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Rugby: Resolution found? All Blacks set to leave New Zealand next week – New Zealand Herald

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The All Blacks are set to leave Perth for the third Bledisloe Cup match after previously being held back on player welfare grounds.

After New Zealand Rugby controversially opted out of flying the All Blacks to Perth this week, a solution appears to have been found, with the All Blacks set to leave New Zealand next week. Liam Napier reports.

The All Blacks are likely to board a plane to Perth next week for the third, rescheduled Bledisloe Cup test against the Wallabies on September 4.

The difference between next week and last, when New Zealand Rugby sparked an outcry by pulling pin on the All Blacks travelling for the scheduled August 28 Bledisloe test in Perth, is the Rugby Championship destination is expected to be finalised by Tuesday or Wednesday.

The continued uncertainty surrounding whether Europe, Queensland or South Africa will host the four-nation tournament is the rationale NZ Rugby cited for not sending the All Blacks last Saturday.

Provided health protocols remain the same, allowing the All Blacks to travel to Perth, stay in a controlled bubble and play seven days later, and Rugby Australia can negotiate with AFL to secure Optus Stadium on September 4, the final sold-out Bledisloe is expected to be staged then.

Amid the backdrop of seething anger from Australia at the way NZ Rugby has handled the complex situation, the dead rubber Bledisloe, which doubles as the All Blacks' second Rugby Championship fixture, promises to be a tense occasion.

Like last week, the All Blacks need to leave New Zealand by this Saturday in order to land in Perth a week before the September 4 date.

Much of the context around NZ Rugby's decision to hold the All Blacks back at late notice, and force Rugby Australia to reschedule the third Bledisloe for a second time, has been overshadowed by furious criticism and some dubious claims, particularly those from RA chief executive Andy Marinos about a lack of consultation.

Sanzaar held a chief executive meeting last Thursday where NZ Rugby boss Mark Robinson flagged issues facing the All Blacks' departure, including the challenges assembling a group of 60-odd players and management from all parts of the country with domestic flights significantly reduced while New Zealand is in lockdown.

With no MIQ spots available for the All Blacks until November, once the team leaves New Zealand they cannot return until then. They, therefore, want certainty around the Rugby Championship destination before being away from home for up to 14 weeks.

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Following the Sanzaar meeting the Herald understands Robinson and Marinos spoke two further times on Friday, with the latter well aware of the 2pm deadline to guarantee Queensland's ability to host the Rugby Championship before the All Blacks were willing to fly out.

The prospect of pushing the third Bledisloe back a week to September 4, in order to allow time for the Rugby Championship situation to be resolved, was raised only to be rejected by Marinos.

As the deadline loomed, Marinos asked for three additional hours to secure a letter or approval from the Queensland Government that is still yet to arrive and Robinson made it clear that, given logisical challenges, they would not wait that long.

Having not received assurances from Queensland around the Rugby Championship, NZ Rugby took a hard-line stance to issue its statement that the All Blacks would not be travelling as planned, sparking furious criticism and suggestions from Marinos that he found out via the media.

One other factor widely overlooked is the quarantine situation facing the Springboks and Pumas. Both teams originally planned to satisfy their two-week quarantine in Sydney, where they were permitted to train during that time. As of last Friday, however, that was no longer the case with the Covid-19 situation deteriorating in Sydney.

While Perth remains keen to host the third Bledisloe they, too, aren't comfortable with the potential risks associated with welcoming the Boks and Pumas from South Africa, a Covid-19 hot spot.

Perth therefore changed its stance on staging the Rugby Championship, as had been touted.

With the Queensland State Government yet to provide assurances it is willing to host the tournament, or clarify the quarantine situation for the Boks and Pumas, much uncertainty surrounds how and where those teams will enter Australia.

NZ Rugby's move left ticket holders in Perth disillusioned, and Wallabies coach Dave Rennie "bloody angry" as, among other things, his team is now left in limbo.

The decision to delay travelling is not unprecedented, however. Just last year the Springboks pulled out of playing the Rugby Championship in Australia at the 11th hour citing player welfare. That decision had major ramifications in reducing the tournament to the Tri Nations.

Sanzaar is set to meet on Monday to determine where the Rugby Championship will be held, with Queensland and Europe essentially in a head-to-head battle. South Africa's inability to host crowds would significantly reduce revenue.

Europe is enticing for all four nations from a financial point of view and if the third Bledisloe can't be staged in Perth on September 4, there is the prospect of instead playing it at Wembley on October 9.

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Rugby: Resolution found? All Blacks set to leave New Zealand next week - New Zealand Herald

Land urchin meets sea pups in zoo. Adorable interaction is too cute to handle – Hindustan Times

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The land urchin seemed more interested in his snack than in the sea puppers! commented a Twitter user.

By Srimoyee Chowdhury

PUBLISHED ON AUG 21, 2021 07:32 PM IST

Interactions between different species, whether they are on land or water, are always a treat to watch. This video shared by Oregon Zoo on Twitter is an exact example of that. The clip features a porcupine and some seals and we bet the video will leave you smiling widely.

The recording starts with a porcupine following a zookeeper as she guides it through the zoo to reach the seal enclosure. After a few seconds, the porcupine meets a seal and then the fun begin. We wont spoil it for you so take a look at the video:

Shared on August 18, the clip has garnered over 48,000 views and several reactions. Netizens couldnt stop gushing at the interaction between the seal and the porcupine. While many shared heart emojis to show their love, others showered the comments section with awws.

That adorable wiggle and the way he munches his food! said a Twitter user. The land urchin seemed more interested in his snack than in the sea puppers! commented another.

Here are some other reactions:

What are your thoughts on this clip?

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Land urchin meets sea pups in zoo. Adorable interaction is too cute to handle - Hindustan Times

Fire at Sealands caravan park forces evacuation of guests in early hours of this morning – Lincolnshire Live

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Holidaymakers at a Lincolnshire caravan park were evacuated in the early hours of this morning after fire broke out police said.

Police along with Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue were called to a caravan park at Ingoldmells, north of Skegness early on Tuesday morning after receiving reports of a fire in one of the site's holiday homes.

Several caravans close to the scene of the fire were evacuated and the occupants were taken to emergency accommodation nearby.

Although there were no reports of any casualties or serious injuries, fire crews were reportedly remaining at the scene until at least daybreak on Tuesday.

A spokesman for Lincolnshire Police said: "We are on scene with @LincsFireRescue at Sealands caravan Park in Ingoldmells where a caravan has caught fire.

"Several caravans evacuated to emergency accommodation. This is a live incident and we will remain on scene until at least the morning. Further updates to come later today."

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Fire at Sealands caravan park forces evacuation of guests in early hours of this morning - Lincolnshire Live

Futuristics Overview of Swimming Goggles Market: Industry Insights and Forecast 2021-2027 by Speedo, Kaiman, Nike, Swedish, Technoflex, Aqua Sphere…

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Latest research report on Swimming Goggles Market Growth Analysis 2021-2027 by Affluence Market Reports provides a detailed outlook of the market with detailed info of industry drivers, restraints, opportunities, trends, and challenges. The research report covers all the necessary data regarding the market patterns of growth in the market and the factors driving this growth. This Swimming Goggles market research report offers a detailed study of an important microscopic view of the industry to define the footprints of the major players like Speedo, Kaiman, Nike, Swedish, Technoflex, Aqua Sphere Seal, and more. The leading and dominant players in the global Swimming Goggles market are intrinsically analyzed based on key factors in the competition analysis part of the study.

