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WINCHESTER, Va. (AP) — Seven-year-old Kiah Anderson sat in her classroom at Quarles Elementary School on March 31 and held Moby Duck, a duckling she and her fellow second graders hatched in an incubator.
Moby is one of three ducks that were raised in teacher Nicole Hobson’s classroom these past few weeks as part of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) learning project.
“We’ve had them since they were babies,” Kiah said as Moby Duck’s friends Duke and Ocho waddled around the room.
Kiah reads to the ducklings every day. She said their favorite book is “Duck On a Bike” by author David Shannon.
Eight-year-old Ella Trdlickova said it’s calming to come to school and spend time with the ducklings.
“They’re so cute and playful,” second-grader Ella said on her last full day with her fluffy friends.
Moby Duck, Ocho and Duke moved to their new, permanent home on a farm owned by Winchester Public Schools grant specialist Jennifer LaBombard-Daniels, who is overseeing the grant-funded STEM program at both Quarles and John Kerr Elementary School.
“What we’re doing with our kids is immersing them in STEM and computer science fields,” LaBombard-Daniels said.
How do baby ducks help kids learn about computers? By teaching them about modern farming techniques that involve robotics, automation, coding and more, LaBombard-Daniels said.
Thanks to the Virginia Department of Education and the National Inventors Hall of Fame, Winchester Public Schools recently received a “farm to family” kit that included devices and information to show students at Quarles and John Kerr elementary schools how modern farming embraces technology to reduce workloads and produce better food.
One of the devices in the kit was a miniature John Deere tractor the students programmed to automatically make its way around a classroom.
“They created a farm and made pathways, and then we coded the tractor to go through the farm,” Quarles computer science coach Jenny Ramsey said. “We want to show them how computer science is out there in every industry there is.”
The project with the ducklings began before they even hatched. LaBombard-Daniels said incubators were used to develop the eggs, which allowed students to follow the growth of the ducklings while they were still in their shells. The incubation process also taught the second graders how farmers must limit the number of eggs they hatch in order to control their poultry populations.
Once hatched, the ducklings stayed at Quarles and John Kerr so the students would have an immersive experience while learning to properly care for them. That experience could be instrumental later in their lives, LaBombard-Daniels said, when the children decide what they want to do for a living.
“When we did a survey of third- and fourth-graders last year,” she said, “veterinary science was the number one STEM field that they picked. I really attribute that to these projects because they’re having hands-on experiences.”
Apart from the educational aspect, Ramsey said the ducklings provided other benefits for the students.
“Sometimes they’re having a rough morning or having a hard time in the classroom, so a lot of these ducks end up turning into therapy ducks,” she said. “The students come to the counseling corner, they sit and hold the ducks, they read to them, get their feelings back in action and go back to the classroom. Not only are they learning to raise a duck and understand the life cycle of an animal they may not see in the city, but they’re also learning empathy and caring and giving.”
It’s not just the kids who enjoy spending time with the ducklings. On March 31, LaBombard-Daniels brought in five additional ducklings that caught the attention of every Quarles teacher who passed by in the hallway.
“It’s therapy, something different in the building than math and reading,” Quarles instructional coach Heather Williams said.
The five ducklings brought in are being raised on LaBombard-Daniels’ farm. In order for her to take the animals to Quarles, she also had to bring along a Silkie chicken who became their de facto mother after a batch of chicken eggs she was nesting failed to hatch. Since the Silkie couldn’t have babies of her own, she gravitated toward the ducklings and the ducklings bonded with her immediately. The unusual brood is now inseparable, so the ducklings wouldn’t leave the farm with LaBombard-Daniels unless their mother went, too.
The duckling project recently concluded at John Kerr and at Quarles when LaBombard-Daniels moved the three ducklings in Hobson’s classroom to her farm. LaBombard-Daniels said the ducks will live out their natural lives there and won’t be used for meat, but the eggs laid by the females will be collected and appreciated.
“She’ll send us picture updates and we’ll send them out to the kids,” Williams said.
John Kerr computer science coach Amy Thomas said the students at her school held up quite well when it was time to say goodbye to their ducklings.
“They know that the ducks need to be in a space that’s more comfortable for them,” Thomas said. “And it starts to get a little smelly after a while.” | https://www.chron.com/news/article/Ducklings-could-open-doors-to-future-careers-for-17069101.php | 2022-04-09T14:24:39 | en | 0.974986 |
GRANTVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say three people are dead after a robbery at a gun range in Georgia.
The Grantville Police Department said via Facebook that the robbery occurred Friday evening. When officers arrived at the scene around 8 p.m., they discovered the owner of Lock Stock & Barrel Shooting had been killed, along with his wife and grandson.
Some 40 weapons and a video camera were taken. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was also called in due to the amount of weapons taken.
The shooting range is in rural Coweta County, about 50 miles (about 80 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta.
Police are looking for witnesses and have not announced any arrests. | https://www.news10.com/news/national/police-three-dead-in-shooting-at-georgia-gun-range/ | 2022-04-09T14:24:43 | en | 0.980831 |
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Gas prices declined again in New Jersey and around the nation amid plans for the release of more oil from the federal Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday was $4.12, down six cents from last week. Drivers were paying $2.90 a gallon on average a year ago at this time.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $4.13, down eight cents from last week. Drivers were paying $2.87 a gallon on average a year ago at this time.
Analysts say the pressure for oil prices to rise during Russia's war in Ukraine “is meeting stronger downward pressure" from the planned release of oil from the strategic reserve as well as increased COVID-19 fears in China. They say a dip in domestic demand for the third straight week in defiance of seasonal trends may be due to higher prices at the pump and consumers altering their driving habits. | https://www.chron.com/news/article/Gas-prices-decline-again-in-NJ-around-nation-17069161.php | 2022-04-09T14:24:45 | en | 0.975498 |
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ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s embattled prime minister faces a tough no-confidence vote Saturday, introduced by political opponents who say they have the votes to defeat him.
A combined opposition that spans the political spectrum from the left to the radically religious says it has the 172 votes it needs in Pakistan’s 342-seat Parliament to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Khan took to national television on the eve of the votecalling on supporters to take to the streets to protest on Sunday, an indication he believed he would lose the vote. Pakistan’s five-member Supreme Court on Thursday blocked Khan’s bid to stay in power, ruling that his move to dissolve Parliament and call early elections was illegal.
Thursday’s court decision set the stage for a no-confidence vote, which was likely to go against Khan after several of his ruling party members and a small but key coalition partner defected. The timing of the vote was unclear but the Supreme Court ruling says it should happen before Saturday before midnight strikes.
In a brief exchange in Parliament on Saturday, opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif warned against further delays. Sharif is a likely candidate for prime minister should Khan lose the vote. The opposition introduced the motion last month, accusing the prime minister of economic mismanagement that has driven up prices and interest rates.
Khan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, meanwhile, demanded an investigation into ruling party allegations that the no-confidence vote was a ploy by the opposition and America to unseat Khan, who was not present.
Some of Khan’s party members were vitriolic in their attacks on America. His Human Rights Minister and ally Shireen Mazari slammed what she called Washington’s history of regime changes in Central and South America, saying Pakistan’s long relationship with Washington was good only when Islamabad was “subservient.”
Khan ran afoul of America, she said, because of his independence: he sharply criticized U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan and refused to allow the U.S. military to fly over its air space to carry out attacks in Afghanistan, after its chaotic departure from that country.
In an impassioned speech Friday, Khan doubled down on his accusations that his opponents colluded with the United States to unseat him over his foreign policy choices, which often seemed to favor China and Russia and defied the U.S.
Khan said Washington opposed his Feb. 24 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin hours after tanks rolled into Ukraine, launching a devastating war in the heart of Europe.
The U.S. State Department has denied any involvement in Pakistan’s internal politics. Deputy State Department spokeswoman Jalina Porter told reporters on Friday there was “absolutely no truth to these allegations.”
“Of course, we continue to follow these developments and support Pakistan’s constitutional process, but again these allegations are absolutely not true,” she said.
Still, Khan urged his supporters to take to the streets, particularly the youth who have been the backbone of his support since the former cricket star turned conservative Islamist politician came to power in 2018. He said they needed to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty and oppose U.S. dictations.
“You have to come out to protect your own future. It is you who have to protect your democracy, your sovereignty and your independence. … This is your duty,” he said. “I will not accept an imposed government.”
Khan’s options are limited and should he see a big turnout in support, he may try to keep the momentum of street protests as a way to pressure Parliament to dissolve and go to early elections.
A no-confidence vote loss for Khan on Saturday would bring to power some unlikely partners.
Among them is a radically religious party that runs scores of religious schools. The Jamiat-e-Ulema-Islam, or Assembly of Clerics, teaches a deeply conservative brand of Islam in its schools. Many of Afghanistan’s Taliban and Pakistan’s own homegrown violent Taliban graduated from JUI schools.
The largest among the opposition parties — the Pakistan People’s Party, led by the son of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and the Pakistan Muslim League — have been tainted by allegations of widespread corruption.
Pakistan Muslim League leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was convicted of corruption after being named in the so-called Panama Papers. That’s a collection of leaked secret financial documents showing how some of the world’s richest hide their money and involving a global law firm based in Panama. Sharif was disqualified by Pakistan’s Supreme Court from holding office.
If the opposition wins the no-confidence vote, it is up to Parliament to choose a new head of government, which could be Sharif’s brother, Shahbaz Sharif. If the lawmakers are unsuccessful, early elections would be called.
___
Associated Press writers Munir Ahmed in Islamabad and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Follow Kathy Gannon on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Kathygannon | https://www.news10.com/news/pakistans-embattled-pm-faces-tough-no-confidence-vote/ | 2022-04-09T14:24:49 | en | 0.974846 |
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana’s recreational cannabis sales through the first quarter of the market’s first year are outpacing projections and it’s not even tourism season yet.
Montana providers have sold $72.9 million in cannabis products, including both medical and recreational, since the start of 2022, according to figures released April 6 by the Montana Department of Revenue. Recreational cannabis had its biggest month yet in March with nearly $15.9 million in sales. Medical sales came in at $9.8 million.
To date, recreational cannabis sales have totaled more than $43.5 million, setting Montana on track to reach $174 million by the of the year. But efforts to push recreational cannabis sales out of Montana’s largest county may hamper that trajectory, and a perennial cannabis opposition group says it’s launching a county-by-county campaign to ban recreational marijuana business where the margins on the 2020 legalization vote were slim.
Last year the state budget office projected Montana would see $130 million in recreational sales in 2022. That number was adjusted down from earlier projections made by economists which expected Montana might see more than $200 million in sales. State fiscal analysts had drawn the numbers down due to lawmakers enacting more more extensive regulations than what was in the ballot initiative prior to the state’s legalization vote in 2020.
“This isn’t people growing weed in their shed anymore, this is big business,” J.D. “Pepper” Petersen, president and CEO of the Montana Cannabis Guild, told the Montana State News Bureau. Petersen was one of the architects of Montana’s legalization ballot initiative in 2020 and continues to closely monitor the industry’s rise. Along with running a trade group, he also owns the Cannabis Corner in Helena.
“We have a tremendous number of out-of-state customers coming into the dispensaries, and that number is just going to grow and grow,” he said.
The earlier forecast from the Bureau of Business and Economic Research predicted out-of-state customers would be the largest driver of growth in sales, from about $30 million in 2022 to $84 million in 2026. By that time, the BBER projected Montana could see more than a quarter billion in sales annually for recreational cannabis alone. With the baseline 20% tax on recreational sales (medical sales are taxed at 4%), Montana’s tax revenues could be more than $50 million each year.
Kate Cholewa, government affairs representative for another trade group called the Montana Cannabis Association, said that summer bump from tourist sales likely won’t benefit Montana providers equally, but regionally, like the areas around Glacier and Yellowstone that have developed around the tourist seasons.
As for how providers are faring in the first months of the recreational market, Cholewa said MTCIA’s members are holding steady with inventory.
“People are doing well,” she said. “I think mostly the challenges have to do with incoming rules, changing testing requirements … more so than keeping pace with the market.”
Local jurisdictions can also add a 3% tax on both recreational and medical sales to draw some of the tax revenues into local coffers. Park, Missoula, Dawson and Yellowstone counties have each elected to do so, although Yellowstone County, where cannabis opposition has deep roots, will vote in June on the question of banning cannabis sales within the county.
SafeMontana, the anti-marijuana group headed up by Billings car dealer Steve Zabawa, has already raised more than $14,000 to support Yellowstone County opting out of recreational cannabis sales, $13,500 of which is Zabawa’s own cash.
State campaign finance records show the group has also set up another committee for a similar effort in Granite County, population 3,300 in western Montana.
Zabawa said Wednesday he believes the support to legalize cannabis in the 2020 election was inflated by promises in the ballot initiative to allocate tax revenues toward easements, parks and trails. That allocation became a contentious political football when lawmakers were developing their own legalization framework in 2020. The final version of the legislation included $5.4 million for public lands easements, less than half the amount promised in the initiative.
But Zabawa also believes Montanans, particularly those in conservative-leaning counties where legalization did not pass by a wide margin, will have changed their minds on marijuana now that dispensaries are cropping up across the state. With political committees to support opt-out efforts already established in Yellowstone and Granite counties, Zabawa is placing his next bet on Flathead County, with an eye on Ravalli County next.
“I’m making the bet that there’s less people that want recreational now that the reality is coming dead in their face,” Zabawa said in a phone interview.
Montanans also passed a constitutional ballot initiative in 2020 that legalized marijuana use and possession statewide, but 27 counties currently have a ban on recreational cannabis sales. Only one county, Dawson, has so far used the opt-in/opt-out provisions passed by the Legislature to flip the county from “red” to “green.”
Yellowstone County has seen the highest sales figures each month for combined cannabis and medical sales. In March alone the county accounted for $4.5 million of the $25.7 million total in statewide sales, about 18%.
“I’m thinking about how Yellowstone County is out of its collective mind” for considering a ban on recreational sales, Petersen said. “Look at this revenue that they’re choosing to ignore and it makes no sense.”
The figures released by the state revenue department also show Montana is nearing the $10 million mark in tax revenue from recreational and medical marijuana sales. The legislature’s final framework allocated the first $6 million toward the HEART fund proposed by Gov. Greg Gianforte, a new substance use disorder treatment and addiction recovery program. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services said those funds should be touching down at the community level soon.
“DPHHS continues to work on various pieces of the HEART Initiative, and we’re excited to begin the distribution of these funds into the community, as well as increasing services to low-income Montanans in need of substance abuse and mental health treatment,” said Jon Ebelt, a spokesperson for DPHHS. | https://www.chron.com/news/article/Montana-marijuana-sales-total-73M-so-far-this-17069154.php | 2022-04-09T14:24:51 | en | 0.964558 |
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ATLANTA (AP) — When she ended her first bid to become Georgia governor in 2018, Stacey Abrams announced plans to sue over the way the state’s elections were managed. More than three years later, as she makes another run at the governor’s mansion, the lawsuit is going to trial.
Filed in November 2018 by Abrams’ Fair Fight Action organization, the suit alleged that state officials “grossly mismanaged” the election, depriving some citizens, particularly low-income people and people of color, of their right to vote. The lawsuit originally called for a sweeping overhaul of the state’s elections, but its scope was considerably narrowed after the state made changes that addressed some allegations and others were dismissed by the court. The trial is set to begin Monday.
Even if U.S. District Judge Steve Jones sides with the plaintiffs, it’s unclear whether that will affect elections this year. Jones and other federal judges have been reluctant to order last-minute changes, noting that the Supreme Court has repeatedly said federal judges shouldn’t alter rules “on the eve of an election.”
In the months preceding the 2018 election, Abrams, a Democrat, accused her Republican opponent in the governor’s race, then-Secretary of State Brian Kemp, of using his position as Georgia’s chief elections officer to promote voter suppression, an allegation Kemp has vehemently denied.
In the more than three years since that fiercely fought contest captured national attention, the focus on Georgia’s elections has only intensified. Problems during the 2020 primary drew sharp criticism. Later that year, former President Donald Trump hurled insults at state officials who declined to overturn his narrow general election loss in the state. And the nation watched closely in January 2021 as a pair of Democrats unseated the state’s two incumbent Republican U.S. senators.
Numerous GOP-led state legislatures passed election bills last year after Trump stoked false claims that widespread fraud led to his 2020 defeat. Georgia’s bill, which Kemp signed into law a year ago, was one of the broadest. Among other things, the state’s measure reduced the window to request an absentee ballot, stripped power from the secretary of state and sharply curtailed the use of absentee ballot drop boxes in populous and Democratic-voting metro Atlanta counties. Voting rights groups and the U.S. Department of Justice promptly sued; those lawsuits are pending.
Republicans in Georgia this year passed legislation to let the Georgia Bureau of Investigation initiate probes into alleged election wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, Abrams, a state lawmaker who was little known outside Georgia when she ran four years ago, has become a household nameand Democratic Party star. The only Democrat running for governor, she’ll face Kemp again in November if he fends off a primary challenge from former U.S. Sen. David Perdue.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger accused Abrams and her allies of trying to undermine the integrity of Georgia elections.
“Her 3-year ‘stolen election’ campaign has been nothing more than a political stunt to keep her in the national spotlight, and it’s a disservice to Georgia voters,” he said in an emailed statement.
Fair Fight says it works to promote voting rights and support progressive candidates around the country, and its PAC has raised more than $100 million since its founding. It filed the lawsuit along with Care in Action, a nonprofit that advocates for domestic workers. Several churches have also joined as plaintiffs.
Fair Fight collected statements from people who said they had problems voting. The lawsuit cited multiple alleged problems, including the purging of eligible voters from voter rolls under a “use it or lose it” policy; the state’s so-called exact match voter registration rules; an insufficient number of voting machines at some precincts; and a lack of sufficient training for election officials. It asked a federal judge to find that Georgia’s elections processes violated the U.S. Constitution and federal law.
“Since the start of this lawsuit, we have highlighted real voters and their challenges because we believe that is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate the barriers in Georgia’s elections system,” Fair Fight executive director Cianti Stewart-Reid said in an emailed statement. She added that voters from around the state will testify at trial about obstacles faced while trying to vote.
Some of the alleged problems were addressed by changes in state law. For example, a 2019 law called for replacing the state’s outdated voting machines. The new system was implemented statewide in 2020.
In February 2021, Jones threw out parts of the lawsuit, saying some allegations were made irrelevant by changes in state law or the plaintiffs’ lack of standing. Among them were some of the claims about voting machines and election technology, as well as the security of voter lists and polling place issues. The following month, Jones dismissed claims targeting the “use it or lose it” policy and some allegations of inadequate training of poll workers. He also dismissed some claims relating to provisional and absentee ballots.
The issues remaining for the trial have to do with the “exact match” policy, the statewide voter registration list and in-person cancellation of absentee ballots. The plaintiffs claim that Georgia’s secretary of state and State Election Board members are “denying and abridging Georgians’ right to vote” in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the U.S. Constitution.
Under the “exact match” policy, information from voter registration applications is checked against information held by the state Department of Driver Services or the federal Social Security Administration. If there’s a discrepancy, the would-be voter must show identification to county officials before being able to cast a regular ballot.
The plaintiffs say data entry errors or differences as minor as a missing hyphen or apostrophe can trigger a non-match and that naturalized citizens can also be wrongly flagged as noncitizens if records are outdated. These problems disproportionately affect people of color and can depend on where a person lives because counties do things differently, the plaintiffs say.
The statewide voter registration database is “error-ridden,” the plaintiffs say, resulting in the erroneous deletion of eligible voters’ registration or critical information being incorrect. That can prevent eligible voters from being able to vote or force them to overcome undue burdens to do so, the plaintiffs say.
The plaintiffs also say election officials aren’t sufficiently trained on canceling an absentee ballot if someone chooses to vote in person instead, which can cause voters to be turned away or forced to cast a provisional ballot.
Lawyers for the state argue the claims in the lawsuit “are not supported by the evidence.” The number, geographic scope and severity of the alleged problems experienced by voters identified by the plaintiffs “do not rise to a level sufficient to demonstrate an unconstitutional burden on voting in Georgia,” state lawyers wrote in a filing. Additionally, they argue, the alleged problems cited are not the responsibility of the state officials named in the lawsuit. | https://www.news10.com/news/politics/abrams-backed-election-lawsuit-goes-to-trial-in-georgia/ | 2022-04-09T14:24:55 | en | 0.970042 |
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — When lunchtime comes, Maybel Sequera and Juan González share a plate of noodles and beans at their home in a low-income neighborhood west of Venezuela’s capital. Their meager lunch was a gift from a nonprofit organization as the couple cannot afford to feed themselves.
Sequera, 72, and González, 74, worked for years as a seamstress and driver to build their two houses and raise their four children. But now, after 50 years of marriage, they rely on donations for food, medicines and clothing.
The government raised their combined monthly pensions from about $4 to roughly $60 last month. But it would have to be multiplied by six for them to be able to buy a basket of goods.
“Now that they have increased us to 130 (each), we are going to see how we manage with those 130 because it is not enough either,” Sequera said referring to the pension in bolívares, Venezuela’s official currency and in which pensions are paid.
In Venezuela, the pension is the amount paid monthly to workers who retire after reaching 750 weeks of Social Security contributions and turning 55, in the case of women, and 60 for men.
Since 1995 — years before Hugo Chavez imposed in the South American country what he considered socialism — a pension is equal to the monthly minimum wage. Workers contribute between 2% and 4% of their salary to Social Security while employers pay an additional 9% to 11% on behalf of workers.
The pensions of Sequera, González and millions of other similarly situated retirees went up last month because President Nicolás Maduro increased the monthly minimum wage from roughly $2 to about $30, an amount insufficient to pay basic goods, whose cost in February was estimated at $365, according to the Venezuelan Finance Observatory, an organization specializing in economic studies.
Venezuela has just over five million pensioners, according to official figures. Annual inflation, which slowed last year but still reached 686.4%, has eaten up their pensions for years.
Although the country in the second half of the last decade experienced a severe shortage of food and hygiene items, prompting people to stand in long lines outside supermarkets to buy whatever they could, store shelves are now well stocked and display imported products. But high prices set in dollars make it impossible for much of the population to afford goods.
This dynamic leaves many older adults dependent on remittances from the more than six million Venezuelans who have migrated due to the economic, political and social crises of recent years.
Nonprofit organizations and churches fill some gaps, but it is not uncommon to see the elderly on the sidewalks of Caracas, the capital, selling candy or begging for money.
“I have to manage to get food. It’s not easy, because you’re of an age, you go out on the street and many people look at you with contempt,” Miriam Jiménez, 68, told The Associated Press after picking up a plate of food at a soup kitchen for the elderly in western Caracas. “One has to beg in the streets. Sometimes, a neighbor gives me something.”
In other South American countries, pensions range from $230 to $650, but the amounts are also usually below the cost of a basket of basic goods or the monthly minimum wage. In Chile, new President Gabriel Boric promised to raise the amount to $310, although it will remain below the $435 monthly minimum wage.
Luis Francisco Cabeza, director of Convite, a non-governmental organization focused on care for the elderly in Venezuela, said social security for the elderly population should not just be a pension. He said it should also include access to medicines, medical care and recreation.
“The pension is a system that seeks to protect you against the contingency of reaching old age,” he added. In Venezuela, the hospital system is precarious, so patients must bring all medical supplies to be treated.
Sequera has been diagnosed with two types of cancer this year, including a type of skin cancer that required an operation on her face. To pay for medical supplies, she sold two of her three sewing machines, which she used to mend neighbors’ clothes in exchange for money.
Pensioners protested dozens of times across the country last year. At the protests in the capital, some could be seen wearing broken shoes and worn clothes.
Sequera and González had a cup of coffee after finishing the plate of noodles and beans for lunch.
“Today, (at breakfast) we ate the last little egg. We are going to wait for another blessing to come out there,” González said.
“For the night, God will provide,” his wife interjected. “And if not, a glass of water and go to sleep,” González lamented. | https://www.chron.com/news/article/Pension-hike-not-enough-for-Venezuelans-to-afford-17069130.php | 2022-04-09T14:24:57 | en | 0.966783 |
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A shopping spree in Beverly Hills, a luxury vacation in Mexico, a bank account that jumped from $299.77 to $1.4 million overnight.
From the outside, it looked like Moe and Kateryna Abourched had won the lottery.
But this big payday didn’t come from lucky numbers. Rather, a public school district in Michigan was tricked into wiring its monthly health insurance payment to the bank account of a California nail salon the Abourcheds owned, according to a search warrant application filed by a Secret Service agent in federal court.
The district — and taxpayers — fell victim to an online scam called Business Email Compromise, or BEC for short, police say. The couple deny any wrongdoing and have not been charged with any crimes.
BEC scams are a type of crime where criminals hack into email accounts, pretend to be someone they’re not and fool victims into sending money where it doesn’t belong. These crimes get far less attention than the massive ransomware attacks that have triggered a powerful government response, but BEC scams have been by far the costliest type of cybercrime in the U.S. for years, according to the FBI — siphoning untold billions from the economy as authorities struggle to keep up.
The huge payoffs and low risks associated with BEC scams have attracted criminals worldwide. Some flaunt their ill-gotten riches on social media, posing in pictures next to Ferraris, Bentleys and stacks of cash.
“The scammers are extremely well organized and law enforcement is not,” said Sherry Williams, a director of a San Francisco nonprofit recently hit by a BEC scam.
Losses in the U.S. to BEC scams in 2021 were nearly $2.4 billion, according to a new report by the FBI. That’s a 33% increase from 2020 and more than a tenfold increase from just seven years ago.
And experts say many victims never come forward and the FBI’s numbers only show a small fraction of how much money is stolen..
“It’s one of the most lucrative things out there,” said Shalabh Mohan, chief product officer at Area 1 Security.
In the nail salon case involving Grand Rapids, police say $2.8 million was stolen. Banks were able to recall about half that amount once the scam was discovered, court records show.
A Secret Service agent said in an affidavit as part of a search warrant application that someone hacked into the email account of one of the school district’s human resource employees and sent emails that persuaded a colleague in the finance department to change the bank account where the health insurance payments were sent.
The emails were brief and unfailingly polite. “Please kindly update” the records, one of them said — words the real HR employee would later tell police she never uses, according to the affidavit.
Police tracked the money to the salon’s bank account owned by the Abourcheds, the affidavit says. After the theft was detected, Moe Abourched contacted a Grand Rapids police detective and said he’d been fooled by a European woman named “Dora” into accepting the funds and forwarding them to other accounts, according to the affidavit.
The Secret Service agent said Abourched’s claims were false and he’d used a similar ruse with police after he received money from a BEC scam targeting a Florida storage company.
Police put the couple under surveillance and in October searched their apartment, offices and BMW, court records show. Police said earlier this year they needed more time to examine the data in the couple’s phones and computers.
The Abourcheds’ lawyer, Kevin Gres, said his clients have done nothing wrong and no charges should be filed.
“My clients were unwitting victims in this scheme,” he said.
BEC scammers use a variety of techniques to hack into legitimate business email accounts and trick employees to send wire payments or make purchases they shouldn’t. Targeted phishing emails are a common type of attack, but experts say the scammers have been quick to adopt new technologies, like “deep fake” audio generated by artificial intelligence to pretend to be executives at a company and fool subordinates into sending money.
In the case of Williams, the San Francisco nonprofit director, thieves hacked the email account of the organization’s bookkeeper, then inserted themselves into a long email thread, sent messages asking to change the wire payment instructions for a grant recipient, and made off with $650,000.
After she discovered what happened, Williams said, her calls to law enforcement went nowhere.
The FBI told her the local U.S. attorney’s office won’t take her case. She flew to Odessa, Texas, where the bank that initially received the stolen money was located. The money by then was long gone and the local detective was powerless to help. Williams asked her U.S. senators for help and later learned the Secret Service was investigating, but said it hasn’t given her any updates.
Crane Hassold, an expert on BEC scams and former cyber analyst with the FBI, has heard of federal prosecutors declining to take BEC cases unless several million dollars were stolen, a minimum threshold that speaks to how out of control the problem is.
“There’s so many of them they can’t possibly work them all,” said Hassold, now director of threat intelligence at Abnormal Security.
Almost every enterprise is vulnerable to BEC scams, from Fortune 500 companies to small towns. Even the State Department got duped into sending BEC scammers more than $200,000 in grant money meant to help Tunisian farmers, court records show.
The Justice Department has launched months-long operations in recent years that have netted hundreds of arrests worldwide.
“Our message to criminals involved in these types of BEC schemes will remain clear: The FBI’s memory and reach is long and wide-ranging, we will relentlessly pursue you no matter where you may be located,” said Brian Turner, executive assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch.
But security experts say the wave of arrests has had little impact, and the FBI’s own numbers show that BEC scams continue to grow at a rapid clip.
“You can arrest 100 of the guys and there’s no ripple effect,” said Hassold.
Many of those arrested by U.S. authorities are lower-level “money mules,” who move stolen money around the banking system until it’s out of reach to authorities.
“Mules” don’t need hacking skills and come from a variety of backgrounds. A South Florida man, Alfredo Veloso, pleaded guilty in 2019 after prosecutors say he recruited women he met through his business making “kink pornography” videos to be money mules for BEC and other cyber scams.
Sophisticated BEC scams targeting businesses and other organizations started taking off in the mid-2010s. It was also around that time when ransomware attacks — in which hackers break into networks and encrypt data — started to grow in frequency and severity.
For years both BEC scams and ransomware attacks were treated largely as a law enforcement problem. That’s still true for BEC attacks, but ransomware is now a key national security concern after a series of disruptive attacks on critical infrastructure like the one last year against the biggest fuels pipeline in the U.S. that led to gas shortages along the East Coast.
The National Security Agency’s hackers have taken action to disrupt ransomware operators’ networks. The Justice Department set up a ransomware task force to better organize the law enforcement response. And U.S. President Joe Biden has pressed the issue directly with President Vladimir Putin of Russia, where many ransomware operators are located.
Nothing close to those efforts has been deployed against BEC fraud despite the huge financial losses.
“It’s a bunch of tiny little silos, and they still haven’t figured out a way to have just a single source that goes after these things,” said John Wilson, a threat researcher at the cybersecurity firm Agari.
If the U.S. were to launch a whole-of-government response to BEC fraud, it almost certainly would focus heavily on Nigeria.
Nowhere are BEC fraudsters more active than in Africa’s most populous nation, where scammers have able to operate almost unchecked for decades. The well-worn Nigerian Prince scam may now be a global punchline, but a new generation is making fortunes through sophisticated BEC fraud.
BEC scammers from Nigeria are glorified in pop songs and show off their wealth on Instagram and Facebook, posing with expensive cars or piles of money.
Ramon Abbas, a well-known social Nigerian media influencer who went by Ray Hushpuppi, had more than 2 million followers on Instagram before he was arrested in Dubai. Abbas’ social media posts showed him living a life of total luxury, complete with private jets, ultra-expensive cars and high-end clothes and watches.
“I hope someday I will be inspiring more young people to join me on this path,” read one Instagram post by Abbas, who pleaded guilty in the U.S. to international money laundering related to BEC and other cybercrimes last year. His sentencing is currently set for July.
Pete Renals, a threat researcher at Palo Alto’s Unit 42, said tech-savvy Nigerian criminals started learning how to use available malware to steal victims’ credentials around 2014. As the software changed, the scammers changed too. In 2018, he said, researchers started seeing Nigerian malware being developed in-country by the BEC scammers themselves.
“It does not seem like there’s a whole lot slowing them down,” he said. They see “no reason to stop.”
Obinwanne Okeke was one of Nigeria’s best known young entrepreneurs when he was a featured panelist at an event hosted by the prestigious London School of Economics.
“If it’s not born in you to take up challenges, you cannot do it,” Okeke said at the 2018 event when discussing his entrepreneurial drive.
But just days before he made those comments, Okeke had been busy sending fake invoices and defrauding the British sales office of the heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar out of $11 million through a BEC scam, according to the FBI. He was arrested at Dulles Airport outside Washington in 2019, pleaded guilty to wire fraud a year later and is now serving a 10-year prison sentence.
