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Being a journalist is a pretty thankless job. Especially those who report on war and conflict or disasters, these intrepid reporters risk their lives to bring us the stories. In the case of this past weekend's volcanic eruption on Mt. Ontake, journalists scrambled to the scene to report on the situation. Or, most of them. Some took the path of least effort and leapt at the chance to do some "reporting" from the comfort of their own home, through social media.
The surprising eruption of Mt. Ontake came suddenly and seemingly without warning on Saturday, September 27, 2014. This can clearly be seen by a tweet made from near the peak of the mountain a mere minute before the eruption.
"Enjoying Mt. Ontake alone (^^)"
While @enari_'s 200 twitter followers were obviously very worried for the safety of their friend, news reporters jumped at the chance for an "on the scene" comment.
@setori_ 朝日新聞社会部の中野と申します。現場のお近くにいらっしゃったとのことですが、おけがはございませんでしょうか。無事をお祈りしております。もし連絡が可能な状況でしたら、当時の様子を教えて頂けないでしょうか。もちろん、ご無理のない範囲で結構です。よろしくお願い致します
— 中野寛/Hiroshi Nakano (@hiroshi_nkn) September 27, 2014
The questionable Tweet translates as follows: (Note: The Japanese uses an extremely polite form of the language, keigo.)
"Hello, my name is Nakano and I work for the Asahi Newspaper. As you are right next to the scene of the eruption, have you been hurt? I pray that you are safe. If you are able to send out a message, could you share your situation now? Of course, any information within reason is sufficient. Thank you very much."
Seems pretty bold, huh? If the reporter had taken a few tweets to confirm @enari_'s safety and reassured that help was on the way, details of the situation on the mountain would likely have been forthcoming. Then again…the mountain you were on just blew up.
Criticism has been swift for this journalist, and even though he stated he was worried about @enari_'s welfare, it's still fairly transparent the angle he was going for.
And it wasn't only Asahi Newspaper that approached this Twitter user for an exclusive, other interested parties including TBS and NHK (whose tweet has since been deleted) also requested information.
@setori_ さま。TBSテレビ『Nスタ』(公式)です。お怪我はありませんか?大変な状況のところ恐れ入りますが、御嶽山に関して掲載された写真をお借りしたくフォローをお願い致します。
— Nスタ(TBSテレビ) (@nst_tbs6) September 27, 2014
"This is TBS TV's "N Suta". Do you have any injuries? We are sorry to impose on your terribly difficult situation but, please let us use photos related to Mt. Ontake that were uploaded."
The TBS tweet didn't even sugar-coat its request.
As of September 27, 8:00pm JST, there were more than 6,000 people following the account. Thankfully @enari_'s has notified all followers and said that they got off the mountain safely, but due to the amount of negative Tweets, deleted their account.
In situations like this, it is commendable for people to find new ways to reach those affected, but perhaps a little sensitivity is needed. Our first responsibility should be the safety for all those involved.
What do you think? Was this a case of reporters going too far? Or were they just doing their job? Let us know in the comments.
Other pictures of the eruption:
https://twitter.com/mori____mori/status/515706795797381121 https://twitter.com/mori____mori/status/515726159368044545駐車場の様子。 pic.twitter.com/y5NAOOG4dE
— 頭頂薄 (@rougannekoze) September 27, 2014
Source: Grape, Grape
Image: Twitter (@mori____mori), Twitter (original uploaded by @enari__), Twitter(@rougannekoze)

subset: commoncrawl


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An HD security camera for just $60
Tend Secure's $60 Lynx Indoor camera has some neat features for a very low price.
At $60, Tend Secure's Lynx Indoor is the least expensive security camera I've ever reviewed.
The Lynx is available in the UK; pricing converts to about £45.
It isn't sold in Australia (yet), but would be roughly AU$80 at the current exchange rate.
It's a small, unassuming camera that you can place on a table or mount to a wall with the included hardware.
The base isn't ideal for flat surface installations, though.
One side of the base is open, so the camera can shift unexpectedly.
Design quirks aside, it's a pretty neat little camera.
The Lynx offers 1080p HD live streaming, 7-day free event-based cloud storage -- and best of all -- facial recognition.
Add pictures of friends and family in the related Tend Secure Android or iOS app and it will alert you when it sees (or thinks it sees) that person.