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Futuristics Overview of Swimming Goggles Market: Industry Insights and Forecast 2021-2027 by Speedo, Kaiman, Nike, Swedish, Technoflex, Aqua Sphere...

Tire Plugs or Tire Patches: Which Is Better? – Resident Press

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Replacing the tires on your car can get expensive. You typically want all four treads to have equal wear, and when one tire goes, you need to think about whether its safe to replace one or if its time to replace all of them. Save yourself some trouble by asking,tire plugs or tire patches: which is better? and learning which will keep you safest on the road.

After your vehicle runs over a sharp object, whether a nail or a pointed rock, it will puncture the rubber and cause air to leak out. Normally, people will see this and determine that the tire is no longer suitable for use. But by pulling out the sharp object, you can insert a tire plug into the hole to seal the damage. The plug will adhere to the tire, creating a strong bond and making your tire usable once more.

While you can insert a plug to seal a puncture, it cannot heal every wound. You cannot properly repair a hole that is too big, and it will tear again. Know what damage you can safely seal and what will require a new tire.

Patching a tire is a more involved process that requires you to remove the tire from the rim and use a die grinder to cut a two-inch diameter hole around the puncture. The patch is then pushed from the interior of the tire to the exterior, forming a strong seal.

A patch is commonly regarded as the stronger of the two options, providing better, more reliable results and a stronger tire. But the downside is that it is a very hands-on process, requiring you to directly work on your tire and manipulate it further. A patch is not as quick and easy a fix as a tire plug, but it can provide astounding results for the effort.

You cant salvage every tire; there are times when you need to know when to replace a tire. If the hole is too big or the tire is damaged too badly, you may need a replacement. Even after you know whethera tire patch or a tire plug is better, you still need to acknowledge when both arent enough. Know when you need to change your tire if your current one is no longer safe.

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Tire Plugs or Tire Patches: Which Is Better? - Resident Press

Advisory: Report Dead Birds and Remove Feeders – greennewton.org

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An illness is impacting birds in certain parts of the country. As a precautionary measure, MassWildlife is urging the public to report observations of dead birds and stop using bird feeders at this time.

In late May, wildlife managers in Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky began receiving reports of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs. More recently, additional reports have been received from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. While the majority of affected birds are reported to be fledgling common grackles, blue jays, European starlings, and American robins, other species of songbirds have been reported as well. No definitive cause(s) of illness or death have been determined at this time.

While there is always an increase in reports of dead birds at this time of year due to natural high mortality rates of young birds, MassWildlife is encouraging the public to report any observations of sick or dead birds (with unknown cause of mortality) as a precaution to help track this widespread mortality event. However, the mystery disease is not known to be in any of the New England states at this time. It is not necessary to report dead birds where strong evidence links the mortality to collision with glass or vehicles or predation by cats. Report observations and upload photos below.

SEND A REPORT

As another cautionary measure, MassWildlife and Mass Audubon are also recommending the public to stop using all bird feeders and bird baths at this time. Birds congregating at bird feeders and bird baths can transmit diseases to one another. MassWildlife, as well as other wildlife agencies in the region, recommend taking the following precautions:

At this time of year, birds are able to find plenty of natural foods on the landscape without needing bird seed. MassWildlife advises that seed from bird feeders can draw the unwanted attention of squirrels, chipmunks, turkeys, mice, rats, and even black bears. Wild animals that become habituated to human-associated foods like bird seed can become a nuisance, spread disease, and cause problems. You can learn how to attract birds to your yard naturally throughout the year using native plants. Get tips here.

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Advisory: Report Dead Birds and Remove Feeders - greennewton.org

4 Global Wellness Trends That Are Going To Be Huge – Beauty Packaging Magazine

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For many of us, looking after our health has taken on a whole new meaning self-care has come to the forefront of our priorities and we are looking to improve ourselves and live our best and most rewarding lives. Often, this has meant that weve turned our attention to other cultures and followed their lead, adopting their wellness practices into our own lives.

If youre wondering whats next? youll be happy to know that there is an abundance of global wellness trends on the horizon.

Translated as to nurture life, Yang Sheng is all about taking it slowand listening to our bodies. The ultimate aim of Yang Sheng is to create the perfect balance between mind, body, and soul.

In Yang Sheng teaching, it is taking notice of the small things in life that is the most important. The practice encourages people to work small and simple practices into their daily lives rather than tackling radical diets or impossible fitness regimes.

For example, when youre in the follicular phase (days 1 to 14) flax seeds and pumpkin seeds are recommended on the basis that they help to boost oestrogen production. After that, during the luteal phase (days 14 to 28), pumpkin and flax seeds should be swapped out for sunflower seeds and sesame seeds to help your body boost its progesterone levels.

The idea is that each type of seed will help to alleviate some of the less pleasant side effects of your period, but its all about finding the right balance for you. From finding the right tampons from your first period to eating the food that best helps relieve period pains, everyones cycle must be treated as unique. Seed cycling is just one example of how menstrual wellness trends are set to be huge.

This wellness trend originates from Japan and includes many different elements. The running theme is anything high-tech the gamer in you wont be able to resist this one!

Combining traditional ideas with innovative new techniques, J-Wellness focuses largely on community wellness and healthy ageing. Home to the second-highest number of centurions in the world (around 79,000 of its population are 100 or over) and the oldest living person in the world, Kane Tanaka, age 118 (as of 2021), theres no wonder that the rest of the world looks towards Japan when it comes to wellness and ageing.

One of the unusual features associated with J-Wellness is the use of social robots. These robots are designed to offer psychological support and improve wellbeing.

There are currently many designs being trialled in Japan. PARO, for example, is an AI-driven social robot created by Tsukubas National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology this bot resembles a furry seal and has been proven to reduce anxiety and depression by calming down dementia patients.(See the furry seal robot in the instagram post below.)

Hydrotherapy is the idea that exercising in, or simply relaxing in, water can help alleviate physical ailments such as arthritis. As well as this, natural hot springs and thermal baths (such as the famous bathhouses in Budapest), have been found to reduce stress, improve sleeping patterns, boost circulation, and health conditions.

Tourists have long flocked to the bathhouses of Budapest, but this wellness trend is becoming more and more global, giving a variety of countries an opportunity to embrace the wellness market. As they are home to natural hot springs, many Middle Eastern and North African countries have started developing their own hydrotherapy industries (including Tunisia, Algeria, Oman, and Saudi Arabia).

Delilah Kealy Roberts specializes in technology, travel and culture, and writes for many online and print publications as well as brands such asLil-lets.Lil-lets provides feminine hygiene products that operates principally in the UK, Ireland and South Africa.

