has spoken to members of the Darby Township Fire Company.
“They’re very happy that this has been dealt with. They feel like that it’s a good start to maybe try to reorganize the fire company and for them to continue their services in Darby Township,” Womack said.
Womack used to be a Darby Township Commissioner, so he has been working with officials on solutions.
“They have adopted Upper Darby, to come in and service the northern part of Darby Township, which they have an office right there and Seacane, which is literally maybe like three or four minutes away,” Womack said.
The mutual aid agreement to allow for their area to have another layer of coverage didn’t stop residents from expressing their anger about the loss of the Briarcliffe Fire Company.
Dolceamore, who is also the co-founder of Delco Resists, a local social justice group that helped the Goodwill Fire Company bring the comments to life, couldn’t wrap her head around the frustration aimed at the decision to decertify Briarcliffe.
“The anger needs to be directed to the proper issue. Be angry that we have a shortage of EMS workers that are underpaid and underappreciated. Be angry that these hospitals are laying off the workers that we do have. Be angry that these members at Briarcliffe firehouse decided that it was a good idea to laugh and mock a dead child who was killed by Sharon Hill police officers, among all the other racist things that they said about the fire chief, about firefighters, and about the residents who live here,” Dolceamore said.
The one word that she used to describe what she saw was entitlement. She added that the mutual aid decision should calm any fears that emergency response times could lag.
“It puts everybody in the community in a tough spot, because sure, [Briarcliffe] was closer — but they’re also saying horrible things or racist things. So, should the Black residents have to feel scared that they’re not going to be given proper care? Absolutely not,” Dolceamore said.
Briarcliffe will be returning their fire trucks to the township. | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/briarcliffe-fire-company-moves-to-disband-after-racist-remarks-go-public/article_1dbd53e0-085d-5790-85a5-152860ebb11b.html | 2022-04-15T14:17:52 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/briarcliffe-fire-company-moves-to-disband-after-racist-remarks-go-public/article_1dbd53e0-085d-5790-85a5-152860ebb11b.html |
The federal jury weighing the fate of Philadelphia City Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson did not reach a verdict on Thursday, the second day of deliberations.
The panel did have questions for U.S. District Judge Gerald A. McHugh — mostly about whether it could have copies of evidence presented at trial, including testimony from government witnesses.
To date, the jury has spent roughly 12 hours discussing the bribery case, which could send both Johnson and his wife Dawn Chavous to prison for up to 40 years.
Their co-defendants — former Universal Companies CEO Abdur Rahim Islam and former Universal Companies CFO Shahied Dawan — are also charged with two counts of honest services wire fraud.
McHugh has given the panel the day off on Friday for the Good Friday and Passover holidays, meaning deliberations will resume Monday.
While presenting its case, the government argued that Universal, a nonprofit developer and charter school operator, put Johnson “on retainer” in 2013 and 2014 in exchange for political favors that helped the organization maintain control of valuable real estate in Johnson’s legislative district. Universal sold one of the properties, the historic Royal Theater on South Street, for $3.7 million after Johnson introduced legislation to rezone the site.
Prosecutors have argued that Universal used Chavous’ consulting firm to funnel nearly $67,0000 in bribes to her husband, and that Chavous did “very little” work for the company to prove otherwise.
Defense attorneys have pushed back on all of it. They’ve said Chavous’ contract with Universal was legitimate, and that the nonprofit had no need to bribe Johnson because the two had a history of “mutual support” dating back to the Democrats days as a state representative in Harrisburg. That support, they argued, was rooted in a shared desire to provide affordable housing and good schools to residents in South and Southwest Philadelphia.
The defense has also batted down the government’s claim that Universal and Johnson hatched a bribery scheme while both were in bad financial shape.
If convicted, Johnson could also become the second sitting Council member to be ousted over political corruption charges. In January, City Councilmember Bobby Henon resigned his seat after a jury found him guilty of bribery alongside powerful labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty. | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/no-verdict-yet-in-federal-bribery-trial-of-councilmember-kenyatta-johnson/article_71fde043-fb34-5a89-972b-4dff2cad658f.html | 2022-04-15T14:17:58 | 0 | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/no-verdict-yet-in-federal-bribery-trial-of-councilmember-kenyatta-johnson/article_71fde043-fb34-5a89-972b-4dff2cad658f.html |
Philadelphia’s Center City District is expanding the bike patrol program it launched in late 2020, as more visitors return to the area.
An extra evening shift is the latest addition to the patrol program.
The district sent out its first bike patrol members a year-and-a-half ago as part of a larger citywide initiative focused on public safety.
A team of 15, unarmed patrol members — dressed in black and yellow jackets — have been cycling through Center City from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. to keep an eye on things.
Now it’s adding an evening shift from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., with six more patrol members.
In a statement, CCD president Paul Levy said a growing number of shoppers, tourists, and office workers are returning to the district after the peak of the pandemic – and the goal is to ensure they have an “enjoyable and safe experience.”
Last month, Center City saw the highest number of visitors since the start of the pandemic, according to the district.
Bike patrol members aren’t police officers, but coordinate with the police. | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/philly-adding-more-bike-patrols-to-keep-an-eye-on-center-city/article_018b9985-9f26-501d-8c72-f766f61cd01c.html | 2022-04-15T14:18:04 | 1 | https://www.phillytrib.com/news/local_news/philly-adding-more-bike-patrols-to-keep-an-eye-on-center-city/article_018b9985-9f26-501d-8c72-f766f61cd01c.html |
CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Deputies arrested 35 people involved in the sale and distribution of drugs in Citrus County on Thursday.
The Citrus County Sheriff’s Office said the arrests were the result of a two-day covert operation called “Operation Rotten Eggs.”
“Since being elected Sheriff, I have upheld my promise to combat the illicit drugs in Citrus County after witnessing the damaging effects drugs have on our community, especially our youth,” said Citrus County Sheriff Prendergast.
Among the drugs found were meth, fentanyl, heroin, alprazolam, hydromorphone, oxycodone and cocaine.
The following people were arrested:
- Kenneth Anderson, 34, trafficking in fentanyl
- Clinton Czerwinski, 39, trafficking in fentanyl
- Marydolores Arza, 51, trafficking in fentanyl
- Richard Harkleroad, 51, sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Robert Gilbert, 51, sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and two counts of possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine & alprazolam)
- Broderick Houston, 32, two counts sale of a controlled substance (fentanyl) and possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl)
- John Stevens, 48, sale of a controlled substance (hydromorphone)
- Kerri O’Brien, 41, sale of a controlled substance (fentanyl) and failure to appear reference violation of probation
- Vanessa Wall, 43, two counts sale of a controlled substance (fentanyl)
- David R Swanson, 58, sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Angela Taylor, 47, sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Timothy Trehuba, 43, sale of a controlled substance (fentanyl)
- Alexander Lamb, 25, sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Nichole Mandat, 34, sale of a controlled substance (fentanyl)
- Danny Green, 39, sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Tabitha Morgan, 25, sale of a controlled substance (heroin)
- Richard Knowles, 26, sale of a controlled substance (heroin)
- Lawrence Roddenberry, 46, two counts sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Amanda McElmurray, 30, two counts sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Zackary Stanfield, 29, two counts sale of counterfeit substance
- Brian Chambers, 20, sale of a controlled substance (oxycodone)
- Vincent Armstrong, 30, two counts sale of a controlled substance (alprazolam)
- Jose Alamo, 28, sale of a controlled substance (cocaine), possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl), conspiracy to sell a controlled substance and petit theft
- Jason Gordon, 38, sale of a controlled substance (fentanyl) and sale of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Amanda Funk, 37, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine & fentanyl)
- Brandon Bigel, 36, possession of a controlled substance (fentanyl)
- Jennifer Uncapher, 50, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine & fentanyl)
- Michael Mehringer, 36, possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine)
- Dean Dumont, 23, violation of probation
- Corey Ross, 31, sale of a controlled substance (fentanyl)
- Courtney Bissonette, 32, two counts possession of a controlled substance (Methamphetamine & Fentanyl)
- Jeff Lipovetsky, 35, possession of a controlled substance (suboxone)
- Joseph Kennedy, 42, violation of probation ref original charge of possession of a controlled substance
- Craig Richmond, 47, violation of probation reference possession of paraphernalia & driving while license suspended or revoked and failure to appear for possession of a controlled substance
- Tracy Higgins, 51, violation of probation for possession of paraphernalia | https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/citrus-county/deputies-arrest-35-rotten-eggs-on-drug-charges-in-citrus-county/ | 2022-04-15T14:18:51 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/citrus-county/deputies-arrest-35-rotten-eggs-on-drug-charges-in-citrus-county/ |
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s going to be a beautiful weekend in the Tampa Bay area, and there’s plenty to do both indoors and out to enjoy it to the fullest.
From ball and roller hockey games at Bolts Hockeyfest, to celebrating eight years of Big Top Brewing, to picking your own fresh blueberries, there’s something for everyone and every family to enjoy.
These events are presented in no particular order. If you know of anything going on throughout the area in the future, send an email to online@wfla.com.
1. Bolts HockeyFest
Location: 480 Bayshore Dr SE, St. Petersburg
The Tampa Bay Lightning will host the inaugural Bolts HockFest on Saturday at Albert Whitted Park in St. Petersburg. The festival is part of the largest street and roller hockey tournament in North America that showcases 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 competitions for all genders.
The tournament will feature ball and roller hockey games, with teams being guaranteed to play at least three games, with the chance to participate in playoffs.
Team registration lasts through the start of the tournament, or until it is sold out, for $500 a team. Each player will receive a jersey, dri-fit t-shirt and more.
2. Red Bull Dance Your Style
Location: 2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba, Tampa
The Cuban Club will be home to the Tampa qualifier of the Red Bull Dance Your Style contest. The 1-on-1 knockout battle tournament “pits any and all styles against each other,” according to Red Bull. Hip-hop freestylers, house dancers and those with all styles will compete against each other.
Dancers will have no idea what songs the DJ will choose for their battles and it’s all about preparing to freestyle to what song plays.
Doors to the event open at 6 p.m. for the crowd to attend and judge the competitors.
3. 5th Annual Tampa Bay Throw Down
Location: 1901 N Ola Ave, Tampa
The fifth annual Tampa Bay Throw Down cornhole tournament will be held at Armature Works on Saturday. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the tournament begins at 9 a.m.
The cost is $100 per two person team and includes three games, two lunch vouchers, two drink vouchers and two t-shirts. Proceeds benefit Tampa Bay Veterans Closet.
4. Mainsail Art Festival
Location: 701 Bayshore Dr NE, St. Petersburg
The Mainsail Art Festival returns for its 47th year in St. Petersburg on Saturday and Sunday at Vinoy Park. Admission to the festival is free.
There will be more than 250 juried fine art and craft exhibitors that include ceramics, fibers, glass, jewelry, metal, oil/acrylic, watercolor and more. There will also be live entertainment and a culinary arts food court.
5. Bikes, Brews & BBQ
Location: 6920 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Tampa
The event at Harley-Davidson of Tampa takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There will be live music, food vendors, apparel vendors and more. Guests can also register to win a new 2021 Harley-Davidson 883.
6. Big Top Brewing 8th Anniversary Party
Location: 975 Cattlemen Rd, Sarasota
Big Top Brewing will be releasing “White Hawaiian Lion” during its eight anniversary celebration, which will take place Saturday from 1-11 p.m.
Blake Wallenda will walk the high wire. There will be other live entertainment, a food truck rally, a flea market and more throughout the day.
7. Tampa Bay Blueberry Festival
Location: 5202 Thonotosassa Rd, Plant City
The spring blueberry harvest will be celebrated at Keel Farms and Keely & Curley Winery this Saturday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
The family-friendly, pet-friendly event features over 100 food and craft vendors, live music, an area for kids and u-pick blueberries.
Tickets for an adult picker are $20, which includes parking, admission, a u-pick pass, a souvenir bucket and two free pounds of blueberries. An adult “picker pal” ticket is $15 and includes parking and general admission to the farm. Tickets for kids older than 2 are $10 and includes general admission.
8. Tampa Bay Women’s Expo
Location: 535 4th Ave N, St. Petersburg
The Tampa Bay Women’s Expo will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the St. Petersburg Coliseum.
The expo features exhibits, interactive booths and education on a “wide array of women’s interests,” including fashion, travel, beauty and self-care. A full schedule of seminars and list of vendors can be found here.
Admission and parking are free and the first 500 attendees will receive a free bag. | https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/tampa-bay-weekend-hockeyfest-blueberries-bbq-more/ | 2022-04-15T14:18:57 | 0 | https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/tampa-bay-weekend-hockeyfest-blueberries-bbq-more/ |
For this Earth Day, National Geographic has focused its lens on humanity's relationship with the world's 3 trillion trees and 10 billion acres of forest, which cover one-third of the planet's surface.
The world has lost one-third of its forests over the past 10,000 years -- half since 1990, which amounts to more tree loss globally than the total tree count of the United States.
This single-subject special May issue explores what's happened to these forests, the trees we still have and what new techniques could save them before it's too late.
Every ecosystem, including the humans within them, rely on forests and trees to maintain balance. They absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, harbor habitats for countless species and are the backbone of the most beautiful and beloved spaces on Earth.
Logging and land clearing are the biggest factors driving tree loss, but climate change is posing an increasingly dangerous threat.
Forests are specifically vulnerable to heat and drought, killing billions of trees directly and indirectly over the past 20 years. To cope with the lack of moisture, trees will close the pores on their leaves or shed leaves entirely, meaning they're both hungry from lack of carbon dioxide absorption.
In Texas, for example, a 2011 drought killed more than 300 million trees -- one out of every 16 in the state. And trees weak from drought are more vulnerable to insect infestation and pathogens.
Wildfires, worsened by climate change, have played a significant role in decimating forests. Five of the eight most abundant tree species in the American West have declined significantly just since 2000, mostly from fire and insect infestations. Californians are especially familiar with their devastation -- from the Mojave Desert, where the 2020 Dome Fire killed more than 1 million Joshua trees, to the north, where fires over the past two years killed up to a fifth of the largest Sequoias.
Even changing sea levels affect forests all over the world: For example, seawater that seeped into North Carolina's freshwater wetlands devastated its bald cypress population.
Without action, the world's forest cover could drop by half by 2100.
Still, there is hope.
If nations keep current promises to curb fossil fuel emissions would prevent the planet from warming more than three degrees Celsius, which could limit tree loss for many of the world's forests.
Researchers and communities around the world are also devising creative solutions to curb damage.
Farmers in Niger now grow cereal grains by planting around, rather than clearing, woodlands. Since then, more than 200 million trees have regrown.
Australia's Aboriginal people are renewing their homelands with ancient planned burning techniques, significantly diminishing the total area burned by wildfire.
Foresters in British Columbia have planted more than 150,000 seedlings from 15 tree species at 48 sites from Northern California to the southern Yukon to determine which locations are best suited for the rapidly changing climate conditions.
Additionally, a scientist in New York may finally be on the verge of bringing back the chestnut by altering DNA to resist a fungus that killed billions in the early 1900s.
The Earth's forests will never be the same, but we can save what's still left today.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of National Geographic Partners and this ABC station. | https://abc7ny.com/earth-day-trees-forests-natgeo/11751182/ | 2022-04-15T14:19:26 | 1 | https://abc7ny.com/earth-day-trees-forests-natgeo/11751182/ |
TVA Sports, the French-language network in Canada where he worked as a hockey analyst, confirmed Bossy died Thursday night. An Islanders spokesman said Bossy was in his native Montreal, where the team will play Friday night against the Canadiens.
Bossy helped the Islanders win the Stanley Cup four straight years from 1980-83, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1982. He scored the Cup-winning goal in 1982 and '83.
He revealed his diagnosis in October in a letter to TVA Sports.
"It is with a lot of sadness that I need to step away from your screens, for a necessary pause," Bossy wrote in French. "I intend to fight with all the determination and fire you've seen me show on the ice."
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It's the third loss from that Islanders era this year after fellow Hockey Hall of Famer Clark Gillies died in January and Jean Potvin died in March.
Daughter Tanya Bossy said her father was "no longer in pain."
"My dad loved hockey, sure, but first and foremost he loved life," she said in a statement in French on behalf of the Bossy family. "Until the end of his journey, he hung on. He wanted to live more than anything."
Bossy was a first-round pick in 1977 and played his entire 10-year NHL career with New York. He won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, got the Lady Byng Trophy for gentlemanly conduct three times and led the league in goals twice.
Bossy scored 50 or more goals in each of his first nine seasons - the league's longest streak. He and Wayne Gretzky are the only players in hockey history with nine 50-goal seasons.
"The New York Islanders organization mourns the loss of Mike Bossy, an icon not only on Long Island but the entire hockey world," Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "His drive to be the best every time he stepped on the ice was second to none. Along with his teammates, he helped win four straight Stanley Cup championships, shaping the history of this franchise forever."
Bossy is one of only five players to score 50 goals in 50 games. He remains the all-time leader in goals a game in the regular season at 0.762, and only two players have recorded more hat tricks than Bossy's 39.
He ranks third in points a game and seventh on the all-time scoring list. Those are all in the regular season when Bossy put up some of the best numbers in the history of the game. In the playoffs, Bossy was even more clutch. He is the only player with four game-winners in the same playoff series and scored three playoff overtime goals.
Led by Bossy, Gillies, Bryan Trottier and defenseman Denis Potvin, the Islanders succeeded Scotty Bowman's 1970s Montreal Canadiens as the NHL's next dynasty before Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers took over the sport.
WATCH: Young mother goes missing in Brooklyn, mom's desperate search for her
Bossy was an eight-time All-Star and finished with 573 goals and 553 assists for 1,126 points in 752 regular-season games. He was the fastest player to reach the 100-goal mark and currently ranks 22nd on the career goals list. In the playoffs, Bossy had 160 points in 129 games.
Back and knee injuries ultimately ended his career in 1987. He was limited to 38 goals in 63 games and unable to return for an 11th season.
Bossy was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991 and in 2017 was named one of the NHL's 100 greatest players.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman called Bossy a "dynamic winger" whose goal-scoring prowess ranks among the greatest in NHL history.
"Though containing him was the obsession of opposing coaches and checking him the focus of opposing players, Bossy's brilliance was unstoppable and his production relentless throughout his entire career," Bettman said. "He thrilled fans like few others."
Before reaching the NHL, Bossy played five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Laval National. He had 602 points in 298 QMJHL games. Bossy also represented Canada at the Canada Cup in 1981 and 1984, long before NHL players began competing at the Winter Olympics.
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* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts Submit a News Tip | https://abc7ny.com/mike-bossy-new-york-islanders-stanley-cup-hockey/11751282/ | 2022-04-15T14:19:32 | 0 | https://abc7ny.com/mike-bossy-new-york-islanders-stanley-cup-hockey/11751282/ |
Kathy, who asked to only share her first name, said she didn't realize she was being played until she watched the popular Netflix show "The Tinder Swindler," but by that time, she had already shelled out her entire life savings.
She said after nearly two years of staying home during the pandemic, she was lonely.
"And that got me thinking. If something like this happened, you know, again, I don't want to be alone. You know, I want somebody here," Kathy said.
So she decided to try online dating and signed up for SilverSingles, a site for people aged 50 and older. She said she met a handsome older gentleman who swept her off her feet.
"I thought I was in love because every time I would hear from him, my heart would just burst open. And it was interesting, exciting," she said. "And after every phone call before we hung up, we took turns praying and even that, he was really cute."
Kathy said he wooed her with messages like "Good morning wifey, I hope you had a good night's rest" and "I love you more than you can ever imagine."
But she never met her new love in person.
"I asked to meet him. And he said, 'well, I'm leaving for a job up in Toronto, and I have to go quickly,'" Kathy said. "A couple of weeks after he was there in Toronto, supposedly, he said, 'I need these permits to work here and I need $5,000 for this permit. And they won't take a check or anything.' So I'm thinking, well, yeah, I want to help this man. You know, I'm falling in love with him. Why wouldn't I want to help them?"
Kathy said she sent him $5,000 for the permit. Then she gave him more money after he got into an accident. And then she gave even more money for his surgery.
"And I said, 'I don't have that kind of money.' And then we started talking about where we could get that money. And he kept offering suggestions, you know, so I ended up doing a refinance and taking out money against my house," she said.
And when he needed more money for his various misfortunes, she said she took out loans and sent him the funds.
Kathy said the love of her life sent her a screenshot of his bank account, showing he had the money to pay her back. And though she still hadn't met him in person, she had faith that he would be with her soon.
Then one evening she said her friend recommended she watch "The Tinder Swindler" on Netflix, where several women said they lost thousands of dollars to a man they met online. And that's when everything clicked.
"I'm going 'Oh my gosh,'" she recalled. "Everything matched."
"I'm robbing Peter to pay Paul so I can get this payment in because he ruined my credit too," Kathy said. "I got kicked out of my bank. They closed my account and they were afraid I was laundering money."
The total amount she sent him is sobering.
"A little over $92,000," Kathy said.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, in the past five years, people have reported losing a staggering $1.3 billion to romance scams, the highest of any FTC fraud category.
In fact, money lost to romance scams increased sixfold from 2017 to 2021.
Steve Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, said reports of online dating scams went up during the pandemic, but still remain grossly underreported.
"Some feel that they're really embarrassed that their family will find out and some that we've talked to still believe that they exist and they're gonna come out of the woodwork again," Bernas said. "People lose their life savings, and it's all being done by a scammer doing this to hundreds of people."
Our sister station WLS-TV has chosen not to show a picture of Kathy's love interest because most of these fraudsters steal photos online to draw you in.
The bottom line, Bernas said, is you can't fall in love with someone you've never met.
"And it's always a reason they can't meet you. And that's what we call the tip off to the rip off," Bernas said.
It was a sobering realization for Kathy, who still can't believe she fell in love with a scammer. Now she is paying what she can on her loans and has delayed her upcoming retirement until she can get out of debt.
SilverSingles warns its users that if someone online is asking you to send them money, stop communicating with them and report the profile.
Full Statement from Spark Network, parent company of SilverSingles:
Safety is always a top priority in everything we do, across all our brands at Spark Network. Upon detection of any potential fraudulent behavior, we apply many countermeasures. Spark utilizes external AI-based tools, robust transaction detection, internal filters and employs a sizeable, dedicated fraud team for the manual review of cases. Unfortunately, as with any online activity, there are "bad actors" out there, however we remain dedicated to keeping our users safe on our platforms.
We also invest in user education, as exhibited by the safety pages on our sites (see links below), because it's crucial to arm our community/audiences with the right tools to mitigate against the risks of online dating. We also refer our users to the Federal Trade Commission's Online Dating Scams site: http://www.onguardonline.gov/articles/0004-online-dating-scams.
Dating should be fun, so we want to ensure our platforms are a safe and comfortable space for our users. We urge any user who has suspicions about someone they are in contact with, or if they find themselves in any of the below listed situations, to immediately cease communication and report the account to our Customer Care team.
Below is a list identified by our fraud/security team of potentially concerning behavior that should be flagged to our Customer Care team.
Additional information on safe online dating can be found on our safety pages:
https://www.zoosk.com/safety
https://www.silversingles.com/about/safety
https://www.elitesingles.com/staying-safe
https://about.christianmingle.com/en/safety-en/
Thank you for getting in touch on this important topic. | https://abc7ny.com/tinder-swindler-scam-online-dating-netflix-illinois/11751101/ | 2022-04-15T14:19:38 | 0 | https://abc7ny.com/tinder-swindler-scam-online-dating-netflix-illinois/11751101/ |
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In its latest ranking of graduate programs, U.S. News & World Report lists the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at the University of Arkansas’ Sam M. Walton College of Business as the 36th best business school among public business colleges in the nation and 64th in its combined public and private list.
The UA’s MBA program is the only Arkansas school included in the magazine’s ranking.
In a news release Wednesday (April 13), the UA said the recognition positions the Walton MBA in the top 13% of all U.S. MBA programs. U.S. News & World Report also ranked the Walton MBA supply chain track 10th best among public MBA programs and 13th overall.
To read more about this story please visit our content partner, Talk Business & Politics.
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To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/latest-mba-ranking-places-walton-college-no-36-among-public-schools-university-of-arkansas-fayetteville/527-8fca88e1-c52b-4276-bba6-94190008df01 | 2022-04-15T14:22:03 | 1 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/latest-mba-ranking-places-walton-college-no-36-among-public-schools-university-of-arkansas-fayetteville/527-8fca88e1-c52b-4276-bba6-94190008df01 |
COCHISE COUNTY, Ariz. — Authorities are investigating the cause of death this week of a Mexican woman whose leg was entrapped while using a climbing harness and ended up hanging upside down off the border wall in eastern Arizona.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials offered few details, but the local sheriff’s office said the woman was a 32-year-old who was attempting to cross the wall Monday night near Douglas, Arizona. Her name was not released.
The Cochise County Sheriff's office said she hung upside down “a significant amount of time.”
The sheriff's office said it was in contact with the local Mexican consulate and continues to investigate what happened.
Customs and Border Protection said its Office of Professional Responsibility is working with the sheriff's office on the investigation and would release more information as it becomes available.
Migrants occasionally die while attempting to cross the border wall, including a man who died earlier this month from injuries he suffered when he fell from the barrier in Texas.
It was unknown if there was video surveillance in the area where the woman became entangled. Authorities did not describe the wall she was trying to climb over.
However, some of the last border wall construction carried out before the end of former President Donald Trump's term was in the Douglas area, with 30-foot-tall (9-meter) steel columns erected on U.S. Bureau of Land Management property.
On April 1, two migrants fell from the border barrier near Clint, Texas, about 12 miles (19 km) west of the Tornillo port of entry.
Emergency medical technicians rendered first aid and took them to a hospital in El Paso.
One man arrived at the hospital unconscious and died at the hospital on April 5.
The second was treated for a fractured right hand and returned to Customs and Border Protection officials, who returned him to Mexico.
RELATED: Arizona man accused of smuggling over 150 pounds of methamphetamine across US-Mexico border
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Subscribe today. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/mexican-woman-dies-entangled-crossing-arizona-border-wall/75-8fb0eaf9-1fea-45da-9160-3b6bb2931516 | 2022-04-15T14:22:09 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/mexican-woman-dies-entangled-crossing-arizona-border-wall/75-8fb0eaf9-1fea-45da-9160-3b6bb2931516 |
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — EDITOR’S NOTE: The footage above may not be suitable for all viewers.
Viewer discretion is advised.
The Grand Rapids Police Department released video footage of an officer who shot and killed 26-year-old Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop that turned deadly last week.
The shooting happened Monday, April 4 just after 8 a.m. near the intersection of Griggs Street and Nelson Avenue SE in Grand Rapids.
Authorities said a GRPD officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle with a faulty license plate. Lyoya, who was driving the vehicle, fled from police on foot.
After a physical struggle with the officer, Lyoya was shot and killed.
VIDEO OF THE SHOOTING
Authorities released several angles that capture the altercation: body-worn camera, in-car video, a neighbor’s doorbell video and cellphone video the passenger of Lyoya's car recorded.
That cellphone video captures the moment the officer shoots Lyoya.
GRPD said that some of the video was redacted to "protect the privacy of some," but that audio has not been edited.
The video below is edited to not show the fatal shot and the aftermath.
The dashcam video shows Patrick Lyoya getting out of the vehicle as soon as the officer rolls up. It shows what happened, including the conversation leading to the physical struggle. The fatal shooting occurs out of frame from this dashcam video angle.
Authorities showed the angle of the officer's body camera.
That camera recorded until the police department said it was deactivated. GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom said it was not clear how the camera became deactivated.
Authorities showed a neighbor's surveillance video that captured the stop and the fatal gunshot from a distance.
Click here to go to GRPD’s website where you can find the body camera footage, in-squad car video, cellphone video and doorbell video of the shooting the department released.
WARNING: THIS LINK CONTAINS PROFANITY AND SHOWS THE LOSS OF LIFE. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
WHO IS PATRICK LYOYA
Patrick Lyoya was a 26-year-old Congolese refugee. His family fled the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the United States fearing violence. Lyoya was his parents’ firstborn son, and has five younger siblings. He was also a father to two daughters.
Friends described him as a hard worker and a big fan of soccer.
13 ON YOUR SIDE previously spoke with his father, Peter Lyoya, through an interpreter.
"I didn’t believe that this could ever happen to me in this country," Peter said. He says his family came to the United States for a safer life. "And I’m asking myself, 'why did I come here?'"
CALLS FOR AND AGAINST RELEASING THE FOOTAGE
The release of the footage comes after increasing community pressure to do so.
GRPD Chief Winstrom, who is in his second month on the job, made a vow to make the video available no later than noon on Friday, April 15.
"Since this tragic event occurred on Monday morning and in the hours and days that followed, I have been consistent in my commitment to transparency. I have publicly stated my intention to release the video next week and I intend to keep that promise. I have also committed to protecting the integrity of the investigation in the interests of justice and accountability,” Winstrom said in a statement.
Days after the incident, Kent County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher Becker indicated his office will not be releasing any evidence related to the shooting. He asked involved police agencies to do the same.
Becker said doing so will help “maintain the integrity of this investigation.”
Ultimately, it is up to the discretion of the Grand Rapids Police Department to release the video, which they have chosen to do.
Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack, who has lost family members to gun violence, was outspoken in demanding authorities to release the video all while asking the community to remain peaceful.
Lyoya’s family, who viewed the video before it was released, called for transparency. The family retained renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump.
His office issued this statement on Monday, April 11:
“The Lyoya family came to our country in pursuit of the American dream, but instead are now living a traumatic American nightmare as they have to bury their loved one due to police brutality. We are once again reminded of how swiftly a police interaction can turn deadly for Black men in America and just how far we have to go to change that.
“From what Patrick’s father has expressed after viewing the body camera footage, we believe that the release of the footage will show the true and raw narrative of how Patrick lost his life to police. We will continue to push for the public release of the footage from this incident and full transparency from Michigan State Police as they continue to investigate this tragic incident.”
Crump is an attorney who specializes in civil rights cases and has represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd.
WHAT’S NEXT IN THE INVESTIGATION
The Michigan State Police are investigating the shooting.
Detectives will interview eyewitnesses and comb through over evidence, including both the body camera footage and dash cam footage taken during the altercation.
Once complete they will hand over their findings to the prosecutor’s office who will determine what’s next.
GRPD said it’s standard practice to wait for MSP’s investigation to be complete before they launch an internal affairs review. The Office of Oversight and Public Accountability will monitor the investigations and review any findings.
The OPA will also make recommendations on any necessary policy improvements that may be brought to light as a result of the investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone who has any additional information or video to contact Silent Observer at (616) 774-2345.
THE COMMUNITY’S RESPONSE
A large group gathered in Grand Rapids on Saturday, April 9 to protest the death of Lyoya.
Community members marched, held signs demanding justice and called on the Grand Rapids Police Department to release body cam and dash cam footage of the altercation.
A vigil was held after the march to remember Lyoya.
Justice for Patrick Lyoya protest
On Sunday, community members gathered for a forum to talk about the death of Lyoya.
The discussion focused on “community-based discourse, dialogue and dissemination of information” surrounding Lyoya’s death. While the event was partially to inform attendees and call for justice, it also aimed to comfort Lyoya’s family and those impacted by his death.
Guest speakers included Kent County Commissioner Robert S. Womack, Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, and local NAACP President Cle Jackson. Attendees also heard from Grand Rapids pastors.
The forum was held Sunday at 3 p.m. at the Renaissance Church of God in Christ Family Life Center in Grand Rapids.
This forum came a day after community members marched in memory of Lyoya, calling for footage of the shooting to be released.
"We pray every day that our child won't become the next George Floyd or the next Breonna Taylor, or the next Ahmaud Arbery, or the next Stephon Clark, or the next Alton Sterling, or the next Eric Garner," said Crump.
Crump's law firm was officially hired by the Lyoya family. He says their current focus is on releasing the body and dash camera footage, and after, they're hoping for due process and the prosecution of the officer responsible.
"It was a traffic stop," said Crump. "You should not be sentenced to death over a traffic stop."
TUESDAY’S RALLY, MARCH TO CITY COMMISSION MEETING
On Tuesday, April 13, community activists and others organized a rally and march to the Grand Rapids City Commission meeting.
More than a hundred people marched through downtown to voice their opinions to city leaders during the public comment portion of the meeting.
GRPD Chief Eric Winstrom was in the crowd, and speakers often directly addressed him and other commissioners to voice their concerns about police actions in the city.
'Justice for Patrick' march in Grand Rapids
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Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/patrick-lyoya-police-shooting-video-background/69-ac921eed-d957-413f-85a9-1d5067ab3d4f | 2022-04-15T14:22:15 | 0 | https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/patrick-lyoya-police-shooting-video-background/69-ac921eed-d957-413f-85a9-1d5067ab3d4f |
Ancient tombs discovered underneath Notre Dame
Published: Apr. 15, 2022 at 8:44 AM CDT|Updated: 38 minutes ago
(CNN) - Ancient tombs and statues have been discovered beneath Notre Dame Cathedral during the project to restore it.
Archaeologists carefully examined an area under the cathedral where they found statues, sculptures, tombs and pieces of original church architecture dating back to the 13th century.
Crews have been working to restore the church after it caught fire three years ago.
The excavation was a precautionary measure before scaffolding gets put up to restore part of the roof. That work can now get started after France’s National Archaeological Institute announced it has wrapped up the excavation.
The cathedral is on track to reopen to the public in 2024.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/15/ancient-tombs-discovered-underneath-notre-dame/ | 2022-04-15T14:23:45 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/15/ancient-tombs-discovered-underneath-notre-dame/ |
Mall store owner accused of shooting 9-year-old girl to be returned to California
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Southern California shoe store owner accused of shooting and wounding a 9-year-old girl when he opened fire at shoplifters agreed Thursday to be returned from Nevada to face charges in the case.
Police have said that Marqel Cockrell, 20, fled from the California desert city of Victorville in his car just after the girl, identified by family members as Ava Chruniak, was mistakenly hit by bullets on Tuesday as she waited to have her picture taken with a mall Easter bunny.
Cockrell, 20, stood in court and told a Las Vegas judge that he understood that California authorities had 30 days to extradite him. He was not represented by an attorney because Nevada does not provide lawyers for extradition cases.
Cockrell co-owns the shoe store Sole Addicts at the Mall of Victor Valley and was chasing two shoplifters about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when he fired shots that “instead hit the 9-year-old female victim,” Victorville police said in a statement.
The girl suffered three gunshot wounds, including two in an arm, her grandmother, Moraga-Saldarelli said. One of the bullets fractured an arm bone.
She was released from the hospital on Thursday but will require another operation to repair nerve damage, KCBS-TV reported.
“I will never forgive him. What he did to me is not OK,” Ava told the station from her bed at home. “No one should have a gun in the mall.”
Police have said that Cockrell drove from the mall before responding officers arrived after receiving reports of gunfire and that he was arrested in Nevada’s Clark County, about a three-hour drive from Victorville.
Cockrell is being held at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas. Authorities have said he faces at least one attempted murder charge. Records do not indicate if he has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/15/mall-store-owner-accused-shooting-9-year-old-girl-be-returned-california/ | 2022-04-15T14:23:52 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/15/mall-store-owner-accused-shooting-9-year-old-girl-be-returned-california/ |
Police: 3 toddlers exposed to THC through daycare’s crackers; owner charged
STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (WWBT/Gray News) - A daycare owner has been charged after officials said three toddlers in her care were taken to the emergency room after eating “Goldfish”-type crackers infused with THC.
On March 2, deputies responded to a hospital after a report of several babies with THC exposure, WWBT reported.
Three children, all 1-year-old, were taken to Stafford Hospital Center after their parents observed lethargic and uncoordinated behavior as well as glassy, bloodshot eyes.
The hospital staff recognized the symptoms and confirmed through testing that each child was exposed to THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a high sensation, authorities said.
According to police, the three families were connected to a licensed home daycare provider.
Police said they searched the daycare and collected the crackers around the toddler’s high chairs. Lab results confirmed the crackers had THC in them, authorites
Child Protective Services were brought into the investigation, and the daycare voluntarily surrendered its license.
On Thursday, the daycare owner Rebecca Swanner, 60, turned herself in to authorities. She has been charged with three counts of cruelty and injury to children.
Swanner was released by the magistrate on a $2,000 unsecured bond.
Copyright 2022 WWBT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/15/police-3-toddlers-exposed-thc-through-daycares-crackers-owner-charged/ | 2022-04-15T14:23:59 | 1 | https://www.1011now.com/2022/04/15/police-3-toddlers-exposed-thc-through-daycares-crackers-owner-charged/ |
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two cases of bird flu have been confirmed in U.S. zoos, but officials said they won’t order widespread euthanasia of zoo birds the way they have on farms.
U.S. Department of Agriculture spokesman Mike Stepien declined to release any details about the zoo cases Thursday, including which two zoos were involved.
Many zoos across the country have closed down their aviaries and moved birds inside whenever possible to help protect them from avian influenza that officials believe is primarily being spread by the droppings of wild birds.
At many zoos, penguins might be the only birds visitors can see because they are generally kept inside behind glass where they are shielded from the virus.
Nearly 27 million chickens and turkeys have been slaughtered in 26 states to limit the spread of bird flu during this year’s outbreak. Officials order entire flocks to be killed when the virus is found on farms.
Stepien said zoos work with state veterinary officials when the virus is found, but unlike farms, zoos are generally allowed to isolate and treat an infected bird as long as they take precautions to protect the other birds in their collections.
Health officials emphasize that bird flu doesn’t jeopardize food safety because infected birds aren’t allowed into the food supply and properly cooking meat and eggs to 165 degrees Fahrenheit will kill any viruses. The disease also doesn’t represent any immediate public health threat, and no human cases have been found in America.
This year’s outbreak is the worst one since 2015 when roughly 50 million chickens and turkeys were slaughtered because of the virus. Stepien said that there were very few bird flu cases in captive wild birds in 2015 and none in large zoos, and no wild birds at zoos were euthanized that year. | https://www.wane.com/news/2-bird-flu-cases-confirmed-in-us-zoos-as-virus-spreads/ | 2022-04-15T14:24:47 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/2-bird-flu-cases-confirmed-in-us-zoos-as-virus-spreads/ |
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Samantha Moala recalls she was taking a shower at her home in Tonga when she heard what sounded like a gunshot so powerful it hurt her ears.
As she and her family scrambled to their car to drive inland, ash blackened the sky. The world’s biggest volcanic eruption in 30 years sent a tsunami around the globe, and the first waves washed across the road as Moala drove to safety at the airport with her terrified husband and two sons.
A volunteer with the Tonga Red Cross, Moala, 39, was soon attending to the cuts other people had suffered as they escaped, and giving them psychological support. She said about 50 of them stayed for two days at the airport until they got the all-clear to go back home.
“People were all shocked,” she said. “But I got to mingle with them, help them, get them to be confident. It’s a small little island, and we got to know each other in two hours.”
Three months after the eruption, Tonga’s rebuilding is slowly progressing, and theimpact of the disaster has come into clearer focus. Last week, the prime minister handed over the keys to the first rebuilt home of the 468 the government plans to reconstruct across three islands as part of its recovery program.
Some 3,000 people whose homes were destroyed or damaged initially sought shelter in community halls or evacuation centers. Eighty percent of Tonga’s population was impacted in some way.
In the first few weeks after the eruption, Moala helped out by putting up tents and tarpaulins, and then by cooking food for other volunteers.
It took five long weeks for Tonga torestore its internet connectionto the rest of the world after the tsunami severed a crucial fiber-optic cable. That delayed some families from abroad from being able to send financial help to their loved ones.
Three people in Tonga died from the tsunami and a fourth from what authorities described as related trauma. The sonic boom from the eruption was so loud it could be heard in Alaska and a mushroom plume of ash rocketed a record 58 kilometers (36 miles) into the sky.
The World Bank estimates the total bill for the damage is about $90 million. In the small island nation of 105,000 people, that’s equivalent to more than 18% of gross domestic product.
The bank noted that many coastal tourism businesses — which bring in vital foreign revenue for Tonga — were particularly hard hit, with tourist cabins and wharves destroyed. The agriculture industry also suffered, with crops lost and reef fisheries damaged.
The ANZ bank says Tonga’s GDP will likely contract by 7.4% this year, after it had been expected to grow by 3.7% before the volcano erupted.
The international community has been helping out, with Tonga able to secure $8 million in funding from the World Bank and $10 million from the Asian Development Bank, as well as aid assistance from many places including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the European Union, the U.S. and China.
But progress has been hampered by the nation’s first outbreak of COVID-19, which was likely brought in by foreign military crews who raced to drop off supplies as the ash cleared. The outbreak prompted a series of lockdowns, and the country remains in a state of emergency.
Moala is among the more than 8,500 Tongans who have caught the coronavirus since it began spreading through the islands. Eleven people so far have died. Moala said the outbreak had affected many businesses, including her husband’s work as a tattoo artist.
But as the outbreak ebbs and the rebuilding progresses, the islands’ familiar rhythms are returning for many people.
Among those who remain most affected are the 62 people who lived on Mango Island and about another 100 on Atata Island who may never be able to return home.
The islands are located very close to the Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai volcano, and the villages were completed wiped out. Residents have now been offered land by Tonga’s king to relocate onto one of Tonga’s two main islands.
Sione Taumoefolau, the secretary-general of the Tonga Red Cross Society, said there is a lot of work to be done relocating the residents.
It’s also been slow-going getting supplies to people on other far-flung islands, he said. Many of them remain without internet access after a domestic fiber-optic cable was also damaged and will likely not be repaired for months.
“Three months later, people are starting to get back to normal,” Taumoefolau said. “But we can see they still need psychological and social support, those that were really impacted, especially those who have to relocate.” | https://www.wane.com/news/3-months-after-volcanic-eruption-tonga-slowly-rebuilds/ | 2022-04-15T14:24:54 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/3-months-after-volcanic-eruption-tonga-slowly-rebuilds/ |
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — As a casino dealer, Shamikah Townsend knows when the odds are in her favor.
And they definitely are right now.
While working at one Atlantic City casino last year, she went to a job fair held by a different one, and was surprised at how instantly in-demand she was when the recruiter wanted to hire her as a craps dealer.
“She said, ‘I’ll pay you to move to Florida in two weeks,'” Townsend said. “I didn’t know craps, so I had to be honest and tell her, but I went out and I learned it.”
On Monday, Townsend made her move, getting hired on the spot at a job fair held by the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City.
Townsend is part of a great hiring wave taking place at casinos across the nation as the gambling halls compete to add staff while recovering from the coronavirus pandemic that drove customers away and led to staff reductions.
But casinos are just one of many industries struggling to add new workers, and they find themselves competing with each other not only for casino workers, but for people with experience in the hotel, restaurant and tourism industries, to name just a few.
“Gaming is facing the same labor issues that we see across the broader economy,” said Casey Clark, senior vice president of the American Gaming Association, the casino industry’s national trade group. “In our recent CEO survey, the labor shortage is a top concern across the country.
“Competition for talent is a huge impediment for growth, and we’re also experiencing an expansion of gaming with customer demand increasing,” he said. “Those things are problematic when they happen together.”
That has led to some innovative tactics, including the use of virtual reality goggles at some MGM Resorts International job fairs to let applicants experience what the job will be like before signing on the dotted line.
Atlantic City’s casinos are also talking with state government agencies about funding new transit options to get people to jobs at casinos from farther-out places. One possibility: something like the contract the Borgata had with a state transit agency in 2008 for a daily shuttle bus between its Atlantic City casino and Camden — an hour-long trip reaching clear across the state.
