Category: MARYLAND

Your Ultimate Guide to Coachella Festival 2020

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(December 31, 2019)–New Year’s just around the corner and lots of us start planning our summer vacations and trips as soon as April rolls in. Why? Obviously, because we know that’s the time for the annual Coachella Festival. This festival is everything a summer festival should be like. From sunny skies to unimaginable moments, this is exactly what you call a fulfilling experience. But wait this can actually go wrong if you don’t plan ahead! So what you can do to make sure it doesn’t?

Well, lucky for you we have compiled a list of all things you need for a fantastic experience at Coachella 2020. Here’s is all you need to know:

Festival Information:

Here are the 6 essential questions you might have in your mind:

Why?

Starting from its first inauguration festival in 1999, this festival has been one of the top-rated, highly crowded festivals. Aside from music in various genres like hip-hop, pop, rock, indie, and electronic festival-goers can enjoy some really awe-inspiring art installations.

What?

The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, normally called just Coachella is a music extravaganza. They got multiple stages to hold performances from some of the iconic music celebrities of the time. Popular stages include Coachella Stage, Gobi Tent, Sahara Tent, Mojave Tent, and the Oasis Dome.

Where?

In 2020, it will take place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California located in the Inland Empire\’s Coachella Valley, in the Colorado Desert.

When?

They started at 2 days and now it\’s 2 weekends that should give you the idea of how popular it is. Also, why this festival should be on top in your bucket list of summer 2020. So, the first weekend April 10 to 12, and the second is April 17 to 19.

Who?

There are no words of who will perform at the 2020 festival for now. The headliners are normally announced in January while the full line up is out a month before the festival.

Ariana Grande, Tame Impala, Childish Gambino, Eminem, Beyoncé, The Weeknd, and Lady Gaga are some of the past headliners.

How?

Obviously, if you are planning to visit you need Coachella Tickets 2020. The official sale starts on Friday, June 14 at 11 am. The festival welcomes all ages plus the children age 5 or under can enter free. Here is the price list for the 2020 festival:

GA festival pass: $399

GA festival pass with shuttle pass: $474

VIP festival pass: $929

VIP parking: $140

Car camping: $102

Preferred car camping: $266

Tent camping: $102

Seems a little too much? Want to get Coachella Tickets Cheap? How about getting them at Tickets4Festivals. Here you can get cheaper tickets that are easy to access and are delivered on time. Use the Coachella Tickets Discount Coupon at the checkout and it gets even better.

So what are you thinking? The tickets are on sale right now get them to book fun memories for your summer 2020.

https://www.coachella.com/

https://tickets4festivals.com/coachella-tickets

Getting to the Festival:

Start your journey by booking plan tickets for Palm Springs International, it is the nearest airport to Indio. You can book your tickets from Expedia or Hotwire. What’s after that? We’ve got some great suggestions:

Hotel Shuttles:

if you are planning your stay at one of the nearest hotels to the festival grounds. Then the hotel shuttles will be your best buddies. You wouldn’t have to worry about getting in the line for the parking area so and so. You can get all the information on shuttle passes at Tickets4festival.

Driving a Car:

driving a rental or your own car has some benefits like you can take it elsewhere as well. But it got some cons as well. Be prepared to be stuck in the traffic if you are planning to be on your own.

Taxi:

you can also book yourself a Taxi or Uber to get to the festival. Apparently, the fare might be higher than normal considering the traffic rush and festive season.

Camper Van:

this is probably the most cost-effective of the suggestion. If you have your own that’s good but if not renting a camper van can save you a lot. You won’t have to spend on a place to stay and get around separately. Just get a parking pass from

Tickets4Festivals.com

and you are set.

Where to Stay?

There are tons of options for this as well like:

Hotels:

if you want and if you can afford it booking a hotel is the most comfortable stay. You can look through the nearest hotels to Coachella at Expedia or Travelocity.

Camping:

hotels are comfy but camping on the festival grounds has its own perks. If you want to roll out of bed and get straight to listening to music camping on-site is the best option. However, camping off-site is not bad either. You can even take your RV and chill near Coachella.

Coachella Typical Dress Code:

Since its inception, Coachella has evolved into something more than just a place for music lovers. Festival fashion is so in right now and having a sense of what to wear can bring a lot of change to your experience. Do remember, fashion is good but it is not the most important. You need to be comfortable moving around the festival. Also, you must consider the crowd and the heat at the time of the festival. The normal dress code would be a light dress (if it’s a jumpsuit even better), jeans or shorts or skirts, hats or sunglasses and comfy pair of sandals or boots. Dress lightly and don’t forget to pack extras you might have to take occasional showers as protection against heat.

What to Bring and What to Not:

Here a list of things you can and can’t bring to Coachella:

Bring:

Water, Cash, credit cards, FOOD (there are vendors but you can bring your own too), Poncho, Phone charger, towel, Bug spray, Band-Aids, Bandana, Pocket Flashlight, Chapstick, sunscreen (spray is quicker than lotion), Sunglasses, and Ear-plugs.

