text:
On Aug. 9, the curtains came down on the Guyana Cultural Association (GCA) Caribbean Summer Heritage Workshop Series 2019, at St. Stephens Church Hall in Brooklyn, where students showcased their talents and artistic expressions learned over a six weeks. Comment
The newly-formed Syrai Carnival Creations will be “Submerged under the Sea” this Labor Day.
“I was motivated by Halle Bailey, who is casting as Ariel in ‘The Little Mermaid,’” said band leader, Andrina Alexander, who founded Syrai Carnival Creations just this summer, in an exclusive Caribbean Life interview. Comment
Grenadian-born Derek Noel, the co-band leader of the Brooklyn-based Resilience Mas, plans to make a “Crazy Mess” with the band’s presentation in this year’s West Indian American Day Carnival Parade on Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway. Comment
Vincentian and other Caribbean nationals on Saturday joined members of the Garifuna Diaspora in New York in participating in the annual “Culture Pot” hosted by the Brooklyn-based Garifuna Indigenous People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Inc. (GIPSVG) at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn. Comment
After performing “extremely well” over the years in placing among the top medium-sized mas bands in the West Indian American Day Carnival Parade, the Social Cultural Committee of 1199 SEIU (Service Employees International Union) is hoping to do the same this year with its “4 Seasons” production. Comment
As a poet, I can appreciate the alliteration in the name, “Kente Kingdom”, and the notion that it suggests royalty for each and every resident of such a country. In these uncertain times, it is only fitting that we invoke the powers of our ancestors, the lush terrain and landscape of our tribes. This is what will be witnessed in Roy Pierre & Associates presentation for Labor Day J’ouvert 2019. Comment
The “Spirit of the Caribbean” was certainly felt by scores of nationals and friends, who crammed the front lawn of the Jamaica Performance Center on Saturday, Aug. 3, to get a taste of culture and entertainment on a beautiful summer’s afternoon. Comment
With “multi-national” masqueraders, Rhythm Cather International is going to “Wonderland” on Labor Day, says co-designer Dawn Hector.
“Our masquerades can enjoy an experience of the best for Labor Day, because our preparation is up-to-date with planning, with the kind assistance of our volunteers,” Trinidadian Hector, who is designing the band with her compatriot Debbie Parris, told Caribbean Life Wednesday night. Comment
Award winning Jamaican actor and playwright David Heron has been cast in the leading roles of Oberon, King of the Fairies and Theseus, Duke of Athens in the Colonial Theatre of Rhode Island’s Shakespeare in The Park production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Comment
Suga Candy Mas, at 755 Linden Boulevard and Utica Avenue, Brooklyn, is adorned with a dazzling array of costumes, designed to depict Nubian Gods and Goddesses. Comment
After producing “Rebirth” last Labor Day, D’Midas International New York. Inc., is emerging “Out of Africa” for this year’s West Indian American Day Carnival Parade. Comment
Even with 17 sections, Antione International is ‘Untamed’ for this year’s West Indian American Day Carnival. Comment
The Classical Theatre of Harlem (Ty Jones, producing artistic director) presents “The Bacchae” inspired by Bryan Doerries’ new version of Euripides’ classic Greek tragedy. This marks the kickoff production of the 20th anniversary season for Classical Theater of Harlem, which was established in 1999. Future productions and news for the 2019-2020 season will be announced soon. Comment
Caribbean and other residents in South New Jersey and neighboring Philadelphia reveled in the rhythmic sounds of the Caribbean, took in the cornucopia of Caribbean colors and feasted on Caribbean delicacies, among other things, in picture perfect weather on Saturday during the 19h Annual South Jersey Caribbean Festival at Wiggins Park on the Camden, New Jersey waterfront. Comment
The South Jersey Caribbean Cultural and Development Organization (SJCCDO) this Saturday hosts its 19h Annual South Jersey Caribbean Festival at Wiggins Park on the Camden, New Jersey waterfront. Comment
Dr. Barbara Ann Teer’s National Black Theatre (NBT) presented the world premiere of 125th & FREEdom on June 8. Created, written and choreographed by Ebony Noelle Golden, 125th & FREEdom is a five-hour, immersive public performance dance piece that is part dance party, part parade, part protest and ritual performance, and all Harlem. Comment
Guyana-American artist, Carl E. Hazelwood is among five artists, whose works of art are on display at the Triangle Artist Studios residency program, which opened on June 7, at picturesque, Governors Island, New York Harbor. Comment
Braata Productions will open its anniversary celebration year with the Bankra Caribbean Folk Festival, on Saturday June 8, at the St. Albans Park, 169 Street & Merrick Blvd., in Queens. Comment
David Stallings’ new drama “Leonora,” will be performed as a staged reading at The Williams CME Institutional Church in Harlem on Monday, June 3 at 7 pm. Comment
What is Memorial Weekend in Caribbean NY and NJ without Oliver Samuels and his brand of West Indian theatre and comedy? The legend Oliver Samuels, popular across the Caribbean from Jamaica to Trinidad & Tobago, is part of Memorial Weekend celebrations when New Yorkers look forward to an Oliver new play. This year’s play, “56 East Avenue” is full of laughs. After three months of performances in Jamaica, sold out in Toronto, the play comes to the tristate before it goes to England. Comment
“Not About Eve,” the award winning family drama by Jamaican actor and playwright Karl O’ Brian Williams, will make its Long Island debut at the New Vibe Lounge in Rockville Center on Memorial Weekend, Sunday, May 26 at 7 pm. Comment
Herman Hall, the publisher of Everybodys Magazine claims that later this month “all roads will lead to 56 East Ave.” where Caribbean humor is guaranteed. Comment
Sesame Flyers International, Inc., perennial mas band winners in the Brooklyn-based West Indian American Day Carnival Parade, is celebrating its 36th anniversary. Comment
The Brooklyn-based West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), which hosts the annual Carnival Parade on Eastern Parkway every Labor Day Monday, says it is keeping the region’s culture alive by hosting year-round workshops on the artform. Comment
The 13th Annual Dance Parade, will be held on Saturday, May 18, with more than 10,000 paraders including students, professionals, young and old, with color, costumes, and music engaging in 80 unique styles of dance and culture. Comment
Trevor Smith says he is known as the grandmaster of kite making in Guyana. “Making kites come with three phases. I love making kites…I have a passion for preparing my frames, and at the end of process, I feel joy when I see what I have accumulated from honest work,” said the street vendor, who has become a permanent fixture at the corner of Regent and Camp streets, in the capital city of Georgetown, during the Easter season. Comment
The 40th anniversary production of Jamaican playwright Easton Lee’s “The Rope and The Cross” will be staged on Easter Sunday, April 21, at The New Vibe Lounge, in Rockville Centre, Long Island. Comment
Trinidad and Tobago:
From a tender age Trinidad-based actor and producer Gregory Pollonais has always had a fascination with the arts in particular the world of film. With a creative mind and determined spirit, he is currently pursuing his passion for film on a professional and international scale. Comment
A recent exhibition of Bajan artist Winston Jordan brought to life images of common existence across the Caribbean from the icon of a cricketing legend to colourful masqueraders, the revealing scene of bush bath ritual, and the quintessential derriere of the Caribbean woman. Comment
Societies turn to the creative minds within their midst to colorfully document incidents within the passage of time that altogether make up the history of communities, so it was no wonder that a forum grouping Caribbean artists was chockful of stories. Comment
Several Vincentian and Garifuna artistes Saturday night brought the house down at the Friends of Crown Heights Educational Center in Brooklyn, as the Brooklyn-based Garifuna Indigenous People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Inc. (GIPSVG) hosted its 4th Annual National Heroes Day Cultural Fest. Comment
Thousands of masqueraders paraded through the streets of Trinidad and Tobago during the two-day festival described as the “Greatest Show on Earth.” Comment
It’s a milestone year.
The National Black Theatre is going to continue celebrating its 50th anniversary from now until mid-fall. The premier Harlem-based arts organization was founded half a century ago by artist and writer Dr. Barbara Ann Teer on Oct. 24, 1968 — creating a space of originality for black artists and creatives. Now 50 years into its existence, the company hopes to maintain its role in being a go-to place for black art, and its team takes pride in reaching its turning point, said its artistic director. Comment
They painted for a cause!
About a dozen women turned out for a local organization’s painting workshop in Queens last Friday. Comment
We’re going back to our roots.
A mixed media performance celebrating traditional African spirituality will play at Teatro Latea on Feb. 19. “Vodou Roots: A Love Story Musical,” is a musical-like show inspired by its Haitian-American creator Regine Romain, and her cultural pilgrimage to Benin. The educator and anthropologist’s trip to the West African birthplace of vodou, was a beneficial awakening about its origins, which she wanted to condense her experience and share. Comment
The forthcoming “Hear Her Call” festival, selected seven Caribbean-American women writers for its York College event on March 29. Headed by the Queens-based production company Conch Shell Productions, the festival is a celebration of Caribbean women’s writers, and their stories and narratives. Close to four dozen writers submitted, said founder and creator Magaly Colimon-Christopher. Comment
It’s a whole new perspective!
The reading of a 15-year-old play tackles the question of sexual assault against men. In the staged reading of “Against His Will,” at The New Vibe in Rockville Centre on Feb. 17, award-winning playwright and actor David Heron addresses the question of whether an erection suggests consent. He was initially inspired to write the play after randomly pondering a question regarding the matter. Comment
The title “Choir Boy” suggests singing and at least one boy talented enough to chorus required melody and lyrics.
A poster promoting the latest Broadway play to open present a chorale of young, Black men marked by a singular singer towering above a quartet. Comment
A new outdoor art installation in Queens celebrates some of the biggest black female singers in entertainment. Comment
The annual “The Fire this Time” festival returns for its 10th season at the Kraine Theater in East Village on Jan. 21. The two-week event, which celebrates the work of black playwrights, is featuring eight writers this year — the most the festival has seen, according to its founder and producer Kelley Girod. To honor the milestone anniversary, organizers will celebrate it with a panel discussion on pertinent current issues, and all the stories to come out of the festival Comment
She’s got the moves.
Manhattan-based dancer Marielis Garcia has an enlightened approach to dance. The professional performer, enjoys exploring the many different forms and movements, and one of her greatest ambitions is to illustrate the vast world of dance. She said many of the considerations that go into performing and creating, are commonly misunderstood. Comment
Jamaican sculptor Basil Watson was recently commissioned to create a monument in honor of Civil Rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Comments (1)
It’s a shed of light on their fight.
A new exhibit on display at Arts East New York is showcasing the stories of domestic workers now until Jan. 12. The “Domestic Worker’s United History Exhibition (Art)ifacts from DWU’s Archive and Worker Stories Kiosk!,” is a brief timeline of the organization’s battles and successes. Comment
A new off Broadway play is set to debut at The Theatre at St. Clement’s Jan. 15–Feb. 16. The play titled “Eco Village,” is somewhat based on the life of young playwright Phoebe Nir, and her experiences at the well-known Vermont-based puppet theater — Bread and Puppet Theatre. Comment
A Haitian-American actor is playing a lead character in the premiere of a new production debuting at The Bridge Theater on Jan. 16. Brooklyn raised actor, Nixon Cesar, plays a soldier back home, and fresh from a tour in Iraq in “Master of the Crossroads.” Comment
Dionne Crichton-Bailey, president of the Brooklyn-based St. Vincent and the Grenadines Nurses Association of New York, Inc. (SVGNANY), has described as very successful her group’s hosting Sunday of the third Winter Wonderland Entertainment Evening at the Golden Hall of St. Gabriel’s Episcopal (Anglican) Church on Hawthorne Street in Brooklyn. Comment
Brooklyn’s cultural group, Tropicalfete, recently blew the audience away with its final production for 2018 that featured the organization’s various groups. Comments (1)