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When a traumatic event occurs, the first emotions we tend to experience are shock and horror. Reality itself may seem to be suspended temporarily, but once we realize the magnitude of the trauma, our shock may give way to grief. As devastating as traumatic grief can be, it's the first stage in the healing process.
Even our grief has been transformed by the trauma the COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted. Safety measures to prevent the deadly coronavirus have disrupted the normal grieving process in some of the following ways:
- The inability of families and communities to perform the cultural rituals for lost loved ones increases the likelihood of survivors suffering from depression and anxiety.
- Health care workers on the front line of the battle against COVID-19 are often the only people who can be with the victims in their last moments.
- The need to stay separate from family and friends prevents people in mourning from receiving the love and support they need, leading to potentially long-term mental health impacts.
Understanding the connection between unexpected trauma and grief helps mental health practitioners provide the guidance and support that will help families and communities heal from the ravages of COVID-19. Never before has social support and the role of mental health counselors been more needed to help people learn and implement the coping strategies for traumatic grief.
What Is Traumatic Grief?
What is traumatic grief? It's a reaction to a traumatic event that lasts longer than is typical or that affects the person who is coping after a death or other event more deeply than is typical.
Emotional and psychological trauma strikes people in the aftermath of exceptionally stressful occurrences. Trauma is described as evoking feelings of insecurity and helplessness. People who are traumatized experience a jumble of emotions and memories that may leave them feeling anxious, numb, disconnected or distrustful.
Traumatic grief occurs after an unexpected loss, such as the sudden death of a loved one. The typical grieving process may be accompanied by post-trauma survival mechanisms that could complicate and prolong the healing process. The mechanisms may include fear, fight-or-flight (hyper) responses or freeze (hypo) responses.
How Traumatic Grief Differs from Other Forms of Grief
Grief is an unfortunate but natural part of life. We grieve when we lose a loved one, when a long-term relationship ends and when experiencing other forms of loss. In most cases, the loss is expected or foreseeable, such as the loss of an aged parent to illness. However, when the loss is unexpected, we experience trauma as well as grief, which can interrupt, exacerbate and prolong the usual grieving process. Overcoming traumatic grief often requires counseling from a mental health professional or other professional assistance.
Effects of Traumatic Grief on Individuals, Families and Communities
In the aftermath of a disaster such as the COVID-19 pandemic, most people can return to the way they functioned before the event. However, many people will experience negative feelings and emotions immediately after the calamity. In some cases, the ill effects on the mental health of survivors will persist for an extended period.
Common reactions adults and children experience after a disaster include:
- Having trouble falling or staying asleep
- Feeling sad, depressed, moody, irritable or hyperactive
- Feeling numb
- Feeling tired
- Having trouble eating or overeating
- Having trouble focusing
- Avoiding social contacts and usual routines
- Misusing alcohol or other drugs
Very young children may cling tighter to their parents and caregivers, be frightful or throw tantrums. School-age children sometimes become more combative or isolated; they may struggle with schoolwork.
There are many ways COVID-19 has strained the usual grieving process along with resources communities can tap to mitigate the damage:
- Patient isolation prevents families from saying goodbye to loved ones.
- Funerals and other mourning rituals are disrupted or prevented entirely due to social distancing requirements.
- Mental health professionals haven't been trained to respond to disasters such as COVID-19, leaving communities unprepared.
Fact sheets and video presentations are available from many sources to help mental health counselors and other health professionals assist clients struggling with COVID-19 issues.
Traumatic Grief Resulting from National Crises
Traumatic grief due to the pandemic is unlike that experienced by people who have lost a loved one in other natural disasters or national crises. Deaths from tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires and other natural events are typically accompanied by massive damage to property. The full scale of the economic, social and public health damage resulting from the slow-moving catastrophe of the pandemic won't be known for many years. Communities across the country may respond to the mental health repercussions of COVID-19 for years afterward.
How COVID-19 Impacts Mental Health
The pandemic has affected everyone, but in many cases, the added stress and uncertainty the outbreak has caused has worsened existing mental and physical health conditions. Adults and children can easily be overwhelmed by these feelings. Being concerned about the safety and well-being of our loved ones is natural, but sometimes that worry can get out of control.
In the months after the pandemic struck, 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. experienced symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder.
- In June 2020, the weekly average of people reporting such symptoms was 34.5%.
- In July 2020, the weekly average was 40.1%.
- From January to June 2019, the weekly average was 11%.
The Challenges of Providing Mental Health Care in Times of National Crisis
Following are some of the challenges faced in combating COVID-19 and other natural disasters:
- The typical adjustment period after the traumatic loss of a loved one is six to 12 months, but anything that interrupts the normal grieving process can extend the adjustment period.
- People can become stuck in the grieving process; this condition is called complicated grief and can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental illnesses.
- Deaths occurring in intensive care units (ICUs) and other hospital settings are more traumatic for family members — a situation made worse by grieving in environments impacted by COVID-19 restrictions on in-person gatherings.
Strategies for Building Mental Health Resilience During a Crisis
There are many simple ways for people to cope with COVID-19 stress and tend to their emotional health during this time.
- For health care professionals, be aware of the potential for vicarious trauma or compassion fatigue as a consequence of witnessing the trauma and distress from COVID-19.
- For workplaces and businesses, be aware of the symptoms of stress, and communicate health and safety information clearly and frequently.
- For parents helping children and young adults, try to maintain routine and continuity in learning and health care; take every opportunity to make children feel safe and secure.
Resources on Traumatic Grief
- The Disaster Distress Helpline provides links to crisis support services and COVID-19 emergency response information.
- Trauma and Grief resources cover helpful topics, like Will My Child Bounce Back from the Coronavirus Crisis?
What Is Mass Trauma?
Mass trauma occurs when a group of people is affected psychologically after experiencing a shared traumatic event. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes mass trauma in that it causes people to feel the world they live in isn't safe. The outbreak has taken a physical and mental toll on much of the population that hasn't been infected by the virus, causing symptoms mirroring those of PTSD and other mental illnesses.
How Mass Trauma Relates to COVID-19
The APA states COVID-19 will worsen existing mental health conditions for many people and cause new mental health problems for many others. The organization recommends medical researchers and clinicians prepare mental health diagnostics, prevention and outreach efforts coordinated with local health care providers. The goal is to quickly develop and test interventions for mental distress due to COVID-19.
How Mass Trauma Affects Mental Health
The following are among the conditions that mass trauma and concern about COVID-19 may cause in people:
- People may be on guard or act defensively beyond what would be typical behavior for a given situation.
- People may have more frequent negative thoughts and feelings.
- People may suffer sleep problems and lapses in concentration.
- Children may pick up some of these negative behaviors from their parents or other adults.
Short-Term Impact of Mass Trauma on Mental Health
In the immediate aftermath of mass trauma, all witnesses are likely to experience stress reactions that eventually subside, usually within weeks or months, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). However, people with specific risk factors are more susceptible to severe responses, including depression, anxiety and PTSD.
The VA lists the risk factors that may cause serious short-term mental health problems following mass trauma:
- Severity of exposure and proximity to the damage from the disaster
- The presence of preexisting conditions such as neuroticism
- Lack of social support and other social and community resources
Long-Term Impact of Mass Trauma on Mental Health
The type of social isolation and loneliness resulting from COVID-19 restrictions have been linked to increases in mental and physical illnesses, as well as reduced life spans. Mental health risks are also associated with increased worry and stress in older adults. More workers report high stress levels due to potential job loss and income insecurity.
Adapting to and coping with COVID-19 in the long term requires resilience that protects against depression, anxiety, traumatic stress and other mental health conditions. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) describes tactics that have proven effective in building mental health resilience:
- Adopt radical acceptance of things that are beyond our control.
- Cultivate realistic optimism by focusing as much as possible on problems that can be solved, such as maintaining social distance and wearing a mask in public.
- When negative thoughts arise, reframe them to highlight a positive aspect, such as gaining the opportunity to think creatively about problems.
- Find small ways to help others, whether family members or strangers, even simply sharing a joke.
Effects of Mass Trauma on Community Health
Following an event that causes mass trauma, the rise in mental illness affects entire communities, not just the people who experienced the event firsthand. Higher levels of PTSD, depression and other mental conditions are reported throughout the impacted community.
The situation is made worse by repeated media reports and social media posts about the traumatic event. The challenge for all communities in protecting the mental health of residents is to make sure resources such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) are readily available to people in crisis.
How Mass Trauma Affects Children and Vulnerable Communities
A World Health Organization (WHO) survey on the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of mental health services found poor people and other vulnerable populations will suffer the most serious disruptions in the delivery of essential services.
- Poor and vulnerable people are more likely to experience setbacks in their mental health treatment.
- COVID-19 itself is associated with the onset of serious mental and neurological conditions; the disease is most prevalent among poor and vulnerable people.
- Poor and vulnerable people have lost their social support networks and are most susceptible to the economic distress the pandemic has caused.
- COVID-19 has disrupted an estimated 70% of children's mental health services.
Impact of Trauma on Children
The trauma many children experience as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic will have deep and long-lasting effects on their mental health. Witnessing the death of loved ones and community members lost to COVID-19 is only one reason for concern about the mental health impact of the outbreak on children.
- Children are more likely to witness emotional, physical or sexual abuse or neglect in their homes.
- Children are more vulnerable to economic insecurity, food shortages and homelessness.
- The stay-at-home order has led to teachers, pediatricians and other mandated reporters receiving a 50% decrease in the number of reports of child abuse or neglect.
Vicarious Trauma in Health Care Workers Due to COVID-19
Mental health counselors and other health care professionals have to be aware of the physical and mental risks of treating patients during and after the pandemic. A study found vicarious trauma in health care workers treating COVID-19 patients was lower in nurses on the front line than nurses not on the front line and the general public; the level of pandemic-related vicarious trauma was about the same in the latter two groups.
Symptoms of vicarious trauma include loss of appetite, tiredness, sleep disturbances, irritability, lack of focus, fear and interpersonal conflict. The researchers note most of these symptoms remain relatively minor in affected health care providers. The studies reported in Frontiers in Psychology identified specific groups of health care providers who appear to be at greater risk of vicarious trauma from treating COVID-19 patients. For example, unmarried nurses tend to have fewer severe symptoms of vicarious trauma than nurses who are married, divorced or widowed.
- The higher level of vicarious trauma in nurses not on the front line and the general public is the result of two factors, according to the researchers:
- Most nurses on the front line volunteered to work in COVID-19 wards and received the psychological preparation to prevent vicarious trauma.
- Nurses not on the front line and the general public are concerned about COVID-19 patients and the professionals who are caring for them, while nurses on the front line are able to better sympathize with their patients and benefit from their experience with the pandemic.
Resources on Mass Trauma
- The VA's Resources for Survivors and the Public Following Disaster and Mass Violence features links to information on self-care after disasters and tools for managing symptoms that arise after experiencing trauma.
- Healing Mass Trauma — COVID-19 provides downloadable self-help guides for staying safe and maintaining physical and mental health during the pandemic.
- Guide to Coping After Mass Trauma: School Grief Counseling Techniques
How Do Trauma and Grief Relate to Each Other?
Psychology Today points out traumatic grief results from unexpected events, while other causes of grief are foreseeable, such as losing a loved one after a long illness. What is uncertain is the degree of unexpectedness leading to the trauma. Fear plays a greater role in traumatic grief because the event comes by surprise and causes a person's world to be thrown off its axis.
Differences and Similarities of Grief and Traumatic Grief
Many of the physical and mental responses to grief and traumatic grief are the same:
- Trembling or muscle weakness
- Nausea or loss of appetite
- Difficulty breathing or sleeping
- Feeling empty or numb
However, when trauma complicates grief, a person's symptoms may include feeling a loss of safety or security. A fixation on the loss can dominate the person's thoughts. The person may become bitter and envy those not affected by the loss, or may no longer find enjoyment in some favorite activities.
How an Unexpected Death Triggers Traumatic Grief
The four types of problems that may arise after the unexpected death of a loved one include:
- The trauma causes a sense of unreality or leads the person to avoid any reference to the traumatic event.
- The shock of the event postpones the start of the normal grieving process, or conversely, the person becomes stuck in the grief stage and can't move past the overwhelming feelings of sadness.
- The person becomes angry at themselves or others, magically thinking self-punishment will bring the lost loved one back.
