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Original Tree Swing

WASHINGTON — I grew up in Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue. My parents taught Sunday school there. I learned to read Hebrew (sort of) there. I was a bar mitzvah there. My mother sewed a fancy velvet jumper for my little sister to wear there.

On Saturday morning — the Jewish sabbath — Jews at prayer were slaughtered at Tree of Life because and only because of who they were. It was possibly the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in this country’s history, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

My response is grief, of course, and the immediate realization that this horror is part of a larger pattern of mayhem and hatred in America and around the world. Churches, minority communities, gay nightclubs, politicians and journalists are threatened. We live in an age of assault rifles, pipe bombs and bone saws.

But I also have to admit — and am grieved to admit — that the mass murder at Tree of Life has shaken my perhaps naïve faith in this country, one that I began developing as a boy growing up in Pittsburgh.

The predominantly Jewish Squirrel Hill neighborhood has a bucolic-sounding name, and it fits. It is bounded on two sides by huge, wooded parks. The streets of mostly single-family homes are lined with lush trees; there is easy access to universities, civic institutions, playing fields and excellent schools.

I was reared in a Jewish paradise — a.k.a. America, my Promised Land. Not the one God gave us (though I love that one, too), but the one we chose for ourselves.

I http://goodforheavypeople.com/ was taught in Squirrel Hill that we were in the one country that was an exception to the history of the human race in general and the Jews in particular. Founded on Enlightenment principles of individuality, freedom, tolerance and justice, the United States was the only place besides Israel where Jews could live at one with their nation, unburdened by fear or confusion about identity.

Now I must wonder: If Pittsburgh isn’t safe for Jews, if Squirrel Hill isn’t safe, if the Tree of Life isn’t safe, what place is? Without diminishing anyone else’s suffering and death, it’s a sad fact that the Jews often are the canaries in the coal mine of social and political collapse. So, what does the bloodshed in the Tree of Life mean?

It is a sign that hatred of The Other is poisoning our public life. It’s always been a vivid strain in America, stimulated by the stress of immigrant waves, but one we have overcome time and again. Although we often honor it in the breach, our founding idea remains: that each person here is precious and born with unalienable rights. Now, political enemies in America deny each other’s humanity.

It is a sign that communications can foster something less than understanding. Social media allows us to be connected but also caricatured as propaganda in campaigns of dehumanizing division.

It is a sign that President Trump’s remorselessly cynical, jungle-style vision of how to conduct business and politics is ripping apart a society already under the stress of generational, demographic, technological, economic and social change.

In physics, the arc of a swinging pendulum diminishes over time. That has been my perhaps too-comfortable view of American history: that the swing of our political pendulum would always slow and find an equilibrium closer to a more perfect union.

In pursuit of that theory, as a reporter in Kentucky for six years and later across the country for decades, I chronicled the rise of the populist right as just another swing of the pendulum.

I covered Ku Klux Klan rallies, court-ordered busing, “dirty tricksters” of the right from Richard Nixon to Paul Manafort, and Trump rallies across the country. None of that shook my belief that the country could somehow harvest the energy of protest against “elites” for some eventual good.

Now I am not so sure. The pendulum seems to be swinging more wildly and widely every day. The whole machinery feels in danger of racing out of control.

But even as I begin to doubt that my Pittsburgh was the Promised Land, I remain guided and inspired by it. My late parents, Morton and Jean Fineman, were teachers who loved America even as they fretted about its shortcomings. They always reminded me that, in a democracy — and only in a democracy — people get the government they deserve, and that each new generation must work hard to win anew the rights and blessings that we take for granted.

I only hope that the martyrs of the Tree of Life — like those in Charleston, Charlottesville and other mass shootings motivated by hate — did not die in vain. America’s gifts are not easily preserved — even, I now know, in Squirrel Hill.