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4 Global Wellness Trends That Are Going To Be Huge - Beauty Packaging Magazine

Here’s why the Huawei Freebuds 4 are the best wireless headphones to buy right now – BollyInside – BollyInside

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Most TWS earphones on the market are in-ear design, providing better physical noise cancellation with a better seal and they are also more stable as they fit better inside users ear canal

Sound quality is possibly the most important factor for most consumers to pick their earphones. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 is equipped with a 14.3mm dynamic driver, producing greater and more impressive bass sounds. In terms of bass performance, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 adopt a newly upgraded bass enhancement engine, bass tube and motherboard to form an independently sealed sound cavity.. Using the HUAWEI AI Life app, users can record surrounding sound with ease as well as Voice Mode to enhance voice pick and reduce environmental noise.

Most TWS earphones on the market are in-ear design, providing better physical noise cancellation with a better seal and they are also more stable as they fit better inside users ear canal so when we compare them to an open-fit design shows this type still has its edge. One of the major reasons for choosing open-fit earphones is its comfortable experience. Compared to in-ear earphones, open-fit earphones can provide a more comfortable experience. Moreover, open-fit earphones are now catching up in the active noise cancellation (ANC) technologies as some of them are already providing ANC features that usually only exist in high-end in-ear earphones. Looking at the open-fit earphones on the market right now, the most popular are the Apple AirPods 2, Samsung Galaxy Buds Live and the newly launched HUAWEI FreeBuds 4. So, let us compare them and find out why HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 comes out top.

Aside from the dynamic driver, the ANC technology also plays an important role. The earphones use an ergonomic simulation platform to objectively evaluate the comfort of the earphones. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 curvature and size are optimised and polished at the micro level, which fits the ears better, providing better comfort and noise cancellation thanks to an airtight seal. They also adopt a dual-microphone hybrid de-noising technology that helps improve noise cancelation. These microphones can help accurately pick up ambient noise and also features a new internal structure that can help avoid wind noise interference as well as improving sound pickup sensitivity for the internal microphone. To enhance noise cancellation effectively across different wearing scenarios, HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 are the first open-fit earbuds in the industry to uses Adaptive Ear Matching (AEM) noise cancellation technology.

Leveraging Huaweis all-scenario device ecosystem and accumulated expertise in wireless connectivity, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 bring various connection features. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 supports dual device connection with various kinds of devices such as smartphones, tablets, PCs, smartwatches, and smart TVs under Huaweis all-scenario devices. It also supports dual device connection with smart devices running on different operating systems like Android, iOS, and Windows systems, achieving simultaneous connection with smart devices of different operating systems and brands. In addition, the HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 comes with a smart interactive experience. You can effortlessly enable active noise cancellation, adjust the volume, answer calls, press play, and switch songs right from the earphone stems, with simple Swipe/Double-tap/Long press touch controls.

Wearing comfort is key to ensuring an optimal user experience. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 has been revamped with 13 size optimisations that further reduced its body size. It also brings three enhancements to its overall curvature for a better fit. These string of optimisations not only enables a more pleasant wearing experience for long periods but it also allows for strengthened ANC performance on the earbuds.

Airpods 2

Looking at the specs sheets of HUAWEI FreeBuds 4, Apple AirPods 2 and Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, the size of the dynamic driver is 14.3 mm, 14 mm and 12 mm respectively. HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 features the largest dynamic driver in this comparison, it should be capable of producing higher audio output and better bass performance.

Apple AirPods 2 does not come with this feature, it lost to HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 in the quiet listening session. The colour of the earphones represents your personality and more colour options cater for more users preferences. The HUAWEI FreeBuds 4 comes in Ceramic White and Silver Frost, which have always been the classic colourways for Huawei audio products, offering users a trendy and classic design. Meanwhile, the Apple AirPods only available in white. The Airpods 2 did a good job on the stability of connectivity, but they are limited to Apples system, the dual device connection only can be used between iOS system. News Summary:

The Huawei Freebuds 4 are the best wireless headphones to buy right now, and heres why Check all news and articles from the latest Security news updates.

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Here's why the Huawei Freebuds 4 are the best wireless headphones to buy right now - BollyInside - BollyInside

SERMONETTE: The bread of life discourse in John 6 – Crow River Media

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The Gospel John 6 is broken up into three segments, which build upon each other and conclude in the epic climax of Jesus teaching on the Eucharist. The opening of the chapter begins with the Feeding of the 5,000.

This miraculous event contains many significant elements. Like Moses before Him, Jesus provides food for the people of Israel. This is Jesus first miracle in John 6, and it will carry great significance going forward. The people who witnessed the multiplication of the bread and fish will follow Jesus to Capernaum and come face to face with one of Jesus hardest teachings.

This leads us to the next scene in John 6. John tells us that he and the other disciples were about 3 or 4 miles from the shore being buffeted by heavy winds when all of a sudden they saw Jesus walking towards them on the water. The disciples reeled back in fright, but Jesus said, It is I; do not be afraid (John 6:20).

Once again, Jesus imitates Moses by performing a miracle with water. Moses parted the Red Sea so that the people could cross over the dry land. In this scene we see Jesus complete and total control over nature. He defies the laws of nature, definitively manifesting His divine nature and power over the created world, which will serve as the means of understanding His teaching on the Eucharist.

Third, in the synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus addressed the crowds who had gathered to hear Him. Jesus quickly escalates the conversation by identifying Himself as the Messiah by saying that He has been given the Fathers seal and been sent by Him into the world.

Upon hearing this, the people ask for a sign to accompany such a bold claim. They say, Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat (John 6:30-31). To which Jesus responds, Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from Heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world. I am the Bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger and he who believes in me shall never thirst (John 6:32-33, 35).

At this point the people begin to murmur amongst themselves. Jesus was saying some pretty radical things, but He didnt stop there.

Jesus' teaching on the Eucharist was simply too hard for them to grasp. Even though they had seen Him multiply the loaves and the fish and feed the hungry crowd of 5,000 people.

Interestingly, the apostles do not abandon Jesus when He asks, Do you also want to leave? (John 6:67). Peter, proclaims, Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God (John 6:67-69).

The Rev. Paul Wolf is pastor at St. Anastasia Catholic Community in Hutchinson and Stewart.

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SERMONETTE: The bread of life discourse in John 6 - Crow River Media

Boil-water advisory fully lifted in Montreal’s West Island – CBC.ca

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The City of Montreal says a boil-water advisory inMontreal'sWest Island has now been fully lifted,more than a week after tests found water in the Dollard-des-Ormeauxreservoir had been contaminated.

As of Friday, residents in DDOcouldsafely use their taps, but people in Pierrefonds-Roxborohad to wait until Sunday evening, when the city sent out a notice saying their water was once again safe to consume.

In a statement to CBC, city spokeswoman Audrey Gauthier said construction work was being done to seal and reinforce the reservoir last week. She says the renovations combined with heavy rains allowed contaminants to seep through a crack in the structure one that wasn't visible to workers.

Gauthier says the city found the crack and filled it, securedthe rest of the reservoir anddisinfected the water inside it. She says in the past week, the water quality has been tested more than it usually is in a whole month, with samples being taken almost every hour.

Gauthier says the city neededto havetwo full days of lab results in both areas demonstrating the water wassafe to drink again before theadvisory could belifted.

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Boil-water advisory fully lifted in Montreal's West Island - CBC.ca

Bridge to be dedicated to Navy SEAL Steve ‘Turbo’ Toboz – Lock Haven Express

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PHOTO PROVIDEDNavy Seal Steve Toboz Jr. is shown with wife, Linda, and daughter, Bianca, 9.