Don’t Bring:

Drugs, remote-controlled flying whateves, firework or explosives, chains, guns, knives or any weapon, Aerosol Products, bicycles or chairs.

11 Handy Garage Heaters @HomeBNC

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(December 31, 2019)–Looking for a high quality garage heater can be tough, because even though these are specialty devices there are a lot of options out there. That’s why we’ve made things simpler by putting together a list of 11 handy garage heaters that you’ll appreciate. These are all top of the line options and we’re sure that you’ll be more than satisfied with any one of these.

Before we get into the

11 handy garage heaters @homebnc

, there are a few questions people commonly have about these devices that we’d thought we’d take the time to clear up.

What exactly is a garage heater and how are they different from the space heaters that you might use in a home?

Garage heaters are designed to be a little more industrial than a typical space heater you might put in a house. Plus, with these they typically require you to mount them onto something so that air can circulate a certain way.

Space heaters usually come with limited features as well whereas with a garage heater you can find them with a wealth of features. For the most part you could argue that any heater you use to heat up your garage is technically a garage heater, but there are options on the market specifically made for this.

Do you simply plug in these types of heaters once you have one or do they function in some other way?

The majority of these are designed for a person to hardwire them in and not plug them in. On top of this you’ll find that the majority of these tend to be electric options. Not to worry though, there are options available that operate on propane as well as natural gas. Electric options tend to be a little more convenient though because they don’t require any additional fuel in order to operate.

How well do these actually work in order to heat up a garage?

It really will depend on where you live and how cold it gets. These work very well if you have a proper understanding of how large your garage is. The bigger the garage then the more heating capacity you’ll require. On top of this it will help a lot if the garage is properly vented. This will stop heat from escaping, which will mean any unit you purchase won’t have to expand more energy than required.

Some have said that these work best when pointed directly at the area a person is going to be working in. This may be true to a certain extent, but it really does depend on the type you get and what power source it relies on.

Now here are the 11 handy garage heater options for you to check out. Once again these are all premium options:

Comfort Zone CZ220 Fan-Forced Ceiling Mount Heater

Dr. Infrared Heater DR-966

NewAir G56 5600 Watt Electric Heater for the Garage

Dr. Infrared Heater DR-988

NewAir G73 Hardwired Electric Heater for Garages

Homegear 1500W Infrared Electric Portable Space Heater

Mr. Heater F260560 Big Maxx MHU80NG Natural Gas Unit Heater

Dr. Heater DR218 Greenhouse Garage Workshop Infrared Heater

Bio Green PAL 2.0/US Palma BioGreen Basic Electric Fan Heater for Greenhouse

Lasko 675919 Stanley Pro-Ceramic Utility Heater

Mr. Heater 40,000 BTU Propane Heater for Garages

Are you limited to having to pick one of the options above? No, there are other options out there, but why go through the trouble of scouring the internet when you don’t have to. These are top of the line and can all be found through the same trusted and reliable source. Plus, if you have any additional questions regarding any of these then you can use the source in order to get your questions answered.

15TH ANNUAL FREE NEW YEAR’S DAY CELEBRATION RETURNS TO KIMMEL CENTER

JANUARY 1, 2020, 10AM–5PM

Celebrate New Year’s Day with FREE family-oriented entertainment all day and

the best view of the Mummer’s parade, free hot chocolate, brunch by Garces events,

prizes & more!

The Kimmel Center is hosting its 15th annual New Year’s Day Celebration, with free family fun all day. Attendees are invited to enjoy giveaways, hot chocolate, games, family-friendly activities, and a birds’ eye view of the Mummers Parade.

Tuesday, January 1, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Commonwealth Plaza inside the Kimmel Center

300 S Broad St

Philadelphia, PA 19102

The FREE New Year’s celebration includes:

The Kimmel Center’s Resolution Wall, where guests are invited to write their 2020 New Year’s resolutions

A Garces Events FREE hot chocolate lounge with add-on toppings, as well as pop-up hot dog cart and cotton candy

Family-friendly fun including:

Face painting

10-foot-tall puppets Phil & Del Phila

Hula hooping by J-Hoop

Balloon art

Greater Philadelphia Paper Pholders Origami crafters

Organ demonstrations on the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ in Verizon Hall

Ticket giveaways

A “prize” wheel

And more!

Commonwealth Plaza Stage performances, in chronological order:

11:00 a.m. –

PNC Grow Up Great

with the Give & Take jugglers stage show

12:00 p.m. – Liz Filios and The Very Fine Fleas (bluegrass meets indie rock)

1:00 p.m. – Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise ((MC/Poet/Songwriter connects with classically trained Harpist/Guitarist/Pianist)

2:00 p.m. – ILL DOOTS (hip-hop band and collective of artists, educators, and activists)

3:00 p.m. – Hip Hop Fundamentals (world’s only breakdance education company combining academic & social content with the world’s most dynamic dance form, generously sponsored by Red Bull)

3:45 p.m. – Creative Music Program Select Ensembles (high-school aged Big Band Jazz Combo)

4:25 p.m. – ShowStoppers AllStars (high-school aged Broadway-themed review)

Garces Events will host its one-of-a-kind “Broad Street Bash” brunch on the Tier 2 balcony. Guests can enjoy unlimited food and drink from 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., while taking in some of the best views of the Mummers Parade in the city. Enjoy brunch classics such as assorted pastries, muffins and danishes, fresh fruit, and quiche; Garces favorites continue with signature Village Burgers, crispy fries, pizza, and a dessert station featuring assorted cookies, cupcakes, tarts, and brownies.