Howard Fineman is an NBC News analyst and a journalism lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Everything You Need to Know About Maine Coon

Maine Coon, a large cat breed that has been very popular for a long time. This cat can be found a lot, but you have to be careful because it might not be an original breed of Maine Coon. If you don’t want to be fooled by those people who try to sell a non-original Maine Coon, you want to know their habits and characteristics first.

Maine Coon Characteristics

The one thing that you should look first is their ears. They are large with a pointy edge on top, very easy to distinguish from the other types of cats. The eyes are large and staring at you as if those cats are queens, especially because their bodies are big. Yes, Maine Coon is a large cat which makes them have a large body even when they are still kittens. This body is covered with thick, long fur.

These characteristics are important for you to know especially when you don’t go to a Maine Coon breeder because there a lot of other cats are believed as Maine Coon when they are not. If you want a pure bred Maine Coon, then it is suggested that you go to a breeder so you won’t get lied on.

Black Smoke Maine Coon

This popular cat also comes in another color, which happens to be the most favorite color of Maine Coon, which is black. A fun fact, even though the color is black, this cat can get sunburned! The fur will turn brownish, so you should not leave them tanning for a long time. Sometimes, the color even looks rusted.

Norwegian Forest Cat vs Maine Coon

These two cats look quite similar to each other, that it is believed that these two share a gene together. They are both big, have long silky fur, and have the same outgoing personality. How do you differentiate Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Cat, really? Well, the differences can be seen through more detailed appearance and personality that they have.

Maine Coons are considered an intelligent cat because of their ability to learn anything new quicker than the rest. They are very friendly with people and are considered very social as well as loyal to human. Norwegian Forest Cats are also clever, but they are a bit choosy when it comes to being loyal to human.

Another thing that sets these two apart is how Maine Coon is very playful while Norwegian Forest Cats are lazy. So if you were to see them both playing outside, Maine Coon won’t stop playing as long as they have the chances while Norwegian Forest Cats will only play just enough.

These two cats are one of the most beautiful pure bred cats all over the world. Now, what are you waiting for? From the way they look to the way they interact, we bet you are looking for Maine Coon breeder right now. The large and majestic cats are great personality wise as well as their unique characteristics, perfect for your own pet!

If this doesn’t convince you enough to have Maine Coon, you can find other informations about Maine Coon in catsofeverywhere.com

They provide various information about everything you need to know about Maine Coon. Also, you might want to read one of their articles here https://catsofeverywhere.com/maine-coon-kitten/maine-coon-personality/

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20 Things You Should Know About giant maine coon cat

Like many felines, Max had a swagger in his stroll. But because he was somewhat obese, the 15-year-old Maine coon began having problem "lifting on things," his proprietor states, the added pounds aggravating his joint inflammation.

His owner, Jaime Wilson, decided her animal needed to go on a diet regimen-- barely two tbsps of dry food in the early morning and also again at night, along with a larger section of canned damp food as soon as a day and also a monitored workout program that included treadmill job and running through fixed poles.

" He was ferocious regularly," his proprietor acknowledges. But after six months, "he's really streamlined as well as slim," claims Mrs. Wilson, that operates at the College of Florida's Little Animal Medical facility in Gainesville, Fla. "Not having the extra pounds has actually been wonderful for his joints."

The Organization for Pet dog Weight problems Prevention approximates that in the USA, vets currently identify more than 100 million canines and pet cats as obese or obese, up from 80 million 5 years earlier. Sixty percent of pet cats tip the ranges at unhealthy weights, somewhat even more than the 56 percent of pet dogs.

Even worse yet, many animal proprietors stop working to recognize the prospective severity of the issue, discovering their family pets' weight gain of little worry or perhaps "adorable," says Dr. Justin Shmalberg, solution principal of integrative medicine at the University of Florida's University of Veterinary Medicine in Gainesville. As well as reveal animals, commonly held maine coon breeders up as excellent versions, he states, in some cases have a tendency towards the chubby side.