text:
Environmentalists and scientists warned of collapsing fish stocks and tiny Pacific nation Palau sounded the alarm for sharks as diplomats Monday launched a weeklong review of high seas fisheries.
The international conference will "take a hard look" at how to put some teeth in a 1995 United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement, according to conference chairman David Balton, a U.S. deputy assistant secretary for oceans and fisheries.
Palau's call for an international moratorium on shark finning came at the outset of a review held once every four years to address the declining numbers of fish stocks under the U.N. agreement, which took effect in 2001.
Palau's U.N. Ambassador Stuart Beck said the killing of 73 million sharks a year because people like the way their fins taste in soup shows just how badly wrong things have gotten with ocean mismanagement.
"The slaughter of sharks for their fins to make soup is as needless and cruel as the killing of elephants for their tusks to make ornaments," he said. "The island nations are sounding the alarm: only concerted outrage can save the world's sharks from being slaughtered for the delectation of soup lovers."
Palau President Johnson Toribiong last year announced his nation was creating the world's first shark sanctuary to protect great hammerheads, leopard sharks, oceanic whitetip sharks and more than 130 other species fighting extinction in the Pacific Ocean.
Sharks are vulnerable to overfishing because of their low fertility rates and long life spans. But shark fishing has boomed since the 1980s fueled by demand from China and other nations for shark fin soup, a prized symbol of wealth.
The U.N. lists the top 10 nations with the biggest fisheries hauls as China, Peru, the United States, Indonesia, Japan, Chile, India, Russia, Thailand and the Philippines.
The U.N.'s legal framework, which extends among 77 parties including the European Union, is used to regulate tuna, swordfish and other migratory species that travel long distances. It also covers halibut, cod and other species that straddle the exclusive economic zones of coastal nations.
'Deplorable state of fisheries'
Susan Lieberman, international policy director for the Pew Environment Group, pointed to two independent, peer-reviewed studies saying governments have been ineffective at improving she called "the deplorable state of fisheries on the high seas." Both were published in journals online, one in Science, the other in Marine Policy, to coincide with this week's U.N. conference.
She also cited U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that three-quarters of the world's fish stocks on the high seas are overfished.
"The key is not to focus on the numbers so much as the fact that if we extrapolate these data the estimates are that global fisheries will crash, completely crash, by 2050, in little more than one generation," said Lieberman.
"We're talking about the very future of food security on our planet, and the very future of our oceans," she said. "And, in particular, this has tremendous impacts for coastal communities and developing countries."
Almost half the planet, or up to 3 billion people, depend on fish as the main source for protein in their diet.
A study of 18 regional fisheries management organizations that manage fishing on the high seas on average scored no higher than 57 percent for effectiveness, said University of British Columbia researcher Sarika Cullis-Suzuki, one of the co-authors, along with marine scientist Daniel Pauly, of the Marine Policy paper.
"Overwhelmingly, our main conclusion is that RFMOs are doing poorly, both on paper and in practice," she said. "And these management organizations are failing the high seas."

domain: news


Volkswagen said on Tuesday it is preparing to build a new auto factory close to its headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, hoping to raise its significance as the opening of Tesla Inc’s gigafactory near Berlin can affect the German automaker’s significance.
The plant, which still needs approval from Volkswagen’s supervisory board in the near future.
The plant is part of the group’s Trinity project under which the automaker aims to build a flagship electric sedan in Wolfsburg from 2026.
Volkswagen has provided no cost estimate for the factory as of yet. The automaker said it aimed for a production time of 10 hours per vehicle for the Trinity model, same as how long it will take Tesla to assemble the Model 3 at its planned site in Gruenheide.
Constructing an all-new plant is an alternative to adapting the present Wolfsburg plant to produce the Trinity model, which the automaker says would limit the possibilities for more modification to the manufacturing process.
“That’s why we’re planning greenfield construction: efficient and without limitations by existing structures,” Volkswagen brand CEO Ralf Brandstaetter said.
“That way we are gaining time and space to gradually modernize the main factory in a far-reaching way and raise production there, too, to a new level.”
Volkswagen’s Trinity model is looking for a level 4 autonomous standard, in which the car can handle all aspects of driving in most circumstances without requiring human attention.
CEO Herbert Diess has benchmarked Wolfsburg against Tesla’s German gigafactory, arguing that VW’s main site was way behind when it comes to efficiency and speed.


text:
Thyro Boost is a blended formula mineral and herbal formula that supports healthy thyroid function. Having imbalanced thyroid hormones can create many uncomfortable symptoms such as: low energy, foggy brain, chronic fatigue, thinning hair, insomnia, anxiety, and mood swings. Thyro Boost combines amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts to support balanced thyroid hormones and improve thyroid health.
How does the Thyroid work?
The thyroid has an important job to do. It is tasked with controlling our bodies temperature and regulating a temperature of 98.6. All day long, our tiny butterfly-shaped gland works by either speeding up or slowing down cells to make which maintain our temperature. The thyroid is not running the show though, the pituitary or the midbrain, is delegating to the thyroid how best to drive the body’s metabolism. The pituitary sends a signal known as TSH or Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, this signal tells the body to make more or less of the thyroid hormone.
After the body creates the TSH, it then starts producing T4 which the body uses to move its metabolism forward. T4 will eventually convert into T3 which is the active hormone that is telling the body to move faster. Bodies are extremely careful when making hormones because they must be used, and they have a short lifespan. The pituitary is watching to see how much T3 is needed and will change its signal to have the body create more based on how much T3 is available.
When a thyroid start experiencing problems balancing hormones, it can slow the metabolism. The body will have plenty of T4, but it does not have the energy or ability to create T3. Reverse T3 molecules will start to bind onto T3 receptors blocking their ability to get in. The dirtier cells become due to toxins, the less effectively they work resulting in reduced thyroid function.
Thyro Boost works to help balance these thyroid hormones.