In Clark County, Nevada, home to Las Vegas, an economic development official said last month more than 40,000 jobs have gone unfilled since the state’s casinos reopened after a temporary closure in 2020. During one job fair in February, Caesars Entertainment was looking to hire 500 people.
Nationwide, there were about 1.65 million workers employed in the gambling, amusement and recreation sectors of the U.S. economy in March, representing about 91% of the pre-pandemic workforce, Clark said. The AGA said it does not have a figure for casino employment alone.
Joe Lupo, president of Atlantic City’s Hard Rock casino, is also president of the Casino Association of New Jersey. He estimates there are 2,000 full and part-time casino jobs open in Atlantic City right now, where the overall workforce of 22,000 is down from 49,000 in 2003.
“Coming out of COVID, especially last year, after the restrictions were lifted, the workforce supply just has not been available,” he said. “It’s been difficult for all of us to find enough people. I certainly know after meeting with everyone last week that every property is hiring.”
That has very practical effects in casino resorts, which might not be able to open all their hotel rooms, or open all the craps or roulette tables they have. Restaurants that used to serve 700 tables a night may only be able to do 300, executives said.
As they are in other industries, workers are reaping the benefits of switching jobs, or taking a new one after being unemployed for a time. Casinos are increasing wages and benefits, and are offering to train workers without the type of experience that was once required just to get a foot in the door for an interview.
“Everybody’s looking to hire the same person,” said Bill Callahan, general manager of the Ocean casino in Atlantic City. “We always need people.”
In some departments, “people that made $14 an hour a year ago might now be making $16 or $17,” Callahan said.
Ocean is starting an in-house training program to teach people how to become dealers, something most applicants had to learn on their own before, Callahan added.
The Morongo casino in Cabazon, California, has been regularly holding job fairs since December, and has at least four more scheduled for this month.
In North Carolina, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians said last month it needed nearly 900 additional workers for its two casinos in the state. Tribal leaders are considering recruiting workers from other countries and housing them in dormitories.
And in West Virginia, racetrack casinos told state regulators last month that a shortage of workers is preventing them from operating at full strength for a third year in a row.
Townsend, the newly hired dealer in Atlantic City, says circumstances are coming together nicely for her.
“I wanted to move up and improve my situation,” she said. “These places have to compete with everybody else for workers now, and there’s money to be had.”
___
Follow Wayne Parry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC | https://www.wane.com/news/a-safe-bet-if-you-want-a-casino-job-odds-are-on-your-side/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:02 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/a-safe-bet-if-you-want-a-casino-job-odds-are-on-your-side/ |
GOLDEN VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) — An Arizona man faces animal cruelty charges after 183 dead dogs, rabbits, birds and other animals were found in a freezer, including some that were apparently frozen while alive, officials said.
Mohave County deputies and animal control officers found the animals in a garage freezer April 3 after a woman reported that Michael Patrick Turland, 43, hadn’t returned snakes she’d lent him for breeding, the Sheriff’s Office said Thursday in a statement. The deep freezer was at a home that Turland previously rented in Golden Valley, a rural community in far western Arizona.
The frozen animals included dogs, turtles, lizards, birds, snakes, mice, rats and rabbits, the statement said. “Several of the animals appeared to have been frozen alive due to their body positioning.”
The home’s owner reportedly discovered the frozen animals while cleaning after Turland and his wife vacated the property. The owner then contacted the woman who notified the Sheriff’s Office, the statement said.
Turland was arrested at the home Wednesday when deputies were told he had returned to the property, the office said.
“When interviewed, Turland eventually admitted to placing some of the animals in the freezer when they were still alive,” the statement said.
Court records didn’t list an attorney who could comment on behalf of Turland, who was arrested on 94 counts of animal cruelty. | https://www.wane.com/news/arizona-man-arrested-after-183-dead-animals-found-in-freezer/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:09 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/arizona-man-arrested-after-183-dead-animals-found-in-freezer/ |
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The board of directors of Brazil’s oil giant Petrobras elected on Thursday José Mauro Coelho as its new president – the third to take the lead of the state-run company in a little more than three years.
His appointment by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro last week followed the dismissal of his predecessor, Gen. Joaquim Silva e Luna, a former defense minister. The general lost the government’s support after the company boosted fuel prices to pass some of the global oil increases to consumers.
Brazil’s government owns 50.26% of Petrobras, but Bolsonaro’s picks for presidents must be approved by the company’s board.
Coelho worked for 12 years at the state energy research agency, and later was chairman of the board at the state company that manages contracts for offshore pre-salt oil exploration and production. From 2020 until last October, he was secretary for petroleum, natural gas and biofuels at the mining and energy ministry.
Market observers and analysts see Coelho’s appointment for a one-year term as a sign that Petrobras will maintain the same international fuel price policy, resisting political pressure to lower gasoline and diesel prices in an election year.
“It is a suitable profile for the position,” said Gesner de Oliveira, an economist and professor at the Fundação Getulio Vargas university in Sao Paulo. “But these changes generate concern because they are the result of government interference in the company.”
This is the second time since he assumed office in 2019 that Bolsonaro, who is running for reelection in October, has made changes at the top of Petrobras because of rising fuel prices.
Before Silva e Luna, Roberto Castello Brancohad also been encouraged to make adjustments to the firm’s policy, but since 2016, Petrobras’ gasoline and diesel prices have been pegged to international oil prices. | https://www.wane.com/news/bolsonaro-pick-for-president-of-brazil-oil-giant-takes-over/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:16 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/bolsonaro-pick-for-president-of-brazil-oil-giant-takes-over/ |
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A jury convicted a British national Thursday for his role in an Islamic State group hostage-taking scheme that took roughly two dozen Westerners captive a decade ago, resulting in the deaths of four Americans, three of whom were beheaded.
In convicting El Shafee Elsheikh, the jury concluded that he was one of the notorious “Beatles,” Islamic State captors nicknamed for their accents and known for their cruelty — torturing and beating prisoners, forcing them to fight each other until they collapsed and even making them sing cruel song parodies. Surviving hostages testified that the Beatles delighted themselves rewriting “Hotel California” as “Hotel Osama” and making them sing the refrain “You will never leave.”
The guilty finding came even though none of the surviving hostages could identify Elsheikh as one of their captors. Although the Beatles had distinctive accents, they always took great care to hide their faces behind masks and ordered hostages to avoid eye contact or risk a beating.
Prosecutors suggested in opening statements that Elsheikh was the Beatle nicknamed “Ringo” but only had to prove that Elshiekh was one of the Beatles because testimony showed that all three were major players in the scheme.
Elsheikh, who was captured by the Kurdish-led Syrian defense Forces in 2018, eventually confessed his role in the scheme to interrogators as well as media interviewers, acknowledging that he helped collect email addresses and provided proof of life to the hostages’ families as part of ransom negotiations.
But testimony showed that he and the other Beatles were far more than paper pushers. The surviving hostages, all of whom were European — the American and British hostages were all killed — testified that they dreaded the Beatles’ appearance at the various prisons to which they constantly shuttled and relocated.
Surviving witness Federico Motka recounted a time in the summer of 2013 when he and cellmate David Haines were put in a room with American hostage James Foley and British hostage John Cantlie for what they called a “Royal Rumble.” The losers were told they’d be waterboarded. Weak from hunger, two of the four passed out during the hourlong battle.
The jury deliberated for four hours before finding Elsheikh guilty on all counts. Elsheikh stood motionless and gave no visible reaction as the verdict was read. He now faces up to a life sentence in prison.
Several victims’ family members, who were present throughout throughout the three-week trial, fought back tears as the guilty counts were read.
“Praise God! I’m so thankful,” said Diane Foley, the mother of James Foley, after the verdicts came in. “I’m so proud of the American justice system. El Shafee Elsheikh was treated with a great deal of mercy. He had four attorneys. … Hopefully we were able to turn this into justice, not revenge.”
She contrasted what she said was the stellar work of the prosecution with what she said was the inaction of government to bring Foley and the other Americans home when they were hostages.
“When we really needed to bring the full force of the government to bear to bring them home, that failed,” she said. “They were abandoned.”
She said she hopes the case brings attentionto the more than 60 Americans who are being held hostage or wrongly detained around the world.
The convictions on all eight counts in U.S. District Court in Alexandria revolved around the deaths of four American hostages: Foley, Steven Sotloff, Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. All but Mueller were executed in videotaped beheadings circulated online. Mueller was forced into slavery and raped multiple times by Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi before she was killed.
They were among 26 hostages taken captive between 2012 and 2015, when the Islamic State group controlled large swaths of Iraq and Syria.
Defense lawyers acknowledged that Elsheikh joined the Islamic State group but said prosecutors failed to prove he was a Beatle. They cited a lack of clarity about which Beatle was which, and back in the trial’s opening statement cited the confusion about whether there were three or four Beatles.
Prosecutors said there were three — Elsheikh and his friends Alexanda Kotey and Mohammed Emwazi, who all knew each other in England before joining the Islamic State.
Emwazi, who as known as “Jihadi John” and carried out the executions, was later killed in a drone strike. Kotey and Elsheikh were captured together in 2018 and brought to Virginia in 2020 to face trial after the U.S. promised not to seek the death penalty. Kotey pleaded guilty last year in a plea bargain that calls for a life sentence but leaves open the possibility that he could serve out his sentence in the United Kingdom after 15 years in the U.S.
Kotey will be formally sentenced April 29. Elsheikh will be sentenced Aug. 12. But on Thursday the judge in the two cases, T.S. Ellis III, ordered that Elsheikh appear at Kotey’s hearing as well so that he will hear victim impact testimony that will presented ahead of Kotey’s sentencing.
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An earlier version of this story misspelled Alexanda Kotey’s first name. | https://www.wane.com/news/brit-convicted-as-beatle-in-islamic-state-beheadings-trial/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:23 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/brit-convicted-as-beatle-in-islamic-state-beheadings-trial/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — The man charged with opening fire in a Brooklyn subway car full of peoplewas jailed without bail Thursday as prosecutors told a judge he terrified all of New York City.
Brought into a Brooklyn federal court without handcuffs, a subdued Frank James, 62, softly answered standard questions about whether he understood the charges and the purpose of the brief hearing. His lawyer later asked the public not to prejudge him.
James was arrestedin Manhattan after calling a police tip line to say where he was Wednesday, a day after the nightmarish rush-hour attack left 10 people with gunshot wounds and countless others fearing for their safetyon the nation’s busiest subway system.
Authorities say he unleashed smoke bombs and dozens of bullets in a train full of morning commuters. He’s charged with a federal terrorism offense that applies to attacks on mass transit systems — authorities say there’s currently no evidence linking him to terror organizations and are still trying to derive a motive.
“The defendant terrifyingly opened fire on passengers on a crowded subway train, interrupting their morning commute in a way the city hasn’t seen in more than 20 years,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara K. Winik said, apparently referring to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
“The defendant’s attack was premeditated, was carefully planned and it caused terror among the victims and our entire city,” she said.
While James was in court, Hourari Benkada was in a hospital bed with a bullet wound in his leg.
Benkada said he was just feet away from the gunman on the train and has struggled to sleep since. Tuesday’s horrific scene keeps replaying in his mind.
“I’m still shocked about it,” Benkada said in a video interview Thursday, grimacing in pain as he recalled the attack.
He had headphones on, music blaring, as smoke began filling the subway car. He initially thought it was a small fire. But the smoke “kept escalating to black, black smoke like 9/11,” he said, “and the whole train was pitch-black.”
Then there were gunshots, screams and a scramble for safety. Benkada said he tried to shield a pregnant woman from getting hit during the mayhem, and as people pushed forward, a gunshot tore into his knee.
The shooting victims, who range in age from 16 to 60, are all expected to survive.
Prosecutors described James in court papers as a calculating shooter who wore a disguise — a construction worker-style hard hat and jacket that were shed right after the attack — and fired “in cold blood at terrified passengers who had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.”
But defense attorney Mia Eisner-Grynberg cautioned against “a rush to judgment.”
“Initial reports in a case like this are often inaccurate,” she said outside court. She noted that James alerted police to his whereabouts, 30 hours into a manhunt that included cellphone alerts to the general public.
Once he knew he was wanted, “he called Crime Stoppers to help,” Eisner-Grynberg said.
The manhunt began focusing on downtown Manhattan after police got a tip from a sharp-eyed high school junior on a photography class excursion.
Jack Griffin, 17, said he was looking for subjects for pictures when his eye was drawn to a man sitting on a bench with a duffel bag, resting amid the bustle of a street near Chinatown.
“As soon as I saw him, my first instinct was: ‘That’s him,’” Griffin said. He snapped some photos of the man, who mumbled something and quickly moved on. Then Griffin sent his photos to police, who dispatched officers to the area.
Eventually, police got 911 reports of other possible sightings — and they got a call from James, saying he was at a McDonald’s in the East Village neighborhood. He was gone when police got there, but bystanders spotted him and flagged down officers as they searched the neighborhood. James was apprehended a few blocks from the McDonald’s.
Two cousins, Zack Dahhan and Mohammad Cheikh, said they glimpsed the man and hastily looked up James’ wanted poster on their phones.
“And we say, ‘Oh, my God, this is the guy!’” as a number of people began to follow him, Dahhan said. The cousins said they pointed officers toward him.
James’ lawyers agreed Thursday to his being jailed, but said they could seek bail later.
At the request of James’ lawyers, Magistrate Roanne Mann said she would ask for James to get “psychiatric attention,” as well as magnesium tablets for leg cramps, at the federal lockup in Brooklyn where he’s being held.
Authorities say a trove of evidence connects James to the attack. His bank card, his cellphone and a key to a van he had rented were found at the shooting scene. Officers also found the handgun they said was used in the shooting; tracing records show James purchased the gun from a licensed gun dealer in Ohio in 2011.
In court papers, prosecutors suggested James had the means to carry out more more attacks, noting that he had ammunition and other gun-related items in a Philadelphia storage unit.
The New York City native had been living in Milwaukee and Philadelphia recently.
Investigators were examining many hours of videos that James posted on social media, as recently as Monday, in which he delivered profanity-laced diatribes about racism, society’s treatment of Black people, homelessness and violence. He also discussed his history of psychiatric treatment and complained about how New York’s mayor is dealing with homeless people on subways and with gun violence.
He also talked about shooting people, prosecutors noted in court papers.
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Associated Press journalists Jim Mustian, Michael R. Sisak, Deepti Hajela and Seth Wenig contributed. | https://www.wane.com/news/brooklyn-subway-attack-suspect-due-in-court-on-terror-charge/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:30 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/brooklyn-subway-attack-suspect-due-in-court-on-terror-charge/ |
SALINAS, Calif. (AP) — A massive fire at a Northern California food processing plant prompted authorities to tell thousands of nearby residents to evacuate Thursday and to order tens of thousands more to stay inside their homes.
The fire at the Taylor Farms packaged salad plant in Salinas, about 110 miles (177 kilometers) south of San Francisco, started Wednesday night and was still burning Thursday morning.
Authorities initially said they feared the fire could generate an explosion and a plume of hazardous ammonia, but the Salinas Fire Department said later that those threats appeared to be minimal.
About 2,700 people living closest to the plant were told that they should evacuate while 35,000 more were ordered to shelter inside their homes, the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services said in a statement.
Those staying home were told to shut windows and to turn off ventilation systems “until further notice,” the statement said.
Officials said some people evacuated after the fire was reported at 7:15 p.m. Officials did not say what caused the fire.
A woman who answered the phone at Taylor Farms in Salinas told a reporter seeking comment to call back later for information.
Salinas has a population of about 160,000 people and is in a key agricultural region. | https://www.wane.com/news/california-food-plant-fire-prompts-evacuation-of-thousands/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:37 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/california-food-plant-fire-prompts-evacuation-of-thousands/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators will soon begin cracking down on vaping companies using a now-closed loophole, including a line of fruit-flavored e-cigarettes that have become teenagers’ top choice.
Under a law taking effect Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration can regulate e-cigarettes and similar products that use synthetic nicotine.
The action targets Puff Bar and several other vaping companies that recently switched their formulas to laboratory-made nicotine to skirt FDA oversight.
The change will allow the FDA to “hold e-cigarette companies using synthetic nicotine to the same public health standards we’ve implemented for other tobacco products,” FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a tweet Wednesday. Companies must now register with the FDA and submit their products for review within 30 days.
Puff Bar did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
The FDA’s action does not automatically ban Puff Bar and similar products. Instead it brings them under the same regulatory scheme as older e-cigarettes that derive their nicotine from tobacco.
“The synthetic nicotine products do not necessarily just disappear on their own,” Robin Koval, chief executive of the Truth Initiative, an advocacy group that runs anti-tobacco ads. “The FDA will have to decide how they want to enforce the law and hopefully they will.”
The FDA has been reviewing applications for a vast array of vaping devices, formulas and flavors — rejecting more than 1 million, usually because of their potential appeal to youngsters. Anti-tobacco advocates hope the agency will quickly do the same for any applications submitted by Puff Bar and other manufacturers.
Nicotine, the chemical the makes smoking and vaping addictive, occurs naturally in tobacco plants.
The 2009 law that first gave the FDA oversight of cigarettes and related products only referred to tobacco-based nicotine. That left an opening for artificial nicotine, which is being used in e-cigarette liquids, nicotine pouches and other products.
Last month, Congress passed language clarifying that the FDA can regulate any form of nicotine, regardless of the source.
After appearing in 2019, Puff Bar has grown to become the most popular e-cigarette among teenagers, by far, sold in flavors like blueberry, strawberry banana and mango. Under FDA pressure, the company said it was halting sales in 2020, pulling its disposable vaping devices out of convenience stores, gas stations and vape shops.
Last February, the company announced a “fresh launch” of its colorful devices using synthetic nicotine. In marketing language, the company said its products “do not contain tobacco or anything derived from tobacco.” That put Puff Bar in a legal gray area, because federal, state and local restrictions nearly always apply to tobacco-based products, not nicotine itself.
Stanford researchers last year found synthetic nicotine products for sale via online platforms that prohibit tobacco sales, such as Amazon, eBay and Target. Under the new law, synthetic nicotine will be subject to the same federal age limit and sales restrictions as other tobacco products.
Using synthetic nicotine is not a new idea. Tobacco companies experimented with chemically derived nicotine as early as the 1960s, but deemed it too expensive for mass production. Manufacturing advances in recent years finally made it a viable alternative to tobacco-derived nicotine.
A large government survey last year showed Puff Bar had leapfrogged over better-known brands to become the top choice among high schoolers who vape. Juul — which is widely blamed for initially sparking the teen vaping trend — was the fourth most popular brand.
In 2020, the FDA restricted flavors in cartridge-based e-cigarettes like Juul to just menthol and tobacco, which are generally preferred by adults. But the flavor ban didn’t apply to disposable e-cigarettes like Puff Bar and other types of vaping devices.
Anti-tobacco groups worry that the FDA seems to consistently be one or two steps behind whichever products are making inroads among kids.
“The lesson we can all take away from this is that when the FDA’s actions are incomplete and happen after the fact — which has often been the case with e-cigarettes — you will always be playing whack-a-mole and catch-up,” said Koval.
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Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP_FDAwriter
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The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.wane.com/news/e-cigs-using-synthetic-nicotine-come-under-fda-oversight/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:44 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/e-cigs-using-synthetic-nicotine-come-under-fda-oversight/ |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a 15-week abortion ban into law Thursday as the state joined a growing conservative push to restrict access to the procedure ahead of a U.S. Supreme Court decision that could roll back abortion rights in America.
“This will represent the most significant protections for life that have been enacted in this state in a generation,” DeSantis said as he signed the bill at an evangelical church in the city of Kissimmee.
Republicans nationwide have moved to place new restrictions on abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court signaled it would uphold a Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks. The high court’s decision, expected this summer, could potentially weaken or overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision that established a nationwide right to abortion.
The law DeSantis signed Thursday also deals a blow to overall abortion access in the South, where Florida has provided wider access to the procedure than its regional neighbors.
The new law, which takes effect July 1, contains exceptions if the abortion is necessary to save a mother’s life, prevent serious injury or if the fetus has a fatal abnormality. It does not allow for exemptions in cases where pregnancies were caused by rape, incest or human trafficking, despite several Democratic attempts to amend the bill. Under current law, Florida allows abortions up to 24 weeks.
Debate over the proposal grew deeply personal and revealing inside the legislature, as lawmakers recalled their own abortions and experiences with sexual assault in often tearful speeches on the House and Senate floors. Republicans have repeatedly called the 15-week ban reasonable.
A federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report said about 2% of the nearly 72,000 abortions reported in Florida in 2019 were performed after 15 weeks. That same year, 2,256 out-of-state residents got abortions in Florida, with the majority, or about 1,200 coming, from Georgia and more than 300 from Alabama, according to the CDC. The origin of the remaining patients was not clear.
Democrats were quick to criticize the new law after the signing.
“Politicians have no business getting between a patient and her doctor,” House Democratic Leader Evan Jenne said. “This 15-week abortion ban takes away every woman’s right to make personal decisions that should only be made by themselves, with their family, their doctor, and their faith.”
The legislation came a few months after the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority indicated it would uphold Mississippi’s 15-week ban. There also has been substantial support among the conservative justices for getting rid of Roe altogether.
If Roe is overturned, 26 states are certain or likely to quickly ban or severely restrict abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a think tank that supports abortion rights. During the debate over the Florida legislation, as well as at the bill’s signing ceremony, Republicans said they want the state to be well placed to limit access to abortions if the Supreme Court upholds Mississippi’s law.
“The reality of the Roe decision is that men on the Supreme Court proclaimed that women, in order to achieve equality with men, must be able to kill their own children,” said Republican Rep. Erin Grall, the bill’s sponsor. “As a woman, I refuse to accept such a perverse version of equality.”
Elsewhere in the U.S., Republican lawmakers have introduced new abortion restrictions, some similar to a Texaslaw that bans abortion after roughly six weeks and leaves enforcement up to private citizens.
OklahomaRepublican Gov. Kevin Stitt recently signed a bill to make it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to a decade in prison. ArizonaRepublican Gov. Doug Ducey in March signed legislation to outlaw abortion after 15 weeks if the U.S. Supreme Court leaves Mississippi’s law in place.
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AP writer Adriana Gomez Licon contributed from Miami. | https://www.wane.com/news/florida-governor-expected-to-sign-abortion-restriction-bill/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:51 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/florida-governor-expected-to-sign-abortion-restriction-bill/ |
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Friday celebrated the milestone birth anniversary of its late founder with a mass dance, fireworks and calls for stronger loyalty to his grandson and current leader Kim Jong Un, but there was no word on an expected military parade amid heightened tensions over its nuclear program.
The 110th birthday of Kim Il Sung comes after North Korea conducted a spate of weapons tests in recent months, including its first full-range intercontinental ballistic missile launch since 2017. Experts say North Korea aims to expand its arsenal and ramp up pressure on the United States while nuclear diplomacy is stalled.
“Let’s work harder in devotion to our respected comrade Kim Jong Un and on that path ultimately realize the dreams of our great president (Kim Il Sung) to build a powerful socialist state,” the North’s state-run website Uriminzokkiri said in a commentary.
Kim Il Sung’s birthday is the most important national holiday in North Korea, where the Kim family has ruled under a strong personality cult since the nation’s founding in 1948. Kim Jong Un became a third-generation leader after his father Kim Jong Il died in late 2011.
Kim Jong Un has pushed to advance his nuclear weapons while simultaneously reviving the economy. But a mix of pandemic border closures, U.S.-led sanctions and his own mismanagement have caused a massive economic blow in what’s become the toughest moment of his decade in power.
On Friday, residents of Pyongyang, the capital, bowed and laid bouquets of flowers near the bronze statues of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il.
State TV later showed thousands of young people — men dressed in Western-style white shirts and women in colorful traditional Korean garb — dancing in a Pyongyang plaza as fireworks launched from a nearby river bank lit up the night sky. The dancers circled a group of performers who held up yellow flowers to form the symbol of the Workers’ Party of Korea -– a hammer, brush and sickle.
North Korea often marks key state anniversaries with huge military parades featuring newly built missiles, especially during anniversaries that end in zero and five. Commercial satellites earlier indicated an apparent rehearsal for a military parade, such as people assembled in formation at the Pyongyang plaza, where such events were held in the past.
After North Korea’s ICBM test last month, South Korean and U.S. officials said Pyongyang could soon launch fresh provocations like an additional ICBM test, a rocket to put a spy satellite into orbit, or even a nuclear bomb test that would be the seventh of its kind.
South Korea’s military said recently it detected signs that North Korea is rebuilding tunnels at a nuclear testing ground that it partially dismantled before it entered now-dormant nuclear talks with the United States in 2018.
“I think they’ll carry out a nuclear test once it finishes restoring its nuclear testing facility,” said analyst Moon Seong Mook with the Seoul-based Korea Research Institute for National Strategy. “There is no reason for them to bring back its testing ground if they don’t plan to use them for a bomb test.”
Sung Kim, the top U.S. official on North Korea, is to visit South Korea next week for talks on the international community’s response to the North’s recent missile tests.
North Korea has recently resumed its trademark harsh rhetoric against its rivals. One of its international affairs commentators labeled President Joe Biden as “an old man in senility,” while Kim’s powerful sister, Kim Yo Jong, called South Korea’s defense minister “a scum-like guy” and threatened to annihilate South Korea with nuclear strikes. | https://www.wane.com/news/n-korea-marks-key-anniversary-but-no-word-on-army-parade/ | 2022-04-15T14:25:59 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/n-korea-marks-key-anniversary-but-no-word-on-army-parade/ |
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Recreational marijuana sales in New Jersey for those 21 and older will begin April 21, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday.
“This is a historic step in our work to create a new cannabis industry,” said Murphy, who made the announcement via Twitter.
The news comes just three days after state regulators greenlighted permits for seven facilities, which already sell medical cannabis, to begin retailing recreational marijuana. It’s also about a year after the state’s regulatory commission started operating, and a year and a half after voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot question to allow recreational marijuana for people 21 and older.
New Jersey and 17 others states, along with the District of Columbia, have legalized recreational marijuana. Thirty-seven states, including New Jersey, have legalized medical marijuana.
New Jersey’s recreational sales are slated to begin ahead of New York, where sales are not expected to start until the end of the year, state officials have said.
Neighboring Pennsylvania has medical cannabis but not recreational. Some cities, including Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, have passed ordinances to decriminalize marijuana or make it a low law enforcement priority. Legislation to permit recreational marijuana in Delaware was defeated last month in the Legislature.
Three of the seven New Jersey facilities, known as alternative treatment centers, are in the northern part of the state. Three are in the south, and one is in its central.
To get approval, the centers agreed that the coming influx of recreational buyers won’t interrupt access for patients. The facilities said they would reserve parking spaces for patients as well as keep hours specifically for patients only.
There are about 130,000 medical marijuana patients in the state, with an estimated roughly 800,000 potential recreational consumers, and fewer than 800,000 estimated “tourism” consumers, according to the commission.
Ben Kovler, the CEO of Green Thumb Industries, which operates dispensaries in several states, is preparing for the start of recreational sales at facilities in Paterson and Bloomfield. Kovler said he expects a “tidal wave” of demand.
“We are witnessing the end of prohibition 2.0,” he said in an emailed statement.
The alternative treatment centers that already had medical cannabis retail sales are getting a head start in the recreational market, but regulators have attached strings to their advantage. The centers have to meet social equity standards, such as providing technical knowledge to new marijuana businesses, especially social equity applicants — those located in economically struggling parts of the state or people who have had cannabis-related offenses.
“We remain committed to social equity,” Cannabis Regulatory Commission Chair Dianna Houenou said in a statement. “We promised to build this market on the pillars of social equity and safety. Ultimately, we hope to see businesses and a workforce that reflect the diversity of the state.”
How much tax revenue New Jersey gets from recreational marijuana isn’t clear. Murphy’s fiscal year 2023 budget, which is pending before the Democrat-led Legislature, estimates revenues of just $19 million in a nearly $49 billion budget. In 2019, as legalization of recreational marijuana was still just pending before voters, he had estimated about $60 million in revenue.
Legislation governing the recreational market calls for the 6.625% sales tax to apply, with 70% of the proceeds going to areas disproportionately affected by marijuana-related arrests. Black residents were likelier — up to three times as much — to face marijuana charges than white residents. Towns can also levy a tax of up to 2%. | https://www.wane.com/news/nj-to-start-recreational-marijuana-sales-april-21/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:06 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/nj-to-start-recreational-marijuana-sales-april-21/ |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ed Buck told his neighbors that the steady stream of young Black men leaving his West Hollywood apartment were social work clients. What really happened behind closed doors, which he referred to as the “gates of hell,” was far more sinister.
The men did not need Buck’s help — they needed to be saved from him, said federal prosecutors in Los Angeles said. Some barely escaped with their lives. Two men didn’t.
Buck, 67, a wealthy gay white donor to Democratic, LGBTQ and animal rights causes, was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court to 30 years in federal prison for injecting two men with lethal doses of methamphetamine as part of a fetish that turned fatal.
Prosecutors, who sought a life term, said Buck had such disregard for life that even after the two deaths in his apartment, he did not stop paying men to come to his home and injecting them with walloping doses of methamphetamine. One man overdosed twice in the course of a week.
“This defendant preyed upon vulnerable victims — men who were drug-dependent and often without homes — to feed an obsession that led to death and misery,” United States Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said. “Mr. Buck continues to pose a clear danger to society.”
Buck was convicted in July of distribution of methamphetamine resulting in the deaths of Gemmel Moore in 2017 and Timothy Dean in 2019. He was also convicted of four counts of meth distribution, two counts of enticing men to travel across state lines for prostitution and a count of maintaining a drug den.
Buck managed to avoid arrest for more than two years after Moore’s death and family and community members led by political strategist Jasmyne Cannick complained that he escaped prosecution because of wealth, political ties and race. He donated more than $500,000 since 2000 to mainly Democratic causes.
Moore’s mother, LaTisha Nixon, joined Cannick and several other friends and family members of the deceased to ask the judge for the maximum sentence. Nixon, a certified nursing assistant who said she had prayed with and comforted countless dying people, broke down as she thought of the way her oldest child died.
“All I can think about is how my son died naked on a mattress with no love around him,” Nixon said. “No one to hold his hand or tell him good things.”
Defense lawyer Mark Werksman sought a 10-year term — half of the mandatory minimum of 20 years Buck faced and well below the 25 years recommended by the probation department. He said Buck’s sexual abuse as a child and health problems that led to his drug addiction were mitigating factors.
He said prosecutors had cast Buck as a “sociopathic syringe-wielding sexual predator and sexual deviant who preys on homeless drug-addicted male prostitutes and kills them by recklessly overdosing them on methamphetamine.”
“But there’s a second Ed Buck, a redeemable, a worthy, a valuable Ed Buck who deserves this court’s compassion and mercy,” Werksman said.
Buck made his first public remarks since his arrest in September 2019, apologizing for “my part in the tragic deaths” of Moore and Dean, whom he said were friends he loved. In a husky voice, he said he had not caused their deaths but expressed condolences to their families — something they said he never did after their deaths.
Buck, who worked as a model and then made a small fortune selling an Arizona company he rescued from bankruptcy, said he tried to live a good life devoted to political causes that would make his world a better place.
His political activism began with efforts in 1987 to recall Republican Arizona Gov. Evan Mecham, who was ultimately convicted in an impeachment trial and kicked out of office. Buck said he started an AIDS information organization in the 1980s, marched for gay and human rights and championed a ban on fur sales in West Hollywood.
“Look at the good I have done and the good I may still do and not the horrible caricature that the government painted me as a meth-fueled ax killer,” Buck said. “That’s not who I am.”
Judge Christina Snyder said the case was one of the most difficult and tragic ones she had presided over. She said Buck’s “horrific crimes” were reprehensible and more than just an accident.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chelsea Norell objected to the 30-year sentence, arguing that the mandatory minimum sentences for each death add up to 40 years.
“He is effectively getting one kill and one kill 50% off,” Norell said.
Family members of Dean and Moore said they were disappointed he didn’t get a life sentence but were happy Buck was going away for a long time. They said his apology had come too late to seem sincere.
“That’s not love when you kill someone,” said Dean’s sister, Joann Campbell. “That was just something he was saying … to get some sympathy from the judge. But I don’t believe and buy any of it.”
Even after Dean’s death, Buck remained undeterred, Norell said. Holed up in a hotel to avoid the police, he injected Dane Brown with back-to-back “slams” of methamphetamine.
Brown, who was homeless, later moved into Buck’s apartment, where he was injected with meth most days and often several times a day.
On Sept. 4, 2019, after Buck shot him up three times with back-to-back doses, Brown was hospitalized for overdosing. He had five times the meth in his system that Moore and Dean had when they died, prosecutors said.
Brown returned less than a week later and Buck injected him three times with meth. Brown said he was overdosing again. He was exhausted and weak but Buck wouldn’t call an ambulance.
“I can’t run, I can’t move and it’s like all my energy was being sapped out,” Brown recalled Thursday outside court.
That’s when he heard the voice of his late mother tell him to get up.
“At that last moment, right when I was giving up and closed my eyes, I heard the voice,” Brown said. “It’s like she lit a fire and told me to get out and get out now.”
Brown managed to get himself to a nearby gas station and was taken to the hospital. It was that incident that finally led to Buck’s arrest.
If he hadn’t made it out of Buck’s apartment, Brown said he would have died there like Moore and Dean. | https://www.wane.com/news/prosecutors-seek-life-for-political-donors-fatal-fetish/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:13 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/prosecutors-seek-life-for-political-donors-fatal-fetish/ |
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia on Thursday inaugurated 290 new lawmakers, bringing the country a step closer to completing a prolonged electoral process marred by alleged corruption and irregularities.
The swearing-in ceremony was held in the capital’s heavily fortified Halane military camp, protected by sandbagged fences and high concrete walls. Somali police and African Union troops were deployed to the surrounding areas, putting Mogadishu under lockdown.
Dozens more legislators are yet to be selected and sworn in.
Later the lawmakers will elect speakers and deputies for both parliamentary chambers before they sit to choose a new president.
“We are observing a new set of parliamentarians taking over from others. I want to take this opportunity to congratulate parliamentarians who have been sworn in today. This is a huge responsibility assigned on you by your constituents, and it is a vote of confidence,” said Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble.
Hussein Sheikh Ali of the Mogadishu-based research group Hiraal Institute said the inauguration of lawmakers “marks a great relief day for all Somalis and (the) international community who invested in Somalia to move forward.”
Somalia’s parliamentary and presidential polls were delayed for more than a year amid political turmoil after President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s mandate expired in Feb. 2021 without a successor in place.
The delay raised political tensions and the threat of violence in a country prone to attacks by Islamic extremists who oppose the federal government.
Al-Shabaab claimed to have thrown mortar shells targeting the area where the lawmakers were being sworn in on Thursday. Authorities didn’t say if anyone was hurt. | https://www.wane.com/news/somalia-swears-in-lawmakers-in-step-to-choosing-new-leader/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:20 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/somalia-swears-in-lawmakers-in-step-to-choosing-new-leader/ |
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Southern California shoe store owner accused of shooting and wounding a 9-year-old girl when he opened fire at shoplifters agreed Thursday to be returned from Nevada to face charges in the case.
Police have said that Marqel Cockrell, 20, fled from the California desert city of Victorville in his car just after the girl, identified by family members as Ava Chruniak, was mistakenly hit by bullets on Tuesday as she waited to have her picture taken with a mall Easter bunny.
Cockrell, 20, stood in court and told a Las Vegas judge that he understood that California authorities had 30 days to extradite him. He was not represented by an attorney because Nevada does not provide lawyers for extradition cases.
Cockrell co-owns the shoe store Sole Addicts at the Mall of Victor Valley and was chasing two shoplifters about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when he fired shots that “instead hit the 9-year-old female victim,” Victorville police said in a statement.
The girl suffered three gunshot wounds, including two in an arm, her grandmother, Moraga-Saldarelli said. One of the bullets fractured an arm bone.
She was released from the hospital on Thursday but will require another operation to repair nerve damage, KCBS-TV reported.
Police have said that Cockrell drove from the mall before responding officers arrived after receiving reports of gunfire and that he was arrested in Nevada’s Clark County, about a three-hour drive from Victorville.
Cockrell is being held at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas. Authorities have said he faces at least one attempted murder charge. Records do not indicate if he has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf. | https://www.wane.com/news/store-owner-to-be-returned-to-california-in-girls-shooting/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:27 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/store-owner-to-be-returned-to-california-in-girls-shooting/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Mayor Eric Adams, a former New York City police captain, took office this year with a central focus on making the city feel safe and trying to return it to some sense of normalcy post-pandemic.
But the first 3 1/2 months of his administration have been beset by a string of high-profile violent incidents, with Tuesday’s shooting on a subway train the most terrifying and public of all.
The morning rush-hour attack, in which 10 people were shot on a system that serves as the arteries of New York, complicates Adams’ push to address crime and persuade people that the city of nearly 9 million is safe. It also occurred amid a broader, multi-year debate about policing and crime, and how the city should respond.
In New York City, like many places around the country, violent crime rates have climbed since the pandemic, though they remain far below rates seen three decades ago during the city’s notoriously grittier era, or even just a decade ago.
The mayor has been among Democrats who’ve pushed back on calls from liberals to cut police budgets and instead route resources to social services, and he has sought to bring back some controversial policing tactics, saying they can be employed as useful tools without a return to past abuses.
Adams has a unique perspective. He’s not only a former New York City police captain and transit officer, but is a Black man who in the past has criticized his own department’s unjust practices, and he is someone who was brutally beaten by police as a teenager.
Since he took office Jan. 1, he’s been speaking about policing and crime frequently, as the list of frightening incidents piled up quickly.
The city saw a rash of random shootings, the killing of two police officers and attacks that included a woman shoved to her death in front of a train by a stranger.
“This has been particularly brutal. And I feel for him. I think he’s done a fine job, especially as he’s just getting used to it,” said Adams’ predecessor and fellow Democrat, Bill de Blasio.
Most of the violence the city has experienced has not been in the subways but in neighborhoods, particularly in communities of color. But attacks on the subway, a vital sprawling network millions of New Yorkers rely upon, loom large in public perceptions of safety.
Adams rode the subway to City Hall on his first day as mayor, calling 911 to report a fight near the train platform before he even boarded the train. He admitted later that he didn’t feel safe on the train after encountering a yelling passenger and several homeless people, and said the city needs to tackle “actual crime” and “the perception of crime.”
Adams had already announced plans earlier this year to boost the number of police officers on subway platforms and trains and to address crime generally. He has brought back a controversial police anti-gun unit, called for help from the federal government cracking down on ghost guns and pushed for changes to New York’s bail laws.
Critics contend that focusing just on beefing up police isn’t a solution to making the city safe, but more investment is needed in mental health programs and other social services.
Frank James, the 62-year-old suspect in the Brooklyn subway shooting, spoke of his own mental health struggles in a series of YouTube videos in which he described going in and out of mental health facilities, including some in New York City.
Before Tuesday’s attack, Adams had started sending out social work teams to try to connect people on the streets with mental health help and other services. The mayor also announced plans to significantly expand a summer youth job program designed to put young people in paid jobs when school is on break, with the aim of diverting them from activities that could lead to arrest or violence.
After this week’s subway shooting, Adams, in a series of interviews, discussed plans to increase the number of police officers patrolling the subways and suggested metal detectors could be installed in stations — a decision that ultimately would rest with the transit authority, which falls under state control.
Danny Pearlstein, a spokesman for the nonprofit Riders Alliance representing New York City bus and subway passengers, said that despite a high-profile incident like the shooting, the subway is still the safest way to get around the city, with traffic accidents and pedestrians being struck by cars a far more likely hazard.
Rather than explore metal detectors and other ways to scrutinize passengers, he said New York needs a better transit system overall that gets more people on board and provides safety with strength in numbers.
“By having transit that is faster and more reliable and gets to more places that people want to go is a way to boost ridership,” he said.
De Blasio praised Adams’ attempts to address both crime and perceptions of crime, and said public safety experts recommend the best way to make the city feel safe is “more normalcy, more recovery from COVID.”
Getting people back on trains and back in the city is not just a reminder of New York’s resiliency, but also an added layer of eyes and ears to compliment the police, the former mayor said.
“The overall reality is NYPD has actually done a very good job over the years of making the subway safer and safer,” he said. “Police can do so much, but they can’t do it alone. They need eyes and ears — and cooperation of the public.”
Former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said it’s difficult to have a discussion about how to prevent Tuesday’s shooting without knowing more about the alleged perpetrator and his motivation and mental health, and that makes it difficult to link it to a broader examination of other violent crime in New York.
“One of the challenges with crime is you can get three people shot in one night and they’re all shot for different reasons that have different solutions and different responses,” Quinn said.
She said Adams, with his law enforcement background, understands that crime and criminals are not one-size-fits-all. And while guns may be involved in a lot of crimes and more illegal guns need to be taken off the street, other incidents can stem from gang issues, mental health issues or other factors.
Confronting crime generally requires a multi-faceted response, she said, and help from many layers of government.
“There are very few things that one elected official can fix alone,” she said. “Even in a big city like New York, a lot of what exists here is also controlled by the state and the feds.”
“But there is no bigger bully pulpit and convening power—short of the president of the United States—than that of the mayor of the city of New York. And we know Eric Adams is not afraid to use that,” she said. | https://www.wane.com/news/subway-shooting-heightens-nyc-mayors-focus-on-rising-crime/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:34 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/subway-shooting-heightens-nyc-mayors-focus-on-rising-crime/ |
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The head of the U.N. World Food Program said people are being “starved to death” in the besieged Ukrainian city of Mariupol, and he predicted the country’s humanitarian crisis is likely to worsen as Russia intensifies its assault in the coming weeks.
WFP executive director David Beasley also warned in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press in Kyiv that Russia’s invasion of grain-exporting Ukraine risks destabilizing nations far from its shores and could trigger waves of migrants seeking better lives elsewhere.
The war that began Feb. 24 was “devastating the people in Ukraine,” he said, lamenting the lack of access faced by the WFP and other aid organizations in trying to reach those in need amid the conflict.
“I don’t see any of that easing up. I just don’t see it happening right now,” he said.
The fluid nature of the conflict, which has seen fighting shift away from areas around the capital and toward eastern Ukraine, has made it especially difficult to reach hungry Ukrainians.
The WFP is trying to put food supplies now in areas that could be caught up in the fighting, but Beasley acknowledged that there are “a lot of complexities” as the situation rapidly evolves.
A lack of access is part of the problem, he said, but so is a shortage of manpower and fuel as resources are diverted to the war effort.
“It’s not just going to be the next few days — but the next few weeks and few months could even get more complicated than it is now,” he said. “In fact, it’s getting worse and worse, concentrated in certain areas, and the front lines are going to be moving.”
Beasley expressed particular concern about the port city of Mariupol, where a dwindling number of Ukrainian defenders is holding out against a Russian siege that has trapped well over 100,000 civilians in desperate need of food, water and heating.
Russian forces that control access to the city have not allowed in aid, even though the WFP has demanded access.
“We will not give up on the people of Mariupol and other people that we cannot reach. But it’s a devastating situation: the people being starved to death,” he said.
Russia is determined to seize the city so its forces from the annexed Crimean Peninsula can fully link up with troops elsewhere in the eastern Donbas region, Ukraine’s industrial heartland and the target of the coming offensive.
The U.N. food chief warned of disastrous ripple effects due to Ukraine’s role as major international grain supplier.
A global food shortage caused by the war could prompt “mass migration beyond anything we’ve seen since World War II,” he said, echoing remarks he made to the U.N. Security Council last month.
Russia and Ukraine together produce 30% of the world’s wheat supply and export about three-quarters of the world’s sunflower seed oil. Half of the grain the WFP buys for distribution around the world comes from Ukraine.
