Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Yalla Parkour, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, captures this culture from within. The film follows Zuaiter’s long relationship with Ahmed Matar, a parkour athlete in Gaza, as she reflects on loss, memory, and belonging after the death of her mother. What begins as a personal search gradually opens into a portrait of how movement shapes young lives under constraint.
Al-Rumaydh describes the Sidr less as a single organism and more as a working ecological unit. Its deep roots reach down toward groundwater, while lateral roots spread wide to catch surface moisture. Its dense canopy slows wind instead of blocking it abruptly, reducing erosion.
The supply chain includes chemical and materials heavyweights such as Mitsubishi Corporation, Neste Corporation, Toray Industries, Mitsui Chemicals, Idemitsu Kosan, ENEOS, Hanwha Impact, Formosa Chemicals & Fibre, and SK Geo Centric, among others.
Pie charts are a handy and tasty reference for education like at Waldorf Schools. We use them in our everyday lives
There are many different ways to communicate data, and pie charts are one popular way to do so. Pie charts can be used to show proportions or percentages and can be helpful in visualizing data. Keep reading to learn more about how to use pie charts and when they may be helpful.
What is a pie graph?
So what is a pie chart? A pie chart, also known as a pie graph, is a graphical tool used to display the relative proportions of data. They are often used to illustrate how a particular section is divided among a larger whole. Pie charts are circular in shape, with each slice of the pie representing a proportion of the whole. They are used to compare parts of a whole and can be helpful when trying to understand how a particular data set is divided.
There are a few different types of pie charts that can be used, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. The most common type of pie chart is the simple pie chart. This type of chart displays a single data set, with each slice of the pie representing a proportion of the total. This chart is best used when you want to compare one data set to another.
Another type of pie chart is the stacked pie chart. This pie chart displays multiple data sets, with each segment of the pie representing a proportion of the total. This chart is best used when you want to compare how different data sets relate to one another.
The final type of pie chart is the 3D pie chart. This chart displays multiple data sets, with each segment representing a proportion of the total. This type of chart is best used when you want to compare how different data sets relate to one another. However, because 3D pie charts are more complicated to create and understand, they are not as commonly used as the other two types of pie charts.
What are the benefits of pie charts?
There are many benefits to using pie charts in your data visualizations. Some of the most important benefits are that they are easy to understand, compare parts to the whole quickly, and help communicate proportions. When used correctly, pie charts can be a very effective way to communicate complex data in a way that is easy to understand. They are particularly good at showing how a part relates to the whole, making it easy to compare different values. Additionally, pie charts can be helpful for understanding proportions, as they make it easy to see how much of the whole is made up of each individual part.
Businesses can use pie charts to track their progress on specific goals, compare their performance against their competitors, and track their customer satisfaction levels. Pie charts can also be used to track the performance of individual divisions or departments in a company.
What are the limitations of pie charts?
Pie charts are often used in business and academic contexts to help people understand data. They are effective at displaying a part-to-whole relationship and can be used to compare proportions. However, there are some limitations to using pie charts. One limitation is that they are difficult to read when there are more than a few data points. This is because the pie chart becomes more of a circle, and it can be difficult to see where one slice ends, and another begins. Additionally, when there is a lot of data, it can be difficult to compare the different proportions. Additionally, pie charts are limited in the scope of data they can display. They are best used in conjunction with different chart types to construct an entire picture.
Overall, they are used to display data in a graphical way. This can be done by displaying the percentage of a whole that each slice of the pie represents or by displaying the size of each slice in comparison to the others. Pie charts can be helpful for quick data analysis, especially when there are a lot of different data points to compare. Pie charts serve as a great business tool for highlighting and comparing different parts of the data story.
Neta Maimon has led a study to show how music tests can help show cognitive decline in the elderly
Like smells, music stimulates your mood, transporting you quickly to the past and present, elevating emotions. A new study at Tel Aviv University shows that music can very quickly help physicians detect cognitive decline in the elderly, paving the way for quick intervention to help stave off Alzheimers, maybe even the lasting effects of a TIA or a stroke. Music such as Mozart has been shown in the past to help premature babies gain weight. Music can now be used later in life to measure a brain’s health.
The application of the test uses music and a small portable EEG device that can measure brain activity using 3 electrodes and 15 minutes of measuring brain activity while asking patients to respond to cues by pressing buttons and other simple tasks. The tools require no special training for the care-giver.
The method enables routine monitoring and early detection of cognitive decline in order to provide treatment and prevent rapid, severe deterioration.
Prophylactic tests are commonly accepted for a variety of physiological problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure or breast cancer; however, to date no method has yet been developed to enable routine, accessible monitoring of the brain for cognitive issues.
Tests of this kind are particularly important in light of increasing life spans of the elderly population.
The study was by PhD student Neta Maimon from the School of Psychological Sciences and the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, and Lior Molcho from Neurosteer Ltd, headed by Prof. Nathan Intrator from the Blavatnik School of Computer Science and the Sagol School of Neuroscience.
As part of the study, the researchers developed a method combining a portable device for the measurement and innovative analysis of electroencephalography (EEG), developed by a company called Neurosteer, and a short musical test of about 12-15 minutes, developed by Maimon.
During the test, the subject is connected to the portable EEG device by means of an adhesive band with only three electrodes attached to the forehead. The subject performs a series of musical-brain tasks according to audible instructions given automatically through earphones.
The tasks include short melodies played by different instruments, with the subjects instructed to perform various tasks on them at varying levels of difficulty.
For example, pressing a button each time any melody is played or pressing it only when the violin plays. In addition, the test includes several minutes of musically guided meditation designed to bring the brain to a resting state, as this state is known to indicate cerebral functioning in various situations.
Maimon, who specializes in musical cognition, says that music has great influence on different centers in the brain. On the one hand, music is known to be a quick mood stimulant, particularly of positive emotion. On the other hand, in different situations, music can be cognitively challenging, activating the frontal parts of the brain, especially if we try to concentrate on different aspects of the music, and at the same time perform a particular task.
According to Maimon, if we combine these two capabilities, we can create cognitive tests that are quite complex, yet also pleasant and easy to perform. Furthermore, music that is positive and reasonably rhythmic will enhance concentration and performance of the task. F
or example, the famous “Mozart effect,” showing improved performance on intelligence tests after listening to Mozart’s music, actually has nothing to do with Mozart’s music, but rather the fact that music creates a positive mood and stimulates us to a state that is optimal for performing intelligence and creativity tests.
Accordingly, the researchers hypothesized that with musical tools, it would also be possible to challenge the subjects to an extent that would enable testing of the brain’s frontal activity as well as raising their spirits, thus enhancing their performance on the test while the overall experience is pleasant.
Today’s tests are frustrating and difficult to excel at for anyone who has been hospitalized for more than a few days. It’s easy to be bored and to lose track of the days, making the tests of knowing the days of the week or counting the years backwards annoying and difficult for the patient to perform. This new musical test however is pleasant and enjoyable, the researchers explain.
