At the funeral for 14 Russian sailors, Captain Sergei Pavlov hailed the "blameless heroes" for dousing the fire that broke out on their nuclear spy submarine, called the Losharik, during a secret mission last month.
"At the cost of their lives," Pavlov said, "they prevented a catastrophe on a planetary scale."
But as Russia tests and deploys an array of exotic new nuclear weapons, fears are mounting that the next nuclear mishap may not be so easily contained.
This summer alone, Russia has suffered some two-dozen casualties in accidents related to exotic nuclear hardware, including the mysterious explosion linked to the Skyfall missile program that killed seven and sent local radiation levels spiking in a nearby city.
The deadly incidents are stoking fears of a return to Cold War-style runaway nuclear arms development, accompanied by dangerous accidents and Soviet-style cover-ups.
You can blame the renewed U.S.-Russian arms race, which nuclear experts warn is driving Russia to recklessly experiment with "absurd" new ideas.
"We need to acknowledge that the Russians are engaged in wacky programs," said Aaron Stein, a nuclear nonproliferation expert at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. "It's indicative of an arms complex that has been cut loose to pursue exotic, silly projects. And it's dangerous."
Things that go boom
The U.S. and Russia have bitterly accused each other of violating arms control obligations for decades (Putin still likes to complain about George W. Bush's decision to ditch an anti-missile defense treaty in 2002). But even in this context, the recriminations and missile-waving have ratcheted up in recent years.
President Trump shares some of the blame. Since taking office, he's proposed billions more in spending on nuclear programs, and began manufacturing low-yield, tactical warheads that could be deployed in a more limited way on a battlefield, a factor making them more likely to be used.
He stoked further outrage in Russia and much of the international community by officially withdrawing the U.S. from the INF Treaty, which US officials and independent experts say Russia had been violating for years.
The Cold War-era INF Treaty banned land-based short and medium-range missiles, and its demise means that both sides will likely begin developing new nuclear missiles designed to be launched much closer to their targets that was previously allowed.
Putin, for his part, has kicked things up a notch by personally unveiling several new nuclear weapons. In a massively-hyped rollout last spring, Putin boasted they'd be "invincible" to U.S. missile defense systems, and showcased a video of warheads raining down on Florida to thunderous applause from a roomful of Moscow's ruling elite.
But while shiny new nukes may earn him love at home, ultimately Putin's solving a problem Russia doesn't actually have: Russia has so many missiles it could easily swamp American defenses.
"The current Russian strategic arsenal faces no strategic challenge, and won't in the foreseeable future," said Joshua Pollack, editor of The Nonproliferation Review.
His race for nuclear supremacy, however, appears to be driving Russian weapons developers into weirder and riskier technologies.
"It's as if the nuclear and arms complexes have been unleashed to pursue their fantasies and daydreams, as if it's the late '70s or early '80s again," said Pollack
Some are downright "absurd," given Russia's overwhelming missile power, said Stein.
Putin's new weapons programs include:
Skyfall: A cruise missile intended to achieve infinite range via an onboard nuclear-powered engine. A similar idea was abandoned by U.S. war planners in the 1960s as too dangerous, in part because the engine spewed radioactive exhaust in its wake.
Poseidon: A long-range nuclear torpedo designed to unleash a radioactive 500-meter tall tsunami against a coastal city. Western experts say the weapon appears best suited for targeting a seaside civilian population, rather than military targets.
Dagger: A plane-launched hypersonic glide missile designed to evade missile defense with advanced speed and maneuverability.
Avangard: A hypersonic winged glider weapon that's fired high into the atmosphere before reemerging and traveling in unpredictable patterns to get around defense systems.
Disasters and cover-ups
The hush-hush atmosphere surrounding these military programs is raising anxiety that any mistakes won't be properly accounted for — and that locals won't get vital information they need to stay safe after a nuclear accident.
Such fears appeared to be borne out after the mysterious Aug. 8 explosion that killed seven people and sent local radiation readings spiking 16 times above average in a nearby city of almost 200,000 people.
Independent researchers, and President Trump in a tweet, linked the blast to a failed test of the Skyfall missile program. Afterwards, Russia stopped sharing data with international observers tracking nearby radionuclide monitoring stations — either for fear of causing panic, or of giving hints about the nature of their work.
Russia's fearsome FSB spy agency reportedly forced doctors treating the wounded to sign non-disclosure agreements, and didn't warn them patients might be radioactive. On Monday, Russia said air tests had found four kinds of radioactive particles that had been released after the explosion.