Some 30 million metric tons of grain bound for export are unable to be shipped because of the war, Beasley said. Ukrainian farmers are struggling to access fertilizer and seed, and those who can plant may see their harvest rot in the fields if the war drags on and there’s no way to ship it, he warned.
The shipping challenges have forced the WFP to halve rations for millions of people, many in Africa, and more cuts may be needed, he said.
“People are going to be starving to death,” he said.
Beasley also visited areas near Kyiv that were ravaged by the Russian invasion, including the town of Bucha, where evidence of mass killings and other atrocities against civilians have shocked the world.
He described neighborhoods “completely decimated by bombings,” likening what he saw to a nightmare that was impossible to believe.
But he stopped short of describing the killings a genocide, as U.S. President Joe Biden did this week.
“Well, I know one thing. People are dying,” he said when asked about Biden’s comments. “But there’s no doubt in my mind this is a horror story and it is truly heartbreaking.”
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.wane.com/news/the-ap-interview-un-food-chief-says-mariupol-is-starving/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:41 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/news/the-ap-interview-un-food-chief-says-mariupol-is-starving/ |
The missile cruiser Moskva, named in honor of the Russian capital, was launched during the Cold War, saw service during conflicts in Georgia, Syria and Ukraine, and helped conduct peacetime scientific research with the United States.
Now the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea fleet has sunk in those waters off Ukraine while being towed to port after a fire onboard, the Defense Ministry in Moscow said.
It was an inglorious demise for the vessel initially christened the Slava, or “glory.”
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WARSHIP?
The Russian Defense Ministry said the heavily damaged Moskva sank in a storm Thursday under tow after being gutted by fire. It previously said the blaze set off some of its weapons and forced the crew to evacuate. It denied there had been an attack by Ukraine on the ship, which would normally have about 500 sailors aboard.
Maksym Marchenko, the governor of the Odesa region, said Ukraine struck the ship late Wednesday with two Neptune missiles and caused “serious damage.” Yuriy Sak, an adviser to Ukraine’s defense minister, later said he was unable to confirm its fate or if it even had been hit by Ukrainian forces.
It was not immediately possible to reconcile the different accounts, and cloud cover made it impossible to locate the ship or determine its condition from satellite photos. The U.S. was unable to confirm Ukraine’s claims.
The Moskva was about 69 miles (100 to 104 kilometers) due south of Odesa when the fire occurred, according to a senior U.S. defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal U.S. military assessments.
WHAT WAS THE WARSHIP’S CAPABILITY?
The Moskva could carry 16 long-range cruise missiles, and its loss will greatly reduce Russia’s firepower in the Black Sea.
Its sinking represents a major blow to Russian prestige seven weeks into a war that already is widely seen as a historic blunder.
WHAT WAS ITS HISTORY?
The warship was launched as the Slava from a shipyard in Mykolaiv in what was then the Soviet republic of Ukraine in July 1979, according to open-source intelligence firm Janes. Commissioned in late December 1982, it was 611.5 feet (186 meters) long. It was designed to carry a crew of 476 with an additional 62 officers.
The Slava served as the flagship of the Soviet fleet in the Black Sea. It carried both surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, deck guns, torpedoes and mortars. It also had a helicopter deck.
During the Cold War, it also carried nuclear weapons. In 1989, under Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, U.S. and Soviet scientists took part in a joint test abroad the Slava in the Black Sea to measure the emission of neutrons and gamma rays from a nuclear warhead on a cruise missile.
In late 1989, the Slava was supposed to host a meeting off Malta between Gorbachev and then-President George H.W. Bush, but gale force winds prompted the Soviet-hosted side of the talks to be held instead on the docked cruiser Maxim Gorky.
FROM SLAVA TO MOSKVA
The Slava underwent repairs from 1990-1999. During that time, the Soviet Union collapsed, an independent Ukraine emerged and Russia’s economy foundered. Finally overhauled and rechristened the Moskva, the ship hosted both President Vladimir Putin and then-Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi during a 2003 visit to Sardinia.
“Thank God, our cruisers can still go on their own, our planes and missiles can fly,” Putin said at the time.
Putin’s later comments at the La Maddalena naval base show how much has changed. He described the Moskva’s presence as a sign that “the level of trust between Russia and the NATO countries is rising.” NATO’s eastward expansion and Russian security were among the reasons Putin cited for sending troops to Ukraine.
During Russia’s war in its former republic of Georgia in 2008, the Moskva took part in operations in the Black Sea, and Georgia said it was involved in an attack on the country.
In 2014, as Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula, the Moskva blocked Ukrainian naval vessels from leaving Lake Donuzlav.
In 2015-16, it was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea to provide support for the Russian military campaign backing Syrian President Bashar Assad in his country’s civil war. Its sailors were decorated for their service there and in the war on Georgia.
The Moskva underwent repairs and modernization from 2018 to July 2020, according to Janes.
After Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, the Moskva took part in an attack on Zmiinyi — or Snake — Island, which sits about 35 kilometers (21 miles) off the coast. In an audio widely circulated online, a Ukrainian soldier responds: “Russian warship, go (expletive) yourself.”
The Associated Press cannot independently verify the incident, but Ukraine and its supporters consider it an iconic moment of defiance.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Instagram account posted a photo of him holding commemorative stamps marking the purported moment. They show a lone Ukrainian soldier on a beach, rifle in one hand, the other giving the middle finger to the passing Moskva, its “121” ship number visible on it.
___
Follow Jon Gambrell on Twitter at https://twitter.com/jongambrellAP | https://www.wane.com/news/the-moskva-sunk-off-ukraine-served-in-wars-hot-and-cold/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:48 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/news/the-moskva-sunk-off-ukraine-served-in-wars-hot-and-cold/ |
8 top-rated body sunscreens at Sephora
Summer is just around the corner, so it’ll soon be time to put on your favorite bathing suit for a beach or pool day. Going to the beach or a pool on a hot summer day is fun, but it can turn into a dreadful experience if you don’t wear sunscreen to protect yourself.
To avoid getting a nasty sunburn, using an effective sunscreen is a must, and Sephora has got you covered with plenty of terrific products.
What to look for in quality sunscreen at Sephora
Sephora offers high-quality beauty and personal care products, so you can rest assured that almost any sunscreen in their catalog is safe and effective. Nevertheless, it’s best to consider a few things before you run out and buy sunscreen.
Broad-spectrum
The sun’s rays are classified as either Ultraviolet A or Ultraviolet B. UVB rays cause sunburns, but UVA rays penetrate the skin and affect deeper tissue, which can cause long-term health issues. Look for a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection to get complete protection.
Sun protection factor
SPF relates directly to UVB ray protection and indicates how long you can stay in direct sunlight before getting sunburned. For example, if you can sit under the sun for 15 minutes before getting sunburned, wearing a layer of sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 would provide 450 minutes of protection.
It’s the consensus that a 30 SPF sunscreen is adequate for most skin types. However, it’s important to note that although it can protect you for several hours, sunscreen tends to wear off quickly due to skin cells constantly shedding and other external factors. For that reason, experts recommend applying sunscreen every two to three hours.
Water-resistance
You’ll most likely wear sunscreen when on vacation or for a pool day, so there’s a good chance you’ll get wet at some point. Even if you wear it on a typical summer day, the heat from the sun will cause you to sweat, which will wash away the layer of sunscreen you’ve applied.
That’s why it’s crucial to get a water-resistant body sunscreen, so you don’t have to reapply it every time you get wet. When you’re on vacation or at the beach, you don’t want the hassle of having to have it close by because it washed off.
Application method
Body sunscreens are usually available in squeeze tubes or pumps, but some come in spray bottles. Spray-on sunscreens are convenient and easy to apply, but tubes and pumps let you use the right amount.
Ingredients
Many body sunscreens use natural ingredients to make them suitable for those with sensitive skin. You don’t have to worry about harmful toxins with products offered at Sephora, but it’s still a good idea to check the label before buying. Also, many body sunscreens are fortified with minerals and botanicals that can be beneficial, so look around and see what catches your eye.
Price
Most sunscreens are inexpensive and, on average, cost anywhere between $8-$15, but it depends on the size of the bottle. So, be mindful of how much sunscreen you’re getting at a specific price point.
Sephora offers some high-end lotions, usually formulated with quality ingredients, that can cost up to $60 for a standard-size bottle. However, if you’re working with a budget, you can find an effective and suitable sunscreen for under $20.
8 most popular sunscreens at Sephora
Top sunscreens with 50 SPF or higher
Supergoop! Play Everyday Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 PA
This hydrating sunscreen is made with a vegan formula and is both fast-absorbing and non-greasy. It can be used on the body and face and is suitable for various skin types, including normal, dry and oily.
Sold by Sephora
Supergoop! Mini Glow Oil Body Sunscreen SPF 50 PA
This oil-based body sunscreen has a radiant finish, but it isn’t greasy and gives the skin a vibrant glow. It’s made with ingredients that leave the skin nourished, such as meadowfoam seed oil, marigold extract and grape seed oil.
Sold by Sephora
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50 Sunscreen
If you want to stay well-protected under intense heat and sunlight, this sunscreen is what you want. It is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, and it uses HeatForce and WetForce technology to get stronger when exposed to heat and moisture.
Sold by Sephora
Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA
This newer product is already a customer favorite, thanks to its high SPF rating and quality ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. It is hydrating with a smooth, silky texture and is also reef-friendly.
Sold by Sephora
Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
This sunscreen boasts a matte finish and a hypoallergenic zinc-oxide formula, and it is best suited for normal, combo and dry skin types. It is a thorough cream but still lightweight and also fragrance-free, which is a plus for those with sensitive skin.
Sold by Sephora
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50
This sunscreen incorporates several minerals — including vitamins A, C and E — into its formula to create a hydrating and gentle product. It uses quality ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, aloe and niacinamide, to soothe and nourish the skin over time.
Sold by Sephora
Top sunscreens under 50 SPF
Biossance Squalane and Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA
This sunscreen is ideal for sensitive skin types and incorporates an effective anti-aging formula that’s great for treating fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles around the eyes. It’s lightweight, and the water lily creates a soothing effect on the skin.
Sold by Sephora
Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 36
It’s not as expensive as other products, but this sunscreen offers adequate broad-spectrum protection with its 36 SPF rating. It’s a lightweight cream suitable for normal, dry and combo skin types.
Sold by Sephora
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Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/8-most-popular-body-sunscreens-at-sephora/ | 2022-04-15T14:26:55 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/8-most-popular-body-sunscreens-at-sephora/ |
Which Clinique perfume is best?
One of the most influential senses when meeting new people is the sense of smell. Smell is also intimately linked to memory, so it’s no surprise that you want to smell your best. However, department-store perfume can be frustratingly expensive. Clinique brand perfumes break that trend, offering wonderful fragrances at affordable prices.
The best Clinique perfume is Clinique Happy. It has a crisp, fresh and lightly fruity and floral scent that’s delicately feminine without being too strong. It also has a wear time of several hours.
What to know before you buy a Clinique perfume
Types of Clinique perfume
Technically, perfume is a catchall term for one of four types of formula. Any given Clinique perfume may use one of these formulas.
- Eau de cologne is the lightest and most affordable scent. No more than 5% of its formula is centered around its fragrances, meaning it lasts no longer than four hours at best.
- Eau de toilette is the most common formula. It’s stronger, with up to 15% fragrance-focused ingredients, and it can last for up to six hours.
- Eau de parfum is a little bit stronger to last a little bit longer. Specifically, it’s up to 20% fragrance-focused ingredients and lasts up to eight hours.
- Parfum is what you wear if you have a long day ahead. It can last for up to 12 hours and can be up to 40% fragrance-focused ingredients.
Notes
Clinique perfumes have three layers of scents, called notes.
- Top notes are what you smell immediately after application and they can fade just as fast.
- Middle notes are the main scent of a perfume, lasting all throughout the day.
- Bottom notes are the last thing you smell before the scent wears off. “Scent wearing off” here refers to what you and others smell moments after you’ve left the room.
Size
Clinique perfumes typically come in one of three sizes. The smallest is usually 1 fluid ounce. These bottles are good for trying out a new fragrance. Next is 1.7 fluid ounces. These bottles are perfect for those who only wear perfume on occasion and know they like the scent. Finally, there are 3.4 fluid ounce bottles that are meant for those who wear perfume daily.
What to look for in a quality Clinique perfume
Applicator
Most Clinique perfumes use spray applicators as they are the easiest to use. Smaller bottles may use rollerball applicators that work exactly like a ballpoint pen. In rare cases, such as single dose samples or slightly larger, there may be no applicator at all — the perfume drips out of a small hole. This can be quite messy.
Chemistry
This aspect has more to do with you than the perfume. Everyone’s body has its own unique chemistry. This chemistry interacts just as uniquely with any given perfume, Clinique or otherwise. So, Clinique Happy may smell divine when applied to you but sour when applied to another. For this reason, it’s important to always trial run a new Clinique perfume before purchasing a full bottle to ensure that it’s a quality perfume for you.
How much you can expect to spend on a Clinique perfume
The average 1-fluid-ounce bottle of Clinique perfume costs roughly $30-$50, a 1.7-fluid-ounce bottle costs roughly $50-$70 and a 3.4-fluid-ounce bottle costs no more than $100.
Clinique perfume FAQ
Where should I apply Clinique perfume?
A. The traditional zones to apply perfume to are the neck and chest area, behind the ears and at the wrists. Other places people commonly apply touches of perfume include the inner elbow and behind the knee. Any stretch of skin with a concentration of veins will do. The only exception is if you’ll be in humid environments, as your sweat will cause the concentration of perfume to deteriorate rapidly. In this case, apply a light spritz directly to your clothing.
How long does a Clinique perfume last in the bottle?
A. That depends on the perfume, how often you use it and where you store it. Clinique perfume can last for several years on average, in some cases as long as five years or a touch more. Thus, there’s no need to worry about it expiring if you’re using it semi-often. In order to make it last as long as possible, you’ll need to keep it in a cool, dry place.
What’s the best Clinique perfume to buy?
Top Clinique perfume
What you need to know: This is one of Clinique’s bestsellers.
What you’ll love: It’s long-lasting with a fresh and lightly floral scent. It has top notes of grapefruit, middle layers of Hawaiian wedding flower and bottom notes of honeysuckle. Other ingredients are boysenberry, moss, freesia, lemon and bushflower. It comes in 1-, 1.7- and 3.4-fluid-ounce bottles.
What you should consider: Some consumers were concerned that the online bottles weren’t the same as the department store bottles. Once the bottle is open it can’t be returned.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty
Top Clinique perfume for the money
What you need to know: This is less floral than the base Happy fragrance.
What you’ll love: The only floral notes are middle layers of primrose and water hyacinth. It has top notes of mandarin orange and cucumber with bottom notes of blondewood and sandalwood for a slightly citrusy and woody scent. Other ingredients include cassia and carrot.
What you should consider: A few consumers were unhappy with the lightness of the scent and the wear time. Others described the scent as soap-like.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This is more floral than the base Happy fragrance.
What you’ll love: It has top notes of yellow plum and touches of watery green with middle layers of freesia and lily of the valley and bottom notes of amber and white wood — all of which conjure up memories of springtime.
What you should consider: It’s only available in 1- or 1.7-fluid-ounce bottles, making it a little pricey. A few consumers were concerned about receiving fakes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s and Ulta Beauty
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Which surge protector is best?
Most people have numerous electronic devices plugged in every room in their house. TVs, gaming consoles, computers and appliances are expensive and must be protected. A quality surge protector acts as a line of defense from electrical surges that can fry your electronics.
If you’re looking for a quality surge protector, the APC Surge Protector Power Strip is an excellent choice offering both AC and USB outlets.
What to know before you buy a surge protector
How surge protectors work
Many people buy surge protectors because they let you plug multiple devices into a single outlet. Still, the most critical surge protector function is protecting your electronics from spikes in voltage. Most devices aren’t built to withstand electrical surges on their own. Surge protectors divert the extra electricity to the outlet’s grounding wire when the voltage spikes above an acceptable level.
How surges happen
The most common causes of electrical surges are high-power devices such as air conditioners, refrigerators and dehumidifiers. These require large amounts of energy to turn on, which can upset the voltage flow. Faulty wiring is another common source of electrical surges.
Although less common, lightning can cause surges. When lightning strikes near power lines, the electrical energy can boost voltage significantly.
Power strip vs. surge protector
Power strips look identical to surge protectors, but they don’t offer protection against voltage surges. It’s essential to read the product’s description, as most surge protectors list their joule rating in the description.
Surge protector safety
Surge protectors can be dangerous if misused. Plug your surge protector directly into an outlet and never into an extension cord or another surge protector. In most cases, manufacturers won’t honor your warranty if they determine you’ve misused your surge protector.
What to look for in a quality surge protector
Joule rating
Joule ratings indicate how much energy the surge protector can absorb before failing. Higher joule ratings mean the device will protect your electronics against larger surges. For expensive electronics, choose a surge protector with at least 2,200 joules of protection.
Clamping voltage
Clamping voltage is the amount of “over-voltage” before the device begins to work. The three most common levels of protection are 330 volts, 400 volts and 500 volts. Lower clamping voltages are better, and in most cases, anything with a clamping voltage over 400 won’t protect your electronics.
Outlet variety
Some surge protectors feature USB outlets that eliminate the need for power blocks. Older and cheaper ones typically only feature AC outlets. Choosing a model with various outlets ensures you get more functionality out of your purchase.
Size
Many of the most effective surge protectors are large. Size may not be an issue if you have space, thinner models are worth considering if you’re low on space.
How much you can expect to spend on a surge protector
You can buy cheap surge protectors with low joule ratings for less than $15. If you want a unit that will adequately protect your electronics, you’ll likely spend between $20-$40.
Surge protector FAQ
Do I really need a surge protector?
A. Surge protectors are excellent safety devices when used correctly. Simple devices such as lamps and fans don’t need a surge protector. On the other hand, expensive devices with numerous electrical components such as computers, TVs and gaming consoles should be plugged into a surge protector. For the best outcome, you should expect to change your surge protector every three to five years.
Do surge protectors use a lot of electricity?
A. Surge protectors don’t drain any additional energy. They simply monitor the energy passing through them and divert that energy when needed.
Do phone chargers have surge protection?
A. Phone chargers don’t feature built-in surge protection. You’ll need to buy a surge protector separately to protect your phone from surges. If you plan on plugging your phone into a surge protector, consider buying one with USB outlets.
Should I turn off my surge protector at night?
A. Regularly turning off your surge protector will extend its life. They don’t protect against lightning strikes, so it’s best to turn them off at night if you expect a storm.
What’s the best surge protector to buy?
Top surge protector
APC Surge Protector Power Strip
What you need to know: This features a massive joule rating of 4,320 joules.
What you’ll love: It has 10 AC outlets and two USB outlets. The 6-foot power cord makes it easier to place this where you want it. Although the product description isn’t clear on the clamping voltage, most buyers suggest it’s between 330-400 volts.
What you should consider: Though it offers a lot of outlets, this model is bulky.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top surge protector for the money
Tripp Lite 7-Outlet Surge Protector
What you need to know: This surge protector is available in numerous configurations with an adequate joule rating.
What you’ll love: It has 2,160 joules of protection and seven AC outlets. LEDs tell you when it is properly grounded and protected. The narrow design is ideal for those without a ton of space.
What you should consider: This model doesn’t come with USB outlets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Dell
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This model offers a slim design and eight AC outlets.
What you’ll love: It has 3,420 joules of surge protection. Three of the outlets have extra space between them for larger plugs. The clamping voltage is 330-400. It features a durable design.
What you should consider: There are several reports of people receiving defective units.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which men’s thermal underwear bottoms are best?
Spending time outside is good for the body and soul, no matter the weather, but this only holds true if you aren’t wet, cold and miserable. Men’s thermal underwear bottoms provide a base layer of warmth to build on, keeping you toasty and dry in the chilliest conditions.
Fruit of the Loom Men’s Classic Midweight Waffle Thermal Underwear Bottoms make a perfect bottom layer under heavier pants but also do double duty as cozy pajamas back at the lodge.
What to know before you buy men’s thermal underwear bottoms
Union suit vs. bottoms only
Men’s thermal underwear bottoms can be purchased in two different styles: a union suit or bottoms only, often as part of a matched set of thermal underwear.
A union suit is like a grown-up onesie, a one-piece garment with buttons up the front. Old-fashioned union suits may have a flap in the back to make using the bathroom easier, but more modern styles don’t feature that flap. This means you’ll need to strip down to the skin when nature calls.
Separate men’s thermal underwear bottoms are easier to layer. You can also keep the top half of your clothing on if you need to use the bathroom.
Materials
Thermal underwear can be found in four basic materials.
- Wool: Merino wool long johns are traditional, and for good reason. They keep you warm even when they get wet, and the fabric is breathable and lightweight. Some people are sensitive to wool and may find these too itchy.
- Cotton: Cotton underwear seems like a good idea until you start sweating or it gets wet. The fabric holds moisture against the skin and can leave you feeling even more chilled. Cotton is best reserved for lounging and relaxing, not for working up a sweat in winter weather.
- Silk: This soft, luxurious fabric feels great and is an excellent lightweight layer. Silk does not remove moisture from the skin as effectively as other fabrics, so reserved these for light activities only. This fabric also traps odors, so you’ll need to wash it after each use.
- Synthetics: Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, spandex and Lycra are incredibly durable and easy to care for, and they perform well under tough conditions. If you are active in extremely cold weather, their heat-retaining and moisture-wicking properties will serve you well.
Intended use
Select different thermal underwear bottoms depending on what you’re doing. Lounging and working or playing outside require varying weights and types of fabric. The price of long johns varies wildly, so if you’re just relaxing on the couch there’s no need to shell out $100 for a pair of stretchy lounge pants.
What to look for in quality men’s thermal underwear bottoms
Moisture-wicking
Those who are active in winter are just as prone to sweating as those who only take it outside in the summer. Moisture-wicking thermals remove sweat from your skin to keep you dry and warm.
Flat seams and gussets
Flat inseams help prevent chafing and rubbing as you move. Look for men’s thermal underwear that has a gusseted crotch as well, designed for both support and comfort.
Ribbed, tapered cuffs
Ribbed, tapered cuffs keep the heat where it belongs — next to your body. Additionally, ribbed cuffs can be easily tucked into your socks to prevent snow from coming in contact with your lower leg.
How much you can expect to spend on men’s thermal underwear bottoms
From plain cotton, lightweight thermals to upscale silk long johns, expect to spend $10-$100.
Men’s thermal underwear bottoms FAQ
How do you select the best weight?
A. The weight of the fabric you select depends on the activities and the weather.
- Ultra lightweight: Ultra lightweight fabric is best suited for activity in the early fall and late spring. They are best used for moisture wicking and not as much for heat retention.
- Lightweight: Lightweight thermals provide heat and keep you dry during exercise in moderately cold temperatures.
- Midweight: When the wind picks up and the mercury drops, reach for your midweight long johns. These are highly versatile and appropriate for all kinds of outdoor activity.
- Heavyweight: Experiencing sub-Arctic temperatures or considering vigorous activity in snow? Heavyweight thermals are the best bet.
How do you know if they fit?
A. Men’s thermal underwear bottoms walk the line between just tight enough and a little too snug. You want them to feel comfortable but be form-fitting to trap heat against your skin.
What are the best men’s thermal underwear bottoms to buy?
Top men’s thermal underwear bottoms
Fruit Of The Loom Men’s Classic Midweight Waffle Thermal Underwear Bottoms
What you need to know: These machine-washable thermals are warm and durable.
What you’ll love: There are no tags in these. The poly-cotton blend wicks away moisture and holds warmth on the coldest days. The cuffs are tapered to prevent riding up. They are available in three colors and packs of one or two pairs.
What you should consider: Order carefully. These run small.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top men’s thermal underwear bottoms for the money
Indera Men’s Traditional Long Johns Thermal Underwear
What you need to know: These are available in sizes up to 6X.
What you’ll love: The ribbed cuffs and elastic waistband are comfortable. The cotton-poly waffle knit traps heat and wicks moisture. These are best for low activity in mild weather. Choose from four colors.
What you should consider: The elastic in the waist stretches out over time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Duofold Men’s Midweight Wicking Thermal Pant
What you need to know: These perform well even with vigorous activity.
What you’ll love: Flat seams reduce rubbing these comfortable cotton polyester thermals. They are machine-washable and come in four colors. Two extra layers of knitted fabric increase warmth.
What you should consider: These are sized for a tall, slim build, so if that’s not you, you may not find these pants as comfortable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Are low-impact or medium-impact sports bras better?
When it comes to choosing between a low-impact or medium-impact sports bra, there are a few factors to consider, such as support, size, fit, material and design. A bra with medium-impact support is best for those who engage in moderately strenuous activities such as cross-training. But a low-impact sports bra is better for casual exercise such as walking, Pilates or lifting weights.
Low-impact sports bras
Low-impact sports bras are primarily designed to support the wearer during light exercises that don’t result in a lot of bounce or unwanted movement in the chest area. These undergarments provide gentle compression and are semisupportive.
They’re usually lightweight and have minimal to no padding. Most come with narrow shoulder straps that are comfortable enough for lounging around or participating in light activities such as strength training, weightlifting, walking, yoga or Pilates. Some people with a smaller cup size can wear a low-impact sports bra during more intense exercises such as jogging or cycling since they require less support.
Most basic pullover style bras are low-impact. They’re commonly found online or at most major clothing retailers for $10-$35.
Low-impact sports bra pros
- They provide minor compression and support, so they don’t restrict the wearer very much.
- The straps are usually more relaxed than higher-impact options, so they don’t dig into the shoulders or cause chafing.
- Some come with no padding, which is best for low- to medium-impact activities.
- Many feature built-in cups, which give the wearer targeted support, a contoured form, additional support and more protection.
- Some have removable cups, making them more versatile since the wearer can choose to use them or not depending on their activity level.
- These undergarments come in nearly any design and often have adjustable straps.
Low-impact sports bra cons
- They’re not as supportive to those with a medium or larger bust size.
- Ones with removable inserts can be tricky to wash and may lose their shape more easily than those with built-in or no padding.
- These bras are not recommended for more intense exercises such as hiking, running or snowboarding.
Best low-impact sports bras
Klvee Crisscross Low-Impact Sports Bra
Available in either a two-pack or three-pack, these sports bras have an elastic closure and cross-back design that prevents sagging and reduces unwanted movement during activities such as yoga or weightlifting. They have removable pad inserts for extra support.
Sold by Amazon
Kindred Bravely Sublime Support Low-Impact Sports Bra
Made for both nursing and light exercise, this racerback sports bra doesn’t have snaps or hooks, making it easy to pull on and take off. It’s stretchy and comfortable enough for all-day wear. It also has clips and cups that fold down for easy breastfeeding.
Sold by Amazon
Evercute Cross-Back Sports Bras
Offered in packs of three and five, these undergarments are elastic and seamless, making them ideal for light exercises. The fabric is moisture-wicking and they have four-way stretch for maximum comfort. These bras also come with removable pads and are designed to contour the chest while providing support with a wide band underneath.
Sold by Amazon
DKNY Sport Strappy Low-Impact Sports Bra
With a strappy back design and scoop neckline, this sports bra is perfect for lounging, Pilates or yoga. It features moisture-wicking technology to keep the wearer dry. And it provides moderate coverage. It comes in black and light green.
Sold by Macy’s
Medium-impact sports bras
Similar to any other sports bra, medium-impact sports bras come in nearly every fit, size and style imaginable. They provide more coverage, control and support than low-impact bras, though. At the same time, they’re great for individuals with a small to medium bust size. This makes them ideal for activities such as running, cycling, skiing, hiking or cross-training.
These bras generally have a wider band and built-in or removable cups for extra support, shaping and modesty. They offer less compression than high-impact options. Most standard sports bras are medium-impact.
Expect to spend $20-$50 on a medium-impact sports bra.
Medium-impact sports bra pros
- Many have a pullover design, making them easy to put on and take off.
- They bind the chest in place without feeling too restrictive.
- Some provide extra coverage (encapsulation) while letting the chest keep its natural shape.
- Most provide optimal support, coverage and contouring.
Medium-impact sports bra cons
- Medium compression styles aren’t that comfortable for those with a larger bust, though some are designed to support the chest without causing discomfort or chafing.
- The rigid cups and bands restrict movement but can be uncomfortable for those with a larger chest.
- This style of bra is less common than low-impact and high-impact options.
Best medium-impact sports bras
Yianna Cross Back Padded Sports Bra Medium Support
This medium-support sports bra features crisscross back straps and moisture-wicking material that keeps the wearer dry while exercising. It’s stretchy enough to be comfortable while still supporting the chest.
Sold by Amazon
Powerreact Training Medium-Support Bra
Available in black, gray, white and blue, this undergarment consists of moisture-absorbing materials. It has breathable mesh and is comfortable for activities such as running and cross-training.
Sold by Adidas
Champion Freedom Seamless Racerback Sport Bra
With a thick bottom band, seamless design and four-way stretch, this sports bra provides optimal support during moderately intense activities such as running, skiing and cycling. It also features mesh for extra breathability.
Sold by Amazon
Adidas Women’s Believe This Bra
This pullover-style, compression-fit sports bra wicks moisture to keep the wearer dry and comfortable. It has removable pads for extra support and an inner mesh lining for added breathability.
Sold by Amazon
Should you get a low-impact or medium-impact sports bra?
You need the right sports bra for optimal performance, support, coverage and comfort. This means choosing one that fits well and suits your needs. If you don’t need a lot of extra padding or protection and want to participate in light exercises such as weightlifting or yoga, a low-impact sports bra is best. But if you’re interested in moderate exercises such as running or cross-training, choose a medium-impact sports bra with extra compression and support.
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Angela Watson writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which cardigan is best?
Looking just as good over a shirt and tie as a vintage band tee and ripped jeans, cardigans are versatile garments that deserve a place in most people’s closets. They’re great for mild days when it’s too warm for a jacket or a thick sweater but not quite T-shirt weather.
If you’re looking for one that’s open-fronted with a relaxed style for everyday wear, the Daily Ritual Long-Sleeve Cardigan is an excellent choice.
What to know before you buy a cardigan
Cut
Consider the fit and neckline that you want from your garment. Those cut with high, round necklines are perfect for a preppy look but can be more casual when left unbuttoned. V-neck versions work well with shirts and ties but can equally be worn over T-shirts for a relaxed look.
A classic fit is cut close to the body but not overly tight or figure-hugging, which is a good place to start if you aren’t sure what cut you prefer. However, you can also find more tightly fitted options as well as looser, baggy cuts.
Closure type
Typically, cardigans have buttons, which can start at the neck or partway down the front, depending on the cut. However, you can also find some with zipper closures or snaps. The latter is uncommon outside of kids’ clothes as snaps don’t stay closed as well as buttons or zippers. Then you have open cardigans that don’t have buttons, zippers or any other type of closure. These offer a more relaxed look compared to those that do up.
Size
Cardigans are usually sold in named sizes (small, medium, large, etc.) rather than in numerical sizes or dress sizes. You probably know which size you usually wear, but clothing brands are notorious for having no continuity of sizing between them. You could find a medium from one brand fits you perfectly, while a large from another brand is too small.
If you aren’t sure which size to buy, check the sizing chart and take your measurements. Also consider whether you want to layer a couple of other garments underneath on cold days, in which case you should size up.
What to look for in a quality cardigan
Colors and prints
You can find all kinds of solid colors, so whether you’re looking for basic black or a bold scarlet hue, you’ll be able to discover what you’re looking for. You’ll occasionally also find prints, such as florals or leopard print.
Length
A standard length sits around the top of the hips, but you can also find longer versions that are midthigh or knee-length as well as cropped versions. It’s all down to personal preference and what types of outfit you want to put together.
Sleeve length
While most have full-length sleeves, you’ll also find versions with shorter sleeves. Three-quarter length sleeves sit around the mid-forearm, while half-length sleeves sit around the elbow.
How much you can expect to spend on a cardigan
Expect to pay from $15-$100 for something from a department store brand or average fashion label. Designer options could cost well into the hundreds, if not thousands, but most buyers aren’t looking for anything that high-end.
Cardigan FAQ
What is a cardigan?
A. It’s a knit sweater that’s open at the front and may have a zip, buttons or snaps. If it has a zipper down the front but it’s made from sweatshirt material rather than knitted fabric, it’s technically a zippered sweatshirt.
Where do cardigans get their name?
A. They’re named after the 7th Earl of Cardigan, James Brudenell, who popularized the item of clothing. Brudenell was a British Army general during the Crimean war who is said to have spent vast sums outfitting officers in wool waistcoats. He gained fame after the war due to his military pursuits, and this led to the garment becoming trendy with the country’s civilian population.
What do you wear under a cardigan?
A. For a casual look, wear it over a crew neck or V-neck T-shirt or over a thin turtleneck sweater if it’s cold or you simply like turtlenecks. For a smarter look, wear a blouse or button-down shirt underneath. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They work with almost any outfit because you can make them look as preppy or as grungy as you like (think of Kurt Cobain’s iconic green cardigan).
What’s the best cardigan to buy?
Top cardigan
Daily Ritual Long-Sleeve Cardigan
What you need to know: This fine-knit open cardigan is perfect for casual to smart-casual wear.
What you’ll love: You can choose from 13 colors, including burgundy, black, olive and navy. It’s machine-washable and fast drying. It is ribbed at the hem and cuffs and has side pockets.
What you should consider: It’s fairly thin, so it’s better for mild weather days rather than the depths of winter.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top cardigan for the money
Grace Karin Long Sleeve Button-down Cardigan
What you need to know: With its shallow V-neck and button-down front, it’s a versatile choice.
What you’ll love: It’s relatively light but still feels warm with pleasantly soft fabric. It comes in a whopping 41 color combinations, including heather gray, cerulean, lemon yellow and lake blue with a caramel trim.
What you should consider: It runs small, so consider sizing up if you’re between sizes or prefer a loose fit.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It’s perfect for wearers who want a classic fit with a relatively deep V-neck.
What you’ll love: It’s made from temperature-controlled fabric that’s great for layering without overheating. There are four colors to choose from: coastal camel heather, gray heather, true black and navy.
What you should consider: It isn’t a great choice for cold weather because the material is quite thin.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which men’s heated jacket is best?
One of the best recent technological advances is the introduction of heating elements to a standard jacket. They’re battery-operated and can provide warmth for hours, making it easy to keep working or participating in outdoor fun. Many are even machine-washable, despite all the tech.
The best men’s heated jacket is the DeWalt Heated Lightweight Soft Shell Jacket. It has five heating zones for more complete warmth and is water- and wind-resistant.
What to know before you buy a men’s heated jacket
Heating zones
Men’s heated jackets place heating elements in different ways, but most place an element or two along the upper chest and mid-back. Other popular places include the waist, arms, shoulders and the hood, if it includes one. Some jackets even place thin elements inside the collar.
Fit
Heated jackets follow the usual size guidelines (i.e., small, large, etc.) — though most have their own sizing charts for these names. Unlike other jackets, heated jackets need to fit as perfectly as possible, as a more secure fit means less empty space for the heating elements to warm instead of heating you.
Charging
Heated jackets typically charge through either a standard outlet or a USB connection. Either method, outside of the rare exception, takes roughly up to two hours to fully charge.
What to look for in a quality men’s heated jacket
Battery type
Most men’s heated jackets use rechargeable batteries, typically lithium or nickel.
- Lithium batteries are more common as they’re lighter, but this also makes them less durable. A jacket with a strong battery housing can mostly mitigate this weakness.
- Nickel batteries are more durable, but heavier. Their lifespan also slowly decreases with time and repeated charging.
Battery life
Most men’s heated jackets have battery lives between five to 10 hours, with the best having up to 12 hours. Don’t worry too much about maximum battery life as long as your jacket has enough power to last for the time you need it.
Battery backup
On the other hand, if your jacket has to last as long as a few days with inconsistent access to charging, you’ll need one with battery backups. This typically takes the form of one AA battery. Remember, this is only supplemental — for the best, longest-lasting heating, you still need to charge the main battery.
Lining and insulation
Some men’s jackets have linings, insulation or both.
- Linings are typically a layer of fleece. They’re good to have for freezing weather.
- Insulation takes it a step further, letting the jacket trap heat from both your body and the heating elements. This means you stay warmer, and it also means you can run the jacket at low heat and be just as warm as if you were wearing an uninsulated jacket on high heat. It’s a must for subzero climates.
How much you can expect to spend on a men’s heated jacket
Men’s heated jackets typically cost $100-$300. Jackets for $100-$150 are more than capable but spending up to $200 will get you a little more battery and heat. The best jackets cost up to $300.
Men’s heated jacket FAQ
How safe are men’s heated jackets?
A. Completely safe. First, the batteries use low-enough voltage to eliminate the risk of electrocution. Secondly, the wiring and heating components are completely insulated. Thirdly, most jackets have automatic-shutdown features that trigger if the heating elements cross a safety threshold.
How should I wash a men’s heated jacket?
A. Most jackets need to be carefully hand-washed and allowed to air-dry, but a few are machine washable.
- For the hand-wash-only models, you should give your jacket a soft wipe-down after each wear — otherwise you’ll have a harder, longer cleaning due before you know it.
- For machine-washable models, most have crucial instructions that must be followed, such as removing the batteries or that it should only be machine-washed a certain number of times. These can be found on the jacket’s tag and on the manufacturer’s website.
Can I take a men’s heated jacket on a plane?
A. Yes, the Transportation Security Administration allows them on flights. You may need to comply with some extra security, so arrive early.
What’s the best men’s heated jacket to buy?
Top men’s heated jacket
DeWalt Heated Lightweight Soft Shell Jacket
What you need to know: This option is a great intersection of effectiveness and cost.
What you’ll love: It heats five zones — the upper-left and upper-right chest, the mid-back, and both arms. The exterior is polyester that’s water- and wind-resistant, plus it has fleece polyester lining — including in the hood — for extra warmth. It can even charge your devices through a USB port.
What you should consider: Some consumers reported that cold air can sneak into your chest through a loose waist. It’s on the expensive side.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top men’s heated jacket for the money
Ororo Men’s Soft Shell Heated Jacket
What you need to know: This is perfect for colder-than-usual weather.
What you’ll love: It has three heating zones — the upper-left and upper-right chest and the mid-back. It can heat in seconds and can last for up to 10 hours on a full charge, plus it can charge your devices through a USB port.
What you should consider: It isn’t machine washable, and several consumers warned that it runs on the small side. A few also had issues with the power cable disconnecting from the battery.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It comes in two coverage options to best fit your needs.
What you’ll love: It comes in either three- or eight-heating-zone models — both heat the left and right chest and mid-back, with the eight-zone model also heating the left and right waist, shoulders and hood. It’s water- and wind-proof and lasts for up to eight hours.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with the battery starting to fail after roughly a year of use. Others found it to run on the large side.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/best-mens-heated-jacket/ | 2022-04-15T14:27:35 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/best-mens-heated-jacket/ |
What do you need for spring showers?
Spring brings sunshine, blooms and plenty of rain. If you live in one of many areas experiencing drizzles — or downpours — right now, it’s a good idea to invest in rain gear to deal with spring showers.
It’s no surprise that umbrellas, raincoats and other protective accessories come in handy in springtime, especially when they’re kept nearby in the event of unexpected showers. They’re not the only items worth buying during the rainy season, though. A few convenient products can make the difference between staying dry and getting soaked this season.
Levels of water-resistance
Before you shop around for rain gear, it’s important to understand the difference between waterproof and water-resistant materials.
Waterproof materials, which offer the most protection, prevent moisture from penetrating and soaking the inner layers. Water-resistant materials repel water and make it bead off the surface, but with enough exposure, inner layers will get wet. Most rain gear indicates its water resistance on tags so you know exactly how much protection they offer.
How to stay dry during the rainy season
Invest in basic rain gear
One of the easiest ways to stay dry during spring showers is by investing in quintessential rain gear, including rain jackets and rain boots.
Rain jackets are available in various lengths, but longer styles — ideally those cut at the midthigh — protect your lower back and waist from moisture and drafts. It’s wise to choose rain jackets with hoods in order to prevent hair from getting soaked, especially after you’ve blow-dried or styled it.
Rain boots are usually made with rubber or plastic, both of which are waterproof. Quality styles also have sealed seams that prevent rain and cold air from entering. However, comfort is hit or miss with rain boots. Generally, these lightweight styles lack cushioning, support and warmth, and they’re not suitable for extended walking periods.
Opt for travel rain accessories
Even if you pay close attention to weather reports, it’s still hard to predict spring showers. For that reason, it’s a good idea to invest in travel rain accessories that you can keep nearby in the event of unexpected storms.
- Travel umbrellas: Travel or mini umbrellas are often preferred to full-size umbrellas because they’re small enough to fit inside handbags, office desk drawers and lockers. They’re popular for kids because they are lightweight and fit inside backpacks.
- Ponchos: Ponchos might not take the place of rain jackets, but they do a decent job of keeping you somewhat dry in a pinch. Some ponchos are disposable, whereas others are reusable and even machine-washable.
- Stroller covers: Stroller covers, also called weather shields, keep kids dry when you’re walking in inclement weather. There are some universal covers, but they may be ill-fitting or leave gaps. Most stroller manufacturers sell covers that fit specific models.
- Hats and bonnets: Many water-resistant hats are packable, including bucket hats and traditional rain hats. Folded hats may even fit inside rain jacket pockets. Other people opt to wear rain bonnets, which offer more protection than most hats.
Protect your vehicle
Besides keeping yourself dry, you probably want to prevent your car or truck interior from getting soaked or covered in mud.
- Seat covers: Water-resistant seat covers can be placed on cloth seats so they don’t absorb moisture.
- Cargo covers: If you have pets, waterproof cargo covers are easy to wipe down with a damp cloth when they’re covered with muddy paw prints.
- Rain guards: For those who like leaving windows cracked while they drive, rain guards allow fresh air to enter while keeping out droplets.
Top products to help you deal with spring showers
Lands’ End Women’s Hooded Packable Raincoat
In addition to being travel-friendly, waterproof and windproof, this raincoat also folds inside its own pocket for quick, convenient storage.
Sold by Kohl’s
Columbia Kids’ Glennaker Rain Jacket
This best-selling Columbia jacket has a waterproof nylon shell and full-coverage hood. The lightweight style packs easily inside kids’ backpacks and luggage.
Sold by Amazon, Kohl’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods
Vera Bradley Mini Travel Umbrella
If you’re looking for a stylish mini umbrella, this Vera Bradley option is available in five chic designs, including springtime florals.
Sold by Amazon
London Fog Piccadilly Women’s Waterproof Rain Boots
Available in several colors and designs, these London Fog rain boots are a contemporary spin on the classic style with elastic sides and a streamlined silhouette.
Sold by Kohl’s
Bulldogology Premium SUV Cargo Liner
Even if your dogs are wet and have muddy paws, this cargo liner has you covered — literally. It’s made with waterproof materials that can be wiped down for easy cleaning.
Sold by Amazon
Angela & William Waterproof Bucket Hat
This classic bucket hat offers maximum protection with waterproof materials and a 2-inch brim. The lightweight style can be rolled up and placed inside coat pockets.
Sold by Amazon
Not only is this rain poncho waterproof and breathable, it’s one of few styles that comes in attractive designs.
Sold by Amazon
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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/everything-you-need-to-deal-with-spring-showers/ | 2022-04-15T14:27:43 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/everything-you-need-to-deal-with-spring-showers/ |
Tips for contouring your face
Good contouring can enhance your face’s natural lines, make your favorite features stand out, define your cheekbones and eyes, and refine your proportions. It can be daunting to start, and it may seem difficult to contour without looking overly made up. But with the right products and some practice, you will soon be contouring like an Instagram influencer.