Garces will offer a cash bar beginning at 3:30 p.m. Tickets for food and drinks (bloody marys included) are available at

www.kimmelcenter.org.

“Broad Street Bash” pricing

Adults: $80

Designated Driver: $50

Kids 12 and under: $25

*Note, Volver will be closed to the public because of a private event.

The Kimmel Center Cultural Campus

Located in the heart of Center City, Philadelphia, our mission is to engage the region’s diverse communities with art through performance and education. Our Cultural Campus serves more than 1 million guests per year and includes the

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

, the

Academy of Music

, and the

Merriam Theater

–

representing more than 160 years of rich history for the performing arts along Philadelphia’s Avenue of the Arts. We are home to eight esteemed Resident Companies:

The Philadelphia Orchestra

,

Opera Philadelphia

,

Pennsylvania Ballet

,

The Philly POPS

,

PHILADANCO

,

The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia

,

The Philadelphia Chamber Music Society

, and

Curtis Institute of Music

. With nearly 9,000 seats per night, we are the region’s most impactful performing arts center, and the second largest in the country. Our Cultural Campus serves as a preeminent and inclusive place to enjoy exceptional experiences that reflect the spirit of our region by cultivating a creative and socially-responsible environment where our community shares experiences that are delivered with pride, integrity, and respect. As a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization, we collaborate on, present, and produce a broad range of relevant and meaningful events, we serve as an active gathering space for social and community events, we educate the region’s young people through access to quality arts experiences, and we provide support to artists in the creation of new work. TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is our proud sponsor of the Kimmel Center’s 2019-2020 Season. American Airlines is the official airline of Broadway Philadelphia. For additional information, visit

www.kimmelcenter.org

.

Latest Newspaper Apps to Help You Stay on Top of the Latest (and Correct) News

Gloucestercitynews.net (December 31, 2019)–Keeping yourself updated on current affairs is ever so important. Not only does it let you spark a conversation at a gathering, but it also keeps you in tabs with the right information to make decisions in business. Nowadays, many people prefer reading their news on their mobile phones as opposed to newspapers. Personally, it was quite challenging to find an app that provided the news I was most interested in until I came across the link below:

List of Great Apps to Get the Latest News

Let’s explore some of them and identify how newspaper apps can be more useful than it seems.

Become more environmentally friendly by using newspaper apps

Newspapers work great in helping you keep yourself updated on the latest information. It also lets you be aware of the local news in your town too. For some, it has been a lifelong habit to read the newspapers on a Sunday morning while giving their kids a print copy of the comics. However, the cost of purchasing a newspaper has been continuously on the rise, especially because the price of paper has been increasing.

With more demand of online versions of these newspapers, the younger generation prefers to keep their hands clean from the ink emitted through the printed versions of newspapers but also consider it cheaper to keep up with the news through newspaper apps. A simple search online will give you a list of these apps which can be tailored to your interests.

Gather news from all around the world

Given that online or digital media has no geographical boundaries, it has provided easy access for news items to reach other countries in a cost-effective manner. If you have online friends from other countries, they are likely to share their local news to you as well. This way, it makes it much easier and faster to make yourself aware of the breaking news as and when it occurs. With newspaper apps and online newspapers, you can easily stay updated with world news. There are a variety of options from state-wide to country-wide news items that you could subscribe to online.

Additionally, unlike subscribing to print versions of newspapers that are going to create a huge mess in your house, you could subscribe to a countless number of mobile apps that are not going to hinder your physical space.

Motivate your children to stay up to date with current affairs

It’s important that you encourage your children to stay up to date on current affairs given that there are so many events taking place around the world every day. Constantly reading news articles is a great way to be aware of what’s happening locally and around the world too.

It is equally important to ensure that they read newspaper articles that are unbiased too. This is going to help children understand and make meaning of what they read to make their own decisions after having critically evaluated them. Certain newspaper apps also make it interesting for your children to read by structuring it in a manner that encourages to read the news even more. Therefore, look for an app that makes it child-friendly. A simple search through your phone\’s app store will help you find the ones that you are looking for.

Conclusion

Though print media still exists, many people are switching to online mediums of gathering daily news. This is mainly due to its convenience and the fact that it’s more environmentally friendly to do so. Furthermore, the newspaper apps provide a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide to the various sections that you are personally interested in, in a clutter-free manner. Furthermore, you could also encourage your kids to read more news by downloading kid-friendly newspaper apps that make it interesting.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

The Benefits of Earning an MSN Degree

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(December 30, 2019)–The profession of nursing is one of the most popular healthcare professions in the United States. In fact, the

American Association of Colleges of Nursing

reports that there are 3.8 million licensed registered nurses (RNs) nationwide. Of that number, 84.5% are currently actively employed in nursing.

