When you’re looking for a new job, you’re probably not heading to Facebook first. However, the biggest social network might still be important for finding new jobs. After all, everyone you know is there.

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Since chocolate and cocoa powder come from the same plant, you might be tempted to substitute one for the other in a recipe, especially if you only have one of them in your pantry. But the fat and flavor concentration in cocoa powder versus plain chocolate can actually make a huge difference.

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We tend to think of budgeting and frugality as depriving ourselves. It may be more helpful to reframe the way we think about cutting back on stuff. I like the way author Joshua Becker puts it: “Your biggest expense is your greatest opportunity.”

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The traditional advice to “not take it personally, it’s business” can be kind of problematic. It suggests you should just chalk up your experience to the perils of professionalism, rather than process or learn anything from it so you can grow.

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Mayke was born in Germany, expensively schooled and tediously trained to head off smugglers at the U.S.-Mexico border.

But on the way to Texas, the chocolate-colored border detection dog lost her nerve.

“The problem was, she was afraid of big trucks. She would just freeze right up,” said Chris Bugbee, a carnivore biologist who claimed the 65-pound Belgian Malinois when border authorities rejected her in 2012.

Today, Mayke helps Bugbee track a different kind of border crosser: El Jefe, the only known jaguar living in the United States.

Bugbee studies the jaguar for Conservation CATalyst, a partner of the Center for Biological Diversity that focuses on conserving cats.

He and his canine companion spend their days tracking El Jefe in the quiet Santa Rita Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona.

Mayke discovered some of the first genetically verified jaguar droppings in the U.S., the biologist said.

“Chris has taught her when she finds jaguar poop to bark, and she barks and barks and barks and barks,” said Bugbee’s wife, Aletris Neils, a big cat biologist and Conservation CATalyst’s executive director.

“Mayke would never work for anybody else the way she does for Chris,” she said. “That relationship is really special.”

Mayke also sniffed out several of El Jefe’s resting places. Jaguars are great wanderers, and Bugbee figures El Jefe — Spanish for “the boss” — has at least 100 sleeping places in the mountains.

El Jefe, thought to be about 7, crisscrosses most of the 300-square-mile Santa Rita Mountains and beyond, Bugbee said. Scientists believe the jaguar came from a population in Mexico and then struck out on his own. The big cat is seen roaming the territory in a February video released by the Center for Biological Diversity, thanks to cameras set up by Bugbee with Mayke by his side.

Besides jaguar hiding spots, Mayke has discovered something else in her four years with the biologist: her confidence.

Bugbee said Mayke has gone from avoiding every “little hill” to bounding from boulder to steep boulder as she aids in his quest.

“She will do absolutely anything for him,” Neils said. “She has become a 4-wheel drive dog — she lives to work and trusts him completely.”

The post New leash on life: K-9 gets second chance tracking jaguar appeared first on WTOP.

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A federal judge cleared the way for the Navajo Nation to seek potentially millions of dollars in its 2012 lawsuit over Urban Outfitters’ use of the “Navajo” name in clothing, jewelry and other merchandise.

The tribe did not unreasonably delay a trademark infringement challenge against the clothing retailer, U.S. District Judge Bruce Black in New Mexico ruled Thursday.

Urban Outfitters Inc. had claimed the tribe knew or should have known that the name had been used in items such as necklaces, jackets and underwear for years and delayed filing a lawsuit, prejudicing the company. The retailer started using the “Navajo” descriptor in 2001, according to court documents.

There was no evidence anyone legally associated with the Navajo Nation knew the retailer used the tribe’s trademarks until June 2011, Black said. The tribe sent a cease and desist letter to Urban Outfitters and followed up with the lawsuit.

“We’re happy with the ruling and hope to resolve the matter expeditiously for the benefit of the Navajo people,” Paul Spruhan, an attorney for the tribe, said Friday.

Court documents do not quantify the amount the Navajo Nation could recover if it’s successful in its lawsuit, but it could amount to millions of dollars dating to 2008.

On some claims, the tribe wants all the profits generated from the Navajo-themed sales. On others, it wants $1,000 per day per item, or three times the profit generated by marketing and retail of products using the name.

Lindsay DeMoss, one of a handful of attorneys listed for Urban Outfitters, declined to comment. The company had said in court documents that granting the tribe a monetary windfall for a situation it created with unexplained silence “would be inequitable and unjust.”

Black’s ruling applies to Urban Outfitters and one of its subsidiaries, Anthropologie. The judge held off on determining whether it also applies to subsidiary Free People LLC until a company representative could be interviewed.

The tribe’s lawsuit alleges violations of federal and state trademark laws, including the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, which makes it illegal to sell arts or crafts in a way to falsely suggest they are made by American Indians.

Urban Outfitters says “Navajo” is a generic term for a style or design.

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man who was facing a 120-year sentence for firing two shots that caused no injuries is now a free man.

The Florida Times-Union (http://goo.gl/bgYnEQ) reports that 58-year-old Randal Ratledge of Jacksonville was sentenced Friday to 117 days in jail and received credit for 117 days he’s already served.

Ratledge had been charged with six counts of aggravated assault after a 2012 incident involving his neighbors. Authorities said Rutledge fired shots in the air and screamed profanities at the six neighbors. Under Florida’s 10-20-Life law, anyone convicted of a crime involving the firing of a gun gets a prison sentence of at least 20 years.

But jurors acquitted Ratledge of two of the charges and reduced the other four to misdemeanors. Then a judge combined the four misdemeanors to one count of improper exhibition of a firearm.

___

Information from: The (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union, http://www.jacksonville.com

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DELRAN, N.J. (AP) — A man slit his wife’s throat while she was driving, causing a crash, and then fled to a diner where he was found partially dressed and covered in blood, authorities said Friday.

Delran police responded Thursday night when a car collided with other vehicles. Officers reported finding a knife in the vehicle and 54-year-old Cynthia Fortune on the ground with lacerations on her neck, the Burlington County prosecutor said. She later died.

Her husband, Quentin Fortune, 37, of Somerdale, was at a nearby diner, dressed only in a T-shirt, boxer-briefs and sneakers and covered in what appeared to be blood, prosecutors said. They said he didn’t appear to have any cuts on his own body.

“They were driving down Route 130 when their vehicle ran into two other cars alongside them,” prosecutor Robert Bernardi said. “We think a struggle occurred inside the car and that’s when the murder occurred.”

Bernardi said an autopsy found that Cynthia Fortune died from two stab wounds to the neck.

He said Fortune is in the Burlington County jail on $300,000 bail and will likely make his initial court appearance Monday. He didn’t have an attorney listed to comment on his behalf.

Bernardi said investigators are hoping to speak to the driver of a car that Quentin Fortune attempted to get into after the accident. He said surveillance footage shows Fortune going up to the car, but that it took off without letting him in.

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Throughout the interior West, states in a belt from Montana to New Mexico are looking for ways to lower their highest-in-the-nation suicide rates, although gun-specific initiatives are a touchy topic.

In Montana, with the highest rate, suicide prevention coordinator Karl Rosston acknowledges some frustration as the toll rises, including the recent deaths of several teenagers who used guns from their own homes.

“People are afraid we’re trying to take away guns, which is not the case,” Rosston said. “I understand the sensitivity of it, but I’ve got to ask the questions when we have kids who shoot themselves.”

One of Montana’s hardest-hit areas is the city of Butte and surrounding Silver Bow County, where, according to local health director Karen Sullivan, the rate of gun ownership is far above the national average. Jolted by the recent firearm suicides of six young people, including a good friend of her daughter, Sullivan and others formed a suicide prevention committee and began distributing gun locks.