Prep your face
Cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize
Good contouring begins with good preparation. You’ll get a smoother palette for your contouring when your face is clean and free of flakes, oily patches or dead skin. A good cleanser for your skin type will reveal a brighter, smoother surface. Exfoliation will make sure you’ve turned over any sluggish, dead cells.
Lastly, following a regular regimen of adding skin-friendly hydration such as hyaluronic acid or emollients will ensure skin looks healthy and glowy. Ideally, let moisturizers soak into the skin about a half-hour before makeup application.
Apply your base
The first step in contouring is to give yourself a base of primer, concealer and foundation to even out your tone and hide any blemishes or dark circles. Match your skin tone and color as closely as possible to give your contouring products the smoothest natural base. Oil-based foundation is a good choice for dry skin, while water-based products offer less coverage but are also less likely to cause breakouts in skin prone to them.
Choose the right products
Pay attention to skin tone
Choosing the right contour products depends heavily on skin tone, even more than your choice of foundation does. If you’ve ever seen contouring that looked harsh or unnatural, chances are that the tone of the product used was wrong for the skin it was being applied to.
Choose a shade two shades darker than your natural skin color at the jawline. Warm contour is right for warm skin tones that tan instead of burn. If your skin tends to look pink or burns easily, you’ll do better sticking to cooler contour shades.
Decide between liquid and powder
The choice is partially based on your comfort. If you have more experience applying powdered blushes, powder may be a good choice for your contour as well. If you’ve applied heavier, oil-based foundation, you may want a creamy, smooth contour color for easier application. Note that powder applied over oil-based foundation can look chalky or patchy, so apply with care.
Contour with confidence
Apply shadows
Contour is, at its essence, a heightening of the natural shadows that fall on your face due to your bone structure. Look at yourself in natural overhead light. Where are the shadows? For most people, they’re under the cheekbones and the jaw. You may also want to apply a base of your contour product in the crease of the eye before eyeshadow application to create color cohesion on your face.
Suck in your cheeks. With an upward-sweeping, gentle touch, apply your contour product in the hollow created naturally, plus slightly above it to emphasize your cheekbones. Apply a touch at your hairline about two inches above your temples to draw attention to your eyes, and slim down your jawline by applying contour along it and in long strokes along the sides, down toward your Adam’s apple.
Apply highlighters
Now look at yourself in overhead lighting again. Where does the light sit brightest? For most of us, this is at the top of the cheekbones, above the eyebrows and along the jawline. If you’ve got mature skin, go lightly around the eyes with powdered highlighter, as it can settle into fine lines and draw attention to them.
Consider color
Once you’ve achieved the right level of shadow and light, which may take several passes, you may want to add a wash of color where the highlight meets the contour to add a rosy, healthy glow. Go lightly and continue to consider skin tone. Pink-toned blushes look good on lighter, cooler skin, while peach-infused ones work best for warmer skin tones.
Set the look
If you need your look to make it through a long day or a night full of dancing, you may want to apply setting spray to extend its life. A spritz of setting spray will lock in your look, making it transfer-free, smudge-proof and fresh.
What you need to buy to contour your face
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
This is a perfect all-in-one kit that contains both warm and cool contour colors, as well as an assortment of highlighting colors in both matte and shimmery varieties.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder
Created by the renowned makeup artist credited with introducing the idea of contouring into the mainstream in the 1990s, this versatile sculpting powder looks great on many skin tones, although it’s best for cooler ones. Blendable and flattering, it gives you perfect sculpting without being harsh or obvious.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour
This creamy contouring stick gives you the glide-on versatility of a cream with the pigmentation you expect from a powder. If you have skin that tends to the drier side, consider a creamy sculpting contour like this product that’s free of parabens and phthalates, which may disrupt your hormones.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
E.L.F. Cosmetics Contouring Brush
Inexpensive and effective, this is the perfect brush for applying contour precisely where you want it. The flat edge and short bristles give you precision, while turning it on its wide part helps you blend your products for a seamless, natural look.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
Urban Decay Cosmetics All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
This long-lasting spray is a favorite when you want your contouring and general makeup application to last through a long night out or a full day. It makes your look fade-proof and helps it last for up to 16 hours while keeping it seeming fresh.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
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Maria Andreu writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/how-to-contour-your-face/ | 2022-04-15T14:27:50 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/how-to-contour-your-face/ |
What are the 16 most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora?
Between drinking your morning coffee, eating a sandwich at lunch and sipping from your water bottle all day, it’s nearly impossible to keep your lip color in place — unless you find a high-quality liquid lipstick.
Despite their thin formula, liquid lipsticks dry down to a nearly budge-proof finish that stays on your lips even when eating and drinking. Once dry, they won’t transfer to your clothing or anyone you might kiss. Not all liquid lipsticks are created equal, though, so you want to keep an eye out for formulas that last longer and feel more comfortable than others.
Are you looking for a top-notch liquid lipstick that looks and feels good? Here are the most popular formulas you can find at Sephora for smooth, beautiful lip color that lasts through the longest days.
16 most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora
Most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora for $20 and under
Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer-proof Lipstick
This liquid lipstick delivers rich pigmentation in a single swipe. It contains olive oil, vitamin A, vitamin E and essential fatty acids to help keep your lips hydrated, so it also feels extremely comfortable. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free too.
Sold by Sephora
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick
A cult-favorite formula, this liquid lipstick provides full coverage and intense color that lasts for hours. Its rounded sponge applicator also makes application quick and easy. You can choose from 18 shades, ranging from soft nudes to bold reds — the shades can even be mixed together to create a custom color.
Sold by Sephora
Kaja LOVE SWIPE Lightweight Cushiony Lip Mousse
With its velvety texture, this air-whipped liquid lipstick is a highly comfortable option that still lasts all day. It features cottonseed oil, raspberry seed oil and vitamin E to hydrate and nourish, but the formula feels weightless on the lips. It also comes in adorable heart-shaped packaging that you’ll love pulling out for touch-ups.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipstick
This hydrating liquid lipstick glides over the lips for smooth, easy application. It has a lightweight feel and isn’t prone to caking. The formula is paraben- and phthalate-free too.
Sold by Sephora
Sephora Collection Clean Liquid Lip Mousse
Boasting a clean formula, this affordable liquid lip offers highly pigmented color that doesn’t feather or bleed. It has a comfortable, lightweight feel and helps blur the look of lines. Best of all, it’s fragrance-free, making it an ideal option for sensitive skin.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora for $20-$30
Nars Air Matte Liquid Lipstick
With its classic matte finish, this lipstick offers the wear time you’d expect, but the unique formula has a soft, weightless feel that’s more comfortable than traditional liquid lipsticks. Its color has a diffused look too, providing an extremely flattering soft-focus effect.
Sold by Sephora
Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lipstick
Despite its liquid formula, this lipstick feels more like a balm and has a slight sheen that works especially well for dry lips. The formula contains superfruits — including cranberry, blueberry and raspberry extracts — that give it an emollient, easy-to-apply texture. You can choose from 12 rich shades that work for most skin tones.
Sold by Sephora
KVD Everlasting Longwear Liquid Lipstick
Thanks to high pigment formula, this vegan liquid lipstick has been a fan favorite for years. Its creamy formula glides on easily but sets quickly. It also contains moisturizers, such as vitamin E and sunflower seed wax, to prevent drying the lips. It’s available in 19 shades, including a bold purple and an intense black.
Sold by Sephora
Patrick Ta Monochrome Moment Silky Lip Creme
This liquid lipstick offers a satin-matte finish, making it an excellent option if you aren’t a fan of dry matte formulas. It provides full coverage in a single coat and can last for hours. The formula also contains a cross-polymer blend that lets the lipstick move easily with the lips.
Sold by Sephora
Smashbox Always On Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick
With a waterproof formula, this liquid lipstick lasts all day, even through drinking and eating. It contains a primer oil complex that keeps it from drying out your lips and reduces feathering, bleeding or caking. It’s available in more than 22 shades too.
Sold by Sephora
Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipstick
This lipstick features vitamin E, avocado oil and hyaluronic filling spheres, so it never looks or feels dry on the lips. It still has a long-wearing matte finish, though, and can last for up to eight hours. It’s transfer-resistant too.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora for more than $30
Armani beauty Lip Maestro Liquid Matte Lipstick
One of the best-selling liquid lipsticks in the U.S., this formula offers bold color and a velvety finish. It also provides hydration that lasts for hours, so it doesn’t feel dry or sticky on the lips. You can choose from over 36 flattering shades.
Sold by Sephora
Dior Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Transfer-Proof Lipstick
If you’re tired of smudges on your clothing, this transfer-proof lipstick is a perfect option. It doesn’t settle in lip lines or bleed around the mouth and has an extremely comfortable, lightweight formula. It also lasts for up to 12 hours.
Sold by Sephora
Yves Saint Laurent Vinyl Cream Lip Stain
Unlike other liquid lipsticks with a matte finish, this formula offers a glossy look that’s comfortable and hydrating. It still provides full-coverage color, though, and lasts for up to 10 hours. Its diamond-shaped applicator allows for precise application too.
Sold by Sephora
Hourglass Velvet Story Lip Cream
This lipstick has a whipped texture that feels weightless and soft on the lips. It helps blur the look of lines and contains vitamin E to condition and protect your lips. You can also get full color in a single swipe.
Sold by Sephora
Available in both matte and high-shine finishes, this liquid lipstick delivers rich, intense color. It contains daikon radish oil to help hydrate and cushion the lips for comfortable wear. The formula is also gluten-free.
Sold by Sephora
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/lip-makeup-br/16-most-popular-liquid-lipsticks-at-sephora/ | 2022-04-15T14:27:57 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/lip-makeup-br/16-most-popular-liquid-lipsticks-at-sephora/ |
Which cooling comforter is best?
Sweating in your sleep is uncomfortable and leads to more dirty laundry. A cooling comforter is an excellent way to get a good night’s rest for those who get hot. Many cooling comforters keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, meaning you can use them year-round. If you’re shopping for a new comforter, the Hombys Lightweight Cooling Bamboo Comforter is excellent.
What to know before you buy a cooling comforter
Cooling comforter weight
- Lightweight: Lightweight comforters are typically among the coolest, but many prefer thicker comforters. These generally are best for the summertime and may feel too cold in the winter.
- Midweight: These are usually ideal for summer or wintertime use.
- Heavyweight: Believe it or not, there are numerous heavy cooling comforters. These are typically made from breathable materials, allowing your body heat to escape while you sleep.
Cooling comforter material
- Bamboo: This is a smooth fabric that’s cool to the touch. It has a slippery feel that some people don’t like, but it’s one of the best options for regulating your body temperature.
- Cotton: Cotton is natural, smooth and soft. It’s a breathable material that wicks sweat from your body, making it an excellent choice for hot sleepers.
- Microfiber: Microfiber is a breathable, affordable material. Many of the highest-rated cooling comforters are made from this material.
- Silk: Silk is a natural, breathable and hypoallergenic fiber that feels soft.
- Linen: This is a breathable fabric with top-notch moisture-wicking capabilities.
- Wool: This natural material is best suited for people who get cold while they sleep, although some wool comforters are surprisingly breathable.
- Polyester: Although many polyester comforters claim to keep you cool, they’re generally the least breathable.
Cleaning your cooling comforter
Most comforters are machine-washable and easy to clean, although they may be too large for your washing machine. Some comforters are dry clean only, which can be challenging and expensive. The product description and the comforter’s tag should have easy-to-understand care instructions.
How can I keep my bed cool at night?
Aside from buying a cooling comforter, you can do numerous other things to keep cool at night.
- Take a lukewarm shower close to bedtime: Warm showers help lower your body temperature, helping you sleep comfortably. Ensure the water isn’t too hot or cold, as that can be too stimulating, keeping you up at night.
- Avoid heavy meals at night: Consider a light, healthy meal like a salad if you get hungry close to bedtime. Heavy meals cause your body to exert energy by breaking down carbs. Additionally, avoid spicy food at night.
- Limit nighttime caffeine: If you tend to drink coffee or soda before bed, consider a glass of ice water instead. Caffeine has a stimulating effect that may cause you to sweat at night.
What to look for in a quality cooling comforter
Year-round use
Although cooling comforters are meant to keep you from getting warm, the best options also keep you from getting cold in the winter. Buying a comforter that can be used all year keeps you from having to switch out your bedding as the seasons change.
Stitching
A comforter’s stitching keeps the fill from sliding around, ensuring certain areas aren’t thicker than others. Quality stitching makes a comforter soft and cozy without making it less breathable.
Moisture-wicking
Although you’ll sweat less with a cooling blanket, you may still sweat from time to time. Moisture-wicking materials keep you dry while you sleep and help you stay cool.
Durable material
Cheap comforters often fade or pill after washing. Pilling happens when fibers break and tangle, resulting in fuzz balls on the exterior of your comforter. Buying a comforter that doesn’t pill, fade or damage in your washing machine gives you the most bang for your buck.
How much you can expect to spend on a cooling comforter
Depending on the comforter’s size and material, you’ll spend around $50-$150.
Cooling comforter FAQ
Do cooling blankets help with menopause?
A. Cooling blankets won’t directly influence menopause symptoms, although they help those with nighttime hot flashes sleep more comfortably.
Are duvets cooler than comforters?
A. This depends on the duvet’s material. Both are thick, although duvets often have duvet covers that can make them warmer and less breathable.
Do bed cooling pads work?
A. Bed cooling pads go under your sheets and absorb your body’s heat to keep you cool. Using a cooling pad and a cooling comforter is an excellent way to stay cool at night.
What’s the best cooling comforter to buy?
Top cooling comforter
Hombys Lightweight Cooling Bamboo Comforter
What you need to know: This features a breathable bamboo material that’s ideal for hot sleepers.
What you’ll love: It’s available in four colors — white, all-seasons white, sage and gray. Many people praised this comforter as a great solution for nighttime hot flashes. It’s heavy but not hot. The exterior is soft and silky. This is ideal for year-round use.
What you should consider: It doesn’t dry quickly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top cooling comforter for the money
Latitude Run Microfiber Down Alternative Comforter
What you need to know: This is breathable enough for hot sleepers, but not too cold in the wintertime.
What you’ll love: The baffle-box stitch keeps the fill from moving around. It has tabs for easy inserts and removal if you want to place it in a duvet. It’s easy to clean. It’s incredibly soft.
What you should consider: Some people felt it was too thin.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Worth checking out
Sleep Zone Reversible Queen Comforter
What you need to know: This is durable, comfortable and breathable.
What you’ll love: It’s available in seven color combinations. People praised this for the lack of damage, pilling and fading after multiple washes. It’s ideal for year-round use.
What you should consider: Some people felt this wasn’t breathable enough.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-cooling-comforter/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:05 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-cooling-comforter/ |
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WIVB) — A Hamburg family vacationing in South Carolina recently received something that further proves Bills Mafia is the best fanbase in the NFL.
The Reinagel family traveled to Charleston, SC this past week in their car, which has a Bills bumper sticker on it. On Wednesday night, they went out to dinner and parked the car in a paid parking spot. After dinner, they got back to the car and started to drive off, but realized there was something on their windshield. Philip Reinagel initially got upset, thinking it was a ticket, despite knowing he paid to park there.
But after retrieving the paper, they realized it was a $25 gift card to a local restaurant instead.
On the gift card was written, ‘Go Bills’ and ‘Go Sabres’
“You can go anywhere you want in the country, and you throw on a Bills hat (or) Bills shirt, or even the Sabres of course… the extensive community, Bills Mafia, we’re all just trying to be positive and let each other know that we exist and that we appreciate each other,” Philip said. “It’s an awesome thing.”
The family planned to use the gift card Thursday night, before coming back home.
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Kelsey Anderson is an award-winning anchor and reporter who has been part of the News 4 team since 2018. See more of her work here. | https://www.wivb.com/bills-mafia-buffalo-fans/hamburg-family-on-vacation-receives-gift-card-on-windshield-go-bills/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:06 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/bills-mafia-buffalo-fans/hamburg-family-on-vacation-receives-gift-card-on-windshield-go-bills/ |
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Buffalo man is dead after being shot in his doorway overnight.
Buffalo police responded to the incident on the first block of Pleasant Place shortly after Midnight. They say the 40-year-old victim died at the scene.
No suspects have been named. Anyone with information that could help police solve this crime can call or text the Buffalo Police Department’s confidential tip line at (716) 847-2255.
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- Alligator in Amherst leads to charges against two people
Evan Anstey is an Associated Press Award and Emmy-nominated digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. | https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/buffalo/buffalo-man-fatally-shot-in-doorway-on-pleasant-place/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:12 | 1 | https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/buffalo/buffalo-man-fatally-shot-in-doorway-on-pleasant-place/ |
Which electric blanket is best?
When the wind is howling outside, you might feel a chill in your bones that no amount of blankets can chase away. If you live in a cold climate, have a hard time sleeping in cold weather or just want more warmth at night, an electric blanket can help. Electric blankets provide warmth without causing your home heating bill to jump, and they are an easy solution to a chilly problem.
The Westinghouse Electric Blanket is beautiful, comfortable and provides ample heat for the coldest winter nights.
What to know before you buy an electric blanket
Size
As with their nonelectric counterparts, electric blankets come in sizes to fit standard beds (e.g., twin, full, queen and king). If you have an oversized mattress, make sure the blanket you choose is large enough for it.
Materials
Electric blankets in the past were made of a thin, poorly insulated material that was not naturally warm. These days, electric blankets made of thick, comfy fabrics like fleece, flannel and wool are warm even when not plugged in.
Once you determine what you want your blanket fabric to feel like, check the grams per square meter. That number tells you how much insulation your blanket has, and a higher GSM means more warmth even when the blanket’s not turned on.
Number of settings
Some electric blankets come with three heat settings — low, medium and high — while others come with 10 or more. Although it’s nice to precisely dial in your perfect temperature, consider whether you really need all 10 settings (and want to pay for them). Five are enough for most people.
What to look for in a quality electric blanket
Dual controls
When two people share a bed, chances are good they will need different levels of warmth throughout the night. If this sounds like you, look for a blanket with dual controls to customize the heating level on either side of the bed.
Easy care
While it may seem crazy to throw an electric blanket into a washing machine, these days that’s not outside the realm of possibility. Look for machine-washable and dryer-safe blankets for easy care.
If your electric blanket is not machine-washable, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to keep it clean.
Automatic shut-off
An automatic shut-off protects your blanket from overheating and saves energy. Because our core body temperature drops at night, most blankets with this feature turn off automatically after three hours, improving your chance of a perfect night of sleep.
Reversible
The last thing you want is an electric blanket that looks like an electric blanket. With reversible ones, not only can you change the look of your bed instantly, but you also have a piece of bed linen that looks elegant, not wired.
How much you can expect to spend on an electric blanket
The price depends on its size and the material from which it’s made. Expect to spend $40-$80 on a queen-size blanket.
Electric blanket FAQ
Are electric blankets safe?
A. They’re remarkably safe, but there are a few precautions you should take.
- Do not use a blanket that has wires that are cut or damaged.
- Do not sit or lie on top of the blanket, and don’t let pets lie on it either. This extra weight can damage the blanket’s wires.
- Don’t use your blanket on its maximum setting at all times. Use just enough heat to get the warmth you need.
- Avoid buying used or vintage electric blankets. It can be difficult to tell whether they have been damaged, and older blankets are not manufactured to the same level of safety.
Can you use an electric blanket on a memory foam mattress?
A. Because there is a slight chance that the blanket’s hidden wires can melt memory foam, stick to regular blankets if you sleep on foam. This also includes memory-foam mattress toppers.
Are electric blankets cheaper than space heaters?
A. Yes. Depending on size, space heaters take 500-1,000 watts of electricity to run, while an electric blanket takes no more than 200 watts, even on the highest setting.
Electric blankets also heat just the space you need — the bed you’re lying in — instead of heating the entire room.
What’s the best electric blanket to buy?
Top electric blanket
What you need to know: It’s easy to operate and customize.
What you’ll love: With a 220 GSM and a thick Sherpa lining, this blanket is warm and cozy. It is reversible and uses a digital control to personalize heating. It has 10 heat settings, features protection against overheating and is fully machine-washable and dryer-safe.
What you should consider: If you plan on using this with a generator or power bank, look for another blanket. It is not compatible with this type of off-grid power supply.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Macy’s
Top electric blanket for the money
What you need to know: It is a lightweight blanket that is not bulky and works well under regular bedding for extreme cold.
What you’ll love: It has three heat settings and an automatic shut-off after three hours of use. ThermoFine technology distributes heat evenly, and this blanket is machine-washable and dryer-safe.
What you should consider: Some reviewers found it too thin for use as their primary blanket.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It looks elegant and heats well.
What you’ll love: It reaches the temperature you want in less than 20 minutes. It has five heat settings and is made from sherpa fabric. The heating wires are thin and barely perceptible.
What you should consider: The power cord is short, and it does not always heat up evenly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-electric-blanket/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:12 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-electric-blanket/ |
AMHERST, N.Y. (WIVB) — Two people have been charged with unlawfully possessing an alligator.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) received a call a few weeks back about an alligator in Amherst.
The man who called originally told them he had rescued the animal from a bad home and needed help finding it a new one, the DEC says.
“However, when questioned, the subject’s rescue tale fell apart and he admitted to buying the alligator to keep as a pet,” the DEC says. “Recognizing a 3.5-foot alligator is too dangerous and difficult to care for, the owner attempted to sell it without success.”
The man was charged, and once the original seller in Dunkirk was identified, they were charged as well, the DEC says.
The animal has since been turned over to a permitted handler. Additional charges in this matter are pending.
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Evan Anstey is an Associated Press Award and Emmy-nominated digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2015. See more of his work here and follow him on Twitter. | https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/erie-county/amherst/alligator-in-amherst-leads-to-charges-against-two-people/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:18 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/erie-county/amherst/alligator-in-amherst-leads-to-charges-against-two-people/ |
Which sage green comforter is best?
Sage green is a staple of contemporary interior design. This subtle hue is surprisingly dynamic, soothing to look at and a breeze to use when decorating. Ever the hospitable backdrop, sage green is a team player that elevates its surroundings.
Your comforter is one of the largest visual features in your home. This makes it the perfect candidate for a colorful update. If you’re looking to adjust the tone and vibe of your bedroom, start here. Which you choose will depend on whether you’re a hot or cold sleeper, but the all-season Luxlovery Sage Green Comforter Set should suit most users.
What to know before you buy a sage green comforter
Advantages of sage green
A good sage-green comforter is like a fertile forest floor. Rich with design potential, this modest hue helps various decor options thrive, from natural-wood finishes to aged metal hardware.
But the beautiful pale tone also has plenty of psychological benefits. Associated with the qualities of wisdom, experience and good judgment, this sage green can make your bedroom feel like a safe and calm space, filling you with confidence. Like most greens, sage has the life-affirming and peaceful properties associated with nature.
Colors that go with sage green
When envisioning your bedroom’s palette, look to nature. Sage green is warm and blends nicely with cedar, walnut and teak. That’s not to mention its harmonious relationship with houseplants.
Sage green is also soft, meaning vibrant primary colors and neons can clash. Instead, pair sage green with ochres, siennas, rust oranges and reds, and muted purples such as mauve or neutral grays like taupe.
Comforter vs. duvet
Despite frequent confusion, comforters and duvets are separate types of bedding. Both are stuffed with filling to trap heat, but that’s about where their similarities end.
A comforter is a single piece of bedding, quilted to distribute its filling evenly. They’re generally more affordable than duvets, and the variety of stitches allows for greater temperature control.
On the other hand, a duvet is a two-piece form of bedding. It consists of a stuffed insert and a cover like a giant pillowcase. These are typically more expensive out the outset. The insert also isn’t always quilted. Duvets make cleaning your bedding easier. You only have to wash the cover. And you can swap it out for another color if your design sense changes.
What to look for in a quality sage green comforter
Fill material
- Down: Taken from the soft underbellies of ducks and geese, down is the warmest and fluffiest filling you can get. This makes it great for cold winters, and its lofting properties also make for breathable all-season comforters. Down is luxurious, though, so you’ll pay a premium.
- Synthetic down-alternatives: Made to simulate the properties of down, synthetic alternatives such as polyester, rayon and lyocell are a great hypoallergenic substitute if you’re on a budget. These fillings don’t fluff as well as down but are breathable and lightweight for year-round use.
- Natural down-alternatives: Primarily wool and cotton, natural-alternative comforters are a kinder approach to animal-based filling. Wool is typically warmer and denser, with excellent moisture-wicking properties for hot, sweaty sleepers. Cotton is cheaper and lighter and is a good choice for warmer climates.
Fill measurements
There are two important measurements to determine how warm and fluffy your comforter will be: fill power and fill weight.
- Fill power: This number, denoted in the hundreds, indicates how fluffy your comforter will be. It represents the volume a single ounce of filling takes up. The higher the fill power, the fluffier your comforter will be, and thus the better it will be at capturing and transferring heat.
- Fill weight: This measures the total weight of all the filling in your comforter. But a high number doesn’t necessarily mean warmer. With fill weight, you want a balanced relationship to fill power. A low fill weight with a high fill power will be much better at insulating because there’s more space between the fibers to trap and distribute heat. A super-heavy comforter, on the other hand, can be stifling. And one that is too light with a low fill power will feel flat and cold.
Comforter stitch
Comforters are quilted in one of two ways, which affects fill distribution and temperature:
- Sewn-through: This stitch sutures your comforter’s top and bottom layers in a grid. The result is a series of pockets that taper at the edges so the filling bunches in the center. This can lead to flat and cool spots along the seams. But that doesn’t mean a sewn-through comforter is inferior, as the variability in filling allows for greater breathability and comfort in warm climates and for hot sleepers.
- Baffle-box: This quilting style inserts a vertical piece of fabric between each pocket to form a three-dimensional box. This way, the stuffing is evenly distributed throughout each pocket. Baffle-box comforters are some of the warmest and fluffiest you can get and pair great with down. They will get hot, so you need the right filling for year-round use.
How much you can expect to spend on a sage green comforter
You can purchase lightweight synthetic comforters on a budget for around $30-$70. Premium options with high thread count, down filling or baffle-box stitches cost $120-$250.
Sage green comforter FAQ
How do I clean my comforter?
A. Comforters — even down — are machine washable. The secret is more than one rinse cycle. Put your machine on a delicate setting and use warm or cold water with a small amount of detergent. After the first load, put it through for one or more rinse cycles. The water flushes the filling of excess suds while the machine’s rotation helps dry out the interior.
Can I use a duvet cover with my comforter?
A. Yes, a duvet cover is a great way to increase the longevity of your bedding. This additional barrier limits how much sweat penetrates the filling and reduces the number of times you have to wash the full comforter.
What’s the best sage green comforter to buy?
Top sage green comforter
Luxlovery Sage Green Comforter Set
What you need to know: Cast in a gorgeous, light-sage hue, this comforter is soft, plush and cozy.
What you’ll love: Filled with microfiber, this comforter is designed for all-season use. Its stuffing is lofty yet lightweight and it won’t clump in the wash. You also get two matching shams.
What you should consider: The filling layer is thin and won’t be as warm in cold climates.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top sage green comforter for the money
Hig Three-Piece Green Down Alternative Comforter Set
What you need to know: Made with a baffle-box stitch, this reversible comforter is great for year-round use, even in colder climates.
What you’ll love: With this down-alternative comforter, you get to flip between a sage and rich forest green. The thick and soft shell helps to insulate the heat pockets that build up in the microfiber fill. And the bedding has tabs at the corners to prevent your comforter from sliding off in your sleep.
What you should consider: This runs small, so size up.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Royal Luxe Lightweight Microfiber Color Down Alternative
What you need to know: A modern take on sage, this vibrant comforter will look great with contemporary decor.
What you’ll love: The sewn-through construction of this comforter suits hot sleepers and cold climates. You won’t toss and turn looking for cooling relief thanks to its lightweight, hypoallergenic polyester. If you’re in a warmer region, this is an ideal comforter for summer use or guest beds and kids’ rooms.
What you should consider: The stuffing clumps in the wash, so be sure to use multiple rinse cycles to shake it loose.
Where to buy: Sold by Macy’s
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Karl Daum writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-sage-green-comforter/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:19 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-sage-green-comforter/ |
Which vessel sink faucet is best?
If you are looking to add an elegant touch in one of the most underrated rooms in the house, consider adding a vessel sink. Vessel sinks sit on top of the counter and come in an extensive range of styles and finishes to add sophistication and class. Once you select your sink, you’ll need to find the best vessel sink faucet to match.
The top choice is the attractive BWE Waterfall Vessel Sink Faucet. It offers a neutral yet timeless design paired with high functionality and easy installation.
What to know before you buy a vessel sink faucet
How it’s mounted
When selecting the best vessel sink faucet, you’ll first need to consider how it will be mounted. While most faucets can be mounted directly onto the countertop behind the sink, it’s also an option to mount faucets on the wall. Some vessel sinks can even take a faucet attached directly to them.
Wall-mounted faucets are the most complicated and require plumbing lines to run up inside the wall. Because of the height of the vessel sink and the requirement of the faucet to be above it, you may need to relocate lighting or mirrors above the sink, too.
If you don’t want to mess with opening a wall or moving a large mirror, consider a countertop-mounted faucet. These require some drilling in the countertop, but for most people that is preferable over putting in a hole in their bathroom wall.
Finally, it is possible to mount the faucet directly on some vessel sinks, but only if the sink is designed to take a faucet (e.g., it has holes already present).
Finish
The finish of your faucet should match the other finishes in your bathroom. This will help your bathroom aesthetic to look more cohesive.
Some common finishes include:
- Copper
- Chrome
- Brushed nickel
- Black metal (a cast iron look)
- White powder-coated brass
Height
When it comes to choosing the height, measure twice, and then measure another time. Your faucet will need to easily clear the lip of your vessel sink, with at least two inches between the lip of the sink and the end of the faucet.
Don’t buy one that is too tall, though. This will make your sink look inadequate and small. Look for the Goldilocks height: not too short, not too tall but just right.
What to look for in a quality vessel sink faucet
Touchless
A touchless faucet is operated with a wave of a hand. This is convenient in a high-traffic powder room where small children wash their hands. If you choose a touchless option and do have children in your home, make sure that your water is set to a maximum safe temperature. This will help to prevent any accidental burns.
Mounted on a swivel
A faucet that swivels can be easily moved out of the way when you need more room in the sink. This is an extra feature that just adds to the utility of the faucet and sink.
Easy installation
If you are looking for easy installation, stick with a counter-mounted vessel sink faucet. Look for packages that include all installation hardware, including hot and cold supply lines, to make installation a breeze.
If you are feeling adventurous, a wall-mounted or sink-mounted faucet is the way to go. Wall-mounted faucets are best left to experienced DIYers or for new construction, but sink-mounted faucets are easier (if more involved).
How much you can expect to spend on a vessel sink faucet
A vessel sink faucet is not a cheap upgrade. Expect to spend $80-$300 or more.
Vessel sink faucet FAQ
How should you choose a faucet spout length?
A. The faucet spout should be long enough to extend well into the sink, but not so long that it interferes with hand- and face-washing. For counter mounting, measure from where you plan to mount the faucet on the counter to where you would like the spout to end in the sink.
Wall-mounted faucets should extend easily into the sink from the wall. Measure that distance, and you are all set.
Do vessel sink faucets come with a separate hot and cold knob?
A. Some wall-mounted vessel sink faucets come with a separate hot and cold knob, but the majority of counter-mounted faucets use one lever.
What’s the best vessel sink faucet to buy?
Top vessel sink faucet
BWE Waterfall Vessel Sink Faucet
What you need to know: It has a simple, classic design that works in a variety of bathroom styles.
What you’ll love: It is available in four finishes (brushed nickel, chrome, copper and oil-rubbed bronze). Water flows beautifully out of the faucet. The package includes all hardware needed for installation, including hot and cold water hoses.
What you should consider: It is noisy, and water pressure is difficult to regulate.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top vessel sink faucet for the money
VC Cucine Modern Vessel Sink Faucet
What you need to know: If you prefer a more modern style, this square faucet is a great choice.
What you’ll love: A brushed-nickel finish surrounds solid brass interior construction for a sturdy, affordable faucet. It is easy to install and feels substantial. It’s a great value and a unique design.
What you should consider: Some users found it loud. Some also reported low water pressure.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Kohler Fairfax Collection Vessel Sink Faucet
What you need to know: It’s a high-quality faucet from a trusted brand.
What you’ll love: The supply lines are pre-installed, which means you could be up and running in 30 minutes. It comes in two other finishes. A high-temperature regulator means this faucet works well for houses with small children.
What you should consider: This may not be tall enough for high-sided vessel sinks. Measure carefully.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/sinks-vanities-br/best-vessel-sink-faucet/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:26 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/sinks-vanities-br/best-vessel-sink-faucet/ |
Amazon Alexa Speaker review
Many of the most visible and accessible smart home tools today are the home speakers that house advanced voice assistants. For example, if you’re getting ready to go out, a few quick commands can pull up the weather forecast, so you know what to wear.
Amazon and its voice assistant Alexa are the industry leaders for smart home speakers. They claim that their latest high-end smart speaker, the Amazon Echo Studio, is the most powerful and easiest to use option on the market. We used it along extensively for about a week to determine just how helpful they truly are, and it turns out it’s as helpful and convenient as Amazon claims.
Testing the Amazon Echo Studio
The entire Echo lineup has exploded in popularity recently, so we were familiar with the device going into testing. The space where we conducted the review wasn’t outfitted with any other smart home devices, so we could judge the Echo Studio on its own merits alone.
We were mostly excited to see how well it streamlined daily activities like playing music, checking the weather and listening to the news. For the most part, our testing took place in the kitchen because that’s where we found ourselves most active and in need of hands-free control.
During testing, we made sure to focus on not just the overall functionality, but also the little things you might overlook initially. How accurately it picks up voice commands, how loud you have to speak and how prominent the LED is all contribute to the user experience, especially for consumers who aren’t particularly well-versed in electronics.
What is the Amazon Echo Studio?
Much like the speakers from Sonos, the Amazon Echo Studio is a high-fidelity smart speaker that promises studio-quality sound and claims to adapt to any room. Our initial impressions were that it’s an unassuming device that, while not as compact as other smart speakers like the Sonos One, isn’t overly large. It came in good-quality packaging, complete with a fabric carrying case.
Unlike other Echo smart speakers, Amazon makes a big deal about the Studio’s premium sound quality. This was one of the claims we were most excited to investigate. Most smart home speakers are middling to subpar when it comes to music playback, so an Alexa-enabled speaker that could also stream our favorite tunes was a welcome addition to the kitchen.
We’re also aware that Amazon has gone to great lengths to refine the microphone array within the Echo Studio. To that end, we were impressed with how well it was able to adapt to the wide range of sounds that happen in a busy home daily.
Amazon Echo Studio price and where to buy
The Echo Studio is available from Amazon for $200. You can also get it bundled with the Echo Sub for $330.
How to use Amazon Echo Studio
We expected a straightforward setup process, but we were still surprised at how easy it was to get started. Immediately after plugging it in, Alexa spoke up and instructed us to install the Alexa app on a smartphone. We did so and were then walked clearly through setting up the Echo Dot that we were testing alongside the Studio. The whole process was incredibly intuitive, taking less than 5 minutes.
Using the device wasn’t any more difficult. We simply called out to Alexa, and she heard us clearly and accurately the first time. In most cases, the speaker even heard us clearly when we were in the next room.
Amazon Echo Studio benefits
After a week with the Echo Studio, it’s safe to say that Amazon isn’t exaggerating when they boast about the device’s pristine sound quality. At low volumes, it sounded OK, but once we turned it up, we were pleasantly surprised at how rich the audio was.
No matter what genre of music we threw at it, the Studio handled it well, with no distortion or static and clear instrumentation throughout all but the lowest end of the sound spectrum. We suspect that part of this premium sound experience comes from the Studio’s automatic acoustic analysis, which tailors the speaker’s output to sound as good as possible, no matter what room it’s in.
Our success with voice command accuracy was just as pronounced. We tested it in nearly silent environments and while vacuuming. It performed at the same level no matter what. The only times we had to repeat voice commands, we were so far away that it was surprising the microphone picked up our voices at all.
Aside from the basic music and voice command functionality, there were other features we loved about the Studio. There was a dedicated button to turn the microphone off, which provided privacy and peace of mind. The integrated LED lit up when it actively listened to us, so we didn’t have to worry about unintended recordings. We also appreciated how easy it was to pull up the Alexa app and manage the recordings we’d made throughout the day.
Amazon Echo Studio drawbacks
While we didn’t have any glaring issues with it, we did notice a little room for improvement. For example, sound quality dropped noticeably when we placed it on a shelf with some small trinkets and books around it. A 360-degree speaker shouldn’t normally see a huge change in output in that case, and we have a hunch the difference was again due to the Studio’s automatic spatial analysis. Other objects nearby could conceivably mess up the algorithm and make the speaker think it’s in a much smaller room.
Also, while the LED light was convenient and reassuring, it was pretty recessed and not visible from all angles, especially when the Studio was placed near eye level. Finally, it would be nice if Amazon designed a portable, battery-powered version that we could take to events or gatherings outdoors or at a friend’s house.
Should you get the Amazon Echo Studio?
The Amazon Echo Studio is the best-sounding smart speaker available today. Its microphones are the most sensitive and its voice recognition and spatial analysis algorithms are as good as they get. If you enjoy using voice assistants to listen to music, make calls or shop, there’s no better smart speaker.
Consider other products
If you’re looking for a little more versatility and don’t mind sacrificing some sound quality, this smart speaker is an impressive piece of equipment. Its 10-inch touchscreen can display a wide variety of useful information and it even follows you around the room automatically, so you never lose sight of what you’re doing.
Sold by Amazon
As great as the Echo Studio sounds, it’s still missing something in terms of bass. This subwoofer can fix that, and it works great with most Echo devices.
Sold by Amazon
In terms of sound quality during music playback, the Sonos One is the only significant competitor to the Echo Studio. It is a bit more expensive, but some owners argue it offers even better quality. You can even pair multiple Sonos One smart speakers for stereo playback in one room or simultaneous playback in different rooms.
Sold by Amazon
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/audio-video-accessories-br/amazon-echo-studio-review-can-this-sonos-competitor-deliver-on-sound-quality-ease-of-use/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:33 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/audio-video-accessories-br/amazon-echo-studio-review-can-this-sonos-competitor-deliver-on-sound-quality-ease-of-use/ |
Which Thunderbolt 3 dock is best?
Thunderbolt 3 is an exciting technology that streamlines connectivity by delivering impressive bandwidth and charging capabilities over a single cable. It uses the USB-C physical connector, and a wide selection of docking stations support it. In some cases, the docks are backward-compatible with 5-gigabit or 10-gigabit USB connections, but they’re generally engineered to take advantage of the high-speed standard.
The Cable Matters Hybrid 107044 is the best Thunderbolt 3 docking station for most people because it has plenty of ports and is one of the most reliable models.
What to know before you buy a Thunderbolt 3 dock
If your laptop offers Thunderbolt 3
If you’ve recently bought a midrange or high-end laptop, you’re probably in the clear. One of the popular Intel Evo certification requirements for ultraportables is that the laptop must support the Thunderbolt 4 bus. If your laptop has a USB-C port, check if it uses Thunderbolt 3 or 4 or if it’s limited to slower USB 3.1 speeds.
How much charging power do you need
The majority of laptops require 100 watts of Power Delivery or less, with many able to charge at full speed with only around 60-80 watts. Although they’re somewhat rare, a select few laptops demand over 100 watts. Nonetheless, high-powered business laptops sometimes require as much as 130 watts to charge at full speed. If you get a docking station that can’t quite put out enough power for your laptop, you’ll have slower charging speeds or even a discharging battery when your laptop has a high workload.
What to look for in a quality Thunderbolt 3 dock
USB expansion ports
All docking stations have USB ports. It’s up to you to get one that has the number you need. They usually have a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 data pass through in addition to two to six USB-A ports.
Integrated charging
Generally speaking, docking stations plug into the wall via a wall wart with a DC barrel plug. You’ll sometimes need to supply your own power via an external charging brick. If that describes your situation, look for a USB-IF certified USB-C charger.
External monitor support
Support for additional monitors usually comes in a DisplayPort or HDMI connectors on full-size docking stations. Note that some laptops don’t have the processing power to drive more than one external display. In contrast, others (in particular, M1 MacBooks) are limited to a single secondary monitor due to technical reasons. In those cases, consider a docking station or USB-C hub with a DisplayLink chipset inside. This novel chipset takes the load off the graphics processor and allows for multiple monitors with greater compatibility.
How much you can expect to spend on a Thunderbolt 3 dock
You can spend as little as $40 on a capable USB-C hub, but docking stations that take full advantage of the Thunderbolt protocol will run you $150-$350.
Thunderbolt 3 dock FAQ
Do Thunderbolt 3 docks work with standard USB-C?
A. In some cases, they are backward-compatible. However, this varies from dock to dock and results in significantly lower bandwidth and reduced features. If your laptop only supports USB 3.1 over the Type-C port, but you want to future-proof your setup, make certain that the Thunderbolt dock you choose will work with standard USB 3.1 bandwidth.
What is USB-C Power Delivery?
A. The Power Delivery protocol supplements the USB-C standard that allows for high-wattage charging and data transfer over a single port. Thunderbolt 3 maxes out at 100 watts. Thunderbolt 4 theoretically maxes out at 240 watts, although there aren’t any chargers or laptops that approach that power.
What’s the best Thunderbolt 3 dock to buy?
Top Thunderbolt 3 dock
Cable Matters Hybrid 107044 Thunderbolt 3 Dock
What you need to know: It sports a wide variety of ports and works with the biggest range of laptops in real-world tests.
What you’ll love: Its long list of expansion ports includes pairs of HDMI and DisplayPort connections that allow for dual 4K displays. It delivers up to 96 watts using the Power Delivery protocol, enough for most modern laptops. Most importantly, it’s particularly reliable and supports most notebook PCs.
What you should consider: It can’t charge the most power-hungry laptops at full speed and only supports a single external monitor on the newest M1 MacBooks.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Thunderbolt 3 dock for the money
UtechSmart 15 in 1 Docking Station
What you need to know: This is an especially full-featured docking station with interesting inclusions such as an SSD enclosure.
What you’ll love: It has the USB ports, SD card readers and Ethernet jack you’d expect from a competent Thunderbolt docking station, but it doesn’t stop there. You can outfit it with an M.2 solid-state drive for high-speed storage above and beyond what an SD card offers. There’s even a special graphics controller chip inside that offloads the graphics workload to the CPU and enables up to four external displays. The DisplayLink graphics controller even makes this feature work on computers like M1 MacBooks, which don’t normally support more than one external monitor.
What you should consider: You’ll need a 100-watt USB-C charger to make it work, and it doesn’t include one.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Dell WD19TB Thunderbolt Docking Station
What you need to know: Consider this high-powered Dell docking station if your laptop requires more than 100 watts to charge at full speed.
What you’ll love: While it’s for Dell’s most power-hungry laptops, it works with most models that require up to 130 watts of Power Delivery. It has a pair of DisplayPort outputs and Thunderbolt 3 and 10-gigabit USB-C data passthrough. It even has both a combination headset jack and a separate audio line out, which are managed by an internal audio processor that helps to get the job done without the interference and CPU hogging that sometimes comes with integrated laptop audio.
What you should consider: It costs quite a bit, especially in light of its relatively low port selection.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which nasal decongestant is best?