Even so, there is a widely accepted consensus that there exists a very real shortage of nurses in the workforce. This fact might lend itself to being an explanation as to why more and more students are applying to nursing school each year.

With figures and facts like that, those who wish to pursue a job in nursing might find themselves looking for ways to stand out from the crowd and make the most of their career. This is especially true for those who might not want to work as a general staff-nurse for the entirety of their career.

One of the best ways to broaden your possibilities when it comes to your career in nursing is to earn a Master of Science in Nursing, or MSN degree.

What is an MSN?

There are four types of degrees that fall into the category of Master of Science in Nursing. These are:

RN to MSN

BSN to MSN

ADN to MSN

ASN to MSN

As you can gather from the names, each type of program is designed to meet a nurse wherever they may be in regards to education level. The length and difficulty of each degree will be determined by the degree(s) already possessed by the student. Generally speaking, an MSN can take up to two years to earn.

While earning an MSN, nurses complete core nursing classes and clinical studies in addition to classes and study related to specific specializations. This is one of the main attractions of the MSN degree on the whole. The ability to specialize in a particular area of nursing isn’t really available to those who choose to stop their education at the bachelor level.

The goal of the degree is to prepare nurses for advanced practice roles within the various specializations in healthcare. Some of the more common specializations that you can select from include:

Gerontology

Midwifery

Nurse Anesthetist

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Family Nurse Practitioner

Orthopedics

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Nurses should consider an MSN as a stepping stone by which they can open up multiple different opportunities for their careers, especially if they want to go for further education.

Why Get an MSN?

Beyond the obvious benefits of being able to specialize in a particular area and advance a nursing career, there are many reasons why a nurse should consider going for an MSN. Not least of these reasons is the appeal of earning a higher salary.

For example, if you decide to work as a nurse anesthetist, you could find yourself earning

over $150,000 a year

. While that number refers to the highest earners with an MSN, on average a nurse will earn $12,000 more than those who only have a BSN.

Furthermore, anyone who desires to go on to earn any of the most advanced degrees offered in the nursing world should look into earning an MSN their first step. It is essential for a nurse to have an MSN if they hope to go on to earn a doctorate or a PhD in nursing. These degrees are more focused on the development and implementation of positive change in the nursing and healthcare communities on a grand scale.

Other career path options that become available to nurses with an MSN aren’t necessarily limited to direct-patient care. With an MSN degree, a nurse can choose to go into the administrative or clinical research sides of healthcare.

The benefits of earning an MSN degree aren’t limited to the individual nurse, either. Many experts credit the shortage of nurses in the workforce in part to a similar shortage of nurse educators. As leaders, nurses can act as educators and mentors, helping to advance the next generation of nurses as well.

Because of the skills gained through an MSN program, nurses become more equipped with the knowledge and abilities needed to act in more leadership-related roles. A community-wide effort by existing nurses to help further the careers of others can only help boost the healthcare industry on the whole and can contribute to the end of the nursing shortage.

How to Earn an MSN

The first step to take toward getting an MSN is to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This is your typical bachelor’s degree in nursing that can be earned by completing a four-year university course. More and more people looking to become nurses are opting to attend a four-year college for their initial nursing degree as opposed to going for a two-year degree, or an Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN).

If you are in the latter group and only have an ADN, you would need to find a bridge program, such as an RN-to-BSN program, so that you can complete your bachelor’s. After thism, you can then look into earning your MSN.

The good news is that once you have a BSN, there are several options that you can decide between for your MSN.

Online BSN to MSN programs

are great for nurses who are trying to maintain a full-time job while working toward their degree.

If the thought of online education doesn’t appeal to you, there are a vast amount of more traditional programs to choose from to earn an MSN.

Whatever your career aspirations are, a Masters of Science in Nursing can be extremely beneficial to reaching them. Not only that, but more nurses possessing such degrees can only lead to better and brighter things in the world of healthcare.

With so many accredited programs out there designed to meet nurses where they already are at in their education, anyone who wants to earn an MSN is sure to find the right degree that will help them make the most of their career in nursing.

Do You Need a High School Diploma?

Gloucestercitynews.net (December 30, 2019)–In the United States,

90% of the population

has a high school diploma or higher.

Do you need a high school diploma? To answer that question, let’s break down what exactly a high school diploma does for you. How it can help you and whether or not a high school diploma is truly necessary.

Starting off, we can look at tangibles that can be measured by statistics. Then, we will explore the social impacts of not having a degree.

Work Options

If you don’t have a high school diploma, you’ll have fewer options for work. Many employers require that employees have at least passed high school before they are eligible to be hired.

You can

get a GED

to make up for a lack of a high school diploma. This will open a lot of doors, but without either, you’re going to have trouble finding a job.

Construction jobs and jobs with specific apprenticeships are among the few choices. In general, you will have to elect for a more physical job.