And that wasn't an isolated incident. In July, an international team of researchers traced the origins of a huge, mysterious radioactive cloud that blanketed Europe in 2017 back to — you guessed it — Russia.
The team said the cloud posed no threat to Europe, but warned the area around the release might have faced much more serious fallout. If it did, nobody from Russia admitted it.
Naturally, after all that, Russian officials chose last week to launch a controversial floating nuclear power plant, dubbed the Akademik Lomonosov, into some of the most forbidding waters on the planet, near the Northeastern Russian coast near Alaska.
Environmentalists warn the ship is a "nuclear Titanic," and a disaster waiting to happen.
No treaties
Of course, it takes two to make a nuclear arms race, and western experts say the U.S. shares the blame for spurring on Russia's recent recklessness, after backing away from arms control treaties and engaging in provocative testing of its own.
"I think both sides are to blame," said Sarah Bidgood, director of the Eurasia Nonproliferation Program at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies in Monterey, California. "But each side wants to point the finger at the other guy."
Just last week, the U.S. test-launched a medium-range cruise missile in California for the first time since backing out of a Cold War-era treaty banning those weapons.
In response, Putin accused the U.S. of "escalating military tensions," and ordered his defense ministry to "prepare a reciprocal response."
Somehow, things could still get worse. Moscow has accused Trump of failing to answer calls to open up negotiations on extending the New START treaty, which reduced the number of strategic nuclear missile launchers and is set to expire in 2021.
Failure to extend New START will be "quite fatal," warned Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, on Monday.
And without further precautions in Russia, or a new push toward transparency, these new programs are likely to carry on in the dark, where they'll likely cause more fatal mishaps, experts said.
"We'll undoubtedly see more accidents," said David Szakonyi, who studies Russian affairs at George Washington University in Washington D.C. "If you don't put new safety mechanisms in place, this is just going to keep happening and happening. I don't see this getting better before it gets worse."
Cover: Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to President of National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" Mikhail Kovalchuk, as he visits Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy, the home of the Soviet nuclear weapons program and later Soviet and Russian non-military nuclear technologies in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, April 10, 2018. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
This is a brief primer on the use of coherent emotions—specifically those of appreciation and gratitude—to affect your perception of both yourself and the world around you.
I wrote this to address a conundrum that arose in a Hathor message entitled, The Multiverse Sound Meditation. In that message they said that it was vital first to enter a state of coherent emotion such as appreciation or gratitude before exploring alternate realities. The reason for this is to insure that we enter the higher realms of consciousness that open to us when we are in a state of high coherency.
While many of you reading this probably know how to enter appreciation or gratitude at will, some of you may not.
This Primer is for those of us, who for whatever reasons find ourselves unable to enter these coherent states. By the end of this exploration into coherent emotions I trust that you will be able to enter into these restorative states whenever you wish.
I will talk a bit about coherent emotions in a moment but before we go any further let me say, right up front, what this article is not about. The goal of this endeavor is not to live in a state of appreciation or gratitude one hundred percent of the time. There will, for most of us, be times when we are rattled by incoherent emotions such as sadness, frustration, jealousy, fear, anger, etc. Rather the goal is to to recognize when we have stumbled into an incoherent emotional state and know how to extricate ourselves at will or how to enter coherency before psycho-navigating alternate realities. Furthermore, I consider it to be fruitful and even a vital psycho-spiritual necessity to deal with the roots of our incoherent states (i.e., unresolved unconscious material) rather than skip over them for the sake of seeming to be "spiritual."
Various studies, including those conducted by the Heart Math Institute, show conclusively that when we are in a coherent state such as appreciation, our cognitive abilities and problem solving skills actually improve.
On the other hand, incoherent emotions, such as frustration, can have a deleterious effect on our cognitive function as well as our sense of wellbeing.
Incoherent emotions create physiological distress in your body/mind complex, while coherent emotions generate feelings of wellbeing and a general improvement in how your body/mind complex responds to situations around you.
Thus, at your physiological and psychological levels the ability to generate coherent emotions, at will, is a very good skill set to have.
The Hathors, however, promulgate the notion that the cultivation of coherent emotions goes far beyond your own body/mind complex. They say that coherent emotions are crucial when exploring alternate realities, such as the Multiverse.
The Multiverse is a very large concept. It includes not only our own universe but other universes, which the Hathors contend are innumerable in number. This idea of multiple universes is not unique to the Hathors but is shared by numerous yogic traditions that trace their origins back thousands of years.