- The person has persistent feelings of fear in anticipation of future traumatic events, sometimes perceiving threats where none exist.
The Connection Between Traumatic Grief and PTSD
People who suffer a traumatic loss are especially susceptible to PTSD. They may also experience panic disorder and depressive episodes that persist long after the usual grieving period. These are among the symptoms of PTSD:
- Anger, tension and irritation
- Heart palpitations, sweating and hyperventilation
- Flashbacks to the traumatic event
- Avoiding any reference to and emotions surrounding the event
- Feelings of guilt or self-blame
- Persistent negative thoughts
What Is Complicated or Prolonged Grief?
Prolonged grief differs from depression in that the person typically becomes fixated on the lost loved one. Also called complicated grief, the condition occurs in about 1 in 10 people who suffer the traumatic loss of someone close to them. If left untreated, the grief can last indefinitely, causing sleeplessness, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and impaired immune-system response.
How to Distinguish Traumatic Grief from PTSD
While traumatic grief and PTSD share some characteristics, such as disbelief and avoidance behaviors, the two conditions differ primarily in the former's focus on personal loss.
- Traumatic grief is associated with a deep longing for the lost loved one.
- PTSD is more closely tied to a sense of overwhelming fear and loss of control.
- When a loved one passes away, we lose the neural reward activity the person created, so the sense of loss is due in part to the disappearance of that reward activity.
- When a person experiences trauma, a fight-or-flight response is triggered, causing physical fear responses difficult to overcome.
Resources on Trauma and Grief
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network features information on the effects of child trauma, interventions and resources for parents and health care providers.
- Federal Occupational Health provides links to resources intended to help adults and children cope with trauma and grief and assist in building resilience to both.
Stages of Grief
The model for the five stages of grief that Elisabeth Kübler-Ross developed in 1969 was based on her work with terminally ill patients, but it also applies to the grief people experience following a traumatic event such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The model has been used to help people recover from such traumatic events as substance dependency, divorce or the end of a long-term romantic relationship in addition to overcoming the traumatic grief caused by the death of someone close.
Five Stages of Grief
While most people going through the grieving process will experience all five stages in order, others may not feel all five or may experience them in a different order. Mental health counselors must be aware everyone processes grief uniquely, so the stages of grief should be considered as guidelines to help determine the best course of care for an individual.
Someone who experiences grief may initially refuse to believe what happened. For example, after receiving a terminal diagnosis, a patient may insist the lab results were mixed up or when learning of a loved one's death, the patient may hold out hope the victim was misidentified. This is a natural defense mechanism that can help people cope in the short term, but the healing process can't begin until the person acknowledges the reality of the situation.
The initial response after acknowledging the event is to feel upset about the unfairness of it. People may look for others to blame as their grief is transformed into anger at loved ones or caregivers. As with denial, anger can be an important part of the grieving process in the short term, allowing people to process the news at their own pace and to express their legitimate emotion rather than suppressing it.
Once the anger subsides, the person may attempt to make a deal with God under the false hope a way to negotiate out of the situation exists. Much of the bargaining is motivated by guilt because the event results from something the person did or didn't do.
Grief and depression go hand in hand; the feeling of emptiness that follows the realization of the traumatic event's consequences may lead to a sense of numbness or vagueness. The person may avoid contact with friends and family and may retreat from their normal routines. Suicidal thoughts may also arise at this stage of the grieving process.
The grieving person ultimately finds acceptance in the final stage of the process, i.e., the event was traumatic but the person has learned to live with it. At this point, the person acknowledges the new, post-traumatic reality not as a good thing, but as something that allows for putting the traumatic event in the past while adjusting to a new life without the lost loved one.
Resources on the Stages of Grief
- The Five Stages of Grief explains the emotions that are part of the healing process and compares the Kübler-Ross model to other models of grief and bereavement.
- There are several therapy worksheets related to grief, including ones for caregivers of grieving children, the tasks involved in mourning and an education printout on the stages of grief.
Symptoms of Grief
Diagnosing patients who experience symptoms of grief to a greater extent or over a longer period than would be considered typical begins by identifying the symptoms they exhibit or express to caregivers. In particular, complicated grief, which is sometimes called persistent complex bereavement disorder, can have serious consequences for people in mourning and their families.
How Traumatic Grief Symptoms Differ from Other Types of Grief
The symptoms of traumatic grief and other forms of grief are as follows:
- Physical symptoms include headaches and muscle aches, trouble sleeping, weakness, digestive problems, changes in eating habits and frequent illnesses.
- Mental symptoms include guilt, anger, irritability, anxiety, loneliness, melancholy, numbness and detachment.
- People suffering from traumatic grief are more likely to experience complicated grief, which may make them feel angry or bitter, stunned, or in disbelief. They also experience suicidal thoughts, feelings of meaninglessness or constant rumination about the circumstances of the traumatic event.
Symptoms of Traumatic Grief in Children
While children who are suffering grief will experience many of the same symptoms as adults, they may also exhibit distinct changes in behavior:
- Children may cling to adults more, be anxious or feel abandoned.
- Children may experience regression in their development, such as small children wanting to drink from a bottle or use baby talk.
- Children may act out or fall behind in their schoolwork.
- The way children play may change to focus on pretend dying and coming back to life.
- Children sometimes feel guilty during grief, believing the loss is their fault.
- Older children and teenagers may adopt risky behaviors, such as drinking alcohol or taking drugs.
Other Techniques for Identifying People Affected by Traumatic Grief
The APA distinguishes the symptoms of people with prolonged grief from sadness and depression:
- Prolonged grief causes people to be much more emotional.
- Prolonged grief causes people to be preoccupied with memories of the lost loved one and long for the individual intensely.
- Antidepressants don't improve the condition.
However, prolonged grief shares some symptoms with PTSD:
- Disbelief
- Intrusive images
- Behavior avoidance
Resources on the Symptoms of Grief
- Coping with the Loss of a Loved One offers a guide to identifying complicated grief, including advice for helping people who are grieving.
- The U.S. National Library of Medicine's bereavement directory including links to information on grief and loss related to COVID-19 and journal articles on prolonged grief disorder.
Coping Strategies for Grief
Recovering from the trauma of losing a loved one requires a platform for examining and understanding what has happened and how the person's life has changed. Coping strategies for grief are intended to allow people who have suffered trauma to be introspective and thoughtful about their loss. The goal is to channel the flood of emotions that are a natural part of grieving to let thoughts be considered from a different perspective. This helps prevent negative thoughts from looping through the person's mind.
Common Strategies for Coping with Grief
The following five skills can help people work through the grieving process:
- Eat a healthy diet and drink plenty of water. Even when you don't have an appetite, preparing simple foods such as soup or tea can bring comfort by feeling familiar.
- Let people know how you feel. It's common for people in mourning to avoid talking about how they feel, but finding a sympathetic ear can be a therapeutic release.
- Start a journal. If you hesitate to open up to others, express your emotions in a private journal. This helps you mark progress over time and make note of small accomplishments.
- Stay active. Swimming, weightlifting, bicycling and other forms of exercise help relax tense muscles. Even short walks and simple activities such as sweeping the walk can have benefits.
- Try using relaxation techniques. Many people who are grieving find comfort in meditation, prayer and other mindfulness practices. A technique as simple as slow, deep breathing can help calm anxiety or worry.
Explaining the Grieving Process
No two people grieve the same way. The following factors can affect how a person grieves:
- Age
- Beliefs
- Personality
- Support network
- Type of loss
People in mourning must identify behaviors that indicate the need for professional help in overcoming their grief. These behaviors include being unable to maintain a routine, having trouble completing everyday tasks, missing work, incessantly blaming themselves, and feeling worthless or that life isn't worth living. These feelings aren't part of the normal grieving process.
Counteracting the Emotional and Physical Symptoms of Grief
These steps can help overcome the physical and emotional effects of the grieving process:
- Changes in a grieving person's diet can cause digestive problems, so maintaining a healthy diet is important.
- Grieving can affect motor skills, making driving and other physical activities potentially more dangerous.
- The loss of energy accompanying grief can make the person more susceptible to illness.
Reaching the Stage of Acceptance and Remembrance
In the last stage of grief, people who are grieving allow feelings of sadness, anger, regret or depression. They have reached the point of understanding their emotions and have accepted their new world. Unfortunately, not everyone who grieves can reach the acceptance and remembrance stage due to being unable to get past one of the stages, like anger or depression.
Sources of Support for Coping with Overcoming Grief
As personal as the grieving process is, no one needs to or should go through it alone. Social support and good eating habits help people recover more quickly from a traumatic loss. The APA recommends five ways for people in mourning to reach out for assistance to help ease their pain:
- Talk about your loss with friends and family to help them understand and remember the person.
- Don't deny any of the emotions you feel; all of them are part of the normal grieving process.
- Take care of your physical health and make sure others who may be grieving are doing likewise.
- Help others who are experiencing the same feelings; this is one of the best ways to overcome feelings of loss.
- Take every opportunity to celebrate the life and memory of the person you lost.
Family and Friends
The following tips and advice can help family and friends of people in mourning understand the best way to help them through the grieving process:
- Acknowledge the person's loss and express your concern.
- Give the person a chance to talk about the loss, including how the loss occurred.
- Ask how the person is feeling, but avoid comparing the person's grief with anyone else's.
- Accept the emotions the person expresses without judgment or criticism.
- If the person doesn't want to talk, sitting with the person in silence for a while is OK.
Community Support Services
The American Medical Association (AMA) guidelines for managing mental health patients during COVID-19 recommend planning for increased workloads as the conditions of existing patients are exacerbated and new patients experience symptoms.
- Make sure established referral pathways for patients remain available.
- Find ways to communicate clear messages to patients, explaining how to recognize and respond to symptoms that may be worsened by COVID-19 fears.
- Work with patients to help them normalize stress and understand the feelings are common and treatable.
Social Media and Other Online Services
Consider the following when using social media as part of the grieving process:
- Avoid announcing someone's loss via social media; although it may be simple and convenient to do so, it can be disturbing for people who learn of the passing in that manner.
- Be conservative in the amount of detail about the death that gets posted to social media to protect the privacy of the person and the person's family.
- Avoid posting condolences the public can view and comment on; instead, use a private messaging service.
- Get the family's permission before creating a memorial page for the person.
The Importance of Self-Care for People Who Are Grieving
A personalized self-care plan can help with the grieving process:
- Understand self-care is multidimensional; every day you will feel different from the day before.
- Don't rush to forget or hold back memories. Take the time to remember and honor the person you lost.
- Whenever the opportunity arises, spend time outdoors, preferably walking or doing other light exercise.
Tips for Facing and Expressing Your Feelings
People who are grieving should make the effort to reach out to friends and family rather than waiting for them to make the call. While it can be helpful to tell them about how you're feeling, relaxing conversation on nearly any topic can be therapeutic.
In some instances, the best way to communicate how you feel about your grief is by joining a support group or by seeking the help of a mental health counselor. Keep in mind there is no single best way to go about expressing how you feel, so don't hesitate to experiment until you find the best method for you.
The Importance of Returning to a Daily Routine
The new routine will likely vary in some ways from your previous habits and activities, but it should be designed with your health and well-being in mind. If necessary, make appointments to take part in favorite activities, such as listening to music, reading a book or simply taking a bath. Be sure to include shared activities and visits with friends and family in your new routine.
Encouraging Healthy Habits and Discouraging Unhealthy Ones
A little self-indulgence can help overcome the pain of grieving, but not so much the indulgence becomes a crutch. Grieving requires you to address and process the pain you're feeling rather than running away from it. Friends, family and co-workers can play important roles in reminding you to maintain a healthy lifestyle despite the pain and sorrow you feel.
Resources on Coping Strategies for Grief
- Coping with a Disaster or Traumatic Event includes links to information about protecting your emotional health in times of crisis, as well as tips for helping children cope with trauma.
- Grief and COVID-19: Saying Goodbye in the Age of Physical Distancing explains how to mitigate the added stress of being separated from loved ones as they are dying from COVID-19.
In Times of Crisis, Look to the Helpers
National traumas are typically associated with a specific date, such as Dec. 7, 1941, or Sept. 11, 2001. The COVID-19 pandemic sometimes feels like it's happening in slow motion, but the devastation resulting from this ongoing disaster has been made all too real to millions of Americans and tens of millions of people around the world. Grieving after a national crisis the scope of COVID-19 will be widespread, long and painful.
These are the times when our attention naturally turns to the people who are dedicated to the care and comfort of others who are suffering and in need. The work of counselors and other mental health professionals will be needed in the coming months and years more than ever before in our lifetimes.
Infographic Sources:


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Kuhn Rikon Stay Clean Silicone Scrubber: The Multipurpose Sanitary Sponge
Do you love washing your dishes by hand but hate how disgusting and dirty the sponge gets? The Kuhn Rikon Stay Clean Silicone Scrubber is perfect for you! It's designed to be the last sponge you'll ever buy.
It has over 5,000 silicone bristles acting to keep your dishes clean. It also keeps itself clean—the silicone doesn't harbor bacteria like a traditional sponge. Plus, it dries faster than a regular sponge!
It lasts longer than a traditional sponge, making it more economical! Use it wet to wash dishes or other surfaces around your home, or use it dry to get lint and hair off clothes. It's safe to use on non-stick cookware and on any kitchen surface.
You can also use it on cooktops! Use soap to scrub off baked-on debris, and then wipe it dry with a cloth. This sponge will get your surfaces clean quickly and safely—it won't scratch your surfaces, no matter how delicate they are.
The best part? It's dishwasher safe, making it easy to keep clean!
Available Here.
Watch the demo down below!
Where To Buy
Kuhn Rikon Stay Clean Silicone Scrubber
Available in several colors


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Each cutting-edge home has an organization of force conveying live wires. This organization permits you to drive your cooler, PC, TV, and whatever else that has a fitting. When your electrical framework works appropriately, you won't need to re-think anything. Notwithstanding, assuming that your wiring is old or defective, you might be left in obscurity.
You probably won't understand if your home requires electrical wiring fixes. This article will examine why an electrical wiring fix is so significant and why you ought to summon an electrical technician right. Learn all about the benefits of electrical repairs in St Paul, MN.
- Circuit Separation
Keeping things separate regarding controlling your house is quite possibly the savviest thing you can do. Assuming your power went out while your microwave and hair dryer was on, you could know why.
Separate circuits permit you to associate powerful machines independently to keep from over-burdens while running them simultaneously.
- Improved Versatility
Orchestrating a room is one of your primary difficulties while moving into another spot. Assuming you utilize many gadgets, you'll find that the outlet position directs most of your room plan.
With scarcely any power source, it could be challenging to connect all that you want while staying agreeable. You might wind up in a circumstance where you want to charge your PC on the opposite side of the room since there is no sitting spot.
- Added Benefits
Briefly, think about what's to come. Maybe you have a new position, want to be nearer to your family, or your heart is set on another city. This involves migrating and selling your home.
It would help if you got the most cash out of a deal to be as agreeable as conceivable anywhere you go. You might lose some worth assuming your home's electrical framework is obsolete.
- Diminished Fire Hazard
Electrical flames are startling. If your house is in harm's way, you might wind up in a frenzy, scanning the web for "electrical wiring fix close to me" for electrical crisis help.
- Prevent fires
Electrical flames ought to be kept away from, no matter what. Assuming you are worried about electrical flames, electrical fix organizations can assess your home for possible risks and make fundamental fixes.