domain: medical


text:
A Sunday breakfast screams for delicious crispy waffles on the plate. Thin, crispy, and utterly delicious – waffles are your sweetest quick breakfast fix. Some love to dig in a plateful of Belgian chocolate waffles drenched in yummy peanut butter sauce and for some people, a warm slice of aromatic cinnamon waffle feels like heaven in the mouth. On a chilly winter morning, you just need to try these warm and flavourful easy waffle recipes and just gorge on them whenever you feel like. These are the go-to waffle recipes and no messy steps and hard-to-reach ingredients are required to make these. So just make these super-indulgent easy waffles and start digging in. Though they are high in calories, sometimes it feels good to be guilt-free and enjoy doing the sweet sin.
Crispy and golden from the outside and fluffy and light-weight on the inside – these are the ultimate homemade easy waffle recipes you need to make.
Crispy, Unique, And Most Delicious Easy Waffle Recipes To Try:
Belgian Rainbow Waffle:
Obsessed with rainbows? Then this brilliant-looking rainbow waffle is the first one that you need to try. A basic Belgian waffle works as the base and you just need those gel food colors to add wonderfully vibrant bright rainbow hues to the Belgian waffle bases. Cook your waffles a bit less than what you normally would do for your usual waffles as too much cooking will brown the outside and the beautiful rainbow hue will be gone. Crispy and visually appealing, serve your rainbow waffles with whipped cream and a few pieces of Rolos. Check out the recipe at ‘Dinner Then Dessert’.
Paleo Almond Flour Waffles:
Give a healthy twist to your not-so-healthy waffles and try this paleo almond flour waffle recipe that is a savior on the days when you have a huge time crunch. All the ingredients you will be using in this recipe are healthy. Almond flour, coconut flour, flaxseed, almond milk, and eggs – if you often feel guilty while gorging on a tasty slice of waffle, feel free to try this paleo recipe. Top it with berries and nuts and make it taste even more delicious by going for tempting add-ins and syrups. Check the recipe at ‘Bonfire’.
Mini Banana Walnut Oat Waffles With Berries:
Make it for a weeknight party or whip it up on the daily days – your kids will just wait for breakfast time when the menu is this grand and colorful. This recipe uses oat flour and tastes all delightful with bananas and walnuts. Drizzle sweet raspberry maple syrup over the waffles and serve them warm and crispy. Get the recipe at ‘Hallmark Channel’.
Red Velvet Waffles:
A romantic dessert option for Valentine’s Day dinner or a quick fix for a red food theme party, treat yourself and your loved ones with this royal-looking red velvet waffle which is one of the prettiest and easy waffle recipes. When you find your plain old waffles to be a bit boring and want to spark up and add some fun color to your breakfast table, this waffle is a must-try. Just use your usual waffle-making ingredients and add a good quality red gel food color to the batter, you really do not need to do anything else to whip up this charming-looking waffle recipe. Top it with whipped cream or cream cheese drizzle and enjoy a hearty recipe with your loved ones. Get the recipe at ‘Home Cooking Memories’.
Cinnamon Roll Waffles:
The mindblowing smell and flavor of cinnamon – it is exactly what you need to warm up a cold and gray winter morning. The recipe is super easy and it is such a fun way to add fall-winter apt flavors to your classic dessert. Gets ready in a jiffy and is your perfect pick when you want to have a breakfast that is fancy and festive. Get the recipe at ‘One Sweet Appetite’.
Gingerbread Easy Waffle Recipes:
Filled with a wonderfully spicy smell and having a mood-lifting comforting taste, gingerbread waffles can be your winter breakfast staple. Not overly sweet and having the exact amount of rich flavor, this waffle recipe tastes the best when you dust them with powdered sugar and drizzle some syrup over them. The recipe is also a make-ahead one that you can store in the refrigerator in a freezer bag. Heat it up the next day and serve warm. Get the recipe at ‘Caroline’s Cooking’.
The Best Ever Strawberry Waffles:
Perfect for regular days and easy to whip up as a brunch centerpiece, this is the best and one of the easy waffle recipes to try during springtime. Loaded with fresh strawberries and perfectly light and fluffy, this delicious dessert is a perfect crowd-pleaser. Get the recipe at ‘Everyday Eileen’.
Charcoal Waffle Sandwiches:
This is something that we bet you never have come across. The most unique ingredient that this recipe uses is a powder named bamboo charcoal powder. Originally this powder is from Japan and you just need only a spoon full of this powder to make your batter turn black. It does not have any distinguishable flavor but the color it adds to the waffle is simply to die for. Once you have readied up the waffles, just add maple candied bacon, basil walnut cream cheese spread, roasted vein cherry tomatoes & juicy portobello mushrooms to them and fold them as sandwiches. Your unique charcoal waffle sandwiches are ready. Isn’t it one of the most unique yet easy waffle recipes of all? Get the recipe here.

domain: food


text:
Okay, so this may not exactly be a recipe, but frozen fruit is very refreshing in the hot summer months. It is also more difficult to find organic all-fruit popsicles in the store. So, instead, we like to freeze the real thing: organic grapes and organic watermelon. Continue reading
In my family, we have been corn-free for several years now. Although corn is inherently gluten-free, we feel better without it. I believe it is due, in part, to the fact that much of the corn in the United States is genetically modified (GM). Even what is deemed “organic” is often tainted, since corn can easily be cross pollinated across different farms and fields. (A GMO corn crop can taint a non-GMO crop up to 15 miles away.)
The proteins in corn are also hard to digest. That is why you tend to see pieces of your corn on the cob come out the other end the next day. 🙂
The one time we splurge is when it is corn season in Tennessee. When I can get freshly picked sweet corn on the cob from a local organic farmer that I trust, we eat it a few times during the season.
Otherwise, we do not miss it much. We have found substitutes like bean chips instead of corn chips and ground millet instead of corn meal. However, the popcorn was hard to reproduce, until now.
Surprisingly, popped sorghum grains tastes a lot like popcorn. It is prepared a little differently than popcorn and the kernels are smaller, but it is worth making it when you need a popped treat. (Do not use an air popper.)
Here is how I did it: Continue reading

domain: agronomy


New Nintendo Switch accessories are available from PDP – iMore
If you’re in the market for a new set of Nintendo Switch accessories, a new monochrome line of accessories was just released by Performance Designed Products, or PDP. Despite being advertised for the Nintendo Switch OLED Model, the accessories are compatible both with the Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch OLED Model, these accessories can make your gaming experience that much better.
Featured in this new line are a new wired controller with 3.5 mm headphone jack support, a new wired stereo headphone set, a travel case that supports systems as large as the OLED model, a translucent wired controller, a Joy-Con charging dock, and a screen protector kit. Each item features a sleek black-and-white design, reminiscent of the white Joy-Con controllers that are included with the Nintendo Switch OLED model.
The accessories are available for purchase on Amazon and PDP’s official website, starting today. If you’re looking to upgrade your Nintendo Switch setup with the newest OLED model, make sure to transfer your data between systems first.
PDP Faceoff Deluxe+ Audio Wired Controller
A great companion for voice chat
The newest Nintendo Switch controller from PDP features a sleek monochrome design. The wired connectivity means you’ll never have to worry about latency or dead batteries, and the 3.5 mm headphone jack allows you to listen to all your in-game audio. Where compatible, you’ll even be able to participate in in-game voice chat using USB audio.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.


'I've smoked cannabis and it was great': Former M&S chief Sir Stuart Rose admits smoking the drug while at the helm of store
- Sir Stuart Rose said he tried drug while on holiday five years ago
- He said his first experience of drug was on his school leaving day
Sir Stuart Rose has said he smoked cannabis while he was at the helm of Marks & Spencer
Former Marks & Spencer chief executive Sir Stuart Rose has admitted smoking cannabis while he was at the helm of the store.
Sir Stuart, one of the UK’s most well-known business leaders and current chairman of online retailer Ocado, said he tried the drug while on holiday five years ago.
Speaking to The Times magazine, Sir Stuart, 64, said his first experience with smoking marijuana was on his school leaving day.
‘I smoked a joint when I was 18 on the day I left school. I was sick as a pig,’ he said.
‘I never had a joint again until I went to a friend’s house for lunch, in a foreign country, about five years ago, and we had a very nice lunch on a very hot day looking over the sparkling sea.
‘This box of cigars went round, cigarettes, and I was fumbling around, and I found this thing and said, “What’s that?” And my host said, “Shut up and smoke it”.
‘So I did, and I giggled a lot, and he gave me two to go away with, and I smoked the other one the following day, and the following one about two months later, and I have to say, it was great! And I’ve never had one since.’
Sir Stuart started working at M&S in 1972 as a trainee and rose through the ranks to become chief executive in 2004. The company has struggled over recent years to maintain its position.
Sir Stuart, who left M&S in 2011, said his drug taking was tame. He added: ‘I’m very boring. I can’t think of the last time I got so drunk that I couldn’t remember anything.’
He said that every January for the past 25 years, he has stopped drinking alcohol.
‘Unfortunately, I love wine – I’ve got a ridiculously large cellar, more wine than I could ever drink.’
Sir Stuart started working at M&S in 1972 as a trainee and rose through the ranks to become chief executive in 2004
Most watched News videos
- Moment £450m worth of cocaine seized in huge hit to drug cartels
- World War II bomb to be detonated at Plymouth Breakwater
- Moment police appear to let pro-Palestine protestors storm dinner
- Pro-Palestine protestors storm local Conservative fundraiser dinner
- Mob in Pakistan threatens to behead woman for 'blasphemous' dress
- 'Anything to say?' Lee Anderson breaks cover after Tory suspension
- Tory MP Lee Anderson says Islamists have 'control of Khan and London'
- World War II bomb scheduled for detonation near Plymouth Breakwater
- Pro-Palestine protesters block Tower Bridge, demand Gaza ceasefire
- Handbrake, please! Train travels 70kms without a driver in India
- Eamonn Holmes defends Brendan Rodgers in 'casual sexism' row
- Ghislaine Maxwell is spotted jogging behind bars


text:
Tony Romo Admits to Booze-Free Bachelor Party
08/16/2011 AT 10:00 AM EDT
"I didn't feel like going out drinking that night," the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, 31, told Yahoo! Sports's Graham Besinger on his show In Depth with Graham Bensinger. (Watch the full interview below.) "We tried to come up with a game, but when you're with 14-15 guys, there aren't a lot of non-drinking games at that age you can do."
So Romo, who stayed with his pals in a cabin in West Virginia, decided to get creative.
"I just came up with some game – hide-and-go-seek, I guess it was," he says of the booze-free activity that lasted about 35 minutes. "It was a little modified form. It was fun. We had a good time. I stayed hidden for a while. I had a pretty good spot … it was pitch black out. There were only like two lights in the whole place."
Luckily for the bachelor boy, he was the most skilled at concealing himself.
"We played twice," Romo recalls. "I won both times. … I got to tell them all I was smarter than them. That was just part of the process. … I did come up with the game, so I probably had a pretty good idea leading up to the game that I had a chance."