Maimon says: “We have actually succeeded in illustrating that music is indeed an effective tool for measuring brain activity. The brain activity and response times to tasks correlated to the subjects’ cerebral conditions (correlating to the mini-mental score assigned to them).
“More importantly, all those who underwent the experiment reported that, on the one hand, it challenged the brain, but on the other it was very pleasant to perform”.
In her experiment she tested 50 elderly people who scored 18 to 30 points (30 being the highest score) on a mini mental, indicating varying levels of cognitive achievements.
The same participants then performed the musical-cognitive tasks, administered automatically. The EEG device registered the electrical activity in the brain during the activity, with the results analyzed using machine learning technology.
Mathematical indices were identified that precisely correlated with the mini-mental test scores; “in other words, we obtained new neuro-markers (brain markers) that may stand alone as indices of the subject’s cognitive status,” says Maimon.
“Our method enables the monitoring of cognitive capability and detection of cognitive decline already in the early stages. all by simple and accessible means, with a quick and easy test that can be conducted in any clinic,” she points out.
“Our method could pave the way towards efficient cognitive monitoring of the general population, and thus detect cognitive decline in its early stages, when treatment and prevention of severe decline are possible. It is therefore expected to improve the quality of life of millions around the world.”
Maybe you have booked a trip to see the Socotra trees in Yemen, or a trip to eco trek in the jungle. Sustainable tourism is not immune to cancelations. This is what you do if your trip has been canceled.
When you’re traveling, the last thing you want to worry about is getting sick or injured and being faced with a huge medical bill. That’s where travel insurance comes in. It can help protect you from costly medical expenses and other associated costs if something goes wrong while you’re on vacation. Have you ever wondered what the most common travel insurance claims are? In this article, we will discuss the most common travel insurance claims and what you can do to avoid them.
Trip Cancellation
When you purchase a travel insurance policy, one of the coverages that are typically included is trip cancellation or interruption. This coverage reimburses you for the costs associated with canceling or interrupting your trip if there is an unforeseen event that prevents you from traveling. One of the most common claims under this coverage is for reimbursement of expenses related to a canceled flight.
Many travel insurance policies offer a cancel-for-any-reason (CFAR) option. Reimbursement under a CFAR claim is often 75% of your trip costs. However, the amount that you will be reimbursed may vary depending on the terms and conditions of your policy. To be eligible for reimbursement, you will need to provide proof of the cost of your trip, as well as proof of the reason why it was canceled or interrupted.
If you have to cancel your trip due to a covered event, make sure to contact your insurance company as soon as possible. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to receive reimbursement for unused portions of your trip, such as hotel room nights or rental car days.
Medical Expenses
When it comes to travel insurance, one of the most common claims is for medical expenses. This can include anything from the cost of emergency medical treatment to the price of a hospital stay.
No one wants to think about getting sick or injured while on vacation, but it’s important to be prepared for the possibility. That’s why it’s a good idea to have travel insurance that covers medical expenses.
If you need to seek medical treatment while you’re away from home, your insurance policy will help to cover the cost. This can be a lifesaver, especially if you’re facing a high medical bill. These expenses can add up quickly, so it’s vital to have coverage. Make sure to review your policy and see what is and isn’t covered.
If you’re not sure whether your policy covers these expenses, give the insurance company a call. They will be able to tell you exactly what is and isn’t covered. And, if you don’t have travel insurance, now is the time to buy it. Medical expenses can be a huge expense, so you need to have coverage.
Lost Baggage
When you are packing for a trip, the last thing on your mind is that your luggage may not make it to your destination with you. Unfortunately, lost luggage is one of the most common travel insurance claims.
Many people lose their baggage during both domestic and international flights. If your luggage is lost or stolen, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of recovering it.
First, make sure to file a report with the airline and your travel insurance company as soon as possible. They will likely have a procedure for handling lost luggage, and the sooner you start the claims process, the better. Second, make a list of everything that was in your bag. This will be helpful when making a claim with your insurance company.
Finally, keep a positive attitude. Losing your luggage can be frustrating, but it’s important to stay optimistic and remember that it can always be worse!
As you can see, the most common claims for travel insurance can save travelers a lot of money on everything from trip cancellation to medical expenses to lost baggage. So, consider investing in travel insurance before your next big trip
Archeologist Lee Perry holding astragali gaming dice
Archeologists in Israel have recently discovered an unusual assortment of animal bones dating from about 2300 years ago, the biblical period, that were used in games and for telling the future, a craft called divination. The discovery tells us something new about the past – and perhaps reveals a little about our present and future.
A cache of 530 animal knuckle bones were found in the ancient city of Maresha, which today is located in the Maresha-Bet Guvrin National Park in in southern Israel. Called “astragali” the bones were unearthed by Dr. Ian Stern in the Maresha-Bet Guvrin National Park in the Judean Shefelah in southern Israel in a huge underground cave complex below the ancient city of Maresha.
The astragali — made from bones of goats, sheep and cattle were used like we’d use dice for gaming and fortune telling, mainly by women and children. Some of the knuckle bones were shaved down, or perforated, or filled with lead, to be thrown more effectively.
Some of the dice were carved with Greek inscriptions; some were engraved with the names of gods associated in ancient times with human wishes and desires. Some that came into play were Aphrodite, the goddess of fertility, love and beauty, Eros, the god of love, the god Hermes, the goddess Hera, and Nike, the goddess of victory, appear among other gods.
On other knuckle bones, game instructions and various role play instructions are engraved, such as “Robber”, “Stop!”, “You are burnt”.
Carved inscriptions on the astralagi showing Greek letters
“The assemblage shows that in ancient times of distress, as today, people sought help from external factors, in magic and spells and in the world of the unknown,” says one of the researchers Lee Perry-Gal, Israel Antiquities Authority zoo-archaeologist and research fellow in the University of Haifa.
She adds: “In the past, men, and especially women, struggled with an environment of uncertainty, death, childbirth, and health issues, and tried to protect themselves with the help of magic. In addition, we know that astragali were used for games.
“It is noteworthy that we have examples of children buried with similar gaming dice. The cubes, which were a popular gaming activity, had a role in accompanying children to the next world, to be used there. Since the astragali symbolize good luck, it was customary to inter them under the house threshold, in the hope that they will bring good luck and prosperit,” she adds.
The cultic role of bones
The knuckle bones are often found next to ostraca – pottery sherds with writing inscribed or written in ink – with Aramaic texts, such as, ‘Magical Incantation’, or ‘If you do so, this will happen to you’, which demonstrates their cultic role, the archaeologists report.
The Hellenistic city of Maresha was one of the period’s melting-pots in the southern Levant where different populations and cultures lived side-by side there as neighbors, all subordinate to the Hellenistic – or Greek – rule. There were Edomites, Phoenicians, Nabateans and Jews, and the different peoples and cultures influenced each other.