According to the Hathors, the Multiverse is permeated by highly evolved and benevolent intelligences that freely emanate blessings of elevated perception and healing to all those who reside in coherent emotional states. The key here is that we have to be in an emotionally coherent state to receive the beneficent emanations of these beings. These energetic beings, by the way, come from many diverse spiritual traditions, many of which we have no names for here on Earth.
Exploring the Multiverse in a state of high coherency is one of the necessities required for you to derive the greatest benefit possible. And so without any further ado, let's explore the practical steps involved in entering emotional coherency.
First of all, let's define our terms. Appreciation is the recognition of a quality, value or significance of a situation, person or thing. Gratitude, on the other hand, is the state of being grateful or in a state of deep thankfulness.
While these two coherent states are most definitely related, there is a difference in their intensity.
I discussed this in a talk I gave about the differences between cats and dogs during a sound healing training a few years ago. You can listen to this short talk by clicking on the link below, which will, I think, help to clarify the differences between these two states of coherent emotion.
Note: When you click on the links below you will be taken to the Listening Page. After you agree to the Listening terms you will have immediate access to a large collection of sound meditation, lectures and interviews, which are offered to you free of charge for your personal use only, Just scroll down to find the title you are looking for.
Click here to listen to Cats and Dogs: Appreciation or Gratitude
While we are on the topic of emotions and animals, you might also find it helpful and amusing to listen to a talk I gave about a dog, named Merlin, who happened to be my co-therapist for several years.
1. For those of you who are already familiar with appreciation and gratitude in your life, all you have to do is recall the feeling. When you recall one of these emotional states, your body/mind complex immediately creates the effect. Suddenly you are in the actual state of appreciation or gratitude just by having remembered the feeling.
2. For those of you are are less familiar with these coherent emotional states, I would suggest adding a step in the process. Think of something you appreciate. It does not matter how big or small the appreciation is, just so long as it is something or someone you appreciate. This could be as simple as appreciating a cold drink on a hot day, a beautiful piece of music, a dazzling sunset, or the kindness of a friend or stranger. The list of possible things to be appreciative of is truly endless.
The idea is to pick something that engenders the feeling of appreciation in you and once you have the feeling, let the memory of what created the feeling drop away so that you are left with just the feeling of appreciation itself.
As you continue to work with this simple method eventually you will be able to enter into the coherent state of appreciation, or even gratitude, in a moment's notice through the simple act of choosing to be in that state.
3. While it may seem implausible to some of you reading this, there are people who honestly experience impoverishment around the idea of appreciation or gratitude. For these persons, their personal history has been so traumatized or diminished they cannot, with authenticity, identify a single thing in their lives that they feel appreciation or gratitude for.
If you are one of these individuals, there is still a way for you to enter the healing powers of coherent emotion. The trick is to transcend your personal history (i.e., your stories) and rely on your brain's innate plasticity to create new neural networks using the sheer power of imagination—or creative fantasy.
With this method you will be able to create authentic coherent emotions, which will—by their nature—create magnetic attractors that will eventually attract to you actual situations in your outer reality that will give you reasons to feel appreciation or gratitude for.
The first step in this process to generate appreciation is to imagine something you would feel appreciation for if you were to experience it in reality.
Imagine that you are actually experiencing what it is you would appreciate. Create a fantasy in which you see, hear and feel that which you wish to appreciate. Bring all your senses into play. Make it as real as you can. Your brain/mind will then begin to create both the experiential and physiological responses of appreciation.
After you experience the feeling of appreciation, let the object of your appreciation drop away so that you are feeling the emotion of appreciation on its own.
Experiment with this self-created sense of appreciation multiple times. As you repeat the experience, your brain/mind will create new neurological networks that will allow you to recall the feeling of appreciation at will.
In some cases, when someone manages to create the feeling of appreciation through fantasy, he or she will experience feelings of loss or sadness as he or she recognizes that this feeling is not part of his or her history.
If this occurs, let yourself feel whatever "negative" emotions come up for you. It is important to acknowledge these feelings. Don't suppress them. Acknowledge that in the current reality of your life you have not—as yet—experienced situations that have created feelings of appreciation.
Just breathe into these feelings. Be with them. Don't try to change them. When they decrease in their intensity, return to the creative fantasy work you were doing to generate feelings of appreciation.
If you work with this method, you will eventually be able to create the coherent feeling of appreciation at will. This will allow you to work with The Multiverse Sound Meditation as suggested and it will, as I mentioned earlier, create a magnetic attractor that will begin to attract situations to you in your real life that you will feel appreciation for.