domain: entertainment


text:
This is an affordable way to get to the legendary city of Pompeii! Safe, economical, and reliable. Great for the whole group.
A deafening boom roars through Pompeii's crowded marketplace. The ground shakes violently, throwing midday shoppers off balance and toppling stands of fish and meat. People scream and point toward Mount Vesuvius, a massive volcano that rises above them. In 79 AD, torrid volcanic ash and pumice raced down the slopes of Mount Vesuvius and engulfed Pompeii wiping out the entire population.
Choose any one of the multiple departures from the cruise terminal for the short 45-minute drive to Pompeii in the comfort of a City Sightseeing Shuttle Bus. While on board you will enjoy a colorful commentary outlining the history and tragedy in five different languages. Once you have arrived there is a 15 euro entrance fee to enter the ruins (fee not included, only euros are accepted). Or add on the entrance fee when you order and save time when you arrive on-site.
Today, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can discover and explore the Amphitheater, Temples of Apollo and Jupiter, the House of Faun, and many other uncovered treasures. When you have completed your exploration time, there are 2 shuttle return trips back to Naples where you can board your ship or continue to explore the city at your leisure and expense. (Local operator will give you information on where to meet and the times.)
Enjoy the comfort, colorful commentary, and ease of this excursion as you travel back in time to experience the tragedy of Mount Vesuvius. Don't forget comfortable shoes and your favorite camera to capture some of the world's most famous ruins.
Please note: A separate voucher will be emailed to you. You must print the voucher and give it to the local operator in order to do the excursion; do not give them your Shore Excursioneer ticket. Please note the add-on ticket is non-refundable.
This is a very affordable way to get to one of the most impressive UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Pompeii! The shuttle will take you from your Naples cruise terminal directly to Pompeii archeological ruins and you can explore on your own. Option to save time and skip the line when you arrive, simply pre-order your priority entrance ticket!

domain: travel


text:
About Havelock Island
If there is one island that is both pristine and scenic is the Havelock Island in the Andaman and Nicobar group. Its beautiful white sand beaches, blue sea water, abundant greenery, and serene surroundings are both tempting and fascinating. Famous as a backpacker’s heaven, this beautiful island is a perfect honeymoon destination. From scuba, parasailing, elephant rides on the beach to game fishing; there’s a lot you can do on the Havelock Island.
Top Tourist Places to Visit in Havelock Island
- Radhanagar Beach - Awarded as the best beach in India and world’s 7th most beautiful beach by the Time Magazine, Radhanagar Beach is the showstopper of Havelock Island in Andaman. The beach is adorned with snow-white sands, sizzling shores, crystal blue water, and pristine forests. Capturing the best sunset, strolling on the beach, and swimming and surfing are the fun things to do here.
- Elephant Beach - A moderately calm and gentle retreat, the Elephant Beach is a perfect escape for honeymoon couples and solo travellers. Tourists love to explore this place as it is known for its navy colour clear water and tranquil surroundings. Travellers can indulge in swimming, scuba diving and coral spot, or merely relax on the beautiful beach.
- Kalapathar Beach - The untouched beauty of the Kalapathar Beach makes it one of the most scenic sightseeing locations of Havelock Island. The coastline is dotted with black rocks, silver sand, and aqua green waters that create a visually enticing contrast. Kaala Patthar is like nirvana for tourists. Relax and sunbathe in hammocks for a memorable experience.
- Cafes: Do go to Emerald Gecko – a cottage resort run by Benny and Linda. The delicious seafood and English breakfast served here will stick to your taste buds for a long time. A visit to Full Moon Café on Beach No 5 is a must visit for the tourists who enjoy old classic music, seafood, salads, & cardamom lime fizzes. Other famous eateries are Fat Martin, Venom Bar, Dakshin, Rony, and Anju-coco Resto.
- Islands - While water sports are the best activities in Havelock. Plan one-day excursion to Neil Island for its coral reefs or trek to the top of the Japanese Hill that is adjacent to the Radhanagar Beach.
- Beaches - Other famous beaches on Havelock Island are Beach No 1, Beach No 2 that are famous for diving & snorkelling, Govind Nagar Beach or Beach No 3, and Vijaynagar Beach or Beach No five that are famous for boating and photography.
Do plan for Snorkeling, Swimming, Seaplane Riding when on tour to Havelock Island.
Book your Havelock Island Beach Tour Package from traveldealsfinder and choose from some of the fantastic Beach Packages by Frip Factory, Silver Sand Resort Havelock Island Holiday Packages, Holiday Makers, Bindass Holidays, Arzoo and many more.


text:
A new survey suggests that 80 per of young Canadian women use editing apps from the age of 13 to change their appearance before posting selfies online. The survey was commissioned by the personal care brand Dove as part of its ongoing project for self-esteem. The company’s message of “no to digital digital distortion” is made concrete in its own advertising where the people featured appear “as we would see them in real life.”
Dove says the pandemic has increased the time young women spend online and their exposure to “completely unrealistic beauty ideals.” Digital distortion is gaining ground, says Firdaous El Honsali, director of global communications and sustainability at Dove. “Resorting to editing apps to digitally distort your image and obey unrealistic canons of beauty can weaken the self-esteem of young people. Dove wants to make the population aware of this problem and offer tools to parents and educators to help them promote healthy use of social media among young people.”
Two-thirds retouch photos before posting
The study found that 80 per cent of 13-year-old girls have downloaded or used an app to change their appearance in photos. Two-thirds of young girls try to retouch or hide at least part of their body or a feature of their face before posting a photo. Of girls with low self-esteem, 59 per cent regularly retouch their photos before posting and 37 per cent of young girls say they don’t look good enough without editing their photos.
Young girls agree that if the images on social media were more realistic, they would feel more confident. Two-thirds say that if this were the case they would not feel judged by their appearance. The same proportion would be less concerned about their physique and 63 per cent would like the world to attach more importance to who they are and less to what they look like.
Help offered online
Dove says these results show the need to “help young girls derive positive benefits from social media by making it more about self-expression and less about the quest for validation.”
To that end, Dove has created a video to illustrate the problem. And it invites people to visit its site to download a Self-Confidence Education Kit. It also offers tips for talking about selfies and invites people to express their views on various social media platforms.
For the purpose of this campaign, Dove has teamed up with superstar Lizzo, a Grammy-winning multi-platform superstar and advocate for self confidence. Her message: “People are grappling with their image and self-confidence more than ever. This is amplified by the increasing pressure to show off a distorted digital version of ourselves, reinforcing the idea that our beauty in real life is not good enough or worthy of being loved. That’s why the Dove Self-Esteem Project and I want you to have a discussion about selfies with a young person you know. It happens to young people all over the world, so let’s talk about it. “
Dove video on Selfies


text:
In the realm of sexual wellness, achieving and maintaining peak performance is a goal shared by many. For individuals grappling with both erectile dysfunction (ED) and premature ejaculation (PE), this quest for satisfaction can often feel like an uphill battle. However, there exists a potent solution that promises to unlock the secret to lasting performance: Super P Force. In this blog, we’ll delve into the intricacies of Super P Force, exploring its dual-action formula, benefits, and how it unveils the path to fulfilling intimate experiences.
Understanding Super P Force:
Super P Force is a groundbreaking medication that combines two powerful ingredients – sildenafil citrate and dapoxetine – to address both ED and PE simultaneously. Sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient in Viagra, is a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor that enhances blood flow to the penis, enabling firmer and longer-lasting erections. Dapoxetine, on the other hand, is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) that delays ejaculation, allowing for greater control over ejaculation timing and extended sexual activity.
The Dual Action Formula:
What sets Super P Force apart from other medications is its dual-action formula, which targets both the physical and psychological aspects of sexual dysfunction. While sildenafil citrate works to improve erectile function by increasing blood flow to the penis, dapoxetine acts on neurotransmitters in the brain to delay ejaculation and prolong sexual activity. This combination of effects allows individuals to experience enhanced performance, prolonged pleasure, and increased confidence in the bedroom.
Benefits of Super P Force:
Improved Erectile Function: Super P Force effectively treats ED, enabling men to achieve and maintain erections suitable for sexual activity.
Delayed Ejaculation: By delaying ejaculation, Super P Force allows individuals to prolong sexual activity and enjoy more satisfying intimate encounters.
Increased Control: Super P Force gives individuals greater control over their sexual performance, leading to enhanced confidence and satisfaction.
Convenience: With Super P Force, there’s no need to juggle multiple medications for ED and PE. This all-in-one solution simplifies the management of sexual health issues.
Using Super P Force Responsibly:
While Super P Force offers numerous benefits for individuals struggling with ED and PE, it’s essential to use this medication responsibly and under the guidance of a healthcare provider. Follow the prescribed dosage instructions, and be aware of potential side effects such as headache, flushing, and nausea. Additionally, avoid combining Super P Force with alcohol or certain medications, as this can increase the risk of adverse reactions.
In conclusion, Super P Force unveils the secret to lasting performance in the bedroom by addressing both ED and PE with its unique dual-action formula. By enhancing erectile function, delaying ejaculation, and increasing control, Super P Force empowers individuals to enjoy fulfilling intimate experiences and achieve peak performance. However, it’s crucial to use Super P Force responsibly and consult with a healthcare provider to ensure safe and effective use. If you’re ready to unlock the secret to lasting performance, consider discussing Super P Force with your doctor and embark on a journey to greater sexual satisfaction and confidence.