Earning Potential

As a general rule, the higher an education you have the more you make. Those who have at least a high school diploma earn more than those who don’t.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the

average weekly earnings

of someone

without

a high school diploma is $493. If you have a diploma, then your weekly earning potential is bumped up to $678.

The more education you receive, the more you are likely to make. The less you receive, the less money you will be paid. Time and experience can turn those tables a bit in your favor.

Social Status

Many people who do not receive a high school diploma feel awkward about it. Over time it can even become something that you will feel embarrassed about.

Most of this reaction comes from how people treat those who do not have high school diplomas. They can be viewed as less intelligent or lazy even if that is not true.

In some cases, it can even affect your ability to get a spouse or significant other. Working low-level jobs that require a lot of physical exertion will keep you from meeting a lot of people.

If you work hard enough and promote high enough at your job, you can escape this stigma. It will require that you put in years gaining experience and the trust of your employer. Hard work can pay off.

Making It Harder on Yourself

Without a high school diploma, you are

making life harder on yourself

. Very few people have viable options to begin their adult lives without having a high school diploma.

You’ll have to work twice as hard as someone with a high school diploma to obtain the same things in life. Education doesn’t mean intelligence, but it does make things easier.

Having the diploma is like having proof that you are a smart, creative and interesting person. If you don’t have one, you will have to prove all of those things to everyone you work for.

Other Options to High School

The question “Do you need a high school diploma?” can be answered another way. It is possible to get a GED which will function exactly the same as a high school diploma.

The difficulty in receiving your GED is that you won’t have anyone keeping you on task. You will have to motivate yourself and work at your own pace to succeed.

Studying is also something that makes the GED more difficult. If you don’t like studying or think you will have difficulty being motivated to study, you might have difficulty getting your GED.

If you are studying for your GED and want to have a diploma, you might consider a realistic diploma. You should

find out more

about realistic diplomas if you feel that might be a good temporary solution.

Do You Need a High School Diploma?

The short answer is not necessarily. There are options such as the GED and manual labor careers that don’t require a high school diploma.

The main thing that having your diploma will do is give you options. If you don’t want to work in a career field that requires heavy manual labor or equipment operation, you will need a high school diploma.

Not everyone will judge you for not having a high school diploma. You can simply not mention it to your friends and colleagues. Eventually, someone might find out, but perhaps by then, it won’t matter.

If you don’t have a diploma, you will make less throughout your life. While you can earn your way up, you will start at a lower pay scale. This will make it more difficult for you to retire at a reasonable age.

Millions of people graduate every year with high school diplomas. Diplomas have lost some value because so many people have them. The problem is this creates a large majority pool.

The size of this population pool means that employers don’t have to lower standards. They don’t have to give a chance to someone that doesn’t have a diploma. They have plenty of people to choose from as-is.

Without a high school diploma, you could potentially still have a good life. Most of what applies to

not

having a high school diploma also applies to having a high school diploma when compared to higher degrees.

In the end, degrees aren’t the end-all of life, but they help tremendously.

You Need a Diploma

Life is difficult as everyone already knows. Challenges and difficulties will continue to confront you throughout your life. As we choose our paths in life, things can be more or less challenging.

Do you need a high school diploma? Yes. If you want to make things easier for yourself and make it further in life, you will. Having a high school diploma, or even a higher diploma, can open doors that otherwise will have to be forced open by long, hard work.

We hope you found this article helpful. If so, please take a moment to browse our site and find other great reads to inform and entertain you.

PETS ARE THE BEST: Eight new pups report for duty

Urban, a three-month-old black Labrador retriever, trains with Danielle Berger at the Penn Vet Working Dog Center. Berger is leading the training for the U litter, composed of Urban and seven of her brothers and sisters, with assistance from interns including (left to right) Charlotte Kronick, Dominique Andrews, Trevor Vidas, and Tesa Stone. (All images: Eric Sucar/University Communications)

PHILADELPHIA PA–More sure-footed and confident by the day, the U litter puppies of the

Working Dog Center

are not yet 3 months old, yet are already a month into their training to use their agile bodies and sensitive noses to serve society.

These eight pups, all black Labrador retrievers, also fit into a special category: They are WDC legacies, the first to be born to two “

graduates

” of the Center, mom Pinto and dad Boomer.

Since their arrival at the WDC, they’ve been gradually introduced to tasks that will guide them on to careers in search and rescue, disease detection, police work, and more. With help from several interns, lead puppy trainer

Danielle Berger

makes sure the labs, each named for victims of September 11, receive a balanced mix of training, socialization, and rest.

Earlier this month,

Penn Toda

y

caught up with JUel, Ugo, Uli, Uman, Umar, Upton, Urban, and Uzza on a busy day of training, which, to an untrained eye, looks an awful lot like play—probably because, to the puppies, work and play are one and the same.

Though the U litter is graced with excellent pedigree—Pinto and Boomer both work in cadaver detection—they are still puppies with a lot to learn. “Play dates” with older dogs, such as Lucy, a Dutch shepherd, teach puppies like Ugo good social skills.