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Keeping a healthy work/life balance at home
Working full-time remote is a bit different from the occasional home office. With this ugly virus going around and forcing a lot of employees to stay home, I'd like to share a couple of tips for a healthy work/life balance and avoiding isolation.
1. Separate office space (and time) •
One can occasionally work from home at the kitchen table or from the sofa, but for any more than a day or two, this just doesn't cut it. There needs to be physical separation of work and non-work, so we can switch off after we've left the office. So we can leave the office. This is extremely important both to keep focused at work, and to be able to switch off after.
If you have a study or guest room you can use, use it — otherwise, simply nominating a chair to be your 'work chair' can make a huge difference. Also, avoid checking anything work-related from your personal computer, and outside of working hours. If you have to do work stuff at unusual hours, go to your designated office space to do it, so you know you are working, not spending hours 'just checking something quickly'.
If you share your home with someone, make sure they know about your working hours and your working spot, and respect it. For me, it helps a lot that we say goodbye in the morning before "going" to work, and say hello after work when we "get home". We also let each other know if we will stay at work longer than usual.
2. Make sure you're comfortable, the good way •
I don't mean sitting on a couch, with the laptop in your lap. That's a prime way for getting repetitive strain injury[1]. Ask yourself: "Would this be comfy for watching Netflix?" If the answer is yes, it's not for extended work.
Sit at a desk or table, use cushions if your chair is not comfortable, and try to change your setup if something hurts. If you have an external keyboard, use it, and put some books under your laptop to bring the screen closer to eye level.
3. Stay in touch with the team •
Speak to people often. Video calls, with the camera on, should happen ad-hoc, without requiring a calendar invite. Respect others' focus times of course, and from your side, try to be available as much as possible.
Make it clear for everyone when you are available. Don't rely on just being online on Slack, instead, say hi in the morning and say goodbye in the afternoon. No Irish goodbye! Similarly, let the team know if you'll be unresponsive for more than 5 minutes or so (e.g. "Need some head space, will be on dnd for an hour", "Will have lunch now", or "Off for a coffee break, back in 15"), and make use of Slack statuses.
But the biggest loss when not sharing an office is the lack of watercooler talk. You can still do that: ask someone if they want to share a coffee break with you, pick up the phone, and just chat about whatever comes up.
4. Take regular breaks •
It's easier (for me at least) to get really, really lost in work in the quiet of the home. Pomodoros help because they remind me of two things:
- I'm here to focus
- I need a break once in a while.
I use pomodoro to limit working time, not to limit breaks. Sometimes I skip a break, but never two. Some of my breaks are 30 seconds, some are 15 minutes. In the end, do what works for you best, just make sure you do take regular breaks.
5. Have pre- and post-work rituals •
Always, always put on something you would wear to work. How we dress affects how we perform, and getting dressed prepares you for leaving home, and entering office space.
Keep your regular pre-work routine as well: if you shower in the morning, keep doing it.
And, of course, make sure you get home from work. What do you usually do? Have a cup of tea, sit down in the living room? Call someone? Cook dinner? Whatever you already do, keep doing it.
Use the time gained by not having to commute. Maybe you can go for a walk before work. Read a little, catch up on your painting, writing or soap making. Keep safe 😷, and keep in touch.
RSI manifests as a pain in the wrist, forearms, neck or shoulders due to damaged tendons. Although it lead me to the very enjoyable hobby of building a keyboard, I would recommend trying to avoid it. ↩


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If an engine doesn't have fuel, it won't run. Modern vehicles use a pressurized fuel system to deliver fuel to the fuel injectors. If there is a failure of this system, your engine won't start. I can't cover every manufacturer here, but I will cover the basics of how to check for fuel if you have a no-start condition.
Browse Recommended Tools & Supplies For This Build
The first thing to check for is fuel pressure. You can actually do this quickly on many systems. When you turn the key to the ON position, the fuel pump should run for about three to five seconds and then shut off. You need to know this for your testing so you don't get fooled into thinking the fuel pump should run all the time with the key in the ON position. If the computer doesn't see a crank signal after the ignition is turned on for three to five seconds, it turns the fuel pump off. During this time, fuel pressure should build up in the system and remain for some time after the fuel pump is shut off. The information about the crank sensor can be helpful here. If you have a start/die scenario, you might want to check the operation of the crank sensor. If the computer doesn't see a crank signal it shuts off the fuel pump. If the fuel pump turns off, your engine won't run.
Some engines have a Schrader valve in the fuel rail that you can depress to check for fuel pressure. Mind you, this is a quick check for fuel pressure and should not be taken as anything other than a verification that there is some pressure in the system, although it might not be enough to run the engine. Some engines won't start unless they have an exact fuel pressure; if it's low by just a couple PSI, the engine won't start. So by no means should you consider this test anything other than a verification that the fuel pump can or can not turn on and move fuel. If you don't see any fuel spray at all when you open the fuel system, then you can start looking into the fuel pump circuit to see what the issue is. Here's a video illustrating what I'm talking about using a Honda vehicle that does not have a Schrader valve on the fuel rail.
For checking the fuel pump circuit, first start by checking the fuel pump fuse. Fuses are often overlooked and they shouldn't be, as they are probably the most common cause of electrical faults. Next, there is likely a relay that controls fuel pump operation that should also be checked. Instead of going into lengthy explanations of how to do this stuff, this video explains the process.


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November 18, 2016
University researchers contribute to national meat and poultry surveillance
A team of researchers at Kansas State University will survey antimicrobial resistance in meat and poultry products in retail stores across the state.
Victoriya Volkova, assistant professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology, recently received funding from the Food and Drug Administration to survey antimicrobial resistance in meat and poultry products in retail stores across the state.
Volkova and her team at Kansas State University will conduct the retail sampling as part of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System, or NARMS.
The researchers will drive across the state purchasing meat and poultry products. Upon arrival to Kansas State University, the products will be tested to see if they have foodborne pathogens such as salmonella and determine if these pathogens have antimicrobial resistance. Brian Lubbers, director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory in the Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, will advise planning and management of the laboratory work.
"If we see certain resistant bacterial types in food animals, do we see them in meat products, and then do we see them in humans?" Volkova said. "We will examine whether there is any cross-scale development of resistance between the three groups: livestock, retail meat products, and people with infections."
The FDA selected popular meat and poultry products based on average consumption per person. Kansas State University researchers will sample pork chops, ground beef, ground turkey and chicken. Volkova applied to add Kansas to the study, which already includes more than a dozen states, because of Kansas' standing as a major animal-producing state.
Volkova said her research includes two important pieces:
• As a part of this FDA-funded project, Volkova proposed developing a database of resistant bacterial types in livestock, retail meat products and people with foodborne infections in the state. The livestock data are supplemented with information from the studies of T.G. Nagaraja, distinguished professor of diagnostic medicine and pathobiology. Sheri Tubach, director of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Response Section of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will provide aggregate data on human infections. After this cross-scale database is developed, Volkova's team will analyze resistant patterns common among the livestock, meat products and people.
• Volkova and Tubach committed to include graduate students in Kansas State University's Master of Public Health Program in the retail meat surveillance analysis — a partnership that not only educates future public health leaders but also strengthens the collaboration between the university's College of Veterinary Medicine and KDHE.


text: Punk's history of shilling for companies dates back to the Ramones writing three songs for Steel Reserve, and the Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten hamming it up in a butter commercial. In a single weekend, Mean Jeans wrote and recorded the Jingles Collection, an album that transforms commercial jingles into high art. The group tackles everything from "Mountain Dew," to "Coors Light," "Dunkaroos," "Pop Rocks"; and even give "180069SHRED" some love. These 23 tracks (most of which clock in at under a minute) give fans of the band everything they've come to expect from these guys: Garage style rock n' roll, with all the hooks, energy, and humor you can handle.