text:
MARTINSRIED, Gremany & MUNCHEN, Gremany—MorphoSys AG and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) have entered into a global agreement todevelopand commercialize MOR103, which is MorphoSys's proprietary HuCAL-derivedantibody against GM-CSF, which has concluded Phase I/II development in mildtomoderate rheumatoid arthritis.
Under the terms of the agreement, GSK will assume responsibility for allsubsequent development and commercialization of MOR103. As part of theagreement, MorphoSys receives an immediate upfront payment of €22.5million.On achievement of certain developmental, regulatory, commercial andsales-based milestones, MorphoSys would be eligible to receive additionalpayments from GSKof up to €423 million. All told, this comes to as much as $577 million potentially, not including the potential for tiered, double-digit royalties onnetsales.
"This transaction is a major milestone for MorphoSys. Our goal was tosecure anagreement with a company having the commitment and expertise to turn MOR103intoa successful drug, and in GSK we have clearly found such a partner. We hopethisalliance will result in a significant return on investment for the MOR103program and to become a major value driver for MorphoSys," said Dr.SimonMoroney, CEO of MorphoSys AG.
"Today's announcement clearly illustrates our ability to take proprietaryprograms from target to clinical proof of concept and an attractivepartnership.The preclinical and clinical data we have generated show that MOR103 hasthepotential to offer new treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis. We alsobelieve that this molecule has potential in other indications as well. I'mdelighted that with this agreement, MOR103 will progress to the next stageinits development," added Dr. Arndt Schottelius, chief development officer ofMorphoSys AG.
MOR103 has concluded a Phase I study in healthy volunteers and a Phase I/IIclinical trial in mild to moderate rheumatoid arthritis patients.Additionally,MOR103 is currently being evaluated in a Phase Ib dose-escalation safetystudyin multiple sclerosis.
As a result of the transaction, MorphoSys increased its financial guidancefor2013. MorphoSys expects revenues of approximately €68 million to €72million (previously €48 million to €52 million)
SOURCE: MorphoSys/GSK news release

domain: economics


(last updated on 5/2/2013)
AOL Users: if the problem email list error says 'username IS NOT ACCEPTING MAIL FROM THIS SENDER', then you have set AOL Mail Controls and AOL is blocking our messages to you.
America Online (AOL) has some features and functionality that can sometimes inadvertently block this (and other) sites.
AOL contains a facility called Mail Controls. Mail Controls allows you to block all mail originating on the Internet to your AOL account. If you set this control, we will not be able to send you your registration confirmation message, nor will we be able to answer your requests for help or technical support. You will not be able to receive email from winning bidders or persons you have bought items from.
To unblock Internet mail to your AOL account, please go to AOL and enter the keyword: MailControls. You must turn off Mail Controls or else you will not be able to receive email from us, nor from any sellers you buy from or buyers you sell to.
If you do not do this, we cannot send you email messages and you will not be able to use this site.
GunBroker.com has been classified as a restricted adult site by AOL. You must change a setting in your AOL browser to be able to access us. Thanks to Blakely3 for this info! To do this:
Registration Problems: If you are unable to register, or do not receive a registration confirmation, please send us a message at: support@GunBroker.com. Please let us know whether the problem was during registration or the confirmation process. If you got an error message, please let us know what the message said.
- Enter My AOL
- Select Preferences
- Select WWW
- Go to Security
- In the box labeled "zone" select "Restricted Sites Zone"
- Change security from High (Default) to medium. This will still warn you with a dialog box asking you if you are sure every time you send or receive something from what AOL considers a "Restricted Site".


text:
Black Steel Knife
Best Buy customers often prefer the following products when searching for Black Steel Knife.
Browse the top-ranked list of Black Steel Knife below along with associated reviews and opinions.
- Model: HDB601
- SKU: 5830707
Nice knife set...Nicely made set of knives....Much firmer than the Farberware knife set I had....I would recommend these for the price I paid.Prep recipe ingredients with this 14-piece Hamilton Beach cutlery set. It includes essential blades such as utility, bread and chef knives so you can attack any cooking project, and everything is kept organized in a rubberwood veneer block. This Hamilton Beach cutlery set comes with full-tang stainless steel blades for years of use.
Equip your kitchen for food preparation with this 22-piece Hamilton Beach cutlery set. It comes with a rubber wood veneer block for safe knife storage, and its honing steel lets you sharpen the blades when needed. This Hamilton Beach cutlery set includes eight steak knives to help dinner guests slice their meats.
- Model: HDB602
- SKU: 5830702
Find the right tool for preparing ingredients with this 14-piece Hamilton Beach cutlery set. It includes a pair of kitchen scissors to easily cut poultry and fish, and its six steak knives serve as dining utensils for slicing cooked meats. The rubber wood veneer block of this Hamilton Beach cutlery set provides safe organization.
- Model: HDC601
- SKU: 5830705
Simplify food preparation with this 14-piece Hamilton Beach stainless steel cutlery set. Included steak knives make serving grilled or broiled meats more convenient, and the cooking knives make dicing, chopping, slicing and trimming easy. This Hamilton Beach stainless steel cutlery set comes with a wood block to keep your knives organized.
- Model: HDA601
- SKU: 5830706
- Model: 80-TC07
- SKU: 8444125
Great knife...Sharp knife...This is the best knife purchase that I have ever made cut everything like butter wonderful knife...This is a quality knife that doesn't seem to rust and is very sharpPrepare meals with the help of this Top Chef 80-TC07 utility knife that features an ice-tempered stainless-steel blade with a precision-sharpened cutting edge for reliable cutting ability. The nonslip handle helps provide comfort during use.
- Model: 80-TC04
- SKU: 8444143
Great Set...Good value...When it arrived (free shipping to my front door) I was very impressed with the quality of the blades and comfort of the handles....Great Knife SetComplete a variety of food preparation tasks with this Top Chef 80-TC04 9-piece knife set that features ice-tempered stainless-steel blades for precise cutting action. The wood block allows simple organization and storage of the knives.
- Model: 80-TC10
- SKU: 8444055
Love these....great price...I was weary of the quality when I ordered them but I have been using them for a month and love them....this is a great set my family love it, I recomendedThese Top Chef 80-TC10 steak knives are constructed of ice-tempered stainless-steel for durability and feature nonslip, full-steel handles to offer cutting comfort. The laser-etched logo provides a sleek look.
- Model: 80-TC02
- SKU: 8444064
Great knives...Best knives that I've owned....Top Chef - Santoku and Paring Knife Set - Steel This Top Chef 80-TC02 knife set features a Santoku knife and a paring knife to help you accomplish a variety of food preparation tasks....Good purchase I would recommendThis Top Chef 80-TC02 knife set features a Santoku knife and a paring knife to help you accomplish a variety of food preparation tasks. The full-steel, nonslip handles help ensure comfort during use.
- Model: 80-TC01
- SKU: 8444134
Good value...Good knife...The knife seems to be made of great quality, but I haven't gotten the chance to use it yet...Its a good quality knife that cuts great.Enjoy precise cutting action with this Top Chef Santoku 80-TC01 knife that features an ice-tempered stainless-steel blade for durability. The laser-etched logo provides a sleek look.
- Model: 80-TC12
- SKU: 8444189
Great set...Sharp knives!...You can't get the knives out of it if you place it under a cabinet as they sit too straight....I love this knife set!This Top Chef 80-TC12 15-piece knife set includes cooking knives and 6 steak knives to suit a variety of tasks. The stainless-steel blades ensure reliable cutting.
- Model: 80-TC03
- SKU: 5493763
Awesome knives!...So easy to use, great quality.Slice, chop or julienne quickly with this Top Chef 80-TC03 knife set, which features a 3-1/2" paring knife and 5" and 7" Santoku knives with ice-tempered stainless-steel blades for quick, clean cuts. The hollow-ground design reduces sticking.
- Model: 80-TC11
- SKU: 8444161
Love it!!...Love the knife set....Extremenly sharp, looks great and even has a sharpener.Chop, slice and more with this Top Chef Santoku 80-TC11 5-piece knife set that features ice-tempered stainless-steel blades for reliable sharpness. The wood block allows simple organization of the knives on a countertop.
- Model: 80-TC2-SET
- SKU: 8444204
The person love it.Prepare ingredients and grill a meal with the help of this Top Chef 80-TC2-SET barbecue and knife set that features a multipurpose spatula to open bottles, tenderize meat and more. The stainless-steel construction helps enable lasting use.
Prepare meals like a professional chef with this 15-piece Cuisinart knife set. The stainless steel blades contain molybdenum and vanadium for maximum strength, and the V-Edge remains ultrasharp after use. This Cuisinart knife set comes with scissors for easy snipping, a sharpening steel to keep blade edges sharp and a handy wooden block for storage.
- Model: C99SS-15P
- SKU: 5624429
The Normandy Collection is a beautiful range that brings style to any kitchen. Cuisinart adds innovative lines, looks, and textures to its expanding collection of cutlery block sets. Modern blade surfaces, unique textured handles, and a selection of both knife styles and block styles let consumers choose you cutting tools that fit their kitchen décor as well as your personal cooking styles.
- Model: C77SS-19P
- SKU: 6262215


text:
Ligne Embroidered Lumbar Pillow
Traditional crewel embroidery celebrates heritage techniques with a beautiful scalloped design on the Ligne Lumbar Pillow. The tonal color scheme offers a modern, updated style, while the textured surface is perfect for layering in any space.
Details + Dimensions
Face/Back: 95% Linen 5% Cotton
Fill: 95% Feather + 5% Down
26”W x 14”H