" In part, it's an issue of perception," Dr. Shmalberg says. "Typically, the public is a lot more forgiving of obese pets than they are of thin ones. There's not as much preconception with animals being overweight just like individuals."

Weight problems and also the inflammatory impacts of excess fat can bring a host of illness. Max's six-month trip to a healthier weight decreased his risk for insulin-dependent diabetes, one of the most usual health issue vets see in obese or overweight felines. Overweight pets hardly ever create this kind of diabetes mellitus, vets claim, though large types often deal with joint injuries from excess weight, while smaller ones can have breathing problems if respiratory tracts collapse.

In addition to diabetes and joint inflammation, additional heft puts pets at raised danger for liver and also kidney conditions, hypertension, cardiac arrest and even some cancers. And also a minimum of one extensively pointed out study in Labrador retrievers located that even reasonably overweight pet dogs have much shorter life periods than their lean counterparts.

Veterinarians evaluate a pet's overall body health and wellness utilizing a system similar to the body mass index, or B.M.I., used in people. Skeletal pets or pet cats get the least expensive score on a nine-point scale, overweight ones the highest, with a desirable weight usually in the four to 5 variety, says Dr. Deborah Linder, head of Tufts College's obesity clinic for pets in Boston. An animal at 6 is considered scientifically overweight, with a score of 7 or even more, obese.

Vets additionally complete a physical exam to evaluate obesity, feeling over the chest by the pet's underarm, "where cells should be no thicker than the back of your hand," Dr. Linder states. An additional sign of healthy and balanced girth, she states, is a put in the stubborn belly, similar to an "hourglass figure."

Some animals are genetically prone to unwanted extra pounds, others may have conditions like hyperthyroidism or Cushing's disease, in which the adrenal glands pump out too a lot of an anxiety hormonal agent, promoting appetite. As soon as these conditions are eliminated, veterinarians claim, maturing itself positions a continuous threat as metabolic process slows-- the animal variation of middle-age spread.

Sterilizing or purifying also lowers an animal's power demands by a third, Dr. Shmalberg states, so "calories in, calories out," tackles better relevance in preserving a family pet's appropriate weight.

Scientists have actually just recently recognized one more danger aspect for family pet excessive weight: quick growth in very early life, though the reasons for this continue to be inadequately comprehended. "Canines and also felines that grow promptly are extremely most likely to end up being overweight later in life," states Dr. Alex German, a professor at the University of Liverpool in England.

Yet veterinarians select overfeeding as the best contributor to pet weight problems. Giving animals simple accessibility to food around your home, or "free feeding," can quickly include undesirable extra pounds, they claim, as can an overindulgence in high-calorie deals with. Throw kids into the house mix with "creep feeding" as well as the scenario worsens, claims Dr. Sarah Nold, a team veterinarian at Trupanion, a Seattle-based pet insurance firm. "It's definitely not unusual," she states with a laugh.

Whether animals, like some owners, "stress and anxiety eat" is challenging to determine. "In my experience, when animals are stressed out, they have a tendency to go off feeding," Dr. Nold claims. "Yet we don't know."

" Animals don't open the refrigerator on their own," so worried proprietors may stress-feed their family pets, Dr. Linder claims. "The idea of food and love are firmly adjoined, as well as we require to address it."

Some vets point out the pet food industry's press to consist of better labeling on foods, including calories per offering, as an advancement in assisting with weight control. Others explain the print as too tiny and also the calorie details purposeless due to the fact that calorie needs vary widely by breed, genes as well as existing weight.

Many canines and also pet cats that are overweight will certainly require their calories reduced by a minimum of a 3rd, according to the University of Florida's Dr. Shmalberg. An average-size indoor feline requires in between 150 to 200 calories daily to keep weight, while canines' suitable weights are more difficult to analyze. The most essential aspect, Dr. Shmalberg claims, is that proprietors adjust food to get to an "perfect body problem," such as the pet dog as well as feline weight charts recommended by the pet dog food company Purina.