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We have still not heard anything about the rental offer on our house so we can pretty safely assume that that is not going to come through. Oh well, we were pretty excited about it but it is better to hold out and get a reasonable price than to buckle and commit to a long-term loss scenario now. Too bad, though, we were really hoping to be able to deal with cleaning it out and getting it ready for move-in this week. That would have made it possible for us to buy another vehicle which we really need right now. We don't actually need another vehicle as much as we need a much larger one.
Off to work early this morning. Boy is it warm. The late-spring heat has really set in here in Texas and we are in the mid-nineties all week long. I only really mind it when I am walking to and from the office. That tends to get me pretty warm. It is extra bad because there is a huge dip in between the two locations so no matter where I am going there is always a significant climb right at the end with little opportunity to cool down before arriving. There is also no shade between the two leaving me very exposed the entire time that I am walking.
The AIX crew from work and I hit La Cima for lunch today. I was there for lunch just yesterday but I do love the buffet and the chance to relax. So the three of us went and had a nice time. I get the buffet now regularly. The deal is just way too good to pass up. The dining room was packed too. Very encouraging. I also grabbed lunch for Dominica and dropped it off for her on my way back to the office. Since Liesl completely sleeps through my entire lunch period it isn't so bad when I run out to lunch with the office crowd.
My friend from work moved into our apartment building today. She is living one apartment away from being the farthest point in the building from us so she is still a rather significant walk away even though we are in the same building. She is not only the farther point horizontally in the building but as she is on the first floor and we are on the top floor she is also the maximum vertical distance from us.
Just before leaving work this evening, my friend Grey from Denver shot me an email to say that he was in Dallas for the next few days. Grey and I know each other from the SpiceWorks community and we hung out quite a bit down at SpiceWorld 2009 where we had met up at the opening night social event. He was able to escape the office around the same time as me so we had him meet us over at the club for dinner.
After work this evening I came home and then we headed right out to go to La Cima for our usual pasta night. Grey beat us by a few minutes but we coordinated pretty well. He seemed to be pretty impressed by the club. I checked and there are no ClubCorp clubs in all of Colorado, quite surprising, so this is not a type of club that he is too used to having. It was an extremely busy night in the dining room too. I actually had issues getting reservations because it was so busy. We are very happy about that – once the club is turning people away that means that they must be making money just fine and not in any sort of risk situation. The market tends to impact places like this pretty heavily so we were concerned but the flow seems to be pretty healthy.
We had a really nice time hanging out with Grey, but Liesl was pretty tired and got awfully fussy towards the later part of dinner. I took her out for a long time playing at the water fountain out front and that kept her kind of entertained but she was not very happy with that situation and was only happy while actually playing in the water and getting herself all wet with stale fountain water. Eww.
Liesl was asleep before we even made it home so it was straight off to "night night" with her. Then some Dragon Age: Origins for us and off to bed ourselves.


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How To Do A Full Turn [Steps And Exercises To Help You Improve]
Gymnastics is a fusion of several different branches of sports including dance. One of the many perks of being a gymnast is getting to be a part of such diversity along with elegance, all at once. Full turns being inculcated in gymnastics routines is proof of that.
Turns of different variations are a huge part of gymnastics, no matter the level or board that one is a part of. For this reason, it is in the best of your interest to learn to perform this skill especially if you are bigger.
Let me be the first one to admit; full turns can be extremely laborious to perform, particularly if you are not a fan of dance moves. However, with the right amount of practice and precision, you will be unmatchable when it comes to full turns.
Steps to follow to perform a full turn
Are you ready? Because you're going to need to pour your heart and soul into this skill (I promise it'll be worth it). I am going to take you on a step-by-step guide about how to do a full turn from beginning to end. On that note, let's get started!
- 1Stand in relief (a flat position from the ball of your feet to up) on your foot and keep your knee straight.
- 2Make sure to position your hips at a level otherwise it may cause you to lose your balance and get off-kilter.
- 3Your upper body should be connected with the movement of your lower body as well.
- 4Try and keep the entirety of your body on the beam (or the event that you are performing on) as it helps maintain balance as well.
- 5You may put your other less dominant foot by the knee or the ankle according to preference.
- 6Your arms should be in a crown over your head (or in front of your chest, depending on the skillset you are performing).
Once you have assumed the correct body position, the next step is the turn itself. Surprisingly, performing the turn itself is not as arduous as you might expect it to be.
You will simply need to rotate your body while holding the same position (make sure you turn in the direction that you find more dominant).
The last and most important part after completing a full turn successfully is to gain momentum and know when to finish a turn.
Through my experience, I have come to realize that this step entirely depends on how much control you have over your body which can simply and only be acquired through practice.
3 Muscles required to perform a full turn
To perform a certain skill set with perfection and elegance, you are going to have to train the right muscles. For a full turn, the following mentioned muscles are required to be in shape;
3 Exercises You Can Do at Home to Perfect a Full Turn
1) Kettlebell Exercises; let me try and communicate the importance of these exercises in the following words; as far as turns are concerned in gymnastics, kettlebell workouts are your best friend!
Kettlebell deadlift, in particular, will provide your lengths with the strength they need. However, be mindful of the fact that you don't exhaust yourself while trying to do the opposite.
2) Lunges: lunges particularly target your lower legs and core and can, therefore, be considered a treat in regards to doing a full turn. On top of that, lunges are one of the easiest yet efficacious exercises you can do at home.
If you are a beginner, I would strongly advise you to not add in resistance right away. Otherwise, the purpose of doing lunges, as an exercise, will entirely fail if resistance limits you from doing the bare minimum as well. On the contrary, if you have previously exercised with resistance and can it to your benefit, get those weights!
3) Planks: I am certain you would've heard of planks before, but you might not know how constructive they are when it comes to providing strength to your core muscles. If that is the scenario, you might want to test them for yourself and be stunned by the progress you make in a couple of days.
Drills to Perform for a Full Turn at Home
I am a staunch supporter of DIY drills because of their customized and targeted nature. However, if you haven't been able to put a finger on where you are currently lacking, you may choose from the drills mentioned below. They are sure to help you achieve your goal.
Equipment Required to Make a Full Turn Possible
Conventionally, gymnasiums are equipped with everything you might need. Nonetheless, if you are looking to buy basic gymnastics equipment, you will need the following materials for a full turn;