“All six had ready access to a firearm, and we’re not OK with that,” Sullivan said. “This issue has become very personal to me.”

In Colorado and Nevada, the states’ suicide prevention offices have been reaching out to gun stores and shooting ranges, offering suicide-prevention materials and training. One of the outreach workers in Nevada, Richard Egan, regularly visits gun shows, sometimes giving away high-quality gun locks to people interested in his message.

Egan, who developed expertise in weaponry during a long Air Force career, said he was heartened by recent news that prosecutors would pursue a felony child-abuse charge in the case of an 8-year-old Las Vegas boy who committed suicide last year. The boy had been left at home without adult supervision, and used a gun left unsecured by the boyfriend of the child’s mother.

“That’s huge,” said Egan of the charge filed against the boyfriend. “We’re now going to hold the gun owner accountable.”

In Arizona, the overall suicide rate is not quite as high as those of its Rocky Mountain neighbors, but three of its counties — Yavapai, Mohave and Cochise — have among the highest firearm suicide rates in the nation, according to federal data.

Arizona’s suicide prevention officer, Kelli Donley, has been working cautiously to see if there are ways to cut down on gun suicides.

“Politically we have to be very careful,” she said. “People love their guns in Arizona — we can’t tell people not to have guns.”

Last summer, Donley said, she went to Mohave County for a suicide-prevention meeting, and got logistical help from a fire department battalion chief in Kingman.

“One week later he killed himself — that was totally defeating,” said Donley, recalling how she sobbed during the phone call that relayed the news. “I gave that man every resource I had, and he didn’t acknowledge what he was going through.”

The post Many Western states seek ways to lower high suicide rates appeared first on WTOP.

MONTROSE, Colorado (AP) — Keith Carey is a gunsmith in Montrose, a town with a frontier flavor set amid the mesas of western Colorado. He’s a staunch, though soft-spoken, defender of the right to bear arms.

Yet now he’s a willing recruit in a fledgling effort to see if the gun community itself — sellers and owners of firearms, operators of shooting ranges — can help Colorado and other Western states reduce their highest-in-the-nation suicide rates.

“Suicide is a tragedy no matter how it’s done,” said Carey, whose adult daughter killed herself with a mix of alcohol and antidepressants a few years ago on the East Coast. However, he sees the logic in trying gun-specific prevention strategies in towns like Montrose, where guns are an integral part of daily life.

“It’s very expedient for people to commit suicide by a firearm, without too much forethought,” Carey said. “Unfortunately, it’s generally effective.”

At the urging of a local police commander, Carey agreed last year to participate in the Gun Shop Project, a state-funded program in which gun sellers and range operators in five western Colorado counties were invited to help raise awareness about suicide. It’s a tentative but promising bid to open up a conversation on a topic that’s been virtually taboo in these Western states: the intersection of guns and suicide.

Carey’s shop counter now displays wallet-sized cards with information about a suicide hotline. A poster by the door offers advice about ways to keep guns away from friends or relatives at risk of killing themselves.

Carey says some customers take materials home, or ask a few questions. The conversations tend to be brief.

“Suicide is one of those morose subjects that a lot of us don’t want to talk about,” he said. “But it’s all too common. I believe any method of suicide prevention is worth a good hard try.”

___

Across the U.S., suicides account for nearly two-thirds of all gun deaths — far outnumbering gun homicides. In 2014, according to federal data, there were 33,599 firearm deaths; 21,334 of them were suicides. That figure represents about half of all suicides that year; but in several western Colorado counties, and in some other Rocky Mountain states with high gun-ownership rates, more than 60 percent of suicides involve firearms.

Along with Alaska, the states with the highest rates form a contiguous bloc — Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico. All have age-adjusted suicide rates at least 50 percent higher than the national rate of 12.93 suicides per 100,000 people; Montana’s rate, 23.80, is the highest in the nation.

Between 2000 and 2014, gun suicides increased by more than 51 percent in those states, while rising by less than 30 percent nationwide.

Theories abound as to why such high rates. Commonly cited factors include the isolation and economic hard times in rural areas of these states. There’s also belief that a self-reliant frontier mindset deters some Westerners from seeking help when depression sinks in.

“We embrace the cowboy mentality,” says Jarrod Hindman, director of Colorado’s Office of Suicide Prevention. “If you’re suffering, suck it up, pick yourself up by your boot straps. But that doesn’t work very well if you’re suicidal.”

Underlying all these explanations is the fact that firearms are more ubiquitous in the West than in most other parts of the country.

Catherine Barber, a suicide prevention expert at the Harvard School of Public Health, says residents of gun-owning homes are at higher risk of suicide than other people — simply because a suicide attempt is more likely to involve a gun. According to federal estimates, suicide attempts involving firearms succeed 85 percent of the time, compared to less than 10 percent of attempts involving drug overdoses and several other methods.

“It’s not that gun owners are more suicidal,” Barber argues. “It’s that they’re more likely to die in the event that they become suicidal, because they are using a gun.”

Colorado’s Gun Shop Project is modeled after a program pioneered in New Hampshire. Barber helped design the initiative and hopes collaboration on firearm suicide prevention can spread nationwide.

“In the past, people shut up about this issue because they thought raising it meant raising the issue of gun control,” she said. “It makes so much more sense to look at gun owners as part of the solution.”

Hindman said that when he joined the state health department in 2004, talking about the role of firearms in suicide was discouraged. It’s still a sensitive topic, he said, but some funding has materialized for gun-specific initiatives.

In Montrose, Police Commander Keith Caddy has been around guns since childhood. Now he’s doing outreach for the Gun Shop Project — and most of the businesses he has visited agreed to display suicide-awareness materials once they were assured it wasn’t a gun-takeaway program in disguise.

“It’s my duty to protect the community I serve,” Caddy said. “If I can go out there and spend a little time talking to the gun shops, maybe the reward will be saving someone’s life.”

___

Suicide presents a distinctive challenge for shooting ranges: Occasionally, someone will rent a gun, then use it to commit suicide.

At the Family Shooting Center in Denver, there have been three such incidents, including two since Doug Hamilton began managing the range in 2004. Hamilton is open to letting his staff get suicide-prevention training, though he’s unsure it would help. Those who killed themselves at his range exhibited no signs of stress beforehand.

“Suicide prevention brochures aren’t something that anyone’s going to pick up who has come out to our range to kill themselves,” he said.

Such challenges are familiar to Dr. Michael Victoroff, a Denver-area physician whose leisure-time passion is competitive shooting. He was at the Family Shooting Center in Denver when one of the suicides occurred there.

Victoroff belongs to the American Medical Association and the National Rifle Association, and has qualms about both.

“The medical community has been content not to know anything about gun culture and gun safety,” said Victoroff. As for the NRA, he’d like to see suicide prevention highlighted in its training materials.

Over the years, firearm suicide has not been a high-profile issue for the NRA; it worries that the topic might be used to advance a gun-control agenda. Though the NRA has no position on Colorado’s Gun Shop Project, it has endorsed a bill in Washington state encouraging gun dealers to participate in suicide prevention efforts, said spokeswoman Jennifer Baker.

___

Throughout Colorado, prevention efforts are fueled to a large degree by people who’ve lost friends and loved ones to suicide.

Cindy Haerle, a teacher and board member of the Grand Junction-based Western Colorado Suicide Prevention Foundation, grew up in “a real gun family” in Salida, Colorado, and had her own gun by the time she was 5. But she gave up shooting after her brother John killed himself with a pistol in 1980 at age 29.

“Nothing is as final as a gunshot,” said Haerle, who was 13 at the time.