A Sonic Ally
If you experience difficult emotions as you work with the method described above, you might find meditating on The Song of Hazrat Inayat Khan helpful as it vibrates the subtle energies of the physical heart. Just follow the listening instructions that are included in the link below.
Note: When you click on the link, you will be taken to the Listening page. After you agree to the listening terms, you will gain immediate access to a large collection of sound meditations, lectures and interviews, all of which are offered to you free of charge—for your personal use only. When the list of titles opens, just scroll down to the one titled The Song of Hazrat Inayat Khan.
Click here to listen to and/or download The Song of Hazrat Inayat Khan.
Learning how to create and sustain coherent emotions such as appreciation or gratitude are essentially brain skills. And like all skills, they can be learned. The rewards of mastering coherent emotions are immense—both in terms of personal wellness as well as the acceleration and maturation of our spiritual development. Taking the time to master these coherent states are, in my opinion, well worth the effort.
Evaluations conducted with CR's new Digital Lab indicate that simple fixes could make home WiFi safer
New testing by Consumer Reports shows important differences in how routers from popular brands handle digital security.
Some of the 29 routers we examined this spring and summer build in important safeguards, such as automatically updating their firmware with the latest security improvements. Such protections, available in routers including the Synology RT2600ac and Google Wifi AC1200 Dual-Band can make it harder for hackers to access a home network.
Other models we tested were missing some basic protections that Consumer Reports endorses. For example, 11 routers—including the TP-Link Archer C7 AC1750 and the Netgear AC1600 (R6260)—accept very weak passwords that many websites and workplace accounts would reject.
"Routers are a critical part of our homes," says Robert Richter, who oversees security and privacy testing for Consumer Reports. "They are the conduit through which all of your data travels, so it's crucial that we look closely at how they handle security. We hope both consumers and the industry pay close attention to our findings."
More on Wireless Routers and Security
Consumer Reports has been publishing router ratings for years, but we've now made the tests tougher, screening for approximately 60 different indicators of good security and privacy practices, along with about 100 data points used to evaluate speed, ease of use, and other characteristics.
The new router ratings are one of the first outputs of the Digital Lab, a new Consumer Reports initiative that will enable us to test more devices for digital security and privacy. The router testing protocol draws on the Digital Standard, a set of principles for how digital products and services can best protect consumer rights.
How CR Tests Routers
Our router testing program looks at several factors, including security, privacy, and performance.
We evaluate routers in the lab on a long list of characteristics. For instance, we check whether a router protects against known security vulnerabilities and whether certain questionable networking protocols are turned off by default. We examine the routers' privacy policies to see whether manufacturers explain how they handle consumer data.
Of course, we also measure how quickly routers transmit data over a variety of distances. After all, a safe and secure router won't do you much good if it's too slow to reliably stream Netflix. We also evaluate ease of setup and other characteristics.
Modern routers for the home come in two basic types, and we evaluate both.
For our current ratings, we tested 20 traditional routers, which create a WiFi network using a single device, and also evaluated nine mesh routers, which use multiple units to cover larger homes. Mesh routers tend to be more expensive because you typically buy multiple pieces of equipment in the same package.
Consumer Reports is now recommending nine routers: six traditional units and three mesh models.
Key Findings: Security
Consumer Reports uses some sophisticated security tests to evaluate routers. But we also check for basic security practices, and our recent tests uncovered several shortcomings.
"Many of the problems we found were simple but meaningful—and they should be easy for manufacturers to fix," Richter says.
For example, 20 routers let you change only the password, but not the username, of their web apps. The web apps are used for changing all kinds of settings on your router, including your WiFi password (which is separate from the router's own password).
Twenty routers don't protect against multiple failed login attempts, unlike your phone or email account. That means a determined hacker could use software that rapidly cycles through passwords over and over again until it breaks in.
We also found problems with the passwords themselves.
Eleven routers let you set very weak passwords. These may have fewer than eight characters or just lack any complexity (think "aaaaaaaa"). Further, a number of models don't even let you create great passwords—you can't use long strings of characters, and special characters aren't always supported. And one router doesn't require you to change the default login credentials of "admin" and "password."
Consumers can and should create unique, strong passwords if the router permits it. However, many people fail to do so. In a nationally representative survey of 1,006 American adults we conducted in May 2019, only 38 percent say they or someone in their household had changed their current router's default password.
Many routers, roughly two-thirds of them, had a networking protocol called Universal Plug and Play, or UPnP, turned on by default. Unless you have a device or some software that specifically asks for it, it's smart to turn this off, because UPnP has a history of serious security vulnerabilities. But our recent survey found that most people who buy a router don't adjust the settings, and even fewer may think to turn off UPnP.