According to Eli Eskosido, Director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, “This fascinating research sheds light on the life and customs in the ancient world and reminds us that people are regular people all over the world. They dream and hope, and notwithstanding the harshness of daily life, they find time for playing and leisure.”
Planning on exposing an eco tragedy or positive ending? Learn about the craft of filmmaking
We all have a hidden talent for story-telling by expressing our ideas. But due to various reasons, we fail to digitize our ideas in a creative way. However, with the help of right video editing tool, you can now pour out all you have in your mind. Filmora video editor is an ideal tool which allows you to transform your creative ideas with audio, video, and cool effects, etc.
Consider editing your videos with all the necessary ingredients to hook up the users with your digital content. One of the advantages of Filmora is the easy-to-use interface, and anyone with a bit of computer knowledge can do wonders due to its high-end editing features. Afterwards, you can easily upload your content on YouTube and let the world discover your hidden talent.
Overview of Wondershare Filmora
Ideal for beginners as well as professionals, Filmora provides powerful features and easy-to-use interface to take your video editing skills to an entirely magical level. As a popular YouTube video editor, you can find many YouTube videos edited by Filmora and also the cool effects it delivers. Undoubtedly, Filomora is one of the best editing software for YouTube, as it has all the essential tools to make an engaging and exciting video ready to receive applauses from your friends and colleagues. Following are some unique features that can help you create professional videos.
Speed Ramping
You’re provided with an easy-to-use “speed ramping curve” that you can customize your keyframes with just a few clicks. It allows you to quickly increase or decrease the speed of the motion of your video. Hence, creating transitions between two keyframes is an easy process. The Speed Ramping feature helps create exclusive footage from the camera, sports games, and similar videos.
Instant Mode
Instant mode saves a lot of time while working on several videos. Instant Mode has many templates with special effects, animations, and transitions. So, once you upload the media files and choose the template, the Instant Mode will help you to digitalize your ideas. It is easy to use as you need to add just the video to edit, and Filmora will do the rest for you instantly.
New Plug-ins
Supporting professional-quality effects plugins from award-winning developer, Boris FX and NewBlue FX, Filmora can take your video editing experience into another level. Following five NewBlue effect collections have been customized for use in Filmora: Title Pro 7, Video Stylizer, Video Elements, Video Filters, and Video Essentials. Another 6 Continuum Units from Boris have been customized for Filmora users, unleashing amazing creative visual effects and graphics potential. Includes Particles, Stylize, Lights, Image Restoration, Blur and Art Looks.
Masking
One of the advantages of using Filmora 11 is the masking feature. It is a process where you can make a transparent shaper over the central clip. The idea is to show the users about a particular area in the window while hiding everything else. It prevents the users from getting distraction so that you can pinpoint your area. The masking feature of Filmora is easy to use, and it has many blending features that can enhance the output of your video.
AI Portrait
AI Portrait is helpful as it does not require a green screen when removing video background. It detects the human on your video easily and remove the background with simple clicks. You can also add effects to your video to give it a relaxed look with just a button click.
Speech-to-text & Text-to-Speech
One of the most significant new feature is Speech-to-text, which helps to convert your Speech into text effortlessly. Now, there is no need to type your text. It also saves much of your time. The reason for using Speech to text tool is that you can easily create subtitles for your video. It is a tremendous advantage for YouTubers as you can upload your video to any type of user.
Various Export options
One of the most incredible benefits of using Filmora is its compatibility with various video formats. Once you create a video, you can export it in most video formats like MPEG-2, MP4, AVI, WMV, and similar file formats. After creating the video, you can save it in the file extension of your choice, or upload to YouTube directly.
Price and Plans
Available for Windows and Mac, Filmora provides a free trial version for you to explore the features before purchasing. If you want to purchase Filmora as an individual, there are two options that you can choose: the Annual plan or the Perpetual plan. If you are a professional, it is better to go for a lifetime subscription as you do not have to consider annual renewals. However, in the long run, whether you are an amateur or a professional, it is advisable to opt for a life subscription as there is not much difference in the expenses.
Verdict
Wondershare Filmora is one of the best video editing software for anyone who wants to go with video editing. It is user-friendly and has some incredible tools that will mesmerize you. In short Wondershare Filmora creates magic in the world of video editing. You can automatically use and synchronize audio with your videos and also use sub-titles. The visual effects of Filmora are just out of the world. It will hold you to your seat once you start editing your YouTube videos with Filmora.
Aspen, Colorado has some of the world's most gorgeous nature and eco hotels on the planet.
Colorado is a great state with a lot of things to do. There are many attractions to see and places to explore.
If you are looking for a state to visit, Colorado is a very good choice. The state is full of activities for tourists and vacationers to enjoy.
This article talks about some of the best things to do when you visit the great state of Colorado.
Places You Should Check Out in Colorado
There are plenty of ways to get to Colorado, visitors should choose the right airport for them depending on the activities they wish to do.
There are several airports in the state, for instance, the Denver International Airport is about 20-30 minutes from downtown Denver. Visitors can also fly into Colorado Springs Airport and Boulder Municipal Airport.
Here are a few activities you can try.
1. Skiing and Snowboarding in Colorado
Apart from visiting major cities in Colorado, you should take time to visit some of the beautiful places in this state.
Aspen is a popular ski destination and a tourist attraction, it’s one of the most astounding places to visit. It also has world-class restaurants and hotels visitors can check out.
Coloradans love the ski resorts, and it gives them great recreation opportunities even during the cold winter months.
In fact, skiing and snowboarding are two major tourist attractions for Colorado tourism as a whole, due to its stable snow conditions and abundant slopes.
2. Denver City
Denver City is the capital of Colorado and one of the fastest-growing cities in the state. It has a large number of things to do as well as the normal visitor attractions which include museums, parks, restaurants, and bars to enjoy.
Visitors can also go for various kinds of entertainment such as going shopping for different kinds of souvenirs, visiting fine art galleries, or listening to live music events at local venues.
Another place you should check out when in Colorado is Boulder Canyon Trails; it is a city that offers great hiking trails with scenic views of waterfalls among others.
Visitors to Boulder Canyon can also enjoy fishing and mountain climbing among other outdoor activities they can do here.
4. National Parks in Colorado
Colorado has several national parks you can visit. It includes Rocky Mountain National Park, which is one of the most visited national parks in the country.
The park is distinguished by its alpine tundra and forests. It also has several hiking trails for you to enjoy and scenic views for you to go for a photography shoot. One of the most scenic views includes pictures of the falls around the park.
There’s also Mesa Verde National Park, which features the cliff dwellings made famous by Ancestral Pueblo Indians. Visitors can even visit the Canyons Of The Ancients Visitor Center & Museum where they can see artifacts left behind by Ancestral Pueblos.