The puppies get a mix of one-on-one training, group “puppy play dates,” and frequent snuggles, to ensure they’re skilled and well-socialized. When they’re not at the WDC, each puppy lives with a volunteer foster family.

Cindy Otto, executive director of the WDC, works Casey, an older WDC dog, through training to improve strength, balance, and fitness. Otto drew inspiration to found the Center after caring for working dogs that responded to the 9-11 attacks. Each puppy that comes through the Center’s program is named for a 9-11 victim or working dog.

In a “runaway” drill, Drexel co-op intern Lauren Filipe hides in a crate, encouraging Urban to chase after her. The aim of the exercise is to elicit a bark from Urban, which will be her signal to her handler that she’s found the object of her search. Urban quickly obliged.

Located at Pennovation Works, across the Schuylkill River from Penn’s main campus, the WDC makes use of nearby buildings and open spaces to train the puppies and give them room to roam.

Trainers erect various obstacles and challenges for the puppies to navigate, helping them improve their agility and also conquer any fears. “The genetics are shining through in these dogs,” says Berger, encouraging Uman to cross a narrow plank.

SOURCE:

Protecting Animals, Serving Society

RELATED:

PETS ARE THE BEST

DAWN WATSON\’S PET TIPS

How to Use CBD oil for Better Sleep

Gloucestercitynews.net

(December 28, 2019)–It might come as a surprise but according to certain reports, more than 70 million Americans suffer from chronic sleep disorders. To put it the other way, a good lot of people are exhausted from personal and professional pressures of life, which often results in insomnia and other mental as well as emotional disorders.

There are many medical treatments available for getting you better sleep but most people do not recommend taking any sleep disorder medicines due to their addictive effects. This would be the moment where

top rated UK CBD oil brands

must enter your life.

Yes, currently, it’s the most natural treatment for insomnia and quite affordable as well.

If you or someone you know is suffering from sleeping problems, then CBD oil is just the thing for you! Of course, you would want to learn more about the use of

CBD oil for better sleep

and here it is!

First things first, let’s learn a bit about CBD oil

CBD oil is made from one of the 80 cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant. However, it is not the same as other compounds derived from the same plant. Unlike other compounds of this plant, CBD doesn’t contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is primarily responsible for creating the ‘high’ in the brain. Yes, people get stoned due to its presence in marijuana and hashish.  Since CBD doesn’t contain it, it is known to be a non-intoxicating or non-psychoactive substance.

In the United States, CBD or hemp oil has been excluded from the list of ‘controlled substance.’  This means that it’s legal to use CBD products as long as they are legal in your state. As per the 2018 Farm Bill, it has been made legal in all 50 states across America. So, unless your local laws disapprove of it, consuming CBD is absolutely all right!

So, what is CBD oil used for?

CBD oil has been in use since centuries dating back to 1200 A.D, where it was first mentioned that it can successfully treat people suffering from sleep disorders. Today, CBD oil used for the treatment of issues like anxiety, depression, chronic pain, epilepsy, inflammation, constipation, and in some cases, cancer.

There have been cases across the US where people successfully healed themselves with a daily dosage of CBD oil. So, anyone who is suffering from sleeping disorders must give it a try.

Can CBD oil impact the quality of your sleep?

Studies have shown that CBD, in fact, does help in improving the quality of your sleep.  It can readily shift your body from REM to NREM sleep (as mentioned by the World Health Organization).  As per experts, CBD oil can contribute in preventing the breakdown of a chemical neurotransmitter in the brain which affects the mental and emotional state of the body.  It allows the sleep-promoting chemical to flow freely through your body and

makes you sleepy

without getting you high.

There is still a lack of conclusive research on the matter but there are some studies support the issue. In a

2019 study

, it was concluded that patient suffering from anxiety as well as sleep disorders showed improvement after a month of 25 milligrams (mg) of the CBD.

According to another

study

, it was revealed that CBD was capable of successfully treating RBD. CBD is also known to heal day-time excessive sleeping and grogginess.

How does CBD oil help in improving your sleep?

There are many direct and indirect ways that contribute in helping you sleep better after you consume CBD oil in your system. Here’s how it happens.

1.

CBD helps in reduction of anxiety

: This means that CBD helps in regulation of cortisol, the stress hormone. It balances the serotonin level as well. When a person feels less-stressed, he or she sleeps better. According to a number of

studies

, CBD can successfully treat anxiety-related disorders and thus, improves the quality of sleep.

2. Relaxed muscles: As per certain

studies

, CBD treats movement disorders as well. It reduces muscle tremors which are often the result of anxiety disorder and keeps the person awake during the night. It helps in the treatment of insomnia as well.

3.Decreases restlessness: People who suffer from sleeping disorders have a habit of being restless all through the night and sometimes during the day as well. Those who suffer from REM sleep disorder which gives rise to nightmares and restlessness have shown positive signs of improvement in their sleeping patterns.

4.Relief from PTSD and trauma: Sleep disturbances and REM cycles often affect the mental health of patients. Sleeping problems might also be the result of post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD and trauma. A daily dosage of CBD oil reduces anxiety and depression related to PTSD and thus improves the quality of sleep.