Our ratings reward routers that arrive in people's homes with the safest default settings turned on.
We also found important differences in how routers handled firmware updates, which are vital for your home network's security: New malware and hacking techniques are always coming on the scene, and hardware makers need to put out firmware updates to fight them. Consumer Reports recommends that people protect themselves by turning on automatic updates for as many devices as they can, from phones to laptops to routers. But 11 routers don't support automatic software updates.
In the May survey, two-fifths of Americans who own their own router said they're unsure when it was last updated. And 11 percent said their router has never had a firmware update. (See router security tips below.)
Similarly, just a few router companies explicitly state how long they will provide firmware updates, leaving consumers in the dark about how long the device will be safe to use.
Key Findings: Privacy
CR's router testing includes the companies' privacy policies, because so much sensitive data flows through the devices.
Our privacy experts analyzed every router manufacturer's documentation. We gave better scores to routers—including some models from Eero, Google, and Netgear—that spell out what information their manufacturers might collect from users, such as network speeds, the name of the internet service provider, and how much data you're transmitting to the web.
"As part of the Digital Lab, we're scrutinizing as many products as we can with respect to their privacy practices," Richter says. "We are finding similar results across product categories and, in fact, the entire tech industry."
Key Findings: Performance
Today's wireless routers vary a lot in how well they follow good security practices, but they are generally more consistent when it comes to pure performance.
Many of today's traditional, one-unit routers do a good job of blanketing even big homes with fast internet access. Of the 20 traditional wireless routers in our ratings, 18 earned a score of Good or better for throughput over distances of around 28 feet, which we consider typical for many homes. (We also measure throughput at shorter and longer ranges.)
However, if you regularly deal with dead spots in your home, it may be worth paying more for a mesh router system, which comes with multiple units—you place them around your home, and they all talk to each other to distribute coverage.
All nine mesh routers we tested earned a Good score or higher for midrange throughput. Mesh routers also performed uniformly well for far-range throughput, at a distance of between 44 and 100 feet.
Which Routers Did Best—and Worst?
Only a few routers we tested did well across the board, on security, privacy, and performance.
Among traditional wireless routers, standouts include the Synology RT2600ac and Netgear Nighthawk X10 AD7200. For people who need a mesh router, both the Netgear Orbi and Eero were solid performers.
By contrast, a number of routers that did very well on performance suffered in our ratings because of lackluster scores on other measures. For instance, the TP-Link Archer C1900 and Archer C7 AC1750 were penalized for factors such as letting people set poor passwords.
In response to those findings, a TP-Link spokesperson said by email that the company "prefers to give its customers full control and freedom when it comes to their security settings. When you create a password for your router, it does indicate how secure it is—low, middle, high—in order to encourage customers to use stronger, more secure passwords."
Other router manufacturers earned better security scores for some models than for others.
For instance, though the Netgear Nighthawk mentioned above got high scores across our of all tests, the Netgear Nighthawk AX8 RAX80 did well in terms of performance but lagged behind for security and privacy. And the Netgear AC1000 R6080, scored poorly on measures of both performance and security.
"We at Netgear are regularly updating our security features and requirements to improve the security of our products, [and] at any point of time you will find differences in product features depending on when the product was released and the last firmware update done," Sandeep Harpalani, Netgear vice president of product management for connected home products, told us by email. "We roll out these new security features as part of firmware rollouts, but [the] exact time of rollout might vary by product."
Make Your Current Router Safer
If you're using an older router, you can take several steps to improve both performance and security, says Richard Fisco, who oversees electronics testing at Consumer Reports.
First, to boost coverage, try to place your router as close to the center of your home as possible. Then go into your router settings, using the router's mobile app or web interface, and check the settings to protect your security.
Disable features you don't use. These include Universal Plug and Play (UPnP), mentioned above. You should also turn off Remote Administration (also known as Remote Management or web access from WAN).
Turn on automatic updates. If that's not an option, periodically check for new software yourself. (Older routers don't make that easy.) "If you find your router is no longer getting updates," Fisco says, "it's too risky to keep using it."
Security protocols for routers improve over time, which means the old ones get outdated. The newest protocol is called WPA3, but not many devices support it yet (though the Synology RT2600ac does). Its predecessor, WPA2, provides the best network security that's widely available.