Want to help your employees feel good while at work? Wellness is the new gym.
Introduction
When it comes to workplace wellness, the old adage “a little bit of something is better than nothing at all” doesn’t apply. Successful programs are tailored to fit your organization’s industry, size and budget. In addition to adding health insurance premiums and other expenses into your business budget, it can also be difficult for small companies without a dedicated HR department or resources like a corporate gym or onsite medical clinic to implement meaningful programs that support the wellbeing of their employees. However, there are plenty of low-cost (and even no cost) ways that you can get started today if you want to promote more active lifestyles in your workplace:
Invest in technology that supports wellness
Investing in technology that supports wellness is a great way to get started. Technology can help you track and measure your employees’ health, provide them with information and support, connect your employees with each other and provide them access to wellness programs. It can also help you get started by providing the right tools for managers who want to promote workplace wellness.
Digital coaching is one type of technology that can help managers implement workplace wellness programs effectively. Digital coaching helps managers find out where stressors are coming from, what their goals are, how they can reach those goals and what they need along the way as they make changes towards optimal health at work.
Collaborate to create the best program for your company (and employees)
Workplace wellness programs are meant to be solutions that work for the company and its employees. With this in mind, it’s important to involve employees from the beginning of your program design process.
Employee input is vital for a successful workplace wellness program. Employees should be involved in the design and implementation of their own program, including:
The selection of providers who can deliver on your wellness goals
The evaluation of the program after implementation (for example, measuring if it achieved its desired outcomes)
Communicating with participants about what they will receive as part of their benefit package
Leverage data and analytics to track progress and keep employees engaged
In order to make the most out of your wellness initiatives, you’ll want to be able to use data. This includes tracking employee engagement and participation so that you can see exactly how much they’re engaging with these programs.
You also want to monitor where your company is spending money and time on various aspects of workplace wellness, since this will help you understand where your budget needs to go in order for the program as a whole to be successful.
Finally, it’s important for businesses track their progress over time so that they can pinpoint areas of improvement or areas that need more attention from the start.
Emphasize flexibility, individuality and choice in programs.
Flexibility, individuality and choice are important to employees.
Flexibility in the workplace can be more than just adjusting a schedule to accommodate an employee’s personal needs. It can mean providing options for when, where and how work gets done that gives you the ability to balance your personal life with your professional life.
Individuality is also important — especially in a society where everyone is so quick to compare themselves with others (especially on social media). By providing opportunities for employees who want to take advantage of learning new skills or trying something new at work, you’re letting them feel like they’re not alone in their journey towards success.
Choice is another key component for promoting wellness within your organization. While some companies allow their employees’ input into programs like flextime or telecommuting options, others prefer one-size-fits-all policies that may not always work well for everyone who works there. You need all three pieces working together if you want an effective wellness program: flexibility and individuality give people choices about what they do while at work; choice gives them control over their time off as well!
Communicate, communicate, communicate.
You can help promote workplace wellness by communicating the importance of this initiative to your employees. It’s important to explain how a healthy lifestyle correlates with productivity and revenue, without painting an unrealistic picture.
Communicate the importance of workplace wellness. Firstly and most importantly, you should communicate why workplace wellness is important. This will help build support for your program and get people excited about participating in it!
Communicate how it will benefit them personally (and their families). Explain how working out regularly, eating well-balanced meals daily, getting enough sleep at night etc all contribute towards an overall happiness level which increases performance at work and helps them feel less stressed during those stressful moments that come up in every job (like when someone who was supposed to do something didn’t get it done or if there’s not enough time left before deadline). You’ll find many studies have shown this correlation between work performance based on health factors such as having more energy/feeling less stressed/etc., so let’s use science as our guide here!
A successful workplace wellness program must be tailored to fit your organization’s industry, size and budget.
Understand the importance of tailoring your workplace wellness program to fit your organization.
While there are many great programs that can help support you in achieving a healthy lifestyle, it is important to remember that each workplace is different and will have its own unique needs. Additionally, organizations in different industries face different challenges when it comes to implementing wellness initiatives and may require more or less from their strategies depending on the size and budget of their company.
For example, if you work for a large corporation with many employees spread all over the globe (and therefore relatively low employee engagement rates), it may be useful for you to implement an online portal where people can log their workouts or track their food intake just by clicking on buttons in an app or website — this way they don’t have to worry about keeping track themselves!
Conclusion
Creating a workplace wellness program that fits your organization is the first step to achieving better health and productivity. By taking these five steps, you can create a program that works for your company’s culture and budget.
Hey Elon – can you solve the problem of mining for lithium needed to run Teslas?
Electric cars are becoming more popular every day, with one of the most important reasons being that they’re better for the environment. They produce zero emissions, which means they don’t contribute to air pollution. This is a huge benefit, especially in cities where air quality is a significant issue. This blog post will discuss electric cars’ other benefits and why they are a better choice for you.
Lower Emissions
Electric cars are powered by electricity, which can be generated from various sources, including solar, wind, nuclear, and hydropower. This means that electric cars have the potential to produce zero emissions. In contrast, petrol and diesel cars emit harmful pollutants such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides. These pollutants contribute to climate change and can cause respiratory problems. Electric cars also have the potential to be cheaper to operate than petrol or diesel cars.
Less Maintenance
While it is true that electric cars can require a higher initial investment, they save money in the long run due to lower maintenance costs. Electric cars have far fewer moving parts than gas cars, which means there are fewer opportunities for something to go wrong. In addition, electric cars don’t require tune-ups or oil changes, and the brakes last longer because electric motors generate braking power more efficiently than gas engines. As a result, electric car owners enjoy significant savings on maintenance and repairs.
Lower Insurance
Regarding car insurance, electric vehicles have a clear advantage over their gasoline-powered counterparts. For one, electric cars are much less likely to be involved in an accident. This is due to several factors, including their quiet operation and the fact that they can be equipped with advanced safety features such as automatic emergency braking. As a result, auto insurance quotes for electric cars are often significantly lower than for traditional cars.
Instant Torque
In an electric car, the motor is connected directly to the wheels, so there is no need for a gearbox. When you hit the accelerator, the car will respond immediately. A petrol or diesel car, where the engine needs to spin up to high revs before it can start moving the wheels. The gearing in a petrol or diesel car also means that there is always some engine braking, even when you are not touching the brakes. In an electric car, however, the motor acts as a generator when you lift off the throttle, which helps to slow the car down. The lack of gear shifting also makes for a much smoother ride.
Better Resale Value
Because they are still relatively new technology, electric cars tend to hold their value better than traditional cars. This is especially true of luxury electric cars, which can fetch a high price on the used market. This makes electric cars a smart choice for anyone looking to get the most out of their investment.
Electric cars are an excellent choice for a more efficient, environmentally-friendly, and economical vehicle. While they may require a higher initial investment, they offer significant savings in the long run. Electric cars are also much safer and easier to maintain than traditional cars. If you’re in the market for a new car, an electric car should be on your list.