Experts likewise differ on which kind of food promotes far better weight reduction, damp or completely dry. Some information suggests wet food's greater water as well as healthy protein content brings even more advantage due to the fact that it lowers hunger, says Dr. Jonathan Stockman, that runs the scientific nutrition solution at Colorado State University's Veterinary Mentor Hospital, in Ft. Collins, Colo. Dry food has a greater fiber content, he states, so a similar argument can be made for that.

" One actually is no far better than the various other," Dr. Stockman says. "We normally select prescription diets since the nutrient density can be controlled as well as you can cut calories without triggering a nutritional deficiency."

Other choices, such as fat-blocking medications or stomach-shrinking surgical treatments available to individuals, hardly ever figure in in veterinary medicine. A lot of vets feel that fat burning can best be managed through diet plan.

The objective is to reach a healthy weight before wellness issues hold, vets agree. Despite the fact that diabetic issues in pet cats, as an example, can be reversed by hostile nutritional procedures, says Dr. Lori Cashier, a veterinarian at the Meyerland Animal Facility in Houston, they function only with early diagnosis. Diabetes in canines, rarely pertaining to weight problems, is taken into consideration permanent, she and also others state, since insulin production shuts down completely.

" Our current approach is falling short," Dr. German says, mentioning the need for new techniques and more energetic prevention. Researches have discovered that only half of pet dogs and felines put on weight-loss programs attain their target goal, he states, and half of that number rebound to undesirable weights.

Rather of intending for a full or "best" fat burning, he suggests, it could be more sensible to push for a modest weight loss, which can still have advantages. Research studies have revealed that in obese people, as an example, even a reasonably small weight reduction of 5 percent to 10 percent of body weight can delay the start of diabetes, and the same may put on family pets.

Max's fat burning was a lot more severe, and he is prospering. His proprietor is alert about not letting his diet and workout routines lapse.

" If I complimentary feed him now," Mrs. Wilson states, "he would just swell back up, I make certain."

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Why Every Home Should Have Paper Towel Holder

A magnetic kitchen towel holder

For those who live in a house, paper towel holders sure are handy, and for more than just holding the paper towels. Paper towel holder is one of the most under appreciated kitchen counter items. You can put it on the counter or hide it away until called for action after spill or some other kitchen cleanup. This item is very versatile and has many uses outside the kitchen with a little creativity and thinking outside the box. Here are some ideas on ways to create your own holder from upcycled items that might be lying around the house.

You can use an old rod and hinge of paper towel holder to hang fashion accessories like scarves, belts, ties, and any other things to make your bedroom and closet well organized. If you’re the handy kind of people, you can use and old paint roller in place of a rod and hinge paper towel holder.

Consider using a paper towel holder as a ribbon and tape organizer. With this, you don’t have to dig through the bag of ribbon when wrapping birthday and holiday gifts. Attaching a cup or pencil to keep scissors, pencil or marker, and even gift labels in one conveniennt spot will be great too. It will definitely by a one stop upcycled gift wrapping center.

Keep in mind that aside of accessories, you can also serve your tower of sweet desserts on the paper towel holder. If you’re going to a cookie exchange, you can make cut out a hole in the middle of an oversized chocolate chip cookies when they’re still warm. Try to display them on the decorated cookie holder and see how the cookies stack up to others.

You can also use a paper towel holder on your garage or shed wall to hang garbage bags. You just need to remove the towel rod, insert the roll of trash bags, and hang up. With this, one less thing to go missing in the garage. A little tip, if you have an old globe stand, you can use it as a decorative paper towel holder. If you’re one of those handyperson, upcycle old tools into a paper towel holder for use in the garage, workshop or as a conversation piece in your kitchen would be easy.

If you’re looking for a convenient yet sophisticated paper towel holder, then we recommend you to get the one from Quinno. It is made of premium materials which ensure longevity. The special thing about this product is that it comes with magnets, so you don’t need to use any tools for the installation. Just attach the magnets onto refrigerator and you’re done.

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