Whether you’re stuffed up from allergies or are dealing with the common cold, the best nasal decongestants help reduce the symptoms of a stuffy nose. These medicines can help lessen swelling and inflammation, making breathing easier. Nasal decongestants can minimize sniffling and sneezing, and they help you get a good night’s rest.
The best option is the Vicks Sinex Severe Nasal Spray because it works quickly to clear up the nasal passageway for near-immediate relief.
What to know before you buy a nasal decongestant
What are nasal decongestants?
Nasal decongestants are a form of medicine that provides temporary relief for a stuffy or runny nose. It also alleviates sinus pressure and general breathing issues caused by general illness or allergies. They are available at your local pharmacy, and you can purchase them without a prescription. They come in nasal sprays, liquids, pills and drops.
If you are experiencing a runny, stuffy nose due to allergies or a cold, a decongestant could help. But if your symptoms include sneezing, itching or watery eyes, an antihistamine might be more beneficial.
One exception is if you get a medication such as Allegra-D or Zyrtec-D, which is an antihistamine and decongestant combined in one.
How decongestants works
Decongestants shrink swollen tissues and blood vessels through a process called vasoconstriction. This process lessens the inflammation, letting air pass through the nasal passages unhindered. While these medicines provide relief, they cannot cure the root problem. If you want a more long-term solution, connect with your primary care physician for more guidance.
Form
Nasal decongestants come in two main forms:
- Liquid: Nasal sprays, nose drops and liquids come in small portable containers. They sometimes have a bitter taste but are easy to use. For sprays, simply tip the container back into the nasal passage, press the top down and inhale.
- Pills: These take longer to kick in and should be taken with a spray or nose drops for maximum benefit. You can take these with water.
Concerns and side effects
Decongestants are generally safe to take, but you should consult a doctor before if any of the following conditions apply:
- High blood pressure
- Heart conditions
- Thyroid or prostate problems
- Glaucoma
- Diabetes
- You take SSRIs
Some medications cause jitters, rapid heartbeat or difficulty sleeping. Other side effects include nausea, vomiting, dizziness and headaches. If you experience any of these or have an allergic reaction, stop taking the decongestant immediately. If you take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), some oral nasal decongestants can increase your serotonin levels and may put you at risk for serotonin syndrome. Consult your doctor or psychiatrist if you’re unsure if you should take an oral nasal decongestant.
What to look for in a quality nasal decongestant
Active ingredients
Most decongestants have pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine or oxymetazoline as their main active ingredient. These ingredients are typically non-drowsy and target nasal congestion. Some of the most common medicines are Vicks, Sudafed and Silafedrine.
Some medicines, such as Benadryl Allergy and Claritin-D, act as a decongestant and antihistamine. These both contain pseudoephedrine, which can alleviate nasal congestion, watery eyes and other symptoms caused by hay fever or seasonal allergies.
Proper usage
When using any form of medicine, follow the directions listed on the packaging or as provided by your doctor. Generally, it’s safe to take a pill form once every 4-6 hours, with a maximum of four doses each day. With nasal sprays and drops, try to limit them to one to three times a day. You should stop using a nasal spray after three days. Otherwise, you could build up an immunity to it, making the medicine less effective.
Duration of effect
How long it takes for the decongestant to take effect depends on the medicine and person. For example, Afrin’s nasal spray could start working immediately and last between three and 12 hours. Some oral decongestants may take a bit longer to start working.
How much you can expect to spend on a nasal decongestant
Most over-the-counter nasal decongestants, including tablets and sprays, cost around $5-$25. The price range depends on the brand, formula and quantity.
Nasal decongestant FAQ
Should children use nasal decongestants?
A. You should not give cold or cough medicine that contains decongestants or antihistamines to children under 2 years old. These medicines could cause severe or even life-threatening conditions or side effects. For older children, use decongestants sparingly and make sure they’re formulated specifically for them. For example, Children’s Mucinex is safe for kids ages 6 and up.
What are some ways to alleviate congestion naturally?
A. Other options include getting a humidifier, neti pot or taking a steam bath. You should also stay hydrated and try to keep your nasal passages moist, so they remain clear.
What’s the best nasal decongestant to buy?
Top nasal decongestant
Vicks Sinex Severe Nasal Spray
What you need to know: This two-pack of nasal sprays uses a fine mist to provide up to 12 hours of relief.
What you’ll love: These sprays come in 15-milliliter containers and last for approximately 530 sprays each. They’re great for the common cold, seasonal allergies and upper respiratory allergies. They’re also suitable for individuals over the age of 6.
What you should consider: Those trying to manage high blood pressure should consult a doctor before using these sprays, as they can result in higher blood pressure.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top nasal decongestant for the money
Sudafed PE Sinus Congestion Maximum Strength Non-Drowsy Decongestant Tablets
What you need to know: This non-drowsy decongestant comes in pill form and is easy to take with water.
What you’ll love: Available in 18-count, 24-count and 36-count bottles, this medicine provides maximum strength to clear sinus congestion and pressure. It’s recommended for individuals 12 years old and up.
What you should consider: Many feel the newer formula isn’t as effective as the original formula.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Afrin Original Maximum-Strength 12-Hour Nasal Congestion Relief
What you need to know: Offering up to 12 hours of relief, this nasal spray is a great option for tackling congestion related to allergies or the common cold.
What you’ll love: The pump mist design delivers the maximum strength formula easily, and it works quickly. It contains 15 milliliters and can alleviate pressure in the nose, ears and head.
What you should consider: The nozzle for the spray is not very long, so it can be tricky to spray it effectively.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Angela Watson writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/ears-nose-throat-br/best-nasal-decongestant/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:47 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/ears-nose-throat-br/best-nasal-decongestant/ |
Which coastal throw pillow is best?
Throw pillows add a customizable element to any space, letting you transform the room’s decor with just a few decorative touches.
Coastal throw pillows bring the beach to your couch with ocean-blue colors, nautical stripes and creatures of the sea. They come in various shapes, sizes, designs and materials that determine how to clean and care for them.
If you’re looking for the most versatile and high-quality coastal throw pillow at a reasonable price, go with the set of two Highland Dunes Britton Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillows.
What to know before you buy a coastal throw pillow
As you shop for these beachy decor elements, consider the shapes and sizes you like and where you plan to use them to help find the perfect pillows for your space.
Shape
These special throw pillows come in square, rectangular and novelty shapes. Examples of novelty pillows include shapes like a starfish, an ocean buoy and a seahorse.
The most common shapes are squares and rectangles, which are easy to layer on a couch, chair or chaise. Because these shapes are more common, there is a wider variety of designs available in those shapes, and they are often less expensive than novelty shapes.
Size
Measurements for coastal throw pillows follow the typical sizes for regular throw pillows. A regular-sized coastal throw pillow measures 18-20 inches tall and wide. You can also find them larger, up to 24 inches tall and wide, or as small as 16 inches tall and wide.
Typically, you want to layer throw pillows with the tallest in the back and the shortest in the front. If you’re looking for a coastal throw pillow to complement your existing throw pillows, consider where you want to place it, then find one that fits the size you need.
Filling
Polyester is the most common and cheapest type of pillow filling. You may also find pillows stuffed with down feathers or hypoallergenic alternatives.
Polyester filling holds its shape longer than down pillows and is safe to use outdoors on a patio, deck or porch.
Indoor vs. outdoor
Both the outer and inner materials determine whether a pillow is safe to use outdoors or not. Consider where you plan to decorate with your coastal throw pillows. If you’re looking for a versatile option, find pillows that can withstand rain and other outdoor elements.
Polyester is the top choice for outdoor decor, as it is inorganic and resists mold and mildew better than organic materials like cotton and hemp.
What to look for in a quality coastal throw pillow
The best pillow features include removable covers, intricate design elements and easy maintenance options.
Removable covers
Some pillows are encased in a cover with a zipper or button closure so you can remove them. Others are manufactured as one unit and cannot be separated from their cover material.
If you want easily washable pillows, find ones with removable covers. Separate covers also let you reuse the inner pillow with varying covers if you prefer to change your decor through the seasons.
The most common material for pillow covers is polyester, followed closely by cotton blends. You can also find covers made of linen or hemp.
Polyester is the most durable material and you can often use it outside. Cotton blends, linen and hemp covers are softer to the touch but generally too delicate to use outdoors. However, if the cover is removable, they are often machine washable.
Embellishments
Coastal throw pillows are an excellent way to add detail and character to your decor. They often feature unique embellishments that stand out from other throw pillows. These can include embroidery, beading, tassels, buttons or other accessories.
These types of embellished pillows tend to cost more. Though they may limit how you can wash the pillow, these embellishments can last a long time.
Maintenance
You don’t need to wash throw pillows as often as the other linens in your home. However, sometimes it can be helpful to choose pillows that are easy to clean.
The easiest option is to look for machine-washable pillows. This includes finding pillows with removable covers that you can toss in the washing machine.
If it’s not machine-washable, look for pillows you can spot clean. If you’re using a detergent or stain remover, check an inconspicuous place on the pillow to confirm it won’t bleed or bleach the cover before using it on the area you need to clean.
When in doubt, you can also hand wash your pillow covers, which will help them keep their same size and shape rather than shrinking in the laundry.
How much you can expect to spend on a coastal throw pillow
Depending on its size and features, you can expect to spend between $15-$60 on a coastal throw pillow.
Coastal throw pillow FAQ
Are coastal throw pillows machine-washable?
A. Possibly. It depends on the material of the cover and pillow filling. Generally, cotton blend materials are safe for washing with the laundry, while polyester pillows should be hand washed. However, be cautious about throwing any covers in the washing machine that have chunky accessories or embellishments on the outside. You may need to turn the cover inside out to wash it. Furthermore, if the cover is removable, you may be able to wash the cover separately from the inner pillow. Check with the manufacturer to confirm whether your specific pillow is suitable for the washing machine.
Can I replace the pillow insert or cover?
A. Yes, if the cover is removable. When buying a throw pillow, consider whether you plan to replace the design. If you’re looking for something versatile, try to find a pillow with a removable cover so you can swap out pillow covers when it’s time to spruce up your space. Similarly, some pillow inserts are more or less supportive than others. If you’d like to replace the insert to make your pillow more comfortable, you’ll need a removable cover. Then, you can shop for a throw pillow insert in the same size and use the same cover on the new insert.
What’s the best coastal throw pillow to buy?
Top coastal throw pillow
Highland Dunes Britton Indoor/Outdoor Throw Pillow, Set of 2
What you need to know: This pair of indoor/outdoor throw pillows features a simple and elegant design on a removable cover.
What you’ll love: These pillow covers feature embroidered waves in varying shades of blue and white. Zipper closures make the covers easy to remove and wash, and the pillow inserts are included. The polyester blend of fabrics makes these pillows perfect for either indoor or outdoor lounging. The pillows measure 20 inches wide by 20 inches tall.
What you should consider: You may need to spot clean the covers as they aren’t machine washable.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Top coastal throw pillow for the money
Klear Vu Liza Coastal Linen Decorative Throw Pillow, Set of 2
What you need to know: These two throw pillows are a steal and a great way to add a coastal touch to any space.
What you’ll love: The pair of thick striped pillows come in two colorways: blue and taupe. They measure 18 inches wide by 18 inches tall. While the covers are not removable, the polyester and linen blend is safe to use indoors and outdoors. The price is far lower than other coastal throw pillows on the market.
What you should consider: These pillows are not machine-washable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Nautical Buoy Novelty Throw Pillow
What you need to know: These handmade throw pillows mimic the shape of an ocean buoy, adding unmistakable beach vibes to your home.
What you’ll love: These buoy-shaped pillows measure 15 inches tall by 7 inches wide. They come in three different pattern options of varying coastal stripes. The top of the pillow features a metal grommet and cotton rope. They’re stuffed with polyester filling.
What you should consider: These pillows are spot clean only.
Where to buy: Sold by Etsy
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Katy Palmer writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/best-coastal-throw-pillow/ | 2022-04-15T14:28:54 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/best-coastal-throw-pillow/ |
Which metal wall art is best?
If you want to vary your decorating, a good piece of metal wall art can enliven your space and add some texture. This dynamic alternative helps create some dimension and interest in your interior design.
Finding the right kind of metal wall art depends on your budget, available wall space and taste. But when it comes to decorating a home or office, you can’t go wrong with the sturdy, intricate Dekadron Metal World Map Art.
What to know before you buy metal wall art
Types of metal wall art
Metal wall art comes in all shapes and sizes. It varies from abstract to literal to sentimental. Abstract pieces tend to feature the metal in interesting shapes and designs, whereas literal works use the metal to depict recognizable images or even text.
Modern metal wall art
Metal wall art looks great in all kinds of design schemes. For modern, minimalist and mid-century modern decor, consider simple pieces that highlight the material in the sculpture. These activate the space by creating a focal point for guests in otherwise subdued interiors.
Vintage metal wall art
Vintage and classically inspired styles have a little more room for play. You might want to opt for a symbolic or textual piece in this style, like a metal depiction of flowers or grass. This kind of metal wall art looks great with rustic or boho decor, and iron sculptures of iconic pop culture items shine in an urban or farmhouse design. Text can be a fun way to add a little visual contemporary cheer, and it defines a space around a concept.
What to look for in quality metal wall art
Material
You can find metal wall art in various materials, but the most common are steel and iron. Lightweight, rustproof alternatives to iron and steel include aluminum, copper and brass. These have a glossy finish that reflects natural light, making them great for abstract sculptures. However, light metals do require consistent care as the surfaces can oxidize and tarnish.
Size
Since most metal wall art is three-dimensional, you should make sure you have enough space on and around the wall. You won’t want your wall art to jut out and obstruct your movement or view. It’s best to reserve the larger pieces for big walls, so it has ample room on either side. Smaller pieces are more flexible and can act as textural accents to your decor.
Weight
Metals can get pretty heavy, especially if you’re hanging steel or iron. The larger you go, the more weight you’ll need to support. If you want a statement piece, make sure your walls can take it. Take time to find studs and use heavy-duty anchors. It’s best not to hang them where falling presents a hazard. And if you have kids, hang your metal wall art out of reach, so they aren’t tempted to pull on it.
How much you can expect to spend on metal wall art
Metal wall art varies in cost depending on the material, size and quality. A mass-produced, budget-friendly option usually costs between $15-$70, depending on size. Larger customized pieces cost as much as $80-$400.
Metal wall art FAQ
How do you hang metal wall art?
A. Hanging metal wall art requires a little more finesse than a picture frame. The biggest concern is the weight, and you want to be sure you use the studs on your wall to hang it. When you’re getting ready to hang your metal wall art, make sure you have a drill, stud finder, level and pencil.
How do you care for metal wall art?
A. Powder-coated and finished steel or iron only need to be dusted and occasionally wiped down with a damp cloth. Lighter metals such as aluminum, copper and brass are prone to oxidization, which tarnishes their exteriors. Use a polish specifically formulated to restore their luster without damaging the surface.
What’s the best metal wall art to buy?
Top metal wall art
What you need to know: This silhouetted world map with compass points adds a sense of sophistication to your home or office.
What you’ll love: It’s made from lightweight steel, so you don’t have to worry about it being too heavy for your walls. It’s great for hanging above a desk or mantle, and it has a powder coating to protect it from rust. The world map comes in two sizes: 39 inches by 29 inches and 47 inches by 36 inches.
What you should consider: Some customers received maps with bent arrows due to shipping issues.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top metal wall art for the money
FirsTime and Co. Metallic Leaves Decor Wall Plaque Set
What you need to know: These mirrored slatted leaves can bring energy to contemporary interior design on a budget.
What you’ll love: It offers a boho and rustic aesthetic, creating a modern take on natural imagery. The sturdy coated iron comes in gold, silver and black finishes to create color variation. The frames are shallow, so you don’t have to worry about hanging them over furniture.
What you should consider: These pieces don’t come with hanging hardware.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Statements2000 Aqua Wave 3D Abstract Metal Wall Art
What you need to know: This set of wavy sculptures fills the room with light by reproducing the mesmerizing shimmers of surface water.
What you’ll love: It’s made by artist John Allen and has a contemporary, pop-art vibe that’s sure to be a hit in modern decors. You have your choice of seven colors to match your interior. And it’s made from aluminum, so you don’t have to worry about rust if you hang it outdoors.
What you should consider: Some felt this sculpture was smaller than they expected.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/best-metal-wall-art/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:01 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/home-br/decor-br/best-metal-wall-art/ |
Tips to protect your home
Your home is your greatest investment and a safe place for your most beloved people and possessions. But how can you ensure it’s truly safe?
While securing it can seem daunting, a few key upgrades can make a big difference in making your home safe from intruders. While pricey security systems can be effective, even small investments in your home’s defenses can make a big difference. Low-ticket items like window guards, door stoppers and an extra smart lock can stymie would-be intruders and make it more likely your home will be passed by.
Make your home an inhospitable target
Lighting
Potential burglars rarely make a choice about which home to rob without first assessing the potential difficulty of a break-in. It’s no secret that break-ins generally happen at night. They are aimed at homes that look both like they might have enticing goods to steal and don’t have much security. Doing anything to minimize either of these perceptions can go a long way to deterring would-be robbers.
Lighting is a great first step in making your home look like a hard target. Begin by walking your home’s perimeter at night. Are there dark spots, especially near first-floor windows, where a burglar might work undetected? Are there chairs or other outdoor furniture that might easily be dragged over to a window for easy access?
Even a series of inexpensive, simple solar-powered outdoor lights can remedy this issue. Placed strategically around the home, they will make it look well-tended and too lit up as a potential target.
Security cameras
Security cameras are not a strict security measure in that they only record what’s going on and don’t actively work to stop it. Even so, they can be an important addition to your security plan. Burglars are well aware of the effect of cameras on apprehending criminals and actively avoid them. While first-generation outdoor security cameras were expensive and required professional wiring, today’s options cost much less and can be installed wirelessly. They’re usually powered by either solar energy or batteries.
Vegetation
When you do your nighttime walk-through, be sure to look for how your vegetation causes blind spots near entrances and windows. If you find that any foundation planting is potentially giving cover to a burglar, cut it back or relocate it.
Security system signs
A well-known trick for making a house look like a tougher target is to post security monitoring signs outside the home, even if you’re not actually subscribing to the service. More a psychological trick than an actual security measure, it’s been known to deter crimes of opportunity.
Focus on access points
Windows
Perhaps your home’s weakest points are its windows and the glass in its doors. While glass is necessary and desirable for letting much-needed light into a home, it’s inherently weaker than the wood, metal and stone of other surfaces. It’s usually the way robbers gain access to homes.
There are several things you can do to make your windows harder to break and get through. First, be sure your home’s windows close and lock properly. If they don’t, replacement windows are in order. Beyond that, you can secure first-floor windows with inconspicuous security bars that sit on the inside of your windows. These can prevent your windows from being slid open from the outside in the event you forget to lock them.
To prevent smashed-in windows, coat the inside of the glass with clear security film. It won’t prevent the glass from breaking entirely but will make it hard to smash. At the very least, it will slow a burglar down to the point of making detection far more likely. While it may cut back slightly on the crispness of the view from a window, it’s an inexpensive and highly effective way of preventing people from breaking into your home.
Security alarms on first-floor windows can also be a great investment, as they’ll alert you to any potential intrusion attempts. Some will even alert you on your phone when you’re away from home.
Doors
Hardening doors is another key part of securing your home. Strengthening doors can be expensive, particularly if you choose to replace existing doors with solid core ones that are more difficult to breach. There are lower-cost alternatives that can make a real difference in your door’s strength.
Installing a smart lock can help prevent the most obvious weakness of a door: forgetting to lock it. You can get a smart lock to lock automatically at a certain time of day or gain access to it from an app to lock it remotely. Ensuring your deadbolt is grade 3, the highest available, will also make your door a harder target.
You can also get an indoor security bar, for use while you’re home, which installs on the inside of your door and makes it virtually impossible to kick in. A door barricade will do a similar job.
What you need to buy for securing your home
Defiant 180-Degree White Solar-Powered Motion-Activated Outdoor Integrated LED Flood Light
Installing solar-powered motion-activated lights ensures every part of your home is well-lit. This deters would-be burglars, who prefer to work in darkness.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Blink Outdoor Wireless HD Security Camera
This camera allows you to get motion detection alerts on your phone and store video of your home when you’re not around. It’s easy to install with no wiring or professional help.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
Ring Alarm 8-Piece Home Security System
A good starter, this easy-to-install security system offers window sensors and a motion detector. It’s compatible with Alexa and can be set up with 24/7 monitoring.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
A low-cost way to deter would-be burglars. Most effective when used in conjunction with other “site hardening” techniques like motion-activated lighting and window guards.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Lock-it Block-it High-Impact Plastic White Security Burglar Bar
This easy-to-install, low-cost window burglar bar makes a window impossible to open from the outside, keeping you safe.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
VViViD 8MIL Security Window Film
Installing this window film on the inside of glass accessible from the ground outside your home makes it much harder to smash to gain entry. It goes on easily with a minimum of work and is remarkably effective.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Lock or unlock this from anywhere in the world you’ve got internet access, for the peace of mind that comes from being able to check if your door is locked at any time of the day or night. Pair this with a door motion sensor for added peace of mind.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot
Master Lock 265D Door Security Bar
Instantly increase your door’s security with this bar that prevents forced entry by jamming the door from the inside. The simple but effective construction makes it easy to use. Stock up on extras to use in hotels while traveling.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Maria Andreu writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which healthy cookware is best?
Now more than ever, it’s crucial to pay attention to everything that goes into your body — and not just the food you eat. With some nonstick surfaces getting negative attention for their use of potentially dangerous chemicals, it may be time to re-evaluate what’s in your kitchen cabinets, too.
When you’re ready to replace your old pots and pans with healthy cookware, you’ll need a set that’s safe and functional. The GreenPan Hard Anodized Healthy Ceramic Nonstick Set uses a material derived from sand to create a smooth, nonstick interior surface.
What to know before you buy healthy cookware
Full set vs. individual pots and pans
Whether you are swapping over to healthy cookware or stocking a kitchen from scratch, you’ll need to consider if you’d like to purchase pans individually or start with a set. If your budget is tight, you might lean toward purchasing one or two pans at a time. This also allows you to focus only on the cookware that you use most.
However, a full set of pans is often cheaper than buying each pan individually. This also allows you to instantly build your cookware collection. On the other hand, some cooks purchase a set and then realize that they only use one or two pans. Consider your cooking style and your needs before deciding between a full set or individual pots and pans.
Cook surface
While people with gas and electric stoves take it for granted that every pot or pan that they encounter will work on their cooktop, those with an induction stove know better. Induction stoves use magnets to heat magnetic metals in the pots and pans. For this reason, not every type of cookware will work on an induction cooktop.
Aluminum, glass and copper cookware will not work on an induction stove. If your heart is set on these materials, make sure that they are combined with some sort of magnetic material or they will not heat.
What to look for in quality healthy cookware
Nontoxic
All surfaces should be free of PFAS, PFOA, lead and cadmium. These poisonous coatings can leach into food as it’s cooking. Healthy cookware manufactured without these chemicals is safe even if pans are heated above their oven-safe threshold.
Oven safe
If you typically move from stovetop to oven, you want to make sure your pans are safe to the temperatures you need. Look for oven-safe temperatures to at least 500 degrees.
Lids
While not all pans will come with lids, they are very helpful when cooking food that splatters and splutters on your stove. Some lids are glass for easy viewing, while others are made of stainless steel.
Regardless of the material you choose, check to be sure that they are oven-safe. Many are, but they may not be safe to the same temperature as the pan they cover.
Accessories
Some healthy cookware sets include accessories, too. These might include:
- Slotted spoons
- Serving pieces
- Steamer baskets
- Strainers
Look for accessories that are stainless steel (or labeled as BPA-free if plastic).
How much you can expect to spend on healthy cookware
The price tag depends on the number of pieces you purchase. For a set of 10 or more pots and pans (and accessories), expect to spend $150-$200.
Healthy cookware FAQ
Can’t you just use cast iron?
A. When it comes to healthy cookware, cast iron is one of the best. The main issue with this durable material is that it can be difficult to care for. Pots and pans require occasional seasoning to restore a fading nonstick surface.
Additionally, even the smallest cast-iron pans are very heavy. For cooks with hand pain or difficulty lifting, just getting the pan out of the cabinet can be challenging.
Modern healthy cookware is lightweight and just as safe as cast iron.
How do you care for healthy cookware?
A. Care and maintenance will vary depending on the material of your cookware. Check with the manufacturer’s directions.
In general, most cookware should be hand-washed in hot, soapy water with mild detergent. A gentle plastic scrubbing sponge can be used to remove stubborn dried food, or allow the pan to soak in hot water before cleaning.
Unless the pan is specifically marked, do not clean it in the dishwasher. Hand-washing prolongs the life of your pots and pans and protects the nonstick surface.
What’s the best healthy cookware to buy?
Top healthy cookware
GreenPan Hard Anodized Healthy Ceramic Nonstick Set
What you need to know: This is a great starter set for the beginning home cook.
What you’ll love: It has 11 pieces, including 1- and 2-quart saucepans with covers, a 5-quart covered casserole, two frying pans, a 3-quart covered skillet and a steamer basket. The cookware is safe to 600 degrees (lids to 425) and it’s free of PFAS, PFOA, lead, and cadmium.
What you should consider: These do not work on induction stoves.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top healthy cookware for the money
Farberware Go Healthy Nonstick Cookware
What you need to know: This is a durable set for everyday use.
What you’ll love: QuiltSmart nonstick coating means less fat is needed for food to release easily. It’s free from all toxic coatings and chemicals. This 14-piece set includes not only pots and pans but also cooking utensils like slotted spoons, ladles and grill pans. The lids are glass with riveted handles.
What you should consider: The pots and pans are only oven safe to 350 degrees.
Where to buy: Sold by Macy’s
Worth checking out
Homichef Nickel-Free Stainless Steel Cookware Set
What you need to know: This set is beautiful, functional and affordable.
What you’ll love: This set of 10 pans includes some of the most commonly used pieces, including two covered saucepans, one 7-quart covered stockpot, two covered frying pans and a covered saute pan. It heats evenly and is safe for every type of stove top — including induction burners.
What you should consider: Because they have no nonstick coating, pots and pans need to be seasoned.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/cookware-br/best-healthy-cookware/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:15 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/cookware-br/best-healthy-cookware/ |
Which DeWalt drill is best?
The DeWalt company started in the mid-1920s and has been making drills and more ever since. It has specialty drills for almost any possible need, including right-angle drills for hard-to-reach areas and hammer drills for getting through tough materials. For first-time do-it-yourselfers, it’s hard to go wrong with its standard drill.
The best DeWalt drill is the DeWalt 20-Volt Max Cordless Drill Combo Kit. It includes two types of drill, each with its own battery; a battery charging plate; and a bag to keep it all together.
What to know before you buy a DeWalt drill
Types of DeWalt drill
DeWalt makes many types of drills, but the most commonly purchased are the standard, right-angle, impact and hammer drills.
- Standard drills are the do-it-all drill for the do-it-yourselfer. They’re compatible with a multitude of accessories that let you accomplish the widest range of tasks.
- Right-angle drills are similar to standard drills, except their body curves to 90 degrees. This lets you tackle jobs that would otherwise be impossible.
- Impact drills are also similar to standard drills, except they have much higher torque for handling tough-to-turn nuts and bolts.
- Hammer drills pound forward while rotating to help push your screws and bolts into hard materials such as concrete.
Corded vs. cordless
Corded and cordless drills are the same overall product, but there are a few differences.
- Corded drills don’t have to worry about running out of power, and they’re also able to capitalize on an outlet’s electricity to provide the strongest drilling. The cord does limit your locations, however, and can get in the way.
- Cordless drills use either DeWalt’s “Max” or “FlexVolt” batteries. Max batteries come in either 12- or 18-volt powers while a FlexVolt battery can be switched between 20 and 60 volts of power at will. They can also be combined to reach 108-volt strength, almost as powerful as a corded drill.
What to look for in a quality DeWalt drill
LED light
Some DeWalt drills have LED lights around the tip so you can better see your target. They are surprisingly bright and eliminate the need to balance a light source.
Revolutions per minute
Rpm measures how fast your drill can spin, and most DeWalt drills have variable rpms of 300-1,500. Slow speeds are better for precision, fast speeds for power.
Beats per minute
Hammer drills have a second measurement that relates how many times it will impact your target bpm. The higher the bpm, the better it’s able to drill.
Torque
Torque is a measurement of how powerfully your drill can twist. The harder the material you need to drill into, the more torque you need.
Tool Connect
Some DeWalt drills have Bluetooth compatibility, called “Tool Connect.” This system lets you find misplaced drills around your shop, receive diagnostic information, customize the drill and even render it unusable if it “walks away.”
How much you can expect to spend on a DeWalt drill
Depending on its type and power, DeWalt drills can cost $50-$500. Standard drills are the most affordable, topping out around $150. Right-angle, impact and hammer drills top out around $300, $400 and $500, respectively.
DeWalt drill FAQ
How do I know what parts will work with my DeWalt drill?
A. DeWalt’s website maintains a list of its products, with many including diagrams that precisely show which parts are compatible with which drills.
How do I find authorized repair centers for my DeWalt drill?
A. Again, the DeWalt website has your answers. There, you can find a section where you can input your zip code or city and state to pull up a list of repair centers.
What does it mean when DeWalt drills are designated ‘XR’?
A. DeWalt’s XR tools typically have more advanced systems, such as LED lights with several modes rather than just on/off. They often use less energy, too, so your batteries last at least a little bit longer.
What’s the best DeWalt drill to buy?
Top DeWalt drill
DeWalt 20-Volt Max Cordless Drill Combo Kit
What you need to know: This combo kit is a fresh do-it-yourselfer’s dream.
What you’ll love: The DCD771 drill has a three-speed transmission that can reach up to 450 or 1,500 rpm with 300 unit watts out. The DCF885 drill is ultra-small and lightweight for tackling tasks in hard-to-reach spots and uses a three-LED-light ring to illuminate its target.
What you should consider: It’s a big investment but consumers agree it’s worth the money. A few had issues with low battery life.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Top DeWalt drill for the money
DeWalt 20-Volt Max Cordless Drill Kit
What you need to know: It’s a simpler kit for simpler tasks.
What you’ll love: The drill is the same DCD771 included in the combo kit, plus it includes two batteries, a battery charging cradle and a carrying case. The drill grips bits tightly using a half-inch single sleeve ratcheting chuck and it has an ergonomic handle.
What you should consider: A few reviewers had issues with batteries failing to charge or failing to hold a charge as long as they should.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
DeWalt 20-Volt Max XR Brushless Drill – Bare Tool
What you need to know: This is an excellent addition for those who already have DeWalt products.
What you’ll love: It uses a brushless motor and a 20-volt two-speed transmission that can reach rpms of up to 550 or 2,000. It’s small at only 6.9 inches long and ultra-lightweight at only 3.4 pounds. The handle is ergonomic, and it has LED lights with several lighting modes.
What you should consider: A few people had issues with the chuck failing to grip bits as it should. Others had problems with high speeds causing uncomfortable vibration in the handle.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/drills-br/best-dewalt-drill/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:23 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/drills-br/best-dewalt-drill/ |
Which electric chainsaw is best?
Whether you’re working deep in the woods clearing land or simply cleaning up brush around your home, an electric chainsaw can make a daunting task easier. These environmentally friendly yard tools clear brush and downed trees, and they make short work of other large landscaping tasks.
The Makita-UC3551A Chainsaw has all the power without any gas-guzzling. It’s easy to operate and a good choice for felling trees up to 14 inches in diameter.
What to know before you buy an electric chainsaw
Corded or cordless
Electric chainsaws come in either corded or cordless options.
- Corded: Corded chainsaws are lightweight, rarely weighing more than 5-6 pounds. They are quiet, easy to start and produce zero emissions. On the other hand, they are not as durable as cordless electric chainsaws, and your cutting range is limited.
- Cordless: Cordless, battery-powered chainsaws are also easy to use and don’t give off the emissions you find with gas-powered models. They can also be used out in the bush, away from a power source. But they are heavier than corded models, cost more and need to be charged. Cordless chainsaws are often less powerful than corded.
Bar size
The bar size refers to the length of the metal plate that holds the chain, and it influences the type of cutting you can do with your saw. Most chainsaws designed for residential use have a bar between 12-16 inches. The 12-inch bars are best for cutting brush, bushes and small trees. If you need to cut a slightly larger tree for firewood, a 14-inch bar is your best bet. If you want an all-around tool for all types of wood, a 16-inch chainsaw will do the trick.
Power
Manufacturers measure power in amps. They range from 8-15 amps, and the higher the number, the more power you’ll get. While it’s nice to have extra power occasionally, there’s no sense in spending money for more power unless you’re cutting down trees on a regular basis.
What to look for in a quality electric chainsaw
Auto-oiling
Automatic oiling is a feature that allows you to keep working without the risk of your chainsaw overheating or getting stuck. The only thing you need to do is make sure there is oil in the chainsaw’s reservoir.
Automatic tensioner
You may want an electric chainsaw with an automatic tensioner, which senses when the chain is getting loose and tightens it appropriately. This keeps the chain on the bar and prevents a potentially serious accident.
Ergonomic grip
Cutting wood can be hard on your hands. Look for padded, ergonomic grips to keep you comfortable throughout your work.
Safety features
Operating any kind of chainsaw can be quite dangerous. Safety features like handguards and auto shut-off provide an extra layer of protection.
How much you can expect to spend on an electric chainsaw
The price depends on the brand, size and how much power it has. Expect to spend between $50-$250 on a quality electric chainsaw.
Electric chainsaw FAQ
How do you safely operate a chainsaw?
A. Chainsaws can cut through thick bark and wood incredibly easily. This same power makes them extraordinarily dangerous to work with, but a few safety precautions can help.
- Wear chainsaw chaps or pants: These have a special fabric in the thigh that protects against cuts if a chainsaw slips from a log.
- Wear other safety gear: Other safety gear includes a helmet, eye and ear protection, long sleeves, gloves and steel-toe boots.
- Stay sober: Do not operate a chainsaw under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This includes prescription medication that dulls your reflexes.
- Operate the chainsaw correctly: Do not start the chainsaw when it is resting on your body. Don’t carry it while it’s running or leave it unattended.
- Work with a buddy: Never operate a chainsaw alone.
- Move slowly: Don’t rush. Many preventable accidents occur when chainsaw operators are working too quickly.
What is the largest diameter wood an electric chainsaw can cut?
A. This depends on the size of the bar and the power of the chainsaw. Most chainsaws with a 14-inch bar and 15 amps can easily cut a tree that is 14 inches in diameter.
What’s the best electric chainsaw to buy?
Top electric chainsaw
What you need to know: The power of this saw rivals gas-powered chainsaws of the same size.
What you’ll love: This high-performing chainsaw gets the job done. The rubber grip is comfortable and easy to hold, and the overall operation is straightforward. You can easily check the oil levels through a glass window.
What you should consider: The only downside of this chainsaw is it’s a bit expensive.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Top electric chainsaw for the money
Worx WG303.1 Electric Chainsaw
What you need to know: This electric chainsaw has some of the same features you’ll find on more expensive models.
What you’ll love: It is an affordable, entry-level chainsaw. It is self-lubricating for smooth operation and features a molded grip for more comfortable use.
What you should consider: Spare and replacement parts are hard to find, and some users report problems with reliability.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
Black and Decker 40V Max Cordless Chainsaw
What you need to know: This is a good choice for homeowners who want to clear trees and brush in all kinds of conditions.
What you’ll love: The low-kickback bar and chain make cutting smooth and effortless. Chain tension adjusts easily without tools. A front handguard and lock-off button increase safety.
What you should consider: The 12-inch bar might be a little short for big jobs. Users noticed they had to charge the battery often.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/saws-br/best-electric-chainsaw/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:30 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/saws-br/best-electric-chainsaw/ |
Which scroll saw is best?
Whether you’re trying to develop a new skill or are seeking to invest in more tools to improve your creative business, scroll saws are an excellent addition to your home workshop. Their easy slicing of wood and other materials lets you create fascinating works of art. There are low-powered models for beginners and high-cost and efficient models for professionals.
The best scroll saw is the Jet JWSS-18B Scroll Saw. It has integrated blade storage and a dust port for easy dust management.
What to know before you buy a scroll saw
How it works
Scroll saws hold a short blade between a top and bottom arm that moves up and down at high speeds. The user then slowly pushes their material against the blade to cut out their chosen shape.
Arm types
Scroll saws use one of three arm types: parallel, parallel link and C.
- Parallel arms are the most common. They hold blades nearly vertical and stop moving if the blade breaks.
- Parallel link arms are better but more expensive. They produce little vibration by converting horizontal motion into vertical motion.
- C arms are used in commercial scroll saws. They cut in a slight arc but are dangerous due to their tendency to continue running even if the blade breaks.
Capacity
There are two elements of capacity: throat depth and cut thickness.
- Throat depth is the length between the blade and the back of the saw’s frame. Most have depths of 14-18 inches, but top-of-the-line saws can have depths as deep as 30 inches.
- Cut thickness is rarely different from roughly 2 inches.
What to look for in a quality scroll saw
Speed
Speed is measured in strokes per minute. Today’s scroll saws have variable speeds that let you cut at your own pace or make slicing through any given materials easier. The average range of speeds available is between 400 to 1,600 SPM, with the best saws letting you take advantage of the full range.
Lights
Being able to see what you’re sawing clearly is less about accuracy and more about safety. Better saws include working lights pointed directly at the saw. Others may include separate lights you can position freely.
Hands-free control
If you spend long hours at the scroll saw, you can increase your efficiency by using a foot pedal. These allow you to turn the saw off and on and adjust the speed. Some saws include them, but most need to be purchased separately.
How much you can expect to spend on a scroll saw
Scroll saws can cost anywhere between $100 and thousands of dollars. Entry-level options typically cost $250 or less, while professional models start around $500-$1,000. You can find many excellent models for $250-$500.
Scroll saw FAQ
What is blade tension and why is it important?
A. Blade tension needs to be set just right to cut through wood effectively without damaging the blade, wood and anything else in the blade’s path. It’s set by adjusting the blade tension knob. A blade that’s too loose will bend as you try to cut, leading to a high risk of breaking. A blade that’s too tight can mostly cut as intended, but the high stress will also lead to a high risk of breaking. Blade tension needs to be adjusted the more you use a blade, as it will stretch out from use. With practice, you’ll be able to set blade tension properly, quickly and easily.
Can I cut more than wood with a scroll saw?
A. if you have the appropriate blade, you can cut many other materials. Softer metals such as bronze, aluminum and brass can be cut, but not harder metals like steel and iron. You can also cut plastic and rubber, and even bone.
Where can I find designs to cut out with my scroll saw?
A. In all manner of places, from books to the internet. Scroll saw-focused websites are a great option for finding patterns and connecting to and learning from experienced scroll saw users.
What’s the best scroll saw to buy?
Top scroll saw
What you need to know: This has enough power for a professional without being too much for a beginner to handle.
What you’ll love: The arm can tilt 45 degrees to the left and right, and it has a throat depth of 18 inches. It has a removable dust port and includes an onboard dust blower for simple dust management. It also has adjustable leveling feet and can be hooked up to an optional foot switch.
What you should consider: It’s among the pricier saws. A few consumers were unhappy with the amount of vibration the motor causes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Top scroll saw for the money
What you need to know: This is a perfect starter saw. It has variable speed control that can be set between 400 and 1,600 strokes per minute and has a 16-inch throat depth.
What you’ll love: Thanks to the saw’s thumbscrew blade adapter, you can change the blades tool-free. It has a cast iron base, dust port, onboard storage and work light.
What you should consider: Professionals need more power and precision than this saw provides. A few consumers had issues with the work lights starting to strobe.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This is a good midrange saw for a more affordable price.
What you’ll love: The blade tension is easily adjustable, and the blades are simple to swap out. It operates smoothly and with little noise, plus consumers found the controls simple to understand. You can purchase it in packages with a stand, a light or both.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with the blade alignment becoming off-center. Others had issues with too much vibration at faster speeds.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/saws-br/best-scroll-saw/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:37 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/saws-br/best-scroll-saw/ |
Which roof snow rake is best?
If your climate is snowy in the wintertime (and sometimes in spring), you know how dangerous snow can be if it accumulates on your roof. All the extra weight can damage your roof, or it may suddenly slide off and hit you, your children or your pets. Roof snow rakes are an effective, simple tool for eliminating these dangers.
The best roof snow rake is the Garelick Aluminum Snow Roof Rake. It’s quite long and wide, plus the wheels protect your roof from scrapes and scratches.
What to know before you buy a roof snow rake
The pole
Roof snow rakes have long poles that extend above your roofline. There are three aspects to consider in a pole: material, length and extension type.
- Material: Most poles are made of aluminum because its lightweight, affordable and resistant to corrosion. Some companies also use fiberglass for roof snow rake poles.
- Length: Most poles can extend as far as 21 feet, while others only go up to 15 feet. Extra-long poles can extend to 24 feet or further.
- Extension: Most poles have segmented or telescoping features. Segmented poles are easier to store since you can break them down completely. Telescoping poles typically have more length control.
The blade
Roof snow rakes also consist of a blade. There are two aspects to consider: the width and material.
- Width: Most blades are roughly 24-inches wide. Some are shorter, around 16 inches. Smaller blades are slightly easier to use, but it takes longer to clear the snow since they cover less ground.
- Material: Most manufacturers make blades out of plastic or aluminum. These are low impact on your roof, lightweight and easy to lift. Some blades use steel, but these are heavy, and there’s a higher risk of harming your roof.
Assembly
All roof snow rakes require some assembly, which is usually limited to securing the blade to the pole and connecting the pole segments. Everything you need for assembly will be in the box, so you shouldn’t need any tools to put it together.
What to look for in a quality roof snow rake
Wheels
Some of the best roof snow rakes have wheels on either edge of the blade. These wheels provide several benefits, the largest being they prevent the blade from coming in direct contact with your roof. The wheels protect your roof from scratches and unintentional damage. It also makes it easier to move the rake up and down the roofline.
Slides
While slides are less common than wheels, some roof snow rakes have slides that wrap around the blade. These slides provide a slick surface for the snow to slide down. They also prevent snow from accumulating in your eaves and gutters.
How much you can expect to spend on a roof snow rake
Roof snow rakes typically cost $40-$100. Budget choices are rarely more than $50, and most midrange rakes cost $50-$80. The best rakes usually cost $100 or more.
Roof snow rake FAQ
Can roof snow rakes damage my roof?
A. Yes. If you don’t use your snow rake properly, you can scratch and damage your roof. Be gentle with the rake and try not to slam it down onto the rooftop. If you’re concerned about this, opt for a roof snow rake with wheels and plastic blades.
Are heated cables a good alternative to roof snow rakes?
A. Unfortunately, heated cables don’t offer the same results as roof snow rakes. Snow rakes scrape and shake off accumulated snow from the entire roof, while heated cables only wrap around your roof’s gutters or eaves. They are also quite expensive. Snow rakes may require more physical effort, but they are more effective in every way.
What is an ice dam?
A. An ice dam forms when the snow melts and drips onto the edge of your roof. It refreezes and continues to accumulate as the snow melts and then freezes again, forming a dam. Eventually, this can start to leak through your roof and into your home. They are a hassle to get rid of once they form, so make sure to scrape off your roof after each snowfall.
What’s the best roof snow rake to buy?
Top roof snow rake
Garelick Aluminum Snow Roof Rake
What you need to know: Perfect for any roof, this snow rake only weighs 6 pounds. The metal is both rust- and corrosion-proof.