In the northwest counties of Routt and Moffatt, the Gun Shop Project is coordinated by Meghan Francone, who constantly reassures gun owners and sellers that the outreach program poses no threat. She got involved after her 15-year-old brother-in-law fatally shot himself in 2010.

“Keep your guns. Keep a dozen. I don’t care. But please make sure they are locked and out of the reach of someone who’s in crisis,” she said. “I’m not asking any gun shop owner to be a psychologist. I’m asking them to be their brother’s keeper.”

___

Follow David Crary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CraryAP

The post In West, region of guns and suicide, outreach to curb deaths appeared first on WTOP.

ATLANTA (AP) — Much attention is being paid to the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy, but equally partisan battles are being waged for control of state courts around the nation.

In states where voters elect Supreme Court judges, millions of dollars are being spent to reshape the courts for years to come. Judicial watchdogs say spending by national groups overwhelmingly favors judges on the right of the political spectrum, and is mostly aimed at maintaining or improving the courts’ responses to corporate interests while countering state-level spending by labor unions and other interest groups.

Lawmakers are busy too, debating proposals to tip the balance of power by expanding or reducing their court’s size, or making it easier to impeach judges whose rulings upset the legislative majority.

“State courts are the final word on a host of state law issues that have high stakes for businesses’ bottom lines, legislatures’ agendas and the rights of individuals,” said Alicia Bannon with the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University. “Who sits on state courts can have a profound impact on the legal landscape in a state, and special interest groups and politicians are increasingly paying attention.”

State supreme court elections have begun to resemble the rough-and-tumble, high-dollar campaigns associated with races for governor or Congress. Voters in about two dozen states are casting ballots for state supreme court justices this year. Spending for two Arkansas Supreme Court seats alone topped $1.6 million, setting a state record for TV ad buys in a judicial election.

The Judicial Crisis Network, which is spending millions campaigning against President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland, and the Republican State Leadership Committee were successful in seeing their candidates elected, including a new chief justice who says he’s guided by “prayer, not politics.”

The races were so acrimonious that some Arkansas Republicans are considering ending popular elections for the top court, while some Democrats want more transparency by outside spending groups.

Wisconsin voters also have been exposed to months of TV ads over a Supreme Court seat ahead of Tuesday’s primary. Most of the ads support Justice Rebecca Bradley, a conservative whom Republican Gov. Scott Walker promoted through the judicial system and onto the state’s top court in just three years. Now she’s seeking a full, 10-year term.

The conservative Wisconsin Alliance for Reform has spent at least $1.5 million on TV ads for Bradley, while the liberal Greater Wisconsin Committee has spent at least $345,430 supporting Appeals Court Judge JoAnne Kloppenburg, who would narrow the court’s conservative majority if elected. Both totals reflect Federal Communications Commission records of TV buys analyzed by the judicial campaign watchdog Justice at Stake.

Partisan control of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court flipped last fall after six candidates for three open seats combined for $12.2 million in contributions and two independent groups spent an additional $3.5 million. Democrats swept all three races, taking five of the seven seats after six years of Republican control.

A race in Kansas is likely to be another big-money battleground. Groups supportive of Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and the GOP-controlled Legislature will be looking to oust four of the five justices up for retention elections in November, enabling Brownback to select their replacements to the seven-member court.

Lawmakers also are weighing changes to their systems of electing, appointing or retaining judges, mostly trying to limit the power of state courts to overrule them.

A bill in Oklahoma would allow voters to overturn some state Supreme Court decisions. Washington lawmakers are weighing whether to not only shrink their Supreme Court from nine justices to five, but also force judges to run in districts rather than statewide. One lawmaker said this could prevent an “intensely liberal concentration” in the Seattle area from diluting the influence of Republicans in the rest of the state.

“There has been an anger and frustration that legislative efforts have been enacted and then within one, two or three years those statutes have been struck down as unconstitutional,” said Bill Raftery, an analyst at the National Center for State Courts, a nonprofit research organization.

After the Kansas Supreme Court ordered the legislature to restore school funding, the state’s senators approved a bill enabling the impeachment of justices who attempt to “usurp the power” of lawmakers and executive branch officials. The House has yet to take it up.

Critics have said the measure would remove the court’s independence by threatening the justices’ careers if the court strikes down a law.

“It totally handicaps the Supreme Court,” Republican state Rep. Steve Becker, a retired district court judge. “It would render the Supreme Court useless, basically.”

Missouri lawmakers also proposed a plan to make it easier to impeach justices.

Increased populations and caseloads require expanding the Supreme Courts in Arizona and Georgia, supporters say; Critics argue that in both states, Republicans simply want to add more judges who will vote in their favor.

The expansion of Georgia’s Supreme Court from seven justices to nine now awaits the signature of Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, who pushed for the change. Between the expansion and anticipated retirements, Deal could select four more justices before his term ends.

In Arizona, Republican state Rep. J.D. Mesnard said during a committee hearing that expanding the court from five to seven justices would “spread that power out to more people.” He emphasized that Republican Gov. Doug Ducey had not approached him about the bill, and said “I would feel this way regardless of who is on the court or regardless of the decisions that have come down.”

Democratic Sen. Martin Quezada said the plan could be seen as an effort to “pack” the court with conservative justices, and suggested delaying implementation until the next governor takes office. That might not be until January 2019, if Ducey doesn’t win a second term. A Republican colleague noted the irony of a Democrat suggesting such a delay, given the party’s frustration over the U.S. Senate Republicans’ refusal to consider Obama’s nominee.

Mesnard acknowledged that it can be difficult sometimes to separate politics from policy.

“If the shoe were on the other foot, I’ll just candidly say, if it was a different person appointing, I might feel less comfortable,” he said.

___

Associated Press writers Greg Moore in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas; and Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas, contributed to this report.

___

Follow Christina Almeida Cassidy on Twitter: http://twitter.com/AP_Christina.

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MILL HALL, Pa. (AP) — In a story April 2 about a guilty plea from a delivery truck driver who crashed into a horse and buggy, The Associated Press reported erroneously the age of the boy who died. David Beiler was 8, not 9.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Driver in crash that killed 2 pleads guilty, pays $800 fine

A delivery truck driver who crashed into a horse and buggy in Pennsylvania last summer, killing a woman and an 8-year-old boy, has pleaded guilty and paid nearly $800 in fines

MILL HALL, Pa. (AP) — A delivery truck driver who crashed into a horse and buggy in Pennsylvania last summer killing a woman and 8-year-old boy has pleaded guilty and paid nearly $800 in fines.

Prosecutors say an investigation found vehicular homicide charges weren’t warranted.

Fifty-five-year-old Sherry Croak of Lock Haven originally sought a trial but instead entered the plea Friday. The fines were associated with charges including careless driving resulting in death.

State police said the UPS box truck drifted into the path of the horse and buggy on July 10 in Logan Township, in central Pennsylvania. It then struck a rail that goes alongside the vehicle, causing it to overturn.

Thirty-six-year-old Rachel Beiler of Loganton and her son David died at the scene. Four other people in the buggy were injured.

The post Correction: Truck Hits Buggy story appeared first on WTOP.

Just like their human counterparts, cats can feel stress and anxiety when traveling.^[1] Removing your cat from her familiar environment can throw her for a loop. Therefore, you should put careful time and consideration into preparing your cat for air travel. Your extra effort will help make the travel experience less stressful for the both of you.

EditSteps

EditPreparing Your Cat for Air Travel in Advance

1. Take your cat to your veterinarian. Travel, especially air travel, can be difficult for cats. You want to ensure your cat is healthy enough for the flight. Your veterinarian will examine her and make sure she is up to date on all of her vaccinations. If your cat has an illness, ask your veterinarian how it can be managed or treated (if possible) prior to your flight.
   