Do you have an ancient, vintage boiler you can’t part with? Maybe it’s time to buy a new boiler?
Your boiler is the heart of your home. It’s responsible for everything, from heating your home in winter to running your hot water after a long day. A boiler failure can cause disruption and inconvenience in your day.
It is important to choose the right product and an experienced installer in order to get a reliable boiler.
The complexity of the job can affect the time it takes to install a boiler. Most simple swaps between like-for-like boilers can be completed in a matter of hours. Your requirements will determine the length and process of installation.
After your installer is done, you can start using your heating and hot water as you need them.
Annual boiler service is necessary to preserve the guarantee. An annual boiler service is required to maintain the guarantee. It involves a check of the boiler’s performance, safety, and installation. To schedule a service, we recommend that you contact the boiler installer to make arrangements. This can be done in the summer to avoid being caught cold during winter.
What about if you are moving home?
When you move house, the boiler should be one of your last thoughts.
However, replacing your boiler could increase the value of your home by up to £8,000. If you move into a house that has a new boiler, your heating bills will be very low.
This guide will help you remember all about heating, boilers, and energy when you are ready to move.
Before you buy, make sure to inspect the boiler
You’ll want to move into a house with a brand new boiler. Anything installed less than four years ago is an advantage.
You don’t want to have the boiler replaced as the first job in the new house.
Ask when the boiler was installed. These questions can be followed up on while you are talking about the boiler:
Who installed it?
What type boiler do you have?
When was the last time it was serviced? Get certificates to prove each service.
Is it still covered by warranty
Are you Gas Safe certified?
These questions will reveal how efficient and reliable your boiler is. You’ll also find the time you will need to replace.
To ensure that you don’t forget the date of the next boiler servicing, it is a good idea to write it down.
The vendor should be able provide you with a certificate indicating compliance to building regulations. This certificate was issued by the Gas Safe Register (OFTEC) at the time the boiler was installed. This will allow you to verify that the boiler was installed safely and in compliance with regulations.
You should make sure that you are covered
Another important consideration is to ensure that your boiler and central heating are properly covered.
For specific instructions, check with the company that offers your current coverage. It is a smart idea to purchase boiler insurance if you’re moving to a home you own. It will provide support in the event of a boiler breaking down or causing problems
Can my boiler be moved to my new home?
This could theoretically be possible. However, it is not the best idea.
It’s better to make sure the house you are moving into has an updated condensing boiler. It is important that your property has an efficient and reliable heating system. A new boiler can help increase the property’s value.
What can a new boiler do for your house?
A new condensing boiler can add up to £8,000 to your home’s value.
Potential buyers will be attracted to a new boiler. Potential buyers won’t need to replace their boiler for many years. A more efficient boiler will also mean lower heating bills.
It’s definitely worth it. It’s especially attractive when you consider that you would only need to pay between £1,000-£3,500 to replace a boiler.
Can I sell my house because my boiler is in danger?
Boilers that have been condemned can pose a danger to your health. If you live with a condemned boiler, replace it.
Even if your boiler is condemned, you can still sell your home. However, this could reduce the property’s value by a significant amount. You must inform the buyer that it is illegal to do so.
A cross between a sci-fi post-apocalyptic city and a Moshe Safdie rendition of Expo 67, the Line becomes Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s vision to modernize Saudi Arabia.
The Line is a 150-mile long belt of futuristic “living” in the middle of the desert, jutting out into the Red Sea. The new city will be part of the Saudi ruler’s vision for a modern Saudi Arabia in order to subvert decades of the nation’s intolerance for western society and its repression of women.
Of course bin Salman, on the board of directors for The Line didn’t design it, but has pledged billions of oil money for a non-local architecture firm to “dream” up the future. It’s the pattern in the Middle East where “starchitect” firms are happy to take on indulgent projects even foregoing eco or low-carbon policies.
And of course if you are making endless millions off of Saudi Arabia’s oil money, you will never disappoint, especially when it comes to marketing terms you can also throw to techs doing the Photoshop graphics: Net gravity! Net zero! Carless! but without any consideration of local wildlife, the Huwaitat indigenous tribespeople already living there, local building materials, 115 degree summers and a pristine marine environment of the Red Sea, already at risk.
Want to see some more excess? How about the Four Seasons Riyadh and its hotel built on stilts?
Whenever I see a new idea released from Saudi Arabia, it’s like the hired architecture firm in England (often Fosters + Partners) is playing a joke on the Saudis to see how bombastic they can build the next dream. Does no one in England’s architecture world have common sense any more? Activists are already set to re-wild England, Scotland and Ireland after several millennia of England clearcutting forests – at home and elsewhere. It’s the same colonising spirit breaking ground and ruining the environment today in pristine ecosystems of Saudi Arabia: The Line! Neom! Four Seasons!
Location for proposed Neom City, on the Red Sea.
As for the press materials released, the architect firm is not mentioned.
What’s on The Line?
So what’s The Line? Back in 2021 Saudi Arabia announced its plan for The Line, a car-less belt of built habitat. To be built in the Tabuk Province in northwestern Saudi Arabia, this proposed “smart city” will be a little over 200 yards wide and at some parts 550 yards above sea level.
“I never seen something more dystopian,” one commenter wrote in reply to a video of The Line posted by the Saudi Press Agency.
You can read our past coverage of Neom starting here: it’s another new planned megacity hosting visions of grandiose cities and towns for work and play in Saudi Arabia. Take into consideration that local Saudis don’t work or play like Westerners so these cities are being built for …
us. These dystopian cities are being built for westerners.
So far any attempts to encourage Middle East locals to live in such modern “net-zero” developments have failed –– see our coverage of Masdar in the United Arab Emirates –– and the foreigners that stay at such residences are banned from speaking publicly about the experience.
The Middle East can build ideas that might mention the future and look like the future, but in practice foreigners are usually only living in the Gulf’s golden cage because they are lured with wealth and large homes, cars and status.
Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman proudly boasts that he’s “committed to a civilizational revolution that puts humans first based on a radical change in urban planning. The designs revealed today for the city’s vertically layered communities will challenge the traditional flat, horizontal cities and create a model for nature preservation and enhanced human livability. The Line will tackle the challenges facing humanity in urban life today and will shine a light on alternative ways to live,” he said.
So how did great ideas like The High Line in New York City get so muddled into the nightmare of The Line of Saudi Arabia? Set to accommodate 9 million people, and about 30 square miles in size, The Line (says it marketing material) will promise to run on renewable energy, with amenities within a 5-minute walk, or end to end transport to visit your friends at the other end of the line within 20 minutes. It will “prioritize people’s health and well-being over transportation and infrastructure.”