What you’ll love: The three-piece segmented pole is 21 inches long. It has a 24-inch-wide blade that never touches your roof, thanks to the set of small plastic wheels.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with the wheels rolling incorrectly or breaking. It can also be a struggle to use in heavy snow.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top roof snow rake for the money
What you need to know: The lightweight aluminum telescoping pole on this quality snow rake can extend up to 21 feet.
What you’ll love: The blade head is 16 inches wide and uses a 15-foot-long oxford cloth tarp to guide snow off the roof, so it won’t gather in your eaves.
What you should consider: The tarp makes the rake a bit top-heavy and more difficult to handle.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This snow roof rake reaches a few inches longer than other rakes. The 24-inch blade can sweep out large swaths of snow, too.
What you’ll love: It’s made of polyethylene to prevent any damage to your roof. The aluminum poles segments are each 5 feet long, and when put together, it only weighs 4.2 pounds.
What you should consider: It isn’t as effective against thick and heavy snowfall. And when you extend to its longest length, it can be a little wobbly and hard to control.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/snow-tools-br/best-roof-snow-rake/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:44 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/tools-br-lawn-garden-br/snow-tools-br/best-roof-snow-rake/ |
Best barbecue grills that don’t use gas
Now that gas prices are reaching record levels, there’s never been a better time to invest in a non-gas grill. A large majority of options use charcoal as a heating source, which results in better flavor than gas, especially if you’re cooking meat. You’re not limited to charcoal, though. If you’re willing to spend a little longer cooking, pellet grills are also a viable option, although they work differently than charcoal grills.
Why is charcoal good for grilling?
All grills use both radiant heat and convection for cooking food, but charcoal grills rely on radiant heat more than gas grills do. When you’re grilling meat, the juices absorb the flavor of the meat itself as well as any seasonings on it. As those juices escape the steak, chicken or burger, they drip down onto the layer of red-hot charcoal. Those coals are considerably hotter than the burners and deflectors in gas grills, leading to instant vaporization of the flavorful and aromatic compounds in the juices. Those aromatic vapors then circulate around the meat, imparting their complex flavors.
How to make sure you get the most flavor possible
First, use self-lighting coals or lighter fluid and make sure every coal is fully lit and the flames are completely out.
For best results, give the flavorful vapors plenty of time to get to know the food on the grill. To do this, place the meat on the grill, let it sear lightly and keep the lid closed for a decent amount of the cooking time. The exception to this rule is if you’re cooking for a large group and plan to pack the entire grill with meat. In that case, the full spread of meat helps to trap the smoke all on its own.
Are non-gas grills good for smoking meat?
Charcoal grills and pellet grills are perfect for smoking meat, fish and other foods. To impart wonderfully smoky flavors using a standard charcoal grill, all you need is a smoker box and some wood chips. Just put some high-quality wood in the smoker box, and place it on top of the coals.
Because wood burns so quickly, it’s better to put the smoker box on a slightly cooler section of coals. Don’t put it directly on the bottom of the grill, or it won’t smoke. Contrary to one popular belief, soaking wood chips in water does nothing whatsoever to increase smoke volume or flavor. All the water does is slow down the wood’s combustion. Since the combustion is where the flavor comes from, all soaking wood chips does is slow down the process.
If you’re new to smoking and not familiar with specific wood flavors, consider a variety pack of wood chips to get used to the different flavor profiles.
How do pellet grills work?
A pellet grill consists of a cooking space complete with one or two grilles and a separate smoker box that uses an electric heating element to burn compacted wood pellets. Unlike charcoal grills, pellet grills work almost exclusively with convection instead of radiant heat.
Pellet grills take much of the guesswork out of smoking because their temperature is easy to regulate. However, they don’t get nearly as hot as charcoal grills, so you’ll likely need to sear your meats before or after smoking. Pellet grills also take considerably longer. However, that added time means the end result is usually far more flavorful and tender.
Best non-gas grills
It’s one of the most recognizable, straightforward and affordable options. With proper care, it should last for years.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
This is the premium version of the Weber classic. It has a slightly sturdier build plus better ash management and significantly improved ventilation.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Char-Griller E1416 King-Griller
If you don’t need a ton of volume, this compact model lets you make the most out of your coals and wood chips by concentrating the aromatic smoke in a small barrel.
Sold by Amazon
Kamado grills like this one sport thick walls that retain a significant amount of heat and a tightly sealing lid that ensures you don’t lose any valuable flavor.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
This kamado grill offers great performance at a reasonable price. It also has a decent amount of workspace for prepping and plating meats.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
With 450 square inches of cooking space and surprisingly good build quality, this pellet grill is as good as the ones from more well-known brand names but doesn’t cost as much.
Sold by Amazon
From the original pellet grill manufacturer, this massive smoker is perfect for big parties and boasts the most advanced features available.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/patio-br/grilling-outdoor-cooking-br/non-gas-grills-to-fuel-your-backyard-barbecue-as-pump-prices-soar/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:51 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/patio-br/grilling-outdoor-cooking-br/non-gas-grills-to-fuel-your-backyard-barbecue-as-pump-prices-soar/ |
Choosing the best doghouse for summer
Doghouses come in many shapes and sizes, so what works for one breed of dog won’t work for another. Some also come with features, such as windows for ventilation or an overhang for extra shade, that make them better for hot days. Whatever style of doghouse you choose, make sure it has what your pet needs and can protect it from the elements.
What to know before you buy a doghouse for summer
Coverage
According to PetMD.com, heavy exposure to ultraviolet light can cause your dog to get a sunburn. This is generally characterized by red, dry or cracked skin. In severe cases, it could lead to hair loss, skin ulcers or skin infections.
Choose a doghouse that offers enough coverage to protect your dog from the sun. Make sure it doesn’t have large gaps in the roof or along the sides so the sun doesn’t get in.
Material
The main structure of most doghouses is either wood or plastic. Some also use insulating materials such as foam to keep the internal temperature consistent on hot days.
- Wood is best if you live in a humid environment, as it breathes well and prevents moisture from building up. If it’s coated with epoxy, it should also be resistant to wear and tear from the wind, rain or falling debris.
- Plastic is ideal in places with low to moderate levels of humidity. It’s also usually more durable than wood. Plus, it is easier to clean, making it convenient for people with dogs that track mud in.
If it rains a lot in the summer where you live, consider getting a specialty doghouse. Those that use asphalt or stainless steel in the roof and exterior are effective at keeping water from coming in.
Design
Most doghouses have a slanted or A-frame roof, though some have a dome shape or flat roof. In terms of design and color, there are many options. For example, one doghouse might have a dark green roof and trim with beige sides. Another could look similar to a wood cabin or have a lot of open space for natural lighting and airflow.
Size
A doghouse should be large enough for your pet to comfortably stand up, lay down and turn around in. The dog should also be able to stretch without hitting the sides of the structure. If the doghouse is too small, it could cause your pet undue discomfort or stress.
If you’re not sure what size to choose, start by measuring your dog from the base of its tail all the way to the tip of its nose. Multiply this measurement by two to find the length of the house. Then, multiply it by three for the width.
Next, when the dog is standing upright, measure it from its paw to the top of its head. Multiply this number by 1.75 to get a good baseline of how high the ceiling should be inside the house.
For the door size, use a tape measure to determine the distance from the ground to the top of your dog’s shoulder. Also, calculate the width across its chest. Add a few inches if your pet is still growing or has trouble with small spaces.
If you plan to add a dog bed or let your pet bring dog toys into the house, account for that when determining which size doghouse to get.
Airflow
Traditionally, doghouses let air in through the front door. However, many modern models also feature air vents on the sides, back and above the door for extra ventilation.
Having proper airflow and ventilation is important considering the doghouse is meant for summertime use. Not only does it keep odors down, but it can also keep your pet cool on hot days.
Best doghouses for summer
Petsfit Weatherproof Wooden Outdoor Doghouse
Available in light gray, red and yellow, this wooden outdoor doghouse is a great choice for almost any breed. It comes in three sizes, making it ideal for puppies or adult dogs. It has spruce panels and asphalt shingles for significant weather protection. Plus, if you use the adjustable feet, it has nice airflow through the base. The weight limit is 80 pounds.
Sold by Amazon
Destar Durable Waterproof Plastic Pet Doghouse
This doghouse comes in two height options, 28 inches and 33 inches. It features two vents, one at the front and one at the back, that dissipate hot air and let the wind in. It’s constructed from tough polypropylene plastic and has a raised floor to keep it off the dirt. It’s best for medium or small breeds.
Sold by Amazon
Made from plastic, this doghouse comes in three sizes and has an elevated floor. It also boasts a built-in ventilation and drainage system. Plus, it’s easy to assemble without tools.
This option constructed of resin material is highly durable, making it great for outdoor use. It comes with several vents that help circulate the air, and the roof is thick enough to keep out the sun’s rays. The crowned floor has a channel around the edges to capture any water that makes its way inside.
Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
MidWest Homes For Pets Eillo Folding Outdoor Wood Doghouse
This wooden doghouse comes in three sizes, as well as three insulation kit sizes, and is a solid option for anyone who wants something well ventilated. It has an elevated base that increases the overall airflow and prevents water from getting trapped beneath it. It also has strategic gaps in the floor for additional cooling.
Trixie Small Natura Classic Outdoor Doghouse
This smaller doghouse comes in four sizes and is made of wood, metal and plastic. It has asphalt shingles for additional protection from the rain and wind. Plus, it comes with elevated plastic feet that provide extra ventilation from below.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
New Age Pet Ecoflex Bunk Style Doghouse
Constructed from nontoxic recycled plastic-wood polymer composite, this durable doghouse is ideal for dogs that weigh under 150 pounds. It is weatherproof, easy to clean and has an elevated floor.
Sold by Home Depot
Petmate Precision Extreme Outback Log Cabin Doghouse
Available in three sizes, this doghouse features a raised floor and a slanted asphalt roof that provides a great deal of protection from ultraviolet light. It’s a combination of wood and stainless steel, so it’s durable enough for most environments. It’s also lightweight enough to move around.
Sold by Amazon
A 4 Pet Outdoor Wooden Doghouse With Hinges
This option features a roof that can be opened for easy access to the inside. It’s made from stained wood and stainless steel. Plus, it has durable asphalt shingles. It’s also elevated for extra airflow on hot days.
Sold by Amazon
This elevated doghouse consists of breathable, water-resistant materials and has a tent-like design. It offers great air ventilation at the top and is lightweight.
Sold by Amazon
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Angela Watson writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/pets-br/housing-furniture-br/which-doghouse-is-best-for-summer/ | 2022-04-15T14:29:58 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/pets-br/housing-furniture-br/which-doghouse-is-best-for-summer/ |
Why and how players tape their lacrosse stick
Whether it is refusing to wash a particular piece of your uniform or eating the same food before every game, athletes have more than their fair share of superstitions. However, taping your lacrosse stick before playing is not one of them. While some players do it ritualistically to help center their focus before a game, if you want to play your best, it’s a necessity.
For it to be effective, however, it must be done the right way.
Why tape a lacrosse stick?
In sports such as baseball, basketball, football and rugby, ballhandling is a major factor in determining a player’s quality. In lacrosse, however, except for the goalkeepers, athletes never touch the ball with their hands. Instead, these players are rated according to their stickhandling capabilities. If a player cannot get a firm grip on their stick, they won’t be in full control of the lacrosse ball.
A lacrosse stick is a thin, hollow piece of lightweight metal or carbon fiber. They are often very smooth. Even textured lacrosse sticks can be difficult to hold and control when you’re wearing gloves or there is some precipitation.
To combat this inherent slickness, players carefully wrap the bottom portion of their stick in lacrosse tape — though athletic tape will work just as well. The wrapping gives the player the confident grip they need to perform best.
Benefits of taping a lacrosse stick
The main benefit of taping your lacrosse stick is to provide extra grip. However, there are a few other benefits of taping your lacrosse stick.
- Ritual: Taping your lacrosse stick before a game can be a ritualistic activity that helps a player mentally prepare. It puts them in the moment, gets them focused on the upcoming competition and can help them relax.
- Power: If you have a firmer, more confident grip, you can apply more power to your shots.
- Moisture: If the weather turns bad, any player who has tape on their stick has an immediate advantage.
- Positioning: If you tape your lacrosse stick, you know where to put your hands without even looking. Beginners can use tape so they know where to place their hands when holding, catching and shooting.
The standard way to tape a lacrosse stick
The most popular way to tape a lacrosse stick is to start at the butt end of the stick with one straight wrap. On the second wrap, start spiraling the tape up the shaft.
On each turn, overlap the tape slightly — by a quarter- to a half-width — making sure there are no gaps in coverage. As you wrap, keep the tape tight and even. Continue doing this until you get a quarter way up the stick.
Finish with a couple of straight turns. This is called a standard quarter wrap. If you prefer a longer grip area, you can wrap to your preference, although most players do not go beyond half the shaft. This is called a half box wrap.
Two other lacrosse stick taping styles
While these methods are not nearly as popular, you can use a candy-cane wrap or a crisscross wrap.
- Candy-cane wrap: Start and finish the same way you would for a standard wrap. However, leave a gap between tape passes so your stick looks like a candy cane.
- Crisscross wrap: Perform a candy-cane wrap, then repeat in the opposite direction to create a crisscross pattern on your stick.
Tips for taping your lacrosse stick
- To get the best adhesion, clean your lacrosse stick before applying tape.
- Always start at the butt of the stick.
- Be patient when wrapping to make sure the tape lies flat on the stick.
- If you do not like a tacky feeling, don’t wrap your stick just before a game. If you want to remove some of the tackiness, wear gloves and hold the stick tightly while twisting in the direction of the spiral wrapping. This should remove some of the adhesive.
- To get the smoothest application, after wrapping your stick, briefly run a hair dryer over the tape and press down on the edges. This should eliminate any fraying.
What you need to buy to tape a lacrosse stick
Lizard Skins DSP Camo Lacrosse Wrap
This lacrosse tape is patterned to create an enhanced grip. It features a camo design so you can add a personal flair.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
This two-pack is a good value for people who use a lot of tape. It is precut for players who prefer using thinner strips of tape.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods
This roll of lacrosse tape is precut in 1-inch and half-inch bands. It’s an affordable way to get the job done.
Where to buy: Sold by Dick’s Sporting Goods
If you prefer wrapping your stick in something other than white tape, this black tape is an appealing alternative. It’s precut for the player’s convenience.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/lacrosse-br/how-to-tape-a-lacrosse-stick/ | 2022-04-15T14:30:05 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/lacrosse-br/how-to-tape-a-lacrosse-stick/ |
Which garden gloves with claws are best?
Digging in the dirt is one of life’s great pleasures. Whether you farm for a living or harvest microgreens from a container garden on a tiny urban balcony, growing your own plants is deeply satisfying. What is not so satisfying is digging the dirt out from under your nails or patching up tiny cuts caused by stray debris in the soil.
Protecting your hands with garden gloves goes well beyond preserving your perfect manicure, and if you want to dig in packed soil you’ll need some garden gloves with claws. Nnbb Garden Gloves With Claws are comfortable and really turn the soil over.
What to know before you buy garden gloves with claws
Material
Gardening gloves come in a wide variety of materials, including:
- Leather
- Plastic
- Fake leather
- Cotton
While it is possible to find them in other materials, garden gloves with claws come most often in a flexible combination of latex and plastic. The gloves are thick, waterproof latex, and the claws are made from plastic.
Comfort
Even though the primary use of garden gloves with claws is to protect your hands as you dig deeply into the soil, you’ll want to also consider your comfort. Since most of these gloves are made with plastics, things can get sweaty fast.
What to look for in quality garden gloves with claws
Before purchasing gloves, consider how often you garden and for how long. This will determine what features are most important for you.
Breathable
Since most people garden in warmer weather, look for breathable gloves to keep things cool. Some garden gloves with claws feature breathable, stretchy fabric on the back of the hand.
Multiple sizes
It should go without saying that your gloves should be comfortable, but some gardeners suffer through their chores in poorly fitted gloves. Some gloves labeled one-size-fits-all may prove too large or small. If you have had trouble with poorly fitting gloves in the past, stick to kinds with more size options.
Adequate length
Don’t waste your money on garden gloves that stop at the base of your hand. These will not offer protection from sharp sticks or brambles as you dig in dirt. The best garden gloves with claws have cuffs that extend at least 3 inches past the base of your hand. This also lets you tuck them neatly into a long-sleeved shirt — a good thing when you’re working in an area with poison ivy.
Removable claws
With removable claws, you can turn any pair of gardening gloves into a digging machine. And because the claws are so sturdy, chances are good you’ll wear out your gloves before the claws are done. If they are removable, simply transfer them to another pair.
How much you can expect to spend on garden gloves with claws
This is one of the most affordable pieces of safety gear you’ll ever buy. A pack of two or more pairs costs $10-$40.
Garden gloves with claws FAQ
Do you have to wear gloves when you garden?
A. It’s entirely optional. However, even the cleanest soil can harbor dangerous bacteria. The most common is toxoplasmosis, which is a bacteria found in animal feces. Most gardeners will not contract a serious infection when coming into contact with toxoplasmosis. However, if you are pregnant or immunocompromised, it can be quite serious.
Wearing gloves in the garden also protects your hands from scrapes, scratches and cuts. If you are working in a reclaimed garden area, you won’t have to worry about coming into contact with sharp debris.
Can garden gloves with claws go in the washing machine?
A. It depends on the material. Leather garden gloves should not, but other materials may be washer-safe. Leather gloves can be wiped clean with a damp paper towel, then conditioned using a leather soap or conditioning cream. Check the label on your gloves for care instructions.
If the claws are removable, they can likely be rinsed with hot water.
What are the best garden gloves with claws to buy?
Top garden gloves with claws
What you need to know: These are no-frills gloves that get the job done.
What you’ll love: These one-size-fits-all gloves are unisex, waterproof and flexible. The latex is resistant to cuts and rinses off easily. They come with a carrying case and their bright green color is easy to spot if you drop them.
What you should consider: Latex isn’t breathable, so if you’re working in hot weather, hands can get sweaty.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top garden gloves with claws for the money
What you need to know: With this pack you can buy a pair of work gloves for every gardener in your family.
What you’ll love: They’re unisex and come in small, medium and large. There are five pairs of gloves and two sets of claws (eight claws total). Palms and fingers are made of eco-friendly latex foam. A longer cuff protects wrists.
What you should consider: These run large, and even the small sizes may not fit very petite gardeners.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Use a pair and keep a spare — each set has its own claws.
What you’ll love: The gloves are puncture-resistant on the palms and fingers, and the claws are durable plastic. Stretchy fabric on the back of the hand keeps things cooler. They come in three colors and rinse clean. The claws can be removed and used on other gloves too.
What you should consider: Some users report that these gloves run large. Measure your hands carefully and check the glove measurements before purchasing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/tools-br/best-garden-gloves-with-claws/ | 2022-04-15T14:30:12 | 0 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/br/tools-br/best-garden-gloves-with-claws/ |
Choosing the best air mattress for guests
When guests come to stay, finding a good spot for them to sleep can be a challenge. A quality air mattress offers more comfort and support than they’d get sleeping on a couch, plus there’s more flexibility over where you set it up.
You want your guests to have a comfortable stay, which is why it’s all the more important to choose a decent air bed. Ample support is vital for stays of more than a night or two, and picking one that doesn’t leak air significantly will keep your guests from waking up on the floor.
Do you need an air mattress for guests?
It’s a great option for anyone who wants to host guests but doesn’t have a spare room. Even if you do have a spare room, there may be times when you have more guests than beds, for instance, if your whole family descends on you at Thanksgiving. While adults can certainly sleep on air beds, they’re also ideal for kids’ sleepovers.
If you don’t feel comfortable asking guests to sleep on an inflatable mattress, you can always be the one to sleep on it, relinquishing your bed to your guest. That said, quality mattresses of this kind are comfortable.
Air mattress features
- Single-height vs. double-height: Single-height mattresses measure around 9 inches tall, while double-height ones measure roughly 16 to 24 inches tall. Single-height versions are affordable and quick to inflate. Double-height versions are more comfortable, especially for anyone who finds it hard to get down to and up from the floor, and you aren’t left touching the floor if they deflate a little during the night.
- Built-in pump: Many air beds meant for home use have built-in pumps. These pumps have power cords that you simply plug into an outlet for quick and easy inflation. Some even monitor air levels and top the mattress up during the night if necessary when you leave them plugged in.
- Size: You can choose sizes from twin to king. Twin and full sizes are great for people sleeping alone, while queen and king sizes are best for two adults sleeping in the same bed. Full mattresses can just about accommodate two adults if they don’t mind getting cozy, but it’s a better choice for a single adult or a couple of kids.
- Air coils: Air coils or air beams are reinforced areas inside the mattress that help provide even support. They’re especially important in double-height versions, as they’re prone to sagging in the center without air coils.
Best air mattresses for guests
Top single-height air mattresses
Intex Dura Beam Pillow Rest Classic Air Mattress
A great choice for tight spots or people without much storage space, this compact twin air bed packs down small and is quick to inflate with its built-in pump. The flocked top and raised pillow rest end create a comfortable sleeping surface.
Sold by Amazon
Active Era Luxury Air Mattress
While this one doesn’t have a built-in pump, an electric pump is included for quick and easy inflation. It’s available in either twin or queen sizes.
Sold by Amazon
Aria Queen Inflatable Air Mattress
Thanks to the built-in battery pump, this inflatable mattress is just as well-suited to camping as it is to providing a bed for guests. It also has inflatable pillows. The flocked top is not only comfortable if your guest sleeps directly on it, but it also keeps sheets from slipping if you choose to use them.
Sold by Amazon
Coleman EasyStay 4-N-1 Air Bed
This air bed straddles the line between single-height and double-height. You can use it in single-height mode as two twin mattresses or one king mattress. You can also configure it as a single twin double-height mattress.
Sold by Amazon
Intex Dura-Beam Standard Single-High Air Bed Series
With its internal contoured support system, this mattress will keep guests comfortable for short to medium-length stays. It comes in twin, full and queen sizes. You can buy it without a pump, with a battery pump or with a built-in foot pump.
Sold by Amazon
EnerPlex Never-Leak Inflatable Mattress
Using the included air pump, this mattress takes roughly two minutes to inflate, so tired guests won’t need to wait long to hit the hay. It comes in twin and queen sizes with internal air coils for added support.
Sold by Amazon
Top double-height air mattresses
Intex Dura-Beam Series Pillow Rest Raised Air Bed
From a big name in inflatable mattresses, you can trust that this one is durable and supportive. You can choose between twin and queen sizes in both standard and deluxe versions.
Sold by Amazon
SoundAsleep Dream Series Air Mattress
Measuring 19 inches tall, this mattress is comfortable and easy to get on and off of. It comes in five sizes, and all of them have internal air coils for additional support, helping your guests get a good night’s sleep.
Sold by Amazon
SleepLux Durable Inflatable Air Mattress
This durable queen mattress has internal air coils for support and a pillow rest at one end. At a generous 22 inches tall, you’ll be pleased to know it comes with a built-in electric pump that inflates it in around five minutes, so you won’t have to spend hours with a foot pump blowing it up.
Sold by Amazon
King Koil Luxury California King Air Mattress
Thanks to its advanced air coil technology, this mattress is highly supportive. You can choose from three sizes: twin, queen and California king. There are also three height options: 13, 16 and 20 inches.
Sold by Amazon
Intex Dura Beam Elevated Fiber Tech Air Mattress
The inflatable headboard makes this mattress stand out from similar models. It is easy to inflate and deflate with the built-in pump and has Fiber Tech technology for added durability.
Sold by Amazon
Englander Luxury Double High Inflatable Bed
Made with a microfiber material, it’s thermoregulated so guests won’t get too hot at night. It inflates in less than three minutes and comes in twin, queen and California king sizes.
Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wane.com/reviews/which-air-mattress-is-best-for-guests/ | 2022-04-15T14:30:19 | 1 | https://www.wane.com/reviews/which-air-mattress-is-best-for-guests/ |
Ancient tombs discovered underneath Notre Dame
Published: Apr. 15, 2022 at 9:44 AM EDT|Updated: 44 minutes ago
(CNN) - Ancient tombs and statues have been discovered beneath Notre Dame Cathedral during the project to restore it.
Archaeologists carefully examined an area under the cathedral where they found statues, sculptures, tombs and pieces of original church architecture dating back to the 13th century.
Crews have been working to restore the church after it caught fire three years ago.
The excavation was a precautionary measure before scaffolding gets put up to restore part of the roof. That work can now get started after France’s National Archaeological Institute announced it has wrapped up the excavation.
The cathedral is on track to reopen to the public in 2024.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/ancient-tombs-discovered-underneath-notre-dame/ | 2022-04-15T14:30:45 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/ancient-tombs-discovered-underneath-notre-dame/ |
Mall store owner accused of shooting 9-year-old girl to be returned to California
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Southern California shoe store owner accused of shooting and wounding a 9-year-old girl when he opened fire at shoplifters agreed Thursday to be returned from Nevada to face charges in the case.
Police have said that Marqel Cockrell, 20, fled from the California desert city of Victorville in his car just after the girl, identified by family members as Ava Chruniak, was mistakenly hit by bullets on Tuesday as she waited to have her picture taken with a mall Easter bunny.
Cockrell, 20, stood in court and told a Las Vegas judge that he understood that California authorities had 30 days to extradite him. He was not represented by an attorney because Nevada does not provide lawyers for extradition cases.
Cockrell co-owns the shoe store Sole Addicts at the Mall of Victor Valley and was chasing two shoplifters about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when he fired shots that “instead hit the 9-year-old female victim,” Victorville police said in a statement.
The girl suffered three gunshot wounds, including two in an arm, her grandmother, Moraga-Saldarelli said. One of the bullets fractured an arm bone.
She was released from the hospital on Thursday but will require another operation to repair nerve damage, KCBS-TV reported.
“I will never forgive him. What he did to me is not OK,” Ava told the station from her bed at home. “No one should have a gun in the mall.”
Police have said that Cockrell drove from the mall before responding officers arrived after receiving reports of gunfire and that he was arrested in Nevada’s Clark County, about a three-hour drive from Victorville.
Cockrell is being held at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas. Authorities have said he faces at least one attempted murder charge. Records do not indicate if he has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/mall-store-owner-accused-shooting-9-year-old-girl-be-returned-california/ | 2022-04-15T14:30:51 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/mall-store-owner-accused-shooting-9-year-old-girl-be-returned-california/ |
Michigan lawmaker pleads guilty to DWI, aims for sobriety
A Michigan lawmaker who was arrested in February for driving drunk pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated this week
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan lawmaker who was arrested in February for driving drunk pleaded guilty to operating while intoxicated this week and hopes to be admitted into a sobriety program.
Rep. Mary Cavanagh, 30, was arrested in the early hours of Feb. 25 after driving with two flat tires and veering between lanes, according to the Livonia police report. By the time police took her to jail, the Redford Democrat's blood alcohol content tested at 0.2%, more than double the legal limit of 0.08%.
It was Cavanagh's second time being arrested by Livonia police for drunken driving, the first time being in 2015. That time she pleaded down to a lesser impaired driving charge.
Cavanagh will try to be admitted into sobriety court, which would require her to receive treatment to get sober and would allow her to potentially get her license back with restrictions, including a required car breathalyzer.
Her lawyer, Todd Perkins, told The Associated Press on Thursday that she intends to utilize her time in sobriety court to educate others on the path to recovery.
Most people who go through sobriety court have multiple offenses and they are selected for admission into the program based on the likelihood to succeed with help, Livonia City attorney Paul Bernier told the AP.
Sentencing for Cavanagh is scheduled for May 6, which is when she'll find out if she is admitted into the program.
In a statement on an Instagram story Thursday, Cavanagh said this experience has been a “wake-up” call for her and that she is going to work hard to regain the trust of those she represents.
“There is absolutely no excuse for my decision that night, and I am extremely grateful that no one was harmed, including myself," Cavanagh wrote.
___
Anna Liz Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Nichols reported from Lansing. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/michigan-lawmaker-pleads-guilty-dwi-aims-sobriety/ | 2022-04-15T14:31:00 | 1 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/michigan-lawmaker-pleads-guilty-dwi-aims-sobriety/ |
Police: 3 toddlers exposed to THC through daycare’s crackers; owner charged
STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (WWBT/Gray News) - A daycare owner has been charged after officials said three toddlers in her care were taken to the emergency room after eating “Goldfish”-type crackers infused with THC.
On March 2, deputies responded to a hospital after a report of several babies with THC exposure, WWBT reported.
Three children, all 1-year-old, were taken to Stafford Hospital Center after their parents observed lethargic and uncoordinated behavior as well as glassy, bloodshot eyes.
The hospital staff recognized the symptoms and confirmed through testing that each child was exposed to THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a high sensation, authorities said.
According to police, the three families were connected to a licensed home daycare provider.
Police said they searched the daycare and collected the crackers around the toddler’s high chairs. Lab results confirmed the crackers had THC in them, authorites
Child Protective Services were brought into the investigation, and the daycare voluntarily surrendered its license.
On Thursday, the daycare owner Rebecca Swanner, 60, turned herself in to authorities. She has been charged with three counts of cruelty and injury to children.
Swanner was released by the magistrate on a $2,000 unsecured bond.
Copyright 2022 WWBT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/police-3-toddlers-exposed-thc-through-daycares-crackers-owner-charged/ | 2022-04-15T14:31:06 | 0 | https://www.wnem.com/2022/04/15/police-3-toddlers-exposed-thc-through-daycares-crackers-owner-charged/ |
Biden picks Michael Barr for Fed's bank regulation post
President Joe Biden said Friday he plans to nominate Michael Barr, the dean of the University of Michigan's public policy school, to be the Federal Reserve's vice chairman of supervision.
The selection of Barr comes after Biden’s first choice for the Fed post, Sarah Bloom Raskin, withdrew her nomination a month ago in the face of opposition from Republicans and one Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia. Raskin's critics had argued that she would apply the Fed's regulatory authority to climate change and possibly discourage banks from lending to energy companies.
But with Barr, Biden noted the importance of politics in a Friday statement that said his nominee had previously cleared the Senate on a bipartisan basis.
"Michael brings the expertise and experience necessary for this important position at a critical time for our economy and families across the country," Biden said.
The Democratic president said that Barr "has spent his career protecting consumers, and during his time at Treasury, played a critical role in creating both the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the position for which I am nominating him."
Barr is the dean of Michigan's Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. He was an assistant Treasury secretary for financial institutions during the Obama administration who helped design the 2010 Dodd-Frank regulations after the devastating 2008 financial crisis.
Barr, a Rhodes Scholar who clerked for Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, also served during the Clinton administration at the White House, the Treasury Department and the State Department.
Despite those credentials, some liberal critics last year blocked Barr’s candidacy to become the Biden administration's comptroller of the currency, a position that is responsible for regulating national banks. These critics viewed with suspicion Barr’s role on the advisory boards of the financial firms Lending Club and Ripple Labs. They also asserted that he had helped dilute proposals for stricter bank regulations during the Obama administration.
But Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, the Democratic chairman of the Banking Committee, voiced full support for Barr.
"Michael Barr understands the importance of this role at this critical time in our economic recovery," Brown said. "I strongly urge my Republican colleagues to abandon their old playbook of personal attacks and demagoguery and put Americans and their pocketbooks first."
Others offer strong praise for Barr and say he appears well suited for the Fed position.
David Dworkin, president of the National Housing Conference, which advocates for affordable housing, suggested that Barr's understanding of Wall Street gives him the right mix of "centrist expertise and progressive policy views" to win confirmation in a closely divided Senate.
Barr would be joining the Fed at an especially challenging and high-risk period for the central bank and the economy.
The Fed is set to raise interest rates aggressively in the coming months to try to reduce persistently high inflation. Yet it will be extraordinarily difficult for Fed Chair Jerome Powell — who is awaiting Senate confirmation for a second term — to slow inflation by raising borrowing costs without also weakening the economy and perhaps even causing a recession.
"This is about landing a very complicated plane on the runway smoothly," Dworkin said. "It's very hard to do." | https://www.koat.com/article/biden-picks-michael-barr-feds-bank-regulation-post/39734956 | 2022-04-15T14:33:47 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/biden-picks-michael-barr-feds-bank-regulation-post/39734956 |
It's going to be a 'make-or-break' year for struggling craft brewers
For many of the nation's small and independent brewers, this year will prove to be a true test of their staying power.
Early data for 2022 shows that brewery closures are on the rise and some sales have been spotty, said Bart Watson, senior economist for the Brewers Association, craft beer's largest trade organization.
Related video above: Mobile canning helps craft brewers during pandemic
The pandemic and its ongoing effects, as well as the war in Ukraine, continue to drag down smaller brewers, who are battling climbing costs, rising rents, and seemingly interminable supply chain challenges, Watson said.
"2022 is going to be a make-or-break year for many breweries," he said earlier this month while delivering the results of the association's state-of-the-industry report.
During the first three months of 2022, at least 53 craft breweries shut their doors, up from 42 closures in the first quarter of last year. That still leaves some 9,100 breweries in operation, but more closures are expected.
After being hit hard in 2020, the U.S. craft beer industry started bouncing back last year. But this year, the outlook has grown hazier.
"We still had the government raining down helicopter money [in 2021]," Watson told CNN Business, referring to the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, a federal pandemic relief program offering aid to struggling restaurants, bars, breweries, wineries and similar businesses. "The [breweries] are going to have to stand on their own [now]."
The craft beer business was already experiencing some choppiness before the pandemic: In 2019, there were a record 300-plus closures, a reckoning after thousands of breweries had opened up in just a few short years.
"We may see increased closings, but it's not going to be a huge bubble burst," Watson said of this year's projections. "We were already moving toward a more mature place."
However, the current economic outlook -- and the war in Ukraine, which has played havoc with crucial commodities like wheat and barley -- "could accelerate that," he said.
That could mean an increase in consolidation and in brewers paring down, rethinking or shuttering operations, he said.
'Not clear sailing'
In North Texas, the Lone Star State has seen popular breweries close their doors in recent weeks, including Legal Draft Beer and Armadillo Ale Works, the Dallas Morning News and Denton Record-Chronicle first reported.
"Poor sales led to the accumulation of expenses and debt and although government assistance helped keep us afloat, we were unable to fully recover," Armadillo Brewing Company officials said in a Facebook post on March 27.
Texas brewers faced some unique challenges early on in the pandemic because they were initially classified as bars, which were targeted for shutdowns as part of Gov. Greg Abbott's COVID-19 measures, said Charles Vallhonrat, executive director of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild.
"Now we face a lot of the challenges a lot of hospitality groups face with supply chain issues and staffing -- keeping staff on board, being able to run at capacity, " he said.
The supply chain constraints span a number of products breweries rely on, with aluminum for cans and can availability as the biggest issue, Vallhonrat said. But it also extends to shipping costs, delivery timelines for equipment and even the branded glasses sold in brewery gift shops, he said.
It all adds up, especially if brewers are already on shaky ground, in debt or in a tenuous leasing situation.
"Things have to click for the brewery to be bringing in the revenue with visitors, with events," he said. "One hiccup, one bad delivery, one missed equipment, one bad batch, and you can be at risk. People are getting by, but it's not clear sailing right now."
Changes are brewing
This past weekend marked the final day of operation for Second Street Brewery at its namesake original location off 2nd Street in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Second Street had operated there for more than 25 years, but the lease renewal terms -- including higher rent -- were not favorable enough, said Rod Tweet, Second Street's president and brewmaster.
With two other taproom restaurants in the Southwestern arts hub, the company is "doing pretty solid business" and both breweries are "very busy," Tweet told CNN Business. "We're in pretty good health on the whole, but we pay attention to what's going on around us, too."
The company's restaurant footprint was a little too big for post-COVID times, he said. Not to mention the extent to which the lingering, cascading economic pressures have created an uncertain business climate.
This now includes the ripple effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on the price and availability of oil, food, lumber and other materials. The global crisis could put additional price and demand pressures on items used by brewers, such as wooden pallets and malted barley, Watson said.
"It's a good time to be super careful and super strategic because we're facing rising prices in pretty much everything," said Second Street's Tweet. "We're trying to think of where we want to be five years from now."
Beer as a path toward economic renewal
Despite uncertainty, optimism is brewing in places like Kansas City, Missouri.
That's where local musician Kemet Coleman is teaming up with craft brewers Woodie Bonds and Elliott Ivory to open Vine Street Brewing in the city's historic Jazz District. When Vine Street makes its debut in September -- an opening date already pushed back because of supply chain and construction delays -- it will be Kansas City's first Black-owned brewery.
Coleman was inspired to start a brewery after getting a job at Kansas City's venerable Boulevard Brewing nearly 10 years ago. He had also learned about the history of brewing in parts of Africa and the roles of Black women and female slaves in America's early beer industry. Coleman said he sees the potential in not only introducing craft beer to new consumers and educating them about the different styles of beer, but also in economic renewal.
Breweries are "great community builders," he said, noting that in downtown Kansas City he's seen breweries emerge and development follow. Vine Street hopes to serve as a community gathering place and offer historical tours and host local musicians and events.
In the Jazz District, "some of our most important milestones and moments and spaces have either been demolished or haven't really been taken care of," he said. "So I see beer in general, but also this brewery specifically, as a way to help bring back a community to not former glory but to a new place that everybody would enjoy and would be proud to boast about." | https://www.koat.com/article/make-or-break-year-struggling-craft-brewers/39728492 | 2022-04-15T14:33:57 | 0 | https://www.koat.com/article/make-or-break-year-struggling-craft-brewers/39728492 |
NOW. CREWS ROACSS NEW MEXICO ARE FIGHTING BACK. TRYING TO GET AHEAD OF THE NOW DEADLY WILIRESDF BURNING IN OUR STATE AS WE LEARNED TODAY AT LEAST TWO PEOPLE ARE NOW DDEA IN THE MCBRIDE FIRE THIS AFTERNOON. WE HAVE TEAM COVERAGE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATI OONN THESE FIRES THE IMPACT THE WEATHER IS HAVING AND WAYS YOU CAN HELP THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED. GOOD AFTERNOON. I’M RON BURKE. DARLENE IS ON ASSIGNMENT AND WE STARTED RUIDOSO WITH JOHN CARDINALE AND THE LATEST ON THE MCBRIDE FIRE. WHAT’S GOING ON JOHN? AHYE, RON. WELL, THE MCBRIDE FIRE HAS BEEN BURNING NOW FOR 48 HOURST A LAST CHECK. WE HEARD THAT 5700 ACRES HAVE BURNED OVER 200 HOMES LOST AND STILL ZERO PERCENT CONTAINMENT AND WE ALSO DID GET THAT UNFORTUNATE NEWS OVERNIGHT TWO PEOPLE ARE DEAD AS A RESULT OF ISTH FIRE. NOW. I’M GOING TO SPTE OUT OF THE WAY AND GIVE YOU A VIEW FROM OUR VANTEAG POINT HERE. WE’RE ACTUALL AY TOP OF A RIDGE AND YOU COULD GET A REAL CLEAR PICTURE HERE OFHE T FIRE LINE. YOU COULD SEE THE SMOKE OF THE FIRE MOVING IN A NORTHEAST. SHOULD NOW AS OF 6 AM TODAY A TYPE 1NC IIDENT MANAGEMTEN TEAM RELIEVED THE RUIDOSO FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THAT TEAM SHA 250 PEOP ONLE THE GROUND RIGHT NOW FIGHTING THE BZELA IN ADDITION FIVE HOT SHOT CREWS HAVE BEEN CALLED TO THE AREA NOW THOSE IN CHAR OFGE BATTLING THE FIRE SAY RUIDOSO’S FIRE DEPARTMENT DID A GOOD JOB OUT THERE THE LAST COUPLE OF YSDA I THINK OUR LOCAL INITIAL ATTKAC IN THE LOCAL TYPE 3 TEAMS. THEY’VE DONE A FANTASTIC JOB. THEY’VE SET US THEIR SUCCESS. WE’VE GOT DOZER LINES HAND LINES AREAS THAT THEY’RE ABLE TO PICK UP TODAY AND CONTINUE TO MAKE PROGRESS. NOW SO FAR 4,500 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EVACUATED FROM THEIR HOMES. THERE STILL IS NO CAUSE A TSO WHAT STARTED THIS FIRE REPORTING
McBride Fire kills elderly couple, burns 200+ homes
Updated: 8:22 AM MDT Apr 15, 2022
A wildfire burning near Ruidoso has burned more than 200 homes and has killed two people trying to flee the flames as evacuations were ordered. The fire started on Tuesday near Warrior Drive and Hull Road in Ruidoso. The fire spread very rapidly on Tuesday as strong winds in the area gusted to 80 miles per hour. As the flames spread, hundreds were evacuated from their homes with little notice, taking shelter at the Ruidoso Convention Center. As evacuations were ongoing, an older couple that was unaccounted for by their family were found dead in their home by police and fire officials. Police said the couple was trying to evacuate their Gavilan Canyon home before the home caught fire. Several homes were lost in the McBride, Gavilan Canyon, Fawn Ridge, Homestead Acres and Lower Eagle Creek neighborhoods. Mandatory evacuations remain in place for the following areas:Moon Mountain Area: High Loop, Lupin, Starlight etc.; Gavilan Canyon: From Highway 70 to Lower Eagle Creek; East of Hull: McBride, Snowcap, Timberline, Fawn Ridge etc. Homestead Acres/Lower Eagle Creek; Rancho Ruidoso Valley Estates, Deer Valley, Deer Park, and Alto East of Flute Player. The Ruidoso Convention Center is open to evacuees.A Type 1 fire team has taken command of the fire and will be working on structure protection and will also work to build containment lines around the fire. Many donations have poured in to help those impacted and evacuated by the McBride Fire. The Village of Ruidoso leaders said they have been overwhelmed with donations of food, water and clothes.
RUIDOSO, N.M. — A wildfire burning near Ruidoso has burned more than 200 homes and has killed two people trying to flee the flames as evacuations were ordered.
The fire started on Tuesday near Warrior Drive and Hull Road in Ruidoso. The fire spread very rapidly on Tuesday as strong winds in the area gusted to 80 miles per hour. As the flames spread, hundreds were evacuated from their homes with little notice, taking shelter at the Ruidoso Convention Center.
As evacuations were ongoing, an older couple that was unaccounted for by their family were found dead in their home by police and fire officials. Police said the couple was trying to evacuate their Gavilan Canyon home before the home caught fire.
Several homes were lost in the McBride, Gavilan Canyon, Fawn Ridge, Homestead Acres and Lower Eagle Creek neighborhoods.
Mandatory evacuations remain in place for the following areas:
- Moon Mountain Area: High Loop, Lupin, Starlight etc.; Gavilan Canyon:
- From Highway 70 to Lower Eagle Creek; East of Hull: McBride, Snowcap,
- Timberline, Fawn Ridge etc. Homestead Acres/Lower Eagle Creek; Rancho
- Ruidoso Valley Estates, Deer Valley, Deer Park, and Alto East of Flute
- Player. The Ruidoso Convention Center is open to evacuees.
A Type 1 fire team has taken command of the fire and will be working on structure protection and will also work to build containment lines around the fire.
Many donations have poured in to help those impacted and evacuated by the McBride Fire. The Village of Ruidoso leaders said they have been overwhelmed with donations of food, water and clothes. | https://www.koat.com/article/mcbride-fire-ruidoso-new-mexico/39734734 | 2022-04-15T14:34:08 | 0 | https://www.koat.com/article/mcbride-fire-ruidoso-new-mexico/39734734 |
Prince Harry, Meghan make surprise visit to queen at Windsor Castle
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan have visited Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle on their first joint visit to the U.K. since they gave up formal royal roles and moved to the U.S. more than two years ago.