LOCK HAVEN Petty Officer Stephen Turbo Toboz Jr. will be honored on Saturday, Aug. 28, when the First Island Bridge over the Susquehanna River in Castanea Township is dedicated to the Navy Seal.

The ceremony, which will include unveiling of a sign naming the bridge for Toboz, will take place at the pavilion next to the bridge beginning at 1 p.m.

State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, R-Clinton/Centre counties, will host the event, which is open to the public.

Stephen is truly a living legend and I am humbled to have the opportunity to permanently honor this decorated Navy SEAL and all-American warrior for his lifetime of extraordinary service and sacrifice, said Borowicz, who sponsored the unanimously adopted House Bill 925 which was signed into law as Act 40 of 2021 on June 30. Without question, Petty Officer Tobozs actions during the Battle of Roberts Ridge reflect the highest traditions of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group and his selfless courage under overwhelming fire are worthy of our nations enduring gratitude.

Toboz is a veteran of the United States Navy who proudly served his country for 20 years as a Navy SEAL. His inspiring profile biography below is excerpted from the book American Heroes by Oliver North:

In March 2002, in support of Operation Anaconda at Takur Ghar mountain in Afghanistan Petty Officer Stephen Toboz and his comrades charged into the snowy darkness and immediately set out to rescue their fellow SEAL, Petty Officer Neal Roberts.

Ordered to pull back by his team leader, Stephen was hit by a Taliban bullet that tore a fist-sized hole in his right calf. The projectile then spiraled down his leg, shattering the bones in his ankle and foot. Hours later when he was finally evacuated off the frozen hilltop, Turbo was still shooting back at those who had tried to kill him.

After multiple surgeries, figuring he would get better faster without it, Toboz ordered his doctors to amputate his leg below the knee. After being fitted with an ultramodern prosthetic limb, Stephen remarkably rejoined his team in Afghanistan. He says he did it because Neal Roberts was my closest friend and because my parents taught me patriotism, duty, and determination.

Today Stephen Toboz is retired, but he still trains SEALs as a civilian instructor. Since he no longer wears a uniform, unless his young students hear it from others who know the story, they might never know that Stephen Toboz has a metal leg and foot, or that he was awarded our nations third highest award for valorthe Silver Star.

Retired U.S. Navy Command Master Chief (SEAL) Stephen Mato Matulewicz will also speak in honor of Toboz. Matulewicz entered the U.S. Navy in 1983. After radiomen certification school, he reported to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. Upon graduation, he served with honor and distinction in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams for 24 years. Mato holds a Bachelor of Science Degree graduating with honors from Excelsior College in Albany, New York. He was awarded a Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Afghanistan and Iraq campaign medals, and various other personal and unit awards.

In addition to Toboz, Matulewicz and Borowicz, scheduled featured speakers will include state Sen. Cris Dush (R-25), U.S. Congressman Fred Keller (R-12) and Rep. Col. Frank Ryan (R-Lebanon).

Residents of the 76th District interested in attending are encouraged to contact Borowiczs Lock Haven district office at 570-748-5480 for more information.

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Bridge to be dedicated to Navy SEAL Steve 'Turbo' Toboz - Lock Haven Express

China Set to Expand Targets for Marine Environmental Protection – The Maritime Executive

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From "blue carbon" to conservation, the marine environment is an important part of Chinas plans to become a maritime power Dapeng, Shenzhen (image courtesy sz.gov.cn)

PublishedAug 23, 2021 2:35 AM by China Dialogue Ocean

[By Shi Yi]

In 2017, the 19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party set the goal of creating a Beautiful China by 2035. An important piece of this puzzle will be revealed in the special five-year plan (FYP) for the marine environment. There have been marine FYPs before, for fishing and the ocean economy, but this will be the first one dedicated to the environment.

President Xi Jinping is now more focused than ever on turning China into a maritime power. Hehas repeatedly made instructionson this and it has been included as part of thetwo centennial goals. Protecting the marine environment has been an integral part of this grand strategy.

The central government has been working on the marine environment FYP since March last year. To inform it, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) has instructed Jinzhou, Lianyungang, Shanghai and Shenzhen todrafttheir own pilot plans. Those four cities lie, from north to south, on the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea.

According to a report inthepaper.cnlate last year, over 6,000 locations have been surveyed for the drafting of the FYP, 784 of which are in coastal bays. The drafting was due to be completed in the first half of this year.

Beauty as a measure of conservation

Parts of Chinas coast have been damaged over the years by land reclamation, pollution and other factors. Over the past 70 years, human activity has gradually chipped away at Chinas natural coastlines, with onlyabout 33%of the coast remaining undamaged in 2014, according to research using satellite imagery. That has reduced marine biodiversity and prevented people coming into close contact with the ocean.

This means they have been near, but disconnected, from the ocean, or having only low-quality experiences of it,according to Guan Daoming, former director of the MEEs National Marine Environmental Monitoring Centre, which is in charge of technical aspects of drafting the FYP. Because of this, Huo Chuanlin, former deputy director of the MEEs Department of Marine Ecology and Environment,has saidthat the 14th FYP period (2021-2025) will mark the start of the Beautiful Bay push to ensure all 1,467 of Chinas bays are beautiful by 2035, in line with the overall 2035 Beautiful China goal.

The Beautiful Bay term is to operationalise the drive to improve the coastal environment and allow people to enjoy the sea, said Zhu Zhengguang, ocean policy manager at WWFs Beijing office.

Last year, the MEE named three model Beautiful Bays Dapeng in Shenzhen, Taizhou in Zhejiang and Taozi in Yantai. Dapeng Bay lies between Shenzhen and Hong Kong and enjoys Shenzhens highest forest coverage and best biodiversity. Chu Jun, assistant to the secretary-general of the Cross-border Environmental Concern Agency (CECA), says that the bay was designated as Shenzhens back garden early in the citys development, with its economic development given lower priority. This explains why it remains undamaged. In Dapeng New District, which is home to the bay, officials are not judged on economic performance. In 2005, when Shenzhen was taking the lead in implementingecological control lines, the forerunner to theecological redlinessystem,73.5%of Dapeng New Districts land area was included, putting strict limits on development.

Most of Chinas other bays also lie in very developed areas, but have not been so well protected from environmental issues. China has said it will now explore an integrated system for managing coasts, river basins and the ocean, to ensure sustainability of the ocean environment with the principle of landsea coordination." Zhu Zhengguang thinks that protecting the marine environment needs coordinated management across land and sea, with top-level planning for development and restoration of coastal areas.

Ecological restoration may have quantifiable targets

Although the city ofDalianin the northeast, and the province ofZhejiangon the Yangtze Delta, werent designated as pilots for drafting the FYP, that hasnt stopped them. Both have released their own marine environment protection FYPs, with Dalians still a public consultation draft for the moment. All FYPs have indices, either binding or anticipatory, which should make it possible to assess the success of the plans. Dalian and Zhejiang included both types of indices for marine species. These are based on rate of retention of natural coastline, length of restored coastline, and area of wetlands restored or protected.