A vertical city called Zero Gravity
In 1967 Israeli architect Moshe Safdie created Habitat ‘67 as a model for modest city. It housed participants of the Olympics that year and it’s returned to citygoers. It remains a historic site in the city near the water and people live in it today. The cubed structure with each block the same but somewhat different, offers a concept for modular living in the city, but it’s in human scale with nature outside every window, privacy a priority.
The Line however has taken that idea and crossed it with the Borg’s Cube (from Star Trek) and thrown in some renderings of cities after an apocalypse, and calls it Zero Gravity Urbanism.
The Line’s public parks and pedestrian areas, schools, homes and places for work, they say, are layered vertically, allowing citizens to move effortlessly and reach all daily needs within five minutes. The city’s exterior will be one giant mirror facade (something Saudi Arabia has done well in this mirror museum Maraya in the desert) to allow The Line to “blend” with nature for “magical moments”.
Environmental artist Pablo Solomon, from Texas, comments: “While the billionaires can do what they choose to do with their money [the solution is]: planting trees, conserving water, developing ways to clean emissions from reliable fossil fuels, desalinating water, developing hydroelectric and small nuclear reactors, finding ways to effectively/efficiently store electricity, etc.
“I have to give the Saudis an A for creativity—but a D for practicality. However, it will be fun to watch the sand pile up on either side of their 21st Century Hadrian’s wall,” Solomon adds.
Touted as a smart city that will be digitized and cost hundreds of billions to build, there is no mention of the real future, the future of a decentralized city where people own access to their own data and financial freedom. A future will people will be able to have a small plot of land, grow their own food, barter, and live with prosperity of their own making. The Line will just make you a soldier for capitalists.
Is it more ecological to buy sustainably harvested bamboo that lasts 3 years outside or vintage plastic lawn chairs that were used by someone’s grandma? Sometimes the one that lasts longer is the best solution. Think hard before you invest in patio furniture.
Your outdoor furniture needs protection just like indoor furniture. Usually when we buy furniture, we expect it to last long enough. Most of us want to invest in such a type of material that is durable and comes with the guarantee to last long. Plus the longer it lasts, the less you need to replace it, which means it’s more sustainable if it can last as long as you or longer. We also need to take care of our outdoor patio so that it remains protected come rain or shine.
Let us see some best tips to follow for protecting our furniture:
Use covers:
It is very important to cover the furniture when we are not using it. Some people have a storage room where they keep the patio when it is no longer in use. However, if you don’t have a storage room or you find it a strain to pull it back to storage every time you finish using it, you can buy covers. As a matter of fact, outdoor furniture adds beauty to your living space. Therefore, covers should be used to protect the beauty of the patio also and find some marvellous black outdoor chairs to place in your yard.
Keep it under the shade:
Sometimes, covering the patio is not enough and you want to do more about protecting it. In this case, you can keep it under the shade. While the cover protects the furniture from dirt, keeping it under the shade will keep it safe from rain, scorching sun, snowfall and every other extreme weather condition. Considering the sudden changes in the weather, some people install benches in the shade.
Apply furniture protector:
There is a furniture protector designed for patios of different types to protect them in case they are exposed to extreme weather conditions. For instance, you can keep your patio from rust if you apply a furniture protector on it. In the same way, the patio protector for the wooden furniture protects it against the harmful sun radiation in the hot weather.
Make some place for storage:
There is a period in every year when you cannot sit outdoors and enjoy the weather because the weather is either too hot or too cold. In that time, you should provide a room to your patio where it can be placed safely. Off season storage keeps the patio protected against the harmful weather conditions and you can keep it there as long as you want it. For this purpose, you will need to dedicate a small space to your patio storage where you can store it for the off season period.
Conclusion:
Outdoor furniture is also very expensive and you cannot afford to lose in a few months or years. You will need to take care of it to make it stay with you for a longer period of time. Keep its original color and sparkle in place by taking necessary measures to protect it from everything that has a potential to damage it.
Thailand is a great place to travel for comfort. There are glorious mangoes –– just picked and still holding warmth from the sun: they fall right into your hands or onto a plate of sticky rice. You will find that eating a great pad thai or going for a massage is as easy as breathing or going for a walk.
How can I describe Thailand quickly? Like your body is falling into the womb of nature –– it’s just a blessed place.
Traveling to Chiang Mai with the Family
It’s easy to travel to Thailand for comfort whether you are single or with a family. I have never met an easier place for that and have been there 5 times before my most recent trip. Thailand was there for me when I was freshly in love. It was there after a breakup. Thailand was there for me when I was pregnant with my first and it is where my second just started growing in my womb. We’d take them back there to play in the sand and jungle as infants and toddlers. We’d release turtles in their name. Send out lanterns to the sea with their hopes and dreams and blessings.
This spring after an isolating Covid period and with the kids at the perfect age for adventure traveling, we decided to take them away for family time and really invest in our experiences. This time we were going to go outside our comfort zone – we’d go outside the Thailand we knew: beaches, floating markets, temples, and beaches of Samui and Phuket. This time we would rely on my husband’s old memories from the early 90s to take us back to the mountains in the north.
Meeting the Akha People
Over the years my husband recalled traveling and meeting the Akha people three decades before. This was a trip to a paradise where you entered by elephant and came out leaving nothing behind. There was opium smoking, loads of smiles, and an innocence of mankind he experienced then.
He remembers it like a dream. And as an ecological ideal: Every scrap of paper, plastic – every bit – was saved and repurposed into something else.
We should go back, he says, but how?
I found Frans online, a fellow from Holland who is running an adventure tour company called Green Trails. He’d fallen in love with Thailand around the same time as my husband’s first trip. It was when Thailand was just opening to the world and the visitors couldn’t believe the bounty they’d discovered. Frans was easy to access and answered my query quickly: could you help us meet the Akha people?
Frans told me his company was providing accessible nature-based trips to Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai areas, along with itineraries that enable an extraordinary adventure in a short time. We could meet tribes people, even stay with them, but still have moments of comfort between the simple settings by staying in hotels during our stay. We had 6 days to spend in the north before our connecting flight back home. Frans jumped to help us plan a trip of a lifetime.
Authentic Family Experiences in Nature
Frans came back to us with a trip that would let us meet the various Hill Tribe people in a way that would be pleasant for everyone in our family, a girl 11, and boy 9 and two adults, one who can agree to hiking but who doesn’t love it much. Some people on the internet complain that these days visiting Hill Tribe people can feel exploitative like you are visiting a zoo. This is not at all what we encountered on our trip.
Frans arranged that we’d have an English speaking guide, Rung, who was from the region and who could communicate with the Hill Tribe people. Years’ long friendships and cooperation with Frans made our arrival welcoming without any suspicion. Thai people were still wearing masks at this time and many villages were no longer interested in meeting tourists, out of fear. But Frans knew who he could approach.