5.Chronic pain: Those who suffer from chronic pain in joints or muscles always have a hard time sleeping. Since CBD oil has successfully proven to heal body pains. When pain is reduced from the body, it indirectly helps people sleep better during the night.

How to use CBD oil for sleep

Everyone has a different body type. Thus, there are a variety of CBD products, such as gummies, creams, sprays, vapes, and capsules that help one person in a far better way than the other. However, CBD oil has proven to have a great effect on most people dealing with sleeping disorders. A spoonful of CBD oil put under your tongue slowly releases its effect on your body slowly, thus, helping you sleep for a longer time than usual. The best time to consume CBD oil is an hour or so before bed time.

How much CBD should one use for the treatment of sleeping disorder

Since CBD is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) right now, this means that there is no guideline for a definite dosage of CBD oil. On the basis of studies, a higher dosage of CBD oil has proven far more healing than smaller ones. An optimal dosage of CBD oil anyway depends on height, gender, weight, and other deciding factors.

It is important to consult your doctor or a medical professional about the dosage of the oil. It is recommended to have a talk with your regular doctor, if possible since he or she knows all about your medical history and can decide the most suitable dosage for you.

Closing thoughts about cbd & sleep

When compared to other sleeping aids, CBD products are considered to be safer and more effective than the traditional medicines. It is natural and quite an affordable way to say goodbye to your sleeping disorders however slowly. However, there is still a lot of research needed to completely accept the therapeutic effects of CBD oil.

Nonetheless, people who are suffering from disturbing sleeping patterns can surely rely on this safe, effective, and non-addictive form of medication.

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University of Washington: SAD lights push back depression during dark days

SAD is a subset of depression that can be marked by feeling blue and  tired, craving carbs, and having less interest in socializing.

Getty Images

About  ten percent of those who live in the Northwest suffer from SAD, according to UW Medicine experts.

For Robert, * it was getting just too hard to get out of bed in the morning during the winter months.

Finally, his partner, who lives near Skagway, Alaska, suggested using a seasonal affective disorder light, otherwise known as a SAD light, to deal with his sleepiness and mild depression.

“This worked far better than expected. I would even call it life changing,” said Robert, a Seattle resident and software engineer, who, like others living in the Northwest, endures many dark months in a place where sunlight barely limps pass the eight-hour mark in December.

Most of us struggle to get out of bed, but for Robert, the task was particularly hard, especially when the sun wasn’t rising until well after he was on his way to work.

“I had extreme trouble waking up in the morning,” he said. “Drinking coffee would boost my energy for an hour or so, but I could not sustain my energy throughout the workday.”

Then, on the recommendation of his doctor and his roommate, he bought a SAD light. The struggle to get out of bed and the need for coffee stopped.

While Robert’s experience might be dramatic, it is not surprising, said

Dr. Nina Maisterra

, of the UW Medicine Belltown Clinic, who has recommended SAD lights to her patients who struggle with depression or lack of energy during the winter.

About  ten percent of people living in the Northwest suffer from SAD, according to UW Medicine’s

Dr. David Avery

, a professor emeritus at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Avery has studied diminished  daylight and its effect on people for the last three decades.  For his patients, Avery suggests working at controlling their wake and sleep times, and keeping active socially but avoiding what resembles “jet lag” during the weekends, such as staying up late and sleeping in.

SAD is generally classified as a subset of depression, It can be marked by feeling blue and tired, craving carbohydrates and feeling less interest in socializing. Research has linked SAD to changes in circadian rhythms and serotonin levels, Maisterra said.

Treatments may include cognitive behavioral therapy that’s focused specifically on SAD; medications known as serotonin-reuptake inhibitors, which work by increasing the levels of a nerve-cell signal in the brain; and light boxes. These are used either as dawn simulators or as a daily exposure  that mimics being outdoors in the sun.

“It’s effective for some people. It’s just like many treatments, sometimes you have to use a combination of therapies,” Maisterra said.

Robert started using his SAD light in August. He sets the timer to go on 30 minutes before he actually wishes to rise in the morning. He reads in bed, the timer goes off, the light turns off, and it’s time to get up.

His co-workers are beginning to ask about using the light, now that winter is coming in.

“I tell them to test it out,” he said. “It’s easy to buy online and doesn’t really require any lifestyle changes to use.”

*Robert asked that only his first name be used for this article.

Copyright 2019 University of Washington. All rights reserved |

RELATED:

Combating the effects of gloomy weather

How to Choose High Quality CBD Oil

Gloucestercitynews.net (December 28, 2019)–CBD industry is expected to grow by $ 1 billion in 2020. It is one of the top players in the health and wellness industry as well. This is no wonder because people across America have realized the therapeutic effects of CBD products.

Even though the research on the health benefits of CBD is fancy, there are numerous cases of common people who have successfully improved their lives with daily dosage of CBD oil. Intrigued to try CBD oil to heal your mind and body? Well, go ahead but keep in mind to choose the

best quality of CBD oil

for consumption.