Dalians plan sets anticipatory targets for numbers of spotted seal and black-faced spoonbill, both of which are local celebrity species and breed in the Bohai Sea. Wang Songlin, president and founder of the Qingdao Marine Conservation Society, said this is the first time marine planning has included specific numbers of a species. Theres a lot of consideration behind that, and its a gratifying step forward. The targets will mean ensuring the reefs and wetlands where the species breed are protected from human interference, and that they have better feeding grounds. But Wang still hopes to see more scientific and systematic biodiversity targets in the national or in any future marine plans, such as those found in the UN sustainable development goal 14, forlife below water.

Dalians five-year-plan for the marine environment includes targets for conserving populations of the black-faced spoonbill, a local celebrity (Image:Tanaka Juuyoh,CC BY 2.0)

The next five years will see China continue with ecological restoration projects designed to boost biodiversity. The upcoming marine environment FYP will set up restoration projects in 105 bays, improving 48 habitats for key species,saidZhang Zhifeng, also deputy director of the MEEs Department of Marine Ecology and Environment.

Some wetland restoration projects have come in for criticism. In Panjin, Liaoning, migrating birds have long used the intertidal zone as a stopping place, but almost all of this has been taken over by aquaculture farms. A project is trying to turn these farms back into beaches. But when Zhou Haixiang, a member of theChinese National Committee for Man and the Biosphere Programme, visited he found the restored areas tended to be further away from the coast and were still surrounded by the cofferdams used to enclose aquaculture farms, meaning tides did not rise and fall naturally. And many restoration projects focus on improving the scenery, rather than the environment, said Zhou.

Blue carbon: a rising tide?

Chinas commitment to carbon neutrality, made last September, has prompted more discussions on marine carbon sinks. Zhejiang, Dapeng New District and the Shandong city of Weihai are all preparing to develop blue carbon schemes. In itsmarine environment 14th FYP, Zhejiang said it would research marine carbon sink ecosystems province-wide, looking at their distribution, condition and potential, with four cities to run blue carbon trial projects.

Wang Hong, vice minister at the Ministry of Natural Resources and director of the State Oceanic Administration, recentlysaidthat alongside the IPCCs identification of mangrove swamps, seagrass meadows and salt marshes, China plans to add other marine carbon sinks such as fisheries and marine microorganisms that function asbiological pumps, storing carbon in the deep sea.

Zhao Peng, associate researcher at Hainan Universitys State Key Laboratory of South China Sea Marine Resource Utilisation, says that China has not yet done enough basic research and data-gathering on marine carbon. Carbon sequestration potential varies significantly across time and region, and depends on types of vegetation, climate and environmental impacts, so he thinks there isnt enough data yet to include marine carbon in Chinas work to comply with climate change treaties. Carbon sequestration for climate change mitigation is only one small part of the ecological services provided by marine ecosystems, he says. Marine carbon has an important role to play in ouradaptationto the negative effects of climate change. We should develop a comprehensive understanding of it, and avoid exaggeration.

Shi Yi is a senior researcher at China Dialogue. Before joining China Dialogue, she was an environmental journalist with The Paper, a major Chinese news website.

This article appears courtesy of China Dialogue Ocean, and it may be found in its original form here.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

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China Set to Expand Targets for Marine Environmental Protection - The Maritime Executive

Science Week delayed but Coffs Dolphin Marine Park has big plans – News Of The Area

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Ecogrom students will learn about dolphins in Week Six of the Animal Carer Program Stacey demonstrates how a dolphin tail is a unique shape, just like human fingerprints.

NATIONAL Science Week, celebrated this week, sees scientists at Coffs Dolphin Marine Conservation Park postponing their planned offer.

Twelve enthusiastic young students were due to start the new six-week EcoGrom Marine Animal Carer after-school program which has been delayed due to lockdown.

The program is designed for eight-16-year-olds.

Its an experience-focused, hands-on program based on NSW school syllabus science lessons and covers a different marine animal each week and the environmental issues they face.

Life Sciences Manager Tiga Cross told News Of The Area, In Week Four the kids get up close and meet an Australian Sea Lion.

They learn the differences between a seal and a sea lion and how everyone can protect our oceans from overfishing by choosing Marine Steward Council (MSC) approved fish products.

The kids usually go home smelling of fish but smiling.

Tiga added that the Park is currently closed to visitors and operating on a skeleton staff, but the animals are in their usual expert hands.

Unlike other businesses and organisations which can close down and minimise expenses, we have to keep the Park running to care for our resident animals.

We feed the animals and clean up after them and continue their physical and mental enrichment programs to ensure optimal welfare.

Plus, there are practical tasks such as making sure that the water quality is maintained.

And of course, we are constantly monitoring and nursing our sick and injured animals in our rescue facility.

Our rescue service, Dolphin Marine Rescue, continues to operate 24/7.

Its very challenging without visitors because the money that visitors spend in the park funds our day-to-day operations, conservation and education programs and rescue services and facilities.

Without visitors we rely on government support and donations which is not sustainable.

You can find out more about Dolphin Marine Conservation Parks education and conservation programs here: https://dolphinmarineconservation.com.au.

By Andrea FERRARI

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Science Week delayed but Coffs Dolphin Marine Park has big plans - News Of The Area

The Interesting Casting Choice The Office Fans Have Noticed – Looper

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OnSubreddit r/DunderMifflin, one user made the observation, "Why did casting make Pam, Erin, Nellie, Katy, and Meredith all redheads?" It is interesting that many of the show's main characters have red hair, particularly when less than 2% of the world's population is ginger, according to NBC News.

It's unlikely that "The Office" casting team deliberately sought out redheads, and that it's just a coincidence that so many talented actresses cast on the show sport the same unique hair color. Jenna Fischer has even weighed in on the discourse, as the true shade of Pam's hair has been a point of debate among fans. On her "Office Ladies" podcast, as transcribed by Cheat Sheet, Fischer said that her hair is "reddish-brown," remarking that she had dyed it for a film during "The Office's" third season, leaving it less red than it had been previously.

These kinds of keen observations are just one of the many perks of watching and rewatching "The Office," and we'll certainly be looking out for any other consistencies during our next binge of the hilarious show.

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The Interesting Casting Choice The Office Fans Have Noticed - Looper

Black vultures are eating cows alive. Now some farmers can legally shoot the protected birds. – USA TODAY

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Black vultures are killing this farmer's cows and he needs a permit to fire back

Farmer Rollin Bach says black vultures, a protected bird species, are flying in and killing his cows. A law requires a permit to kill the birds.

Mykal McEldowney and Matt Stone, Indianapolis Star

SCOTTSBURG, Ind. Sometimes as many as a dozen black vultures circle aboveJohn Hardin'sfields in southern Indianas Scott County, poised for when they spot a cold, weak or vulnerable cow. Unlike their turkey vulture cousins, which are easy to spot with their red heads, black vultures dont always wait for their meals to be dead.

The black vultures, now that's a very, very aggressive bird, Hardin said. Theyre basically waiting for the cows and calves to die or trying to kill them.

Black vultures survive, like most vultures, by eating carrion, or the remains of dead animals. That can serve as an integral part of the ecosystem: eating diseased remains that could carry sickness and spread to other animals. But unlike Indianas turkey vultures, black vultures also go for living animals: calves, piglets, lambs and other small livestock are their preferred targets.

Seemingly every day whenHardin walks out his door, he sees them. They often are perched on the roof ridge of his neighbors barn or settled on a nearby fence post watching, waiting.