BEC scammers arrested by police in Nigeria often have better luck and win back their freedom by paying fines or bribes, experts say. Adedeji Oyenuga, a sociology professor at Lagos State University who has studied cybercrime culture, said there’s little fear by BEC scammers of being punished if caught.
“The person will walk around the streets freely knowing nobody is going to say anything about what he or she is doing,” Oyenuga said.
In the Hushpuppi case, U.S. prosecutors have also charged Abba Kyari, a top Nigerian law enforcement official who prosecutors say falsely imprisoned one of Abbas’ criminal rivals. Kyari remains in Nigeria, where media reports say he’s been arrested on a separate charges related to alleged drug smuggling.
Doug Witschi, an assistant director at the global police organization Interpol, said tech companies that help facilitate BEC crimes need to be more active in stopping such behavior.
“We can’t arrest our way out of this challenge,” he said.
Unlike ransomware operators who try to keep their communications private, BEC scammers often openly exchange services, share tips or show off their wealth on social media platforms like Facebook and Telegram.
A Facebook group called Wire Wire.com, which was until recently available to anyone with a Facebook account, acted as a message board for people to offer BEC-related services and other cybercrimes.
The page, which had a profile picture of a duffle bag filled with cash, was created in 2015 and had more than 1,400 members. It was taken down shortly after The Associated Press asked Facebook about it last month. The company declined comment.
In the case of the stolen Grand Rapids money, it was social media that helped law enforcement when seeking a federal judge’s approval for a search warrant.
Included in the application was a vacation Instagram post by Kateryna Abourched, which linked the timing of her trip with a $3,503 payment to a luxury resort in Mexico made from the bank account that had received the stolen Grand Rapids money.
“Vacation is always inspiring,” she wrote in her Instagram post. | https://www.news10.com/news/politics/accounts-deceivable-email-scam-costliest-type-of-cybercrime/ | 2022-04-09T14:25:01 | en | 0.969039 |
SEATTLE (AP) — The Washington State Patrol is warning drivers of an uptick in freeway shootings, attributing the trend to a general increase in gun violence.
The Seattle Times reported in King County, the state’s most populous county, 20 shootings on interstates or state routes have occurred so far this year, according to Washington State Patrol Sgt. Darren Wright. That compares with 12 shootings during a similar period last year, and a total of 40 freeway shootings in the county in 2021.
South of King County, Trooper Robert Reyer said freeway shootings in Pierce County have more than doubled so far this year, with 23 shootings compared with 10 in the same period the year before. In 2021, 31 freeway shootings happened in Pierce County.
While some incidents are the results of escalated road rage, Wright said some incidents also appear to be gang-related.
“We are looking for strategies to reduce this, but they are very random, and evolve quickly, so it is difficult to predict, and plan for,” Wright said Friday.
The increase mirrors the general increase in gun violence seen in 2021 and so far this year, he said.
Last year, 88 people were fatally shot in King County and 372 were injured. | https://www.chron.com/news/article/Shootings-increase-along-Washington-freeways-17069160.php | 2022-04-09T14:25:03 | en | 0.965998 |
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin may use the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine as a pretext to order a new campaign to interfere in American politics, U.S. intelligence officials have assessed.
Intelligence agencies have so far not found any evidence that Putin has authorized measures like the ones Russia is believed to have undertaken in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections in support of former President Donald Trump, according to several people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive findings.
But given Putin’s antipathy toward the West and his repeated denunciations of Ukraine, officials believe he may see the U.S. backing of Ukraine’s resistance as a direct affront to him, giving him further incentive to target another U.S. election, the people said. It is not yet clear which candidates Russia might try to promote or what methods it might use.
The assessment comes with the U.S. electoral system already under pressure. The American public remains sharply divided over the last presidential election and the insurrection that followed at the U.S. Capitol, when supporters of Trump tried to stop the certification of his loss to President Joe Biden. Trump has repeatedly assailed intelligence officials and claimed investigations of Russian influence on his campaigns to be political vendettas.
Tensions between Washington and Moscow have reached levels not seen since the end of the Cold War. The White House has increased military support for Ukraine, which has mounted a robust resistance against Russian forces accused of committing war crimes, and helped impose global sanctions that have crippled Russia’s economy.
There’s no sign the war will end soon, which some experts say could delay Moscow from pursuing retaliation while its resources are mired in Ukraine. But “it’s almost certain that a depleted Russian military after Ukraine is going to again double down on hybrid tactics to wreak havoc against us and other allied countries,” said David Salvo, deputy director of the German Marshall Fund’s Alliance for Securing Democracy.
In Ukraine and in past campaigns against adversaries, Russia has been accused of trying to spread disinformation, amplifying pro-Kremlin voices in the West and using cyberattacks to disrupt governments.
Top U.S. intelligence officials are still working on plans for a new center authorized by Congress focusing on foreign influence campaigns by Russia, China and other adversaries. Avril Haines, the U.S. director of national intelligence, also recently appointed career CIA officer Jeffrey Wichman to the position of election threats executive several months after the departure of the previous executive, Shelby Pierson.
“Our Election Threats Executive continues to lead the Intelligence Community’s efforts against foreign threats to U.S. elections,” said Nicole de Haay, a spokesperson for Haines, in a statement. “We’re also continuing to work to deliver on the legislative requirement to create a center to integrate intelligence on foreign malign influence.”
De Haay declined to comment on what intelligence officials think of Putin’s intentions. Russia’s embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment.
Foreign adversaries have long looked to interfere in American politics, according to investigations of past elections and indictments brought against alleged foreign agents. The U.S. has accused Putin of ordering influence operations to try to help Trump in the 2020 election. And a bipartisan Senate investigation of the 2016 election confirmed intelligence findings that Russia used cyber-espionage and information efforts to boost Trump and disparage his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Special counsel Robert Mueller’s nearly two-year investigation found no conclusive evidence that the Trump campaign conspired with Russia, but Mueller declined to pass judgment on whether Trump obstructed justice.
Trump continues to falsely insist that the election he lost to Biden was stolen, with Republicans in many states following his lead and opposing election security measures.
Law enforcement and intelligence agencies continuously investigate foreign influence efforts. The Justice Department last monthcharged five men with acting on behalf of China to harass Chinese dissidents in the U.S. and derail a little-known congressional candidate.
Experts say the proposed Foreign Malign Influence Center would bring much-needed direction to efforts across government studying adversaries. Congress provided partial funding for the center in the budget passed last month because the budget funds the government through September and not a full year.
The center has been previously delayed over questions within the intelligence director’s office and on Capitol Hill about its structure and size and whether it would unnecessarily duplicate efforts that already exist in government. In a sign that some of those questions remain unresolved, Congress last month also required the director’s office to complete within six months a report on the “future structure, responsibilities, and organizational placement” of the center.
Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that the committee was closely watching “the malign activities of our adversaries” and the proposed center could be one way to help.
“As Russia continues to use disinformation campaigns in Ukraine, we are reminded to be strategic in our response to countering their tactics,” Turner said. “It is no secret that our adversaries use disinformation to undermine the national security interests of the U.S., so we must take into account all viable options to protect our democracy.” | https://www.news10.com/news/politics/intel-putin-may-cite-ukraine-war-to-meddle-in-us-politics/ | 2022-04-09T14:25:08 | en | 0.959516 |
DOVER, Del. (AP) — It was a challenge that turned into a dare that eventually led to the takeoff of one of the most momentous C-5A Galaxy flights out of Dover Air Force Base Jan. 30, 1986.
Retired Col. William “Bill” Jordan, now 79, vividly remembers the sequence of events that led to the first all-Black aircrew of a C-5A cargo plane leaving Dover bound for Germany that day.
After all, he was chosen to lead the historic mission.
“The way it got started was I was chair of the Black History Month Committee that year and one of the members of that committee had suggested that we bring a R&B group down from Philadelphia and have a dance, and I was opposed to that,” Mr. Jordan said. “I said I didn’t think the base would go for that.
“So, a female NCO on the committee said, ‘They never go for anything. I bet they won’t go for an all-Black flight C-5 crew.’”
Mr. Jordan said he was kind of put in a difficult spot and he committed that he would ask then-Col. Walter Kross, who was Dover Air Force Base’s wing commander back then, if he would approve her idea.
Much to his surprise, Col. Kross OK’d the proposal and history was put into motion.
“I guess the thing that made it so memorable for me was the fact that Col. Kross had the fortitude to authorize that flight in the face of a lot of people saying that he was making a mistake,” Mr. Jordan said.
So, he and 17 other Black airmen representing Dover AFB’s 3rd Squadron, 9th Squadron and Reserves, were selected and put into place to fly a routine mission to Germany in honor of Black History Month in February.
The purpose of the flight was to symbolize the role Black airmen played in national defense commitments.
In an article in The Airlifter, the base newspaper, published in 1986, then-Lt. Col. Jordan, who served as the flight commander, said, “Members of the crew wanted to fly an ordinary mission, not an ‘around the flagpole mission.’
“There aren’t any special events planned en route. The mission is a symbol of Black History Month, and we know it will inspire young Blacks to strive harder to achieve whatever their dreams may be.”
At the time, he also knew the flight would have its share of detractors.
“There are people who are going to try to turn this into something negative,” he said. “There will be comments that it’s tokenism or an attempt to segregate a crew. Neither statement is true.”
Little did Mr. Jordan and other members of the all-Black flight crew know at the time about the interest level that many had involving the flight, including a young Black airman at an air base in Incirlik, Turkey.
“The most memorable thing about the flight was the second leg, when we went into Turkey,” said Mr. Jordan. “There was an airman who couldn’t believe there was going to be an all-Black flight and he stayed up all night at the base in Incirlik, Turkey, waiting to see that C-5 come in and land.
“He was out on the flightline just looking to see the all-Black crew. He was a Black airman, so the fact that it meant so much to him and it meant so much to all the Air Force people that we ran across meant a lot to us.
“It was amazing. People were coming up to us and congratulating us and thankful that we did that flight.”
When he looks back on that flight today, there isn’t a whole lot that he would change, calling it an honor to be a part of history.
“We didn’t want it to be just a symbolic flight. We wanted it to be a normal mission,” Mr. Jordan said. “It was to show that on a day-to-day basis that we contributed to the regular Air Force mission — showing that we do this daily, and we can do this all the time.
“I think the biggest honor for me was to see the performance of the entire crew. Everybody on the crew did a fabulous job. It’s always a great honor to work with such a highly motivated and dedicated crew of people.”
Unfortunately, time is catching up to many who participated in the mission. Pilot Joe Lindsay died in January, and several others have also passed away over the years.
Their exploits are still remembered — including another flight by a second all-Black air crew that took place years after the inaugural flight.
On Feb. 24, 1999, there was a C-5 reunion and recognition luncheon for both the flights at Dover Air Force Base.
“If you ask me, it was a momentous flight,” said Mr. Jordan, who now lives in Spotsylvania, Virginia.
However, he said it wasn’t the most significant flight of his aviation career.
“My service in Vietnam might be more significant than that flight,” Mr. Jordan said. “My flying of air medical evacuations … One of my friends asked me what the most important mission I ever flew in the Air Force was, and I told her two missions where I saved two little girls who had been burned over 80% of their bodies, one down in New Orleans and one in Memphis, Tennessee.
“And the lady was shocked. She knew I had been down in Vietnam, and I’d done all that and the Black flight (at Dover) — that flight was very significant to me, but was it the most significant thing in my Air Force career? No.” | https://www.chron.com/news/article/Sky-was-limit-for-1st-Black-aircrew-at-Dover-Air-17069098.php | 2022-04-09T14:25:10 | en | 0.98751 |
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PLEASANT VIEW, Colo. (AP) — With his hands stuffed deep into his pockets, Landan Wilson looks down at the ground and scuffs his boot back and forth against the loose blades of alfalfa hay scattered on the dirt.
It’s early March, and Wilson is standing inside a massive storage shed on his family’s farm a few miles west of Pleasant View, in an often-forgotten corner of southwestern Colorado. Normally this time of year, this shed, and another just like it, are both full of hay bales the Wilsons will sell to dairy operations in New Mexico and Texas. This year, the sheds are empty.
In 2021, the persistent drought that scientists believe is the driest 22-year stretch in the past 1,200 years hit this part of the state harder than just about anywhere else. Farmers and ranchers with junior water rights along the Dolores River, the region’s main source of water, got around 10% or less of what they’re used to receiving. What’s more, last year’s difficult conditions piled onto an equally dry 2020 — and the outlook heading further into spring and summer has many in the local agricultural community deeply concerned.
Everyone from family farmers to people living in town to the farm and ranch operation run by the Ute Mountain Ute tribe rely on the Dolores River.
The waterway originates high in the San Juan Mountains near Lizard Head Pass and cuts 240 miles northwest across Colorado before hitting the Colorado River in eastern Utah. In a normal year, water users in southwest Colorado utilize about 250,000 acre-feet of Dolores River water. Last year, there was only about 110,000 acre-feet of runoff available, 60% of which went to senior water users. (An acre-foot is the amount of water it takes to cover an acre in a foot of water, or about 326,000 gallons.)
Wilson, a fourth-generation farmer, grew up in this part of Colorado. Describing the business, he explains that his father’s side of the family was originally from Iowa, but resettled in Montezuma County, down by the Four Corners, in the early 1900s. “I don’t know why they did that,” Wilson, 27, says in a tone that sounds only half-joking. “Things are more green and lush in Iowa, and more productive.”
The Wilsons use their allotment of Dolores water to irrigate about two-thirds of their 1,800 acres, growing mostly alfalfa. Normally, the farm produces enough hay that they’re still shipping out a crop to buyers in March. But their last shipment went out about six months ago; there wasn’t enough water to grow any more than that. “It’s a pretty serious situation,” Wilson says.
With less hay to sell, the Wilsons had to think about how they could cut costs. They decided not to use any fertilizer this past growing season because fertilizer is expensive. Other farmers have had to take on more debt or get rid of excess equipment to try to generate some additional cash flow, whatever’s needed to get by. “We tried to kind of plan for worst-case scenario,” Wilson says. “Then, who knows, you might come smelling like a rose or you might be screwed over.”
The result on his farm was the two empty sheds.
All of this has Wilson worried. It’s been serious enough that these days he’s started to wonder whether he chose the wrong profession. He started in this business by helping his dad on the farm as a kid. He doesn’t recall his father talking too much about water shortages back then. In 2017, Wilson decided he enjoyed the work so much that he went all in and started farming with his family full time.
Now, he feels like he only just barely got started, and that as this part of Colorado has been getting drier it’s making the work more challenging. He tries to stay optimistic, but that’s hard to do when things are rough financially.
“You know, I’m still living with my parents,” Wilson says. “That’s not something I want to admit. I wanted to do this as a career, but it kind of has me second guessing things.”
— A dry project
In 1968, Congress authorized the Dolores River Project, a federal Bureau of Reclamation project that stores and delivers water to irrigators and municipalities in the San Juan and Dolores River basins. More than 30 years later, in 2000, the project was considered fully completed, right about the time the most recent long-term drought began to set in.
“They looked at the records when they designed these projects, and the last 20 years are unlike anything in the record,” said Ken Curtis, general manager of the Dolores Water Conservancy District, which operates the Dolores Project. The project, which stores water in McPhee Reservoir, the third largest reservoir in the state, serves about 75,000 irrigated acres and around 20,000 people rely on it for drinking water.
There have been some good years during this most recent two-decade stretch, but the yo-yoing from decent to bad or worse and then back again makes things particularly trying. “Some of the studies indicate we may be a little bit more on the leading edge with some of these problems,” Curtis said. “But it’s hard to predict.”
What is tangible is the fallout from last year. The spring was hot and dry and the monsoon season never came. Normally, the water district operates on about $2.6 million in annual fees from customers who pay $40 an acre-foot. Curtis had to make do with almost $1 million less last year.
It’s a self-sustaining system when there’s water. The district delivers it to farmers and ranchers who pay fees that then go back to support the operation of the district. But without enough water that cycle is disrupted. Not only are farmers paying less in fees because they’re receiving less water, Curtis said, some have struggled to pay the bill for what water they did get.
Curtis was forced to cut costs and pull money out of reserves. The district recently let an open position go unfilled and they’re waiting to replace some equipment for another few years, hoping things turn around.
At the moment, this year’s outlook could go either way. A few March storms dropped some much-needed snow; snowpack in the region is at 93% of average, according to NRCS SNOTEL data. But snowpack isn’t everything. “The things that got us,” Curtis said, “were the hot dry springs with the dry soil.”
The soil conditions in southwestern Colorado are the driest in the state, and the dry soil sponges off valuable spring runoff. Although statewide snowpack was either at or slightly below 100% of average the past two years, runoff was significantly lower than expected. McPhee reservoir contained about 100,000 acre-feet to start 2019; in 2020 it was only about 10,000 acre-feet.
Dealing with another year like last year would be tough for Eric White, who’s been farming pretty much his whole life. Like Wilson, he started with his father and has been doing it on his own for the past 18 years. In 2021, out of 770 irrigated acres, he got one cutting of alfalfa from roughly 215 acres and the yield was about half of what it usually is on a first cut.
White worries about the long-term financial impact if the region doesn’t get a better water year soon. “Is our land going to be worth what we paid for it?” he asked. He’s worried about what he has invested in infrastructure costs, too; a center-pivot sprinkler, for instance, can run up to $140,000.
Curtis, the general manager of the water district, hopes the community can adapt to whatever the conditions are this year and beyond. He thinks back to 2015, which was looking like it might be a dry year until it rained so much in May that the system recovered 50% of its supply in one month. They call it Miracle May.
“They’re looking at long-term trends being negative, but it’s hard to say how that plays out year to year,” Curtis said. “It could be more extremes — ups and downs. Is that death by 1,000 cuts? Or can we adapt?”
— Senior and junior
Don Schwindt started growing alfalfa in southwest Colorado in the 1970s. He’s made a living that way ever since. “That’s my business,” he said. “I don’t know how to do anything else.”
The elevation and climate conditions in this part of the state allow farmers to grow high-quality hay, making it particularly desirable. Schwindt has put his hay on trucks bound for California, Florida and everywhere in between. He’s even heard of his crop showing up at a market in Peru because someone wanted it to feed to their prize horses.
Schwindt has had to deal with bad water years in the past — 1977 was one of the worst. Last year, however, didn’t impact him the way it did some others. Schwindt holds rights that are senior to the rights held by other users, which puts him closer to the front of the line to draw water. Schwindt’s water comes from the Montezuma Valley Irrigation Company, a private mutual ditch company that has those senior rights. That setup has him leaning toward optimism. “It was good,” Schwindt said of his 2021. “I expect a good year this year.”
Schwindt knows his good fortune has likely made others envious. At the same time, he said, he knows he doesn’t operate in a vacuum, and that if you pull out one too many agricultural blocks the entire community’s Jenga tower will topple. “We’ve got to be careful,” he said.
He warned of the potential consequences of not being able to grow enough food locally, sending too much of that production overseas. “You look at what’s happening in Ukraine today,” Schwindt said, “and you think what will happen to us if we’ve got all our food coming from somewhere else on an ocean because we were too shortsighted to save the beauty of what we’ve learned to produce in this nation.”
Just beyond Schwindt’s property, obscured by a hill, lies the Ute Mountain Ute reservation. The water story there is a different one.
Simon Martinez is in charge of running a large farm and ranch operation that’s been going for more than 20 years. In 2020, because of the carry-over water from the previous year stashed in McPhee reservoir, the 7,700-acre irrigated operation enjoyed a mostly full supply. Last year, the farm, which has junior water rights, received only about 10% of a full allotment. “We can discuss all day if it’s climate change,” Martinez said. “It’s definitely weather related.”
The Ute farm has 110 center-pivot sprinklers, all of which were put to use in 2020. Last year, they only ran about 15. That impacted how much alfalfa they could plant. They had to turn away multiple, long-standing customers and lay off employees because there wasn’t enough work.
Hay production was one problem. Corn was another. The tribe couldn’t grow enough corn to satisfy the needs of its Bow & Arrow cornmeal operation, which it sells both locally and online. They had to purchase corn from elsewhere in the U.S. to keep up with production — everything is still milled, stored and processed on the reservation. The Bow & Arrow brand corn products include blue, yellow and white cornmeal, as well as corn flour and polenta, all of which is certified non-GMO.
This spring has Martinez worried again. He’s trying to plan for how to handle another 10% year — just in case. He’s running out of time to decide on what fields he can count on putting into production. If the corn volume falls short again, he said the farm has a good enough reputation with its partners that whatever seed they don’t use they can send back and recoup that cost.
All of this translates to jobs.
“How do you keep 30 people employed?” Martinez said. “It was never an issue to pay a bill that was due. Now, we have to be very observant of what we do.”
Martinez currently sits on the Dolores Water Conservancy District board and is working closely with Curtis on trying to understand and plan for how much water to expect this year. Curtis doesn’t have the answer yet, but he’s hopeful it will be better than last year. Looking at the most recent predictions in late March, he said he’s hoping 2020 could end up with closer to 50% supply. But he’s still waiting on another storm or two.
Surviving in this business, Curtis said, requires a certain amount of optimism, and the team running the Ute farm doggedly clings to hope.
“They’ve done a good job of building a successful operation,” Curtis said. “I just need to find them some water.” | https://www.chron.com/news/article/Southwest-Colorado-farmers-punished-by-drought-17069155.php | 2022-04-09T14:25:16 | en | 0.976664 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A milestone Supreme Court confirmation that endured a flawed process. The collapse of a bipartisan compromise for more pandemic funds. The departure of a stalwart of the dwindling band of moderate House Republicans.
Party-line fights on Capitol Hill are as old as the republic, and they routinely escalate as elections approach. Yet three events from a notable week illustrate how Congress’ near- and long-term paths point toward intensifying partisanship.
THE SENATE’S SUPREME COURT BATTLE
Democrats rejoiced Thursday when the Senate by 53-47 confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson as the first Black female justice. They crowed about a bipartisan stamp of approval from the trio of Republicans who supported it: Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitt Romney of Utah.
Yet by historical standards, the three opposition party votes were paltry and underscored the recent trend of Supreme Court confirmations becoming loyalty tests on party ideology. That’s a departure from a decades-long norm when senators might dislike a nominee’s judicial philosophy but defer to a president’s pick, barring a disqualifying revelation.
Murkowski said her support for Jackson was partly “rejection of the corrosive politicization” of how both parties consider Supreme Court nominations, which “is growing worse and more detached from reality by the year.”
Republicans said they would treat Jackson respectfully, and many did. Their questions and criticisms of her were pointed and partisan, with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., saying “the Senate views itself as a co-partner in this process” with the president.
Yet some potential 2024 GOP presidential contenders seemed to use Jackson’s confirmation to woo hard-right support. Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., misleadingly accused her of being unusually lenient on child pornography offenders. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., suggested she might have defended Nazis at the Nuremburg trials after World War II, before she was born.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Durbin, D-Ill., said some Republicans “went overboard, as far as I’m concerned, to the extreme,” reflecting “the reality of politics on Capitol Hill.” Cotton was “fundamentally unfair, but that is his tradition,” said Durbin.
SUPREME COURT BATTLES PAST
Senate approval of high court nominees by voice vote, without bothering to hold roll calls, was standard for most of the 20th century. Conservative Antonin Scalia sailed into the Supreme Court by 98-0 in 1986, while liberal Ruth Bader Ginsburg won 96-3 approval seven years later.
There were bitter fights. Democrats blocked conservative Robert Bork’s nomination in 1987 and unsuccessfully opposed Clarence Thomas’ ascension in 1991 after he was accused of sexual harassment.
Hard feelings intensified in early 2016. McConnell, then majority leader, blocked the Senate from even considering President Barack Obama’s pick of Merrick Garland to replace the deceased Scalia. McConnell cited the presidential election nearly nine months away, infuriating Democrats.
Donald Trump was elected and ultimately filled three vacancies over near-unanimous Democratic opposition.
Democrats opposed Brett Kavanaugh after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman decades earlier, which he denied. They voted solidly against Amy Coney Barrett after Trump and McConnell rushed through her nomination when a vacancy occurred just weeks before Election Day 2020, a sprint Democrats called hypocritical.
COVID SPENDING FIGHT, TRANSFORMED
Senators from both parties agreed to a $10 billion COVID-19 package Monday that President Joe Biden wants for more therapeutics, vaccines and tests. With BA.2, the new omicron variant, washing across the country, it seemed poised for congressional approval.
Hours later, bargainers led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, seemed blindsided when their compromise was derailed. Republicans wanted to add an extension of an expiring crackdown on migrants crossing the Mexican border that Trump imposed in 2020, citing the pandemic’s public health threat.
Many Republicans were skeptical that more COVID-19 money was necessary. But their demand for an immigration amendment transformed a fight over how much more to spend on a disease that’s killed 980,000 people in the U.S. into a battle over border security, tailor-made for GOP political campaigns ahead.
Immigration divides Democrats, and Republicans believe the issue can further solidify their chances of winning congressional control in November’s elections. Playing defense, Schumer postponed debate on the COVID-19 bill.
Democrats deserved some blame for being outmaneuvered. House Democrats shot down a $15 billion agreement in March, rejecting compromise budget savings to pay for it.
And in glaringly tone-deaf political timing, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced April 1, just as bargainers were completing their latest compromise, that the Trump-era immigration curbs would lapse May 23.
That gave Republicans an irresistible political gift to pursue.
A MODERATE’S FAREWELL
Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., announced his retirement Tuesday. He’s the fourth of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump last year to say they won’t seek reelection.
Upton attributed his departure to running in a new district, but that didn’t stop Trump from proclaiming: “UPTON QUITS! 4 down and 6 to go.” The House impeached Trump over his incitement of supporters who attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, but the GOP-run Senate acquitted him.
Now in his 18th term, Upton’s departure subtracts another moderate from a GOP that’s shifted rightward in recent years, particularly when it comes to showing fealty to Trump.
The pro-business Upton, 68, was a driving force on one law spurring pharmaceutical development and has worked with Democrats on legislation affecting energy and the auto industry. His bipartisan work and affability placed him in the ever-smaller group of Republicans who draw Democrats’ praise.
“To him, bipartisan and compromise are not forbidden words,” said Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich.
PARTY DIFFERENCES, THEN AND NOW
Pitched battles are now habitual over bills financing federal agencies and extending the government’s borrowing authority. When those disputes are resolved and federal shutdowns and defaults averted, lawmakers hail as triumphs what is their most rudimentary task — keeping government functioning.
Despite the divisions over COVID-19 money and Jackson, there has also been cooperation.
Congress overwhelmingly voted Thursday to ban Russian oil and downgrade trade relations with that country following its invasion of Ukraine. There’s progress on bipartisan trade and technology legislation, and a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure measure became law last year. | https://www.news10.com/news/politics/jackson-covid-and-a-retirement-show-congress-partisan-path/ | 2022-04-09T14:25:15 | en | 0.953333 |
“In my family, it took just one generation to go from segregation to the Supreme Court of the United States.”
With those words, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson acknowledged both the struggles and progress of Black Americans in her lifetime.
Her words, delivered from the South Lawn of the White House on Friday, one day after her historic Senate confirmation, were a tribute to generations of Black Americans who she said paved the way for her elevation to the nation’s highest court.
“I have now achieved something far beyond anything my grandparents could have possibly ever imagined,” Jackson said, noting they had gained only grade-school educations before starting their family and later sending their children to racially segregated schools.
“The path was cleared for me, so that I might rise to this occasion,” she said. “And in the poetic words of Dr. Maya Angelou, I do so now.”
Quoting Angelou’s famous poem, “And Still I Rise,” Jackson added: “I am the dream and the hope of the slave.”
Nina Turner, a former Ohio state senator who was a prominent surrogate for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, said Jackson’s speech was an awe-inspiring reminderof how far Black Americans have come amid their ongoing struggle.
“Expressing that realization out loud for all of the world to hear, as she is about to take her place as the first Black woman Supreme Court justice, was just magnificent,” said Turner.
“It is vitally important that we, as Black people, continue to remind this nation from whence we came,” she said. “The pain that it took to get to a ‘Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson’ could not be understated.”
Jackson, a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, said that she has been lucky on her path to the high court. Although her arrival breaks one of the remaining racial barriers in American democracy, many Black Americans still struggle to surmount systemic blocks.
She namechecked the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., the civil rights icon, as well as Black federal judicial trailblazers such as Justice Thurgood Marshall and Judge Constance Baker Motley, thanking them for their leadership and role modeling.
“For all of the talk of this historic nomination and now confirmation, I think of them as the true path breakers,” Jackson said. “I’m just the very lucky first inheritor of the dream of liberty and justice for all.”
Melanie L. Campbell, president and CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and convener of the Black Women’s Roundtable, watched Jackson’s speech from the White House lawn as an invited guest on Friday. With the sun shining through clouds over Washington, there was a palpable joy in the crowd over what Jackson symbolizes for the country, she said.
“It just felt like the ancestors were dancing.”
“I can see myself, in now-Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson,” Campbell added. “(Jackson) understands the significance of this moment for Black women, for women, for the nation. And it is a game changer.”
Others watching the speech also noted the diversity at the event and the image at the center — President Joe Biden flanked by the first Black female Supreme Court justice and the first Black and Asian American vice president.
Just before Vice President Kamala Harris introduced the president, she gushed over what Jackson’s confirmation will one day mean to her young, Black goddaughter.
“When I presided over the Senate confirmation vote yesterday, while I was sitting there, I drafted a note to my goddaughter,” Harris said. “I told her that I felt such a deep sense of pride and joy about what this moment means for our nation and for her future.”
Speaking directly to Jackson, Harris added: “And I will tell you, her braids are just a little longer than yours.”
Although the occasion will be noted in history books as a symbol of racial progress, Turner said Jackson’s elevation to the Supreme Court should be celebrated by Americans of all races and creeds.
“Not only should the entire Black community be proud, the entire country should be proud because this has certainly been a long time coming,” she said. “And from this victory, we certainly have an opportunity to continue to build and create more victories. We’re not done yet.”
___
Aaron Morrison writes about race and justice for the AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. He is based in New York. Follow him on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison. | https://www.news10.com/news/politics/jacksons-speech-highlights-us-race-struggles-progress/ | 2022-04-09T14:25:23 | en | 0.97103 |
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RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Sarah Rose took a scalpel and carefully scraped off the dark brown outer layer of a 200-year-old femur and collected the specks in a plastic box. By the shape of the bone, she could tell this man or woman — it’s hard to say by looking — had well-defined muscles. Maybe this person worked a labor-intensive job, Rose said. Maybe this person was enslaved.
Rose’s eyes are focused. This isn’t the first time the Virginia Commonwealth University graduate student has worked with human remains.
She’s been trained not to think about the tragedies the people endured that led to their bodies being inspected by a forensic scientist. She tries to concentrate on the task at hand, grinding down a small portion of the bone to conduct DNA analysis.
But in a case like this, it’s impossible to ignore how this person was treated in life and death: possibly enslaved, robbed from the grave, discarded in a well, excavated in a hurry and forgotten in a Smithsonian storage facility.
“The gravity of the situation brings you back in,” Rose said.
All these years later, after so much was taken and forgotten, could she and a team of researchers restore their identities?
They hope to learn the ancestry, hair color, eye color and perhaps birthplace of this person and 52 others who were found under a VCU Health building in 1994. If the best-case scenario comes true, they will match the DNA to descendants still living today.
Then the VCU researchers will rebury the dead, hopefully bringing back the dignity they were never afforded.
“The feeling is,” said Joseph Jones, a professor from the College of William & Mary and one of the project’s leaders, “these are people who were lost to the community.”
A DIG GONE WRONG
In 1994, construction workers laying the foundation for the Kontos Medical Sciences Building made a discovery. Twenty-five feet below ground, near the end of East Marshall Street, they found a well filled with human remains, leather shoes, glass bottles and mud.
VCU called its chief archaeologist, L. Daniel Mouer, who could smell the decomposition. He found bones and what appeared to be hair and skin.
But VCU refused to delay construction and gave Mouer only a weekend to excavate the remains. When the deadline arrived, a backhoe plowed into the earth, pulling up the bones and dirt, and Mouer watched in disbelief. What couldn’t be collected quickly was left behind.