Now, the question is how to choose high-quality CBD oil? There are a few things you can do to be assured that the CBD oil or any other product for that matter, is of great quality and worth trying.

Before anything else, you should know these things about CBD

CBD or Cannabidiol is derived from the cannabis plant, yes, the parent plant of marijuana. Before you question the legality of it, you should know that CBD, unlike its siblings, is non-psychoactive in nature. This means that it doesn’t comprise or encircles only traces of THC, which is basically the high-inducing compound.

You should know that CBD is also excluded from the list of ‘controlled substances’ in America. Under the 2018 Farm Bill (passed in December last year), CBD is now legal across all 50 states. However, you must learn about local laws of your state as well.

Why is CBD oil a hit among people?

CBD oil is an amazing supplement and considered to be a great alternative form of medication for people suffering from illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, skin problems, indigestion, even cancer.

Here’s a list of diseases that CBD oil is known to treat naturally-

Stress

Depression

Anxiety

Sleep disorders

Epilepsy

Bipolar disorder

Cancer (in some cases)

Inflammation

Skin problems

Indigestion

Hair fall

Migraines

Heart disease

Blood pressure

Parkinson’s disease

Restlessness

Fatigue

Irritability

There are no conclusive studies on humans about the positive benefits on CBD oil on people’s health. However, there are countless anecdotes across the country about people who have healed and still are healing with the help of CBD oil and other products.

Now that you’ve gathered all the necessary information about CBD oil, it’s time to learn about the product that suits you.

Things to keep in mind before buying CBD oil

There are plenty of CBD oil available in the market at affordable prices. However, everybody responds differently to different products. Thus, it is important to do thorough research on the products before you pick the

best CBD oil

for you.

So, are there any signs of quality CBD oil that you can use to determine whether it’s reliable or not? Whether you are a rookie or an expert in buying CBD oil, here are the following points that you must keep in mind to get the best quality of CBD oil-

1. Do your research: The first thing to do before buying a CBD oil is to do a thorough research. Do not incline toward the companies that sell CBD oil at a low price. Understand all the terms related with CBD oil, such as full-spectrum, pure oil, interaction with Endocannabinoid system, THC, etc. Once you learn about the necessary information on the same, go ahead and buy the product.

2. Packaging: Once you are through with the research part, head over to the label of the CBD product you are thinking to buy. Learn the terminology of what is written on the label both at the time of order and delivery. Also, make sure that the material is made of dark ember glass which is impenetrable. A good packaging helps the product to last for long and guarantees a good quality.

3. THC content: According to Federal Law in the United States, the concentration of THC in CBD products shouldn’t go beyond 0.3%. If it is over the limit, then it is absolutely illegal to sell or purchase the same.  It is imperative to check the THC content of the CBD oil before buying it, or it might cause more harm than benefit.

4. Make sure that it is third-party lab tested: You might have heard about the phrase ‘third-party lab tested’ but what does it really mean? Well, for starters, it is crucial to know this before buying CBD oil. The quality and dosage of CBD oil is yet not regulated by FDA and the government. The product is tested for purity and quality in private labs. The report worked out by these labs includes content like date of publication, synchronicity with the product label, certificate of analysis, and accreditation. So, make sure that product is tested by a reputable lab party, such as, Think20 Labs.

5. Be assured that CBD oil is additive-free: When it comes to buying CBD oil, fewer additives, the better it is. CBD oil shouldn’t comprise of anything apart from its main ingredients, such as essential oils and cannabinoids. The more natural it is, the more effective it will be for your problem.

6. The knowledge of hemp-growing standards: If you do not find any indication of growing standards in the product, don’t trust its quality.  If you are not able to verify the hemp-growing standards, in most cases, it means that the hemp has come into contact with toxic chemicals, such as pesticides and fertilizers. This will directly affect the quality of the CBD oil.

7. Place of manufacture: Make sure that the product is grown and manufactured in a place where selling and buying of CBD is legal. It is also important to understand that the company you are buying the product from sources its material from the states where the Farm Bill 2018 is applied and accepted.  Also, make sure that the company you are buying CBD oil from is quite transparent in terms of money-back guarantee and return policy.

8. Learn how CBD oil is extracted: If you think that learning about the extraction process of the CBD oil isn’t important to know about the quality of the product, listen to this. There are various methods of extracting CBD oil that determine the quality of the end product. The best way to extract CBD is via CO2 at a given temperature and pressure. CO2 is a natural solvent, thus, the end product is generally of high quality and pure in nature. In fact, extraction process also helps in changing the genetic structure of the entire product.

Closing thoughts

At the end of the day, it is important to know why you want to buy CBD oil in the first place. So, the type and quality of the CBD oil also depend on the problem you want to buy it for. For instance, for skin problems, like acne, it is recommended to buy topical ointments of the extremely high quality. In order to treat body pains, it is recommended to

buy full-spectrum CBD oil

. Nevertheless, the quality, potency, and transparency are the top things one must keep in mind before buying CBD oil.

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