It may sound ominous, Hardin said, and in a way, it is.

The livestock farmer said hes lost at least two but possibly up to four animals in the last few years because of black vultures.

When youre in the animal husbandry business, one of the worst things you want is for an animal to die, especially the way vultures do it, Hardin said. Once they get a hold of them, they pick the calfs nose off, pick around his mouth, face and navel. So then the calf cant make it very long after that.

Hardin is among a growing list of farmers who are dealing with what many describe as a reign of terror brought on by black vultures.These birds, however, are protected under an international law that regulates the hunting of migratory birds. That fact has left livestock producers across the state with a limited set of tools for how to address these birds, and with varying levels of success.

But the Indiana Farm Bureau is trying to give them another option. In early August, the insurance organization launched a new program in which livestock producers can apply for a permit to legally kill and remove a set number of black vultures from their property.

This initiative is several years in the making, but the farm bureau hopes it will have a swift impact.

When the initial volley of calls came in from those producers, we tried to figure out how we could help them, said Greg Slipher, Indiana Farm Bureaus livestock specialist. This gives them more control of whats happening on their farm.

Slipher first heard of black vultures about five years ago when he got a call from his colleagues in Kentucky warning him: Theyre coming. Seemingly overnight, black vultures started popping up everywhere on southern Indianas landscape, he said.

I got a heads up that these birds were coming my way, he said, and by golly they were right.

Black vultures have continued to expand north in recent decades across the Ohio River from their original territory in southern states. In the 1990s, there were so few black vultures in Indiana that groups dedicated to protecting migratory birds didnt even have a clear estimate.Now, a recent study based on calculations from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates upward of 17,000 black vultures in the state.

As their numbers have grown, so, too, has the damage the black-headed birds have caused and the calls for assistance theyve spurred.The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service with USDA has received an average of8,639technical assistance calls from participants in 2020 nationwide.

That increase can mostly be attributed to producers who are looking for help on how to manage the vultures, Humberg said.

Black vultures terrorize: Difficult to legally kill birds that are eating livestock

Still, the damage black vultures have caused is a little less easy to nail down at least at the present. A multi-year study of black vultures being led by Purdue University is currently underway. One of its goals is to better understand how many farmers have been affected,how many animals have been lost and the resulting financial costs.

A survey of only about 20 livestock producers found they lost 25 animals to black vultures in the last three years, including both adult cows and calves. A single cow can be worth more than $1,000, and for small producers, the loss of just one cow can be a major disruption to their operation.

According to outdoorlife.com, the black vulture reduction pilot program started in Kentucky and Tennessee, and includesArkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahomaand Texas. The program allows farmers with vulture problems to obtain a depredation permit.

The U.S. has migratory bird treaties with Canada and Mexico, as well as Japan and Russia. These laws were put in place to protect migratory birds, which often cross international borders, from over-hunting. Black vultures are protected under one of these treaties: The 1918 Migratory Bird Act.

Under that law, it is illegal to maim or kill black vultures without a permit, which costs $100 in Indiana. Farmers can apply for one of these permits through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, but they have found the process onerous and the cost a deterrent.

It becomes a convenience issue and a dollars issue, Slipher said.

Indiana drew inspiration from Kentucky, which pioneered this program several years ago. Since then, similar initiatives have popped up in Tennessee, and most recently in Missouri all of which have worked well and had positive results, Slipher said. He hopes Indiana will see similar success.

Indiana Farm Bureau is now taking on that part of the process for farmers. The organization applied for a permit from FWS, which it received in June. With that approval, the farm bureau is paying the permit cost and can award sub-permits to its members, for free, to lethally remove black vultures.

Thats going to be to our advantage, Slipher added. We have that relationship in place already and farmers will be more comfortable reaching out to work with us on it.

Their goal is to make things as straightforward as possible.

There is no limit on the number of permits the organization can give out, but it is authorized to take only 500 vultures this year. Based on each individual producers needs, the farm bureau will set the number of vultures they can take, not to exceed five.

Producers are excited about the program. In the first week since it launched, the farm bureau already received 24 applications, and Slipher expects that number to grow as the fall calving season approaches. He plans to issue the first permit this week.

Hardin is one of the farmers who applied.

Its going to be hard to eradicate them, but I hope it helps, he said. Everybody I know is on board, and I think there is a sense of hope.

After receiving a permit, producers must report the vultures that they remove and also ensure that they dispose of them properly. That can include burying the birds, but Slipher hopes farmers will do something else. He is encouraging them to preserve at least one of the birds and hang them on the property in effigy, which has been found to be an effective method for warding off more vultures.

Humberg envisions this program becoming a mainstay, as long as it is successful.

The vultures are here to stay, and we are going to have to find ways that we can all live together, he said. If that means some birds have to be lethally removed, hopefully were minimizing the number of birds we have to treat that way and the number of cattle lost.

Contributing: Sudiksha Kochi, USA TODAY

Follow Sarah Bowman on Twitter: @IndyStarSarah.

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Black vultures are eating cows alive. Now some farmers can legally shoot the protected birds. - USA TODAY

The Talibans Aug. 31 Red Line – The Wall Street Journal

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One of the mysteries of the last 10 days is President Bidens reluctance to say a discouraging word about the Taliban. Hes been far tougher on our Afghanistan allies than on the jihadists who have taken over the country and humiliated the U.S. The reason is almost certainly that Mr. Biden feels he needs the Talibans cooperation to get Americans out of harms way in Kabul.

If that wasnt clear already, a Taliban spokesman made it crystal on Monday when he said the U.S. President had better not extend his deadline for having all U.S. troops out of the country past Aug. 31.

Its a red line. President Biden announced that onAug. 31 they would withdraw all their military forces. So if they extend it, that means they are extending occupation while there is no need for that, Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told Sky News.

If the U.S. or U.K. were to seek additional time to continue evacuationsthe answer is no. Or there would be consequences, he said, adding that extending the deadline would create mistrust between us. He added that it would provoke a reaction.

That sounds like a threat in any language, and it explains why Mr. Biden has been so cagey about that Aug. 31 date, which is only a week from now. The President said on Sunday that there have been discussions about extending the deadline, though he didnt say with whom. If he meant the Taliban, he appears to have received his answer from those negotiations.

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The Talibans Aug. 31 Red Line - The Wall Street Journal

Pack Your Schoolbag with Supplies from These Portland Stores – Portland Monthly

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The school year is about to begin again, in person and for real, it seems. Given that this time last year meant a stay-at-home, online-only start for many Oregon kids, it feels like a moment to reengage in the annual tradition of stocking up on school supplies. And this year, there are extras on the list, with masks and hand sanitizer added to the crayons and folders staples.

If you are getting somebody ready for school,you can stock up and support some local Portland business in the process. Read on for our list of back-to-school essentials and the Portland businesses where you can find them.

This southwest Portland business makes bags to withstand all the kinds of weather Oregon can throw at us. Their PDX bag is waterproof, which protects students laptops, paper notebooks, and homework from getting wet and destroyed. The bags are also made to hold up against years of use or abuseperfect for middle schoolersand come in three sizes.