What was recovered included more than 400 bones belonging to at least 44 adults and nine children. Two rib bones belonged to an infant, and two more to a newborn. Many of the skeletons were incomplete.
Researchers studied the skulls and determined most of them were of African ancestry. It’s likely the individuals were robbed from their graves, used as medical cadavers for the medical department of Hampden-Sydney College — which later became the Medical College of Virginia and eventually VCU.
Throughout the 19th century, the school hired workers known as resurrectionists to illegally dig up bodies, often from the Shockoe Hill African burial ground, a mile north at the intersection of North Fifth and Hospital streets, wrote VCU archivist Jodi Koste in a report.
When the bodies served no further use, they were dumped in a well.
The bones show signs of medical examination — there are cuts and nicks from scalpels, suggesting students learned how to amputate a limb and saw a skull in half to remove the brain. The cut marks are crude and incomplete, the work of amateurs learning their craft.
Alongside the bones, Mouer found detritus — 25 leather shoes, olive green glass bottles, the remains of three dogs and a cat. The articles dated to the mid-1800s.
After the remains and artifacts were pulled from the ground, they were shipped to the Smithsonian Institution, where VCU largely forgot about them for the next 15 years. It wasn’t until 2011 when VCU professor Shawn Utsey made a documentary on the topic titled “Until the Well Runs Dry: Medicine and the Exploitation of Black Bodies” that interest was rekindled.
VCU formed several committees of employees and local residents to decide how the school should proceed. The decision: bring the bones home and respectfully rebury them. But first, find out as much as possible about who these people were.
DNA ANALYSIS
In January, 28 years after the bones left Richmond, they came back to VCU in paperboard boxes draped in colorful Ghanaian burial cloth called Adinkra.
The VCU committees wrestled with the question of how to proceed. DNA extraction is an invasive process that requires further disturbing the remains.
There are four basic steps to DNA analysis, which will take two-plus years to complete: extracting the DNA from the bones, quantifying it, preparing it for analysis and sequencing it.
There are two types of sequencing. First: short tandem repeats, or STR, the type of sequencing the FBI conducts at a crime scene to match a suspect to a strand of hair. VCU researchers will use STR to match bones belonging to the same person.
Second: single nucleotide polymorphism, which the researchers call SNP or “snips.” They’ll use SNP to determine the person’s sex, hair color, eye color, height and blood type.
SNP will also tell the researchers the ancestry of each individual, which the Smithsonian already determined for some of the bones. Most of the people found in the well were of African descent. At least two were European, and six were undetermined.
While the bones make up at least 53 different individuals, Mouer found only 12 intact skulls. The reason why is a mystery. They may have never made it into the well — skulls tend to be collectors’ items, though there’s no evidence the students took them. Or they may still be there, deeper in the mud.
Using chemical analysis on the teeth, the researchers will try to determine if the people lived in Africa before coming to the U.S. Elements such as calcium and strontium in food are incorporated into the teeth and bones. By analyzing the strontium, the researchers hope to tell where the people lived.
The pie-in-the-sky goal is to match the DNA to descendants alive today who have submitted their DNA to biotechnology companies such as Ancestry.com or 23andMe.
None of this work comes cheap. VCU purchased a machine called a TissueLyser, which can cost about $17,000, to grind the bones. It’ll need a handful of DNA prep kits — just one is near $20,000, which mix human building blocks with chemicals.
The research is in an early phase and determining a total cost is difficult. It could reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“DNA is not cheap to do,” said Tal Simmons, a VCU forensic anthropologist and project leader. “It is really expensive.”
‘BEST-CASE SCENARIO’
Universities across the South have confronted the forgotten remains of Black and enslaved people buried on campus. The University of Virginia found an unmarked African American cemetery next to the white cemetery in 2012. Recently, the University of Richmond rediscovered a cemetery for enslaved workers who lived on a plantation that eventually became the school’s campus.
There are no guarantees VCU’s work will bear results. Bone doesn’t provide as good a DNA sample as blood, hair or saliva. There’s no assurance the bones will provide usable DNA.
“All of this is best-case scenario what we’re hoping for,” Rose said. “We can’t really promise anything right now.”
There are too many bones to analyze each one. Small bones from the hands, feet and ribs will never be matched to their bodies. They’ll be buried together.
It’s unlikely the researchers will ever learn the people’s names. While there are some records of bodies robbed from their graves, the time frame doesn’t correspond with the well, said Ryan K. Smith, a VCU history professor. Even if an accurate record is located, it would nearly impossible to match names to bodies.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever know who these people were, but I’d love to get close to who these people were, the time they lived and if we have any clues about what their lives were like before they became comingled bones. I’d love to know that,” Rose said.
The DNA analysis isn’t the beginning of the analysis of these bones — it’s the end. In 2012, researchers from the Smithsonian and other colleges cataloged the bones and artifacts, visually studying each piece. They found a bevy of clues.
A researcher found one skull whose teeth were stained black from tobacco. There were concave dents between the incisors and canines where a pipe would fit.
Lacking dental care, their teeth often decayed or fell out. Signs of arthritis were widespread. Bones in the lower back degenerated. One child lived with a herniated disk. Worn-down bones were the result of “active lifestyles involving physical exertion” and a pattern of physical labor that began in childhood. One person’s leg bones bowed, a symptom of rickets. Another had tuberculosis in the spinal column.
Some experienced traumatic deaths. A male of European ancestry suffered a splinter lodged in the outer edge of his eye socket, penetrating his brain. Another man endured two holes in the top of his skull, likely low-velocity gunshot wounds. The skull shows cuts from a saw — perhaps a surgeon’s attempt to remove the projectiles. But the bone shows no sign of healing, meaning the man didn’t survive surgery.
ACKNOWLEDGING UNRECOGNIZED LEGACY
Each day at the VCU lab begins with a student reciting a statement posted on the bookshelf. The researchers “acknowledge the lives, history and unrecognized legacy” of these individuals and “pay our respect to elders both past and present.”
Amber Mundy, 22 and a graduate student on the project, sees this as an opportunity to memorialize Black lives — something seldom done in early American history. While white Americans were placed under gravestones, Black Americans sometimes were placed in unmarked graves in cemeteries forgotten and built over.
Mundy, who is Black, thinks about the difference between Egyptian pharaohs mummified and placed in museums and Black Americans, whose grave sites were neglected.
“They get a beautiful glass box, and I get a building built over my people,” she said. “My cemeteries are just dirt.”
One purpose for conducting DNA analysis is to determine what kind of burial ceremonies are appropriate for these people, said Rhonda Keyes Pleasants, a local funeral home manager and committee leader.
In Ghana, for example, carpenters design custom-made burial containers — a man who owned a Mercedes-Benz was buried in a coffin shaped like a car, complete with the Mercedes logo on the grill.
The VCU committees hope to rebury the individuals at the African American burial ground downtown or Evergreen Cemetery. A final destination has not been determined.
The way these bodies were treated in the 1800s still bothers Rose, the graduate student researcher. But what shocks her more is how little value was placed on them as recently as 1994, when they were quickly and partially excavated.
There are still human remains until the Kontos building, and historical records suggest a second well of bodies exists under the Egyptian Building. It’s unclear if either well is accessible.
“It’s horrible to think about how these remains were treated this way in my lifetime,” said Rose, 33.
That’s why she collects every speck of dust she grinds off the bones. It will all be reburied one day. | https://www.chron.com/news/article/VCU-hopes-to-learn-origins-of-bones-found-in-well-17069100.php | 2022-04-09T14:25:28 | en | 0.970586 |
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ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – The New York State Senate and Assembly have finished voting on the State Budget. Legislators worked throughout the night voting until Saturday morning, finally passing this year’s budget 9 days late.
Governor Hochul announced on Thursday, April 7 that Legislators came to a conceptual agreement on the state budget with it being finalized within the next couple of days. Two days later on April 9, Legislators finished voting and passed the $220 billion budget.
The main bill in the budget known as “The Big Ugly” passed according to reports. This bill included changes to the highly debated bail reform law that allowed the elimination of cash bail for most misdemeanor and non-violent felony charges.
After the “The Big Ugly” passage, some Legislators were not happy. Republican Senator Rob Ortt released a statement on Twitter saying, “from the back-room-deals of one of the most secretive state budget processes in New York’s history, out came tiny tweaks to the Democrats’ dangerous bail reform laws. Don’t be fooled: this is political window dressing.”
According to Governor Hochul on April 7, the budget will include:
- Tax relief for middle-class families
- A property tax break for homeowners
- Starting June 1, a state sales tax suspension on fuel until December 31
- A tax relief program for small businesses to offset the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Alcohol to go with the purchase of food
- $31.5 billion dollar program for school aid
- An investment of $7 billion dollars over 4 years into childcare
- Front-line worker healthcare bonuses
- Wage increases for health aides
- Funding for the healthcare system
- Funding for the rental assistance program
- Investment in clean energy
- $25 billion for a five-year housing plan to create affordable homes
- $32.8 billion for a transportation infrastructure plan
- The replacement of JCOPE with a commission of 11 members to make recommendations to law school deans to give approval or denial
- Addressing public safety, including bail reform | https://www.news10.com/news/politics/new-york-state-budget-passed/ | 2022-04-09T14:25:30 | en | 0.943249 |
LONDON (AP) - Results from English football:
Liverpool 2, Watford 0
Brighton 0, Norwich 0
Burnley 0, Man City 2
Chelsea 1, Brentford 4
Leeds 1, Southampton 1
Wolverhampton 2, Aston Villa 1
Man United 1, Leicester 1
West Ham 2, Everton 1
Tottenham 5, Newcastle 1
Crystal Palace 3, Arsenal 0
Burnley 3, Everton 2
Newcastle 1, Wolverhampton 0
Everton 1, Man United 0
Arsenal vs. Brighton, 10 a.m.
Southampton vs. Chelsea, 10 a.m.
Watford vs. Leeds, 10 a.m.
Aston Villa vs. Tottenham, 12:30 p.m.
Brentford vs. West Ham, 9 a.m.
Leicester vs. Crystal Palace, 9 a.m.
Norwich vs. Burnley, 9 a.m.
Man City vs. Liverpool, 11:30 a.m.
Tottenham vs. Brighton, 7:30 a.m.
Everton vs. Crystal Palace, 10 a.m. ppd
Man United vs. Norwich, 10 a.m.
Southampton vs. Arsenal, 10 a.m.
Watford vs. Brentford, 10 a.m.
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool, 12:30 p.m. ppd
Leeds vs. Chelsea, 7 a.m. ppd
Newcastle vs. Leicester, 9:15 a.m.
West Ham vs. Burnley, 9:15 a.m.
Wolverhampton vs. Man City, 11:30 a.m. ppd
Liverpool vs. Man United, 3 p.m.
Everton vs. Leicester, 2:45 p.m.
Chelsea vs. Arsenal, 2:45 p.m.
Newcastle vs. Crystal Palace, 2:45 p.m.
Man City vs. Brighton, 3 p.m.
Hull 0, Huddersfield 1
Blackpool 1, Nottingham Forest 4
Barnsley 1, Reading 1
Bournemouth 3, Bristol City 2
Cardiff 0, Swansea 4
Coventry 2, Blackburn 2
Derby 1, Preston 0
Luton Town 2, Millwall 2
Peterborough 0, Middlesbrough 4
QPR 0, Fulham 2
Stoke 1, Sheffield United 0
Birmingham 1, West Brom 0
Peterborough 1, Luton Town 1
Preston 1, Blackpool 0
Millwall 0, Swansea 1
Sheffield United 1, QPR 0
Reading 2, Stoke 1
Middlesbrough 0, Fulham 1
Nottingham Forest 2, Coventry 0
West Brom 2, Bournemouth 0
Sheffield United 0, Bournemouth 0
Blackburn vs. Blackpool, 10 a.m.
Bristol City vs. Peterborough, 10 a.m.
Middlesbrough vs. Hull, 10 a.m.
Millwall vs. Barnsley, 10 a.m.
Nottingham Forest vs. Birmingham, 10 a.m.
Preston vs. QPR, 10 a.m.
Reading vs. Cardiff, 10 a.m.
Swansea vs. Derby, 10 a.m.
West Brom vs. Stoke, 10 a.m.
Fulham vs. Coventry, 10 a.m.
Huddersfield vs. Luton Town, 2:45 p.m.
Luton Town vs. Nottingham Forest, 7:30 a.m.
Birmingham vs. Coventry, 10 a.m.
Bournemouth vs. Middlesbrough, 10 a.m.
Hull vs. Cardiff, 10 a.m.
Peterborough vs. Blackburn, 10 a.m.
Preston vs. Millwall, 10 a.m.
Stoke vs. Bristol City, 10 a.m.
Swansea vs. Barnsley, 10 a.m.
West Brom vs. Blackpool, 10 a.m.
Sheffield United vs. Reading, 10 a.m.
Huddersfield vs. QPR, 12:30 p.m.
Derby vs. Fulham, 3 p.m.
Middlesbrough vs. Huddersfield, 7:30 a.m.
Reading vs. Swansea, 10 a.m.
QPR vs. Derby, 10 a.m.
Millwall vs. Hull, 10 a.m.
Coventry vs. Bournemouth, 10 a.m.
Cardiff vs. Luton Town, 10 a.m.
Blackpool vs. Birmingham, 10 a.m.
Blackburn vs. Stoke, 10 a.m.
Barnsley vs. Peterborough, 10 a.m.
Bristol City vs. Sheffield United, 12:30 p.m.
Nottingham Forest vs. West Brom, 3 p.m.
Fulham vs. Preston, 2:45 p.m.
Wigan 1, Bolton 1
Accrington Stanley 4, Cheltenham 4
Charlton 1, Lincoln 2
Crewe 1, Fleetwood Town 3
Ipswich 0, Cambridge United 1
Milton Keynes Dons 2, Shrewsbury 0
Morecambe 3, Burton Albion 0
Plymouth 1, Oxford United 0
Sheffield Wednesday 2, AFC Wimbledon 1
Sunderland 1, Gillingham 0
Wycombe 2, Doncaster 0
Cambridge United 1, Wycombe 4
Wigan 3, Accrington Stanley 0
Fleetwood Town 1, Lincoln 1
AFC Wimbledon 1, Charlton 1
Morecambe 2, Oxford United 1
Milton Keynes Dons 2, Crewe 1
Bolton 1, Portsmouth 1
AFC Wimbledon vs. Milton Keynes Dons, 10 a.m.
Bolton vs. Sheffield Wednesday, 10 a.m.
Burton Albion vs. Plymouth, 10 a.m.
Cambridge United vs. Morecambe, 10 a.m.
Cheltenham vs. Portsmouth, 10 a.m.
Doncaster vs. Crewe, 10 a.m.
Fleetwood Town vs. Accrington Stanley, 10 a.m.
Gillingham vs. Wycombe, 10 a.m.
Oxford United vs. Sunderland, 10 a.m.
Rotherham vs. Charlton, 10 a.m.
Shrewsbury vs. Ipswich, 10 a.m.
Lincoln vs. Wigan, 10 a.m.
Burton Albion vs. Wigan, 2:45 p.m.
Portsmouth vs. Rotherham, 2:45 p.m.
Portsmouth vs. Lincoln, 10 a.m.
Wycombe vs. Plymouth, 10 a.m.
Sunderland vs. Shrewsbury, 10 a.m.
Fleetwood Town vs. Oxford United, 10 a.m.
Doncaster vs. Bolton, 10 a.m.
Crewe vs. AFC Wimbledon, 10 a.m.
Cheltenham vs. Gillingham, 10 a.m.
Charlton vs. Morecambe, 10 a.m.
Accrington Stanley vs. Burton Albion, 10 a.m.
Rotherham vs. Ipswich, 7:30 a.m.
Wigan vs. Cambridge United, 12:15 p.m.
Milton Keynes Dons vs. Sheffield Wednesday, 2:45 p.m.
Shrewsbury vs. Doncaster, 10 a.m.
Plymouth vs. Sunderland, 10 a.m.
Morecambe vs. Portsmouth, 10 a.m.
Lincoln vs. Cheltenham, 10 a.m.
Gillingham vs. Fleetwood Town, 10 a.m.
Bolton vs. Accrington Stanley, 10 a.m.
AFC Wimbledon vs. Wycombe, 10 a.m.
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Crewe, 2:45 p.m.
Oxford United vs. Milton Keynes Dons, 2:45 p.m.
Cambridge United vs. Charlton, 2:45 p.m.
Burton Albion vs. Rotherham, 2:45 p.m.
Ipswich vs. Wigan, 2:45 p.m.
Barrow 1, Port Vale 2
Bristol Rovers 2, Bradford 1
Forest Green 1, Scunthorpe 0
Harrogate Town 1, Colchester 2
Mansfield Town 1, Northampton 0
Newport County 0, Exeter 1
Rochdale 0, Swindon 0
Stevenage 0, Oldham 1
Tranmere 2, Carlisle 2
Walsall 0, Leyton Orient 2
Hartlepool 0, Salford 2
Forest Green 1, Mansfield Town 0
Salford 0, Port Vale 1
Carlisle vs. Exeter, 10 a.m.
Colchester vs. Stevenage, 10 a.m.
Crawley Town vs. Barrow, 10 a.m.
Northampton vs. Bradford, 10 a.m.
Port Vale vs. Oldham, 10 a.m.
Rochdale vs. Walsall, 10 a.m.
Salford vs. Harrogate Town, 10 a.m.
Scunthorpe vs. Mansfield Town, 10 a.m.
Sutton United vs. Leyton Orient, 10 a.m.
Swindon vs. Newport County, 10 a.m.
Tranmere vs. Bristol Rovers, 10 a.m.
Forest Green vs. Hartlepool, 10 a.m.
Exeter vs. Colchester, 8 a.m.
Barrow vs. Forest Green, 10 a.m.
Bradford vs. Tranmere, 10 a.m.
Bristol Rovers vs. Salford, 10 a.m.
Harrogate Town vs. Swindon, 10 a.m.
Leyton Orient vs. Scunthorpe, 10 a.m.
Mansfield Town vs. Sutton United, 10 a.m.
Newport County vs. Crawley Town, 10 a.m.
Oldham vs. Northampton, 10 a.m.
Stevenage vs. Rochdale, 10 a.m.
Walsall vs. Carlisle, 10 a.m.
Hartlepool vs. Port Vale, 10 a.m.
Carlisle vs. Mansfield Town, 10 a.m.
Colchester vs. Bradford, 10 a.m.
Crawley Town vs. Walsall, 10 a.m.
Forest Green vs. Oldham, 10 a.m.
Northampton vs. Harrogate Town, 10 a.m.
Port Vale vs. Bristol Rovers, 10 a.m.
Salford vs. Barrow, 10 a.m.
Scunthorpe vs. Stevenage, 10 a.m.
Sutton United vs. Newport County, 10 a.m.
Swindon vs. Leyton Orient, 10 a.m.
Tranmere vs. Exeter, 10 a.m.
Rochdale vs. Hartlepool, 10 a.m.
Aldershot 0, Eastleigh 2
Barnet 2, Yeovil 2
Bromley vs. Altrincham, 10 a.m. ppd
Chesterfield 1, Grimsby Town 4
Dover Athletic 1, Kings Lynn 1
Halifax Town 2, Wealdstone 0
Solihull Moors 3, Maidenhead United 1
Southend 0, Notts County 3
Stockport County vs. Torquay United, 10 a.m. ppd
Weymouth vs. Wrexham, 10 a.m. ppd
Boreham Wood 0, Woking 1
Dagenham and Redbridge 0, Boreham Wood 0
Wealdstone 0, Maidenhead United 0
Halifax Town 0, Solihull Moors 0
Kings Lynn 1, Bromley 0
Wrexham 6, Barnet 0
Aldershot vs. Boreham Wood, 10 a.m.
Barnet vs. Solihull Moors, 10 a.m.
Bromley vs. Dagenham and Redbridge, 10 a.m.
Dover Athletic vs. Maidenhead United, 10 a.m.
Halifax Town vs. Woking, 10 a.m.
Kings Lynn vs. Yeovil, 10 a.m.
Torquay United vs. Notts County, 10 a.m.
Wealdstone vs. Chesterfield, 10 a.m.
Weymouth vs. Grimsby Town, 10 a.m.
Wrexham vs. Eastleigh, 10 a.m.
Stockport County vs. Southend, 12:20 p.m.
Altrincham vs. Halifax Town, 10 a.m.
Boreham Wood vs. Dover Athletic, 10 a.m.
Dagenham and Redbridge vs. Barnet, 10 a.m.
Eastleigh vs. Bromley, 10 a.m.
Grimsby Town vs. Stockport County, 10 a.m.
Maidenhead United vs. Weymouth, 10 a.m.
Notts County vs. Kings Lynn, 10 a.m.
Southend vs. Wealdstone, 10 a.m.
Woking vs. Torquay United, 10 a.m.
Yeovil vs. Aldershot, 10 a.m.
Wrexham vs. Solihull Moors, 10 a.m.
Weymouth vs. Yeovil, 8 a.m.
Aldershot vs. Dagenham and Redbridge, 10 a.m.
Barnet vs. Southend, 10 a.m.
Bromley vs. Maidenhead United, 10 a.m.
Dover Athletic vs. Woking, 10 a.m.
Kings Lynn vs. Grimsby Town, 10 a.m.
Stockport County vs. Solihull Moors, 10 a.m.
Torquay United vs. Eastleigh, 10 a.m.
Wealdstone vs. Boreham Wood, 10 a.m.
Wrexham vs. Altrincham, 10 a.m.
Halifax Town vs. Chesterfield, 12:20 p.m. | https://www.chron.com/sports/article/English-Results-17069157.php | 2022-04-09T14:25:34 | en | 0.739755 |
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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — When Ted Budd won a surprise endorsement from former President Donald Trump last year, he was a little-known congressman running for a Senate seat in North Carolina against some of the state’s most recognizable Republicans, including a former governor.
As he enters the final stretch before the state’s May 17 primary, Budd is again hoping for a boost, banking on the power of Trump’s endorsement to put him on top of a field that includes a dozen other Republicans.
“We feel we’ve got strong momentum,” Budd told The Associated Press. “Whether it’s grassroots, trend lines in polling or fundraising, we think we’re in a very good place.”
Budd’s candidacy will serve as an early test of whether Trump’s backing is powerful enough to lift someone from relative obscurity to the GOP nomination for a critical Senate seat. A strong showing by Budd could provide clues about how Trump-backed candidates in other states, including Georgia, that vote in quick succession after North Carolina, will fare.
The race “will be a test of the Trump effect on North Carolina among North Carolina Republicans, I think not just for North Carolina but nationally,” said Mike Rusher, a political consultant who previously worked for the state GOP.
Democrats have made inroads across the South in recent years, winning a presidential election in Georgia in 2020 for the first time in 28 years and picking up two Senate seats.
North Carolina has experienced similar demographic changes, driven by an influx of new residents to the Raleigh and Charlotte areas. But for now, Democrats have struggled to make the same progress in the state’s presidential and Senate races. Barack Obama was the last Democratic presidential contender to carry North Carolina in 2008, and a Democrat hasn’t won a Senate seat since Kay Hagan the same year.
Trump will return to the state on Saturday for a rally in rural Johnston County, just southeast of Raleigh. He was a boon to North Carolina Republicans in the 2020 campaign, boosting turnout so that GOP candidates — with few exceptions — won races up and down the ballot even as Trump himself only narrowly eked out a win.
Budd is running for retiring Republican Sen. Richard Burr’s seat against former Gov. Pat McCrory, who is viewed as a moderate and has kept some distance from Trump while backing his economic policies. A dozen other Republicans are also seeking the nomination, including former U.S. Rep. Mark Walker, who has resisted Trump’s entreaties to drop out.
The winner is expected to take on presumptive Democratic nominee Cheri Beasley, a former state Supreme Court chief justice, in November’s general election. Like nearly all statewide races, the general election should be close, and a Democratic victory could thwart GOP hopes of retaking the Senate majority.
While McCrory entered the race as its best-known candidate, Budd and his advisers are increasingly optimistic that his position is strengthening in the race’s final weeks.
Budd credited Trump’s endorsement as “the single biggest factor to help advance and get attention on this campaign.” He has also benefited from millions of dollars in super PAC spending on his behalf, including from the Club for Growth’s political wing. The group’s ads heavily feature Trump’s endorsement, casting Budd as a reliable conservative while highlighting McCrory’s past criticism of the former president and slamming him as a “disloyal, liberal loser.”
McCrory became governor in 2013 but lost reelection after he signed a “bathroom bill” targeting transgender people that cost the state billions.
Saturday’s rally comes amid questions over whether Trump’s influence is fading amid stumbles in other states. Last month, he withdrew his endorsement of Rep. Mo Brooks, who was struggling to gain traction in Alabama’s Senate primary. Last year, his endorsed candidate in Pennsylvania’s Senate race, Sean Parnell, dropped out amid allegations of abuse by his ex-wife.
As aides have warned that he is setting himself up for failure by offering too many endorsements, Trump has held off picking sides in several competitive Senate contests, including in Missouri and Ohio, where early voting is underway.
Seeing Walker as a potential spoiler, Trump has tried to no avail to pressure him to leave the race — a tactic he has used successfully in other contests to bolster his favored candidates’ chances.
The top vote-getter must garner more than 30% of the vote to avoid a runoff. Otherwise, the top two finishers advance to a runoff in late July.
“Look, we appreciate President Trump and the work that he did for our country, but it doesn’t mean that he makes the right decisions and sometimes he gets bad counsel,” Walker said in an interview. “And in this particular incident, he has hitched his wagon to the wrong horse.”
McCrory, meanwhile, dismissed polling out this week suggesting he had lost his early edge, saying there’s time for a counterattack.
“This race is going to be a dead heat. It’s neck and neck right now, and it’s amazing that we’re even in that position, considering $7 to $8 million have been spent against us from a special interest group in D.C.,” McCrory said in an unnamed reference to Club for Growth Action.
Many voters have yet to make up their minds, with early in-person voting beginning April 28.
John Dismukes, 48, of Carolina Beach describes himself as “100% undecided.” “I’m looking at all three of them,” he said.
Billy Shomaker, a retired commercial pilot from Beech Mountain, said he supports Budd regardless of Trump’s endorsement. “I like President Trump. I don’t like everything he does,” said Shomaker, 68.
Trump’s preferred candidates in North Carolina haven’t always been successful. In 2020, political newcomer Madison Cawthorn comfortably won a GOP congressional primary runoff over Trump’s pick.
But Trump soon embraced Cawthorn, who won the general election at age 25 and became one of the ex-president’s strongest supporters. Now, Trump is returning the favor, featuring him as a rally speaker and endorsing him for reelection even as Cawthorn has faced backlash over recent incendiary comments.
McCrory said he’s got his own political events Saturday and wouldn’t share the stage with Budd, Cawthorn or Trump even if offered.
Trump “says I don’t represent his values,” McCrory said, referencing the former president’s words when he endorsed Budd 10 months ago. “I agree with the policies of Trump. But yeah, we maybe have different opinion on values.”
___
Colvin reported from New York. | https://www.news10.com/news/politics/north-carolina-senate-race-tests-trumps-endorsement-power/ | 2022-04-09T14:25:36 | en | 0.970671 |
___
Liverpool 2, Watford 0
Brighton 0, Norwich 0
Burnley 0, Man City 2
Chelsea 1, Brentford 4
Leeds 1, Southampton 1
Wolverhampton 2, Aston Villa 1
Man United 1, Leicester 1
West Ham 2, Everton 1
Tottenham 5, Newcastle 1
Crystal Palace 3, Arsenal 0
Burnley 3, Everton 2
Newcastle 1, Wolverhampton 0
Everton 1, Man United 0
Arsenal vs. Brighton, 10 a.m.
Southampton vs. Chelsea, 10 a.m.
Watford vs. Leeds, 10 a.m.
Aston Villa vs. Tottenham, 12:30 p.m.
Brentford vs. West Ham, 9 a.m.
Leicester vs. Crystal Palace, 9 a.m.
Norwich vs. Burnley, 9 a.m.
Man City vs. Liverpool, 11:30 a.m.
Tottenham vs. Brighton, 7:30 a.m.
Everton vs. Crystal Palace, 10 a.m. ppd
Man United vs. Norwich, 10 a.m.
Southampton vs. Arsenal, 10 a.m.
Watford vs. Brentford, 10 a.m.
Aston Villa vs. Liverpool, 12:30 p.m. ppd
Leeds vs. Chelsea, 7 a.m. ppd
Newcastle vs. Leicester, 9:15 a.m.
West Ham vs. Burnley, 9:15 a.m.
Wolverhampton vs. Man City, 11:30 a.m. ppd
Liverpool vs. Man United, 3 p.m.
Everton vs. Leicester, 2:45 p.m.
Chelsea vs. Arsenal, 2:45 p.m.
Newcastle vs. Crystal Palace, 2:45 p.m.
Man City vs. Brighton, 3 p.m.
___
Hull 0, Huddersfield 1
Blackpool 1, Nottingham Forest 4
Barnsley 1, Reading 1
Bournemouth 3, Bristol City 2
Cardiff 0, Swansea 4
Coventry 2, Blackburn 2
Derby 1, Preston 0
Luton Town 2, Millwall 2
Peterborough 0, Middlesbrough 4
QPR 0, Fulham 2
Stoke 1, Sheffield United 0
Birmingham 1, West Brom 0
Peterborough 1, Luton Town 1
Preston 1, Blackpool 0
Millwall 0, Swansea 1
Sheffield United 1, QPR 0
Reading 2, Stoke 1
Middlesbrough 0, Fulham 1
Nottingham Forest 2, Coventry 0
West Brom 2, Bournemouth 0
Sheffield United 0, Bournemouth 0
Blackburn vs. Blackpool, 10 a.m.
Bristol City vs. Peterborough, 10 a.m.
Middlesbrough vs. Hull, 10 a.m.
Millwall vs. Barnsley, 10 a.m.
Nottingham Forest vs. Birmingham, 10 a.m.
Preston vs. QPR, 10 a.m.
Reading vs. Cardiff, 10 a.m.
Swansea vs. Derby, 10 a.m.
West Brom vs. Stoke, 10 a.m.
Fulham vs. Coventry, 10 a.m.
Huddersfield vs. Luton Town, 2:45 p.m.
Luton Town vs. Nottingham Forest, 7:30 a.m.
Birmingham vs. Coventry, 10 a.m.
Bournemouth vs. Middlesbrough, 10 a.m.
Hull vs. Cardiff, 10 a.m.
Peterborough vs. Blackburn, 10 a.m.
Preston vs. Millwall, 10 a.m.
Stoke vs. Bristol City, 10 a.m.
Swansea vs. Barnsley, 10 a.m.
West Brom vs. Blackpool, 10 a.m.
Sheffield United vs. Reading, 10 a.m.
Huddersfield vs. QPR, 12:30 p.m.
Derby vs. Fulham, 3 p.m.
Middlesbrough vs. Huddersfield, 7:30 a.m.
Reading vs. Swansea, 10 a.m.
QPR vs. Derby, 10 a.m.
Millwall vs. Hull, 10 a.m.
Coventry vs. Bournemouth, 10 a.m.
Cardiff vs. Luton Town, 10 a.m.
Blackpool vs. Birmingham, 10 a.m.
Blackburn vs. Stoke, 10 a.m.
Barnsley vs. Peterborough, 10 a.m.
Bristol City vs. Sheffield United, 12:30 p.m.
Nottingham Forest vs. West Brom, 3 p.m.
Fulham vs. Preston, 2:45 p.m.
___
Wigan 1, Bolton 1
Accrington Stanley 4, Cheltenham 4
Charlton 1, Lincoln 2
Crewe 1, Fleetwood Town 3
Ipswich 0, Cambridge United 1
Milton Keynes Dons 2, Shrewsbury 0
Morecambe 3, Burton Albion 0
Plymouth 1, Oxford United 0
Sheffield Wednesday 2, AFC Wimbledon 1
Sunderland 1, Gillingham 0
Wycombe 2, Doncaster 0
Cambridge United 1, Wycombe 4
Wigan 3, Accrington Stanley 0
Fleetwood Town 1, Lincoln 1
AFC Wimbledon 1, Charlton 1
Morecambe 2, Oxford United 1
Milton Keynes Dons 2, Crewe 1
Bolton 1, Portsmouth 1
AFC Wimbledon vs. Milton Keynes Dons, 10 a.m.