   • Your veterinarian will need to complete a health certificate for your cat, certifying she is healthy enough for travel and has all of the required vaccinations. The health certificate requirements may vary according to your destination, so confirm these requirements with the airline before your appointment.^[2]
   • There are time restrictions on health certificate completion. Airlines typically require health certificates to be completed within 10 days of a flight, but confirm your airline's specific time restriction.^[3]
   • Ask your veterinarian to microchip your cat for easy identification.^[4] If your cat is already microchipped, consider asking your veterinarian to scan the microchip to make sure it can be read.
   • If your cat is on medication, ask your veterinarian about how you can continue to medicate your cat on your day of travel.
2. Purchase an airline-approved carrier. If you have not traveled by plane with your cat before, you may need to purchase an airline-approved pet carrier. Call your airline or search the airline’s website for pet carrier requirements for cabin and cargo travel. Generally, a ‘cabin’ cat carrier should be made of a durable fabric (e.g., nylon), be well ventilated, and have a zippered top and side door. Your airline may also require the carrier to have a soft removable bottom pad.^[5]
   
   • A good cargo carrier should be made of sturdy and durable plastic and have a secure door latch.^[6]
   • Make sure the carrier is large enough for your cat to move around and be comfortable in.
3. Encourage your cat to spend time in her carrier. Your cat will need at least 1 month to get ready for air travel. During this time, invite your cat to spend more time in his/her carrier. Make it look inviting by putting some of her creature comforts inside of it, such as comfortable bedding and favorite toys.^[7]
   • Leave the carrier open at all times in a location where your cat frequents, such as her bed or a scratching post.^[8] This lets your cat explore her carrier at her leisure and without fear of you closing the door when she steps inside of it.
   • Consider spraying cat pheromones inside the carrier so it smells familiar to her.^[9]
   • Feed her in the carrier so she can have a positive association with it.^[10]
   • Practice closing the door when she is inside of it (after you've given her time to explore it). Start by closing the door for a few seconds, then opening it and immediately giving her a treat. Slowly increase the amount of you leave the door closed before opening it and giving her a treat.^[11]
4. Take your cat on car rides. When your cat is comfortable with her carrier, place her inside of it and take her on car rides. Start with short car rides — just around the block and back. As she gets more comfortable with car travel, take her on longer rides.^[12]
   • Secure the carrier in the car with a seatbelt.^[13]
   • Take your cat to a desirable location, such as back home — not the veterinarian’s office.^[14] Give her a treat at the end of the car ride if she behaves well (no scratching or incessant crying).
   • Staying still in the carrier while the car is moving may be a bit bewildering to your cat at first, but she will get used to it over time.
   • Try to start the car rides at least a few weeks before your flight.^[15]
5. Acclimate your cat to loud noises. Not only is the plane noisy, but the airport can be noisy too. When your cat is comfortable with car rides, take her to the airport and sit outside with her in the carrier.^[16] The loud noise and commotion may be terrifying for your cat at first, so it will probably take a few trips to the airport before your cat becomes used to the loud noises.
   • You could also take her inside the airport, near the flight check-in area.
   • Give your cat some treats to reward her for good behavior.
   • Allow a few weeks for your cat to get accustomed to airport noises.
6. Trim your cat’s nails. If your cat’s nails are long, she could use them to scratch up the interior of her carrier during the flight.^[17] If she has to travel in the cargo area, she could get her nails stuck in the carrier’s bars, which could lead to injury.^[18] If you are not comfortable trimming your cat’s nails, have your veterinarian do so.
   • A cat’s nails should be trimmed once every 10 days to 2 weeks, so time the nail trimming so her nails do not become long again before the trip.^[19] If you will be away from home for a long time, bring some nail clippers with you.

EditMaking Other Travel Preparations

1. Book your flight. Airlines are often limited with how many pets can travel in the plane’s cabin. For this reason, you should book your flight well in advance (1 month or more) to increase the chances of your cat staying with you in the cabin.^[20] When you call to book your flight, ask if the airline allows pets on the plane, and if your cat can travel in the cabin. Because of your cat’s small size, it is preferable for her to travel in the cabin rather than the cargo hold.^[21]
   
   • Expect to pay an extra fee for your cat, which may be up to $100. Be aware that, if your cat can travel with you in the cabin, her carrier will count as one of your allotted carry-ons.^[22]
   • When you book your flight, make sure to get a locator number for your cat that is associated with your seat number.^[23]
   • Try to book a direct, nonstop flight. Also, avoid booking a flight for the middle of the day in the summer.^[24]
2. Check your cat’s ID collar. Your cat’s ID collar should have several tags: one with your contact information (name, address, cell phone number), and one tag each for rabies vaccination status and your cat’s license.^[25] Remove any collar accessories, such as small trinkets or charms, that could get easily snagged on a part of her carrier.^[26] Make sure her collar is appropriate for travel 10 days before your flight.^[27]
3. Make labels for your cat’s carrier. This is particularly important if your cat will be traveling in the cargo hold, but would also be a good idea for cabin travel. The label should contain your own contact information, as well as contact information at your end destination.^[28] For example, if you will be staying at a hotel, write down the hotel’s name, address, and phone number on the label.
   
   • Place a label on the inside and outside of the carrier, in case the outside label comes off during the course of travel. In addition, if your cat will be traveling in the cargo hold, make a few large ‘Live Animal’ labels and place them on the outside of her carrier.^[29]
   • Make the labels at least a few days before your trip so you will not have to rush to do it on the day of travel.
4. Prepare bags of dry food for your cat. Cats should travel on an empty stomach to prevent vomiting or elimination accidents in the carrier during the flight. However, if your flight gets delayed for several hours or more, it would be a good idea to give your cat a few nibbles of food to keep her from getting too hungry.^[30] If your cat is in the cargo hold for a long flight, attach a bag of food to the carrier with feeding instructions.
   
   ^[31]

EditPreparing Your Cat on the Day of Air Travel

1. Keep your normal routine. As much as possible, keep a calm and normal routine on the travel day. Cats do not always respond well to change, so a sudden change in routine could increase your cat’s anxiety and stress levels and may cause her to act out (e.g., eliminate outside of her litter box). Keep calm in your preparations and try to maintain her normal feeding schedule so she uses her litterbox as she usually would.^[32]
   • Once you put her in her carrier, she will not be able to eliminate again until after you arrive at your destination. Keeping things calm and normal will help her empty her bladder and bowels before you place her in the carrier.^[33]
2. Feed your cat 4 to 6 hours before your flight. Maintaining a normal feeding schedule may be tricky if your flight is less than 4 to 6 hours before her regular mealtime. During your month of preparation, consider gradually adjusting her mealtime so it will coincide with the 4- to 6-hour window of time before your flight.
   • Alternatively, you could try to find a flight that time that would fall within 4 to 6 hours of her regular mealtime.
   • Once you have fed her before the flight, do not feed her again until after you arrive at your destination.^[34] You or the flight staff may have to feed her, though, if you have an international flight or a flight with multiple stops.
   • Your cat can have water up to 1 hour before the flight.^[35]
3. Give your cat her medications. If your cat is currently on medications, schedule their administration according to your travel schedule.^[36] Do not give your cat a tranquilizer before your flight! Tranquilizers can affect your cat’s ability to regulate her body temperature, which can have serious consequences if she is traveling in the cargo hold.^[37]
4. Secure your cat in her carrier. Before you leave the house, make sure your cat is securely within the carrier. An airport can be a frightening place for cats, and you do not want to give her any opportunity to bolt out of her carrier.^[38] To make the carrier more comfortable for her, make it smell familiar (e.g., cat pheromones, her bedding, clothing with your scent on it).^[39]
   • If you must take her out of her carrier at airport security, keep a very firm hold on her.
   • Ask the airport security staff if you can go through an alternative screening where your cat can stay in the carrier.^[40]
5. Keep your cat calm. Whether your cat will be traveling with you in the cabin or in the cargo hold, practice some verbal and nonverbal communication to keep her calm before the flight. For example, look at her in her carrier and blink slowly until she blinks back—this is a positive form of communication for cats. In addition, you can talk to her reassuringly before and during the flight.^[41]