The couple’s office says they visited the 95-year-old queen, Harry’s grandmother, Thursday on their way to the Netherlands to attend the Invictus Games. Harry is a founder and patron of the international sports competition for wounded military veterans.
Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals and moved to North America in 2020, citing the unbearable pressure of their roles and racist attitudes of the British media.
The couple, also known as the duke and duchess of Sussex, lost their taxpayer-funded police guard when they walked away, and Harry is suing the British government for refusing to let him pay for his own police security on his visits to the U.K. His lawyers say Harry wants to bring his children — Archie, who is almost 3, and 10-month-old Lilibet — to visit his home country but that it is too risky without police protection.
Harry and Meghan are expected to attend a reception in The Hague on Friday for the Invictus Games, which run from Saturday to April 22.
The visit to the queen came on Maundy Thursday, a day in the week before Easter that the queen for decades marked by distributing silver coins known as “Maundy money” to pensioners at a church service. This year the queen, who has been experiencing mobility issues in recent months and came down with COVID-19 in February, did not attend. She was represented by her eldest son, Prince Charles, and his wife Camilla.
The monarch also is expected to miss the royal family’s Easter Sunday church service. She has continued to perform royal duties, including virtual audiences with politicians and diplomats. | https://www.koat.com/article/prince-harry-meghan-surprise-visit-queen/39734186 | 2022-04-15T14:34:18 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/prince-harry-meghan-surprise-visit-queen/39734186 |
Ukraine's port of Mariupol holds out against all odds
Unbroken by a Russian blockade and relentless bombardment, the key port of Mariupol is still holding out, a symbol of staunch Ukrainian resistance that has thwarted the Kremlin's invasion plans.
More than six weeks after the Russian siege began, Ukrainian troops are continuing to fight the vastly superior Russian forces in ferocious battles amid the ruins of what once was a bustling city on the Sea of Azov coast.
The city's mayor says that an estimated 120,000 people remain in the city, of Mariupol’s pre-war population of about 450,000.
The Ukrainians' fight against all odds has scuttled Moscow's designs, tying up significant Russian forces and delaying the start of a planned Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine's industrial heartland, Donbas. The Kremlin hopes that an attack in the east could reverse the battlefield fortunes for Russia after a humiliating failure of its attempt to quickly storm the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.
Mariupol has been a key objective for Russia since the start of its invasion on Feb. 24. Capturing the city would allow Moscow to establish a land corridor to Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula that Russia annexed in 2014 and deprive Ukraine of a major port and prized industrial assets.
The giant Azovstal steel mill and other industrial plants have been heavily damaged by the ferocious Russian bombardment that has flattened much of Mariupol, indiscriminately hitting homes, hospitals and other public buildings and killing thousands.
The victims include about 300 people killed in last month's Russian airstrike on the Mariupol Drama Theater that was being used as a shelter and had the word “CHILDREN” printed in Russian in huge white letters on the pavement outside to ward off aerial attack.
Mariupol Mayor Vadym Boychenko told The Associated Press that at least 21,000 people were killed in Mariupol with bodies “carpeted through the streets.” He said that the Russians deployed mobile cremation equipment to Mariupol to methodically dispose of the victims' bodies in order to hide the evidence of the massacre and prevent international organizations from documenting "the horror the Russian army is responsible for.”
The discovery of hundreds of bodies of civilians apparently executed by Russian forces in Kyiv's suburbs after the Russian retreat from the area has fueled global outrage and accusations from Ukrainians and the West that Russia is committing war crimes in Ukraine.
Moscow has deployed fighters from Chechnya, known for their ferocity, to wage street battles in Mariupol. Chechnya’s Moscow-backed leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has repeatedly boasted on his messaging app channel about defeating Ukrainians in Mariupol, but the fight has continued.
Boychenko said that several Ukrainian units are still fighting the Russians in Mariupol, including the 36th Marine Brigade, the Azov Regiment, some Interior Ministry troops and border guards.
The Azov Regiment, a seasoned volunteer force that is widely considered one of the country’s most capable units, is defending the mammoth Azovstal steel plant that covers an area of nearly 11 square kilometers (over 4.2 square miles). It has taken advantage of the plant's sprawling network of concrete buildings and underground facilities to repel continuous Russian attacks.
The 36th Marine Brigade was maintaining defensive positions at the Azovmash and Zavod Ilyicha factories until it ran out of supplies and ammunition and made a desperate attempt to break through the Russian blockade earlier this week.
In a post on the brigade's Facebook page, one of its officers described the unit's heroic resistance, saying that “for more than a month, the marines have been fighting without replenishing amunition, food and water supplies.” “The wounded accounted for nearly a half of the brigade's strength, but those who still had their limbs and were capable of walking reported back to duty," the post said.
Boychenko said that some of the marines managed to join the Azov regiment, while others were captured by the Russians. He didn't give any numbers.
The Russian military said Thursday that a total of 1,160 Ukrainian marines surrendered this week, a claim that couldn't be independently verified.
As the Ukrainian troops continue to offer fierce resistance in Mariupol, fears have grown that the exasperated Russians could resort to chemical weapons to deal with the remaining pockets of resistance at the Azovstal plant and other areas of the city.
Eduard Basurin, a Russia-allied separatist official in eastern Ukraine, appeared to call for that Monday, telling Russian state TV that the Russia-backed forces should block all the exits out of the factory and then "use chemical troops to smoke them out of there.” He later said that no chemical weapons were used.
The Azov Regiment claimed Monday, without providing evidence, that a drone had dropped a poisonous substance on its positions but inflicted no serious injuries. A Ukrainian defense official said the attack possibly involved phosphorus munitions.
Ukrainian authorities have said that the Russians have blocked humanitarian convoys from reaching Mariupol, keeping it without food, water and power since the siege started. The Russian troops have turned back buses sent to evacuate residents, but about 150,000 have been able to flee the city in their own vehicles.
Boychenko said that at least 33,500, and, possibly, up to 50,000 Mariupol residents have been taken to “filtration camps” in the separatist-controlled east before being forcibly sent to distant, economically depressed areas in Russia.
Mariupol has seen communications cut since the start of the siege, and as the Russians moved to capture sections of the city they launched radio broadcasts to brainwash the population.
“They unleashed propaganda, telling people that Kyiv and other cities have been captured and they have been abandoned,” Boychenko said.
The continuing fighting in Mariupol has forced the Russian military to keep a significant number of troops in the city, delaying the start of the planned new offensive in eastern Ukraine.
“As long as the street fighting is going on, Russia can't remove troops from Mariupol and deploy them to other areas, including Donbas,” Oleh Zhdanov, an independent military expert, told the AP.
“The Ukrainian troops in Mariupol are still fulfilling their main task by diverting the Russian forces from other areas. Mariupol remains a major symbol of the Ukrainian resistance." | https://www.koat.com/article/ukraines-port-mariupol-holds/39734587 | 2022-04-15T14:34:28 | 1 | https://www.koat.com/article/ukraines-port-mariupol-holds/39734587 |
On Friday, April 15 at 9 p.m. ET, "Dateline" will release a new episode looking into the Betsy Faria murder case, which is depicted in “The Thing About Pam.” Fittingly, the episode will be called "The Real Thing About Pam."
“The Thing About Pam,” the true crime limited series that finished airing on NBC Tuesday night, follows the story of Pam Hupp and three suspicious deaths that took place after she was the last person known to have seen them alive.
The first death was the 2011 murder of Hupp's friend Betsy Faria. Betsy's husband, Russ Faria, found her stabbed to death. Hupp had been with Betsy just before the murder and became the beneficiary of Betsy’s $150,000 life insurance policy. This change of beneficiary took place just four days before Betsy was killed. Hupp then painted Russ to police as an angry man and a bad husband. Russ was convicted in Nov. 2013 in part due to Hupp's testimony at trial. Russ’s conviction was then overturned and he was acquitted at a second trial in 2015.
Hupp went on to murder Louis Gumpenberger in 2016, a man she apparently enticed into her car by posing as a "Dateline" producer looking to pay someone to re-enact 911 calls, which "Dateline" would never do. Gumpenberger apparently fell for her scheme and she shot him to death.
Her true goal was allegedly to make Russ look bad again. She claimed to police that Gumpenberger was an intruder and that she killed him in self-defense. In doing so, she implied that Russ had sent Gumpenberger to recoup the insurance money and ultimately kill her.
Hupp was convicted in 2019 for Gumpenberger’s murder and is now serving a life sentence in a Missouri state prison. She was charged with Betsy Faria’s murder and has pleaded not guilty. An investigation into the death of Hupp's mother, Shirley Neumann, has been reopened.
This saga was made into a chart-topping podcast, “The Thing About Pam,” which had been downloaded more than 20 million times.
The "Dateline" episodes and the podcast led to the development of the TV miniseries starring Renee Zellweger, who was drawn to the part of Pam Hupp after listening to the podcast. The two-time Oscar-winner spent up to four hours in the makeup chair to transform into Hupp.
Airing this Friday, the same week as “The Thing About Pam’s” finale, the "Dateline" episode will feature new developments, details and interviews with people who have never spoken with "Dateline" before — including one of Betsy’s daughters, Mariah.
The episode will also include an interview that "Dateline" has been pursuing for more than eight years. Leah Askey Chaney, the now-former prosecutor who tried Russ Faria twice for Betsy’s murder, spoke with “Dateline” correspondent Keith Morrison for this episode. Morrison also narrated the podcast and provided voice-overs in the TV series.
This Friday’s episode marks “Dateline's” sixth report on the sprawling case. The first one, “The House on Sumac Drive,” aired in March 2014 and is now available to stream on Peacock, as are all episodes of the mini-series “The Thing About Pam.”
This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY: | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/dateline-will-air-a-new-episode-called-the-real-thing-about-pam-this-friday/3647906/ | 2022-04-15T14:37:48 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/dateline-will-air-a-new-episode-called-the-real-thing-about-pam-this-friday/3647906/ |
The killing of a 5-year-old boy in Brentwood has led to the arrests of his 26-year-old mother and her boyfriend, taken into custody after a grand jury indictment brought murder charges against the couple.
Police in Suffolk County arrested the couple, of Orange, New Jersey, on Thursday, one year and two weeks after the boy's death.
Authorities say King Owusu was found unresponsive on April 1, 2021, after a 911 call alerted emergency officials. He was rushed to a Bay Shore hospital where he died.
An autopsy revealed the 5-year-old "sustained blunt force trauma throughout his body," police said Friday.
Valerie Owusu, 26, and Emmanuel Addae, 27, were arraigned at Suffolk County Supreme Court in Riverhead on second degree murder charges.
Attorney information for the couple was not immediately known.
Investigators are expected to release additional details at a press conference Friday. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/nj-mother-boyfriend-arrested-in-long-island-murder-of-5-year-old-boy-police/3647870/ | 2022-04-15T14:37:54 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/nj-mother-boyfriend-arrested-in-long-island-murder-of-5-year-old-boy-police/3647870/ |
Jacky Hunt-Broersma runs like a woman possessed. And in a way, she is: The amputee athlete is trying to run at least 102 marathons in 102 days.
Last month, a little more than two-thirds toward her goal of setting a new world record for back-to-back marathons, the South Africa native posted something on Twitter that got people talking.
“The first thing I did after my run today was take off my leg. Felt so good,” she tweeted. “Marathon 69 done. 31 marathons to go.”
That was last month, and she's still running — covering the classic 26.2-mile marathon distance day in, day out, rain or shine, occasionally on a treadmill but mostly on roads and trails near her home in Gilbert, Arizona. If her streak remains intact heading into the Boston Marathon on April 18, it'll be marathon No. 92.
Unlike the 30,000 others running the storied course, Hunt-Broersma, 46, will have done a marathon the day before. Somehow, she'll have to rally body and soul to run another the day after. And another after that. And then eight more.
All on a carbon-fiber blade that's been her left leg ever since she lost the real thing below the knee to a rare cancer.
“You make peace with pain,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think my pain threshold is probably quite high at the moment. It's one step at a time.”
U.S. & World
Boston is the only certified marathon she's including in her quest. The others she's running on one of two loops near her home or indoors on a treadmill — a monotonous machine many runners derisively call the “dreadmill.”
In 2001, while she and her Dutch husband were living in the Netherlands, Hunt-Broersma was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer more typically seen in children. Overnight, a golf ball-sized bulge appeared on an old scar that had become tender. A biopsy confirmed the worst, and within weeks, her leg was amputated below the knee.
“The biggest struggle was accepting that part of my body was gone,” she said. (She's since made peace with that: A favorite T-shirt reads, “A Zombie Chewed It Off.”)
Until five years ago, she wasn't at all athletic, but getting started was expensive. Carbon-fiber blades designed for running cost around $10,000 and aren't covered by health insurance. Survivors of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, which killed three spectators and wounded 260 others, ran into the same problem when they sought to reclaim their lives.
“Running really changed my life,” she said. “It helped me accept myself as an amputee. It gave me a sense of freedom. I fell in love with the process of pushing my body further just to see what I could do.”
Subsequent marathons led to ultrarunning over extended distances, including a 100-mile race. So when Hunt-Broersma learned that Alyssa Amos Clark, a nondisabled runner from Bennington, Vermont, covered the marathon distance 95 days in a row in 2000, an idea was born: She’d do 100. That plan got foiled this week when British runner Kate Jayden completed 101 marathons in as many days, so Hunt-Broersma has a new goal: “Now I'm going for at least 102.”
“I hoped it would inspire a lot of people to get out of their comfort zone and push a little bit farther,” she said.
She worried her stump would become raw and painful, and the first two weeks were rough. Since then, though, she’s gotten into a sustainable rhythm, taking care to ice and massage the stump. When it became swollen, she switched to a running prosthesis with a little more room.
But there have been mental challenges as well on the road to 102, which began on Jan. 17. On a recent outing, Hunt-Broersma — who's been averaging a little over five hours per marathon — felt near collapse at 15 miles and burst into tears. Suddenly the entire odyssey was in doubt.
“I had a total emotional breakdown. I was like, ‘I just can’t do this. What was I thinking?’” she said. “The trick for me is just to break it down into little goals. Just get to the next mile. And then the next one.”
Her support team is her husband and their two young children, but she's also gained a large social media following.
This week, after logging marathon No. 85, well-wishers offered virtual applause. “You just seem to eat marathons for breakfast,” one person tweeted. “In such bleak times, thank you for serving as an inspiration,” commented another.
As she nears the end of her epic quest, Hunt-Broersma hopes she inspires a singular thought in others, regardless of their own physical challenges:
“You’re stronger than you think — and you’re capable of so much more.” | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/102-marathons-in-102-days-amputee-runner-on-track-to-break-world-record/3647836/ | 2022-04-15T14:38:00 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/102-marathons-in-102-days-amputee-runner-on-track-to-break-world-record/3647836/ |
The world is preparing to celebrate the most important day in Christainity this Sunday. It’s Easter Day.
The holiday is originally meant to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ after he was crucified by the Romans, on Good Friday, more than 2,000 years ago. The day lands on different dates each year depending on the moon cycle in spring, but it’s usually between March 21 and April 25.
What comes to your mind when you think of Easter Day? The holiday has associated itself with modern traditions including Easter eggs, the Easter bunny, sweet treats and chocolate. But where did these traditions come from?
What’s the Origin of the Easter Egg Tradition?
Easter eggs are believed to have originated in Medieval Europe but may have been unrelated to any Christian tradition. Some historians believe Easter eggs came from Anglo-Saxon festivals in the spring to celebrate pagan goddess Eostre.
The goddess, who may be the namesake of Easter, represented the dawn in spring, and eggs were buried and eaten during the festival. Eggs are believed to be a symbol of fertility and the rebirth of nature after the dead of winter.
Many pagan traditions from the festival of Eostre were adopted by Christian missionaries to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, as a way to encourage conversion.
Easter eggs are often said to tie into the celebration because they represent new life, though the metaphor may have been applied retroactively.
An alternative origin links Easter eggs to fasting during Lent, when animal products couldn’t be eaten. Eggs may have been hard-boiled and stored and then eaten at the end of Lent to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
Why Do We Color Easter Eggs?
The tradition of dyed and decorated eggs dates back to the 13th century when nobles would exchange them as gifts. English villagers would also frequently give eggs to their church on Good Friday.
Through the religious perspective, another source argued that in Mesopotamia, early Christians dyed eggs red to mimic the blood that Jesus shed during his crucifixion.
However, the tradition of dying eggs originated at least some 2,500 years ago in the Trypillian culture that lived in Central Europe. Historians believe the ancient Persians, or Zoroastrians, painted eggs for Nowruz, or Persian New Year.
In the 12th century, King Edward I of England ordered 450 eggs to be colored and decorated with gold leaf to give to royal relatives during the spring season. The tradition continued a few years later when the Vatican sent Henry VIII an egg in a silver case to mark the Easter season.
How Has the Easter Egg Hunt Evolved Throughout History?
The tradition of Easter egg hunts and gifting eggs to children originated in Germany in the 17th century.
As a child, Queen Victoria enjoyed egg hunts put on by her German mother, and helped popularize the tradition in Great Britain. Artificial eggs containing toys and treats began supplanting real eggs in Victorian England.
European candy manufacturers also began to make egg-shaped chocolates and candies for Easter Day in the 19th century.
Egg rolling also became a popular children’s activity, and the White House held its first Easter egg roll in 1878 during Rutherford Hayes’ presidency.
Even though the event has no religious significance, some have considered egg rolling symbolic of the stone blocking Jesus’ tomb being rolled away, leading to his resurrection.
How Does the Easter Bunny Fit Into the Egg Tradition?
The exact origin of the Easter bunny remains unclear. But it’s believed that the Easter bunny first came to the United States in the 17th century along with German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania.
It’s adopted from German tradition of an egg-laying hare called Ostergase or Oschter Haws. The custom eventually spread across the country with the bunny giving out treats and gifts in decorated baskets. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/why-easter-eggs-inside-the-origins-and-history-of-the-tradition/3647909/ | 2022-04-15T14:38:07 | 0 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/national-international/why-easter-eggs-inside-the-origins-and-history-of-the-tradition/3647909/ |
One man’s scandal catapulted New York Gov. Kathy Hochul into office. Will alleged misconduct by another man hurt her chances of holding on to the job?
Hochul’s previously smooth path to a Democratic primary win hit a major bump this week when her lieutenant governor, Brian Benjamin, resigned following his arrest in a federal corruption investigation.
One of Hochul’s first big decisions as governor was to appoint Benjamin, then a state senator, after she took over from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned last summer rather than face impeachment over sexual harassment allegations, which he has denied.
Her leading opponents in both the primary and general election pounced, saying Hochul’s pick of Benjamin at a time when he was already under scrutiny showed poor judgement.
“Either she’s consistently shamefully out of the loop, or shamefully enabling through her inaction, and either way it’s clear that unless we elect leadership outside of the old ways of Albany, these patterns of scandal and corruption will keep repeating,” said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, who is running against Hochul for the Democratic nomination.
U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi, a Long Island Democrat also trying to beat Hochul, piled on, saying her pick of Benjamin was part of a pattern of bad choices, which he said included cutting a deal that will give her hometown Buffalo Bills more than $1.1 billion to build and operate a new stadium.
“Hochul has fostered a culture of continued corruption with months of fundraising from pay to play insiders and people doing business with the state, and secretive budget deals that resulted in the billion dollar Bills stadium and little else,” Suozzi tweeted.
News
Hochul, though, hasn’t appeared to lose support from top allies.
News of Benjamin’s arrest and resignation was nearly lost in the noise of a mass shooting on a subway train in New York City.
Hochul raced into town to attend a police news conference about the attack, where she ducked a question about Benjamin, then visited shooting victims in the hospital and rode the rails in a symbolic statement against fear.
“Right now Kathy Hochul has such a significant lead as far as polling and fundraising is concerned, I don’t think as of now the troubles will hurt her drastically for the June primary,” Fordham University political science professor Christina Greer said. “Obviously her opponents will raise questions and have raised questions about what she knew.”
Federal prosecutors say Benjamin accepted bribes, in the form of illegal campaign contributions, during a failed run for New York City comptroller.
An indictment said that in exchange for the illicit donations, he helped a nonprofit organization controlled by the donor get a $50,000 state grant.
Prosecutors said Benjamin also offered to help the donor, a real estate developer, get a zoning variance from the city in exchange for a $15,000 donation to a political committee. And they said he lied to state officials about the investigation when he was being considered for the lieutenant governor appointment.
Benjamin’s lawyers said there was “nothing inappropriate” about the grant and that their client’s actions were “laudable — not criminal.”
Hochul used a public radio interview Wednesday to defend her selection of Benjamin, and said the vetting process didn’t raise red flags.
“It was a surprise, it really was,” Hochul told WNYC host Brian Lehrer. “I made the best decision I could with the information I had at that time.”
Questions about Benjamin’s campaign committee and use of expense accounts had been the subject of scrutiny by journalists and state regulators prior to his selection as lieutenant governor, including stories in the Daily News about potential use of campaign funds for personal expenses, such as auto repairs and a party at a jazz club to celebrate his wedding.
Last week, Hochul had reiterated her support of Benjamin and described the probe into his campaign as “related to other people.”
Hochul — who had also said she wasn’t aware of any harassment in Cuomo’s administration until after the claims became public — will now have to thread a fine line with voters, Greer said.
While she needs to claim ignorance of any wrongdoing by Benjamin, “she doesn’t want to seem as though she’s inept, as if she doesn’t know what’s going on right underneath her,” Greer said.
Still, Hochul holds some big advantages. She raised nearly $22 million for her election campaign as of January, which dwarfed the $5.4 million raised by Suozzi and $222,000 raised by Williams.
One of the candidates expected to mount a serious challenge, Attorney General Letitia James, dropped out of the race quickly.
Just over half of Democratic voters said they would vote for Hochul in the June primary in a Siena College poll released in late March, compared with one-fourth of voters supporting Suozzi or Williams.
Democratic strategist Evan Stavisky said voters will likely ultimately judge Hochul based on their pocket books and her record.
“The governor being misled by someone who was then charged by the federal government for lying to her is probably not a salient point with voters,” Stavisky said.
If Democrats wind up sticking with Hochul in the primary, she would be the expected favorite over most potential Republican challengers in a heavily blue state.
One wildcard: Cuomo has acknowledged thinking about entering the race late to potentially get his old job back. He’s been making public appearances again lately, criticizing the state’s Democratic leaders for shifting too far to the left and potentially positioning himself for a run.
Cuomo still sits on millions of dollars in campaign funds he could use to run as an independent candidate, if he chooses.
Republican gubernatorial candidate U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin of Long Island criticized Hochul Wednesday for having “zero criticism, condemnation or outrage” for Benjamin.
“She’s getting hit on both sides, that’s a very bad spot to be in,” said Republican strategist Alex DeGrasse.
Hochul hasn’t named a new lieutenant governor. | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/hochul-hits-election-hurdle-in-running-mate-lt-gov-benjamins-arrest/3647839/ | 2022-04-15T14:38:13 | 1 | https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/politics/hochul-hits-election-hurdle-in-running-mate-lt-gov-benjamins-arrest/3647839/ |
8 top-rated body sunscreens at Sephora
Summer is just around the corner, so it’ll soon be time to put on your favorite bathing suit for a beach or pool day. Going to the beach or a pool on a hot summer day is fun, but it can turn into a dreadful experience if you don’t wear sunscreen to protect yourself.
To avoid getting a nasty sunburn, using an effective sunscreen is a must, and Sephora has got you covered with plenty of terrific products.
What to look for in quality sunscreen at Sephora
Sephora offers high-quality beauty and personal care products, so you can rest assured that almost any sunscreen in their catalog is safe and effective. Nevertheless, it’s best to consider a few things before you run out and buy sunscreen.
Broad-spectrum
The sun’s rays are classified as either Ultraviolet A or Ultraviolet B. UVB rays cause sunburns, but UVA rays penetrate the skin and affect deeper tissue, which can cause long-term health issues. Look for a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection to get complete protection.
Sun protection factor
SPF relates directly to UVB ray protection and indicates how long you can stay in direct sunlight before getting sunburned. For example, if you can sit under the sun for 15 minutes before getting sunburned, wearing a layer of sunscreen with an SPF rating of 30 would provide 450 minutes of protection.
It’s the consensus that a 30 SPF sunscreen is adequate for most skin types. However, it’s important to note that although it can protect you for several hours, sunscreen tends to wear off quickly due to skin cells constantly shedding and other external factors. For that reason, experts recommend applying sunscreen every two to three hours.
Water-resistance
You’ll most likely wear sunscreen when on vacation or for a pool day, so there’s a good chance you’ll get wet at some point. Even if you wear it on a typical summer day, the heat from the sun will cause you to sweat, which will wash away the layer of sunscreen you’ve applied.
That’s why it’s crucial to get a water-resistant body sunscreen, so you don’t have to reapply it every time you get wet. When you’re on vacation or at the beach, you don’t want the hassle of having to have it close by because it washed off.
Application method
Body sunscreens are usually available in squeeze tubes or pumps, but some come in spray bottles. Spray-on sunscreens are convenient and easy to apply, but tubes and pumps let you use the right amount.
Ingredients
Many body sunscreens use natural ingredients to make them suitable for those with sensitive skin. You don’t have to worry about harmful toxins with products offered at Sephora, but it’s still a good idea to check the label before buying. Also, many body sunscreens are fortified with minerals and botanicals that can be beneficial, so look around and see what catches your eye.
Price
Most sunscreens are inexpensive and, on average, cost anywhere between $8-$15, but it depends on the size of the bottle. So, be mindful of how much sunscreen you’re getting at a specific price point.
Sephora offers some high-end lotions, usually formulated with quality ingredients, that can cost up to $60 for a standard-size bottle. However, if you’re working with a budget, you can find an effective and suitable sunscreen for under $20.
8 most popular sunscreens at Sephora
Top sunscreens with 50 SPF or higher
Supergoop! Play Everyday Sunscreen Lotion SPF 50 PA
This hydrating sunscreen is made with a vegan formula and is both fast-absorbing and non-greasy. It can be used on the body and face and is suitable for various skin types, including normal, dry and oily.
Sold by Sephora
Supergoop! Mini Glow Oil Body Sunscreen SPF 50 PA
This oil-based body sunscreen has a radiant finish, but it isn’t greasy and gives the skin a vibrant glow. It’s made with ingredients that leave the skin nourished, such as meadowfoam seed oil, marigold extract and grape seed oil.
Sold by Sephora
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector Lotion SPF 50 Sunscreen
If you want to stay well-protected under intense heat and sunlight, this sunscreen is what you want. It is water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, and it uses HeatForce and WetForce technology to get stronger when exposed to heat and moisture.
Sold by Sephora
Tatcha The Silk Sunscreen Mineral Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA
This newer product is already a customer favorite, thanks to its high SPF rating and quality ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. It is hydrating with a smooth, silky texture and is also reef-friendly.
Sold by Sephora
Dr. Jart+ Every Sun Day Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50
This sunscreen boasts a matte finish and a hypoallergenic zinc-oxide formula, and it is best suited for normal, combo and dry skin types. It is a thorough cream but still lightweight and also fragrance-free, which is a plus for those with sensitive skin.
Sold by Sephora
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Sunscreen SPF 50
This sunscreen incorporates several minerals — including vitamins A, C and E — into its formula to create a hydrating and gentle product. It uses quality ingredients, such as hyaluronic acid, aloe and niacinamide, to soothe and nourish the skin over time.
Sold by Sephora
Top sunscreens under 50 SPF
Biossance Squalane and Zinc Sheer Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 PA
This sunscreen is ideal for sensitive skin types and incorporates an effective anti-aging formula that’s great for treating fine lines, wrinkles and dark circles around the eyes. It’s lightweight, and the water lily creates a soothing effect on the skin.
Sold by Sephora
Innisfree Daily UV Defense Sunscreen SPF 36
It’s not as expensive as other products, but this sunscreen offers adequate broad-spectrum protection with its 36 SPF rating. It’s a lightweight cream suitable for normal, dry and combo skin types.
Sold by Sephora
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Kevin Luna writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/8-most-popular-body-sunscreens-at-sephora/ | 2022-04-15T14:38:56 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/8-most-popular-body-sunscreens-at-sephora/ |
Which Clinique perfume is best?
One of the most influential senses when meeting new people is the sense of smell. Smell is also intimately linked to memory, so it’s no surprise that you want to smell your best. However, department-store perfume can be frustratingly expensive. Clinique brand perfumes break that trend, offering wonderful fragrances at affordable prices.
The best Clinique perfume is Clinique Happy. It has a crisp, fresh and lightly fruity and floral scent that’s delicately feminine without being too strong. It also has a wear time of several hours.
What to know before you buy a Clinique perfume
Types of Clinique perfume
Technically, perfume is a catchall term for one of four types of formula. Any given Clinique perfume may use one of these formulas.
- Eau de cologne is the lightest and most affordable scent. No more than 5% of its formula is centered around its fragrances, meaning it lasts no longer than four hours at best.
- Eau de toilette is the most common formula. It’s stronger, with up to 15% fragrance-focused ingredients, and it can last for up to six hours.
- Eau de parfum is a little bit stronger to last a little bit longer. Specifically, it’s up to 20% fragrance-focused ingredients and lasts up to eight hours.
- Parfum is what you wear if you have a long day ahead. It can last for up to 12 hours and can be up to 40% fragrance-focused ingredients.
Notes
Clinique perfumes have three layers of scents, called notes.
- Top notes are what you smell immediately after application and they can fade just as fast.
- Middle notes are the main scent of a perfume, lasting all throughout the day.
- Bottom notes are the last thing you smell before the scent wears off. “Scent wearing off” here refers to what you and others smell moments after you’ve left the room.
Size
Clinique perfumes typically come in one of three sizes. The smallest is usually 1 fluid ounce. These bottles are good for trying out a new fragrance. Next is 1.7 fluid ounces. These bottles are perfect for those who only wear perfume on occasion and know they like the scent. Finally, there are 3.4 fluid ounce bottles that are meant for those who wear perfume daily.
What to look for in a quality Clinique perfume
Applicator
Most Clinique perfumes use spray applicators as they are the easiest to use. Smaller bottles may use rollerball applicators that work exactly like a ballpoint pen. In rare cases, such as single dose samples or slightly larger, there may be no applicator at all — the perfume drips out of a small hole. This can be quite messy.
Chemistry
This aspect has more to do with you than the perfume. Everyone’s body has its own unique chemistry. This chemistry interacts just as uniquely with any given perfume, Clinique or otherwise. So, Clinique Happy may smell divine when applied to you but sour when applied to another. For this reason, it’s important to always trial run a new Clinique perfume before purchasing a full bottle to ensure that it’s a quality perfume for you.
How much you can expect to spend on a Clinique perfume
The average 1-fluid-ounce bottle of Clinique perfume costs roughly $30-$50, a 1.7-fluid-ounce bottle costs roughly $50-$70 and a 3.4-fluid-ounce bottle costs no more than $100.
Clinique perfume FAQ
Where should I apply Clinique perfume?
A. The traditional zones to apply perfume to are the neck and chest area, behind the ears and at the wrists. Other places people commonly apply touches of perfume include the inner elbow and behind the knee. Any stretch of skin with a concentration of veins will do. The only exception is if you’ll be in humid environments, as your sweat will cause the concentration of perfume to deteriorate rapidly. In this case, apply a light spritz directly to your clothing.
How long does a Clinique perfume last in the bottle?
A. That depends on the perfume, how often you use it and where you store it. Clinique perfume can last for several years on average, in some cases as long as five years or a touch more. Thus, there’s no need to worry about it expiring if you’re using it semi-often. In order to make it last as long as possible, you’ll need to keep it in a cool, dry place.
What’s the best Clinique perfume to buy?
Top Clinique perfume
What you need to know: This is one of Clinique’s bestsellers.
What you’ll love: It’s long-lasting with a fresh and lightly floral scent. It has top notes of grapefruit, middle layers of Hawaiian wedding flower and bottom notes of honeysuckle. Other ingredients are boysenberry, moss, freesia, lemon and bushflower. It comes in 1-, 1.7- and 3.4-fluid-ounce bottles.
What you should consider: Some consumers were concerned that the online bottles weren’t the same as the department store bottles. Once the bottle is open it can’t be returned.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty
Top Clinique perfume for the money
What you need to know: This is less floral than the base Happy fragrance.
What you’ll love: The only floral notes are middle layers of primrose and water hyacinth. It has top notes of mandarin orange and cucumber with bottom notes of blondewood and sandalwood for a slightly citrusy and woody scent. Other ingredients include cassia and carrot.
What you should consider: A few consumers were unhappy with the lightness of the scent and the wear time. Others described the scent as soap-like.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This is more floral than the base Happy fragrance.
What you’ll love: It has top notes of yellow plum and touches of watery green with middle layers of freesia and lily of the valley and bottom notes of amber and white wood — all of which conjure up memories of springtime.
What you should consider: It’s only available in 1- or 1.7-fluid-ounce bottles, making it a little pricey. A few consumers were concerned about receiving fakes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon, Macy’s and Ulta Beauty
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/best-clinique-perfume/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:03 | 1 | https://fox59.com/reviews/best-clinique-perfume/ |
Which surge protector is best?
Most people have numerous electronic devices plugged in every room in their house. TVs, gaming consoles, computers and appliances are expensive and must be protected. A quality surge protector acts as a line of defense from electrical surges that can fry your electronics.
If you’re looking for a quality surge protector, the APC Surge Protector Power Strip is an excellent choice offering both AC and USB outlets.
What to know before you buy a surge protector
How surge protectors work
Many people buy surge protectors because they let you plug multiple devices into a single outlet. Still, the most critical surge protector function is protecting your electronics from spikes in voltage. Most devices aren’t built to withstand electrical surges on their own. Surge protectors divert the extra electricity to the outlet’s grounding wire when the voltage spikes above an acceptable level.
How surges happen
The most common causes of electrical surges are high-power devices such as air conditioners, refrigerators and dehumidifiers. These require large amounts of energy to turn on, which can upset the voltage flow. Faulty wiring is another common source of electrical surges.
Although less common, lightning can cause surges. When lightning strikes near power lines, the electrical energy can boost voltage significantly.
Power strip vs. surge protector
Power strips look identical to surge protectors, but they don’t offer protection against voltage surges. It’s essential to read the product’s description, as most surge protectors list their joule rating in the description.
Surge protector safety
Surge protectors can be dangerous if misused. Plug your surge protector directly into an outlet and never into an extension cord or another surge protector. In most cases, manufacturers won’t honor your warranty if they determine you’ve misused your surge protector.
What to look for in a quality surge protector
Joule rating
Joule ratings indicate how much energy the surge protector can absorb before failing. Higher joule ratings mean the device will protect your electronics against larger surges. For expensive electronics, choose a surge protector with at least 2,200 joules of protection.
Clamping voltage
Clamping voltage is the amount of “over-voltage” before the device begins to work. The three most common levels of protection are 330 volts, 400 volts and 500 volts. Lower clamping voltages are better, and in most cases, anything with a clamping voltage over 400 won’t protect your electronics.
Outlet variety
Some surge protectors feature USB outlets that eliminate the need for power blocks. Older and cheaper ones typically only feature AC outlets. Choosing a model with various outlets ensures you get more functionality out of your purchase.
Size
Many of the most effective surge protectors are large. Size may not be an issue if you have space, thinner models are worth considering if you’re low on space.
How much you can expect to spend on a surge protector
You can buy cheap surge protectors with low joule ratings for less than $15. If you want a unit that will adequately protect your electronics, you’ll likely spend between $20-$40.
Surge protector FAQ
Do I really need a surge protector?
A. Surge protectors are excellent safety devices when used correctly. Simple devices such as lamps and fans don’t need a surge protector. On the other hand, expensive devices with numerous electrical components such as computers, TVs and gaming consoles should be plugged into a surge protector. For the best outcome, you should expect to change your surge protector every three to five years.
Do surge protectors use a lot of electricity?
A. Surge protectors don’t drain any additional energy. They simply monitor the energy passing through them and divert that energy when needed.
Do phone chargers have surge protection?
A. Phone chargers don’t feature built-in surge protection. You’ll need to buy a surge protector separately to protect your phone from surges. If you plan on plugging your phone into a surge protector, consider buying one with USB outlets.
Should I turn off my surge protector at night?
A. Regularly turning off your surge protector will extend its life. They don’t protect against lightning strikes, so it’s best to turn them off at night if you expect a storm.
What’s the best surge protector to buy?
Top surge protector
APC Surge Protector Power Strip
What you need to know: This features a massive joule rating of 4,320 joules.
What you’ll love: It has 10 AC outlets and two USB outlets. The 6-foot power cord makes it easier to place this where you want it. Although the product description isn’t clear on the clamping voltage, most buyers suggest it’s between 330-400 volts.
What you should consider: Though it offers a lot of outlets, this model is bulky.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top surge protector for the money
Tripp Lite 7-Outlet Surge Protector
What you need to know: This surge protector is available in numerous configurations with an adequate joule rating.
What you’ll love: It has 2,160 joules of protection and seven AC outlets. LEDs tell you when it is properly grounded and protected. The narrow design is ideal for those without a ton of space.
What you should consider: This model doesn’t come with USB outlets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Dell
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This model offers a slim design and eight AC outlets.
What you’ll love: It has 3,420 joules of surge protection. Three of the outlets have extra space between them for larger plugs. The clamping voltage is 330-400. It features a durable design.
What you should consider: There are several reports of people receiving defective units.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/best-surge-protector/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:10 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/best-surge-protector/ |
Which men’s thermal underwear bottoms are best?
Spending time outside is good for the body and soul, no matter the weather, but this only holds true if you aren’t wet, cold and miserable. Men’s thermal underwear bottoms provide a base layer of warmth to build on, keeping you toasty and dry in the chilliest conditions.
Fruit of the Loom Men’s Classic Midweight Waffle Thermal Underwear Bottoms make a perfect bottom layer under heavier pants but also do double duty as cozy pajamas back at the lodge.
What to know before you buy men’s thermal underwear bottoms
Union suit vs. bottoms only
Men’s thermal underwear bottoms can be purchased in two different styles: a union suit or bottoms only, often as part of a matched set of thermal underwear.
A union suit is like a grown-up onesie, a one-piece garment with buttons up the front. Old-fashioned union suits may have a flap in the back to make using the bathroom easier, but more modern styles don’t feature that flap. This means you’ll need to strip down to the skin when nature calls.
Separate men’s thermal underwear bottoms are easier to layer. You can also keep the top half of your clothing on if you need to use the bathroom.
Materials
Thermal underwear can be found in four basic materials.
- Wool: Merino wool long johns are traditional, and for good reason. They keep you warm even when they get wet, and the fabric is breathable and lightweight. Some people are sensitive to wool and may find these too itchy.
- Cotton: Cotton underwear seems like a good idea until you start sweating or it gets wet. The fabric holds moisture against the skin and can leave you feeling even more chilled. Cotton is best reserved for lounging and relaxing, not for working up a sweat in winter weather.
- Silk: This soft, luxurious fabric feels great and is an excellent lightweight layer. Silk does not remove moisture from the skin as effectively as other fabrics, so reserved these for light activities only. This fabric also traps odors, so you’ll need to wash it after each use.
- Synthetics: Synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, spandex and Lycra are incredibly durable and easy to care for, and they perform well under tough conditions. If you are active in extremely cold weather, their heat-retaining and moisture-wicking properties will serve you well.
Intended use
Select different thermal underwear bottoms depending on what you’re doing. Lounging and working or playing outside require varying weights and types of fabric. The price of long johns varies wildly, so if you’re just relaxing on the couch there’s no need to shell out $100 for a pair of stretchy lounge pants.
What to look for in quality men’s thermal underwear bottoms
Moisture-wicking
Those who are active in winter are just as prone to sweating as those who only take it outside in the summer. Moisture-wicking thermals remove sweat from your skin to keep you dry and warm.
Flat seams and gussets
Flat inseams help prevent chafing and rubbing as you move. Look for men’s thermal underwear that has a gusseted crotch as well, designed for both support and comfort.
Ribbed, tapered cuffs
Ribbed, tapered cuffs keep the heat where it belongs — next to your body. Additionally, ribbed cuffs can be easily tucked into your socks to prevent snow from coming in contact with your lower leg.
How much you can expect to spend on men’s thermal underwear bottoms
From plain cotton, lightweight thermals to upscale silk long johns, expect to spend $10-$100.
Men’s thermal underwear bottoms FAQ
How do you select the best weight?
A. The weight of the fabric you select depends on the activities and the weather.
- Ultra lightweight: Ultra lightweight fabric is best suited for activity in the early fall and late spring. They are best used for moisture wicking and not as much for heat retention.
- Lightweight: Lightweight thermals provide heat and keep you dry during exercise in moderately cold temperatures.
- Midweight: When the wind picks up and the mercury drops, reach for your midweight long johns. These are highly versatile and appropriate for all kinds of outdoor activity.
- Heavyweight: Experiencing sub-Arctic temperatures or considering vigorous activity in snow? Heavyweight thermals are the best bet.
How do you know if they fit?
A. Men’s thermal underwear bottoms walk the line between just tight enough and a little too snug. You want them to feel comfortable but be form-fitting to trap heat against your skin.
What are the best men’s thermal underwear bottoms to buy?
Top men’s thermal underwear bottoms
Fruit Of The Loom Men’s Classic Midweight Waffle Thermal Underwear Bottoms
What you need to know: These machine-washable thermals are warm and durable.
What you’ll love: There are no tags in these. The poly-cotton blend wicks away moisture and holds warmth on the coldest days. The cuffs are tapered to prevent riding up. They are available in three colors and packs of one or two pairs.
What you should consider: Order carefully. These run small.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top men’s thermal underwear bottoms for the money
Indera Men’s Traditional Long Johns Thermal Underwear
What you need to know: These are available in sizes up to 6X.
What you’ll love: The ribbed cuffs and elastic waistband are comfortable. The cotton-poly waffle knit traps heat and wicks moisture. These are best for low activity in mild weather. Choose from four colors.
What you should consider: The elastic in the waist stretches out over time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Duofold Men’s Midweight Wicking Thermal Pant
What you need to know: These perform well even with vigorous activity.
What you’ll love: Flat seams reduce rubbing these comfortable cotton polyester thermals. They are machine-washable and come in four colors. Two extra layers of knitted fabric increase warmth.
What you should consider: These are sized for a tall, slim build, so if that’s not you, you may not find these pants as comfortable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/loungewear-undergarments-br/best-mens-thermal-underwear-bottoms/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:16 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/loungewear-undergarments-br/best-mens-thermal-underwear-bottoms/ |
Are low-impact or medium-impact sports bras better?
When it comes to choosing between a low-impact or medium-impact sports bra, there are a few factors to consider, such as support, size, fit, material and design. A bra with medium-impact support is best for those who engage in moderately strenuous activities such as cross-training. But a low-impact sports bra is better for casual exercise such as walking, Pilates or lifting weights.
Low-impact sports bras
Low-impact sports bras are primarily designed to support the wearer during light exercises that don’t result in a lot of bounce or unwanted movement in the chest area. These undergarments provide gentle compression and are semisupportive.
They’re usually lightweight and have minimal to no padding. Most come with narrow shoulder straps that are comfortable enough for lounging around or participating in light activities such as strength training, weightlifting, walking, yoga or Pilates. Some people with a smaller cup size can wear a low-impact sports bra during more intense exercises such as jogging or cycling since they require less support.
Most basic pullover style bras are low-impact. They’re commonly found online or at most major clothing retailers for $10-$35.
Low-impact sports bra pros
- They provide minor compression and support, so they don’t restrict the wearer very much.
- The straps are usually more relaxed than higher-impact options, so they don’t dig into the shoulders or cause chafing.
- Some come with no padding, which is best for low- to medium-impact activities.