Bolton vs. Sheffield Wednesday, 10 a.m.
Burton Albion vs. Plymouth, 10 a.m.
Cambridge United vs. Morecambe, 10 a.m.
Cheltenham vs. Portsmouth, 10 a.m.
Doncaster vs. Crewe, 10 a.m.
Fleetwood Town vs. Accrington Stanley, 10 a.m.
Gillingham vs. Wycombe, 10 a.m.
Oxford United vs. Sunderland, 10 a.m.
Rotherham vs. Charlton, 10 a.m.
Shrewsbury vs. Ipswich, 10 a.m.
Lincoln vs. Wigan, 10 a.m.
Burton Albion vs. Wigan, 2:45 p.m.
Portsmouth vs. Rotherham, 2:45 p.m.
Portsmouth vs. Lincoln, 10 a.m.
Wycombe vs. Plymouth, 10 a.m.
Sunderland vs. Shrewsbury, 10 a.m.
Fleetwood Town vs. Oxford United, 10 a.m.
Doncaster vs. Bolton, 10 a.m.
Crewe vs. AFC Wimbledon, 10 a.m.
Cheltenham vs. Gillingham, 10 a.m.
Charlton vs. Morecambe, 10 a.m.
Accrington Stanley vs. Burton Albion, 10 a.m.
Rotherham vs. Ipswich, 7:30 a.m.
Wigan vs. Cambridge United, 12:15 p.m.
Milton Keynes Dons vs. Sheffield Wednesday, 2:45 p.m.
Shrewsbury vs. Doncaster, 10 a.m.
Plymouth vs. Sunderland, 10 a.m.
Morecambe vs. Portsmouth, 10 a.m.
Lincoln vs. Cheltenham, 10 a.m.
Gillingham vs. Fleetwood Town, 10 a.m.
Bolton vs. Accrington Stanley, 10 a.m.
AFC Wimbledon vs. Wycombe, 10 a.m.
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Crewe, 2:45 p.m.
Oxford United vs. Milton Keynes Dons, 2:45 p.m.
Cambridge United vs. Charlton, 2:45 p.m.
Burton Albion vs. Rotherham, 2:45 p.m.
Ipswich vs. Wigan, 2:45 p.m.
___
Barrow 1, Port Vale 2
Bristol Rovers 2, Bradford 1
Forest Green 1, Scunthorpe 0
Harrogate Town 1, Colchester 2
Mansfield Town 1, Northampton 0
Newport County 0, Exeter 1
Rochdale 0, Swindon 0
Stevenage 0, Oldham 1
Tranmere 2, Carlisle 2
Walsall 0, Leyton Orient 2
Hartlepool 0, Salford 2
Forest Green 1, Mansfield Town 0
Salford 0, Port Vale 1
Carlisle vs. Exeter, 10 a.m.
Colchester vs. Stevenage, 10 a.m.
Crawley Town vs. Barrow, 10 a.m.
Northampton vs. Bradford, 10 a.m.
Port Vale vs. Oldham, 10 a.m.
Rochdale vs. Walsall, 10 a.m.
Salford vs. Harrogate Town, 10 a.m.
Scunthorpe vs. Mansfield Town, 10 a.m.
Sutton United vs. Leyton Orient, 10 a.m.
Swindon vs. Newport County, 10 a.m.
Tranmere vs. Bristol Rovers, 10 a.m.
Forest Green vs. Hartlepool, 10 a.m.
Exeter vs. Colchester, 8 a.m.
Barrow vs. Forest Green, 10 a.m.
Bradford vs. Tranmere, 10 a.m.
Bristol Rovers vs. Salford, 10 a.m.
Harrogate Town vs. Swindon, 10 a.m.
Leyton Orient vs. Scunthorpe, 10 a.m.
Mansfield Town vs. Sutton United, 10 a.m.
Newport County vs. Crawley Town, 10 a.m.
Oldham vs. Northampton, 10 a.m.
Stevenage vs. Rochdale, 10 a.m.
Walsall vs. Carlisle, 10 a.m.
Hartlepool vs. Port Vale, 10 a.m.
Carlisle vs. Mansfield Town, 10 a.m.
Colchester vs. Bradford, 10 a.m.
Crawley Town vs. Walsall, 10 a.m.
Forest Green vs. Oldham, 10 a.m.
Northampton vs. Harrogate Town, 10 a.m.
Port Vale vs. Bristol Rovers, 10 a.m.
Salford vs. Barrow, 10 a.m.
Scunthorpe vs. Stevenage, 10 a.m.
Sutton United vs. Newport County, 10 a.m.
Swindon vs. Leyton Orient, 10 a.m.
Tranmere vs. Exeter, 10 a.m.
Rochdale vs. Hartlepool, 10 a.m. | https://www.chron.com/sports/article/English-Standings-17069143.php | 2022-04-09T14:25:40 | en | 0.716625 |
Prom season might still be a little way off, but it might pay to start shopping for prom dresses early to avoid disappointment. The hottest prom looks can sell quickly, and adding potential delays into the mix is a recipe for disaster.
If you’re wondering whether you should buy your teen’s prom dress early this year, here’s why it’s a good idea.
Reasons to buy a prom dress early
To beat pandemic-related delays
Although most companies are now running smoothly, the COVID-19 pandemic is still causing staff shortages, which can lead to delays in fulfillment centers and in the postal service. If you order a dress online at the last minute, it’s completely feasible that it will arrive late. Instead, order early, and there’ll be no need to stress about whether or not it will get to you in time.
In case your teen changes their mind
Everyone has the right to change their mind, so you don’t want to get into a situation where your teen decides they no longer like the dress they chose and have nothing suitable to wear.
This can be a particular issue when shopping online because items may look different in person or fit quite differently from the way it fits the model in the photo. Or you may simply discover the dress is too big or too small when tried on.
When you buy early, there’s time to exchange the dress for another one or a different size before the big event if necessary.
To go bespoke
Prom is a big deal for many teens, especially senior prom, which marks a farewell to high school before moving on to college or the world of work. As such, they may want an extra special dress. Bespoke, made-to-measure dresses fit like a glove, which can make teens feel good about themselves as they head off to the dance. They don’t have to cost a fortune, either. This is especially true when you buy dresses from independent brands, which often cost around the same price as high-end off-the-rack dresses.
What to look for in a prom dress
Although there’s no single feature that makes a dress a prom dress, this type of garment is significantly more formal than an everyday dress. Many have full, flouncy skirts, tight bodices and are embellished with beads, lacework, rhinestones or sequins. They can be full-length, knee-length or above knee-length, but many buyers opt for longer styles.
While these are the hallmarks of a classic prom dress, teens can wear any dress they like to the prom, so it’s fine to opt for something quite different. If they prefer casual dresses or want to opt for something with an alternative vibe, there’s nothing stopping them. Not everyone goes for a classic prom dress, and it’s all about what the wearer feels happy, comfortable and confident in.
Best prom dresses
B Darlin Juniors’ Off-The-Shoulder Glitter Gown
With a long, full skirt, fitted bodice, off-the-shoulder design and sparkly pale rose fabric, this is the princess dress of some teens’ dreams.
Sold by Macy’s
Say Yes to the Prom Strapless Embellished Ballgown
This stunning ivory dress is embellished with gold beads. Although it’s described as strapless, it does have two thin spaghetti straps.
Sold by Macy’s
City Studios Juniors’ Embellished Illusion Tulip Gown
Thanks to the lace and crochet bodice backed with nude panels and the long, flowing skirt, this dress has a relaxed, boho look while still being smart enough for the prom. It comes in pink, navy and lemon.
Sold by Macy’s
Superbprom Lace and Tulle Prom Dress
This gorgeously flouncy dress is available in a range of sizes and colors, or you can choose a custom color and a custom size to get a precise fit.
Sold by Etsy
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Which Tommee Tippee pacifiers are best?
Finding the correct pacifier takes trial and error since babies’ preferences vary widely. Tommee Tippee pacifiers offer unique features that go beyond the traditional pacifier design. For some parents, a Tommee Tippee pacifier is the only brand their baby will accept. Tommee Tippee is known for producing pacifiers that soothe the transition between breast, bottle and pacifier. The Close to Nature Night Time Breast-Like Pacifier is the top choice for a glow-in-the-dark pacifier that helps both bottle and breastfeeding babies. Tommee Tippee also produces a variety of other valuable pacifiers to consider when purchasing from their brand.
What to know before you buy a Tommee Tippee pacifier
Size
You should match the baby’s size and age to the pacifier’s size and shape. The age suggestions are merely a guideline for purchasing, and the baby’s actual mouth size should dictate whether a small (0-6 months) or large (6-18 months) pacifier is the best fit. Learn more about pacifier sizing in BestReviews guide to the best pacifiers.
Construction
Pacifiers use either a single or three-part design. A pacifier with three parts breaks down into a nipple, a mouth shield and a handle. The mouth shield should be large enough to prevent the child from placing the entire pacifier into the mouth. There are various nipple designs with each brand. For example, the Tommee Tippee brand is known for its breast-like nipple design. However, the three-part pacifier handle presents a possible choking hazard if it is separate from the nipple and shield.
Lifespan
Expect to replace a pacifier after a month or two for safety and hygiene purposes. Users should sanitize pacifiers frequently in the dishwasher or hand-washed with soapy water. This breaks down the materials and can lead to a choking risk or accelerate the risk of puncture areas where mold can grow. Never attempt to clean a pacifier with solvents or harsh chemicals, as this does nothing to extend the lifespan of a pacifier and can be poisonous.
Pacifier holders
Parents can purchase a pacifier holder to clip a Tommee Tippee safely to clothing for easy access. Pacifier holders are beneficial for babies who have not yet developed the motor skills to hold pacifiers themselves.
What to look for in a quality Tommee Tippee pacifier
Shield
Tommee Tippee offers a wide variety of pacifier shields. The glow-in-the-dark shield is convenient when locating a pacifier spat out in a dark room. Another option ideal for babies with sensitive skin is the Tommee Tippee shield with ventilation holes. Drool does not become trapped on the skin due to the cutouts on a shield with ventilation holes.
Nipple
There are various orthodontic-shaped nipples to choose from when purchasing a Tommee Tippee pacifier. Each nipple supports oral development. All Tommee Tippee nipples are also reversible, making it easy to insert them correctly into the mouth. Some Tommee Tippee nipples are shaped like their bottle nipple, so a bottle-fed baby will be more familiar with the design from feeding.
Orthodontic
Orthodontic pacifiers are beneficial as soon as teeth emerge. An orthodontic-shaped nipple is less likely to negatively affect a baby’s dental arch, ridge and gums. Tommee Tippee orthodontic pacifier nipples are symmetrical and not flattened like many other brands’ orthodontic pacifier designs.
Newborns
Specialty-sized and shaped pacifiers are essential for babies 3 months and younger. A newborn should use a one-piece pacifier that has hospital-grade, BPA-free and latex-free silicone.
How much you can expect to spend on the Tommee Tippee pacifier
Tommee Tippee pacifiers are typically between $6-$13, depending upon the style and quantity of multi-pack.
Tommee Tippee pacifier FAQ
What is the best way to clean a Tommee Tippee pacifier?
A. Run pacifiers through the dishwasher daily and hand wash with soap and water whenever dropped on a contaminated surface such as the floor. It is also possible to sterilize a pacifier by boiling it in a pot of water for 2 minutes. When sanitizing a pacifier with boiling water, take extra precautions by using tongs to squeeze out any water that may have gotten stuck inside the nipple. Always allow the pacifier to be sufficiently cooled before returning to the baby.
Is it okay to use a pacifier while breastfeeding?
A. There are pros and cons to using a pacifier while breastfeeding, so it is ultimately up to a parent to determine what is suitable for the family. There is not sufficient evidence to indicate that pacifier use is a hindrance to breastfeeding.
What’s the best Tommee Tippee pacifier to buy?
Top Tommee Tippee pacifier
Tommee Tippee Close to Nature Night Time Breast-Like Pacifier
What you need to know: This option has a glow-in-the-dark handle. The breast-shaped nipple makes that the perfect nighttime pacifier.
What you’ll love: It is easy to clean since there’s no worry about water getting stuck inside the nipple and forming mold.
What you should consider: The hole in the back of the pacifier is large enough to fit a finger.
Where to buy: Amazon
Top Tommee Tippee pacifier for the money
Tommee Tippee Fun Style Pacifiers
What you need to know: These orthodontic pacifiers are lightweight and create a good suction that helps the baby hold it longer.
What you’ll love: The nipples are symmetrical and do not flatten like other orthopedic brands.
What you should consider: The nipple is larger compared to other pacifiers.
Where to buy: Amazon
Worth checking out
Tommee Tippee Advanced Sensitive Skin Pacifiers
What you need to know: This option prevents the shield from touching the face and trapping moisture. It is perfect for sensitive skin.
What you’ll love: There is less moisture on the skin to decrease irritation, rashes and cracked lips.
What you should consider: The nipple is thin and a tad longer compared to other pacifiers.
Where to buy: Amazon
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Which three-sided toothbrushes are best?
Most people try to take good care of their teeth and gums but despite their best efforts, improper brushing technique and not doing it for long enough often results in a less-than-adequate cleaning. Three-sided brushes help solve this problem.
For the best results, opt for an electric model such as the Triple Bristle Sonic Electric Toothbrush. This particular one produces 31,000 strokes per minute at its highest speed setting and features an autotimer to remove the guesswork when it comes to brushing for the recommended amount of time.
What to know before you buy a three-sided toothbrush
Benefits
Three-sided toothbrushes help solve the problem of not brushing for long enough as well as missing hard-to-reach and neglected areas. Thanks to the design, they ensure you brush the front, back and top evenly. The angled brushes on the sides get all the way down to the gum line.
Electric vs. manual
Both electric and manual toothbrushes can remove plaque and tartar but the former do it quicker and more effectively. This is because the small micro-movements combine with your broader strokes to increase the overall amount of brushing. Electric toothbrushes also might be easier to use for those with carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis or hand weakness.
Despite their benefits, electric toothbrushes may not be for everyone. They are more expensive than manual toothbrushes, which can put them out of reach for those on a tight budget. Some may find the vibrations to be irritating or tickle their nose and gums.
What to look for in a quality three-sided toothbrush
Bristles
Pay attention to the firmness of the bristles when buying a toothbrush. According to a study, firmer bristles remove more biofilm but have a higher chance of causing gingival abrasion. Most dentists recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush because of this. If you feel like you don’t get a good enough cleaning with a soft-bristled brush and want to use a medium-bristle option instead, make sure you don’t brush too hard.
Tongue scrubber
Some three-sided toothbrushes have an integrated tongue scrubber. This usually is located at the back of the brush head, but it also can be in the handle. There are some toothbrushes that come bundled with a separate tongue scraper.
Grip
A three-sided toothbrush handle should be comfortable and allow for a secure grip. To aid with this, many manufacturers add high-friction rubber or plastic to the handle. Toothbrushes designed for kids may have thicker, contoured handles that are easier for children with still-developing motor skills to hold.
Colors
If you live in a household with other people, it is helpful to buy everyone a different colored toothbrush. This way, there is never any confusion over whose is whose.
Speed settings
Electric three-sided toothbrushes often have three to five speed settings. The lower speeds are useful for those with sensitive teeth or for massaging the gums, while the higher speeds can remove plaque more quickly.
Timer
Since one of the most common mistakes people make when brushing is not doing it long enough, some manufacturers incorporate timers in their electric toothbrushes. Some three-sided toothbrush timers may signal quadrant intervals to let you know when it is time to move to a different spot in your mouth.
How much you can expect to spend on a three-sided toothbrush
Expect to spend between $25-$100 for an electric three-sided toothbrush. Manual three-sided toothbrushes generally cost between $2-$10.
Three-sided toothbrush FAQ
Can you use a three-sided toothbrush with braces?
A. Yes. Not only can you use a three-sided toothbrush with braces, clinical studies have shown them to be more effective at removing food particles stuck in the nooks and crannies. This should result in less plaque and tartar buildup.
Can you brush for less time if you use a three-sided toothbrush?
A. While you theoretically can brush for less time if you use a three-sided toothbrush and get an adequate cleaning, it is a good idea to get into the habit of spending two minutes brushing your teeth each time. If you really want to do it for less time than that, it is best to consult with your dentist and ask what they recommend.
What’s the best three-sided toothbrush to buy?
Top three-sided toothbrush
Triple Bristle Sonic Electric Toothbrush
What you need to know: With 31,000 vibrations per minute, this three-sided sonic toothbrush provides an incredibly effective cleaning in a short amount of time.
What you’ll love: Its bristles change color to let you know when it is time to change the head. It comes with a tongue scraper, and the charging base is compact so it doesn’t take up much space on the bathroom counter.
What you should consider: It is more than twice the price of the company’s non-rechargeable model.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
Top three-sided toothbrush for the money
What you need to know: A great choice for big households on a budget, this combo pack comes with three different colored toothbrushes for a low cost.
What you’ll love: Both kids and adults can use them and they feature an integrated tongue cleaner.
What you should consider: The bristles tend to wear out quickly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
Worth checking out
FridaBaby Triple-Angle Toothhugger Training Toothbrush
What you need to know: Designed to make brushing easy for toddlers, the Toothhugger cleans all sides of the teeth at once and has a thick, soft, contoured grip.
What you’ll love: It has a suction cup on the base so the head doesn’t have to come into contact with dirty counters.
What you should consider: Some children may find the bristles too hard.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
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Brett Dvoretz writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which Mario Badescu product is best?
For many years, brands emphasized covering flaws rather than healing skin. Recently, however, beauty treatments have switched to starting with healthy skin. Mario Badescu is a classic cult brand has a philosophy of providing simple, effective skin care. It’s known for its old-school labels and product names as well as for its affordability.
Many high-profile influencers and celebrities have adopted and promoted the brand in the past few years, bringing it forward from its cult status and into the limelight. A favorite is Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.
What to know before you buy a Mario Badescu product
History
Mario Badescu founded his namesake brand in a two-room Manhattan apartment in 1967, back when skin care was the realm for professionals. An aesthetician, Badescu was inspired by the tradition of European facial skin care. More than 50 years later, skin care has boomed and the brand is going strong. After Badescu passed away in the 1980s, Morise Cabasso purchased the company and it has stayed in the family since. For more affordable skin care options, check out the BestReviews guide to best skin care value sets.
Skin concerns
Acne: Acne-prone skin requires skin care that cleanses the skin without stripping everything from it. Consistency is vital in a skin care regimen for acne-prone skin, not just in-the-moment spot treatments.
Aging: Aging is a natural process, so anti-aging skin care doesn’t fight aging but protects the skin from external factors that can prematurely age it. Sun protection is critical, as is moisturizing. Products with high SPF are the best ways of preventing skin damage.
Oiliness: Oily skin requires balance. Products that contain alpha hydroxy acids or other minerals can help with removing excess oil from the skin.
Dryness: Dry skin needs intensive moisturizing. Gentle hydroxy acids can help prep the skin to absorb more heavy-duty moisturizers.
Sensitivity: Sensitive skin responds best to mild products, especially fragrance-free options and those lacking harsher chemicals and ingredients. All skin is different, so those with sensitive skin will benefit from patch testing.
What to look for in a quality Mario Badescu product
Ingredients
Mario Badescu products contain both botanical and ingredients for more personalized skin care. Go by your skin type and skin issues to find ingredients that work for you. For example, gentler botanicals such as chamomile are better for sensitive skin.
Scents
Pick scents that won’t bother you. Fragranced products can irritate some skin, but it can often depend on the product or fragrance, so look at all the options available, including the ingredients. There are a wide variety of scents from which to choose.
How much you can expect to spend on a Mario Badescu product
Mario Badescu products are affordable as a whole, although price varies. Expect to spend as little as $7-$10 for facial sprays and toners and $40-$50 for items like serums.
Mario Badescu product FAQ
Are Mario Badescu products cruelty-free?
A. Mario Badescu products are cruelty-free, as stated on its website. It doesn’t test on animals or allow testing of its products on its behalf. It also doesn’t sell in retail stores in areas that require animal testing.
Are Mario Badescu products vegan?
A. Mario Badescu is not vegan, although some products are. The products aren’t clearly marked vegan or non-vegan, so it may take some digging to find the status.
Are Mario Badescu products safe for sensitive skin?
A. It depends on the product. As a brand focused on skin care for all skin types, Mario Badescu has a line for sensitive skin with gentler ingredients. Not all products are suitable for sensitive skin, so always patch test before using a new product.
Mario Badescu drying lotion how-to-use guide
Mario Badescu’s drying lotion is a classic product with a stand-out two-tone solution that is pink on the bottom and transparent on the top. It’s one of the original products formulated in the 1960s that has stuck around for decades because it works.
- Don’t mix or shake the bottle. The drying lotion is meant to be separated.
- Before bed, after cleansing the skin, take a cotton swab and swipe it into the pink part at the bottom before pulling it up through the clear liquid. This combination of the two components is what will clear up your acne.
- Apply it to the spot you want gone. Don’t rub it in.
- Leave the drying lotion on overnight before rinsing it off in the morning.
- Keep an eye out for skin irritation.
What’s the best Mario Badescu product to buy?
Top Mario Badescu product
What you need to know: The is the brand’s most iconic product and a quick fix for breakouts.
What you’ll love: This drying lotion is an old-school, effective solution for irritating spots. It comes in a glass bottle.
What you should consider: It can irritate sensitive skin.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Ulta
Top Mario Badescu product for the money
Mario Badescu Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater
What you need to know: The Mario Badescu product that initially went viral with influencers in the 2010s is known for its skin-soothing effect and vibrant pink color.
What you’ll love: It’s a low-priced facial spray that includes botanical ingredients for skin health. It’s refreshing and simple.
What you should consider: Some aren’t fans of the plastic packaging.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora and Ulta
Worth checking out
Mario Badescu Glycolic Acid Toner
What you need to know: This is a mild, alcohol-free toner to brighten and balance the skin.
What you’ll love: It contains alpha hydroxy acids for resurfacing and balancing the skin.
What you should consider: Alpha hydroxy acids increase sun sensitivity, so avoid sun exposure as long as you’re using this product. It may be too strong for those with sensitive skin.
Where to buy: Sold by Sephora
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Arabella Matthews writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which Youth to the People skincare product is best?
Youth to the People is dedicated to using naturally sourced ingredients for skincare products that not only leave skin looking fresh but can reduce facial impurities caused by pollutants and environmental stressors over time. The brand strives to provide the best skincare routine to its customers, even helping build customized skincare plans. Youth to the People use all vegan ingredients and eco-friendly packaging. If you are looking for an all-around moisturizing and age-defying beauty product, the Adaptogen Deep Moisture Cream is the top choice.
What to know before you buy Youth To The People skincare products
Ingredients
One of the most important things to consider when purchasing a product that will be directly applied to your skin is the ingredients. Located on the side of the packaging, the ingredients will tell users if the product contains chemicals or substances that won’t benefit their skin type. Youth to the People are very transparent with the ingredients used in their products and try to make formulas that are free of chemicals and other skin-harming ingredients. It’s still a good idea to be aware of each ingredient going onto your skin, and double -heck for anything you may be allergic or sensitive to.
Cruelty-Free
Most brands have adopted a more natural, eco-friendly way of life, including a reduction of animal testing on products. Youth to the People have run an entirely vegan and cruelty-free operation since opening their doors in 2015. To make sure an item is not tested on animals look for a PETA-approved bunny, a leaping bunny or the words “not tested on animals” directly on the packaging.
Mission
Youth To The People products are created with the natural idea that what you are putting on your skin should contain just as many beneficial nutrients as what you put into your body. All of their products are formulated with natural ingredients and are gentle enough for all skin types. This company believes in helping the environment in any way it can and only uses glass containers for its products. On their website, you can find helpful resources and articles on sustainability and living an eco-friendly lifestyle.
What to look for in a quality Youth To The People skincare product
Formulas
Products that are a cream will typically be oil-based. These tend to provide a smooth application but may take longer to absorb into the skin. They’re extensively moisturizing and can benefit those with dry or otherwise damaged skin. These products can leave steaks and are usually white in color.
Other products are water-based. These skincare products are typically more lightweight and are more beneficial to oily and combination skin types. These products are typically colorless and absorb quickly into the skin while hydrating. With this type of product, there’s less chance of clogged pores or a buildup of product on the skin. However, it doesn’t deeply moisturize as well as some cream-based products.
Skin type
Purchasing the right product and formula for your skin type will ensure that your skin remains hydrated as needed and will help makeup blend easier and look more natural.
Dry skin: If you have dry skin, consider a cream formula, which deeply hydrates dry skin. Lightweight, water-based formulas may not moisturize as effectively if your skin’s extra dry. Products containing natural oils also benefit those with dry skin. Make sure your Youth to the People skincare product is also alcohol-free to prevent excessive drying.
Oily skin: If you have oily skin, consider an oil-free, lightweight, water-based skincare product. This will lessen the chances of your pores getting clogged and your skin looking extra shiny. If you have oily skin, avoid products that are heavier and contain many oils.
Combination skin: It can be trickier for people with combination skin types to find products that match their skin needs. Hydrating formulas that are oil-free can be a great choice. If you have this skin type, you may experience oil on your forehead, nose and chin and may want to use different types of formulas accordingly. To find the right product for you, test a few different formulas out until you find your optimal combination.
Sensitive skin: Those with sensitive skin should avoid use of chemical fragrances. Youth to the People doesn’t use sulfates or parabens in their products, making them less likely to irritate sensitive skin. If a product is particularly good for sensitive skin, it will likely be mentioned in the product description.
How much you can expect to spend on Youth to the People skincare products
Youth to the People products range in price, depending on the quantity and ingredients of the products. You can find all skincare products between $15 on the cheaper end and $80 on the high end.
Youth to the People skincare products FAQ
How do I know when these products expire?
A. On the bottom or side of the product’s container, there will be a small jar graphic. Inside this jar will be a number. That number will specify the time that the product can be used effectively before the ingredients expire. For example, if the product you purchase has a 12 inside the jar graphic, the product expires after 12 months. You can also find the expiration date in the product FAQs on the website listing.
Is it safe to use food ingredients in skincare?
A. Superfoods contain amino acids, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties which can make them great for skin health, specifically when it comes to environmental stress and pollution’s effects on the skin.
What are the best Youth to the People skincare products to buy?
Top Youth to the People skincare product
What you need to know: This is a deeply hydrating moisturizer with superior plant extracts and a pro-grade peptide that works to soothe sensitive skin.
What you’ll love: It’s fragrance free and, though the formula is thick, it will not clog the pores.
What you should consider: This moisturizer is not deep enough to be effective for extra dry skin and will take longer to show true effects.
Where to buy: Sold by Youth to the People, Sephora.
Top Youth to the People skincare product for the money
Superfood Hydrate and Firm Peptide Eye Cream
What you need to know: The container is small, but the effects of the cream are significant.
What you’ll love: The peptides contained in this product are used to firm the skin under the eye and naturally reduce the look of dark circles over time. It also contains restorative vitamins that brightens under the eye.
What you should consider: The container is small and the product can go quickly.
Where to buy: Sold by Youth to the People.
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This powerful, gentle daily face wash is formulated with cold-pressed antioxidants — kale, spinach and green tea — to deeply cleanse the skin.
What you’ll love: It works to prevent buildup in pores, removes makeup and balances pH without drying the skin.
What you should consider: Some users noticed the pump leaking, which results in a waste of product.
Where to buy: Sold by Youth to the People, Sephora, Amazon.
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Logan DeLoye writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which bathroom fan is best?
A bathroom fan is an essential feature for bathrooms of all sizes. Without one, the high moisture levels in your bathroom may lead to problems like damaged wood, paint and plaster, the formation of mold and even lung issues if the quality of air suffers. A bathroom fan regulates humidity to keep your bathroom clean and free from moisture damage.
Regardless of your budget and the size of your space, there’s a good bathroom fan option for you. Choosing one can prove overwhelming given the various technical considerations that go into selecting the right bathroom fan, such as the size of your ductwork, the amount of airflow required for the size of your bathroom and whether to opt for additional features, such as lighting, moisture-sensing and heating.
For powerful air movement and quiet performance, the Panasonic WhisperCeiling Ventilation Fan is the best of the best.
What to know before you buy a bathroom fan
Airflow rate
To ensure the circulation power of your fan is good enough, look for its rating of how much air it moves per minute, measured in units of cubic feet per minute or CFM.
Best practice is to select a bathroom fan with at least approximately 1 CFM for every square foot of bathroom space you have. For most small or medium-sized bathrooms, a rating of 50 CFM is sufficient. If you have a large bathroom, look for a fan with a rating of 75-100 CFM.
Noise output level
Look for a bathroom fan that indicates “whisper quiet” operation if low noise levels are a primary concern for you. If members of your household sleep and shower on different schedules, a quiet bathroom fan helps ensure a loud fan early in the morning or late at night doesn’t disturb them.
Bathroom fan noises are measured in sones, which is a subjective unit of perceived noise. Quiet fan models have a rating of less than or equal to 1.0 sones. Very quiet fans can be as low as 0.3 sones, and louder fans may be as loud as 4.0 sones, which would be a very noticeable level of noise.
Size
When selecting a fan, take stock of your current bathroom ventilation ductwork setup. You probably already have ductwork in your bathroom, so you should measure the duct prior to purchasing a new model to avoid purchasing one that’s too small and leaves a gap.
Placement
Install your fan above or near your shower to clear out humidity in the bathroom. It’s also important to have good ventilation near the toilet to dispel odors.
What to look for in a quality bathroom fan
Heating elements
Some high-end bathroom fans include heating elements to keep you warm when you walk out of your bathtub or shower. This is a helpful feature to have, but keep in mind this type of fan uses a lot of energy, similar to a small space heater.
Also, note that heating bathroom fans shouldn’t be installed directly over your shower. This could be problematic if you already have a ventilation system set up over your shower and don’t want to move the duct.
You should consult with an electrician if you choose to install a heating fan to ensure you have the correct wattage hookup in your bathroom and avoid tripping a circuit.
Lighting
Consider whether you want your bathroom fan to include LED lighting. This is a nice feature in a smaller bathroom where installing both a bathroom fan and a lighting fixture takes up too much ceiling space or creates a cluttered look.
Automatic on and off function
A fan with a humidity sensor automatically turns on and off based on the humidity level in the air. This is useful for preserving the quality of the walls in your bathroom and avoiding moisture-related problems, such as mold. This could save you a little bit of mental energy, because without this function, you’ll need to remember to leave your fan on for up to a half an hour after showering.
How much you can expect to spend on a bathroom fan
Bathroom fans range in price from budget models available for less than $50 up to luxury models that cost up to $200 with additional features like LED lights, built-in heaters and variable speed. Expect to pay around $100 for a powerful, durable and quiet fan.
Bathroom fan FAQ
How do you use your bathroom fan separately from the bathroom light?
A. Many bathroom fan models can be set up to operate on a switch that’s separate from your bathroom lighting. If you don’t already have wiring set up for this function, you should consult with a contractor who can take care of wiring for you. Attempting to do this yourself could pose a hazard or lead to work that isn’t up to code.
Where should you install my bathroom fan?
A. Install your bathroom fan above your bathtub or shower to most efficiently reduce humidity in the space. If your fan has a built-in heating function, however, you should install it on the ceiling not above your shower.
What’s the best bathroom fan to buy?
Top bathroom fan
Panasonic WhisperCeiling Ventilation Fan
What you need to know: This is a highly rated fan that operates quietly, moves air efficiently and saves money with Energy-Star rated performance.
What you’ll love: As its name suggests, this fan is very quiet when in operation. It allows users to customize airflow to 110, 130 or 150 CFM.
What you should consider: Some customers find installation of this model difficult, although it’s designed with easy installation in mind.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and The Home Depot
Top bathroom fan for the money
Broan-NuTone 688 Ceiling and Wall Ventilation Fan
What you need to know: This fan costs less than others and provides stunningly powerful performance.
What you’ll love: At a fraction of the cost, this powerful fan moves air and clears humidity with surprising efficiency, especially in small bathrooms. You can also paint this fan to match other finishes in your space. It’s relatively simple to install.