EditTips

• Air travel with a cat involves a lot of preparation. The better prepared you are, the better the experience will be for you and your cat.
• Organized your cat’s documentation (health certificate, vaccination record, locator number, photo of cat) and keep it with you in your carry-on luggage.
• If your cat is prone to motion sickness, your veterinarian can prescribe some motion sickness medication for her.^[42]
• When you arrive at your destination, keep your cat in quiet room with a little bit of water and plain dry food so she can destress and get used to her new surroundings.^[43]
• Do not place a lock on her carrier, in case you or the flight staff need to get her out of her carrier quickly.^[44]

EditWarnings

• Pets can become injured, lost, or even die in the cargo hold of a plane.^[45] Avoid cargo travel for your cat as much as possible.
• Persian cats should not travel in the cargo section, since their facial structure can make it hard for them to breathe.^[46]
• Do not put your cat through the X-ray machine at airport security.^[47]

EditSources and Citations

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WASHINGTON — A man was arrested Friday night after he tossed a backpack and jumped over the North White House fence.

He was immediately taken into custody shortly before midnight by Secret Service Uniformed Division Officers without incident. The man was charged with Unlawful Entry and transported to the Metropolitan Police Department. The Secret Service performed standard security sweeps of the area and nothing was found.

The White House returned to normal operations shortly after the incident.

WTOP’s John Domen contributed to this report.

The post Man arrested after throwing backpack, himself over White House fence appeared first on WTOP.

Amazon’s Prime Pantry program is great for stocking up on household goods and non-perishable foods without actually having to visit a store, but the $5.99 per box shipping charge has always been a drag. This month though, if you buy five select items, you can get that fee waived.

Read more...

A $20 Harmony remote, the newest Raspberry Pi, and a Nest thermomstat kick off Saturday’s best deals.

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The trouble with “lifetime” warranties is that they often leave out an important detail: whose lifetime? That’s what a homeowner in California wonders now that her windows are bending away from them frame and generally failing at being windows. Now she can’t find the company that installed $25,000 worth of windows in her home only 9 years ago, or the company that actually manufactured the windows.

The homeowner did what people in Sacramento traditionally do in this situation: she called consumer reporter Kurtis Ming at the local CBS affiliate. She wondered what she should do now that her windows were bending, and the “lifetime” warranty was a big selling point when she had them installed.

The company promised to stand behind the windows as long as she owns or lives in her home, but the contact information that she had for the manufacturer, Superior Engineered Products, led nowhere.

In her case, there was good news. The company that installed her windows had gone out of business, but the manufacturer actually didn’t. They had merged with another window company, and the new owners were actually honoring warranties… or at least said that they were when a local news station came calling.

Call Kurtis: Where’s The Company That Offered Lifetime Warranty On My $25,000 Windows? [CBS Sacramento]

Earlier this year, public health advocates criticized a University of Maryland research program for taking money from a beverage company and then claiming in a press release — with no reviewable data to back up its assertions — that this company’s chocolate milk product could improve cognitive skills of athletes who’d suffered concussions. Today, the university is admitting that maybe this was not the brightest idea.

Just a quick catch-up for those who missed the previous story. There’s a program called Maryland Industrial Partnerships (MIPS) that teams up state school researchers with local companies. In Dec. 2015, MIPS sent out a press release claiming that a new brand of chocolate milk “helped high school football players improve their cognitive and motor function over the course of a season, even after experiencing concussions.”

Scientists and public health advocates reviewed the press release and shredded MIPS for putting out a largely fact-free, “boastful release touting vague neurological benefits of a specific chocolate milk.”

For example, while MIPS researchers used a cognitive function test with 36 different measurements, the release failed to specify which of these metrics actually showed improvement.

And instead of releasing the study or publishing it in a peer-reviewed journal, MIPS only made the press release public. A number of organizations — including Consumerist — asked to see the study on which the release was based, but MIPS declined to make it available.

But even though the researchers weren’t willing to share their actual study, they had no problem using it to market this product. The press release even included a statement from a local school superintendent who declared, “Now that we understand the findings of this study, we are determined to provide [the chocolate milk] to all of our athletes.”

In response to the criticism, the University quietly formed an ad-hoc review committee to investigate whether anything inappropriate had occurred. That committee has now released its findings [PDF] and though it found no wrongdoing on the part of the beverage company that sponsored the study, MIPS is nonetheless returning the full $228,910 in funding that it received from these backers, “out of an abundance of caution and to remove any perception of conflict of interest.”

In touting the chocolate milk — whose brand name we won’t mention — the lead researcher on the study actually included endorsements in company press releases, saying “Our data suggest that athletes may be ready faster and better for the next game or practice if they drink [this brand of] chocolate milk.”

The school’s review committee found such quotes “troubling,” even if they did not violate any written University policy.

“[I]t is surprising that a tenured faculty member would think that product endorsement is appropriate,” writes the committee in its findings.

The committee also criticized this study for not being an attempt to improve or develop a product, but to validate a specific brand. In fact, in applying for the MIPS program, the beverage company explicitly stated its intentions when it wrote that “Having research underway at the University of Maryland gives our business and its product credibility.”

Moreover, the committee raises the question of why the study tested this chocolate milk brand only against brands recommended by the sponsoring company.

Internal review during the study itself questioned why the lead researcher — a biomechanics expert — was in charge of this study, as he did “not have any experience in nutritional/supplementation research.” Likewise, the project itself was “missing numerous elements that would make this effective in concluding anything that would be useful to the company or to the state of the literature.”
The committee concluded that the project “appears more like a service agreement than research aimed at generating and disseminating new knowledge” and that there were “simply too many uncontrolled variables to produce meaningful scientific results.”

As part of the committee recommendations, MIPS has scrubbed the relevant press releases from its website, though thankfully there’s the Wayback Machine to retain this embarrassment for posterity.

Additionally, the committee recommends that no press release should include even a preliminary conclusion until after the data has been peer-reviewed and, under most circumstances, accepted for publication.

“We have already begun work with our conflict of interest committee to make appropriate changes to conflict of interest policies and training programs for all applicable research and administrative personnel,” says the University in a statement. “While we have every reason to believe this was an isolated incident, any deviations from accepted practices in the responsible conduct of research cannot be tolerated. Any potential sanctions against faculty or staff involved in this matter would be considered, by policy, confidential personnel matters.”

Unfortunately, we don’t all carry little elves on our person who can administer a hefty poke when we need to snap to attention. State Farm is working on a way to solve that issue with a patent for a wearable device system that can alert drivers who might be nodding off, distracted, or intoxicated behind the wheel.

The insurance company has dreamed up a wearable computing device capable of alerting drivers with a physical nudge or maybe a vibration, if the person is showing signs of being ill-prepared to drive, the Chicago Tribune reports.

The system could also take a look at patterns in your trips over time and then make suggestions, like “drinking a caffeinated beverage shortly before operating the vehicle at high impairment times,” the patent said.