What to do along the way
We flew into Chiang Mai from Phuket and early the next day met Rung and Joe, our guide and driver. While driving to the areas of Chiang Rai and the hill tribe people we would have adventures along the way –– visiting avant garde museums, white water rafting, longboat sailing down rivers, visiting local markets and temples that are an art exhibit or spiritual exercise –– choose your own adventure. But it was planned and perfected by Frans, who over the years has learned what adventurous tourists would like to see. We were even able to add on adventures and make time for them if we saw something along the way that caught our eye.
But the blueprint of the trip was solid. Frans built us a trip that helped us experience the wild nature in Thailand that you would only find if you had a few months and a backpack. You could tell that the hill tribes he works with are coming from a long and trusting relationship that goes back decades, not years. For that, we were welcomed to these tiny villages even while the rest of Thailand was in semi lockdown wearing masks and keeping a safe distance.
Stocking up at a local market in Northern Thailand before we head to the Hill Tribes
Meeting the Palong People
The first encounter with the Palong tribe near Chiang Dao was meeting our guide and with him holding a machete we hiked from one Palong village Lahu to Pang How. We walked a few hours along trails he had carved out the day before, while he picked native plants showing us what they are and how they can be used in cooking. We got inside the jungle, his land, where agriculture and eco-tourism are the mainstays.
After pointing out plants such as wild rattan and ginger and making us walking sticks from bamboo, we entered the village. His family and extended tribe offered us shy hellos and greetings and after time my kids and their kids started to mingle, my daughter making a friend with a girl her age.
They picked papayas, fed the pigs and got accustomed to village life which is basic but comfortable. Outdoor toilets and sleeping in small bamboo huts is the accommodation. The floor is made from dirt, but it’s packed tight like it would be in a clay house.
Some of the women taught us about the old ways of husking rice, and we were given a loom-weaving lesson –– my biggest take home is that they worked hard, sometimes days, to string together a meter of fabric that they assemble by hand.
Dinner was cooked by our host and our guide, and it was absolutely delicious and over-the-top. Our host and Rung worked for a couple of hours making sure it was perfect and exactly to our specifications: no seafood, meat or gluten. That’s a tall order in Thailand but our hosts arranged it with care.
At night the village girls of the village put on a show and my husband and our host took turns on a handmade instrument that kind of looked like a 3-string guitar. My family sang, we danced some and laughed our faces off at how the simplest, unusual encounters can make your soul expand wide. This is why we wanted to come here, It was for this. I was thanking Frans in my heart.
The Palong tribe, we learn, has its own colorful background. Not long ago they moved from Myanmar to Thailand and are distinguished by their rattan hoops and silver belt worn around the waist. The costume is a reminder of a bird, a mystical creature from which the Palong people are believed to be derived.
Meeting with the Akha People
An early morning with the dogs barking and roosters about, then we break-fasted and hiked around the village where Rung taught us about the village heart, the huja rawl. Up into the hills we visited the gardens of Sukhum, where fruits like mangoes grow. We trekked through to a Lahu village and then a Karen village –– and then started our drive to Thaton. We overnighted in a hotel and woke the next day to meet the Akha Tribe.
Along the way and cooling down in a cave temple – think ancient mystical cave where people seek immortality in Jitterbug Perfume? – we took a boat ride to a Lahu tribe village called Phatai.
We then continued to Chiang Rai and then to the Huay Mae Sai Waterfall where we met our local Akha guide from the village Ban Apha. When we arrived our guide Armue prepared our lunch, “jungle style” in a bamboo rod steamer he’d shucked from the forest. It felt like a Michelin Star experience. We dug in. High from the food and the waterfalls (only) we would learn that there is no more opium cultivation in the hills. That the tribespeople were eventually trained to manage agriculture and fruit trees to make a living. That living is now supplemented with homestays and eco tourism.
After lunch we hiked to the Akha village which was a pleasant walk through the forest and where our host and guide showed us native plants and told us folklore stories.
We arrived with a lot of excitement. Armue’s wife was stressed because the new baby goats weren’t herding in the right direction –– so my kids ran down to save the plants the goats were trying to eat. Have you ever held a bleating baby goat in your arms like a puppy? Our kids did this with wide smiles, while enjoying cats and kittens, chickens and a puppy near the hut.
Learning to cook authentic Hilltribe
We learned about the Akha clothes and were given a masterclass in cooking –– all suited to our dietary restrictions. We had fresh fish, soy protein, various soups, including a potato soup with red curry that I have recreated a few times since our trip. The highlight for me was cooking in the dark on the floor of the kitchen in an open pit fire.
I was just an observer but when the power went out and the rain came bolting onto our home-hut we had a taste of being Primal Man, but banded together in circumstance and ceremony. Our meal was magazine worthy and our beds were delightful, clean and private in a large bamboo hut resting on stilts on the edge of a jungle valley.
We arose to an endless feast again and were given a tour of the village and even peeks inside private homes. Saying goodbye was hard and I could have shed a tear because there is a true-ness and an authentic-ness to what we felt and experienced even though there was a financial transaction. It felt that there was joy for both sides in our meetings with the hill tribe people.
Maybe some of our innocence on both sides may be lost, but we can still feel innocent again if we reach out to meet new people and cultures.
Our remainder of the trip didn’t fizzle out for a moment. We continued to a wonderful modern art museum. We visited iconic structures known by their colors: Blue, White, and Black. The Blue and White are temples, the Black House (Ban Dam) is a museum. White (wow) is for the Wat Huay Pla Kang temple, and its giant statue of Kuan Im, the goddess of Mercy. We took an elevator inside and I am still humming the chants of the monks and singers in my mind.
Over the 6 days with the adventuring in nature, riding down rivers in boats, waterfalls, trekking, caves, I couldn’t help but think of what an amazing trip this is for families but even more so dreamed of it as something my daughter could do with peers in a couple of years when she is a bit older. Eco-tourism, respectful meetings between the east and the west, jungle sports, great new cuisine, the safety and comfort of Thailand where the honey of nature is waiting for you to come and taste it.
“In general,” says Fran, owner of Green Trails, “we pay attention to tribal culture, languages, dress. One area, we have been doing well in are tours for schools and university groups. I want to develop this further because these trips are so rewarding for the students and the villagers.
“I want to focus on traditions, culture, and history as well as the preservation of heritage places and crafts,” he notes.
Forest bathing is prescribed by Japanese doctors for good health. How can you get over nature phobias if you’ve been without your “true nature” for so long in the city?
Nature is one of humanity’s most valuable assets. It provides us with everything our minds and bodies need to thrive, from sunlight and fresh air to food and water. Without nature and its many resources, life would ultimately cease to exist. That’s why people go to great lengths to educate, protect, and preserve the environment. Although nature is beautiful and beneficial, many people suffer from nature-related phobias. Continue reading to learn more.
Fears Vs. Phobias
Before we get into the list of nature phobias, let’s break down the differences between fear and phobia. Fears are the body’s natural response to people, places, things, or experiences that cause you to feel in danger. On the other hand, phobias are classified as anxiety disorders. Phobias are exacerbated fears that are felt even when you’re not in trouble. Ultimately, your anxiety levels don’t match your level of fear but produce a series of debilitating physical and emotional responses.