domain: artistic


text:
After five months of nonstop fiscal fights, state lawmakers have finally gone home — hopefully for the rest of the year — leaving behind a slew of new taxes and millions in budget cuts. That’s about the worst possible outcome, but it should surprise no one.
Herewith a final installment of 2016’s “Da Winnas and Da Loozas.”
1. House Republicans — For the first time in a while, House Republicans are truly a functioning caucus. They warned Gov. John Bel Edwards not to call a second special session right away. They told him he would not get everything he wanted — and they kept their promise. The House GOP leadership found its legs in this latest session, but the caucus also exposed its Achilles heel: House Republicans voted to cut TOPS, which is popular among their own constituents. Also, they’ve proven they know how to say “no” to taxes, but can they find the will to say “yes” to real fiscal reform next year? That remains to be seen.
2. Individual Taxpayers — They were spared any income tax hikes when the House declined to adjust the rates or tinker with itemized deductions, which is bad news for long-term fiscal (tax) reform but good news for middle-income taxpayers and folks earning more than $100,000 a year.
3. Oil & Gas Companies — Lawmakers passed a bill that rewrites the formula for calculating corporate income taxes owed by large companies — but only after amending the measure to exempt “integrated” oil and gas companies from the new calculations. Integrated oil and gas companies are those involved in every step of oil and gas from extraction to final sale. Here’s the kicker: The lawmaker who offered the amendment — Rep. Jim Morris, a Republican from (where else?) Oil City — couldn’t explain it beyond saying that it would help oil and gas companies. That was good enough.
The U.S. Senate showdown between incumbent Mary Landrieu and challenger Bill Cassidy is not the only hotly contested race on the Dec. 6 ballot. Several other local races are providing almost as many fireworks as the Senate shootout. Here’s a look at some of them:
• The PSC Race — The most interesting match-up on the local scene is the runoff for the District 1 seat on the Louisiana Public Service Commission (PSC). The five-member commission regulates public utilities, and while its meetings are not watched closely by most voters its decisions affect virtually every citizen and business in the state. Two Republicans of very different stripes face each other in the runoff.
Incumbent Eric Skrmetta has been on the PSC since 2009 and is the utilities’ go-to guy on the commission. He gets most of his campaign money from those utilities, and that has become a flashpoint in this election. Challenger Forest Bradley Wright formerly worked for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a consumer advocacy group based in New Orleans. Wright gets much of his campaign money from solar energy companies, which are not regulated by the PSC but do compete with public utilities.
Wright pulled off something of an upset in the primary, narrowly leading Skrmetta by a 38-37 percent margin. Third-place finisher Al Leone got 25 percent and is backing Wright in the runoff.
Is it the sex, or is it the hypocrisy? I keep asking myself that question when I think about U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister, R-Swartz, who will forever be remembered as “the kissing congressman” for being videotaped in a passionate lip lock with a 33-year-old aide who also happens to be the wife of a longtime friend.
This story hurts on many levels, but the hypocrisy is what riles me most of all — and there’s plenty of it to go around, at all levels of both political parties.
As for the sex part, well, that’s as old as the Holy Bible, which a legislative committee voted to make the official state book three days after the video of McAllister’s make-out session went viral. Coincidentally, another Louisiana House committee voted a day earlier to decriminalize anal and oral sex. Hmmn.
Freeing the sodomites while we embrace the Good Book sure makes us look, um, morally confused, but hypocrisy too is as old as the Bible. By the way, Jesus forgave the adulteress and the prostitute — but he consistently condemned hypocrites.
Which calls to mind our self-righteous governor, Bobby Jindal, and state GOP chair Roger Villere, who both wasted no time calling McAllister’s indiscretion “an embarrassment” and demanding that he resign. That prompted many, including many Republicans, to wonder where Jindal’s and Villere’s moral outrage was in 2007 when Louisiana’s U.S. Sen. David Vitter admitted to a “serious sin.” Vitter’s sin turned out to be bedding down with hookers — to the point of taking calls from a prostitution ring while voting in Congress.
Legendary bank robber Willie Sutton reportedly was once asked why he robbed banks, to which he allegedly replied: “Because that’s where the money is.”
If Sutton had been an oilman, he no doubt would have plied his craft in south Louisiana. Because that’s where the oil is. And the gas.
Sutton also would have felt right at home in the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (LOGA). Mind you, there’s nothing criminal about prudently extracting oil and gas from the marshes of south Louisiana and piping it through miles of man-made canals, as long as you have the drilling rights and valid permits.
But there is something inherently wrong, and possibly illegal, about ruining the environment in the process, particularly when state permits require restoring the marshes afterward — or at least maintaining the canals so that they don’t degrade the marshes around them.
That’s the central question in the landmark environmental lawsuit filed last July by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E) against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies. The suit claims the defendants failed to honor obligations imposed by their state permits and, as a result, contributed significantly to coastal land loss and the increased risk of flooding in southeast Louisiana.
The energy industry and LOGA are scared to death of this lawsuit. They, along with Gov. Bobby Jindal and others, have called it a money grab by greedy trial lawyers, said it was based on “bad science,” and predicted it would chase oil and gas companies out of Louisiana.
LOGA took it a step further and filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of SLFPA-E’s contract with its legal counsel. The contract includes a handsome contingency fee. LOGA’s lawsuit specifically claims the SLFPA-E suit would cause “irreparable injury” to LOGA members and have a “chilling effect on the exploration, production, development and transportation” of oil and gas in Louisiana.
Two-term at-large New Orleans Councilmember Jackie Clarkson will announce on Tuesday that she is running for the District C seat being vacated by Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmer, who announced last week that she would not seek a second term.
From the moment Palmer announced she would not run again, Clarkson's cell phone lit up with callers urging her to run — including Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Clarkson has been a staunch ally of the mayor for the past four years and often refers to him as "the best mayor I've had the pleasure to serve with." The plan, according to a source close to Clarkson, is for Landrieu to formally endorse her at her announcement on Tuesday, along with a group of civic, business and community leaders.
In running for the District C seat, Clarkson will be returning to her roots. Her first foray into elective politics came in 1990 when she won an open election for that seat. She lost a bid to keep that seat in March 1994 to state Rep. Troy Carter, but then won Carter's state House of Representatives seat in a special election in the autumn of that same year. She captured the District C seat again in 2002, then lost her first bid for an at-large council seat in the spring of 2006.
When Oliver Thomas resigned from the Council in the midst of a bribery scandal in the summer of 2007, Clarkson won the special election to succeed him that November. She has held that at-large seat since.
Clarkson easily will be the front-runner in District C, and her entry could keep some others from running — though the Feb. 1 primary is sure to be contested. The only other announced candidate thus far is former judge and one-time mayoral candidate Nadine Ramsey. Qualifying runs this week from Wednesday through Friday.
The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E) meets this Thursday morning to consider scuttling — or doubling down on — its environmental lawsuit against 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies. One of Gov. Bobby Jindal's new appointees, lawyer Joe Hassinger, has said he plans to introduce a motion to suspend the suit. It didn't take him long to pass his "litmus test" for Jindal and "coastal czar" Garret Graves.
But Hassinger may have a conflict of interest that will prevent him from even participating in the debate, let alone making or voting on the motion to suspend the lawsuit. That's because he works at a law firm — Galloway Johnson — that boasts of its big-shot clients in the energy industry. Hassinger is a "director" (read: partner) in the Galloway firm, which means that any conflicts that the firm may have are legally imputed to him. The firm's web site lists Hassinger's areas of practice; they include "environment."
Hassinger's potential conflict doesn't end there. His brother, Tim Hassinger, also is a firm director at Galloway — and Tim practices in the area of energy law.
Under state law, an "appointed member of a board or commission who recuses himself from voting pursuant to [state ethics laws] shall be prohibited from participating in discussion and debate concerning the matter. See La.R.S. 42:1120.4(B). A related section of state law (R.S.42:1112) provides that conflicts of interest extend to matters that involve immediate family members and entities in which the appointed official is "an officer, director, trustee, partner, or employee."
WWL-TV's Paul Murphy had the jump on this story today at 5PM. You can see it HERE.
Team Jindal claims that Galloway does not represent any of the 97 energy companies named as defendants in the SLFPA-E lawsuit, which begs the question on several counts:
• Even if Galloway does not represent any of those companies at present, did it ever represent any of them?
• If, as claimed on its web site, Galloway is a major player in the legal representation of energy companies, it's hard to imagine that the firm did not ever rep any of the major players named in the suit — or that the firm won't one day seek to represent such companies.
• What about other energy companies that may have partnered with any of the defendants named in the suit. It's common practice in the Oil Patch for companies that might otherwise compete with one another to joint venture or partner up. There's that much money to be made.
Sometimes I can’t write about just one topic because there’s so much going on at once. This is one of those times.
In state politics, the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry (LABI) has a new leader — one with close ties to Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Locally, the “nominating committee” charged with vetting applicants to serve on the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E) appears, sadly, to be towing the governor’s line against the reappointment of John Barry.
And if you ever doubt that one person can make a difference, check out blogger C.B. Forgotston (forgotston.com), who has made state funding for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) a hot-button issue.
LABI’s New Leader — When LaPolitics Weekly broke the news that former Jindal aide Stephen Waguespack had the inside track to succeed Dan Juneau as LABI president, it raised eyebrows. LABI under Juneau was the most influential lobby in the Capitol.
There were times when the business group had more stroke than the governor. LABI’s opposition to Jindal’s “tax swap” plan (to replace the state income tax with the highest combined sales tax rate in the nation) effectively killed the controversial proposal.
From the moment the regional flood protection authority filed an environmental lawsuit against nearly 100 oil and gas companies, members of the board have been the targets of intense political pressure from the governor, his minions and state lawmakers. Now, finally, some are starting to push back.
The lawsuit, filed in late July, seeks to make 97 oil, gas and pipeline companies pay their share — and only their share — of the costs of restoring lost wetlands in southeast Louisiana and protecting metro New Orleans from the increased threat of flooding. Those costs are a direct result of thousands of miles of oil and gas canals carved out of south Louisiana’s wetlands over the past 80 years. The oil industry admits this much; it just wants taxpayers to foot the bill.
Given that the suit could surpass the Tobacco Litigation in damage awards and legal impact if it goes to trial, it’s understandable that the energy industry — through its lapdog, Gov. Bobby Jindal — would pull out all the stops to quash the litigation as quickly as possible and by any means necessary. Jindal and his coastal czar, Garret Graves, want the flood authority’s president and vice president, Tim Doody and John Barry, removed from the board. The terms of both men have expired, but they can be reappointed. The political pressure in response to the suit has been relentless and, until recently, one sided.
Last week, two prominent voices defended both men and the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E) against Jindal’s attacks: former Gov. Kathleen Blanco, who supported levee board reforms in the wake of Hurricane Katrina; and Ruthie Frierson, founder of Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans, which initiated the grassroots push for levee board reform after the storm.
Garret Graves, who chairs the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and advises Gov. Bobby Jindal on coastal issues, took to Twitter in recent days to continue his boss’s campaign to scuttle the lawsuit filed against oil and gas companies by the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East (SLFPA-E). The flood authority sued 97 energy companies, seeking damages and reparations for decades of coastal land loss. Jindal and Graves were the first to take up Big Oil’s case.
Graves, tweeting as @garretgraves, blasted the flood authority’s lead counsel in the lawsuit, local environmental lawyer Glad Jones, on July 23. “For atty Gladstone Jones to say the Corps’ funding of Katrina levee repairs absolves them of coastal loss liability is ignorant,” Graves tweeted.
Later that same day, he took another shot at Jones: “Gladstone Jones is so out of his league. Has no business litigating coastal issues with such irresponsible statements.”
Actually, Jones is one of the most successful environmental lawyers in the state. He previously won the state’s largest coastal loss case, collecting more than $100 million in damages from Exxon and Noble Energy on behalf of client Bill Dore, who was oilman of the year on several occasions while serving as the founder and largest shareholder of Global Industries, a publically held oil service company located in Sulphur, La.
Jones also successfully sued Exxon on behalf of residents of the tiny town of Grand Bois in the 1990s. Since then, he has litigated environmental cases across the country. Jones’ other environmental clients include former Gov. Mike Foster, who is no friend of trial lawyers. Foster filed a legacy lawsuit for damage to his property in St. Mary Parish.
Emerson once wrote of a political poseur, “The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.” I thought of that quote when I noticed that the two biggest losers of the just-ended legislative session — Gov. Bobby Jindal and Mayor Mitch Landrieu — were the first to claim victory after adjournment sine die. Their self-congratulatory press releases hit my in-box literally minutes after the final House and Senate gavels fell.
The lads doth protest too much, methinks.
The 2013 session was unusual in many respects. It produced some of the oddest political bedfellows in memory. With few exceptions, this year’s session also lacked big ideas. The few bold initiatives that did get floated mostly got shot down in short order — starting with the governor “parking” his ill-conceived tax-swap plan. Truth be told, Jindal’s plan was never really in gear. And soon after he retreated on that front, he pretty much stayed on the sidelines for the duration of the session.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. As is our custom after a legislative session, before we pick the bones of the losers we first must pay homage to …
1. The Fiscal Hawks — They began as an ideological band of GOP outliers. Formally organized as the Louisiana Budget Reform Campaign, the hawks initially focused on budget reform, challenging Jindal’s use of one-time money to balance the budget year after year. They gained traction when the annual Southern Media and Opinion Research poll showed the governor with lower voter approval ratings than President Obama, then broke into full gallop when Jindal pulled down his tax-swap plan on the session’s opening day. They reached out to Democrats and the Black Caucus to cobble together a House majority, and when the governor disengaged from the process after “parking” his tax-swap plan, they filled the power void by rewriting the administration’s proposed budget.
As the session wore on, the hawks showed their mettle. When the Senate, as expected, put the budget back into a form more to Jindal’s liking, they stood their ground (with their new allies) and, for the first time in memory, brought both the Upper Chamber and the governor to the bargaining table.
The hawks also won key concessions on future budgets. Their tactics galled “mainstream” Republicans, but the hawks believe they stood for genuine GOP values and rediscovered the party’s fiscal compass. Along the way, they gave the Legislature something it hasn’t seen in generations: real independence. They also imparted a valuable lesson to anyone who happened to be paying attention: compromise and coalition building get a lot more done than name-calling and ideological gridlock. They also imparted a valuable lesson to anyone who happened to be paying attention: compromise and coalition building get a lot more done than name-calling and ideological gridlock.
I maybe sometimes tell my tourists that he is actually Count Jacque Saint-Germain....
The location of the festival seems like it should have been mentioned in the article.
her wiki is pretty interesting: https://www.everipedia.com/mikiagrawal/
This is unfortunate - this employees' sexual harassment claims were already disproven by a third…
My ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) symptoms started out with a "foot drop" on my left…
My ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) symptoms started out with a "foot drop" on my left…
Best donuts in town!
What a great series and cool concert series! I hope it brings revenue and attention…
Musiclover66, that's just flat out wrong on so many levels. Darwin's 'eye quote' is probably…
Random extracts: 'Darwin on the Origin of Species', Edinburgh Review, 3, 1860, pp. 487-532. Published…
The Theory of Evolution, as put forth in "On the Origin of Species", has no…
LOL, Kennedy got 67% of the vote, I doubt his supporters care very much about…