What you should consider: This fan is louder than others on the market.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Easy to install, this quiet fan has an attractive white housing.
What you’ll love: The fan receives high marks for durability, whisper-quiet operation and a simple snap-in ceiling installation process. It offers impressive performance for its price.
What you should consider: Some customers find the plastic housing a bit thin or flimsy, but it performs well once installed.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Evelyn Waugh writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which bathtub sliding door is best?
Sliding doors improve the look of your bathtub and make getting in and out easy whether you are bathing or showering. Sliding doors keep water where it belongs better than shower curtains. They are easier to clean and less likely to collect mold. Unlike full-length sliding doors for showers, sliding doors for bathtubs are made so the frame sits atop the side of the tub.
The type of frame, glass and hardware all factor in the price of bathtub sliding doors. If you are looking for a sleek and modern frameless bathtub sliding door for your bathroom makeover, consider the DreamLine Mirage-X 56-60-Inch Frameless Sliding Tub Door.
What to know before you buy a bathtub sliding door
Bathtub sliding doors are almost all glass, so choosing the right glass for your needs and preferences is an important first step.
Glass safety
Safety glass is essential in bathtub doors. You have two choices of what happens if your bathtub sliding door ever breaks.
- Tempered glass is the most common type and is the same material found in car windows. It is stronger and more durable than the window glass found in homes. When broken, safety glass does not fracture into pieces with sharp edges. Instead, it breaks into small pebble-like pieces that do not cause cuts or injuries.
- Laminated glass has two outer layers of thin glass sandwiched around a plastic inner layer. In the case of breakage, the plastic holds both outer glass sheets in place and no pieces fall to the floor.
Glass thickness
Most of the glass in bathtub sliding doors is between ⅛ and ½ inch thick. Thicker glass is used in frameless bathtub sliding doors to provide greater structural support. However, the thinner glass that is used in budget bathtub sliding doors is not as safe and is more likely to break.
Glass style
There are four common styles of glass, each admitting a different type and amount of light.
- Clear glass is the most common choice. It is the least expensive and the hardest to keep clean.
- Patterned glass has designs etched on the surface and is favored by many who want to add a decorator’s touch.
- Textured glass is translucent and offers more privacy by blurring what is seen from both inside and out while still admitting all the light.
- Frosted glass is a privacy glass with an etched or sandblasted finish that obscures the view in both directions.
To learn even more about bathtub sliding doors, take a look at the full bathtub sliding door buying guide from BestReviews.com.
What to look for in a quality bathtub sliding door
Frames
Bathtub sliding doors are made in full-framed, frameless and semi-frameless styles.
- Full-framed doors: These doors are the least expensive of the three, contain the most metal and provide the tightest water seal. The metal runs along the top, bottom and sides of the glass panels.
- Frameless sliding doors: The most elegant and the most expensive are the frameless sliding doors. The only metal is at the hinge points and the handles. Frameless sliding doors are found in minimalist bathrooms.
- Semi-frameless tub doors: These have metal along the top edge of the glass panels but not the sides.
Metal finish
All three door frame types have some metal parts, like hinges and handles, and some have full or partial frames. These metal surfaces are usually finished in chrome because chrome is the most common surface found in the bathtub fixtures, faucets and controls in most homes. However, better finishes like stainless steel, polished brass and brushed nickel allow people to give custom looks to their sliding glass doors.
Glass coatings
Water-resistant coatings applied by the manufacturer are a good feature to have if you want to save cleaning time. They prevent the buildup of mold and soap scum and make the glass easier to clean.
How much you can expect to spend on a bathtub sliding door
Midrange bathtub sliding doors cost between $250-$350. Here you will expect to find better glass and better finishes. Bathtub sliding doors under $250 will be made of lower-quality materials. Above $350, you will find smooth-operating, frameless bathtub sliding doors with the best glass panels and best coatings.
Bathtub sliding door FAQ
Can I install my bathtub sliding door myself?
A. You will be dealing with glass and metal in a tiled environment that is made to be wet. Unless you are an avid DIYer with a workshop full of tools, you are better off leaving it to professionals so you don’t get leaks.
What is the best number of shower doors to have?
A. The choice is yours. Some like a large single movable door. Others like having two or three doors that slide in either direction because different people can use it in different ways.
What’s the best bathtub sliding door to buy?
Top bathtub sliding door
DreamLine Mirage-X 56-60-Inch Frameless Sliding Tub Door
What you need to know: The frameless design of this tub door is very sleek and modern and ideal for custom baths.
What you’ll love: A single large door slides open for easy access to the bathtub. The L-bar provides a streamlined look and structural support. The proprietary ClearMax coating is water-resistant and protects against the buildup of lime and scale. The aluminum frame is anodized to resist corrosion.
What you should consider: This product is pricey, and the installation is challenging.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top bathtub sliding door for the money
DreamLine Visions 56-60-Inch Semi-Frameless Sliding Tub Door
What you need to know: The unique dual sliding door design opens at the center.
What you’ll love: This sliding tub door looks great with any bathroom decor. This product has smaller handles than most sliding bathtub doors. The ANSI-certified tempered glass repels water and resists water spotting. The aluminum frame has a chrome finish.
What you should consider: It has only a 4-inch width adjustment.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Delta Trinsic 60-Inch Semi-Frameless Sliding Bathtub Door SD3927410
What you need to know: Choose the glass style, handle and track that you like best.
What you’ll love: This 1-2-3 shower door is a beautiful product that fits many different installations with its 8-inch range of adjustment. The large handles are conveniently placed and easy to use, and this product’s certified safety glass is coated to resist water spots.
What you should consider: This unit needs a perfectly level bathtub area.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Which bed frame is best?
Several things contribute to a good night’s sleep: mattress quality, sheet quality and perhaps most important, bed frame quality. A good bed frame holds your mattress in place while supporting it. The best bed frames are made from high-quality wood or metal and do not squeak or move while you are in bed.
For a sturdy bed frame with adjustable settings, you can’t beat the Classic Brands Comfort Upholstered Adjustable Bed Base, which also has a massage function for those days when you’re feeling a little tense.
What to know before you buy a bed frame
Type
The traditional box-spring bed frame puts a bed foundation between the frame and the mattress and is the most common type of bed frame. Usually made with horizontal supports or metal lattice, the frame gives the mattress necessary support. A platform bed frame uses slats to support the mattress. Adjustable bed frames allow users to raise and lower either the head or the foot of the bed to provide extra comfort. Adjustable bed frames typically are far more expensive than traditional bed frames due to the ergonomic technology used.
Size
Making sure the bed frame fits the size of your mattress ensures the frame correctly supports the mattress.
Integrated vs. separate frames
Freestanding bed frames are the typical design you see with most bed frames. You can pair one with a headboard to complete a bedroom’s look. On the other hand, integrated bed frames come fully integrated, typically with a headboard, footboard and side rails, creating a more complete and finished look.
What to look for in a quality bed frame
Material
Most bed frames are made of three materials: metal, wood or upholstery. Wooden frames create a more natural appearance and typically are solid and durable. However, solid-wood options tend to be more expensive. Metal frames are durable and lightweight. They often are more affordable than wooden options and usually fit more in modern room designs. Upholstered bed frames tend to be made from a wood composite or frame and upholstered with fabric padding. They often come in integrated frames.
Height
As a rule of thumb, most standard beds are approximately 25 inches off the ground including the height of the mattress. However, some frames range significantly in height, allowing for beds to be higher or lower. Low-profile beds provide a more contemporary feel to a room, while more elevated beds add a sense of sophistication.
How much you can expect to spend on a bed frame
Bed frame prices are determined by both the construction of the frame and the materials used. The least expensive frames cost between $30 and $100 and generally are metal box spring or platform frames. Midrange bed frames range between $100 and $500 and are made of sturdier materials such as wood, metal or upholstery. Some bed frames in this price range may be adjustable. High-end bed frames cost more than $500 and are constructed with high-quality materials such as ornate solid wood. Some of these frames can cost as much as $5,000.
Bed frame FAQ
Do you need a headboard with a bed frame?
A. Some bed frames come with integrated headboards. However, a headboard is not necessary. This is dependent on your aesthetic style and whether a headboard can fit in your room.
Should you also buy a new mattress with a new bed frame?
A. This is not necessary. As long as the mattress fits the bed frame, the bed will be supported and ready for use. However, you should replace your mattress every five to 10 years.
What’s the best bed frame to buy?
Top bed frame
Classic Brands Comfort Upholstered Adjustable Bed Base
What you need to know: This customer favorite is a versatile, adjustable bed base and one of the best options for bed frames.
What you’ll love: For an affordable price, this frame provides several comfortable settings to accommodate every kind of sleeper. It comes equipped with convenient USB ports and a massage function.
What you should consider: Some users have reported the legs can feel wobbly and the wireless remote has been known to freeze on occasion. Additionally, this frame is more expensive than many others.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top bed frame for the money
Zinus SmartBase Super Heavy Duty Mattress Foundation
What you need to know: The ZINUS mattress foundation is one of the most reliable bed frame options providing stability and height.
What you’ll love: This frame has a solid construction that is supportive and stable. It has additional space underneath for extra storage.
What you should consider: Some users have reported this frame may squeak after extended use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Zinus Michelle Compack Adjustable Steel Bed Frame
What you need to know: This is an adjustable frame designed for comfort and years of use.
What you’ll love: The rugged frame stands out with its adjustability and can accommodate full- to king-size beds.
What you should consider: This frame will not work with some headboards with different screw types.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jared Lindsay writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which early childhood education material is best?
The more the learning experience is a pleasurable one, the more your child sees learning as a fun and interesting activity and not a dreary chore. When a child’s brain is exposed to the right stimuli, they have a greater understanding of the world around them, preparing them for school and beyond.
If you’re looking for a set of learning materials that builds your child’s vocabulary while teaching them to sort and match, try the delightful Learning Resources Alphabet Soup Sorters with more than 200 letter, photo and vocabulary cards.
What to know before you buy early childhood education materials
Areas of early childhood development
- Gross motor skills: Gross motor skills include the bigger muscles of the body, such as the arms, legs and torso. Gaining control of these big muscles contributes to a child’s balance, coordination and reaction time.
- Fine motor skills: Fine motor skills develop control of the small muscles, especially those in the hands and fingers. They include reaching, grasping and controlling objects with the hands. The more quickly kids develop a high degree of control and precision with their fine motor skills, the quicker they’re able to do things for themselves.
- Listening skills: Learning to listen means far more than hearing sounds and knowing what they mean. When kids learn to listen, they learn to pay attention to things and others around them. The time-tested way of developing kids’ listening skills is reading to them. If you choose books with topics that interest them, you’re off to a great start.
- Academic skills: The best way to get started on this phase of your kid’s learning journey is with letters and numbers. Learning here is enhanced with rhymes and sounds. Kids learn to sort and count with collections of brightly colored objects like beads, blocks and cards.
- Free play: Also called unstructured or semi-structured play, free play allows kids to develop their creativity and learn how to solve simple problems on their own. You might give kids a simple instruction or two and then give them some interlocking plastic parts to build whatever they can imagine.
What to look for in quality early childhood education materials
Age group
Age ranges for early childhood education materials are broad guidelines and not hard and fast rules. You don’t want to bore children with games and projects they think are “baby stuff”; neither do you want to frustrate them with too great a challenge.
Grab their attention
The best way to keep kids’ attention is with brightly colored objects, games and other educational materials. Kids’ interest levels go up with things that light up, make sounds and play music, especially younger kids.
Safety
Young learners want to put things into their mouths. Make sure all the materials they play with are non-toxic and non-hazardous. Objects should be free of sharp corners. Avoid early childhood education materials that have parts small enough for children to swallow.
How much you can expect to spend on early childhood education materials
Simple early childhood education materials that develop motor skills, like stringing beads together or craft pages that involve cutting and pasting usually cost no more than $5. Learning kits and resource books cost from $10-$25 and develop motor, listening and early academic skills. Above $30, you can find larger items and sets, like numbers and letters.
Early childhood education materials FAQ
When is the best time to get kids started on learning?
A. Once kids reach 24 months or so, they have begun to develop the language skills necessary to interact with others.
What’s the best way to get my young child’s early childhood education started?
A. Read to your child — the more often, the better. The better your children learn to read, the better they can learn every lesson from kindergarten through graduate school.
Can I replace formal classroom learning with at-home learning?
A. Kids who do both generally learn more and learn it more quickly. If you choose to homeschool your child, you’ll need to do a lot of learning on your own so you teach your kids the right things in the right ways.
What are the best early childhood education materials to buy?
Top early childhood education materials
Learning Resources Alphabet Soup Sorters
What you need to know: These fun stackable soup cans teach your child aged 3 and above how letters look and what sounds they make.
What you’ll love: Each set includes 26 durable cardboard 3 x 4-inch “soup cans” with plastic lids. Inside each are one uppercase and one lowercase letter card, as well as five vocabulary cards for hands-on sorting and matching. This set of education materials builds your child’s vocabulary while developing their ability to sort and recall.
What you should consider: The plastic bag the cards come in is not environmentally friendly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top early childhood education materials for the money
The Outdoor Toddler Fun Activity Book by Krissy Bonning-Gould
What you need to know: Use this book to introduce your child to more than 100 outdoor activities.
What you’ll love: This potpourri of learning activities is organized by activity level, loudness and messiness. Icons tell parents which childhood education areas are targeted for each activity. The colorful book includes skill-building exercises and tips and tricks for more successful learning sessions.
What you should consider: Parents need to do some planning and gather some household materials.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Learning Resources Gears! Gears! Gears! 100-Piece Deluxe Building Set
What you need to know: Get your child started in the world of STEM learning with this 100-piece set of construction toys.
What you’ll love: This set introduces children to sorting, grouping, counting and designing. Kids use gears, axles, pillars, bases and a crank handle to make something out of a bunch of parts. Kids develop fine motor skills as they learn reasoning and problem-solving.
What you should consider: Smaller kids may have some trouble turning the crank.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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David Allan Van writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which Marshall speaker is best?
Even those with limited knowledge of the music industry and all its attendant equipment, you have likely heard of Marshall speakers and their legendary “Wall of Sound” at concert performances. For those looking for a home stereo system that offers incredible performance and advanced technology as a live performance, the Marshall Woburn WiFi and Bluetooth Speaker delivers fantastic audio quality with a timeless style and appearance.
What to know before you buy a Marshall speaker
History of Marshall speakers
Legendary musicians have used Marshall speakers for the best part of 60 years. Therefore, by purchasing a Marshall speaker, you are becoming a small part of a proud musical tradition whose technological capabilities are more impressive than ever before. Check out the Marshall speakers buying guide on BestReviews to learn more about these products.
EU declaration of conformity
As anyone who has ever tried to make an international purchase can attest, you sometimes take risks when buying something from another nation whose technological safety and manufacturing standards are different from those of your country of residence. For multinational groups like the European Union, it is essential that products sold across the EU come with a declaration of conformity certifying a product’s adherence to a set of harmonized and relevant standards. Thankfully, Marshall provides declarations of conformity for 25 speaker models to ensure that international customers can be certain of what they are purchasing.
What to look for in a quality Marshall speaker
Speaker location
Like every speaker model has a specific purpose, it is equally critical to consider what kind of audio setup you wish to create and where you plan to enjoy your favorite audio. To clarify, you should purchase your Marshall speaker based on factors, including their ability to function as either a standalone unit or as part of a single or even multi-room setup. Other factors to consider include portability, IPX-level protection from the elements and battery life, if applicable.
Connections your speaker will need
While there have been many debates over the virtues and superiority of wired versus wireless audio connections, one thing that people can’t argue is that it’s always nice to have a variety of options. While any portable speaker will need to be Bluetooth compatible to get the most out of your music on the go, speakers installed in your home should be able to receive cabled connections for a more hard-wired setup. Many models of Marshall speakers come equipped with both wireless options like AirPlay, Bluetooth and Chromecast and physical inputs for both 3.5mm cable and RCA.
Ease of installation, pre-set audio options and great warranty
Thanks to the handy Marshall Multi-Room app, setting up your new speaker is just a matter of a few taps away, whether you are setting up your streaming room, recording studio, living room or the entire house. Better still, the convenience of several customizable pre-set buttons means that you can access your favorite artists, internet radio stations and Spotify playlist with a single press of a button. If your Marshall speaker suffers from a mechanical defect, a year-long Global warranty with service options covered all purchases, including Carry-In, Mail-in and DIY.
How much you can expect to spend on a Marshall speaker
Depending on your desired features and capabilities, a quality Marshall speaker can easily cost between $300-$480, and sometimes more.
Marshall speaker FAQ
Can I connect my Marshall speaker to my Smart TV?
A. Yes, you can connect your Marshall speaker to any Bluetooth compatible device, using your home WiFi network and employing the Marshall Multi-Room app.
How do I connect two or more Marshall speakers?
A. Simply open your Marshall Multi-Room app, select “couple speakers” and follow the instructions to connect your speakers into a single setup.
What’s the best Marshall speaker to buy?
Top Marshall speaker
Marshall Woburn Multi Room WiFi and Bluetooth Speaker
What you need to know: This is an attractive speaker that is convenient and capable.
What you’ll love: As Marshall’s most prominent speaker, this unit offers the ability to connect with RCA and 3.5mm cables as well as dual 5.25-inch woofers,110 watts of amp power and connects wirelessly through AirPlay, Spotify Connect, Bluetooth or built-in Chromecast.
What you should consider: Users reported issues with Bluetooth sound delays when watching films and problems with updating Google Home.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Marshall speaker for the money
Marshall Stanmore II Wireless Bluetooth Speaker
What you need to know: This is an excellent wireless speaker for taking your music with you around the house.
What you’ll love: This unit features Bluetooth 5.0 aptX lossless wireless sound at up to 30 feet, an iconic design Frequency Range of 50–20 000 Hz, multi-host functionality for connecting and switching between two different Bluetooth devices, as well as RCA and 3.5mm inputs.
What you should consider: Users have reported issues with power failures and the auto-shutoff function engaging for no reason.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Marshall Kilburn II Portable Bluetooth Speaker
What you need to know: This is the perfect speaker for taking quality audio wherever you go.
What you’ll love: This unit is ultra-portable at only 6.6 pounds while offering over 20 hours of portable music, IPX-4 certification against wind and water damage, solid metal grille and vinyl coating to protect against physical damage and multi-host functionality.
What you should consider: Users have reported units failing within a year of initial purchase, as well as Bluetooth connectivity issues.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Daniel Martin writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which multitrack recorder is best?
As recording technology has progressed, the equipment involved in capturing sound has become more complicated. For musicians who don’t want to bother with expensive computers and complicated software, multitrack recorders offer a simple, quality option.
The Zoom R16 Multitrack Tabletop Recorder provides flexibility, portability and a straightforward, physical means of quickly capturing sound. This model’s 8 channel simultaneous recording and built-in digital effects make it the best choice if you want an easy to use, affordable recording experience.
What to know before you buy a multitrack recorder
The benefits of using a multitrack recorder
Musicians who find themselves frustrated by complex recording systems full of hard to use features usually prefer multitrack recorders. These devices provide a more cost-effective recording option, as they are much more affordable than the combined cost of the computer, hardware and software required for recording. They are also great for quickly recording songwriting ideas or capturing interesting field audio.
What kind of recording you want to do
Multitrack recorders are the ideal solution for recording small performances or minimalist songs. If you’re a musician on the go, looking for a quick way to save audio during moments of inspiration outside the studio or just have an interest in recording sound for fun, a multitrack recorder will suit your needs well.
Portability
One of the biggest reasons to use a multitrack recorder is portability. These units are compact and can easily be used in the field to gather recordings on the spot with minimal fuss. Even those with professional studios equipped with the latest computer technology can benefit from the convenience a multitrack recorder brings to the creative process.
What to look for in a quality multitrack recorder
Track count
Consider the kind of recordings you plan to make and the source of the audio you plan to capture. If you want to record simple, solo performances, a recorder with as few as four tracks may be all you need. For those who intend to record full band performances or larger ensembles, a recorder with eight tracks or more is best.
Inputs
Consider the complexity of your audio source. A singer who also plays guitar will require two inputs to allow you to keep their vocal and guitar audio separated for customized mixing. Keep in mind, however, if that same performer uses stereo effects on their voice or guitar, each audio source will then require a separate left and right input to be captured accurately. While it may be tempting to skimp on inputs to keep costs down, it is worth spending the money to have plenty of input options.
Microphones
Many multitrack recorders have microphones built in. This allows for convenient, on-the-spot recording without the need to bring along separate microphones, stands and cables. Built-in microphones will generally not be of the highest quality, but usually suffice for field recording and most small performances. For more info on microphones, check out this BestReviews guide.
Complexity
Some multitrack recorders are basic devices that simply capture audio for listening afterwards. Others are designed to be used as alternatives to full studio workstations. These recorders allow users to add effects, mix and produce their sound to professional standards. Consider what your end goal is for your audio recording, and think about investing in a more robust multitrack recorder to accommodate future projects.
How much you can expect to spend on a multitrack recorder
Quality multitrack recorders can be purchased for around $150. These will be small devices that capture audio, but are not designed for mixing or editing sound. Musicians looking for multitrack recorders with more tracks, features and inputs will have to spend $300-$1,000 to meet their needs.
Multitrack recorder FAQ
How do multitrack recorders save audio?
A. The multitrack recorders of years past used to capture audio on cassette tapes or rewritable CDs. Most of today’s models write data digitally to SD cards. You can swap out SD cards of different sizes to get more recording space.
How do I listen to the audio on my multitrack recorder?
A. Multitrack recorders include a headphone jack as well as outputs for connecting to speakers or studio monitors. These outputs can also connect to your audio interface, allowing you to record audio from your device directly into your DAW in real time.
Do multitrack recorders capture sound as well as a computer?
A. Yes. Multitrack recorders are capable of capturing professional audio. However, whether you’re capturing sound in a studio or in your bedroom at home, the quality of your end result will depend on your familiarity with proper recording techniques as well as the quality of your microphone.
What’s the best multitrack recorder to buy?
Top multitrack recorder
Zoom R16 Multitrack Tabletop Recorder
What you need to know: This multitrack recorder continues Zoom’s history of providing high quality audio gear at competitive prices.
What you’ll love: 16 tracks and built-in microphones make this a great portable recording studio. Eight separate inputs give you flexibility when it comes to capturing sound, and the device can also be used as an audio interface. This recorder can run on battery power for portability.
What you should consider: Users report that Zoom does not provide regular firmware updates, which may result in compatibility issues with some PCs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top multitrack recorder for the money
TASCAM DP-006 6-Track Digital Pocketstudio
What you need to know: This multitrack recorder from TASCAM is a great tool for songwriters or those interested in learning about basic sound recording.
What you’ll love: TASCAM is a well-known company with deep roots in the history of audio recording. This recorder is compact and very light, making it easy to pack in a bag or guitar case. Two built-in microphones and battery power make this device perfect for travel.
What you should consider: The menu on this recorder is challenging to navigate and the device only allows two tracks to be recorded at a time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Zoom H4n Pro 4-Track Portable Recorder
What you need to know: This compact model is incredibly portable and ideal for quick recordings and simple song sketches.
What you’ll love: This unit is small enough to fit in your pocket, but still captures pristine audio. Two inputs allow for the use of external microphones or instruments.
What you should consider: This device is best for collecting audio and is not suitable for mixing or producing a finished product.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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What is the best Logitech webcam?
With the global COVID-19 pandemic, the economic focus has shifted from office-bound workers to employees working from home. For those who don’t have a laptop with a built-in camera, a webcam is the next best option.
But where do you start looking if you need one? Logitech has been manufacturing computer accessories and peripherals for a long time and knows a thing or two about webcams. So, for the best video and audio quality, check out the Logitech BRIO Ultra HD Webcam.
What to know before you buy a Logitech webcam
Video resolution
The quality of the video stream will be relative to what that camera captures. Webcams are generally available with either 720p, 1080p or 4K recording quality. Consider which video resolution is best suited for your situation. You will need an internet connection fast enough to handle the webcam’s output resolution.
Microphone capabilities
Next to the video resolution quality, another key aspect of the webcam is the microphone. Without it, other people in a video call won’t be able to hear you talk. The quality of the microphone is also important, as any popping or scratching sounds will distract from the discussions.
Mounting and placement
Most users like to mount their webcam on top of their monitor for the best viewing angle. This is done through the attached bracket or clip supplied with the webcam. Some cameras are available on small tripods for use on a desk. Consider which type of mounting or placement you prefer and make sure that everything is in view.
What to look for in a quality Logitech webcam
High-definition video calling
While a video resolution of 720p has been the standard for a long time, the most common resolution now is 1080p and higher. This gives you high-definition visuals, and the participants in a meeting can see you clearly. A good-quality webcam will also be able to adjust the resolution according to your internet connection, making sure that you are visible at all times.
Noise-canceling microphone
Whether it is a dog barking or a vacuum cleaner in the background, a good-quality webcam microphone will have noise-canceling technology. This allows for minimal audio distractions when on a call and ensures all the meeting guests can hear you perfectly.
Additional software
A good-quality webcam will be shipped with software (either on a disk or downloadable) that will allow you to blur your surroundings, replace the background with something else or adjust the contrast and brightness.
How much you can expect to spend on a Logitech webcam
Webcams are available in a variety of configurations, and the average price will depend on the device’s capabilities. An entry-level webcam can retail for $30-$50, while a 4K webcam can sell for as much as $200.
Logitech webcam FAQ
Can you use a Logitech webcam to record YouTube videos?
A. Yes, and in most cases, it will be perfect for that. A webcam isn’t just used for video conferencing, as it can record videos on your hard drive as well. Through the additional software, you can record your daily musings and upload them to any video-sharing platform.
Will a Logitech webcam work with a PC and Mac?
A. Most webcams are capable of functioning with Windows-based computers and Apple’s Mac machines. It is important to check the specifications of the webcam.
What’s the best Logitech webcam to buy?
Top Logitech webcam
What you need to know: A top-of-the-line webcam that records in 4K brilliance.
What you’ll love: In a sleek, matte black enclosure, the BRIO 4K webcam features the highest resolution video-capturing, high-dynamic range and autofocus. With the built-in Right Light 3 software, the webcam adjusts the recording contrast and brightness based on the surrounding environment. It can be digitally zoomed up to five times, and you have the choice of three different fields of view. It has two omnidirectional microphones, and the included USB cable is 7.2 feet in length.
What you should consider: The camera itself can’t swivel from side to side, as panning is done through the included software. You will also need bandwidth capable of streaming 4K video.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Logitech webcam for the money
What you need to know: A no-frills webcam that delivers on what it promises.
What you’ll love: One of the more affordable Logitech webcams, this model is only capable of capturing video at a maximum resolution of 720p. It features two hinges that can be adjusted to the perfect angle and clips onto your computer monitor. It uses a USB 2.0 port and is also capable of capturing still images at a resolution of 3 megapixels.
What you should consider: It doesn’t have an autofocus function, so you’ll need to make sure that you remain in focus at all times.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: An affordable HD webcam that is perfect in any condition.
What you’ll love: With a clip at the top and an angled foot at the bottom, the C920x fits onto the computer monitor securely. It has a maximum video resolution of 1080p and features built-in software that adjusts the lighting according to the surroundings. It has two omnidirectional and noise-canceling microphones, a five-element lens and autofocus.
What you should consider: You can’t replace your background with the included software. If that is something you want to do, you’ll need third-party software.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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WFO SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, April 10, 2022
_____
HIGH SURF ADVISORY
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service San Francisco CA
648 AM PDT Sat Apr 9 2022
...Strong winds are being observed over the ocean that is
generating a large wind wave combined with the background swell.
This wind driven swell has the potential for generating large
breaking waves between 18 to 22 feet in the surf zone at
approximately 11 seconds. Caution is advised in surf zone and at
harbor entrances.
...HIGH SURF ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM PDT SUNDAY...
* WHAT...Large breaking waves of 18 to 22 feet at 11 seconds.
* WHERE...San Francisco, Coastal North Bay Including Point Reyes
National Seashore, San Fransisco Peninsula Coast, Northern
Monterey Bay and Southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur Coast.
* WHEN...Until 3 PM PDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Dangerous swimming and surfing conditions and
localized beach erosion.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...It is advised to stay well away from the
shoreline, strong rip currents may also develop in the coastal
marine environment.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced swimmers should remain out of the water due to
dangerous surf conditions.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.chron.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-FRANCISCO-BAY-AREA-Warnings-Watches-17069135.php | 2022-04-09T14:27:07 | en | 0.902156 |
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Which external hard drives for Xbox One are best?
When the first video games were released, they comfortably fit onto several floppy disks. As the games became better, the format changed to 700MB CDs and eventually 4.2GB DVDs. Naturally, you needed a hard drive to store all the data as well.
Today, as digital downloads have become more prevalent than physical disks, the need for an external hard drive is growing. Gaming consoles have not been spared the limitations on storage, which is why you’ll need something like the Seagate Game Drive Hub for Xbox One. Check out the Best Reviews buying guide for a complete list of options.
What to know before you buy an external hard drive for Xbox One
Size and placement
Depending on the design of the hard drive casing, it can be a rather bulky device. Generally, you cannot use external hard drives in horizontal and vertical positions, making placement a lot easier. Consider the size of the hard drive and where you will place it to ensure that it is both out of the way and accessible to the Xbox One console.
Storage capacity
External hard drives for Xbox One come in a variety of storage sizes. The console has a built-in hard drive, but that can fill up quickly if you have a lot of data. Analyze your gaming habit and library to determine what size hard drive will be sufficient for your purposes.
Additional components
An external hard drive will connect to the Xbox One console through a supplied USB cable. But that isn’t the only way you can use it. Some manufacturers sell additional components that allow you to clip the drive directly onto the console. If that is the case, then you might want to consider some extra cooling options.
What to look for in a quality external hard drive for Xbox One
High-speed data transfer
It is vitally important that you use an external hard drive with a high-speed rate of data transfer. If you want to download the enhanced versions of Xbox games, you can only do so on high-speed drives. A good quality external hard drive for an Xbox One will have around 200MB per second transfer speed. Solid-state drives can go as fast as 540MB per second.
Sturdy case
Protecting your hard drive is the best way also to protect your data. Since the drive is in place, it should be moved around, especially when in use. A quality hard drive will have a sturdy case to protect the external hard drive from light bumps and handling.
USB connectivity
The only connection method of an external hard drive is through the USB cable. Coupled with the hard drive’s transfer speed, the USB speed also plays a vital role. A good quality external hard drive will have a USB 3.0 port and support the corresponding speeds.
How much you can expect to spend on an external hard drive for Xbox One
The cost of an external hard drive for your Xbox will depend on the brand and the drive’s storage capacity. Smaller drives can retail for around $80, while bigger storage options can cost as much as $200.
External hard drive for Xbox One FAQ
Can you use any hard drive with an Xbox One?
A. Yes, as long as the hard drive can connect to the Xbox through a USB connection and is formatted to the correct filing system. The Xbox can do that for you.
Do I need a solid-state drive or a hard disk drive?
A. The difference between an SSD and an HDD will be the rate of transfer. SSDs tend to be more expensive than HDD but operate at a much faster transfer speed. The storage capacity of SSDs is generally also less than HDD.
What’s the best external hard drive for Xbox One to buy?
Top external hard drive for Xbox One
Seagate Game Drive Hub for Xbox
What you need to know: Perfect in size and color, it will complement an Xbox One rather well.
What you’ll love: The Seagate Game Drive Hub is specifically designed for use with the Xbox One console, and it comes with a massive 8TB of SSD storage capacity. It has two front-facing USB 3.0 ports and connects to the console through a USB cable at the back. You can use the front USB ports to charge controllers or other mobile devices.
What you should consider: You need to connect it to its one power source through the included power adapter.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top external hard drive for Xbox One for the money
Seagate Game Drive for Xbox Game Pass Special Edition
What you need to know: Perfect for gaming, it’s sleek and includes a little something extra.