Make sure in your router settings that you have WPA2 turned on and an older protocol called WEP turned off. (Ten routers we tested still support WEP encryption as an option.) If you have a really old device, it may not support WPA2, but only WEP or WPA.
"In that case," Richter says, "it's time for a new router."
We gardeners seem to prefer learning the hard way. In spite of all the gardening books we browse through, and the classes we attend, mistakes are invariably made. Here's a sample of the ones many have made and regretted.
1. Not preparing the beds
Most of us have made this mistake, some out of ignorance, and others due to sheer laziness. When the little seeds and seedling go into the damp earth in spring, it seems the tiny planting holes we make with our fingers or a small hand shovel are room enough for them. But the soil soon dries out and becomes rock hard. If the roots of the young plants cannot penetrate into the soil, you'll end up with stunted plants.
Digging and double digging the garden beds and adding in plenty of compost and leaf mold makes the soil loose enough for good root run. And this backbreaking work has to be done before you plant things. Making raised beds is another option if you don't want to dig deep.
2. Leaving out soil amendment
We tend to forget that soil is like a living organism, always changing and evolving. Soil conditions can fluctuate with the amount of rainfall, soil runoff and lack of drainage. Some plants deplete certain soil nutrients more than the others. Heavy rains can leach away the limestone you recently added to raise the pH of your broccoli bed.
It pays to check the soil for pH level and mineral profile every growing season and make necessary amendments a few weeks before planting time. Then test again to make sure things are perfect for the plants that are getting ready to go in.
Organic matter has a modulating effect on soil chemistry, so the more humus your soil has, the lesser the chemical fluctuations. Add plenty of compost and cured manure to your vegetable beds. Good soil is particularly important for your veggies garden since you need healthy plants that produce high-quality food.
3. Overwatering
Overwatering is like killing with too much love. Most over enthusiastic gardeners are guilty of this crime. Frequent watering may be necessary until seedlings and cuttings get established. But once they have developed a good root system, water them at regular intervals.
The roots of most plants hate sitting in water. Like every other plant tissue, roots need to breathe. They literally drown if all the air pockets in the soil are filled with water all the time. Even when the top soil looks dry, the lower layers could be soaking wet.
Frequently watered plants remain tender, and wilt very easily in the sun. When the interval between subsequent watering is gradually increased, plants toughen up and learn to be survivors. However, too much water stress can decrease the yield of some vegetables.
4. Shallow watering
This is another watering mistake committed by those who water their plants with a handheld garden hose. You spray the top growth, washing down the dust on the leaves and giving the entire plant a nice shower. Satisfied, you move on unmindful of the fact that the roots have got very little water. When you see the plants looking rather tired in the afternoon sun, you may give them another quick shower.
Plants drink water through their roots. Wilted crowns do recover rapidly when they are sprayed with water, but that is because it helps cut down the transpiration rate. Shallow watering results in shallow root run. Plants become dependent on frequent watering. They become prone to toppling over and wilting quickly since their roots have not grown deep into the soil to anchor them and to draw water from the reservoirs in the lower layers of soil.
Cut on the frequency of watering, but water the plants deeply every time. Drip irrigation or a leaky hose watering system ensures deep watering. They help save water too.
5. Planting sun lovers in shade
We all know plants have this unique ability to make food in their leaves with just sunlight, water and air. But sometimes we plant a tomato variety guaranteed to be a prolific bearer close to a tree. We may be overjoyed at the luxurious growth, only to be disappointed by the low yield. The poor plant was making a lot of leaves to maximize food production, but it just wasn't enough.
There are some woodland plants that have evolved to survive in shady spots, but if you plant sun-loving plants there, they just will not thrive. Tomatoes and most other veggies do best in areas where they can get uninterrupted sun throughout the day. If you mainly have a shady garden, you cannot hope to grow a lot of vegetables other than some greens. Clear out an area for your vegetable patch.
6. Planting out of season
It is hard to believe seasons have such a hold on plants. Many of us probably have planted seeds or cuttings at the wrong time of the year and watch them put out a bit of growth in the beginning and then quit. Seasons are not much of an issue in tropical areas as long as the young plants are given plenty of water. But it is quite another story up north.
Planting out tender seedling too early in spring leaves them at the mercy of late frosts. Delay a bit, and you may miss the chance to get vigorous growth and yield before the rising temperatures play spoilsport. Cool season veggies and summer flowers have to be planted at their respective times.
Beware of end-of-season bargain offers by mail-order companies. By the time the order reaches you, it might be too late to plant them. Some seeds are viable for only a short period, so preserving them for the next season may not be a good idea. Follow the gardening calendar of your area and listen to the advice of local gardeners for best results.