Face masks are now high on the school supply list, particularly following Gov. Kate Browns mask mandate, and local maker Dana Herbert has sizes to fit smaller faces, with an array of fun patterns to match your kidsparticulartastes.

Portland Leather offers a zipped leather pencil case for writing supplies and other small trinkets thats durable, sleek, and comes in various colors from nutmeg brown to cranberry red. (Heads up, Portland Leather also stocks a number of backpacks.)

With North Alberta and Division Street locations, Collage is a perfect stop for any craft and art supply needs in addition to school supplies such as notebooks, calendars, and pens. They also carry a range of daily planners, including the 2022 Agatha planner, for students to keep track of their homework and to-do list for the week, as well as a monthly calendar pages to stay on top of deadlines.

Kids are going to need to stay hydrated during school and water fountains are a COVID no-no, so Lake Oswego-based fifty/fiftys 40-ounce bottle is a great option for students. Its large, but that means fewer trips to the water fountain and more hydrated sports practices. It also comes with a three finger lid making it easy to carry it around.

Notebooks are a back-to-school essential and Little Otsus Mnemosyne 199 notebook is a great locally-sourced option. It boasts 140 pages with a date and title headerwhile youre at their Division Street store, browse the array of pens and pencils so your kid can fill it with color.

SCRAP Creative Reuse receives donations of various used school and office supplies, and sells them at extremely affordable prices. You can get all the folders you need by picking up a pack of 10, that sells for $1. Youll be able to load up on supplies here, not break the bank, and leave feeling good about redirecting waste from the landfill.

Backpack full? Now youve got to dress them up for the daily wear and tear of school. N Mississippi Streets Black Wagon offers apparel for up to 14 years old, with quality tops, bottoms, rompers, and more. A favorite from the store is the Nightingale sweatshirt that works for all genders and can keep your child warm once the cold months set in.

As school begins and fall sets in, kids may be in need of extra reading material. Green Bean Bookss Jennifer Green had some recommendations. For third to fourth graders? Ways to Make Sunshineby Renee Watsonset at Vernon Elementary Schoola new heartwarming series with local roots and a strong African American female protagonist being compared to BeverlyCleary's Ramona Quimby! The second book in this series also just came out,Ways to Grow Love.For older kids in the 6th-8th grade range, she recommends Black Boy Joy, acollection of 17 stories by Kwame Mbalia. This book offers a collection of short stories, comics and poems that celebrate the joy and wonders of Black boyhood and is written by 17 awesome Black male and nonbinary authors!

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Pack Your Schoolbag with Supplies from These Portland Stores - Portland Monthly

Marin hike: Find fall color in the countys many wetlands – Marin Independent Journal

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While some may head to the mountains for fall color, one place to find it locally is in salt marshes where pickleweed turns red in the fall.

Pickleweed is a name used for several species of plants in the genus Salicornia. We have three in Marin: Virginia glasswort (which despite its name is native to California), Pacific glasswort, aka pickleweed, and Bigelows glasswort, aka dwarf glasswort, which is very rare in Marin. Why glasswort? A species of Salicornia growing in Europe was burned to produce soda ash (calcium carbonate) starting in medieval times. Venetian glassmakers who immigrated to England in the 16th century considered it superior to the potash produced by wood ash and found it readily available in English salt marshes.

Photo by Wendy Dreskin

Why does pickleweed turn red in the fall? Pickleweed is a halophyte, meaning that it is adapted to grow in places that would be too salty for most plants. The roots can filter out some salt, but the rest is pumped to storage cells at the tips of the plant. Over the summer, these storage cells fill up. Then, the cell breaks down, dies and turns red, giving the wetlands their amazing fall color.

Whether you call it pickleweed, glasswort, saltwort, samphire, sea beans or sea asparagus, you can find this plant in salt marshes all over Marin, including China Camp State Park, Corte Madera Marsh, Tomales Bay State Park and around Richardson Bay.

We have two species of native cattails in Marin. Both grow in fresh or slightly brackish water. Cattails are named for the brown hotdog-like seed heads, which as it becomes fluffy resembles a cats tail. Earlier in the spring, a narrower hotdog of male flowers opened above it on the same stalk.

Native Americans, and todays foragers, gather the pollen produced by male flowers as a thickener for soups and stews, and as a high-protein substitute for flour. The male flowers and pollen are gone now, leaving the female seed heads. Those tight seed heads turn fluffy when it is time for the seeds to disperse. The Algonquin used the fluffy seeds to stuff mattresses; the Thompson of British Columbia and the Blackfoot tribe used them as diaper material; and Dakota, Lakota and Omaha mothers used them for pad cradles and to prevent chafing if a baby was wrapped in something less soft. Okanagan-Colville in Washington state and British Columbia used the fluff as a dressing for wounds and as insoles in moccasins. These are just a few of the amazing variety of uses for cattails.

Next time you pass cattails, take a moment to appreciate a plant that can provide people with food, shelter, medicine, clothing, baskets, shingles, waterproof mats, tinder and so much more, not to mention giving food to muskrats, crayfish, ducks and geese, and providing nest materials for red-winged blackbirds, marsh wrens and other birds. You can admire this incredibly versatile plant at China Camp State Park, Scottsdale Pond in Novato, Point Reyes National Seashore, Rush Creek and Bahia open space in Novato, and Rodeo Valley in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Photo by Risa George

Many Marin residents notice the arrival of golden-crowned sparrow returning in September because of their distinctive descending three-note song, sometimes thought of as Oh, dear me because it sounds sad. Some notice that white-crowned sparrows have returned to their inland backyards, although they only saw them at the coast in the summer. Those summer birds were the Nuttalls subspecies of white-crowned sparrow, which occur only in California, while the ones returning to backyard in the fall are mostly Gambels white-crowned sparrows that bred in subarctic Canada and Alaska. (Marin also gets Puget Sound white-crowned sparrows.)

This fall, try to spot the fox sparrow, another sparrow that breeds in Alaska and returns to Marin in September. Fox sparrows get their name from the foxy-red color of most eastern and northern populations, but the fox sparrows seen in Marin are gray or sooty brown. (Red fox sparrows do show up very occasionally.) Look for a large sparrow with brownish splotches on the breast and a rufous tail.

Beginners may confuse it with the similarly sized hermit thrush, which also has a spotty breast and rufous tail, but the thrush has a white eye ring and a thin bill. Fox sparrows like to come to backyard feeders. They can also be seen foraging on the ground in leaf litter looking for seeds and insects.

Correction: Thanks to Dewey Livingston for pointing out that Olema Valley Trail crosses Pine Gulch Creek, not Olema Creek, as featured in my last column.

Wendy Dreskin has led the College of Marin nature/hiking class Meandering in Marin since 1998, and teaches other nature classes for adults and children. To contact her, go to wendydreskin.com

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Marin hike: Find fall color in the countys many wetlands - Marin Independent Journal

Preview: Toronto FC heads to South Beach to take on Inter Miami – Waking The Red

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For the second stop of their four-game road trip, Toronto FC heads to the Sunshine State to take on Inter Miami, who sit four points clear of the Reds in the Eastern Conference.

With just two wins from their last nine games, TFC sit bottom of the East and currently have the worst points tally of all 27 MLS sides. A late playoff push is still in the minds of the players, but the results will have to come sooner rather than later.