What you’ll love: Seagate is known for its storage devices, and gamers can’t go wrong with the thin and good-looking Game Drive for the Xbox One. It connects to the console through a USB 3.0 cable and doesn’t need its own power source. For storage capacity, it has a 2TB SSD with super-fast transfer speeds. This Special Edition drive comes with a 14-day free trial to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
What you should consider: The USB cable is only 18-inches, which might be a bit short if you want to store the drive somewhere else.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This option is made for gaming. It’s sturdy and good-looking.
What you’ll love: With a bit of a military look to it, the P10 external hard drive from WD is 5TB in storage capacity. That is more than enough for hundreds of games. It comes with an 18-inch USB-A to micro USB-B cable and is compatible with PCs and PlayStation consoles. The external case is made from metal, making sure that it is always protected.
What you should consider: This version is only a hard disc drive, but some games require that you install them to faster SSDs.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp 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.news10.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/gaming-accessories-br/the-best-external-hard-drive-for-xbox-one/ | 2022-04-09T14:27:10 | en | 0.94109 |
WFO ALBANY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, April 9, 2022
_____
FLOOD WARNING
Flood Statement
National Weather Service Albany NY
904 AM EDT Sat Apr 9 2022
...FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED...
The Flood Warning is cancelled for
the Wappingers Creek At Wappingers Falls.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- At 8:30 AM EDT Saturday the stage was 7.6 feet.
- Forecast...The river is expected to fall to 5.1 feet Monday
evening.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
Wappingers Creek
Wappingers Falls
Flood Stage: 8.0
Observed Stage at Sat 8 am: 7.6
Forecast:
Sat 2 pm 6.7
Sat 8 pm 6.3
Sun 2 am 6.1
Sun 8 am 5.8
Sun 2 pm 5.6
Sun 8 pm 5.5
Mon 2 am 5.3
Mon 8 am 5.2
Mon 2 pm 5.1
Mon 8 pm 5.1
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.chron.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-ALBANY-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17069111.php | 2022-04-09T14:27:13 | en | 0.783014 |
Which travel router is best?
Whether you want to backpack across the European Union or make sure you stay in touch with your business partners from half a world away, having a travel router can assist you in circumventing some of the common network issues that occur during international travel.
Having a powerful and slim unit like the HooToo Filehub Wireless Travel Router HT-TM05 at your disposal, you can convert any wired internet connection into a WiFi connection with minimal effort, offering excellent security and a host of great technical options.
What to know before you buy a travel router
Keep your connection safe and secure
No matter where your travels take you, wired connections or accessing a public Wi-Fi connection could result in potential risk issues. Cybercriminals in particular target these public Wi-Fi hotspots where information quite often flows unprotected. Whether you are staying in a luxury hotel or just renting a bed for eight hours at a hostel, it never hurts to take that little bit of extra caution when accessing the internet.
Instead of seeking public unprotected Wi-Fi hotspots or physically plugging your computer into the internet, travel routers provide you with your own secure Wi-Fi network by connecting to an ethernet, act as a Wi-Fi hotspot to connect other devices and even perform the duties of a Wi-Fi range extender. Whatever your particular destination, a travel router will help keep you in touch with your friends, family and contacts and help ensure your digital safety.
Travel routers powering options
As with many advanced electronic devices, it is important to consider exactly how your brand new travel router will be able to power itself up. This will depend on the continent and the country you’re traveling to. While having the ability to simply plug your travel router directly into a wall socket is the most convenient way to keep your device in working order, having the ability to receive power via USB port or even batteries might be the only thing between you and your ability to access the internet. Check out the buying guide at BestReviews.com to learn more about what makes for a reliable and affordable travel router.
What to look for in a quality travel router
Physical specifications
Depending on just how far from the beaten path you intend to travel, you will absolutely need to purchase a travel router that doesn’t take up an excessive amount of room or weigh a ton. When it comes to challenging issues such as packing your luggage to be under the airline’s baggage allowance or needing your tech to easily slip into your backpack or pocket, you should always consider the size and weight of your travel router before you end up stuck with it for thousands of miles and countless hours.
Power banks, file storage and more
While having the ability to ensure secure internet access in a variety of forms is certainly an incredible convenience, some travel routers are capable of offering much more than that. For example, select travel routers contain power banks that can be used to charge and power up other devices while others can serve as file hubs capable of performing TITAN transfers between multiple USB devices simultaneously. In fact, some models of travel routers can even support traditional hard drives or HDDs as well as USB card readers, meaning you might not even need to bring your laptop along.
Additional protection and custom options like VPN and Open Source
On top of providing the protection of conventional Wi-Fi security measures like WPA2, some travel routers come equipped with the ability to connect to VPNs or virtual private networks clients and servers, providing additional layers of security and greatly improving the speed of your internet connection. For those who prefer to take their technological security into their own hands, some models offer extensive options for customization, including the ability to use Open Source operating systems and software, DIY hardware upgrades, extendable USB discs and much more.
How much you can expect to spend on a travel router
Depending on your desired features, a quality travel router can cost anywhere from $29-$59 and sometimes more.
Best travel router FAQ
Why do I need to buy a travel router in the first place?
A. While you technically don’t need to purchase a travel router, it certainly makes managing your Wi-Fi enabled devices and safely connecting to the internet much easier than it otherwise would be.
Will I need to pay a subscription fee to use my travel router?
A. Unless you purchase a device through an internet service provider or ISP to constantly provide services, owning and using a travel router will not incur any additional expenses.
What’s the best travel router to buy?
Top travel router
HooToo Filehub Wireless Travel Router HT-TM05
What you need to know: This multipurpose travel router will serve you well all over the globe.
What you’ll love: This unit includes the ability to instantly convert a wired network to Wi-Fi as well as transfers files between your device and multiple USB hard drives.
What you should consider: Users have reported issues with slow connection speeds as well as poorly written directions which makes operating it confusing in the beginning.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top travel router for the money
VONETS Mini 2.4GHz Portable Wireless Travel Travel Router
What you need to know: This affordable travel router offers a wide range of ports and functions.
What you’ll love: This unit offers two ethernet ports that can exchange and support Wi-Fi or WAN access in Wi-Fi router mode as well as Wi-Fi smart bridge mode, AP Client, hotspot, range extender and a one year warranty.
What you should consider: Users have reported being unable to access or change the admin password or creating solid connections.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
GL.iNET GL-AR750S Mini VPN Travel Router
What you need to know: This travel router is ideal for those who prefer to tinker with their technology.
What you’ll love: This unit has a preconfigured Cloudflare DNS and offers compatibility with over 30 VPNs. It has 128MB RAM, three ethernet ports, 16MB NOR Flash + 128MB NAND Flash, and a USB port.
What you should consider: Users have reported issues with the initial setup of the travel router as well as spontaneous failures within months of purchase.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Daniel Martin 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.news10.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/internet-streaming-br/best-travel-router/ | 2022-04-09T14:27:17 | en | 0.941703 |
WFO NEW YORK CITY Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, April 9, 2022
_____
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service New York NY
939 AM EDT Sat Apr 9 2022
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of western Suffolk and
Nassau Counties through 1015 AM EDT...
At 938 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking thunderstorms along a line
extending from Oyster Bay to Hicksville to Baldwin. Movement was
northeast at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Levittown, Freeport, Huntington Station, Lindenhurst, Glen Cove,
Plainview, Garden City, Massapequa, Lynbrook, Syosset, Mineola,
Huntington, Westbury, Farmingdale and Northport.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
LAT...LON 4059 7372 4071 7368 4088 7366 4092 7364
4093 7352 4096 7349 4094 7342 4097 7340
4094 7334 4095 7330 4094 7327 4060 7338
TIME...MOT...LOC 1338Z 216DEG 39KT 4089 7351 4077 7354 4065 7360
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.chron.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-NEW-YORK-CITY-Warnings-Watches-and-17069131.php | 2022-04-09T14:27:19 | en | 0.760163 |
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WFO PORTLAND Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Sunday, April 10, 2022
_____
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Portland OR
555 AM PDT Sat Apr 9 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM THIS
EVENING TO 11 AM PDT SUNDAY ABOVE 2000 FEET...
* WHAT...Snow expected above 2000 feet. Total snow accumulations
of 6 to 12 inches.
* WHERE...In Oregon, Northern Oregon Cascades. In Washington,
South Washington Cascades.
* WHEN...From 8 PM this evening to 11 AM PDT Sunday.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heaviest snowfall will occur early Sunday
morning. Snowfall rates up to one and a half inches per hour
will be possible during this time period.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Slow down and use caution while traveling.
For the latest road conditions call 5 1 1, or visit
for Oregon: https://www.tripcheck.com
and for Washington: https://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/map
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 11 PM THIS
of 3 to 8 inches. Heaviest snowfall early Sunday morning
morning.
* WHERE...In Oregon, Northern Oregon Cascade Foothills. In
Washington, South Washington Cascade Foothills.
* WHEN...From 11 PM this evening to 11 AM PDT Sunday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Heaviest snowfall expected early Sunday
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.chron.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-PORTLAND-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17069106.php | 2022-04-09T14:27:20 | en | 0.785667 |
Which iPad stand is best?
When it comes to tablets, the iPad is a classic for a reason. No matter which model you own, the battery is long-lasting, the design is convenient and you have access to exclusive apps. However, there is one snag. Most of the time, holding an iPad requires two hands, which can be a challenge if you’re trying to multitask.
Luckily, an iPad stand can help make your iPad more visible and easier to use. Whether you’re looking for a stand that will turn your iPad into a second monitor or a convenient cookbook, there’s an iPad stand for you.
What to know before you buy an iPad stand
Height
The reason for getting an iPad stand will vary from person to person. You might want to use it as a bedside holder, while others would like to prop up their tablet while reading recipes in the kitchen. Consider all the ways you would use the stand and which height would be the best for your specific needs.
Adjustments
An iPad’s display will rotate depending on the tablet’s orientation. Ideally, you want an iPad stand that can just as easily be rotated as the display can. An adjustable stand will increase functionality and be more compatible with the tablet’s orientations.
Display size
There is nothing wrong with getting an iPad stand that fits your current model perfectly. But what happens when you upgrade to a device that is a different size? If that could be the case, consider a stand that is compatible with different iPad sizes. Most stands can also be adjusted in terms of the display’s size, so keep that in mind.
What to look for in an iPad stand
Cable management
As much as we would like it, iPads don’t have an infinite battery life. At some point, your device will need to be charged, but the one thing that can quickly make a space look untidy is messy cable management. A good quality iPad stand will have a spot for you to thread the charging cable through so that it is out of the way and out of sight.
Securing mechanism
The purpose of an iPad stand is to hold your device in place. If the mechanism that holds it there fails, you could end up with a cracked screen or a damaged tablet. A good quality iPad stand will have a mechanism to secure the iPad so that it doesn’t easily slip off or out of the stand.
Material
As with most accessories for tablets and computers, the more affordable products tend to be made from plastic. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but a metal or steel iPad stand will provide you with the best aesthetics and durability.
How much you can expect to spend on an iPad stand
Stands for your iPad or other tablets are inexpensive to manufacture, resulting in an affordable purchase. A no-frills stand may be under $10, but more expensive models can retail for as much as $50.
iPad stand FAQ
Can I use a stand if my iPad has a case on it?
A. Yes, but in some instances, it could compromise the securing mechanism of the iPad stand. Most iPad stands are designed to accommodate thick cases though.
Can I secure the iPad stand onto a surface?
A. That will depend on the design of the iPad stand. If the stand has rubber or silicone feet, it won’t need to be secured, as this prevents the stand from slipping or moving around. Look for an iPad stand that isn’t top-heavy but has a large base.
What’s the best iPad stand to buy?
Top iPad stand
Lamicall Adjustable Tablet Stand
What you need to know: A sturdy stand that is big enough to hold most tablet sizes.
What you’ll love: Made from aluminum alloy, this iPad stand has a heavy and wide base to remain in place wherever it is used. The tablet rests on a small shelf, and the arm can be adjusted in two locations. The hinges are tight, which keeps the arm from sliding down or adjusting by itself. It is compatible with tablets ranging in size from 4 inches to 13 inches.
What you should consider: The holder itself can’t be rotated, so if you want to view the iPad in a different orientation, it needs to be picked up and rotated manually.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top iPad stand for your money
Amazon Basics Adjustable Tablet Holder
What you need to know: A no-frills iPad stand that will get the job done.
What you’ll love: Perfect on a bedside table or in the kitchen, the plastic stand consists of a triangle design. Two width-adjustable feet with a groove at the bottom help to secure it on a surface, while a third, upright arm prevents the tablet from toppling over. The arm can also be adjusted at two hinges, allowing for more flexibility.
What you should consider: The iPad stand is made from plastic, so the stand could break if it is knocked over.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: Versatile and durable. It works perfectly at any angle.
What you’ll love: The iPad stand is made from durable plastic and features a heavy metal base that can’t be easily knocked over. The iPad is held in place by retractable arms on both sides, which clamp onto the iPad’s edges. The stand can be rotated at two different hinges, while a third swivel is used to rotate the arm a full 360 degrees. You can thread a charging cable through the hole in the middle of the stand arm.
What you should consider: Due to its construction, it might not be suitable for use with iPads that have thick protective cases.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp 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.news10.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/tablets-accessories-br/best-ipad-stand/ | 2022-04-09T14:27:24 | en | 0.942294 |
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WFO SPOKANE Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, April 9, 2022
_____
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Spokane WA
615 AM PDT Sat Apr 9 2022
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PDT THIS
MORNING...
* WHAT...Snow. Additional snow accumulations up to two inches. Winds
gusting as high as 35 mph.
* WHERE...Holden Village, Stehekin, and Stevens Pass.
* WHEN...Until 10 AM PDT this morning.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult with winter travel
conditions along Highway 2 west of Coles Corner to Stevens Pass.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road
conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by
calling 5 1 1.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.chron.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-SPOKANE-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17069121.php | 2022-04-09T14:27:27 | en | 0.869758 |
Which window shade is best?
Today’s window shades offer much more than just a way to lessen or block the light entering a room from a window. With the wealth of options available regarding look, style and material, window shades have become a foundational part of interior design and insulating your home.
Madison Park Galen Cordless Roman Shades, available in a variety of neutral colors, provide excellent privacy and light control in an aesthetically pleasing package. With many sizes available and a thermal backing material, these are the best window shades. For further analysis and tips regarding window shade options, check out the window shade buying guide courtesy of BestReviews.
What to know before you buy a window shade
Types
- Shade blinds: These look similar to traditional blinds but the slats are connected with no space between them. They block more light and are more energy efficient than regular blinds due to the design. Often made of bamboo, these shades have a natural, earthy look.
- Roman shades: These shades feature stacks of draped or folded fabric when rolled up but have a smooth, seamless look when down. These often are thick canvas or other woven material.
- Cellular shades: Sometimes called honeycomb shades, these shades have cells within them that hold air and create an insulating barrier between your room and the window. They are available in both single-cell and double-cell varieties.
- Pleated shades: This type looks similar to cellular shades but does not have any insulating honeycomb spaces. The accordion design allows them to be tightly drawn up. These shades usually are made from sheer, thin material like paper that allows some light to filter through.
- Roller shades: As the name suggests, these window shades roll up tightly into a tube shape. Pulled down, they have a smooth, even surface. They are affordable and very easy to clean but may look too industrial or utilitarian for some.
Location
The room or area in which you will install your window shades is the most important factor when it comes to what type you should choose. Shades for a bedroom should block as much light as possible, while shades in open rooms that have more activity in them typically won’t need to be as opaque. Shades in sunrooms or outdoor areas should be made from weather-resistant materials that aren’t prone to deteriorating due to moisture or direct sunlight.
What to look for in a quality window shade
Opacity
Some shade types are designed to block light coming from either direction. These shades provide superior privacy and are great for bedrooms, bathrooms, home theaters or other areas where light can be a disturbance. Shades that are sheer and allow light to filter through are better suited for areas of your home that you prefer to be brighter, such as kitchens, breakfast areas or living rooms.
Raising and lowering
You pull a cord to raise and lower most shades. Some shades are constructed with motors that allow you to control their level with the push of a button. You move cordless shades up and down by pulling or pushing them to the desired height.
Size
Window-shade manufacturers provide standard sizes for their products, but many homes require a custom fit. Some companies build shades to specific measurements while others provide cheaper options you can cut to size. Choose a shade from a company whose sizing options best suit your abilities and budget.
Material
Window shades are available in all kinds of materials, from wooden slats connected with natural fibers to flat vinyl or laminated fabric. If you are going to place the shades outdoors or in areas exposed to weather, choose plastic or vinyl because these materials won’t get damaged or saturated if they are kept in damp conditions. The material you choose for indoor shades can be whatever you personally want.
How much you can expect to spend on a window shade
Inexpensive pleated shades are $10-$25, depending on the size. These shades provide little light blockage and are made from thin, fragile material. For quality shades made from strong, lasting materials, expect to pay $60 or more per window.
Window shade FAQ
Will window shades affect my utility bill?
A. Depending on your home, yes. Older houses that have not been updated often have drafty, single-pane windows. Leaving these windows with nothing to block drafts in the winter or hot outside temperatures in the summer can leave your thermostat working overtime to continually regulate your indoor climate. Window shades provide an added layer of protection between you and the outdoors.
Are window shade cords dangerous?
A. Long, dangling window shade cords can pose a strangulation risk to young children and pets. Cordless window shades are recommended due to these safety concerns.
Are window shades hard to install?
A. Potentially. Window shade installation usually requires screwing the necessary hardware into the window frame and ensuring everything is level and secure. You need power tools and a step ladder. Larger windows pose a greater challenge than small ones, so additional help is recommended.
Window shade tips
Stay cool
Keeping your shades pulled down over windows that receive direct sunlight helps keep indoor areas cool.
Be mindful of shadows
Shades that allow light to enter during the day also allow it to escape when it’s dark out. If privacy is a priority, look for shades that won’t show the silhouettes or shadows of indoor occupants at night.
Don’t forget to dust
Window shades are easy to overlook when it comes to cleaning, but they collect dust and odors. Depending on the material of your shade, you can use a vacuum or cloth duster to keep them tidy.
What’s the best window shade to buy?
Top window shade
Madison Park Galen Cordless Roman Shades
What you need to know: These homey fabric shades provide visual warmth and texture and are available in many colors.
What you’ll love: These cordless shades are available in multiple sizes and include mounting hardware. They feature a thermal foam backing that provides additional insulation from drafts.
What you should consider: These shades are not suitable for bathrooms or other areas that are high in humidity. Users have noted they allow light to pass through them easily, providing less privacy than they hoped for.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Bed Bath & Beyond
Top window shade for the money
Redi Shade Quick Fix Light Filtering Pleated Fabric Shade
What you need to know: Extremely economical, these sheer window shades allow filtered light through, giving your windows a pleasant glow.
What you’ll love: These window shades filter sunlight but also provide decent privacy. You don’t need tools for installation. Multiple sizes are available but you can cut these shades for a perfect fit.
What you should consider: These shades feature an adhesive mounting tape that can damage window-frame paint. The shade’s construction feels low quality even for its price point. It is best as a temporary solution.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
Windowsandgarden Custom Cordless Single-Cell Shades
What you need to know: These window shades provide great insulation and privacy because of their cellular construction and custom fit.
What you’ll love: Featuring the latest in cellular window-shade technology, these cordless shades are available in nine colors and you can choose custom sizes.
What you should consider: Some customers think these shades tear easily and are too flimsy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Derek Walborn 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.news10.com/reviews/br/home-br/windows-window-care-br/best-window-shades/ | 2022-04-09T14:27:31 | en | 0.921884 |
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Which KitchenAid blender is best?
Whether you like to start every day with a fresh smoothie, make frozen cocktails for parties or whip up milkshakes for the kids, a blender is usually a must-have kitchen appliance. If you want a top-notch model, you can’t beat a KitchenAid blender when it comes to features and performance.
KitchenAid offers a wide range of blenders so that you can choose from high-performance models, standard countertop options and even immersion blenders. The KitchenAid High Performance Series Blender is the top choice if you want a top-of-the-line blender with great, convenient features.
What to know before you buy a KitchenAid blender
Blender type
KitchenAid offers three main types of blenders:
- KitchenAid high-performance blenders provide the most powerful motors, so they can handle nearly any food, including pulverizing ice with ease. These models can even mix heavy batters, create nut butter and knead dough. However, they are the most expensive KitchenAid blenders.
- KitchenAid standard countertop blenders aren’t as powerful as high-performance models, but they can still handle plenty of tasks in the kitchen. They can effectively blend up smoothies, shakes, frozen cocktails, dips and sauces. Some standard models are more powerful than others, though, so you’ll need to shop around to find the best fit for your needs.
- Kitchen immersion blenders are commonly known as hand or stick blenders because they’re handheld models without a jar. That allows you to bring the blender directly to a pot or bowl to blend ingredients. They work incredibly well for making soup and sauces. KitchenAid immersion blenders are usually the most affordable models, though some come with extras like a whisk or chopper and cost a little more.
Horsepower
You can measure a blender’s motor power in horsepower. KitchenAid high-performance blenders usually offer 3.5 HP, while standard countertop blenders typically run at approximately 0.5 to 1 HP. To learn more, check out the complete KitchenAid blender buying guide at BestReviews.
Capacity
A KitchenAid blender’s jar capacity determines how much you’re able to blend at a time. KitchenAid blender jars typically range from 50 to 90 ounces. Since immersion models don’t have a jar, you can blend in a container of any size with one of these blenders.
Consider how many servings of your morning smoothie or how large a batch of soup you usually make to decide how large a jar you need.
What to look for in a quality KitchenAid blender
Controls
KitchenAid blenders can have a few different control styles. Some models feature buttons, while others have dial controls. Some high-end models even feature a touchpad. All types can work well, but touchpad controls are typically the easiest to clean because there aren’t any nooks and crannies for food residue to become trapped.
The controls that a KitchenAid blender typically offers include multiple speed settings and preset programs for extremely user-friendly operation.
Heating function
Some blenders offer a heating function that allows you to cook and blend soups and sauces without needing to turn on the stove. This is a rare option in KitchenAid blenders, so make sure to read the product specifications carefully if this feature is critical to you.
Jar shape
The jars that come with KitchenAid blenders are either round, square or diamond-shaped. While round jars are the classic option, square- and diamond-shaped models create a more effective vortex to pull the ingredients toward the blades. That helps ensure that your recipe blends until entirely smooth.
Color
Depending on the model, KitchenAid blenders are available in a range of colors. Some blenders only come in three or four shades, but others are available in as many as 15. You can find many neutral options, such as black, white or silver. However, some models also come in bolder colors like red or blue.
How much you can expect to spend on a KitchenAid blender
Depending on the model, you’ll usually pay $50-$600 for a KitchenAid blender. KitchenAid immersion blenders are typically the most affordable, with some models costing as little as $35 and high-end options topping out at $350. Standard countertop models generally cost $100-$200, and high-performance blenders are the most expensive, ranging from $300-$600.
KitchenAid blender FAQ
Do KitchenAid blenders have dishwasher-safe components?
A. It depends on the model, but most KitchenAid blenders have jars, blades and accessories that you can clean in the dishwasher. As a result, these models are the easiest to clean.
What recipes can I make with a KitchenAid blender?
A. A KitchenAid blender can whip up various foods, including basics like smoothies, milkshakes, sauces and dips. High-performance models can make even more recipes, such as nut butter, soups and super-smooth frozen cocktails.
What’s the best KitchenAid blender to buy?
Top KitchenAid blender
KitchenAid High Performance Series Blender
What you need to know: A powerful, high-performance model, this blender can handle any kitchen task you throw at it with ease, though it is one of KitchenAid’s pricier blenders.
What you’ll love: It boasts a potent 3-HP motor for maximum power. The controls offer nine speeds and a pulse function, the die-cast metal base is extremely stable and durable and the sleek, modern design looks great out on a counter too.
What you should consider: The blender only comes in three color options: black, white and gray.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Kitchenaid blender for the money
KitchenAid 5-Speed Immersion Blender
What you need to know: This high-quality immersion blender has all the features you could want at an attractive price point.
What you’ll love: It comes with a variety of attachments, including a whisk and mini chopper. It also includes a 4-cup blending and storage container. It also features a removable blending arm to make it easier to blend in deeper pots.
What you should consider: It’s somewhat pricer than other immersion blenders, but you’re paying for the performance quality and other features.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
KitchenAid 5-Speed Classic Blender
What you need to know: While it’s a fairly basic countertop blender, this model offers excellent durability and solid construction at a price that won’t break the bank.
What you’ll love: It comes with a 56-ounce, BPA-free round pitcher. It features user-friendly controls with five speeds, a pulse function and an ice-crushing feature. Its soft-start feature ensures the most even blending results.
What you should consider: There can sometimes be leaks around the blender’s blade shaft.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which Contigo travel mugs are best?
Contigo is a familiar name in travel mugs and tumblers that has been providing spill-proof mugs to coffee drinkers for years now. Contigo travel mugs are great for people who are on the go. The brand’s name means “with you” in Spanish, and these travel mugs are meant to do just that — accompany you wherever you go.
Their sleek and spill-proof designs are great for commuters who need to get their coffee fix on the road. Our top pick, the Contigo Luxe Autoseal Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug, is a travel mug with a particularly stylish stainless steel design. Thanks to its autoseal technology, you’ll never have to worry about spills.
What to know before you buy a Contigo travel mug
Why do I need a travel mug?
Travel mugs are great for people who have long commutes or like to take their coffee or tea to the office. These mugs are great for the office since they are spill-proof, portable and will keep your coffee hot for hours. Thus, you won’t have to worry about returning to a cold cup of coffee if you get sidetracked at work.
If you’re interested in checking out a few different types of travel mugs, check the full BestReviews travel mug buying guide.
Travel mug vs. thermos vs. tumbler
While all three of these products are designed to take both hot and cold drinks on the go, there are some key differences to consider.
Travel mugs are normally designed with hot drinks in mind, although they can also carry cold drinks. Travel mugs will sometimes come with a handle. These mugs are designed to be drunk out of directly.
Thermoses are meant to carry hot or cold drinks but are not meant to be drunk from directly like a travel mug. A thermos will often be larger than either a travel mug or a tumbler.
Tumblers are plastic cups that normally come with a lid and a plastic straw. These cups can handle both hot and cold liquids, though they are normally used for cold drinks. However, tumblers are not as spill-proof as travel mugs and thermoses.
Contigo spill-proof travel mugs
While most of Contigo’s travel mugs are marketed as spill-proof, they have a few different designs that use different technology to varying degrees of effectiveness. All of Contigo’s travel mugs are somewhat spill-proof, but some are more spill-proof than others.
For example, some of their travel mugs will have Contigo’s auto-seal technology, whereas some will come with Contigo’s snap seal feature. Therefore, consider which type of travel mug you prefer before deciding on which one to go with.
What to look for in a quality Contigo travel mug
A travel mug with a handle
Some Contigo travel mugs, such as the Contigo Randolph, come with a handle for added portability and comfortability. Travel mugs with handles are a staple in offices around the country.
How to clean a travel mug
Travel mugs can be notoriously hard to clean due to all of the different components in the lid. Most Contigo travel mugs are dishwasher-safe, but you may have to pay extra attention to the lid to ensure there isn’t any built-up grime.
Travel mug size
If you will be using your Contigo travel mug in the car, make sure that the travel mug will fit your car’s cup holders for added ease. Even some larger travel mugs are made to fit into cup holders.
If you choose to go with a Contigo autoseal travel mug, you can easily slip the mug into your bag and not worry about spills.
How much you can expect to spend on Contigo travel mugs
Most Contigo travel mugs are around the $10-$15 range, but some of their more deluxe models can reach up to $30.
Contigo travel mug FAQ
What’s the difference between snapseal and autoseal?
A. Contigo’s snapseal travel mugs seal and open using a convenient snap lid. These work by unsnapping one side of the lid, opening the hole on the other side of the lid. Autoseal travel mugs function by pressing a button on the lid while drinking from the cup.
Are Contigo travel mugs BPA-free?
A. All of Contigo’s travel mugs are BPA-free.
What’s the best Contigo travel mug to buy?
Top Contigo travel mug
Contigo Luxe Autoseal Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug
What you need to know: The stainless-steel Contigo Luxe is the perfect travel mug for the office. It can keep hot drinks hot for up to 5 hours and cold drinks cold for up to 12 hours.
What you’ll love: While the design of this mug is lovely, this travel mug’s main feature is its 100 percent spill-proof lid. It even features a lock so that the auto seal button can’t be accidentally pressed.
What you should consider: Some users have reported that the stainless-steel lid can get a bit warm when used with hot drinks. However, the main body of the mug will remain cool to the touch.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Contigo travel mug for the money
Contigo Couture Snapseal Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug
What you need to know: This fashionable travel mug is great for anyone looking to make a statement.
What you’ll love: This travel mug can fit most standard cup holders and can keep hot drinks hot for up to 6 hours.
What you should consider: This travel mug is not dishwasher-safe.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Contigo Autoseal West Loop Vacuum-Insulated Travel Mug
What you need to know: This travel mug is perhaps the most recognizable Contigo design and is great for getting your coffee from point A to point B, thanks to its autoseal lid.
What you’ll love: This travel mug has many of the same features as our top pick, the Luxe, at a slightly cheaper price point. It comes in many colors.
What you should consider: The lid is top-rack dishwasher safe, but the body will need to be hand-washed.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Addison Hoggard writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which corn peeler is best?
Eating corn on the cob is always a fun experience, but plenty of recipes call for fresh corn kernels off the cob. Of course, you can use a knife or spoon to scrape the kernels off, but a corn peeler makes the job much quicker and easier.
A corn peeler is a tool that can safely and efficiently remove the kernels from a corn cob. It doesn’t remove pieces of the cob either, so you wind up with the kernels only. The top corn peeler from Beaverve is a popular model because it can do multiple tasks in the kitchen in addition to effective corn peeling, including grating and measuring ingredients.
What to know before you buy a corn peeler
Cob size
Corn cobs can vary in size, with some cobs being shorter and/or thicker than the average cob. Some peelers can only effectively cut the kernels from cobs that are an average or standard size, though.
Look for a peeler that can work with cobs of various lengths and thicknesses, so you’re never stuck with kernels that can’t be removed.
Cutting depth
An average corn kernel measures approximately .25 to .5 inches from the area where it connects to the cob to its top. A corn peeler’s cutting depth affects how much of the kernel is removed. A model with a deeper cutting depth is better able to remove the entire kernel from the cob.
However, the problem with a deeper cutting blade is that it can remove some of the cob when cutting smaller kernels. It’s not a big deal if small bits of the cob make their way into your dish, but the cob is pretty tough, so you don’t want too much of it in your food.
Efficiency
The majority of corn peelers cut the kernels off the cob in narrow sections, so you need to make several trips around the cob with the peeler to fully peel it. You can find some peelers that actually remove all of the kernels in one motion, though. They are obviously the most efficient type of peeler, but they usually can’t work with cobs of different lengths and thicknesses.
Ease of use
It can be challenging to hold a corn cob steady while driving a peeler down it with the necessary force. The best corn peelers are easy to use and feature sharp enough blades that you don’t need to apply too much pressure to remove the kernels. The blades shouldn’t be so sharp that you have to worry about cutting yourself, though.
For even more information, read the full buying guide on corn peelers at BestReviews.
What to look for in a corn peeler
Design
Because removing the corn from a cob requires some strength, you want a peeler that’s ergonomically designed. That allows you to get a firm, comfortable grip on it so you can use it safely and effectively.
Keep in mind that some peelers are designed for right-hand use only. Left-handed individuals should look for a peeler that features a double-sided blade so it can be used in either hand.
Make sure that any corn peeler you choose features a solid, durable design too. You don’t want to worry about it breaking after only a few uses.
Container
Many high-end corn peelers come with an attached container that collects the kernels as they’re removed from the cob. That can limit the mess in your kitchen and keep you from having to wash too many bowls or dishes.
Care
Corn peelers are usually dishwasher safe, but some are more difficult to clean than others. Those with a more complicated design require taking the peeler apart and rinsing it before placing it in your dishwasher.
Smaller, compact corn peelers fit in your hand, making them easy to store in most drawers. You can also find some with a hook for hanging storage. On the other hand, larger peelers with an attached container require more space to store, making them a poor fit for a smaller kitchen.