7. Not pruning your bushes and trees
Pruning is hard work, but going lax on this seasonal task is one mistake new gardeners make. With bushes grown for ornamental purposes, the prized shape and structure are soon lost.
The yield of fruit trees and berry bushes practically depends on meticulous pruning. Left unpruned, the unnecessary branches and suckers zap them of all the energy that should have been directed towards flowering and fruit setting. Some fruits grow only on new growth, so unless you prompt the plant to put out new shoots by hard pruning every year, you will be left without much fruit in the next season.
When you plant an ornamental/fruit tree or shrub, take pains to learn the right pruning technique. It is even more important than watering and fertilizing schedules.
8. Hard pruning at the wrong time
Have you ever pruned a hydrangea bush real hard in fall because it looked nearly dead? You have probably removed all the dormant flower buds that would have bloomed the following year. Some plants bear flowers on old branches while others put out new flowering branches after pruning. You should first learn about the flowering pattern of your bush and schedule the pruning accordingly.
Since pruning instigates new growth in most plants, those that bear flowers and fruits late in the growing season should be pruned once they have gone into dormancy. Early pruning will make them put out tender shoots that will suffer frost damage.
Spring flowering trees and bushes can be pruned immediately after they have finished the show so that they get a long window to develop new growth before the growing season is over. Maintain a pruning calendar for the plants in your garden to avoid mistakes.
9. Using weed killers on a wrong day
You sprayed the herbicide on a patch of lawn overgrown with weeds, but the next day you find the nearby flower beds decimated. There are selective herbicides that kill only the dicot weeds in the lawn and spare the grass. But the spray was carried by the wind to the dicots growing happily in the flower beds too.
Another mistake is using these chemicals when there's any danger of rains. The runoff water will carry them off to wreak damage elsewhere. Chemical herbicides are best avoided, but if you do use them in your garden, choose sunny and windless days.
Almost every gardener has fallen in love with a beautiful plant on his/her travels and has brought it home, not realizing they are considered noxious weeds in that area. Just because you don't see certain plants in your locality, it doesn't mean they are not invasive. Probably years of eradication measures and campaigning or strict rules have managed to keep them out, and you could have just undone all that.
Whether you gather seeds or plants from the wild or get planting materials from a distant friend or relative, or order them online, check beforehand if they are invasive in your area or not. Once established, it is hard work, or nearly impossible, to root them out.
11. Planting single self-sterile plants
Have you purchased a berry bush or a young tree and waited for years only to be disappointed when none of the flowers turned into fruit? If you have planted a self-sterile variety, you have two options: get rid of it or plant another one and wait for years again.
Some blueberry plants need two of the same type for successful pollination. But it takes two different types of apple trees to give you fruit. Not only that, they should have the same blooming time. Some apple trees produce sterile pollen, so you will need a third tree in the premises. It is a complex matter.
Some plums and pears are only partially self-sterile, and they manage to grow a few fruit. But they do much better in company. If you don't want to try your luck, choose your plants with the help of knowledgeable suppliers, or stick to self-fertile varieties.
12. Scaring away pollinators with pesticides
Being too handy with pesticides is a big mistake overzealous gardener make. We are not talking about contaminating the earth here, although it is a great concern. If you find too few vegetables and fruits after meticulously watering and fertilizing your plants and keeping off pests and weeds with frequent spraying, you could have scared off the pollinators.
It is hard to watch pests chomping away on your well-tended veggies, but remember that all the critters visiting your vegetable patch are not your enemies. You need insect pollinators to ensure a good crop.
13. Ordering too many bulbs
When the catalogs offer such great steals, which self-respecting gardener can resist the temptation to stock up on the bulbs? When your bulb planting encroaches into your annual beds and all unimaginable places in the garden, you have overdone it, yet again. We are not mentioning the unplanted ones here.
Bulbs promise a welcome burst of color as the seasons change, but you will agree that the flower show is all too short. You need your annuals and perennials for year long enjoyment. To let you in on a secret: you can buy gardener friends by giving away some of your bulbs. They are a delightful lot, you know.
14. Planting trees too close to the house
You had zeroed in on the perfect tree for your landscape after extensive research, but now you are contemplating cutting it down. You had made the mistake of planting it too close to the house. The fully grown tree is literally a threat to your safety, let alone other problems like too much shade, constant dampness and fallen leaves and flowers making a mess around the house.
It is never a good idea to plant tall trees close to your home. You may think you can keep it under control with regular pruning, but who will control the roots beneath the soil? They can spread and swell, making the foundation of the house unstable.