Aquaphobia
Water is essential to the environment and our well-being as the earth comprises 71% water, and the body is 60% water. H20 is also necessary for cleaning and cooking, and other everyday tasks. Be that as it may, some people have aquaphobia, a fear of water. Their fears and anxieties are so extensive that they don’t want to be exposed to water from any source (i.e., swimming pools, oceans, rivers, lakes, bathtubs, and even a cup of water). There are different types of aquaphobia, including thalassophobia, the fear of the deep ocean, and other large bodies of water.
Nyctophobia
Darkness is a natural occurrence when the sun sets, or the lights are turned off. Scientists and medical experts have reported that night or darkness benefits our health and wellness. When it’s dark, your body produces melatonin, a hormone that helps fight off diseases and regulate mood and sleep cycles.
Unfortunately, some people are so afraid of the dark that they will only remain in well-lit spaces. This condition is known as nyctophobia. As you might imagine, it reduces your body’s ability to produce melatonin, which can adversely affect your immune system, mood, and sleep cycle.
Entomophobia
You can’t discuss nature without bringing up insects. Ants, spiders, flies, mosquitoes, and other bugs reside in nature and are an essential part of the ecosystem. Insects play many roles: cycling nutrients, pollinating plants, maintaining and fertilizing the soil, spreading seeds, controlling insect populations, and feeding animals.
While no one is a fan of insects, their significance to human life is undeniable. Those that have an intense fear of insects have entomophobia. Their fears and anxieties are so extreme that they avoid being in nature. In severe cases, entomophobia causes some people to avoid leaving their homes.
They’re afraid of being bit, stung, or getting a disease from insects and believe the only way to remain safe is to steer clear of places where insects are commonly found. More than excessive thoughts, people with entomophobia can also experience physical symptoms like constant itching or feeling crawling sensations (even when there is nothing there).
Overcoming Nature Phobias
When you have a nature phobia, enjoying life becomes impossible. You isolate yourself, avoid outdoor activities, and ultimately deprive your body of essential components like vitamin D and fresh air. Be that as it may, overcoming a phobia isn’t easy. It often requires psychotherapy to identify the cause and triggers of your fears. From there, a mental health expert can use cognitive therapy strategies to help you reduce your anxieties and irrational thoughts. Finally, exposure therapy can assist those with nature phobias in getting past their greatest fears.
As valuable as nature is to our physical and mental well-being, some people have such great fears that they miss out. It can lead to personal and professional issues, ruined relationships, low confidence, poor self-esteem, and more. Phobias can also result in other mental illnesses, including general anxiety disorder and depression. Whether you fear water, darkness, or insects, the best thing you can do to recover is to get help from a mental health professional to alleviate your fears and reclaim your life.
At the base of Toubkal. We visited this kasbah before our hike.
There are two places in the world my soul wishes to return to and they are almost opposite in culture and experience, but similar in nature. One is high up in the mountains in the Swiss Alps in an off grid cabin among the glaciers and the wildflowers, and another is to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco with the goats and the argan trees. I guess you could say I prefer mountains and their cooler climes over a beach holiday.
Getting to the Atlas Mountains to start day treks or longer trips through the mountains is as easy as winding your way through Manhattan. Actually maybe it’s even easier. Once you get a flight or train into Marrakech, ask a taxi at the airport –– or walk outside the airport taxi and find a local taxi –– and ask them to take you to your destination point. Your starting point is less than a couple hours drive into the mountains.
Finding adventure in Morocco and around the Marrakech area is easy. The hardest part about getting to Morocco 10 years ago was getting a travel Visa. At the time the country I was traveling from wasn’t recognized by Morocco. It was a fairly stressful process getting entry through a tour company I had no intention of traveling with. A dedicated person had to find us at the airport and hope they could help us get through. Back then I should have known that a few bucks at the airport would have helped us get inside just like that.
But times have changed and Morocco has caught up. No more grey areas. There are now simple online services that offer official e-Visas to any port in Morocco, whether you are coming in by plane, train, boat or automobile. This service is completely online (find the online application form here) —you can submit your request using any electronic device with an internet connection. And with an approved e-Visa you can travel to Morocco and stay for up to 30 days for business or tourism or both.
About my journey: I started at the Kasbah du Toubkal and from there overnighted and trekked by day through villages nearby. Having knowledge of a little French or Arabic can be helpful though and knowing French probably made my experience that much easier and authentic.
Although once you get to the guest houses or place you want to stay most locals will know some basic English or your language – enough to get by.
We had some wild adventures in Morocco and walked by wildlife and madrassas chanting prayers. There were soccer games encouraged by electric guitars. Homemade goat yogurt and mountain delights.
Millions of extra embryos are created during the IVF process around the world. Most of them, in waiting, will never be used by their birth parents. Consider adopting an embryo to people who can’t conceive?
Adoption has long been an opportunity for many parents to expand their families and experience the joys of raising their children. Thanks to advances in reproductive medicine and technology such as IVF, a new form of adoption allow adoptive parents to experience the pleasures of pregnancy and childbirth.
What do we know about embryo adoption?
According to the embryo adoption agency, there are about one million frozen embryos in the US today; most come from people who have undergone IVF. Embryos could be frozen short-term (until the couple completes a successful IVF cycle) or long-term (until people decide they’re done having kids).
If the embryos are no longer needed, there are several options for the development of events: keep the embryos frozen, discard them, donate them for research or donate to people who can’t produce their own viable embryos. The latter allows the adopting woman to bear her own child.
Couples or women on waiting lists for adoption. Many had already given up on fertility treatment or weren’t even considering it for religious or ethnic reasons.
Women without a male partner wishing to have a child.
Couples with long-term infertility problems.
Patients with repeated miscarriages.
Once a couple or a single woman decides to adopt an embryo, they must fill out an application, select a donor and legally adopt the embryo. The donor embryo is then implanted into the uterus of the adoptive mother (as in conventional IVF). The probability of implantation and subsequent pregnancy is less than 50%. In case of failure, you can try again with another embryo.
The most common types of embryo adoption
Adopting parents are advised to read the information about donors before choosing an embryo; this usually includes medical records, family history, and more. They must also choose between open and closed adoptions.
In an open adoption, the donor and adoptive parents maintain a certain level of communication, such as face-to-face meetings, letters, or phone calls. Open adoption is encouraged when using an agency, as it is beneficial for medical purposes and family history matters such as disease and addictions.
In a closed adoption, the couple is not informed of the status of the embryo donation, meaning they will not know if they have other biological children.
The whole process of adopting an embryo usually takes at least a year. The exact length depends on various factors, including the adoption agency the family wants to work with, their requirements on donor parents, and the quality of the embryos.