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Types of Gnats: What are gnats? A gnat is any of many species of tiny flying insects in the dipterid suborder Nematocera. Most types of gnats belong to the families Mycetophilidae, Anisopodidae, and Sciaridae. Gnats can be both biting and non-biting. They often fly in large swarms. These are the different types of gnats:
Highland Midge
The highland midge is a type of small flying insect, found in upland and lowland areas. In the northwest of Scotland and northern Wales the highland midge is usually very prevalent from late spring to late summer.
Culex Pipiens
Culex is a genus of mosquitoes often referred to as the common house mosquito or the northern house mosquito. Culex pipiens can be distinguished from other species by the pale-colored bands located on its abdomen.
Buffalo Gnats
Buffalo gnats are also known as black flies. These types of gnats have a humped back similar to a buffalo. They're black in color hence their other name. The male buffalo gnats feed on nectar. However, female buffalo gnats need blood to nourish their eggs. So, they swarm and bite humans and other animals.
The female black fly lays hundreds of triangular eggs in or near water. Some females will crawl below the surface to drop eggs on submerged rocks. Black fly larvae are worm-like and are normally less than half an inch long and shaped like an hourglass.
Hessian Fly
The Hessian fly or barley midge lays about 250 to 300 reddish eggs on plants during spring, usually where the stems are covered by leaves. The larvae feed on the plants and hinder their growth and prevent them from producing grain.
Dark-Winged Fungus Gnat
The dark-winged fungus gnat also known as Sciaridae is a small gnat that is grayish-black in color and grows to about 1/8th of an inch in length.
The types of gnats live for about 1 week and the female dark-winged fungus gnat lays about 100-150 eggs during this time. As their name suggests this gnat species prefer fungus and are known to be devastating to mushroom colonies and other plants as the larvae feed on their roots.
Eye Gnats
Eye gnats are non-biting. However, the adult female eye gnat is strongly attracted to moisture around the eyes and nose of humans and other animals. Not to worry though, they won't lay any eggs in your eyes.
Gall Gnats
The larvae of gall midges or gall gnats feed on plant tissue which results in an abnormal growth called a gall (hence their name). They usually grow up to be 1/8 of an inch with many being much small than that.
Sand Gnats
Sand gnats or sand flies refers to any species of flying, biting, blood-sucking pests found in sandy areas. They usually belong to the Diptera order which is made up of flies with two wings.
Phlebotomus Perniciosus
Phlebotomus is a genus of "sand flies" in the Diptera family Psychodidae. Adults are about 1.5–3.0 mm long and yellowish in color, with conspicuous black eyes, and hairy bodies, wings, and legs.
Interesting Facts About Gnats
A female gnat can lay up to 300 eggs in a single day. They are also the ones that bite and are capable of spreading infections to humans and other animals. Male gnats do not bite.
Gnats are known to feed on plants, soil, fungus, other insects, or even on blood (some females need the protein for their eggs).
Adult gnats are very small. Most are less than a 1/4 of an inch long. They can be yellowish, tan or dark brown in color. However, it's not uncommon to see other slight color variations.
You can easily identify the common gnat as they are often seen at dusk in swarms. However, these are the males of the species gathering in mating groups.
How Long Do Gnats Live?
The process from egg to adult takes about 7 days. Adults live for about 10-25 days, depending on the environment and available food. The lifespan of an adult gnat, for example, ranges between 7 to 14 days. Their life cycle is approximately a month (from egg to adult).
Where Do Gnats Come From?
Gnats come from eggs laid in unripe fruits. When the fruit rots, the larvae eat the fruit and grow into adult gnats. Gnats also enter homes through open doors or windows. Some gnats also lay their eggs near organic matter in a wet environment.
What Attracts Gnats?
Gnats are attracted to sweet scents from fruit, moisture, garbage, houseplants, and other warm, moist areas like your bathroom or kitchen.
What Do Gnats Eat?
- Fruits.
- Vegetables.
- Organic matter in a stage of fermentation and decomposition.
- Slime produced by moist, organic matter accumulates in maintained drains, garbage containers, garbage disposals, and other sources of waste products.
What Type Of Gnats Do I Have?
Gnat identification: The most common types of gnats you find in your homes are fungus gnats, fruit flies, or drain flies (phorid flies).
Why Am I Getting So Many Gnats In My House?
Gnats enter your house from the outdoors through cracks or holes in your foundation, walls, windows, or doors. Gnats often infest trash cans, rotten fruit, and other moist places where decomposing organic matter exists. They also dwell near sinks, drains, and toilets.
External Resources:
- Gnats – Types, Facts, and How to Identify | Gnat Control
- How to ID Fruit Flies, Drain Flies, and Fungus Gnats – Terro
- What Are Gnats? | Terminix
- Gnat – Wikipedia


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AltaMed Health Services creates a telenovela series for World AIDS Day
The health services provider gets creative and successfully encourages patients to get tested.
About 20 percent of new HIV infections in the U.S. are linked to Latino men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. The Los Angeles County Department for Public Health says that in 2011, 23,695 Latino men and 3,033 Latina women were reported to be infected with HIV.
AltaMed Health Services, located in Los Angeles, wanted to help reverse this trend. For its creative idea for an original telenovela, "Sin Vergüenza" ("Without Shame"), we award it the Grand Prize for Campaign of the Year (Medium Budget) in Ragan's 2013 Health Care PR and Marketing Awards. The team created a four-episode Web series filmed in both English and Spanish to encourage people to get tested.
"The Web series introduces dynamic family members who each represent a different age group, sexual orientation and marital status," according to the entry. "Each family member is at risk of contracting HIV. The Web series addresses difficult issues that families face, but also portrays the unconditional love and support that carries this family through a challenging time."
The target audience was Los Angeles area Latino men, women, and pregnant women age 13 and older. The CDC provided AltaMed with a $385,000 grant to produce the series. The first webisode was launched on World AIDS Day.
Through its media outreach, it achieved 29 popular English and Spanish-language national and local media placements, and the coverage reached about 126.2 million people.
Most important, since the launch of the webisodes, AltaMed has seen an increase in routine HIV testing in its clinic by more than 37 percent and has identified three positive HIV cases since December 2012.
Congratulations to Sandy Nesheiwat and Lauren Astor.
Want to get recognized for your hard work? Find out about Ragan and PR Daily's award programs here.
View More Health Care PR And Marketing Awards 2013 Winners.
Visit Ragan.com/Awards to learn more about awards opportunities.


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FYI: This site receives a small amount in commissions from affiliate links and third-party advertising.
Bamboo knitting needles are one of the options you might like to consider when you are deciding which type of knitting needles to use.
Whether you are just a beginner or an experienced knitter, knitting needles will always be on your shopping list. That is because as every knitter knows that you can never have too many!
I have recently started using bamboo needles, largely because I found a good supplier for the my Store and have a large number of these needles on hand.
But I have to say I am impressed.
Bamboo needles are, or should be, reasonably cheap compared to other types of knitting needle. Depending on where you buy them from, the cost of a set of bamboo needles can range from as low as a dollar or two to a price slightly higher than the other kind of knitting needles sold in craft stores.
The raw material for these needles is a grass, it is fast growing and definitely a renewable natural resource. Some sources claim that bamboo is the fastest growing plant on the planet!
In a drought-stricken country like Australia (this is the driest continent in the world), water conservation is one of our top priorities. The growing bamboo commercially for manufacture into knitting needles (or yarn for that matter) is less water hungry that many other manufacturing methods.
These needles are also biodegradable, so any broken or unwanted needles are not going to clog up our landfill like other types of needle. So if you are looking for an eco-friendly option - bamboo needles may be the best option for you.
Depending on where you purchase your Bamboo knitting needles, you should be able to buy single and double pointed needles and circular needles. I have been able to source all three types of needles and in all of the common sizes and lengths.
Because of what they are made of bamboo needles are lighter than many of the other needle types, which makes them rather pleasant to work with.
Although larger bamboo needles are quite strong, you do need to be careful when you are using fine needles. The finer the bamboo needles are, the more likely they are to break under pressure.
I have had the experience of snapping the tip off a 2.25mm needle while doing a complicated stitch!
It is also a good idea to keep a small piece of fine sandpaper hand. Being made out of a woody fibre, sometimes the needles have small splits or spurs on the points that can catch on the yarn as you slip your stitches onto the needle. It is not a huge drama and it does not happen that often.
And that small piece of sandpaper can fix the problem in a matter of seconds!
Most good retailers will have at least a small range of bamboo knitting needles in stock, but if you really want a bargain do a search on eBay for Bamboo needles from China and you should be able to buy a full set for quite a reasonable price - including the cost of shipping!
Try searching the site using the search box below:
Feb 07, 21 07:44 AM
Jan 28, 21 02:35 AM
Dec 11, 19 07:03 PM


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This agreement serves to facilitate the admission of students from the Biomedical Sciences Program (BIMS) in the Texas A&M University College of Arts & Sciences to the School of Rural Public Health in the Texas A&M Health Science Center. As students progress successfully toward the completion of the Bachelor of Sciences degree, this agreement will ensure the seamless transition of students into the masters program if the provisions and conditions below are met:
- Applicants who complete their baccalaureate degree plan will be admitted to the Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree program based on availability of seats upon graduation provided they meet all other general admission requirements with the School of Rural Public Health.
- Applicants must have a 3.0 GPA in the courses taken at Texas A&M University measured cumulatively. In cases where an applicant has a cumulative GPA of 2.7-2.9 the applicant can be considered if the GPA is 3.0 or higher for the last sixty (60) hours.
- Applicants must provide a professional examination score. Acceptable examinations are; GRE (Preferred), MCAT, DAT, GMAT, LSAT, or PCAT.
- SRPH will provide available number of seats to BIMS by January 1 for fall admission, and May 1 for spring admission cycles each academic year.
- This agreement will be reviewed on an annual basis and may be amended or rescinded by mutual written consent of both parties by issuing an addendum to this agreement.
- This agreement will commence effective date noted below with a commitment of a five (5) year period.
- This agreement is mutually exclusive of any other partnership agreement(s) entered into by Texas A&M University and the Texas A&M Health Science Center.
Craig H. Blakely , Ph.D., M.P.H.
Dean, School of Rural Public Health
Texas A&M University Health Sciences Center
Eleanor M. Green, DVM
Dean College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Texas A&M University