Users would receive information and alerts through smart watches, wireless headsets, computer-enhanced glasses or clothing. The patent lays out a system of optic sensors to catch things like nodding heads and how long it’s taking you between blinks, which would then be used to calculate a drowsiness score.

“As our industry and the needs of our customers continue to change, State Farm strives to be a leading innovator within the insurance marketplace,” a spokeswoman told the Tribune. “As part of this process, it’s important that State Farm protects its ideas through patent filings, and the patent process allows us to further research ideas to determine how we can better serve our customers, as well as improve vehicle safety.”

She declined to comment on whether information collected by the devices, like the drowsiness score, would factor into customers’ insurance rates.

While State Farm and others in the insurance world are looking into such technology, it’s not like the industry is the first to venture into wearable territory, which is also a somewhat murky territory when it comes to privacy concerns. An insurer tracking drivers’ physiology could be a tough row to hoe.

“While no one is against making distracted driving less frequent, State Farm has its work cut out for it getting its policyholders to accept sensors that collect very personal — physical and physiological — data,” Donald Light, director of the North America property and casualty insurance practice of financial technology consulting firm Celent told the Tribune.

State Farm patents product that could poke drowsy drivers [Chicago Tribune]

Incorrectly positioned airbags, heaters that can cause a fire, and parking brakes that can fail. Those are three things you probably don’t want to occur in your vehicle. But for thousands of Ford owners it’s a possibility and the carmaker has issued three recalls to fix things. 

Ford announced Thursday that it would recall 48,300 vehicles for a range of safety issues.

First up, the automakers will recall 37,905 model year 2015-2016 transit vans equipped with airbags that may not work properly.

According to Ford, the side-curtain airbags may be positioned incorrectly. In the event of a crash, the airbags may not deploy correctly, increasing the risk of injury to passengers.

The company says it is unaware of any injuries or accidents related to the issue. Owners will be notified and dealers will inspect and adjust the side-curtain airbags to correct the position.

The second recall involves 5,500 model year 2015 to 2016 Lincoln MKC and model year 2016 Ford Explorer SUVs that may contain block heaters that can overheat and possibly start a fire.

Ford said it’s aware of two reports of underhood fires in Canada, but is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.

Owners will be notified of the issue and dealers will replace the heaters with an updated design.

The final, and smallest, recall covers 4,800 model year 2015 to 2016 Ford F-650 and F-750 trucks that may contain a broken parking brake cable connector clip.

In some vehicles, the parking brake connector clips were not manufactured to the correct specifications and could break – resulting in unintended movement of the vehicle and increased risk of injury, Ford says.

The company says it is unaware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue. Dealers will replace the connector clips.

There’s a difference between a dumb April Fools’ Day joke that isn’t funny or doesn’t trick anyone, and an April Fools’ Day joke that makes people angry and results in a $517 billion company having to apologize.

Only hours into its 2016 April Fools’ fun, Google had to pull the plug on its latest goof: A “Mic Drop & Send” button on Gmail accounts.

If pressed, this button inserted an animation of a Minion (from the Despicable Me movies) dropping a microphone on the conversation. More importantly — and annoyingly — it muted any replies to that email.

“Everyone will get your message, but that’s the last you’ll ever hear about it. Yes, even if folks try to respond, you won’t see it,” Google said in a blog post Thursday unveiling the joke button.

The functional button seemed like a fun way to seemingly assert your superiority in a discussion, but it turned out to cause just a few problems for Gmail users.

Not everyone noticed the new feature, which was placed on an orange button next to the normal “Send” button. Thus, Gmail users around the world were inadvertently dropping the mic on bosses, professors, loved ones, potential employers, and many others.

Users expressed their concern and dissatisfaction that the button was actually functional on Google’s product forum starting soon after the joke hit the web.

“I just completed [a] questionnaire via e-mail for a JOB and accidentally hit the send + mic drop button!!! GOOGLE I WANT THIS FEATURE TURNED OFF!!” one Gmail user wrote.

“This is stupid and has no business on an email. It should be optional,” another user said.

Google responded to the outcry, disabling the feature and apologizing any trouble caused by the prank.

Still, some people were sad to see the annual April Fools’ joke end so soon.

[via CNET]

Ever since April 1, 1922 when our print forerunner, The Consumerist Bugle-Gazette, ran an April Fools’ Day cover story that unwittingly — but accurately — announced the death of exiled Austrian Emperor Charles I, we’ve not tempted fate and avoided such tomfoolery. But others aren’t burdened by these ghosts of Aprils gone awry.

If you are paying any attention to the Internet today, odds are you’re aware that today is the day when companies try to prove their cleverness/drum up some brand interest with big announcements on April Fools’ Day. We decided to round up all those desperate attempts at relevance and stick’em in one spot, so you can get all those groans out with a single blow.

1. Quilted Northern: Bespoke artisanal toilet paper

Bathroom tissue products too mainstream for you? We can easily imagine a world of hand-pulped, hand-perforated, artisanally crafted toilet paper. Behold, hipsters, Rustic Weave.

2. White Castle: Nationwide Crave Case delivery drones

Jonesing for 30 White Castle sliders? The CrazyCopter is here to save the day — if it was a real thing delivering Crave Cases and not the chain’s April Fools’ prank. Don’t get our hopes up, man.

3. Royal Caribbean space cruises

For those who are curious about what getting norovirus in space would be like, Royal Caribbean has a fake answer! “Orbiter of the Galaxies, our first ever spaceship, will take its first guests to space in 2030. Combining features from our current fleet with space travel, prepare for an extraordinary holiday,” the company says on a site dedicated to the space-age prank.

4. Google Cardboard Plastic

Why be so literal when it comes to virtual reality? Google’s prank product will offer users a clear view of… reality. Like, real reality, as in the opposite of virtual reality. Someone is probably trying to buy this right now.

5. Cornhub, fulfilling hot corn addicts everywhere

Pornhub knows how much its users love having a searchable site for all their porn needs, so why not appeal to all those corn fans out there with an online destination for the hottest corn action?

6. DoorDash hires doggy delivery staff

What’s better than getting food delivered to your door by a nice human? Getting it dropped off by a Corgie. DoorDash taps into the collective desire for cuteness with DoggyDash, featuring doggie delivery.

“Their keen sense of smell can recognize all your favorite restaurants, meaning unparalleled order accuracy every time,” DoorDash says. “And by delivering each order with a friendly face and a wag of a tail, we know they’ll leave you begging for more.” Again, don’t toy with our emotions, people.

7. Sally Beauty pet “pawducts”

Speaking of dogs, Rover’s paws are looking a bit ruff lately. Sally Beauty has the perfect line of fake products for your pooch this April Fools’ Day. Our favorite? “You Not Stanky Now,” the best name for a fake pet product we’ve ever heard.

8. Alaska’s capital city renamed in deal with Mattel

Juneau, AK will be no more under the terms of an agreement with Mattel to rename the city Uno, after the color-and-number matching card game. Except that it’s April Fools’ Day, so nothing will actually change.

“We sort of thought, ‘How do we go wild for UNO and what’s something we can do that’s wild?'” said Ray Adler, the company’s director of global games in a press release. “And we looked to the great outdoors.”

9. Hulu launches a dating app

Maybe you’ve heard of “Netflix and chill,” but Hulu wants to take a more proactive approach in involving itself in your dating life with its romance app, HuluDatr. A fake approach that takes into account the TV habits of successful marriages, since compatibility in that area is an important part of any relationship.

“HuluDatr is the revolutionary free new app that Hulu viewers can opt-in to that will transform the way soul mates find one another,” the streaming video company says on its site.