Warranty
Some corn peelers are backed by a warranty, which can give you more confidence in your purchase. The longer a peeler’s warranty is, the longer you can expect to use it effectively.
How much you can expect to spend on a corn peeler
Corn peelers aren’t especially pricey, so you’ll usually pay between $5-$25 for one. Small, basic peelers typically cost between $5-$8, while more durable, ergonomically designed models generally range from $8-$12. More complex corn peelers with an attached container can cost as much as $12-$25.
Corn peeler FAQ
Should I use a corn peeler before or after I cook the corn?
A. You can remove the corn from the cob before or after cooking. You’ll usually have an easier time if you do it before you cook the corn, because it’s cool and easier to handle. Another benefit of peeling the corn before cooking is that the cooking process can kill any bacteria that might make their way onto the kernels during peeling.
How many kernels do you usually get from peeling an ear of corn?
A. It depends on the length and thickness of the ear you’re peeling. An average-sized cob of corn typically produces a three-quarter cup of kernels.
What’s the best corn peeler to buy?
Top corn peeler
What you need to know: A versatile kitchen tool that not only peels corn, this corn stripper also grates and serves as a measuring cup.
What you’ll love: It features a non-slip silicone ring on the bottom to keep the tool in place. The space-saving design frees up storage space, and the corn peeler offers a money-back guarantee.
What you should consider: It isn’t as durable as some buyers would like.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top corn peeler for the money
What you need to know: As a safe, efficient tool, the corn zipper allows you to quickly remove corn kernels without using a knife and risking a cut.
What you’ll love: It works much more quickly and safely than a knife, and it’s effective for both cooked and uncooked corn. The rubber shield covers the blades and reduces the risk of cuts.
What you should consider: It must be used over a large bowl or baking sheet to limit the mess in your kitchen.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
HIC Quick Corn Cutter Stripper
What you need to know: This is an extremely simple corn peeler that can effectively remove both small and large quantities of corn kernels.
What you’ll love: It offers an extremely easy, user-friendly operation. The ring is adjustable to fit different cob sizes. The peeler features durable stainless steel blades.
What you should consider: It can make a mess in your kitchen with flying kernels.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which infusion pitcher is best?
An infusion pitcher is a powerful tool in the arsenal of anyone trying to drink more water. By combining the taste of fresh fruits with your water or tea, you’re much more likely to drink enough water to maintain healthy hydration levels, not to mention the additional benefits if you’re trying to cut down on the amount of soda you drink.
The best infusion pitcher is the Chef’s INSPIRATIONS 3 Core Infusion Water Pitcher, which is built for maximum durability and includes three separate inserts for ice, loose tea and fruit.
What to know before you buy an infusion pitcher
Material
Infusion pitchers are typically made of either glass or plastic.
Glass: Glass is more expensive than plastic, though it’s far less durable. It is also non-porous, which means that there’s no chance of flavors being absorbed into the material, like with plastics.
Plastic: Plastic is a lighter-weight and much more durable option than glass, though you sacrifice the aesthetic values of a glass pitcher for longevity. If you constantly use the infusion pitcher, plastic is probably a better option.
Infusion rod
Also known as the core, the infusion rod or rods are what hold the ingredients separate from the water, so only their flavor is mixed instead of their body. They come in three varieties: standard, loose tea and ice. Standard cores have medium-sized holes to allow your flavors to seep into the water while loose tea cores use a fine mesh to allow for steeping without the tea materials getting into the water. Ice cores have no holes at all, and simply keep the water cold without diluting the flavors.
Size
As infusion pitchers come in most any size you could want, consider how much need you’ll have of infused water as well as if the pitcher will fit in your refrigerator. It’s always best to get a size equal to what you think you’ll need instead of a size larger. You can always infuse more water, but you can’t shrink a big infusion pitcher if it doesn’t fit your space.
What to look for in a quality infusion pitcher
Rapid cool
Certain infusion pitchers are constructed to allow for vigorous shaking to speed up the cooling process using an ice core, also known as flash chilling if not rapid cooling. These infusion pitchers also tend to be able to speed up the infusion process in the same manner.
No-spill lid
Infusion pitchers that use lids that are completely sealable, spout and all, tend to be rapid coolable in addition to being much easier to store. They’re especially easy to transport if you like picnics or have other destinations in mind.
How much you can expect to spend on an infusion pitcher
Infusion pitchers are very affordable across the board, costing about as much, if not a touch more, than most standard pitchers. You can find small, simple pitchers for as little as $10, though you’ll probably want to spend up to $25 on one of the better, though smaller, infusion pitchers. If you need something in a bigger size, you won’t need to spend more than around $35.
Infusion pitcher FAQ
Are infusion pitchers free of BPA?
A. Most infusion pitchers are, but there are a few that aren’t, so if you’re concerned about BPA then make sure to double check. Glass pitchers obviously won’t contain any BPA, but if they use plastic or acrylic infusion rods, those might contain BPA. It should be fairly easy
to locate BPA-free signage on the product description or packaging, so if you can’t find it, you can be confident that that particular infusion pitcher will contain some amount of BPA.
Can hot drinks be infused in an infusion pitcher?
A. Only some infusion pitchers can infuse hot drinks. Those capable of this will explicitly say this somewhere on the packaging or in an included owner’s manual.
What are some examples of foods I can infuse into my water with my new infusion pitcher?
A. Really, any kind of fruit is a top choice for infusion in your new infusion pitcher as well as combinations of fruit. One of the more popular options is infusing a variety of berries, although oranges or apples are strong contenders as well. Don’t be afraid to add a little mint or cucumber either!
What are the best infusion pitchers to buy?
Top infusion pitcher
Chef’s INSPIRATIONS 3 Core Infusion Water Pitcher
What you need to know: This is a strong, durably designed infusion pitcher with three separate inserts.
What you’ll love: This infusion pitcher is narrow enough to fit in refrigerator shelves and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
What you should consider: The spout is quite large which can mess with your pitcher muscle memory.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top infusion pitcher for the money
Primula Today Shake and Infuse Pitcher
What you need to know: This is an affordable, durable and efficient infusion pitcher with no extra fuss.
What you’ll love: This infusion pitcher is shakeable, which accelerates the infusing process.
What you should consider: The lid can be a little difficult to remove, and it’s a touch too big for some refrigerator shelving.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Mami Wata Fruit & Tea Infusion Water Pitcher
What you need to know: A nice, lightweight infusion pitcher, this model throws some extra features in for good measure.
What you’ll love: Included in the package are a loose tea infuser and an ice ball maker.
What you should consider: The plastic of the handle and body can feel a bit lackluster, and the ice tray is quite simple.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Jordan Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which fertilizer spreaders are best?
The right fertilizer has been known to significantly increase crop yields and is responsible for producing food that can feed more people, so it should be no surprise that it can also be used to bring out the best in your lawn or garden.
You don’t need to be a lawncare expert or a landscaper because it’s easier than ever to apply fertilizer if you have the right equipment. Choices may vary depending on your needs, but a top pick is Scotts 76565 Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader.
What to know before you buy a fertilizer spreader
Types of fertilizer spreaders
- Handheld spreaders: For smaller gardens, lawns or areas where only limited patching of bare spots is needed, a handheld spreader is a cost-effective, hands-on option. They are easy to use, portable, lightweight and come in both manual or battery powered. However, they aren’t good for large areas and will require a battery replacement.
- Drop spreaders: These deposit fertilizer and seeds for broad coverage. This is a top choice for gardens, flower beds and lawns that have odd shapes. They are available in both the tow-behind and push models, but sometimes they require more passes to provide adequate coverage.
- Broadcast spreaders: Alternatively known as rotary spreaders, they provide an easy-to-use option that is great for covering large amounts of land. These can be more expensive and are not ideal for the specific distribution of fertilizer and seeds.
- Liquid spreaders: These are a great option for potted plants and container gardens, which specifically require a liquid version of fertilizer. They offer a very quick application, although they’re not very accurate. If you’re in the market for garden fertilizer, take a look at the buying guide for best garden fertilizers on Best Reviews.
Benefits of fertilizer spreaders
- Time: A fertilizer spreader is much less time-consuming than manual fertilizing, especially if you have a very large lawn or garden.
- Even distribution: A spreader allows you to evenly distribute fertilizer over a large area of land much better than if you were trying to do it manually. Fertilizer can be expensive, and that can add up over time if you’re using too much.
- Skin protection: Some fertilizers contain harsh chemicals that can cause irritation when coming in contact with your skin. A spreader keeps you at a safe distance from these chemicals.
What to look for in a quality fertilizer spreader
Area
The size of the area you need to fertilize should help determine the type of spreader you purchase. The bigger the spreader, the more it can hold and the less you have to refill it.
Material
Are you looking to save money, or do you want a product that will last? A plastic spreader will be less expensive, but a steel spreader is more durable and can last multiple years.
Distribution
It’s not just the size of a spreader and how much fertilizer it can hold that’s important, it’s how much ground you can cover with each pass. Different spreaders allow you to adjust the width of the spread.
How much you can expect to spend on a fertilizer spreader
A quality basic home spreader will range from $20-$50 and can handle space of 2,500 square feet. For larger lawns or commercial and professional use, fertilizer spreaders range between $50-$300.
Fertilizer spreader FAQ
How often should I clean the fertilizer spreader?
A. You should clean your spreader after each use to avoid wear and tear and any contamination if you later change up fertilizer. Lubricating the wheels can help it to move easily and smoothly, so it will last.
Can my fertilizer spreader be used for grass seed as well?
A. It is possible to use the fertilizer spreader for seeds, but depending on the size and texture of those seeds, it may not flow as evenly through the spreader since that’s not what it is designed for.
Is fertilizer dangerous to kids or animals?
A. Spreading fertilizer is safe. However, it is recommended to wait 24 hours before allowing kids or pets on the lawn.
What’s the best fertilizer spreader to buy?
Top fertilizer spreader
Scotts 76565 Turf Builder Classic Drop Spreader
What you need to know: Experienced gardeners will agree that this mid-range model is a quality product. This top-selling fertilizer spreader easily handles medium to large lawns.
What you’ll love: This spreader comes assembled, so you can easily use it right away. This has the capacity to cover up to 10,000 square feet while maintaining precise distribution.
What you should consider: Although this model comes pre-calibrated, some customers mentioned it functioned better after re-calibrating.
Where to buy: Amazon
Top fertilizer spreader for the money
Scotts Turf Builder EdgeGuard Mini Broadcast Spreader
What you need to know: This budget-conscious fertilizer spreader is good quality and has the capacity to meet the needs of most consumers.
What you’ll love: This model comes pre-calibrated, completely assembled and is also collapsible for easy storage. It holds enough fertilizer to distribute over 5,000 square feet and can also work to treat smaller areas.
What you should consider: Some customers feel the distribution is uneven when fertilizing larger areas.
Where to buy: Amazon
Worth checking out
Brinly BS36BH Tow-Behind Broadcast Spreader
What you need to know: This is a fan-favorite for those who want to cut down the time of spreading fertilizer on large areas of land over an acre.
What you’ll love: This spreader is long-lasting, durable and constructed with top-of-the-line
materials. With a patented auto flow spread control, this model offers professional-grade results.
What you should consider: Although this is a high-quality spreader for larger areas, the same results may not apply for smaller areas. You should be sure you purchase a spreader that meets the specifics of your lawn or garden.
Where to buy: Amazon
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Ryan Dempsey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which bird carrier is best?
Birds are intelligent, curious animals that require ample time outside of their cages to play, exercise and interact with new objects and environments. Even small birds like parakeets benefit from enrichment.
A bird carrier is a great way to allow your pet a safe way to explore new sights and sounds. It’s also indispensable if you have to travel with your bird or make a trip to the vet. The Petsfit Bird Carrier With Stainless Steel Bowl is the best bird carrier for small to medium birds. It provides excellent visibility and ventilation, allowing for both security and flexibility because of its use of quality materials and its backpack design.
What to know before you buy a bird carrier
Traveling
Air travel: Traveling with a pet bird by airplane can be a challenge. Your bird carrier has to fit under the seat in front of you and will require a security inspection. Check with your preferred airline to determine their requirements and restrictions regarding birds in the cabin. Carefully select a bird carrier that complies with their requests.
Groomer or vet: Like other pets, birds require periodic trips to the veterinarian as well as to the groomer to get their wings, claws and beaks trimmed. If you expect that your bird carrier will only be used as a way to transport your pet for these short visits, you don’t require an especially large model with multiple food and water bowls or other accessories.
Trips for fun: If your bird is comfortable with new people and places, a trip to the park or other outdoor area outside the home is a great way to give them the stimulation and socialization they crave. If you anticipate that your bird carrier will be used for adventure and exploration, consider one that’s easy to move and provides your bird with good visibility, plenty of room and access to food and water.
Your bird’s personality
If your bird is particularly shy or sensitive, choose a carrier that offers them a feeling of security. While many birds enjoy meeting people and taking in new sights, they all appreciate the ability to choose their own level of privacy. For apprehensive birds, select a carrier with opaque sides or a mesh screen as opposed to a clear plastic one that will leave them feeling fully exposed.
What to look for in a quality bird carrier
Visibility
Birds are visual creatures. Not only do they appreciate being able to see their surroundings, they’re also comforted by being able to see their owner. Select a bird carrier that allows you to easily observe your pet.
Ventilation
Because of their delicate respiratory systems, fresh air and good ventilation is necessary for the health of your bird. Carriers with screen windows provide ample airflow. If you prefer a carrier with plastic sides, choose one that provides adequate ventilation through portholes or a mesh door.
Material
Parrots’ powerful bills can make short work of almost anything they determine to be worth chewing. It’s important that your carrier is made from a material that’s strong enough to prevent your bird from biting its way out. Large parrots like cockatoos that are especially prone to chewing require metal carriers.
Food dishes and accessories
Many bird carriers include bowls to provide clean water and food. However, a carrier in motion can result in spills. If you intend to do a lot of walking with your bird, seek out a model that allows you to use a water bottle as opposed to an open dish. While getting your bird to drink from a bottle requires some training, it greatly reduces the mess.
Size
Whether your bird carrier is used for short trips or an afternoon at the park, it should provide ample room for your pet to comfortably turn around and stand up at full height. Birds are especially protective of their tail feathers, so a carrier that extends below your bird’s perch and allows room for their tail to hang without dragging is ideal for your pet’s comfort and cleanliness.
Portability
Some bird carriers come with backpack straps to allow for easy travel. Others are built in the style of a duffel bag with a handle or strap that can be slung over your shoulder. Consider your plans with your pet to determine which configuration works best for you.
Color
From metal cages to patterned bags, bird carriers are available in a variety of colors and styles. Choose a look that best matches your personal aesthetic, but keep in mind that some birds are highly sensitive to brightly colored objects and may take more time to become acclimated to the stimulation.
Toys and accessories
Many bird carriers come with clips or hooks that can be used to hang your pet’s favorite toys or treats. While not necessary for short trips to the groomer, toys and other accessories can prevent your bird from getting bored during travel.
How much you can expect to spend on a bird carrier
Expect to pay $50-$100 for a quality bird carrier made from strong, safe materials. Bird carriers made from metal or those from premium brands can cost $200 or more, depending on size.
Bird carrier FAQ
How long can your bird be safely left in its carrier?
A. To avoid undue stress and mess, your pet bird shouldn’t be in its carrier for more than a couple of hours at a time. While this isn’t possible during extended travel, trips outdoors for socialization should be kept brief. Be sure your bird always has access to drinking water.
Can you put more than one bird in a bird carrier?
A. Depending on the carrier’s size and how well your birds get along, yes. Bonded pairs prefer the security of their partner, but some birds like more solitude. Placing birds who aren’t familiar with one another in a confined space can result in injuries due to fighting.
Will your bird get car sick if you travel with it?
A. You may be surprised to learn that some birds can get car sick. If your bird becomes nauseous during travel, try to limit drives to necessary trips only. If travel by car is a must, some owners recommend installing a hanging perch in your carrier. The swinging motion of a hanging perch provides a more comfortable car ride for some birds.
What’s the best bird carrier to buy?
Top bird carrier
Petsfit Bird Carrier with Stainless Steel Bowl
What you need to know: This bird carrier backpack is versatile and includes features only available in carriers that cost twice as much.
What you’ll love: Stylishly designed and comfortable to carry and wear, this bird carrier is an excellent choice for conures or other small parrots. Its mesh screen provides great ventilation and visibility. All side windows can be covered with flaps to provide your bird with privacy for sleeping or stressful situations.
What you should consider: This bird carrier’s plastic mesh isn’t suitable for aggressive chewers. Only one bowl is included. It is not large enough for many species.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top bird carrier for the money
Colorday Lightweight Bird Carrier
What you need to know: This lightweight bird carrier is available in two sizes and provides crystal-clear visibility.
What you’ll love: The included wooden perch provides your bird with a secure grip and stable balance. This carrier’s shoulder strap and handle make it portable and easy to move around.
What you should consider: Users have noted that this bird carrier’s window is covered in a protective plastic film that’s difficult to fully remove. Plastic mesh can be destroyed by birds who are excessive chewers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Featherland Paradise Perch ‘n Go Polycarbonate Bird Carrier
What you need to know: Rugged plastic construction and metal cage doors make this popular carrier a safe, secure option.
What you’ll love: This model’s carrying handle doubles as an additional perch for your bird to use outside of the carrier. It is easily cleaned, and the clear polycarbonate plastic provides great visibility.
What you should consider: This carrier is on the expensive side and is only acceptable for small birds.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Derek Walborn writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which bird ladders are best?
Birds are intelligent animals that spend their time in the wild navigating complex environments as they socialize and forage for food. Providing your pet bird with the mental stimulation and activity it requires ensures your companion will remain physically and emotionally healthy.
Bird ladders are popular with bird owners because their pets have a versatile toy with which to perch, play and explore. The Mrli Pet Bird Ladder with its bright colors, spinning beads and poseable internal wires is the best choice for bird owners who wish to give their pets a fun, functional accessory.
What to know before you buy a bird ladder
Type
Ladders come in three basic styles. Rigid ladders are made of wood or plastic dowels that do not flex or bend. Poseable ladders are wood or plastic rods and beads that have a bendable wire running through them, allowing for any number of twists and turns. Rope ladders feature swinging steps tied together and hung with rope.
Many bird owners decorate their cages with all three of these ladders to give their pets a varied environment. For examples of all three of these ladder types, check out the bird ladder buying guide from BestReviews.
Size
Select a ladder sized appropriately for your bird’s species as well as its cage. Cockatiels, budgies, small conures and lovebirds can easily climb a ladder with dowels around ½ inch in diameter. Macaws, cockatoos and other large birds require much bigger ladders. Long ladders are best for cages that house more than one bird so each animal can maintain its personal space.
Material
Bird ladders most commonly are wood. Wood is a natural material that will not cause any stress or irritation to your pet. A wood bird ladder not only provides your pet with an exciting new playground but also a satisfying chew toy. Plastic perches are acceptable for budgies, finches and other small birds that are not excessive chewers.
Extra features
Some ladders come with extras such as bells, swings or ropes for additional stimulation. Birds are fussy animals, with each having its own preferences. Only through experimentation with toys and other items will you be able to determine if a ladder that includes these accessories is right for your pet.
What to look for in a quality bird ladder
Style
From tropical colors and finished surfaces to natural bark and rope, bird ladders come in a variety of styles. Birds are visual creatures that tend to show a great deal of interest in brightly colored objects, making colorful ladders and toys obvious choices. However, natural bark gives your bird an opportunity to peel, shred and strip wood as it would in the wild.
Strength
Select a ladder that safely holds the weight of your bird. Unless the ladder is made of metal, chewing damage among parrots is unavoidable. Consider your bird’s individual enthusiasm for chewing and choose a ladder you feel will last the longest.
Attachment method
Rigid ladders usually attach to the side of your bird’s cage using open hooks as hangers. These are fine for small birds such as finches and parakeets. However, owners of conures and larger birds will find that anything attached in this manner is quickly dislodged. Metal locking hooks and carabiners are the most secure way to attach your bird’s ladders and toys to its cage.
How much you can expect to spend on a bird ladder
Ladders of all types and materials are $10-$15 if sized for small birds. Heavy-duty ladders for large parrots, or those that include additional accessories, platforms and toys, can cost $20-$40.
Bird ladder FAQ
Does my bird need a ladder?
A. From giant hyacinth macaws to tiny zebra finches, toys and enrichment are essential for a pet bird’s wellbeing. While a ladder is not a specific requirement for your pet, it provides a simple way to give your bird opportunities for perching and playing.
Will my bird destroy its ladder?
A. If you own a parrot, yes. Chewing is a favorite pastime among these busy creatures. While it’s disappointing to have to continually replace your pet’s cage furniture, do not expect toys and perches for parrots to last very long.
How do I clean my bird ladder?
A. Use warm water and a gentle brush to remove any droppings or food, then allow the ladder to dry. Avoid soap or bleach as wood can absorb these and pose a health risk to your pet. Replace ladders that become overly soiled or chewed.
Bird ladder tips
Don’t expect your bird ladder to last forever
Birds are both messy and destructive. Bird owners should expect cage furniture to require regular cleaning and replacement because of soiling and chewing.
Keep your bird’s life interesting
Birds are highly inquisitive and get bored easily. Every time you clean your bird’s cage, rearrange or swap out a few toys and perches to give your pet a new environment to explore and new problems to solve.
Treats make anything possible
Many birds are naturally cautious around new objects. If your bird is leery of its new ladder, encourage curiosity by placing treats or favorite toys on the ladder. Your bird will quickly learn its new accessory is not to be feared.
What’s the best bird ladder to buy?
Top bird ladder
What you need to know: This brightly-colored ladder features flexible wires and secure mounting clips.
What you’ll love: Available in three lengths, this poseable ladder allows you to change its shape to give your bird regular updates to its environment. Mounting clips keep the ladder firmly in place.
What you should consider: Larger birds can quickly destroy this ladder. The dye used to color the wood comes off easily when wet and may concern some bird owners.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top bird ladder for the money
Prevue Hendryx 62806 Naturals Rope Ladder Bird Toy
What you need to know: Natural wood and rope construction give your bird fun textures and the opportunity for stimulating acrobatics.
What you’ll love: This bird ladder will appeal to bird owners who prefer a more natural, muted look to their cage decor. Rope construction makes this ladder a stimulating climb and the included locking clips keep it secure.
What you should consider: Some users have complained this ladder’s rope has a chemical odor, which may be hazardous.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Chewy
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This natural seagrass ladder alternative gives birds both climbing and foraging challenges.
What you’ll love: You can roll this flexible mat into a shelter as well as hang it like a ladder or hammock. You can thread toys and treats into the material for foraging fun. Natural seagrass is safe for birds to chew and play with. It includes two small toys.
What you should consider: Given its woven seagrass construction, heavy chewers will make short work of this toy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Derek Walborn 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.news10.com/reviews/br/pets-br/bird-supplies-br/the-best-bird-ladder/ | 2022-04-09T14:28:23 | en | 0.93858 |
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Which dog treat bag is best?
It’s always wise to carry dog treats with you on walks to reinforce recall and other good behaviors, but nobody wants a pocket full of dog treats stinking up their pants. Dog treat bags keep your pockets clean while allowing you easy access to treats when you need them.
But that doesn’t mean it’s so simple to know which dog treat bags are worth buying and which features to look out for. If you’re searching for a versatile dog treat bag, the Paw Lifestyles Dog Treat Training Pouch is an excellent choice.
What to know before you buy a dog treat bag
Carrying style
Different dog treat bags have various carrying styles. Some modes are designed to be strapped around the waist like a fanny pack, some are worn across the body like a mini messenger bag, and yet others are simply clipped onto a belt loop or belt. Those worn around the waist or securely fastened to a belt are less likely to get in the way than a crossbody treat bag, but different users have their own preferences.
Capacity
Consider the size and capacity of a dog treat bag before buying. You want a bag that’s large enough to hold all the treats you need but not so large that it will get in your way or even start to tire you out. If you’re unsure how large a bag will be based on its capacity, check the measurements to make sure it isn’t oversized.
Materials
Dog treat pouches are most commonly made from rugged materials such as nylon, which don’t easily stain or absorb odors. They should be tough enough to stand up to daily use, as many dog owners will want to take it along each time they go out with their pooch. The materials used are sometimes water-resistant or completely waterproof to keep treats from getting wet and mushy on rainy days.
What to look for in a quality dog treat bag
Easy access
One of the most frustrating things about some treat bags is that they’re hard to get into when you need to grab a treat. A quality treat pouch offers easy access to what’s inside. It should have a wide mouth or opening to allow you to get your whole hand in to quickly pick a treat. Some models have a hinged opening that might let it stay open unless you specifically close it.
Extra compartments
Some dog treat bags available come with additional zippered compartments for storing small personal items such as keys or a wallet. Models like this preempt the possibility of those without pockets in their clothes needing to take along another bag. Some treat pouches also feature a dedicated pocket for poop bags.
Color
Dog treat bags come in a range of colors and styles. Although this might not matter much to some buyers, others may prefer a dog treat bag that’s as stylish as possible.
How much you can expect to spend on a dog treat bag
Most buyers who decide on a treat bag that’s durable and easy to get into will likely pay $10-$20. Cheaper options are available, but the quality is often lacking.
Dog treat bag FAQ
Do you need a dog treat bag?
A. Sure, you can live without a dog treat bag. Dog owners could put treats inside a plastic sandwich bag or directly in a pocket, but dog treat bags are convenient. When training a dog, it’s important to reinforce good behavior as quickly as possible or it might not be clear to your canine what exactly they’ve done right and why they’re getting a reward. A good dog treat bag allows instant access to treats for more effective training.
How do you clean a dog treat pouch?
A. Check the label inside a treat bag to find its washing instructions. Most are machine washable, although there are some that require hand washing only. As a rule, allowing a treat pouch to air-dry will help it last as long as possible.
What’s the best dog treat bag to buy?
Top dog treat bag
Paw Lifestyles Dog Treat Training Pouch
What you need to know: A reliable multifunction dog treat bag, it is great for anyone who wants a built-in poop bag holder.
What you’ll love: It’s durably made and features a large opening for easy access to treats. You can wear the bag around the waist, over the shoulder or on a belt. It also has extra compartments for personal belongings.
What you should consider: This is a fairly bulky bag that might not be ideal to carry on longer hikes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top dog treat bag for the money
What you need to know: This dog treat pouch offers excellent value for the money, and has standard and mini sizes available.
What you’ll love: It features a hinged mouth you can keep open when you want quick access but close up when you need to. It comes with an adjustable belt for around the waist.
What you should consider: The standard size is larger than many buyers have realized. Check the dimensions and decide if the mini is more appropriate.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Kurgo Dog Training Treat Pouch
What you need to know: This is a rugged treat pouch suitable for regular, heavy-duty use.
What you’ll love: It has a large opening so you can quickly and easily get to treats, plus a drawstring closure when you need to contain them. The carabiner clips onto a belt loop.
What you should consider: Some pet parents find this bag slightly too small.
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://www.news10.com/reviews/br/pets-br/treats-br/best-dog-treat-bag/ | 2022-04-09T14:28:31 | en | 0.949496 |
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Which balance pads are best?
If you want to bring your workout to the next level, you don’t necessarily have to try an entirely new routine. Introducing a balance pad to your usual strength training workout can help take it up a notch by requiring all of your muscles to spring into action to support and stabilize your body.
A balance pad has a spongy texture, so your body sinks into the material when you step on it. That means all your muscles must engage to keep you balanced on the pad, which makes your regular workout that much harder. If you’re looking for an excellent balance pad for everyday use, the AIREX Balance Pad is the top option.
What to know before you buy a balance pad
Size
Balance pads are typically available in three size options: small, regular and large.
Small balance pads are generally only large enough to place one foot on at a time. They usually have an oval shape and measure 16 by 9 inches or smaller. You can also find some models that are rectangular if that’s more comfortable.
- Regular balance pads are considered the standard size and measure 20 by 16 inches. You can step onto these pads with both feet at the same time, making them excellent for squats and other similar exercises.
- Large balance pads are approximately 38 by 16 inches and are sometimes classified as “extra-large.” Like regular balance pads, you can stand on them with both feet simultaneously, but they provide even more space to maneuver.
- You can also find balance beam-style pads that are a safer alternative to a balance beam since there’s not as much distance from the pad to the floor. They measure approximately 63 by 10 by 2 inches and feature a wider base. You use these pads by walking along them with one foot in front of the other to help you work on your balance.
For more information on size options, take a look at the full balance pad buying guide at BestReviews.
Quantity
The number of balance pads you need largely depends on whether you’ll be working out alone or with a partner.
In general, most workouts only require one balance pad at a time. Exercises like lunges and squats typically call for you to place one foot on the pad at a time, though some may require stepping with both feet. If you tend to work out by yourself, one balance pad is probably all you need.
If you work out with one or more partners, though, you’ll need one pad for each person exercising.
Dry vs. wet
Because of their lightweight construction, balance pads can float in water. As a result, some people actually purchase them to use as a flotation device. A regular-size balance pad can work well as a kickboard, while large models can work as a full-size board for kids. You can also use a balance beam pad as a neck rest when floating in the water.
If you want to use your balance pad for workouts and swimming, it’s a good idea to purchase two — one for dry use during exercise and one for wet use in the pool.
Safety concerns
A balance pad requires you to strain your muscles to remain balanced, so it’s not uncommon to fall when using one. As a result, you must use a balance pad in a wide-open area to prevent injuries. Make sure there is no furniture or other items with sharp edges in the vicinity to pose a risk.
If you don’t have an open place to use the pad, it’s a good idea to ask a friend to spot you while working out.
What to look for in a quality balance pad
Material
Most balance pads are made of some type of closed-cell foam. Some models feature EVA foam, while others offer latex-free foam. You can even find some manufacturers that advertise non-toxic, eco-friendly foam options.
Because all balance pads are made of similar soft foam, you can choose whatever type you like. If you have a latex allergy, though, you definitely want a latex-free option.
Color
Some balance pads are available in a wider range of color options than others. Many brands only offer a single shade. Common balance pad color options include blue, black, green, red and purple.
Textured surface
Higher-end balance pads often have a textured, non-slip surface. You’re generally supposed to use a balance pad barefoot, so some traction on the surface can help you stay balanced. These textured pads tend to cost more, though.
How much you can expect to spend on a balance pad
Most balance pads cost between $19-$75. The majority of small and regular-size pads range from $19-$40, while regular-size, textured pads can cost between $50-$75. For large and balance beam pads, though, you’ll likely pay more than $75.
Balance pad FAQ
Are balance pads the same thing as balance boards?
A. They’re a bit different, though they’re both designed to boost your strength and balance during low-impact workouts. Pads are made of soft foam, while balance boards feature harder materials. A balance pad is typically more effective at engaging multiple sets of muscles because of the softer material.
Can I use a balance pad if I’m a beginner?
A. A balance pad can be somewhat challenging to use if you’re just starting an exercise routine. Because the foam can throw off your balance, it makes exercises more challenging. If you’re not used to doing a particular workout, you may fall and get injured. It’s best to introduce a balance pad to your workout routine once you can complete all of the exercises confidently on solid ground.
What’s the best balance pad to buy?
Top balance pad
What you need to know: This durable, well-designed balance pad holds up to daily use with ease.
What you’ll love: The pad is effective for improving strength and balance. It can also help boost flexibility. It works well for physical therapy and can help improve confidence for everyday activities while you’re recovering. It’s an excellent option for improving balance for those who work at a standing desk, too.
What you should consider: While it’s effective for balance exercises, it’s not ideal for high-impact workouts.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top balance pad for the money
What you need to know: Recommended by physical therapists, this versatile balance pad is effective for both rehabilitation and everyday use.
What you’ll love: It features even padding throughout that’s ideal for people recovering from knee issues. It also comes in handy for regular workouts and can be used during everyday activities like watching TV. It not only improves balance but flexibility, too.
What you should consider: It can feel somewhat stiff compared to other foam pads.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This affordably priced balance pad is effective for improving balance even for beginners.
What you’ll love: The pad features an anti-skid surface to make it easier to maintain your balance. The price is an excellent value, considering how effective it is for building balance and strength. It’s an ideal option for seniors.