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For New Chromium Truck, Corplex Develops Its Own Technologies
Story Highlights
From the outside, Chromium, the newest addition to the Corplex mobile-unit family, will look very much like the successful Iridium truck that debuted in 2008. Inside, however, the truck will feature several new technologies that Corplex VP Engineering Dave Greany worked with manufacturers to develop.
New for Chromium will be the Evertz EMR router, which will mate with the EQX router, a feature that is becoming standard in truck builds.
"The EMR router wasn't ready for Iridium but will be ready for Chrome," Greany says. "That allows us to do a lot of embedding and additional MADI streams."
Greany gathered a consortium of his competitors — NEP, Game Creek, Lyon Video — and approached Wohler to pitch the idea of a powered speaker to work in conjunction with the router. The unit, which Greany designed, is similar to the SUM 8 audio utility monitor already used in trucks but will be able to decode MADI.
"Then, you would be able to feed all the speakers in the trucks with MADI streams, and it would simplify integration and give more flexibility to users," he explains. "Instead of having eight channels of audio routed to them, users would be able to select from up to 64 channels on the MADI stream. And, instead of four co-axes with eight channels of audio, you have one co-ax with 64 channels."
In addition, the audio can be daisy-chained from unit to unit, simplifying the wiring process and providing faster setup as well as the flexibility to easily add audio to secondary units, such as office trailers, edit suites, or green rooms.
"In the past, you'd have to run DT12 [cable] with 12 channels of audio or co-axes for two channels of digital audio," Greany says. "Now you're able to take in a single co-ax out of the EMR router with 64 channels of audio. You can daisy-chain it through office trailers and have all of this audio on one router. You can also put these Wohler units down, which also have an analog output, so you can use them effectively as a mixer. If people wanted to plug in some bigger speakers, they could disable the internal speakers and use the Wohler as an eight-channel mixer to mix to larger speakers."
Greany also worked with HydroThrift, a cooling-systems–design company based in Ohio, to create a new type of air-conditioner for Chromium.
"We think it's a design that's better suited to the modern-day mobile unit, as opposed to what has traditionally been put on the front of trucks," he says. "Rather than adapt something that existed before, we cleared the slate and started from scratch. I think it's going to make a dramatic difference in comfort for people and cooling for equipment."
In the new truck, all of the air handling will be overhead, instead of in the floor. That way, heat that rises will be recovered and sent back to the air-conditioner, instead of having to be driven back down to the floor. Unlike the traditional two-stage unit (two 10-ton units), the unit Greany developed is in four stages, so any failure will affect only 25% of the cooling capacity, not 50%.
"It also allows me to have a greater handle on controlling the climate in the truck because, during certain times of year, 10 tons might be too much, like if it's 0 degrees out in Green Bay," he says. "We did this at a significant expense, probably 40% more in cost, but air-conditioning is always a sore spot. We thought it was prudent to invest in something that we thought would be the right solution for our business."


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Macau is known as the small version of Las Vegas. You know what Vegas is famous about? Casinos and night parties..!! So same goes with Macau. There are various hotels which we can hop and play casinos. Some of the famous ones include Venetian, Galaxy, Sheraton and more.
Other places include Portuguese Church, Ruins of St. Paul's, Fisherman's Wharf, oldest temple of Macau- A-Ma Temple, Macau Tower – observation deck, theme park and shopping center.
A warm welcome in Hong Kong..!! You will be greeted by one our tour representative at the Hong Kong International Airport and transferred to the dazzling Macau city by ferry. On reaching Macau, you will be allotted hotel rooms, check in and relax. The remaining day is yours, enjoy the vibe and aura of the city.You can play casinos, as Macau is a mini version of Las Vegas. Can check out hotels like Venetian, Galaxy and more*.
Overnight stay in Macau.
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we will leave for the city tour. Put on your backpacks and tie your shoe laces, as we are going to explore the beauty and historical monuments of Macau city. Our first attraction will be the 17th century Portuguese church, followed by a visit to the Ruins of St. Paul's. In the afternoon, an international buffet lunch is planned at a local restaurant. Next on your list, is the first ever theme park and shopping center of Macau – "The Fisherman's Wharf". Then, we will explore the oldest temple of the city, the A-Ma temple, based on the sacred sea goddess. Later, we will head towards the Macau tower, check out the observation deck on the highest 61st level. Don't miss out to click the most beautiful panoramic view from the top.
Overnight stay in Macau.
Day 3 will be an early morning start, after breakfast, we will check out from the hotel. It will be a ferry ride back to Hong Kong. Relish the scenic beauty around and capture the beautiful moments. After reaching Hong Kong, hotel rooms will be allotted. Relax and freshen up yourselves, as you'll be picked up for the exciting and fun-filled city tour. The tour begins with visiting the well-known Victoria Peak and exploring the country side of the city, the Aberdeen Village – to visit the contrasting image of the traditional Hong Kong. You will see various jewellery shops around our visit. Then, we will do a cable car ride and explore Giant Buddha- one of the famous attractions of Hong Kong. We will get to back to the hotel, the day comes to an end.
Overnight stay in Hong Kong.
It is the most exciting and adventurous day of our tour. What more can excite you than a day spent in Disneyland..!! Yayyy we will be spending the entire day having fun with Mickey, Mini, Donald and other super cool characters, mixed with some fun-thrilled rides. Disneyland is divided into seven theme based lands- Main street, US, Fantasyland, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point and Toy Story. We will be leaving at around 8 in the morning, so that we can reach by 10 and the entrance begins at 10:30. Reaching on time will give us the entire day to be utilized. At the entrance, each of you will get your tickets. Easy pass or fast pass for the rides are on your own budget, we will not be providing them (if you need it, we can pre-buy for you). After the entrance gate, you all will be on your own (we will not be assisting you), and will see you all back at 8:30pm (9 pm is the closing time, but at closing time there is a lot of rush).
Tip: Take a Disneyland map, and plan accordingly, in order to cover most of the lands. Don't miss out on clicking bundles of pictures with the cartoon characters. You can also buy goodies from there, as there are a lot of shops and eateries around. Check out the timings before-hand for the parades. Have a good and fun-filled day in Disneyland. Get back to Hotel.
This day has been reserved for a thrilled ocean park tour. After gorging on the delicious delicacies and dishes, get ready for the ocean park tour. Pick up and drop arrangements are made. Explore the Grand Aquarium which is a home to over 400 species of fishes, enjoy the multi-sensory show – Symbio on a 360 degree. Th eday comes to an end, we will get back to the hotel.
Overnight stay in Hong Kong.
After a nutritious and healthy breakfast, we will check out from the hotel, and proceed to the Hong Kong International Airport. Board the flight for your home destinations.
Trip ends here, hope your pockets are filled with bundles of memories and happiness. Would love to greet you all again.


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I had a conversation with Lisa Featherstone of JISC TechDis recently about RSS feeds and podcasts and the fact that although those of us who know about them and use them think the technology is the bees' knees, chances are your neighbour on the street doesn't understand it. They don't know how it can enrich their lives. How did we get to the point where the RSS logo is everywhere, but so few people use the technology? We didn't have that problem with email, did we?
Maybe it's to do with RSS readers. Browsers are a way into the web, we all know that, but even then, most people don't know their Firefoxes from their Googles (What's the difference? Isn't it all just Google?). They might double-click on IE to go to Google but to them, they've just gone to Google. The fact that there are different browsers is confusing. So adding RSS readers into the mix is just asking for trouble.
Then there's the whole debate about where RSS is going. Some of the big names are starting to share less : bit.ly/QcmKIT which is a worrying trend. When I was in a training session recently, teaching the teachers how to use RSS to grab content into Moodle, they loved the idea, and could also see how useful it would be in their daily lives.
So, talking about how useful RSS is, if you don't currently subscribe to James Clay's elearning stuff podcasts, why not? An example episode here starring myself and Dave Sugden: podcast #080