text:
Watch Taylor Swift Perform ‘As Tears Go By’ With the Rolling Stones
Well, our prediction of Taylor Swift performing 'Brown Sugar' or 'B---h' with the Rolling Stones was totally wrong. The '22' songstress joined the legendary rockers on stage in Chicago for a performance of their 1965 track 'As Tears Go By,' -- a song about crying, something WAY out of T. Swizzle's wheelhouse. Are you picking up our sarcasm?
Taylor was indeed living a piece of Rolling Stones history last night, not only was she on stage with the band on their 50th anniversary tour, but the song she accompanied them on has a special place in their lengthy discography. The song 'As Tears Go By' was the first original song Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote as a team. Pretty cool for Ms. Swift!

domain: celebrity


text:
Crazy old me has decided to visit Thailand this weekend.
Going to check out the cosplay community there, enjoy some good food and hopefully take some nice pictures as well. I made a To-Do list so I hope I can cover all the things during the 3-4 days visit.
No new shoots as I am busy clearing up things for Chinese New Year. See you around! :)

domain: geography


text:
2nd issue of the motion interactive "choose next panel" comic3.95 / 5.00 18,967 Views
Stealth goes in every field AGAIN!3.88 / 5.00 13,157 Views
Kill a shitload of ninjas, fair enough?3.89 / 5.00 36,857 Views
A simple version of the classic cave avoiding game. Click the mouse to go up, releasing the mouse will make you descent. Enjoy!

domain: game


text:
What is a sinus infection?
A sinus infection (sinusitis) occurs when cavities around the nasal passages become inflamed. It is a fairly common condition that affects millions of people around the world. When the cavities located near your nasal passages get inflamed, you experience symptoms very similar to a common cold.[1,2] However, if you have a sinus infection, your symptoms tend to last longer than those of a common cold. While signs of a sinus infection last for roughly ten days, chronic sinusitis can continue for 12 weeks, or even longer.
Home remedies for sinus infection (sinusitus)
Usually, sinus infections tend to clear up on their own. Antibiotics seldom help in case of sinus infection since these are either caused by a virus or by an environmental trigger such as secondhand smoke. However, many home remedies can help you recover from a sinus infection. Let’s take a look.
1. Nasal Irrigation with a Neti Pot
Nasal irrigation is one of the most efficient home remedies for relieving nasal irritation and congestion caused by sinus infections. Saline irrigation involves flushing your nasal passages with a simple saline solution that can be prepared at home. This can be done either with a neti pot, or with squeeze bottles, or bulb syringes.[4,5]
A neti pot is the most preferred way of irrigation. This is an inexpensive device that looks like a pot or lamp. You can purchase a prepackaged saline mixture, or you can make your own by dissolving one teaspoon of pickling or sea salt in one pint of sterilized or filtered water. It is best to avoid using table salt since they tend to contain additives. You can also add a pinch of baking soda to this mixture.
To rinse your nasal passages:
Stand over a sink so that the water does not fall on the floor.
Spray, pour, or squirt a healthy amount of the saline solution into one of your nostrils while tilting your head to allow it to slow out of the other nostril.
Repeat it with the other nostril.
This method also ensures that any bacteria and irritants in the nasal passage get flushed out.
Nasal irrigation is known to be beneficial for alleviating the symptoms of sinus infections. However, it is vital to thoroughly clean the neti pot after each use to prevent bacterial growth. You should best avoid water straight from the tap as it may contain bacteria that can further irritate or infect your sinuses. If using tap water, make sure to boil it first.
2. Proper Hydration
Whenever a person is unwell, it becomes essential to keep the body well-hydrated. When you have a sinus infection, it becomes necessary to drink lots of clear fluids. This intake not only keeps you hydrated but also helps loosen and thin out the mucus to clear congestion.
Here are some excellent choices of beverages to have when you have a sinus infection:
Hot water with honey, lemon, or ginger
Chicken broth or soup – chicken soup is especially beneficial in sinus infections, and a study done in 2000 found that it helps decrease inflammation that accompanies colds and sinus congestion.
Non-sugar added juices
It is best if you avoid having tea or coffee, sugary drinks, and alcohol. These beverages dehydrate your body further, clogging up the already inflamed airways of your lungs with thick mucus, aggravating your symptoms.
3. Have Spicy Food
Spicy foods like horseradish, hot peppers, wasabi, curry, and mustard are believed to help clear the sinuses and excess mucus. If your taste buds crave spicy food, you can also try a mix of horseradish or cayenne pepper with cider vinegar or lemon juice to open up the nasal passages. If you cannot tolerate spice, you can opt for having antibacterial foods like onions, ginger, and garlic. Adding these to your meals will help you fight off any bacteria causing the sinus infection. Adding raw honey will also give you an extra boost to fight off the infection. Honey is rich in antioxidants and has potent antifungal and antibacterial properties.[13,14]
4. Steam Inhalation
Taking in a whiff of steam from a pot of hot water or sitting inside a bathroom with running hot water to take in the steam can benefit your sinuses. Inhaling steam helps in a sinus infection by relieving the congestion as it thins and loosens the mucus. You can also add camphor, menthol, or eucalyptus oils to the hot water to help soothe your sinuses and relax the body. Eucalyptus oil is known for its antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties that help the body fight against the infection.
While taking steam from a pot or bowl, make sure you place a towel over your head to trap the steam inside. Continue doing so until the steam starts to dissipate. Even though there is not much evidence showing that steam inhalation is an effective treatment for sinus infections, many people report experiencing relief from their symptoms.
5. Use Essential Oils
Essential oils like eucalyptus can help clear the sinuses and loosen the mucus. A study discovered that the primary ingredient in eucalyptus oil, cineole, cut down the recovery time for people with sinus infections and helped them breathe easier. To help with sinus symptoms, eucalyptus oils should be used externally on the chest or temples. You can inhale it through a diffuser as well by adding the oil to boiling water.
6. Load up on Vitamin C
You can consume vitamin C in many forms, such as supplements, juice, or get it from citrus fruits to boost your immunity. Many studies have shown that vitamin C help boosts the body’s immune system and is especially helpful when you suffer from a cold or a sinus infection.[17,18] Vitamin C has been found to help fight off a sinus infection faster, decrease inflammation of the sinuses, and cut down the duration of a cold or sinus infection symptoms.
Sinus infection can take its sweet time to overcome. It is essential to get plenty of rest to allow your body to fight off the infection. While home remedies such as the ones discussed here are typically sufficient to help you tide over a sinus infection, if you notice that your symptoms are getting worse, call your doctor at once or head to the nearest hospital. If you have a sinus infection that lasts for eight weeks or longer or you frequently get sinus infections, it might be a sign that you have chronic sinusitis, which may need to be managed with prescription medications.