What you should consider: The simple design isn’t suited for more complicated rehabilitation exercises.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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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.news10.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/fitness-equipment-br/best-balance-pads/ | 2022-04-09T14:28:38 | en | 0.944015 |
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Which putting mat is best?
The putt is one of the trickiest and most important strokes in the entire game of golf. Sure, you need to be able to get your golf ball to the green itself, but that usually boils down to hitting it very hard and as straight or hooked as needed and through the air to boot. A putt has to take into account the shape of the ground, the water concentration of the grass and any other number of complicating factors.
The best putting mat to practice your short game so it’s ready for the big leagues is the Shaun Webb Golf Putting Green. Not only is it more affordable than many top-of-the-line putting mats, but it also has plenty of space to practice longer putts and has multiple holes for honing your precision.
What to know before you buy a putting mat
Coverage size
The most important aspect to consider before purchasing a putting mat is where exactly you plan on placing it. If you have a limited amount of space, you should purchase a smaller putting mat so it actually fits. You should also consider where you want to store it and how it folds away when not in use.
Mat markings
Mat markings are especially helpful for those learning the basic arts of the putting stroke and for those who generally have a rough short game. There are markings that provide a clear line to the hole or perhaps grid lines for assisting in spatial reasoning. If you prefer not to have any markings at all, there are plenty of putting mats without markings as well.
What to look for in a quality putting mat
Ball speed
Some putting mats have something called a stimp rating, which is a measurement of how fast a golf ball will roll on the surface of the mat. Real golf courses have stimp ratings for their various greens, so if you’re trying to improve your short game for a specific course, you can match up your putting mat to your local course’s greens.
Varying breaks
If you have an excellent short game on perfectly straight greens but struggle once uneven surfaces rear their ugly heads, you can purchase a putting mat with uphill and/or downhill breaks to get a feel for those course conditions.
Multiple holes
If you’re someone who detests doing the same things over and over again with no variation, you can purchase a putting mat with multiple holes to break up the repetition and give yourself some extra challenges.
Ball return
Some putting mats have methods of returning your ball to you to expedite setting up for your next stroke. Most will only kick the ball back to you if you get it in the hole, so practice, practice, practice!
Portability
If you want to take a putting mat with you to the office or on vacation, you’ll need one that’s easy to roll up. Seek out a high-quality mat so that repeated rolling won’t damage any part of its construction.
How much you can expect to spend on a putting mat
While you can find inexpensive putting mats for less than $30, you’ll probably want to spend at least $80 to ensure a quality and long-lasting putting mat. There are even putting mats that can reach upwards of $250. For a more detailed breakdown of putting mat price and quality ranges, you can visit the putting mat buying guide from BestReviews.
Putting mat FAQ
How do putting mats compare to the actual conditions of a real grass green on a course?
A. That depends on the putting mat, but most manufacturers try to get as close to real-world course conditions as they can. You won’t be able to practice things like a green logged with water and dew, but you can rest assured that your putting mat practice will be valid when used on a real grass green.
Can you use a putting mat anywhere you want?
A. Some putting mats are designed to be used indoors and outside, but you’ll find just as many that should only be used inside. Pro tip: place your putting mats on flat, firm flooring like tile and concrete; surfaces like plush carpeting can create an inconsistent put.
What’s the best putting mat to buy?
Top putting mat
What you need to know: There are plenty of different practicing options with this top pick putting mat.
What you’ll love: This putting mat is more affordable than many other mats.
What you should consider: The foam can tear in enough time and there’s a bump on the incline that can be difficult to get rid of.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top putting mat for the money
What you need to know: There’s no need to walk back and forth with this mat; you can place holes at each end.
What you’ll love: This 11-foot-long mat allows you to practice plenty of different putting techniques.
What you should consider: This mat tends to wear down faster than most would like.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
MESIXI Indoor/Outdoor Putting Mat
What you need to know: The balls come straight back to you with an automatic return so you can focus on your putting game.
What you’ll love: This mat comes with three bonus balls, so you don’t have to invest in extras.
What you should consider: The holes of this putting mat are smaller than standard, which can be better for developing aim but can be frustrating.
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.news10.com/reviews/br/sports-fitness-br/golf-br/best-putting-mat/ | 2022-04-09T14:28:45 | en | 0.939168 |
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Which gardening cart is best?
Gardeners are always busy planting, watering, fertilizing, mulching and trimming. They need to haul tools and supplies out to the garden from the garage or shed and back again when they’re done. All those activities call for a garden cart that’s sturdy, rolls easily and holds the materials you work with regularly.
If you’re a serious garden enthusiast who needs a rough, tough metal cart that can carry 1,000 pounds, you’re going to like the Gorilla Carts Heavy-Duty Steel Utility Cart.
What to know before you buy a gardening cart
Wheels and tires
- Two wheels are good for getting in and out of smaller spaces and are usually found on smaller gardening carts.
- Four wheels are found on gardening carts that carry larger items and heavier weights than two-wheel carts. Four wheels are the most stable by far, not only for transporting things, but when you’re loading and unloading your cart, too.
- Plastic wheels are the cheapest material and effective only with small gardening carts and small loads. They do okay in dirt and grass but get chewed up quickly when used on paved surfaces.
- Pneumatic tires with treads give you the best grip and provide support to gardening carts that carry the biggest and heaviest loads. The downside is they need to be aired up from time to time and repaired or replaced when a tire is punctured or otherwise damaged.
Shape
Some garden carts are shaped like boxes with vertical walls. The walls may be made of wood, metal or plastic. Cart walls may be solid, made of open slats or metal mesh. Some walls are permanent and others are removable to convert the cart to a flatbed. Other carts are shaped like wheelbarrows, with shallow tubs made of a single piece of plastic or steel.
Material
Heavy-duty gardening carts should be made of strong materials like steel, which needs to be protected against rust and corrosion. Light-duty gardening carts are usually made of plastic to save money and weight. Lighter and less sturdy carts can fail if overloaded.
Size
If you have a small garden that you weed regularly, a small cart may be your solution. If you need to move lots of heavy things, you need a big, strong gardening cart. If you have limited storage space, buy a garden cart with a handle that folds down.
What to look for in a quality gardening cart
Assembly
Whatever material you choose, make sure of the quality of the materials and the precision of the assembly. Look for snug-fitting corners, tight seams and bright alloy nuts and bolts.
Body
Open mesh sides are great for carrying leaves, weeds and firewood but lousy for moving dirt. Rectangles carry more than tubs and have the added benefit of removable sides.
How much you can expect to spend on a gardening cart
Simple, light-duty plastic carts with two wheels for small gardens cost around $40. Larger four-wheeled carts cost $60-$100. Heavy-duty gardening carts that can carry 1,000 pounds cost from $150 to more than $300.
Gardening cart FAQ
How do I take care of my gardening cart?
A. Whether your cart is made of metal, plastic or wood, all you need to do is rinse it off and let it dry outside before putting it away. Check and lubricate wheel bearings as directed by the manufacturer. Check your tires regularly to see they stay properly inflated.
Is it better to buy a gardening cart that’s too big or too small?
A. If you go with a bigger one, it’ll be less likely to tip over. Another good reason to get a big cart is that you have to make fewer trips from where you keep your gardening tools and materials out to your garden and back again.
What’s the best gardening cart to buy?
Top gardening cart
Gorilla Carts Heavy Duty Steel Utility Cart
What you need to know: This is the all-around best option for gardening enthusiasts.
What you’ll love: This 56-inch long gardening cart is built for the serious gardener. It rides on 13-inch tires, is made of high-grade alloy steel and has a 1,000-pound capacity. The steel mesh sides can be removed to convert this 7 cubic foot gardening cart into a flatbed trailer.
What you should consider: If you use this cart for heavy loads, make sure you keep the tires properly inflated.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top gardening cart for the money
Gorilla Carts Poly Garden Dump Cart
What you need to know: Unloading is made quick and easy with this gardening cart’s patented quick-release dump feature.
What you’ll love: The frame is made of steel and the cart bed is made of tough and durable poly plastic. The padded handle and 10-inch pneumatic tires make it easy to pull 600 pounds of anything you can load it with, even over heavy terrain. The 40 x 25-inch bed carries things like dirt, mulch, rocks and more.
What you should consider: Some people say assembly is more of a challenge than it should be.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Suncast 15.5-Gallon Multipurpose Cart with Wheels
What you need to know: This weather-resistant cart handles smaller loads with ease.
What you’ll love: Not everyone needs to move lots of rocks and dirt; some gardeners want to move plants, mulch, weeds and so on. They like how this 11-pound cart is easy to maneuver and the handle telescopes into itself for storing in tight places. Users take this cart beyond the garden, using it to tote laundry and groceries.
What you should consider: This two-wheeled cart is prone to tipping over when overloaded or top-heavy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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David Allan Van writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which aerator shoes are best for fall lawn care?
If you’ve been properly watering, weeding and fertilizing your lawn yet it still doesn’t look bright green and healthy, it may be because your soil isn’t properly aerated. Hard, compacted soil doesn’t allow the water and fertilizer to get down to the roots where it is needed.
There are many ways to aerate your lawn and break up thatch, but if you have a small property, aerator shoes are one of the best. When choosing aerator shoes, it is important to look for a pair with a sturdy strap system like the one featured in Leweio Lawn Aerator Shoes. This helps ensure they stay securely in place throughout the entire job.
What to know before you buy aerator shoes
Why lawns need aeration
Anyone who has ever tried to maintain a lawn knows that keeping it green and healthy is no simple task. It needs proper watering and adequate fertilizer, but just a bit too much or too little of either can result in grass that doesn’t grow well or dies off.
Over time, the soil gets compacted from people walking on it, heavy rains and various other reasons. Additionally, thatch from mowing and other sources can build up on top of the soil. Together, these two factors can result in a nearly impenetrable layer that stops water, oxygen and fertilizer from getting down to the roots of your grass. Periodically aerating your lawn breaks up this impenetrable layer so your grass can get the nutrients, oxygen and water it needs.
When and how often to aerate your lawn
Most experts recommend aerating your lawn at least once a year. That said, some lawns need more frequent aeration, while others can go for two or three years before requiring it. Some signs that your lawn may need aeration include a spongy feeling when you press on the grass, water pooling up after rains rather than quickly draining away and dying patches of grass that won’t grow even with regular watering.
You can aerate your lawn at any time without harming it, but you’ll get the most benefit from doing it during the peak growing season. This is early spring or fall for cool-season grasses and late spring or early summer for hot-season grasses.
What to look for in quality aerator shoes
Aerator shoe straps
One of the most important aspects of aerator shoes are the straps. If the straps aren’t sturdy or tend to loosen up as you work, they will allow the shoes to slip, which can potentially be dangerous. The wider and thicker the straps or the more there are, the better they will secure the shoes in place on your feet.
Aerator shoe buckles vs. velcro
Straps on aerator shoes are generally tightened in place through the use of buckles or Velcro. The latter is easier to don and remove quickly. It also tends to have better holding power. However, buckles can sometimes loosen up as you work, so you may want to avoid them.
How to keep lawn aerator shoes from slipping off
As an additional safeguard against your foot slipping around as you walk, some aerator shoes have a textured footbed which adds some traction.
Aerator spike reinforcement
On many aerator shoes, the spikes are secured to the plastic footbed. While this is often sufficient, it can lead to the shoes cracking with use. Higher-end models incorporate some kind of reinforcement, such as a metal plate, to reduce the chances of this happening.
How to assemble aerator shoes
While not complicated, assembling aerator shoes can be time-consuming because you have to individually secure each screw in place, and there are usually between 24-26 of them between the two shoes. If you don’t want to deal with this, look for a pair that comes pre-assembled.
How much you can expect to spend on aerator shoes
The majority of aerator shoes cost between $15-$35. However, most people may want to avoid models that cost less than $20, as they are often made with low-quality materials.
Aerator shoes FAQ
Do aerator shoes work?
A. Aerator shoes’ spikes are solid and push the soil to the side and downward when used, thus compacting the soil even more. You simply strap them to your feet and walk around your yard. You can even do it while mowing, allowing you to get two jobs done simultaneously.
Do aerator shoes actually work?
A. There is no doubt that aerator shoes work to aerate your lawn, but whether or not they are a suitable choice for your needs is another question. If you have a small property, they are an effective way to loosen your soil and can even be used when you mow to save yourself some time. However, if you have a large property, you will be better off with a push or tow-behind aerator. You can learn more about the different types of lawn aerators on the BestReviews buying guide.
Do aerator shoes come in different sizes?
A. No, they don’t. Pretty much all aerator shoes have a one-size-fits-all design.
What are the best aerator shoes to buy?
Top aerator shoes
What you need to know: With a sturdy platform and thick straps, these aerator shoes should be the go-to choice for those who find other models feel a bit too flimsy.
What you’ll love: Thanks to a combination of laces and Velcro, they are easy to don quickly and stay securely in place. Plus, they conveniently come fully assembled, so you won’t have to waste any time screwing down a bunch of nuts.
What you should consider: The spikes can bend if you hit large rocks in the soil.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top aerator shoes for the money
What you need to know: The Ergomind Aerator shoes stand apart from the rest thanks to an integrated heel support system that helps ensure they stay firmly in place as your stomp all over your yard.
What you’ll love: The spikes are embedded into a steel plate, so you don’t have to worry about plastic breaking if you hit something hard at an odd angle with them. Also, the sturdy metal buckles do an effective job at preventing the straps from loosening as you work.
What you should consider: They only come with two spare spikes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: These basic lawn aerator shoes get the job done but are less durable than more costly models.
What you’ll love: The simple strap system makes them easy to don and doff without much fumbling around, and the textured footbeds offer a bit of traction, so they don’t shift around as you walk.
What you should consider: The spikes can loosen during use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Brett Dvoretz writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which activity cubes are best?
If you are looking for a fun way to develop your child’s cognitive and motor skills, activity cubes are the way to go. They can help improve everything from hand-eye coordination to reading and problem-solving skills. Best of all, they keep kids entertained while doing so.
There are plenty of things to consider when choosing an activity cube for your child, such as the build materials and theme, but the most important is how well it fits their developmental age. If you want a cube that can grow with your child from the time they are a baby through to their toddler years, opt for a model with plenty of activities of varying skill levels, such as the Hape Country Critters Wooden Activity Play Cube.
What to know before you buy an activity cube
Developmental stage
Activity cubes can provide countless hours of entertainment and learning for a child, but only if you get one that fits their skill levels. Most activity cubes list the intended age range, but you’ll also need to consider an individual child’s developmental stage when choosing a model. Ideally, the activities should reinforce and build on things they already know or things you are just beginning to teach them.
For example, if your child understands a few letters, consider buying an activity cube that has the entire alphabet or perhaps a few basic words they can practice spelling out. Very young toddlers tend to do best with activity cubes that provide a lot of tactile sensations because they can enjoy these long before they begin to recognize shapes or letters.
In addition to cognitive skills, consider motor skills. An activity cube should be challenging for a child but not so difficult they become frustrated when trying to use it.
Theme
Along with your child’s developmental stage, consider their interests. Activity cubes are available in a variety of themes, ranging from sports to animals and storybook fantasies. Choosing a model that incorporates pictures, shapes and characters they like should make it more engaging for them. Some models also mix themes, which are great for children who don’t yet have specific likes and dislikes.
Safety
While you might assume any toy marketed for children is safe, this is not always the case. This means the responsibility ultimately falls on parents and other caretakers to ensure they aren’t giving children a toy that could be dangerous. When looking at activity cubes, consider the size of the pieces and if any can be detached or broken off by a determined child. Check that it doesn’t have sharp edges or corners.
Materials
Activity cubes are made from a variety of materials. Wood is the most eco-friendly option but plastic models often are cheaper and more likely to have sounds or music. There also are plushie activity cubes for babies.
What to look for in a quality activity cube
Number and type of activities
Some activity cubes only have a few activities while others might have 15 or more. The greater the number of activities and the more variety, the more time a child will spend playing with it. The most common activities are bead mazes, matching mazes, abacus sliders, shape sorters and spinning gears.
Sounds
Activity cubes with sounds can be more engaging, especially for young children. Some feature pianos, xylophones or other instruments. There also are models that play recordings at the touch of a button, such as counting, animal sounds or nursery rhymes.
Lights
Lights also can make activity cubes more interesting. These often come with models intended for babies between 1-2 years old.
How much you can expect to spend on an activity cube
Small plushies for babies tend to cost between $10-$20. Plastic models range from $10-$50, and wood activity cubes cost between $20-$125.
Activity cube FAQ
How do you clean an activity cube?
A. Activity cubes can be difficult to clean because of the number of nooks and crannies. Start by wiping down the exterior with a solution made from warm water and standard dish soap. Wipe it down one more time with a damp cloth to remove as much of the soap as possible. If you have a place to do it, you can leave it outside in the sun for an hour or two to help kill off germs and bacteria you may have missed when wiping it down.
Is it OK for a child to climb on an activity cube?
A. No. Never allow children to climb or pull too hard on an activity cube. Either of these actions can lead to the activity cube falling on the child and potentially causing injury. To ensure safety, always supervise your child when they’re using their activity cube.
What’s the best activity cube to buy?
Top activity cube
Hape Country Critters Wooden Activity Play Cube
What you need to know: With a country theme, vibrant colors and plenty of activities, this activity cube should keep most children between the ages of 12 months and 6 years entertained for hours.
What you’ll love: It is made from wood sourced from sustainable forests and finished with nontoxic, water-based paint. The durable construction allows it to withstand plenty of use.
What you should consider: You could easily lose some pieces.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
Top activity cube for the money
Top Bright Toddler and Baby Activity Cube Toy
What you need to know: This model combines an elephant shape with engaging activities.
What you’ll love: You can remove the bead maze and use it separately, making it a great choice for multi-child households.
What you should consider: It is too small for some babies in the recommended age range.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
Worth checking out
Play22 Activity Cube With Bead Maze
What you need to know: This affordably-priced toy keeps children engaged while allowing parents to keep to their budget.
What you’ll love: Most children are drawn to its bright primary colors, and its lack of any notable theme makes it suitable for all children, no matter their interests.
What you should consider: It’s very lightweight and some children may accidentally push it around while playing with it.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
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Brett Dvoretz writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which adjustable dumbbell is best?
If you like to work out at home, you need dumbbells — and not just one or two of them, either. You need anywhere from 12-30 dumbbells if you want to work on every part of your body with the right amount of weight. Of course, most people simply don’t have room in their home to store this number of dumbbells. Instead, they try to make do with just a couple of pairs, which isn’t an ideal solution. That’s when adjustable dumbbells can help.
Models such as the Bowflex SelectTech ST552 come as a set of two but take the place of 30 traditional dumbbells. These particular dumbbells have a weight range of 5-52.5 pounds and adjust in 2.5-pound increments, making them ideal for casual and serious lifters alike.
What to know before you buy an adjustable dumbbell
Benefits of an adjustable dumbbell
The largest benefit of adjustable dumbbells is their space-saving design. If you’ve stepped foot in a gym before, you’ve probably noticed a row of dumbbells running the entire length of a wall. While that may be fine for a commercial gym, most people don’t have this kind of space in their home. Instead, you can opt for an adjustable dumbbell to take the place of anywhere from 4-15 traditional dumbbells.
Another benefit of adjustable dumbbells is their portability. If you like to work out at the park or another outdoor location, you only have to toss two dumbbells in your trunk and you’ll have a full set of weights to use.
Although adjustable dumbbells may seem expensive, they usually are more affordable than buying a full set of traditional dumbbells.
Size
Adjustable dumbbells may feel a bit awkward at first because of their unusual size and shape. You may not notice this when using the dumbbell at its maximum weight, but it becomes more apparent when using it at the lower weight settings. This is because the overall length of the dumbbell isn’t reduced as you drop the weight. The dumbbell will feel nearly as large when you use it at 10 pounds as it does when you use it at 50 pounds.
Durability
Adjustable dumbbells are great for traditional workout routines but aren’t ideal for any kind of activity where you are tossing around the weight. Due to the integrated weight adjustment mechanism, they are less durable than traditional dumbbells, which don’t have any moving parts.
What to look for in a quality adjustable dumbbell
Weight range
Every adjustable dumbbell has a minimum and maximum weight. The greater the weight range, the more exercises you can do, and the more users for which a particular pair will be suitable. Beginners need lower weights and serious lifters need heavier dumbbells. If you have several people with varying fitness levels at home, an adjustable dumbbell with a wide weight range will be equally suitable for all of them.
Increments
Along with the weight range, the increments a dumbbell adjusts are important. The most common increments are 2.5 and 5 pounds, but there are options that adjust in as little as 1-pound increments. The smaller the increments, the better. This allows you to only slightly increase the weight rather than making a big jump that may make an exercise too difficult.
Grip
An adjustable dumbbell’s grip determines how secure a hold you have on it as well as how comfortable it is for your hand. Any dumbbell you choose should have some kind of traction-increasing texture that reduces the chances of it slipping out of your hand. If you wear gloves when working out, dumbbells with a knurled metal grip are fine. However, if you normally work out without gloves, opt for a dumbbell with a soft grip.
Storage tray
Most adjustable dumbbells come with a storage tray where the unused weight plates sit while you work out. Put the dumbbells back into these trays when you want to adjust to higher or lower weights.
How much you can expect to spend on an adjustable dumbbell
Adjustable dumbbells can cost from $25-$250 for a single dumbbell. The weight range and ease and reliability of the adjustment mechanism are the two biggest determining factors in the price.
Adjustable dumbbell FAQ
Do you need two dumbbells?
A. While you could certainly put together a workout routine that only requires a single dumbbell, most people will be best served by buying a pair. Having just one dumbbell can make it more difficult to keep your body correctly balanced when performing certain exercises.
Do adjustable dumbbells require any maintenance?
A. As with traditional dumbbells, adjustable dumbbells require essentially no maintenance other than periodically cleaning them off with a damp cloth or sanitizing them with a disinfectant.
What is the best adjustable dumbbell to buy?
Top adjustable dumbbell
Bowflex SelectTech Dumbbell ST552
What you need to know: From one of the most reputable brands in home fitness equipment, the SelectTech ST552 can see you through years of constant workouts without you having to worry about their mechanism failing.
What you’ll love: They transition between plates smoothly, adjust in low 2.5-pound increments and have a dial system that is easy to use with gloves on.
What you should consider: Their high price tag can put them out of reach for many consumers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Top adjustable dumbbell for the money
What you need to know: This reasonably-priced option is available as a single dumbbell and has a low weight range, which makes it a good choice for beginners.
What you’ll love: A simple push-pull design allows you to quickly switch between weights, and it features a comfortable, soft and textured grip you won’t mind holding onto without gloves.
What you should consider: It only replaces four standard dumbbells.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
Worth checking out
Merax Deluxe 71.5 Pounds Adjustable Dial Dumbbells
What you need to know: This pair is best for serious lifters looking for high-weight adjustable dumbbells.
What you’ll love: Despite having a maximum weight of 71.5 pounds per dumbbell, you can adjust the weight to just 11 pounds.
What you should consider: The measurements are denoted in kilograms.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
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Brett Dvoretz writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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Which budget travel accessories are best?
Traveling can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to keep costs down when exploring the world. Using travel accessories that are multipurpose and cost-effective is a great way to save money. When purchasing a budget travel product, consider how it was made and if it can be of optimal use at your destination. It’s also important to consider where you will be going, how you will be getting there and what the weather will be like, among many other factors.
If you are looking for a cheap yet high-quality travel accessory that can be used multiple times, the Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Travel Pillow is the top choice.
What to know before you buy budget travel accessories
Destination
When searching for the best budget travel accessories, consider where you will be traveling. If you’re traveling to a place that’s higher in elevation, consider purchasing products that will help you ease into the change in altitude. If you’re traveling internationally, there’s a chance that your destination will use different products. For example, each country has a different style of adaptor. This is something to consider as a product that you plan to use may not be of common use in another country and will not function properly. Researching a country’s specific customs before traveling will help you purchase travel accessories accordingly.
Transportation
When choosing a good budget travel accessory, consider how you’ll be getting around when traveling. Whether you’re walking to a campsite, taking a road trip or flying to your destination, it’s important for the travel accessory that you chose to be compact and lightweight for convenience. If you’re traveling by car, especially with multiple people, it’s important to consider compact packing. If there are many people, accessories that help you keep items private and organized will be key in helping the trip go smoothly. If you plan to travel by airplane, consider the ounces restriction and weight restriction for carry-ons for efficient, stress-free traveling.
Season
When choosing a budget travel accessory, consider the season you will be traveling. If you’re traveling in colder seasons and plan to be outside a lot during your trip, choose products that will keep you warm, such as thermal blankets and heavy-duty insulated luggage and other gear. If you plan to travel in the summer months, keep all of your travel accessories lightweight and purchase accordingly.
Some products are specific to the season. For example, if you’re traveling in the summer and plan to be in a place without air conditioning, consider a portable fan. If you’re traveling in the winter, consider bringing hand warmers as a useful travel accessory. It is important to always be prepared for the weather when purchasing a budget travel accessory.
What to look for in quality budget travel accessories
Compact
When choosing a budget travel accessory, make sure it’s compact enough for the type of travel that you’ll be doing. A good travel accessory won’t take up unnecessary space and will fit conveniently into whatever you’re using to store your things. If you’re camping or taking a road trip, there are no restrictions on size. However, if you are flying, there will be restrictions on the number of carry-ons that you can bring with you before a fee is added. If your travel accessory is compact, fitting everything you need into the minimum amount of bags won’t be an issue. Regardless of transportation, you’ll want a product that utilizes space effectively.
Organization
Travel accessories are meant to bring ease to your packing process and convenience to your traveling experience. One of the most important aspects of traveling is keeping everything organized so it can be unloaded easily, and you can be off on your adventures. Consider opting for budget travel accessories that provide more organization to the packing process. Whether this be luggage with different compartments or packing cubes, make sure the product is lightweight and helps with compacting your items into one space.
Multipurpose
A good travel accessory will be able to be used for multiple things. For example, purchasing a universal adapter can be used for trips to various countries. A cube organizer set for luggage can be used to keep dirty laundry apart from clean laundry, as well as organize the clothes in your bag. You can use a travel pillow at the place you are staying as well as on the trip during a bumpy bus ride to protect other parts of your body. Products like these can provide multiple uses, will save space and time in the long run and can be used for more than one trip.
For useful information on a multipurpose travel item, take a look at the full travel pillow buying guide from BestReviews.
How much you can expect to spend on budget travel accessories
A budget travel accessory will cost anywhere from $5-$40, depending on the style of product and its function. Smaller products will be between $5-$20, while larger products will cost anywhere between $20-$40.
Budget travel accessories FAQ
What is the most sustainable way to purchase travel accessories?
A. Shopping for used travel accessories secondhand is the most sustainable way to source items for travel. Thrifting needed products can save you money as well as save the environment. Some products, such as pillows, you may not want to purchased secondhand due to cleanliness.
What is the most efficient way to keep track of all needed accessories?
A. The best way to keep track of all needed accessories is to make a physical list. Write down what you will need to bring and search online for pre-made checklists for people who have traveled to the same destination. For efficiency, you can create a spreadsheet and share it with those you’re traveling with to make sure no one forgets an item and the trip goes smoothly.
What are the best budget travel accessories to buy?
Top budget travel accessory
Wise Owl Outfitters Camping Travel Pillow
What you need to know: This product is versatile and can be used to get to your destination and when you arrive at your destination.
What you’ll love: This product is compact, lightweight and portable, and it easily compresses down into a waterproof sack. It is machine washable and made with memory foam for added comfort and firm neck support.
What you should consider: The pillow looks larger than it is in images and may be too small for some.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
Top budget travel accessory for the money
Worldwide All-In-One Universal Travel Adapter
What you need to know: This adaptor features four universal plugs and covers more than 150 countries.
What you’ll love: This product features built in safety shutter and an LED power indicator. It has dual USB ports for convenient charging of most electronics.
What you should consider: The Euro-tip on this product is easily breakable, so be careful when packing. It cannot be used in South Africa, India, Sweden or Italy.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
Worth checking out
Amazon Basics Small Packing Travel Organizer Cubes Set
What you need to know: This organizer cube set includes four gray travel cubes with handles for easy carrying and mesh tops for breathability.
What you’ll love: The mesh is soft enough to keep fabrics from being damaged, and the product is machine washable for convenience. It features interior seams for increased durability and a double zipper for easy open and close.
What you should consider: The fabric can be stiff and too bulky to conveniently fit into some suitcases.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon.
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Logan DeLoye writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — The weekend couldn’t come soon enough for players at the Masters, who really had only two choices as the sun began to set on Augusta National and the reality of their situation became clear.
They could watch Scottie Scheffler roll in birdie putts and wonder why more of theirs don’t go in, too.
Or they could study the weather and hope the wind howls through the tall Georgia pines.
Tiger Woods didn’t need to announce what group he’s in.
“It’s going to be windy. It’s going to be cool,” Woods said. “It’s going to be the Masters that I think the Masters Committee has been looking forward to for a number of years. We haven’t had it like this.”
We haven’t had a leader like Scheffler in a while, either. He’s got a five-shot lead that looked stunningly easy to craft and, more importantly, perhaps, he’s got history on his side.
Just five times before in Masters history has a player had a five-shot lead going into the weekend. The last four times the player won, most recently in 2015 when Jordan Spieth picked up a green jacket.
And all Scheffler needs to do is play the same kind of competitive crushing golf he’s been playing all year.
“As long as I’m committed to everything, everything should be fine,” the Texan said. “The rest really isn’t up to me.”
That kind of calm attitude has made this a breakthrough year for Scheffler, who suddenly finds himself the No. 1 player in the world. After his first win in February in Phoenix he added two more championships to his collection, including two weeks ago at the Match Play in San Antonio.
For those keeping score at home, that’s three wins in five tournaments.
Those were nice, and those were important. They paid good money and probably already have made Scheffler the player of the year.
But this is the Masters. The winner gets a green jacket and all that goes with it.
The weekend pressure can be suffocating. What looked doable on Friday may not be on Sunday.
Oh, and then there’s Woods, who lurks nine shots back but still has hopes of contending. And, really, who’s going to count him out after all he already has overcome?
“I’ve got a chance going into the weekend,” Woods said. “Hopefully I’ll have one of those light-bulb moments and turn it on in the weekend and get it done. You’ve seen guys do it with a chance going into the back nine. If you are within five or six going into the back nine, anything can happen. I need to get myself there. That’s the key. I need to get myself there.”
Those may be little more than wishful thoughts for Woods, no matter the number of green jackets he already has won (5) or his familiarity with every blade of grass on the golf course he loves most.
But a guy’s got to have something. And he’s not the only one holding out hope.
“He clearly has control of everything right now based off the last couple of months, so I’m not too surprised,” said Justin Thomas, who matched Scheffler’s 67 but was still seven shots back. “But yeah, I would appreciate it if he would stop going too far away.”
If there’s anything that can shake Scheffler — and with three wins in his last five starts it’s hard to figure what that might be — there are three former champions who are within six shots of him.
That includes last year’s winner, Hideki Matsuyama and 2011 winner Charl Schwartzel. Looming just a shot back is former world No. 1 and 2020 winner Dustin Johnson.
That’s a lot of golf firepower and Augusta National is a lot of golf course. Strange things can happen on a weekend when the wind blows, especially if the greens dry out more and the shots become that much tougher.
Scheffler is only in his third Masters, so he’s not one to judge history. Up until February he hadn’t even won a tournament on the PGA Tour.
A few early birdies by Woods, a few big roars echoing across the landscape can do damage to a player’s psyche.
Besides, as lore goes, nothing ever starts at the Masters until the back nine on Sunday.
“If you’re within five or six on that back nine going into Sunday you’ve got a chance,” Woods said. “So I just need to get there.”
A tall task, sure, but what does Woods have to lose?
Remember, he wasn’t supposed to be here anyway.
___
More AP Masters coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/the-masters | https://www.news10.com/sports/masters-day-2-all-eyes-on-scheffler-wind-as-weekend-looms/ | 2022-04-09T14:29:29 | en | 0.978871 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/baltimore-ravens/articles/39105093 | 2022-04-09T14:29:29 | en | 0.738227 |
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