- Many feature built-in cups, which give the wearer targeted support, a contoured form, additional support and more protection.
- Some have removable cups, making them more versatile since the wearer can choose to use them or not depending on their activity level.
- These undergarments come in nearly any design and often have adjustable straps.
Low-impact sports bra cons
- They’re not as supportive to those with a medium or larger bust size.
- Ones with removable inserts can be tricky to wash and may lose their shape more easily than those with built-in or no padding.
- These bras are not recommended for more intense exercises such as hiking, running or snowboarding.
Best low-impact sports bras
Klvee Crisscross Low-Impact Sports Bra
Available in either a two-pack or three-pack, these sports bras have an elastic closure and cross-back design that prevents sagging and reduces unwanted movement during activities such as yoga or weightlifting. They have removable pad inserts for extra support.
Sold by Amazon
Kindred Bravely Sublime Support Low-Impact Sports Bra
Made for both nursing and light exercise, this racerback sports bra doesn’t have snaps or hooks, making it easy to pull on and take off. It’s stretchy and comfortable enough for all-day wear. It also has clips and cups that fold down for easy breastfeeding.
Sold by Amazon
Evercute Cross-Back Sports Bras
Offered in packs of three and five, these undergarments are elastic and seamless, making them ideal for light exercises. The fabric is moisture-wicking and they have four-way stretch for maximum comfort. These bras also come with removable pads and are designed to contour the chest while providing support with a wide band underneath.
Sold by Amazon
DKNY Sport Strappy Low-Impact Sports Bra
With a strappy back design and scoop neckline, this sports bra is perfect for lounging, Pilates or yoga. It features moisture-wicking technology to keep the wearer dry. And it provides moderate coverage. It comes in black and light green.
Sold by Macy’s
Medium-impact sports bras
Similar to any other sports bra, medium-impact sports bras come in nearly every fit, size and style imaginable. They provide more coverage, control and support than low-impact bras, though. At the same time, they’re great for individuals with a small to medium bust size. This makes them ideal for activities such as running, cycling, skiing, hiking or cross-training.
These bras generally have a wider band and built-in or removable cups for extra support, shaping and modesty. They offer less compression than high-impact options. Most standard sports bras are medium-impact.
Expect to spend $20-$50 on a medium-impact sports bra.
Medium-impact sports bra pros
- Many have a pullover design, making them easy to put on and take off.
- They bind the chest in place without feeling too restrictive.
- Some provide extra coverage (encapsulation) while letting the chest keep its natural shape.
- Most provide optimal support, coverage and contouring.
Medium-impact sports bra cons
- Medium compression styles aren’t that comfortable for those with a larger bust, though some are designed to support the chest without causing discomfort or chafing.
- The rigid cups and bands restrict movement but can be uncomfortable for those with a larger chest.
- This style of bra is less common than low-impact and high-impact options.
Best medium-impact sports bras
Yianna Cross Back Padded Sports Bra Medium Support
This medium-support sports bra features crisscross back straps and moisture-wicking material that keeps the wearer dry while exercising. It’s stretchy enough to be comfortable while still supporting the chest.
Sold by Amazon
Powerreact Training Medium-Support Bra
Available in black, gray, white and blue, this undergarment consists of moisture-absorbing materials. It has breathable mesh and is comfortable for activities such as running and cross-training.
Sold by Adidas
Champion Freedom Seamless Racerback Sport Bra
With a thick bottom band, seamless design and four-way stretch, this sports bra provides optimal support during moderately intense activities such as running, skiing and cycling. It also features mesh for extra breathability.
Sold by Amazon
Adidas Women’s Believe This Bra
This pullover-style, compression-fit sports bra wicks moisture to keep the wearer dry and comfortable. It has removable pads for extra support and an inner mesh lining for added breathability.
Sold by Amazon
Should you get a low-impact or medium-impact sports bra?
You need the right sports bra for optimal performance, support, coverage and comfort. This means choosing one that fits well and suits your needs. If you don’t need a lot of extra padding or protection and want to participate in light exercises such as weightlifting or yoga, a low-impact sports bra is best. But if you’re interested in moderate exercises such as running or cross-training, choose a medium-impact sports bra with extra compression and support.
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Angela Watson writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/loungewear-undergarments-br/low-impact-vs-medium-impact-sports-bras/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:22 | 1 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/loungewear-undergarments-br/low-impact-vs-medium-impact-sports-bras/ |
Which cardigan is best?
Looking just as good over a shirt and tie as a vintage band tee and ripped jeans, cardigans are versatile garments that deserve a place in most people’s closets. They’re great for mild days when it’s too warm for a jacket or a thick sweater but not quite T-shirt weather.
If you’re looking for one that’s open-fronted with a relaxed style for everyday wear, the Daily Ritual Long-Sleeve Cardigan is an excellent choice.
What to know before you buy a cardigan
Cut
Consider the fit and neckline that you want from your garment. Those cut with high, round necklines are perfect for a preppy look but can be more casual when left unbuttoned. V-neck versions work well with shirts and ties but can equally be worn over T-shirts for a relaxed look.
A classic fit is cut close to the body but not overly tight or figure-hugging, which is a good place to start if you aren’t sure what cut you prefer. However, you can also find more tightly fitted options as well as looser, baggy cuts.
Closure type
Typically, cardigans have buttons, which can start at the neck or partway down the front, depending on the cut. However, you can also find some with zipper closures or snaps. The latter is uncommon outside of kids’ clothes as snaps don’t stay closed as well as buttons or zippers. Then you have open cardigans that don’t have buttons, zippers or any other type of closure. These offer a more relaxed look compared to those that do up.
Size
Cardigans are usually sold in named sizes (small, medium, large, etc.) rather than in numerical sizes or dress sizes. You probably know which size you usually wear, but clothing brands are notorious for having no continuity of sizing between them. You could find a medium from one brand fits you perfectly, while a large from another brand is too small.
If you aren’t sure which size to buy, check the sizing chart and take your measurements. Also consider whether you want to layer a couple of other garments underneath on cold days, in which case you should size up.
What to look for in a quality cardigan
Colors and prints
You can find all kinds of solid colors, so whether you’re looking for basic black or a bold scarlet hue, you’ll be able to discover what you’re looking for. You’ll occasionally also find prints, such as florals or leopard print.
Length
A standard length sits around the top of the hips, but you can also find longer versions that are midthigh or knee-length as well as cropped versions. It’s all down to personal preference and what types of outfit you want to put together.
Sleeve length
While most have full-length sleeves, you’ll also find versions with shorter sleeves. Three-quarter length sleeves sit around the mid-forearm, while half-length sleeves sit around the elbow.
How much you can expect to spend on a cardigan
Expect to pay from $15-$100 for something from a department store brand or average fashion label. Designer options could cost well into the hundreds, if not thousands, but most buyers aren’t looking for anything that high-end.
Cardigan FAQ
What is a cardigan?
A. It’s a knit sweater that’s open at the front and may have a zip, buttons or snaps. If it has a zipper down the front but it’s made from sweatshirt material rather than knitted fabric, it’s technically a zippered sweatshirt.
Where do cardigans get their name?
A. They’re named after the 7th Earl of Cardigan, James Brudenell, who popularized the item of clothing. Brudenell was a British Army general during the Crimean war who is said to have spent vast sums outfitting officers in wool waistcoats. He gained fame after the war due to his military pursuits, and this led to the garment becoming trendy with the country’s civilian population.
What do you wear under a cardigan?
A. For a casual look, wear it over a crew neck or V-neck T-shirt or over a thin turtleneck sweater if it’s cold or you simply like turtlenecks. For a smarter look, wear a blouse or button-down shirt underneath. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. They work with almost any outfit because you can make them look as preppy or as grungy as you like (think of Kurt Cobain’s iconic green cardigan).
What’s the best cardigan to buy?
Top cardigan
Daily Ritual Long-Sleeve Cardigan
What you need to know: This fine-knit open cardigan is perfect for casual to smart-casual wear.
What you’ll love: You can choose from 13 colors, including burgundy, black, olive and navy. It’s machine-washable and fast drying. It is ribbed at the hem and cuffs and has side pockets.
What you should consider: It’s fairly thin, so it’s better for mild weather days rather than the depths of winter.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top cardigan for the money
Grace Karin Long Sleeve Button-down Cardigan
What you need to know: With its shallow V-neck and button-down front, it’s a versatile choice.
What you’ll love: It’s relatively light but still feels warm with pleasantly soft fabric. It comes in a whopping 41 color combinations, including heather gray, cerulean, lemon yellow and lake blue with a caramel trim.
What you should consider: It runs small, so consider sizing up if you’re between sizes or prefer a loose fit.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It’s perfect for wearers who want a classic fit with a relatively deep V-neck.
What you’ll love: It’s made from temperature-controlled fabric that’s great for layering without overheating. There are four colors to choose from: coastal camel heather, gray heather, true black and navy.
What you should consider: It isn’t a great choice for cold weather because the material is quite thin.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/best-cardigan/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:29 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/best-cardigan/ |
Which men’s heated jacket is best?
One of the best recent technological advances is the introduction of heating elements to a standard jacket. They’re battery-operated and can provide warmth for hours, making it easy to keep working or participating in outdoor fun. Many are even machine-washable, despite all the tech.
The best men’s heated jacket is the DeWalt Heated Lightweight Soft Shell Jacket. It has five heating zones for more complete warmth and is water- and wind-resistant.
What to know before you buy a men’s heated jacket
Heating zones
Men’s heated jackets place heating elements in different ways, but most place an element or two along the upper chest and mid-back. Other popular places include the waist, arms, shoulders and the hood, if it includes one. Some jackets even place thin elements inside the collar.
Fit
Heated jackets follow the usual size guidelines (i.e., small, large, etc.) — though most have their own sizing charts for these names. Unlike other jackets, heated jackets need to fit as perfectly as possible, as a more secure fit means less empty space for the heating elements to warm instead of heating you.
Charging
Heated jackets typically charge through either a standard outlet or a USB connection. Either method, outside of the rare exception, takes roughly up to two hours to fully charge.
What to look for in a quality men’s heated jacket
Battery type
Most men’s heated jackets use rechargeable batteries, typically lithium or nickel.
- Lithium batteries are more common as they’re lighter, but this also makes them less durable. A jacket with a strong battery housing can mostly mitigate this weakness.
- Nickel batteries are more durable, but heavier. Their lifespan also slowly decreases with time and repeated charging.
Battery life
Most men’s heated jackets have battery lives between five to 10 hours, with the best having up to 12 hours. Don’t worry too much about maximum battery life as long as your jacket has enough power to last for the time you need it.
Battery backup
On the other hand, if your jacket has to last as long as a few days with inconsistent access to charging, you’ll need one with battery backups. This typically takes the form of one AA battery. Remember, this is only supplemental — for the best, longest-lasting heating, you still need to charge the main battery.
Lining and insulation
Some men’s jackets have linings, insulation or both.
- Linings are typically a layer of fleece. They’re good to have for freezing weather.
- Insulation takes it a step further, letting the jacket trap heat from both your body and the heating elements. This means you stay warmer, and it also means you can run the jacket at low heat and be just as warm as if you were wearing an uninsulated jacket on high heat. It’s a must for subzero climates.
How much you can expect to spend on a men’s heated jacket
Men’s heated jackets typically cost $100-$300. Jackets for $100-$150 are more than capable but spending up to $200 will get you a little more battery and heat. The best jackets cost up to $300.
Men’s heated jacket FAQ
How safe are men’s heated jackets?
A. Completely safe. First, the batteries use low-enough voltage to eliminate the risk of electrocution. Secondly, the wiring and heating components are completely insulated. Thirdly, most jackets have automatic-shutdown features that trigger if the heating elements cross a safety threshold.
How should I wash a men’s heated jacket?
A. Most jackets need to be carefully hand-washed and allowed to air-dry, but a few are machine washable.
- For the hand-wash-only models, you should give your jacket a soft wipe-down after each wear — otherwise you’ll have a harder, longer cleaning due before you know it.
- For machine-washable models, most have crucial instructions that must be followed, such as removing the batteries or that it should only be machine-washed a certain number of times. These can be found on the jacket’s tag and on the manufacturer’s website.
Can I take a men’s heated jacket on a plane?
A. Yes, the Transportation Security Administration allows them on flights. You may need to comply with some extra security, so arrive early.
What’s the best men’s heated jacket to buy?
Top men’s heated jacket
DeWalt Heated Lightweight Soft Shell Jacket
What you need to know: This option is a great intersection of effectiveness and cost.
What you’ll love: It heats five zones — the upper-left and upper-right chest, the mid-back, and both arms. The exterior is polyester that’s water- and wind-resistant, plus it has fleece polyester lining — including in the hood — for extra warmth. It can even charge your devices through a USB port.
What you should consider: Some consumers reported that cold air can sneak into your chest through a loose waist. It’s on the expensive side.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top men’s heated jacket for the money
Ororo Men’s Soft Shell Heated Jacket
What you need to know: This is perfect for colder-than-usual weather.
What you’ll love: It has three heating zones — the upper-left and upper-right chest and the mid-back. It can heat in seconds and can last for up to 10 hours on a full charge, plus it can charge your devices through a USB port.
What you should consider: It isn’t machine washable, and several consumers warned that it runs on the small side. A few also had issues with the power cable disconnecting from the battery.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It comes in two coverage options to best fit your needs.
What you’ll love: It comes in either three- or eight-heating-zone models — both heat the left and right chest and mid-back, with the eight-zone model also heating the left and right waist, shoulders and hood. It’s water- and wind-proof and lasts for up to eight hours.
What you should consider: A few consumers had issues with the battery starting to fail after roughly a year of use. Others found it to run on the large side.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/best-mens-heated-jacket/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:36 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/best-mens-heated-jacket/ |
What do you need for spring showers?
Spring brings sunshine, blooms and plenty of rain. If you live in one of many areas experiencing drizzles — or downpours — right now, it’s a good idea to invest in rain gear to deal with spring showers.
It’s no surprise that umbrellas, raincoats and other protective accessories come in handy in springtime, especially when they’re kept nearby in the event of unexpected showers. They’re not the only items worth buying during the rainy season, though. A few convenient products can make the difference between staying dry and getting soaked this season.
Levels of water-resistance
Before you shop around for rain gear, it’s important to understand the difference between waterproof and water-resistant materials.
Waterproof materials, which offer the most protection, prevent moisture from penetrating and soaking the inner layers. Water-resistant materials repel water and make it bead off the surface, but with enough exposure, inner layers will get wet. Most rain gear indicates its water resistance on tags so you know exactly how much protection they offer.
How to stay dry during the rainy season
Invest in basic rain gear
One of the easiest ways to stay dry during spring showers is by investing in quintessential rain gear, including rain jackets and rain boots.
Rain jackets are available in various lengths, but longer styles — ideally those cut at the midthigh — protect your lower back and waist from moisture and drafts. It’s wise to choose rain jackets with hoods in order to prevent hair from getting soaked, especially after you’ve blow-dried or styled it.
Rain boots are usually made with rubber or plastic, both of which are waterproof. Quality styles also have sealed seams that prevent rain and cold air from entering. However, comfort is hit or miss with rain boots. Generally, these lightweight styles lack cushioning, support and warmth, and they’re not suitable for extended walking periods.
Opt for travel rain accessories
Even if you pay close attention to weather reports, it’s still hard to predict spring showers. For that reason, it’s a good idea to invest in travel rain accessories that you can keep nearby in the event of unexpected storms.
- Travel umbrellas: Travel or mini umbrellas are often preferred to full-size umbrellas because they’re small enough to fit inside handbags, office desk drawers and lockers. They’re popular for kids because they are lightweight and fit inside backpacks.
- Ponchos: Ponchos might not take the place of rain jackets, but they do a decent job of keeping you somewhat dry in a pinch. Some ponchos are disposable, whereas others are reusable and even machine-washable.
- Stroller covers: Stroller covers, also called weather shields, keep kids dry when you’re walking in inclement weather. There are some universal covers, but they may be ill-fitting or leave gaps. Most stroller manufacturers sell covers that fit specific models.
- Hats and bonnets: Many water-resistant hats are packable, including bucket hats and traditional rain hats. Folded hats may even fit inside rain jacket pockets. Other people opt to wear rain bonnets, which offer more protection than most hats.
Protect your vehicle
Besides keeping yourself dry, you probably want to prevent your car or truck interior from getting soaked or covered in mud.
- Seat covers: Water-resistant seat covers can be placed on cloth seats so they don’t absorb moisture.
- Cargo covers: If you have pets, waterproof cargo covers are easy to wipe down with a damp cloth when they’re covered with muddy paw prints.
- Rain guards: For those who like leaving windows cracked while they drive, rain guards allow fresh air to enter while keeping out droplets.
Top products to help you deal with spring showers
Lands’ End Women’s Hooded Packable Raincoat
In addition to being travel-friendly, waterproof and windproof, this raincoat also folds inside its own pocket for quick, convenient storage.
Sold by Kohl’s
Columbia Kids’ Glennaker Rain Jacket
This best-selling Columbia jacket has a waterproof nylon shell and full-coverage hood. The lightweight style packs easily inside kids’ backpacks and luggage.
Sold by Amazon, Kohl’s and Dick’s Sporting Goods
Vera Bradley Mini Travel Umbrella
If you’re looking for a stylish mini umbrella, this Vera Bradley option is available in five chic designs, including springtime florals.
Sold by Amazon
London Fog Piccadilly Women’s Waterproof Rain Boots
Available in several colors and designs, these London Fog rain boots are a contemporary spin on the classic style with elastic sides and a streamlined silhouette.
Sold by Kohl’s
Bulldogology Premium SUV Cargo Liner
Even if your dogs are wet and have muddy paws, this cargo liner has you covered — literally. It’s made with waterproof materials that can be wiped down for easy cleaning.
Sold by Amazon
Angela & William Waterproof Bucket Hat
This classic bucket hat offers maximum protection with waterproof materials and a 2-inch brim. The lightweight style can be rolled up and placed inside coat pockets.
Sold by Amazon
Not only is this rain poncho waterproof and breathable, it’s one of few styles that comes in attractive designs.
Sold by Amazon
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Sian Babish writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/everything-you-need-to-deal-with-spring-showers/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:43 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/apparel-br/outerwear-br/everything-you-need-to-deal-with-spring-showers/ |
Ancient tombs discovered underneath Notre Dame
Published: Apr. 15, 2022 at 9:44 AM EDT|Updated: 54 minutes ago
(CNN) - Ancient tombs and statues have been discovered beneath Notre Dame Cathedral during the project to restore it.
Archaeologists carefully examined an area under the cathedral where they found statues, sculptures, tombs and pieces of original church architecture dating back to the 13th century.
Crews have been working to restore the church after it caught fire three years ago.
The excavation was a precautionary measure before scaffolding gets put up to restore part of the roof. That work can now get started after France’s National Archaeological Institute announced it has wrapped up the excavation.
The cathedral is on track to reopen to the public in 2024.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/ancient-tombs-discovered-underneath-notre-dame/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:44 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/ancient-tombs-discovered-underneath-notre-dame/ |
Tips for contouring your face
Good contouring can enhance your face’s natural lines, make your favorite features stand out, define your cheekbones and eyes, and refine your proportions. It can be daunting to start, and it may seem difficult to contour without looking overly made up. But with the right products and some practice, you will soon be contouring like an Instagram influencer.
Prep your face
Cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize
Good contouring begins with good preparation. You’ll get a smoother palette for your contouring when your face is clean and free of flakes, oily patches or dead skin. A good cleanser for your skin type will reveal a brighter, smoother surface. Exfoliation will make sure you’ve turned over any sluggish, dead cells.
Lastly, following a regular regimen of adding skin-friendly hydration such as hyaluronic acid or emollients will ensure skin looks healthy and glowy. Ideally, let moisturizers soak into the skin about a half-hour before makeup application.
Apply your base
The first step in contouring is to give yourself a base of primer, concealer and foundation to even out your tone and hide any blemishes or dark circles. Match your skin tone and color as closely as possible to give your contouring products the smoothest natural base. Oil-based foundation is a good choice for dry skin, while water-based products offer less coverage but are also less likely to cause breakouts in skin prone to them.
Choose the right products
Pay attention to skin tone
Choosing the right contour products depends heavily on skin tone, even more than your choice of foundation does. If you’ve ever seen contouring that looked harsh or unnatural, chances are that the tone of the product used was wrong for the skin it was being applied to.
Choose a shade two shades darker than your natural skin color at the jawline. Warm contour is right for warm skin tones that tan instead of burn. If your skin tends to look pink or burns easily, you’ll do better sticking to cooler contour shades.
Decide between liquid and powder
The choice is partially based on your comfort. If you have more experience applying powdered blushes, powder may be a good choice for your contour as well. If you’ve applied heavier, oil-based foundation, you may want a creamy, smooth contour color for easier application. Note that powder applied over oil-based foundation can look chalky or patchy, so apply with care.
Contour with confidence
Apply shadows
Contour is, at its essence, a heightening of the natural shadows that fall on your face due to your bone structure. Look at yourself in natural overhead light. Where are the shadows? For most people, they’re under the cheekbones and the jaw. You may also want to apply a base of your contour product in the crease of the eye before eyeshadow application to create color cohesion on your face.
Suck in your cheeks. With an upward-sweeping, gentle touch, apply your contour product in the hollow created naturally, plus slightly above it to emphasize your cheekbones. Apply a touch at your hairline about two inches above your temples to draw attention to your eyes, and slim down your jawline by applying contour along it and in long strokes along the sides, down toward your Adam’s apple.
Apply highlighters
Now look at yourself in overhead lighting again. Where does the light sit brightest? For most of us, this is at the top of the cheekbones, above the eyebrows and along the jawline. If you’ve got mature skin, go lightly around the eyes with powdered highlighter, as it can settle into fine lines and draw attention to them.
Consider color
Once you’ve achieved the right level of shadow and light, which may take several passes, you may want to add a wash of color where the highlight meets the contour to add a rosy, healthy glow. Go lightly and continue to consider skin tone. Pink-toned blushes look good on lighter, cooler skin, while peach-infused ones work best for warmer skin tones.
Set the look
If you need your look to make it through a long day or a night full of dancing, you may want to apply setting spray to extend its life. A spritz of setting spray will lock in your look, making it transfer-free, smudge-proof and fresh.
What you need to buy to contour your face
Anastasia Beverly Hills Contour Kit
This is a perfect all-in-one kit that contains both warm and cool contour colors, as well as an assortment of highlighting colors in both matte and shimmery varieties.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
Kevyn Aucoin The Sculpting Powder
Created by the renowned makeup artist credited with introducing the idea of contouring into the mainstream in the 1990s, this versatile sculpting powder looks great on many skin tones, although it’s best for cooler ones. Blendable and flattering, it gives you perfect sculpting without being harsh or obvious.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour
This creamy contouring stick gives you the glide-on versatility of a cream with the pigmentation you expect from a powder. If you have skin that tends to the drier side, consider a creamy sculpting contour like this product that’s free of parabens and phthalates, which may disrupt your hormones.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
E.L.F. Cosmetics Contouring Brush
Inexpensive and effective, this is the perfect brush for applying contour precisely where you want it. The flat edge and short bristles give you precision, while turning it on its wide part helps you blend your products for a seamless, natural look.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
Urban Decay Cosmetics All Nighter Long-Lasting Makeup Setting Spray
This long-lasting spray is a favorite when you want your contouring and general makeup application to last through a long night out or a full day. It makes your look fade-proof and helps it last for up to 16 hours while keeping it seeming fresh.
Where to buy: Sold by Ulta Beauty
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Maria Andreu writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/how-to-contour-your-face/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:50 | 1 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/how-to-contour-your-face/ |
Mall store owner accused of shooting 9-year-old girl to be returned to California
LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Southern California shoe store owner accused of shooting and wounding a 9-year-old girl when he opened fire at shoplifters agreed Thursday to be returned from Nevada to face charges in the case.
Police have said that Marqel Cockrell, 20, fled from the California desert city of Victorville in his car just after the girl, identified by family members as Ava Chruniak, was mistakenly hit by bullets on Tuesday as she waited to have her picture taken with a mall Easter bunny.
Cockrell, 20, stood in court and told a Las Vegas judge that he understood that California authorities had 30 days to extradite him. He was not represented by an attorney because Nevada does not provide lawyers for extradition cases.
Cockrell co-owns the shoe store Sole Addicts at the Mall of Victor Valley and was chasing two shoplifters about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday when he fired shots that “instead hit the 9-year-old female victim,” Victorville police said in a statement.
The girl suffered three gunshot wounds, including two in an arm, her grandmother, Moraga-Saldarelli said. One of the bullets fractured an arm bone.
She was released from the hospital on Thursday but will require another operation to repair nerve damage, KCBS-TV reported.
“I will never forgive him. What he did to me is not OK,” Ava told the station from her bed at home. “No one should have a gun in the mall.”
Police have said that Cockrell drove from the mall before responding officers arrived after receiving reports of gunfire and that he was arrested in Nevada’s Clark County, about a three-hour drive from Victorville.
Cockrell is being held at the Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas. Authorities have said he faces at least one attempted murder charge. Records do not indicate if he has a lawyer who could speak on his behalf.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/mall-store-owner-accused-shooting-9-year-old-girl-be-returned-california/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:51 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/mall-store-owner-accused-shooting-9-year-old-girl-be-returned-california/ |
What are the 16 most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora?
Between drinking your morning coffee, eating a sandwich at lunch and sipping from your water bottle all day, it’s nearly impossible to keep your lip color in place — unless you find a high-quality liquid lipstick.
Despite their thin formula, liquid lipsticks dry down to a nearly budge-proof finish that stays on your lips even when eating and drinking. Once dry, they won’t transfer to your clothing or anyone you might kiss. Not all liquid lipsticks are created equal, though, so you want to keep an eye out for formulas that last longer and feel more comfortable than others.
Are you looking for a top-notch liquid lipstick that looks and feels good? Here are the most popular formulas you can find at Sephora for smooth, beautiful lip color that lasts through the longest days.
16 most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora
Most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora for $20 and under
Huda Beauty Liquid Matte Ultra-Comfort Transfer-proof Lipstick
This liquid lipstick delivers rich pigmentation in a single swipe. It contains olive oil, vitamin A, vitamin E and essential fatty acids to help keep your lips hydrated, so it also feels extremely comfortable. The formula is vegan and cruelty-free too.
Sold by Sephora
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick
A cult-favorite formula, this liquid lipstick provides full coverage and intense color that lasts for hours. Its rounded sponge applicator also makes application quick and easy. You can choose from 18 shades, ranging from soft nudes to bold reds — the shades can even be mixed together to create a custom color.
Sold by Sephora
Kaja LOVE SWIPE Lightweight Cushiony Lip Mousse
With its velvety texture, this air-whipped liquid lipstick is a highly comfortable option that still lasts all day. It features cottonseed oil, raspberry seed oil and vitamin E to hydrate and nourish, but the formula feels weightless on the lips. It also comes in adorable heart-shaped packaging that you’ll love pulling out for touch-ups.
Sold by Sephora
Rare Beauty Lip Souffle Matte Cream Lipstick
This hydrating liquid lipstick glides over the lips for smooth, easy application. It has a lightweight feel and isn’t prone to caking. The formula is paraben- and phthalate-free too.
Sold by Sephora
Sephora Collection Clean Liquid Lip Mousse
Boasting a clean formula, this affordable liquid lip offers highly pigmented color that doesn’t feather or bleed. It has a comfortable, lightweight feel and helps blur the look of lines. Best of all, it’s fragrance-free, making it an ideal option for sensitive skin.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora for $20-$30
Nars Air Matte Liquid Lipstick
With its classic matte finish, this lipstick offers the wear time you’d expect, but the unique formula has a soft, weightless feel that’s more comfortable than traditional liquid lipsticks. Its color has a diffused look too, providing an extremely flattering soft-focus effect.
Sold by Sephora
Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lipstick
Despite its liquid formula, this lipstick feels more like a balm and has a slight sheen that works especially well for dry lips. The formula contains superfruits — including cranberry, blueberry and raspberry extracts — that give it an emollient, easy-to-apply texture. You can choose from 12 rich shades that work for most skin tones.
Sold by Sephora
KVD Everlasting Longwear Liquid Lipstick
Thanks to high pigment formula, this vegan liquid lipstick has been a fan favorite for years. Its creamy formula glides on easily but sets quickly. It also contains moisturizers, such as vitamin E and sunflower seed wax, to prevent drying the lips. It’s available in 19 shades, including a bold purple and an intense black.
Sold by Sephora
Patrick Ta Monochrome Moment Silky Lip Creme
This liquid lipstick offers a satin-matte finish, making it an excellent option if you aren’t a fan of dry matte formulas. It provides full coverage in a single coat and can last for hours. The formula also contains a cross-polymer blend that lets the lipstick move easily with the lips.
Sold by Sephora
Smashbox Always On Longwear Matte Liquid Lipstick
With a waterproof formula, this liquid lipstick lasts all day, even through drinking and eating. It contains a primer oil complex that keeps it from drying out your lips and reduces feathering, bleeding or caking. It’s available in more than 22 shades too.
Sold by Sephora
Too Faced Melted Matte Liquid Lipstick
This lipstick features vitamin E, avocado oil and hyaluronic filling spheres, so it never looks or feels dry on the lips. It still has a long-wearing matte finish, though, and can last for up to eight hours. It’s transfer-resistant too.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular liquid lipsticks at Sephora for more than $30
Armani beauty Lip Maestro Liquid Matte Lipstick
One of the best-selling liquid lipsticks in the U.S., this formula offers bold color and a velvety finish. It also provides hydration that lasts for hours, so it doesn’t feel dry or sticky on the lips. You can choose from over 36 flattering shades.
Sold by Sephora
Dior Rouge Dior Forever Liquid Transfer-Proof Lipstick
If you’re tired of smudges on your clothing, this transfer-proof lipstick is a perfect option. It doesn’t settle in lip lines or bleed around the mouth and has an extremely comfortable, lightweight formula. It also lasts for up to 12 hours.
Sold by Sephora
Yves Saint Laurent Vinyl Cream Lip Stain
Unlike other liquid lipsticks with a matte finish, this formula offers a glossy look that’s comfortable and hydrating. It still provides full-coverage color, though, and lasts for up to 10 hours. Its diamond-shaped applicator allows for precise application too.
Sold by Sephora
Hourglass Velvet Story Lip Cream
This lipstick has a whipped texture that feels weightless and soft on the lips. It helps blur the look of lines and contains vitamin E to condition and protect your lips. You can also get full color in a single swipe.
Sold by Sephora
Available in both matte and high-shine finishes, this liquid lipstick delivers rich, intense color. It contains daikon radish oil to help hydrate and cushion the lips for comfortable wear. The formula is also gluten-free.
Sold by Sephora
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/lip-makeup-br/16-most-popular-liquid-lipsticks-at-sephora/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:57 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/lip-makeup-br/16-most-popular-liquid-lipsticks-at-sephora/ |
Police: 3 toddlers exposed to THC through daycare’s crackers; owner charged
STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (WWBT/Gray News) - A daycare owner has been charged after officials said three toddlers in her care were taken to the emergency room after eating “Goldfish”-type crackers infused with THC.
On March 2, deputies responded to a hospital after a report of several babies with THC exposure, WWBT reported.
Three children, all 1-year-old, were taken to Stafford Hospital Center after their parents observed lethargic and uncoordinated behavior as well as glassy, bloodshot eyes.
The hospital staff recognized the symptoms and confirmed through testing that each child was exposed to THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis that produces a high sensation, authorities said.
According to police, the three families were connected to a licensed home daycare provider.
Police said they searched the daycare and collected the crackers around the toddler’s high chairs. Lab results confirmed the crackers had THC in them, authorites
Child Protective Services were brought into the investigation, and the daycare voluntarily surrendered its license.
On Thursday, the daycare owner Rebecca Swanner, 60, turned herself in to authorities. She has been charged with three counts of cruelty and injury to children.
Swanner was released by the magistrate on a $2,000 unsecured bond.
Copyright 2022 WWBT via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/police-3-toddlers-exposed-thc-through-daycares-crackers-owner-charged/ | 2022-04-15T14:39:58 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/police-3-toddlers-exposed-thc-through-daycares-crackers-owner-charged/ |
Which cooling comforter is best?
Sweating in your sleep is uncomfortable and leads to more dirty laundry. A cooling comforter is an excellent way to get a good night’s rest for those who get hot. Many cooling comforters keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, meaning you can use them year-round. If you’re shopping for a new comforter, the Hombys Lightweight Cooling Bamboo Comforter is excellent.
What to know before you buy a cooling comforter
Cooling comforter weight
- Lightweight: Lightweight comforters are typically among the coolest, but many prefer thicker comforters. These generally are best for the summertime and may feel too cold in the winter.
- Midweight: These are usually ideal for summer or wintertime use.
- Heavyweight: Believe it or not, there are numerous heavy cooling comforters. These are typically made from breathable materials, allowing your body heat to escape while you sleep.
Cooling comforter material
- Bamboo: This is a smooth fabric that’s cool to the touch. It has a slippery feel that some people don’t like, but it’s one of the best options for regulating your body temperature.
- Cotton: Cotton is natural, smooth and soft. It’s a breathable material that wicks sweat from your body, making it an excellent choice for hot sleepers.
- Microfiber: Microfiber is a breathable, affordable material. Many of the highest-rated cooling comforters are made from this material.
- Silk: Silk is a natural, breathable and hypoallergenic fiber that feels soft.
- Linen: This is a breathable fabric with top-notch moisture-wicking capabilities.
- Wool: This natural material is best suited for people who get cold while they sleep, although some wool comforters are surprisingly breathable.
- Polyester: Although many polyester comforters claim to keep you cool, they’re generally the least breathable.
Cleaning your cooling comforter
Most comforters are machine-washable and easy to clean, although they may be too large for your washing machine. Some comforters are dry clean only, which can be challenging and expensive. The product description and the comforter’s tag should have easy-to-understand care instructions.
How can I keep my bed cool at night?
Aside from buying a cooling comforter, you can do numerous other things to keep cool at night.
- Take a lukewarm shower close to bedtime: Warm showers help lower your body temperature, helping you sleep comfortably. Ensure the water isn’t too hot or cold, as that can be too stimulating, keeping you up at night.
- Avoid heavy meals at night: Consider a light, healthy meal like a salad if you get hungry close to bedtime. Heavy meals cause your body to exert energy by breaking down carbs. Additionally, avoid spicy food at night.
- Limit nighttime caffeine: If you tend to drink coffee or soda before bed, consider a glass of ice water instead. Caffeine has a stimulating effect that may cause you to sweat at night.
What to look for in a quality cooling comforter
Year-round use
Although cooling comforters are meant to keep you from getting warm, the best options also keep you from getting cold in the winter. Buying a comforter that can be used all year keeps you from having to switch out your bedding as the seasons change.
Stitching
A comforter’s stitching keeps the fill from sliding around, ensuring certain areas aren’t thicker than others. Quality stitching makes a comforter soft and cozy without making it less breathable.
Moisture-wicking
Although you’ll sweat less with a cooling blanket, you may still sweat from time to time. Moisture-wicking materials keep you dry while you sleep and help you stay cool.
Durable material
Cheap comforters often fade or pill after washing. Pilling happens when fibers break and tangle, resulting in fuzz balls on the exterior of your comforter. Buying a comforter that doesn’t pill, fade or damage in your washing machine gives you the most bang for your buck.
How much you can expect to spend on a cooling comforter
Depending on the comforter’s size and material, you’ll spend around $50-$150.
Cooling comforter FAQ
Do cooling blankets help with menopause?
A. Cooling blankets won’t directly influence menopause symptoms, although they help those with nighttime hot flashes sleep more comfortably.
Are duvets cooler than comforters?
A. This depends on the duvet’s material. Both are thick, although duvets often have duvet covers that can make them warmer and less breathable.
Do bed cooling pads work?
A. Bed cooling pads go under your sheets and absorb your body’s heat to keep you cool. Using a cooling pad and a cooling comforter is an excellent way to stay cool at night.
What’s the best cooling comforter to buy?
Top cooling comforter
Hombys Lightweight Cooling Bamboo Comforter
What you need to know: This features a breathable bamboo material that’s ideal for hot sleepers.
What you’ll love: It’s available in four colors — white, all-seasons white, sage and gray. Many people praised this comforter as a great solution for nighttime hot flashes. It’s heavy but not hot. The exterior is soft and silky. This is ideal for year-round use.
What you should consider: It doesn’t dry quickly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top cooling comforter for the money
Latitude Run Microfiber Down Alternative Comforter
What you need to know: This is breathable enough for hot sleepers, but not too cold in the wintertime.
What you’ll love: The baffle-box stitch keeps the fill from moving around. It has tabs for easy inserts and removal if you want to place it in a duvet. It’s easy to clean. It’s incredibly soft.
What you should consider: Some people felt it was too thin.
Where to buy: Sold by Wayfair
Worth checking out
Sleep Zone Reversible Queen Comforter
What you need to know: This is durable, comfortable and breathable.
What you’ll love: It’s available in seven color combinations. People praised this for the lack of damage, pilling and fading after multiple washes. It’s ideal for year-round use.
What you should consider: Some people felt this wasn’t breathable enough.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Cody Stewart writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-cooling-comforter/ | 2022-04-15T14:40:04 | 1 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-cooling-comforter/ |
Washburn and Easton Athletic Directors talk about coop team
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - The Washburn and Easton Cooperative baseball team will play their first game of the season in two weeks. This is the first time in decades that Easton student athletes will play on a varsity baseball team
(Bryan Shaw):” We know they are going to benefit that team and help them out. Easton has not had that spring sport in a long time. It’s really nice we can do this, and I am looking forward to that first game on April 27th.”
Washburn’s rosters numbers have been on the low side for the past few years. Bryan Shaw and Ron Ericson talked about forming a cooperative team over the winter and Administrators from both schools and the School Boards were in favor of forming the squad.
Shaw:” We are super grateful. It’s all for those kids. The kids who want to get out there and play. Having the chance for them to go to Washburn and build that program as a coop. We are very appreciate.”
This year Washburn’s numbers are much better. They will have around 17 players on the team that includes the two players from Easton who will join them. Ron Ericson says that having a larger roster is a good thing because some of the Beaves players also work and some of the athletes are playing both baseball and track and field.
(Ron Ericson:” We do have some kids who are trying to juggle work and baseball. Our coach is working around that. We also have a couple who are doing track and there is a conflict with our baseball schedule and track schedule. That will all come into play.”
Schools all over the state are seeing a decreasing number of student-athletes competing in interscholastic sports.
Shaw:” It’s a challenging time for many athletic departments. Our rec program does a great job of building up the skills and developing the kids. We have had a quality program for another of years.
This will be one of the first cooperative teams that Washburn has been a part of, but Ericson says coop teams build on relationships for both schools.
Ericson:” I have heard good things at the MPA Level. Kids on coop teams from different teams bond pretty well. We have a good relationship with Easton already and something like this makes that even stronger. That is even better than what we had.”
Copyright 2022 WAGM. All rights reserved. | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/washburn-easton-athletic-directors-talk-about-coop-team/ | 2022-04-15T14:40:05 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/2022/04/15/washburn-easton-athletic-directors-talk-about-coop-team/ |
Which electric blanket is best?
When the wind is howling outside, you might feel a chill in your bones that no amount of blankets can chase away. If you live in a cold climate, have a hard time sleeping in cold weather or just want more warmth at night, an electric blanket can help. Electric blankets provide warmth without causing your home heating bill to jump, and they are an easy solution to a chilly problem.
The Westinghouse Electric Blanket is beautiful, comfortable and provides ample heat for the coldest winter nights.
What to know before you buy an electric blanket
Size
As with their nonelectric counterparts, electric blankets come in sizes to fit standard beds (e.g., twin, full, queen and king). If you have an oversized mattress, make sure the blanket you choose is large enough for it.
Materials
Electric blankets in the past were made of a thin, poorly insulated material that was not naturally warm. These days, electric blankets made of thick, comfy fabrics like fleece, flannel and wool are warm even when not plugged in.
Once you determine what you want your blanket fabric to feel like, check the grams per square meter. That number tells you how much insulation your blanket has, and a higher GSM means more warmth even when the blanket’s not turned on.
Number of settings
Some electric blankets come with three heat settings — low, medium and high — while others come with 10 or more. Although it’s nice to precisely dial in your perfect temperature, consider whether you really need all 10 settings (and want to pay for them). Five are enough for most people.
What to look for in a quality electric blanket
Dual controls
When two people share a bed, chances are good they will need different levels of warmth throughout the night. If this sounds like you, look for a blanket with dual controls to customize the heating level on either side of the bed.
Easy care
While it may seem crazy to throw an electric blanket into a washing machine, these days that’s not outside the realm of possibility. Look for machine-washable and dryer-safe blankets for easy care.
If your electric blanket is not machine-washable, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to keep it clean.
Automatic shut-off
An automatic shut-off protects your blanket from overheating and saves energy. Because our core body temperature drops at night, most blankets with this feature turn off automatically after three hours, improving your chance of a perfect night of sleep.
Reversible
The last thing you want is an electric blanket that looks like an electric blanket. With reversible ones, not only can you change the look of your bed instantly, but you also have a piece of bed linen that looks elegant, not wired.
How much you can expect to spend on an electric blanket
The price depends on its size and the material from which it’s made. Expect to spend $40-$80 on a queen-size blanket.
Electric blanket FAQ
Are electric blankets safe?
A. They’re remarkably safe, but there are a few precautions you should take.
- Do not use a blanket that has wires that are cut or damaged.
- Do not sit or lie on top of the blanket, and don’t let pets lie on it either. This extra weight can damage the blanket’s wires.
- Don’t use your blanket on its maximum setting at all times. Use just enough heat to get the warmth you need.
- Avoid buying used or vintage electric blankets. It can be difficult to tell whether they have been damaged, and older blankets are not manufactured to the same level of safety.
Can you use an electric blanket on a memory foam mattress?
A. Because there is a slight chance that the blanket’s hidden wires can melt memory foam, stick to regular blankets if you sleep on foam. This also includes memory-foam mattress toppers.
Are electric blankets cheaper than space heaters?
A. Yes. Depending on size, space heaters take 500-1,000 watts of electricity to run, while an electric blanket takes no more than 200 watts, even on the highest setting.
Electric blankets also heat just the space you need — the bed you’re lying in — instead of heating the entire room.
What’s the best electric blanket to buy?
Top electric blanket
What you need to know: It’s easy to operate and customize.
What you’ll love: With a 220 GSM and a thick Sherpa lining, this blanket is warm and cozy. It is reversible and uses a digital control to personalize heating. It has 10 heat settings, features protection against overheating and is fully machine-washable and dryer-safe.
What you should consider: If you plan on using this with a generator or power bank, look for another blanket. It is not compatible with this type of off-grid power supply.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Macy’s
Top electric blanket for the money
What you need to know: It is a lightweight blanket that is not bulky and works well under regular bedding for extreme cold.
What you’ll love: It has three heat settings and an automatic shut-off after three hours of use. ThermoFine technology distributes heat evenly, and this blanket is machine-washable and dryer-safe.
What you should consider: Some reviewers found it too thin for use as their primary blanket.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: It looks elegant and heats well.
What you’ll love: It reaches the temperature you want in less than 20 minutes. It has five heat settings and is made from sherpa fabric. The heating wires are thin and barely perceptible.
What you should consider: The power cord is short, and it does not always heat up evenly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Suzannah Kolbeck writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-electric-blanket/ | 2022-04-15T14:40:10 | 0 | https://fox59.com/reviews/br/bed-bath-br/bedding-br/best-electric-blanket/ |