10. Airbnb launches Lairbnb

Hey, heroes and evildoers! Do you have a lair sitting around empty, waiting for just the right scheming genius to occupy it? Check out Airbnb’s new fake service for lair owners in need of renters to provide them with a little extra cash.

11. Real Ghostbusters proton packs

Sony is toying with Ghostbusters‘ fans emotions with this real-life proton pack to catch ghosts. It’ll be available July 15, which just so happens to be the same date the new Ghostbusters flick lands in theaters. Ah, the classic marketing stunt in April Fools’ Day clothing.

12. Realtor.com pet home listings

If your dog or cat is looking for that perfect furr-ever home, Realtor.com has the fake service for you. With addresses like “Hairball Lane” and “Best Friend Drive,” it’s quite clear that your furry friend won’t be moving into their own pricy pad anytime soon.

13. GrubHub introduces new Grüber app

Need a ride somewhere and want to smell someone else’s lunch at the same time? That’s weird, but GrubHub has you covered with its new fake app, Grüber, which “will allow people who love both the smell of food and new cars, and the delight of a car showing up the moment they need transportation, to hitch a ride with Grubhub’s restaurant delivery drivers.”

“When riders get in the car, they will enter a world of sensory delights. The faint smell of someone else’s food, controlled by our patented ventilation system to ensure the perfect balance between food fragrance and new car smell, will fill the car with the perfect scent,” GrubHub’s announcement reads. “Concurrently, the food’s presence will keep the seat next to the rider warm and the sample-sized snacks will ensure that riders are never hungry.”

14. Esurance offering election insurance

Every election year, some folks start to grumble about how they’ll move out of the country if their preferred candidate doesn’t win. Esurance is here for you, in the way that any other company announcing news on April 1 is, with election insurance.

“This unique (bipartisan) coverage will protect your home for the next four years if your preferred candidate loses the presidential election and you choose to leave the country,” the company says.

15. Lyft wants to help prank your pals

Lyft is offering free “prank” rides for customers in Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco. It involves forcing your friend to get in a car with you — and the driver is in on the whole thing.

“Want to get in on the prank action? Start the shenanigans with the tap of a button,” Lyft says. “From 11 AM – 5 PM this Friday, you can request Lyft to come play a prank on one of your friends.”

16. Zipcar Selfie Driving

Zipcar is admitting it’s obsessed with its customers, with a new hoax campaign that uses selfies to match customers with just the right car, based on their expressions and other mysterious algorithms. Bad hair day? “Tinted windows comin’ at ya,” Zipcar’s video says.

17. OpenTable’s lickable taste tests

As if it’s not already gross enough to think about what germs you touch on your phone with your hands, Opentable’s April Fools’ joke would have customers licking photos on their phones to taste a restaurant’s food before they arrive.

18. Groupon deal for professional cat readers

Because it knows everyone loves to pamper their cats, Groupon has a fake offer that will get feline fans purring with happiness until they realize that no one will actually be reading aloud to their cats.

“We’ve hand-picked expert feline readers who are skilled at delivering a gripping tale to your friend with a tail,” Groupon says. “Imagine the blank stare of pride in your cat’s eyes when she hears the inspiring story of the lion, Aslan, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Or the unblinking gaze of total excitement as she puzzles out the whodunit plot of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap.”

19. Lexus’ Velcro safety solution

This one’s pretty simple. Velcro on person, Velcro on Lexus car seat, driver stays put. It’s not real though. Is anything real today? We’re not entirely sure at this point.

20. YouTube introduces Snoopavision

Sure, you could watch a video on YouTube the regular way… or you could watch it and ANY other videos in 360 degrees with Snoop Dogg! Or YouTube is punking us, because it’s April 1. Dammit, YouTube. Make this real. Just this one.

21. Gmail’s attempt at a mic drop

And then there’s Gmail’s April Fools’ Day gaffe, which it was busy apologizing for before the day had barely begun: a “Mic Drop & Send” button that would insert an animation of a Minion from the Despicable Me movies and mute any replies to that email. When people accidentally hit that button instead of “send,” confusion ensued and Google pulled the plug.

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Back in February, the long-troubled craft store chain Hancock Fabrics filed for bankruptcy for the second time in a decade. This time, there will be no reorganization. The chain planned to close 70 stores and tried to find a buyer for the remaining 185 that would keep the open and preserve thousands of jobs across the country. The winning bidder in yesterday’s auction in bankruptcy court was Great American Group, a liquidator.

If that name sounds familiar, you’ve probably come across the company while bargain-hunting in the past. Great American Group is part of what Consumerist once called a “notorious cabal” of liquidators known for garish signs, terrible deals, and taking the “all sales final” policy very seriously.

Liquidation sales start today, and include the chain’s website. In traditional liquidation sale style, the deals aren’t very good yet.

While the chain’s closing is welcome news to some of the nation’s 8-year-olds, it leaves fans of sewing clothing with fewer in-person shopping choices. While home sewing is making a comeback, things aren’t as they were when the chain opened and sewing one’s own clothes was a common skill and the more economical choice.

Hancock Fabrics last filed for bankruptcy in 2007, but since its re-organization has only posted a profit once, in 2009.

B. Riley Financial’s Great American Group to Close Remaining Hancock Fabric Stores [Press Release]

WASHINGTON — Honey bee hives are disappearing at an alarming rate, but there is something you can do to help.

The sound of a busy, buzzy beehive can make some of us a little weak in the knees, but a healthy beehive is a good thing. And Virginia’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services says we’re losing 30 percent of them each year.

But, in hopes of changing that, the department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are urging folks across the state to plant pollinator gardens or window boxes, so bees won’t have to fly too far to find food.

You can plug your ZIP code into Pollinator.org’s online tool to find out which plants are best for your neighborhood bees.

In a news release, the department also says site visitors can print out a list of plants to buy at their local garden store.

Other suggested tips from the department:

• Be patient — start small. You can expand over time.

• Plant native plant species.

• Be showy — plant for blooms in spring, summer and fall.

• Be diverse — include an assortment of sizes, shapes, colors, heights and growth patterns.

• Be careful with pesticides — check the label to make sure any pesticides you use do not harm bees.

• Be more aware — observe your garden and its visitors. Educate others about the importance of pollinators and inspire them to plant for pollinators.

VDACS says you can find more tips at Pollinator.org or go to their site and search “honey bees.”

The post How you can help save honey bee hives appeared first on WTOP.

Rabbits are adorable pets and generally fairly easy to take care of. They can become sick, however, and it is not always immediately apparent when this is the case. Recognizing common gastrointestinal and respiratory problems can help you determine when yours is sick. Noticing any physical or behavioral changes can also give you clues. If you suspect that your bunny is sick, you’ll want to care for it and have a vet examine it.