August has arguably been Miamis best month so far this season as Phil Nevilles men have picked up seven points from their last four. A dramatic 93rd minute winner from Rodolfo Pizarro sealed a 3-2 win against the Philadelphia Union in the Herons last outing.

Saturdays kickoff is set for 8:00 pm EST at the DRV PNK Stadium, with the game available to watch live on TSN.

A disappointing 1-0 defeat to Atlanta United in midweek was the latest low in what has been a rollercoaster of a season for TFC. The Reds are now 12 points behind the top seven and with 14 regular season games left to play in 2021, Javier Perezs men essentially have 14 cup-finals before the postseason begins on November 19th.

Toronto has also played two games more than FC Cincinnati and Miami, who are the two teams above the Reds in the Eastern Conference standings. Moreover, TFC cannot afford to drop more points against their closest rivals ahead of the campaigns business end.

In addition to their poor league form, Toronto has also been rocked by a growing injury list. Ralph Priso and Jozy Altidore have joined Ayo Akinola on the sidelines as long-term absentees. Priso has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign, while Altidores expected recovery time following a foot surgery is six weeks.

Tsubasa Endoh will also not be available on Saturday, while Dom Dwyer is questionable. With regards to Chris Mavinga, who has been dealing with a family matter over the last week, Perez confirmed the DRC international will not be available for selection.

Miami will be without Ryan Shawcross, Ventura Alvarado, Ian Fray and Joevin Jones through injury.

Having only scored three goals in their last four games, TFC is averaging just over a goal a game so far this season. Jonathan Osorio leads Toronto on the scoring front in MLS (4) and in all competitions (5), with Akinola sitting behind him in second on three league goals.

As for Saturdays hosts, Gonzalo Higuan has scored almost 50% of Miamis MLS goals so far this year. The Argentine has bagged eight strikes and provided four assists in 17 league appearances.

This weekends matchup will be just the second meeting in history between the two sides and the first meeting at either teams home ground. Toronto faced Miami last season at the Pratt & Whitney Stadium in Connecticut, with a late penalty from Alejandro Pozuelo sealing a 2-1 win for the Reds.

There is still lots of ground to be made up if TFC are to move off the bottom of the table and into the top seven, and with an opportunity to close the gap on one of the sides closest to them, three points should be the only thing on the minds of the Reds.

Ultimately, both teams have a major point to prove on Saturday, so will TFC begin their resurgence in form? Or will Miami record their third win in five to further bolster their playoff hopes?

Inter Miami: Marsman; Pirez, Figal, Makoun; Morgan, Gregore, Matuidi, Gibbs; Vassilev, Higuan, Robinson

Toronto FC: Bono; Laryea, Gonzalez, Zavaleta, Lawrence; Bradley, Delgado; Osorio, Pozuelo, Soteldo; Achara

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Preview: Toronto FC heads to South Beach to take on Inter Miami - Waking The Red

Changing Perspective: Women Working In Motorsports – Red Bull

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Riders at Cody Webbs Enduro clinic put their heads together to work out how theyd navigate various obstacles on dirt bikesthink muddy creek beds, steep inclines and rocky terrain. At the same time, a small group of women photographers were learning how to capture the perfect shot of the fast-paced action from Al Arena, one of the best mentors in motorsports photography.t was no less tricky a task.

Following RedBull Tennessee Knockout over the weekend of August 13th, three hand-selected photographers took part in a photo clinic in the mountains of Jasper, Tennessee. Its no secret the motorsports industry is male dominated, and that means the photographers who capture the industry are often men, too. In an effort to level the playing field, RedBull teamed up with Arena to host a workshop dedicated to bringing more photograpHERs onto the scene. The three photographers and their mentor shot an Enduro clinic where riders were also practicing their skills, and it meant carrying heavy camera equipment up and down mountainsides, clinging to trees and working hard to get just the right shot.

Luckily, the three artists were up to the task, although each comes from different parts of the country and creative backgrounds. Wrenne Evans, 27, grew up in Nashville, Tennessee and cut her photo chops shooting bands of every genre in Music City. Shes been on the road for about two years now, traveling with bands to capture their tours and shows. Amy Lentz, 35, left a career in mental health behind after stumbling across her first IndyCar race four years ago and falling in love with the sport. Lentz had worked previously with Arena, backing her up and providing a second camera angle for races. Alyssa Del Valle, 32, played basketball as a child and wanted to capture the excitement of sports on camera. She found herself photographing football for the University of Miami and other clients. Del Valle says she got a lot of work by hustling hard and asking for every opportunity she could find.

Brian Pearce at RedBull Cody Webb Clinic.

Alyssa Del Valle / RedBull Content Pool

These talented and hard-workingphotographers were matched in expertise and care only by Arena, a motorsports photography legend with two decades of experience. Arena has shot for RedBull as well as Mazda, Ferrari NA and Wired and is one of a handful of women photographers working in the industry. Arena says her parents were photographers and as a child she found their work inspiring; She still remembers the fond memory of the hemp strap on her fathers camera. Still, her teaching and mentorship wasnt specific to a single gender.

[Its] not what females need to know, but what motorsports photographers need to know, Arena says. [We learned a] lot of the basics, getting good shots, lighting, showing movement.

Together, the four trooped out to the Enduro clinic and talked through their shots, including how to pana technique Arena says leaves the focus on the subject of the photo, because the background is blurred out through motion, and the rider is crisp and sharp, almost as if time were standing still. Afterwards, Arena had each photographer choose the photos they liked best and walked through feedback on each, after which they all shared with each other.

Cody Webb and participants prepare to ride.

Amy Lentz / RedBull Content Pool

Theres art to the way you shoot, Del Valle told Lentz of her work; throughout the clinic it seemed the photographers wanted to support the others as much as themselves.

Although they do think its already headed in that direction, Del Valle, Lentz and Evans all agreed the industry needs to change and become more inclusiveespecially for women. Evans says more companies are taking diversity and inclusion seriously, and that it can feel validating to be the only woman in a male-dominated press pit at a show, but that there are drawbacks to being a female photographer, too. Lentz agrees, and says that when she shows up for work shes often the only woman there, and that getting work may require more hoops to jump through. Del Valle says sports photography can feel like a boys club, and that older male photographers with experience often act like they dont want women intruding in their spaces or even standing in the same places they plan to get the perfect photo.

There [are] very few women and the men made it clearespecially those with seniorityyou werent welcome in their space, Del Valle says.

Arena, who says even she struggles with imposter syndrome from time to time, says that over time female photographers gain more respect in their craft. She says drivers across motorsports know her now, making her recognizable and easier to accept. For newcomers, it may not be so easy, but these are exactly the challenges clinics like these hope to address. It was clear Arenas expertise, mentorship and feedback had made an impact on the photographers; at the end of the trip, Arena offered to keep messaging the photographers and give them advice on any job they might work.

Getting a little muddy

Wrenne Evans / RedBull Content Pool

It was a successful weekend, but theres still progress to be made. The photographers said that after the clinic was over theyd still need increased access to jobs, opportunities and expensive camera gear to stay on top of a fast-changing industry. With such talented, hard-working photographers engaging in ongoing education, its up to a changing industry to make room for them.

Read more from the original source:

Changing Perspective: Women Working In Motorsports - Red Bull