text:
Labella to City Council members: Attend session, pass SB 3
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella has asked the Cebu City Council members to attend the regular sessions and officially hold a quorum so that the council may decide on important matters of the city.
In an interview with CDN Digital over the phone, the mayor expressed disappointment that the council was not able to hold a regular session last Wednesday, June 3, 2020, because only two members and Vice Mayor Michael Rama were physically present in the session hall.
He urged the councilors to attend the sessions because this is their main duty as elected officials and many of the city’s decisions and transactions depend on them.
“That is your main duty as councilors to attend the session,” he said.
Among those that need to be tackled is the Supplemental Budget Number 3 (SB 3) worth P3.2 billion that has been stuck in the council for two weeks now, and has been deferred again to June 10, 2020 due to the failure to hold a session last Wednesday.
“We really need the SB 3 because it contains the hazard pay for our front liners and the budget for the second tranche of our aid to affected residents,” said the mayor.
The mayor encouraged the councilors to already be present in the next session and tackle the backlogs of the council’s agenda, especially the SB 3. /bmjo
Subscribe to our regional newsletter
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.


From May through mid-August, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invited photographers and nature lovers to submit their best photographs taken on the Tony Florio Woodland Beach Wildlife Area and the adjoining Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) near Smyrna.
Hunters in Delaware can start their 2021/2022 hunting season Wednesday, Sept. 1 with the opening of mourning dove, archery and crossbow deer, and resident Canada goose hunting seasons, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today.
Occurrences of a mysterious songbird illness and mortality event have decreased in the state to the extent that the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has lifted an advisory issued in June asking that the public temporarily discontinue use of bird feeders and baths.
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control in partnership with the Delaware Division of Public Health have launched new web pages to educate the public about ticks, including where they are found, how to identify different types and what precautions to take before and after exposure to ticks, as well as information about tick-borne pathogens.
State and federal wildlife experts and wildlife rehabilitators are investigating reports in at least six mid-Atlantic and central states, including Delaware, of sick and dying songbirds stricken by an unknown disorder characterized by swollen eyes with crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs such as erratic flight and stumbling.


text:
Ask an Expert
Gardening has grown by leaps and bounds in 2020, and it’s not slowing down. Recent upticks in working from home, strong home sales, and sustained interest in gardening itself point toward continued growth in the months ahead. But as a savvy gardener, you want to stay on trend. Whether your goal is to hunker down in your own lush retreat or to buy or sell a home, understanding garden trends will help you plan and purchase better and improve your gardening skills. To learn more about what’s on the horizon, we enlisted the expert advice of Katie Dubow, president of the award-winning lawn and garden public relations agency Garden Media Group.
New Plant Releases
Each spring, growers release new plant cultivars for sale in garden centers. Many of these plants are brand-new extensions of existing plant lines, with enhanced features like new flower colors or better disease resistance. Some of these new plants exhibit never-before-seen characteristics, such as a dwarf growth habit or new fruit color. When asked which new plant releases she most looks forward to seeing in garden centers in 2021, Dubow shared these:
• Encore Azalea has a well-earned reputation for bringing lush and long-lasting azaleas to market, and their spring 2021 new releases are no exception. Autumn Starburst is a playful bicolor bloom that layers coral patterns on white margins. Autumn Majesty pairs bold purple color with soft ruffled blooms.
• Midnight Cascade from the Bushel and Berry Collection is the first hanging basket blueberry on the market! White bell-shaped flowers in the spring lead to an abundant summer crop of blueberries. The ripe fruit is packed with antioxidants and aromatic vanilla flavors, and the foliage has hints of red that will darken in the fall weather.
• Syringa New Age Lavender It's a new age for lilacs! This compact, well-behaved lilac from Bloomables finishes faster than others on the market. It produces fragrant flowers in the spring, is resistant to mildew, and displays attractive foliage throughout the season.
Safe and Convenient Garden Shopping
Garden centers had to make lightning-fast changes in their operations last spring. In 2021, look for the continued availability of conveniences like home delivery and curbside pickup. As for selection, Dubow says, “Garden centers will offer fewer products, but those with more quality. People will be able to buy in bundles—for instance, pollinator gardens, shade gardens, and so on, for easier ordering and supply-chain management.” Other conveniences we’ll begin to see include wider shopping lanes, more ready-made gardens, mobile in-store checkout, and virtual shopping.
More Home-Grown Food
Spending more time at home, and spending more of that time cooking, has led to a renewed interest in food gardening. “Home food growing is a huge trend—that iconic Victory Garden is on everyone’s mind,” Dubow reports. “And for parents who have kids learning from home, growing edible plants is covering snack time, physical education, and science class in one fell swoop! Bushel and Berry’s collection, which includes blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, is a culinary crowd-pleaser, and because these small plants grow well in either containers or the landscape, they’re a great option for different home garden settings.”
Related: 10 Biggest Vegetable Gardening Mistakes
Vibrant Backyard Habitat
Gardeners desire safe backyards. They want some grass for play, but they want the rest of the yard arrayed with a variety of plants. Major concerns include eliminating the use of toxic chemicals and making the space safe for family, pets, and pollinators. According to Dubow, “People are shifting away from ‘dead’ landscapes filled with mulch and plants for decoration, to co-creating with nature. People are looking for functional and beautiful landscapes.”
Improved Quality of Life
Gardening is a wonderful way to manage stress and enhance wellness, and this past spring gave many the opportunity to reconnect with their gardens or nearby green spaces. In 2021, gardening will continue to provide a creative outlet. There will be a lot of interest in cultivating a backyard oasis, whether people are heading back to the office or continuing to work from home. Dubow explains, “Yards need to be Zoom-background ready, hands-on learning zones to keep kids entertained, and space for adults to unwind as well.”
Related: Pro Tips: Square Foot Gardening
Today’s new gardener is a backyard aficionado, interested in growing food, expanding backyard activities, and improving wellness. While some amount of lawn space will remain important for outdoor enjoyment, new gardeners seek to go beyond grass, looking for native plantings that support wildlife and setting aside space to grow vegetables, herbs, and fruit. As well, they want to use fewer synthetic chemicals, relying instead on natural processes to build a healthful outdoor living space. With such an assortment of goals, how will new gardeners learn the ropes?
According to Dubow, as they have in the past, new gardeners will start by asking family and friends. “The over-the-fence model is stronger than ever,” Dubow says. “But community groups online are also great sources of information. Joining a local gardening group will not only give you important regional tips, but connect you with local people who love to garden, and you might even score some free plants.”
Gardening in the city has been on the rise for years. So what’s on the horizon for 2021? As Dubow notes, “We’re seeing some of the most cutting-edge garden innovation coming from urban gardeners. Garden influencers are really pushing the limit of what people think is possible in a small space.” Among the up-and-coming trends: Urban gardeners are building “garden rooms.” Houseplants have become the background of choice for virtual meetings, and demand for them will continue to rise. Vertical gardening products will help gardeners use small spaces more efficiently, as will new container-compatible varieties of berry bushes and other edibles.
Related: The Best Plants for Every Room of the House
Last spring and summer, interest rates dropped and house hunters turned into home buyers, with gardening space being one of the hottest selling points. The explosion of work-from-home employment combined with the increase in homeownership triggered a spike in first-time gardeners. Industry experts like Dubow anticipate 80 percent of last year’s first-time gardeners will give it a go again in 2021.
Which leads us to another trend that Dubow points out: “With the boom in gardening, gardeners and elected officials alike are surprised to encounter long-standing rules on things like temporary greenhouses and replacing lawns with native plants. But states and communities are taking a second look at some of these policies in light of major public interest in gardening, so the year ahead will be important for increased approvals and movement in this arena.”
D-I-A (Do It Again)
Gardening and DIY go hand in hand. Just as the increase in time spent at home inspired many folks to start gardening for the first time in 2020, experienced gardeners took on more ambitious projects. In times like these, both DIYers and industry professionals are busy. As Dubow puts it, “You’ll see people adding new raised beds and creating outdoor rooms. But there are still times we rely on an expert. Have a big tree you need caring for? Certified arborists will be important to evaluate and treat an issue.”
In 2020, gardeners experienced shortages in seed supplies. Favorite seed varieties were sold out online, and store seed racks were riddled with empty slots. Now is the time to start planning. According to Dubow, “Seed companies could not keep up in 2020, and early indications show the same will be true in 2021. I’ve already seen people placing orders, seed websites keeping people updated on their stock, and high demand for spring.”
Related: The Best Gardening Gloves
If you have the money to hire a handyman for every household woe, go ahead. But if you want to hang on to your cash and exercise some self-sufficiency, check out these clever products that solve a million and one little problems around the house. Go now!