EditSteps

EditRecognizing Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Symptoms

1. Take notice when your rabbit isn’t eating. Pay attention if your rabbit’s food dish stays full all day long, or if your pet doesn’t eat like s/he usually does. If your rabbit has a sudden loss of appetite, it can indicate a number of possible illnesses.^[1]
   
2. Make sure your rabbit has regular droppings. Normally, rabbits will produce plenty of even, round droppings. However, if your rabbit has any of the following problems, it may have either a gastrointestinal illness, or an issue that causes this as a symptom:
   • No droppings at all^[2]
   • Irregularly shaped droppings^[3]
   • Diarrhea (loose or runny droppings)^[4]
   • Hair/fur embedded in droppings^[5]
3. Listen to your bunny’s tummy. You can use an ordinary stethoscope (available from many pharmacies and home medical supply stores) to check on your rabbit’s digestive system. Simply place the stethoscope on your pet’s belly and have a listen. If you hear unusual sounds (gurgling, rumbling, etc.), this may indicate that your pet is having gastrointestinal problems, especially when combined with other symptoms such as decreased appetite or diarrhea.^[6]
   • Carefully pick up your bunny by cradling him/her in your arm and holding him/her close to you. Never pick a rabbit up by the paws or ears. Even if the rabbit kicks or squirms, keep him/her gently but firmly snuggled next to you so that s/he does not fall.^[7]
   • Sit down and set your bunny in your lap. Pet him/her and talk to him/her in a soothing voice to calm it down.
   • Gently place the stethoscope against your rabbit's side and have a listen.
   • When finished, carefully lower your bunny to the ground or his/her home. Never let a rabbit drop to the ground, as this can injure it.
4. Learn the signs of snuffles. Rabbits are susceptible to a common illness called snuffles. Ordinarily, this is accompanied by runny eyes and a runny nose as well as sneezing. If you see any of these symptoms (or all of them at once), you will want to have your bunny inspected by a vet.^[8]
   • Unlike human colds that are caused by a virus, rabbit colds are caused by bacteria. Therefore, they can be treated with antibiotics prescribed by a vet.^[9]
5. Listen to your bunny’s breathing. Rabbits are obligatory nose breathers, meaning they won’t breathe through their mouths. Normally, you shouldn’t hear or see any labored breathing. If your rabbit seems to be breathing loudly, or moving its chest significantly when breathing, this may be a sign of a respiratory problem or other issue.^[10]
6. Notice when your rabbit sneezes. Occasionally, a rabbit may get some dust in its nose and need to sneeze. If you notice chronic (frequent) sneezing, however, your rabbit may be sick.^[11]

EditWatching for Physical Changes

1. Feel your rabbit’s ears. Rabbits are able to regulate their temperature by radiating heat through their ears. If you notice that your bunny’s ears are unusually hot or cold, it can indicate that it is sick.^[12]
   
2. Take your rabbit’s temperature. If you suspect that your bunny’s temperature is unusually high or low, you can take its temperature to be sure. This can help you or a vet make a diagnosis.^[13]
   • Use a plastic rectal thermometer to check your pet’s temperature. If you are uncomfortable with this, or unsure of how to do it, take your rabbit to a vet for help.
   • A rabbit’s normal body temperature ranges between 101 F - 103 F (38.3 C - 39.4 C).
3. Inspect your rabbit’s eyes. If you see tears or a discharge coming from your rabbit’s eyes, this could indicate a variety of illnesses. Aside from respiratory issues, dental problems could be the culprit. The roots of some rabbits’ teeth are close to their tear ducts. Dental problems may put pressure on these parts, which will then cause the tearing.^[14]
4. Watch out for changes in weight. Once your rabbit is fully-grown, it will ordinarily maintain a fairly consistent weight. If you notice that your pet has gained or lost significant weight, especially if this happens suddenly, this may indicate that it is sick.^[15]
5. Check your rabbit’s skin and fur. You will be familiar with the color and texture of your bunny’s fur and skin. If you notice that your pet is losing clumps of hair, or that its skin has become reddened, this may indicate an issue such as ringworm.^[16]
   
   • Some conditions can cause a rabbit to have incontinence. Urine-soaked hindquarters are a clear sign of this problem. Contact a vet right away if you notice this issue.
6. Inspect your bunny’s genitalia. Rabbits can suffer from a virus known as myxomatosis. This is spread by biting insects such as mosquitos, and can cause redness and swelling of the genitalia, as well as runny eyes and nose.^[17]
   • Sit down with your bunny in your lap. Pet it and talk to it soothingly for a few minutes to calm it down.^[18]
   • When the bunny is calm, very carefully roll it over, using your non-dominant hand to support its back. Place it so that its head is curled against your abdomen, and its hind feet are sticking out away from you.
   • Whether male or female, your rabbit's genitals will be a fuzzy protuberance between its hind legs. Normally, they will be hidden by fuzz and not completely visible. If you see any obvious or abnormal swelling or redness, however, this may indicate myxomatosis or another problem.
   • You can also gently press on your bunny's abdomen above the genital area. This will make the genitals more visible and easier to inspect.^[19]
   • Your bunny may not like to be inspected in this way. To avoid accidentally harming it, always be sensitive and keep in mind any injuries or disabilities it may have.

EditPaying Attention to Behavioral Changes

1. Watch out for any changes in attitude. Rabbits can develop their own personalities, and can display a wide range of normal behaviors. If you notice a sudden change in behavior, however, this may indicate an illness or other health problem. For instance, if sick, a normally playful bunny may not want to be bothered, or an aloof bunny may suddenly become clingy.^[20]
   
   • Regardless of your bunny’s normal behavior patterns, sudden lethargy can be a clear sign that it is sick.
2. Pay attention if your bunny drools. Rabbits are susceptible to a variety of dental problems, such as malocclusion (misalignment) and abscesses. If you notice your pet drooling, this may be happening because they cannot close their mouth or are in pain due to one of these dental problems.^[21]
3. Observe how your bunny moves. If your rabbit has started to hop unusually, this can indicate a variety of illnesses. For instance, if your pet seems to have lost its balance or moves with its head tilted to one side (a condition called wry neck), this may actually be due to a bacterial infection of the ears. Similarly, if your bunny seems to lean to one side when hopping, this may indicate sore hocks.^[22][23]
   
4. Listen for teeth grinding. When happy, many rabbits make a kind of purring sound by grinding their teeth. If your bunny is noisily grinding its teeth together, however, this can indicate that it is in pain.^[24]
   • You may notice your rabbit making a happy grinding noise when you are petting it, feeding it treats, or calming it down. Pay attention to this behavior, so that you can know what to expect from your bunny.
   • Grinding as a reaction to pain will be much louder than the "happy" version. You may also notice that the louder grinding is accompanied by other signs of discomfort, such as squirming or kicking.
5. Pay attention if your rabbit shakes. A particular virus known as the calicivirus can cause a variety of symptoms, including loss of appetite, lethargy, and breathing difficulties. It can also cause your bunny to shake, however, which may be a more obvious sign.^[25]
6. Notice if your bunny is scratching or itching excessively. Like dogs, cats, and other pets, rabbits are susceptible to fleas, mites, and other pests. These parasites can cause scratching, itching, and general irritation.^[26]
   • If your rabbit has fleas, you may also notice dark, dry dust on your pet’s fur or skin. Known as “flea dirt,” this is dried blood that is a waste product of fleas.
   • Do not give your rabbit dog or cat flea medication. It can make your pet very sick, and may even be fatal. Talk to your vet about safe ways of eliminating parasites from your rabbit.

EditTips

• Anytime you are concerned that your bunny is sick or injured, have its veterinarian inspect it. He or she can make a diagnosis, and help you come up with a treatment plan if there is a problem.

EditSources and Citations

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit that sought to legalize prostitution in California.

U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White said Thursday that the relationship between a prostitute and a client is not protected by the due process clause of the U.S. Constitution like marriage and other more enduring personal bonds. White said criminalizing prostitution serves legitimate government interests of promoting public safety and preventing injury and coercion.

The lawsuit against several California district attorneys and the state’s attorney general was filed last year by a San Francisco-based group that includes current and former sex workers.

White gave the group an opportunity to amend its lawsuit. D. Gill Sperlein, an attorney for the group, said he’s not certain he will file an amended lawsuit, but he will appeal the decision.

The post Judge dismisses lawsuit seeking to legalize prostitution appeared first on WTOP.

Complaining to a company can be a good way to get free stuff as compensation. But who wants free stuff from a company they don’t like? Try writing a letter to the companies you do like instead.

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