15. Planting the same vegetable in the same place year after year
We tend to designate certain areas in our garden to vegetables and ornamentals, but repeatedly growing tomatoes or greens in the same area is a mistake many of us have come to regret.
One reason is the pests and diseases that take hold of the area. Many of the fungal blights, rusts and spots are host specific. Their spores remain in the soil and affect the next batch of plants. Most caterpillars, beetles and borers and some nematodes also show a definite preference for certain plants or plant groups. Their eggs and larvae are in the soil awaiting their host plants. Plant rotation breaks their lifecycle.
Care should be taken to avoid different plants of the same family together, or one after another, in the same spot. They may have common pests. For example, cabbage worms feast on cauliflowers, broccoli, collard greens and turnips. Tomatoes, eggplants and potatoes that belong to the same family are affected by many common fungal diseases.
Another reason why crop rotation is important is that different plants have different nutritional requirements. The soil fertility is seriously depleted when nitrogen or potash loving plants continue to be grown in the same place. The yield of subsequent crops is greatly affected and the need for fertilizers increases.
Planting leguminous vegetables or cover crops help fix nitrogen in the soil. It can be utilized by leafy vegetable that require a lot of it.
It is fun to share your gardening mistakes with fellow gardeners because everybody makes them, and no one is sitting in judgment. If there's a chance of learning from someone else's mistakes, that's a bonus.
Pick up a copy here and discover how to grow the healthiest veggies and fruits, the biggest flowers and tackle even the most frustrating garden dilemmas using all-natural and organic methods.
All navigable waterways in the United States are public property. Houseboats dwellers need to be aware of local and state ordinances, especially if crossing over state lines. Laws pertaining to houseboat living differ from regular land residences since houseboats are mobile and on public property. Gun laws vary from state to state, and transporting a weapon on board without a permit may be illegal. In some states, police officers do not need probable cause to board a vessel.
Waterway Ownership
Land under the water, or submerged land, is public property. This also includes the land up to the high water mark. The states are the trustees for all submerged land within their borders and held in trust for the people. The states cannot sell the rights to submerged land. All persons have the right to use the water for conducting commerce, fishing, bathing, swimming, boating and general recreational use. The states cannot commit submerged land for private use; however, legislatures have the power to determine water usage. For example, the legislature may determine an area suitable as a port or a public beach. It is responsible for resolving disputes that may arise if the public disagrees on a suitable use for the area. For instance, it would be a safety hazard to allow people to use a busy port for recreational purposes.
Navigable Water
The federal courts use the federal test of navigability to determine if a waterway is public or private domain. Navigability is determined as of the date of statehood. The waterway must be capable or susceptible to use as a highway for the transportation of people or goods. The waterway must be usable for transportation conducted in customary modes of trade and travel on water. Waters must be navigable in their natural and ordinary condition. The state may adopt additional criteria when determining navigable waterways. For example, the state of Texas defines a navigable waterway as any stream that maintains a width of 30 feet from its mouth up. The state of California defines any waterway accessible by a recreational boat as public domain.
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Anchoring Laws
Each state adopts anchoring laws particular to the needs of a specific location. For example, the town of Hingham, Mass., requires that all vessels moored for longer than two weeks must have a harbor permit, and any vessel that stays within the Hingham harbor master's jurisdiction for more than 48 hours must have the harbor master's permission. The state of Mississippi mandates that vessels cannot anchor in any place that may obstruct any passing vessel, boat ramp, wharf or other facility.
In response to conflicts between boaters, homeowners and law enforcement, the state of Florida passed specific guidelines that define houseboat dwellers. Local governments cannot regulate live-aboards. A live-aboard vessel is any vessel used as a residence and not for navigation. A vessel is still a live-aboard even if it is rarely moved. Local governments may not restrict any person in a non-live-aboard vessel from anchoring outside of the mooring fields.
Legalities
While it is legal to live on a houseboat on U.S. waterways, it is almost impossible to live solely on a houseboat without retaining a legal permanent land address. The U.S. Postal Service requires a current permanent address before issuing a post office box. A person must have an address to register a vessel. State registration requirements vary; however, the Department of Motor Vehicles states that there is a strong chance every boat will need a registration permit. (Resource 4) Some states, Mississippi for example, require that all persons must register their vessels with the state. Out-of-state registrations are not valid after 60 days. In some states, it is illegal to operate a houseboat without a valid registration number.
cheng tsung feng constructs the 'sailing castle' pavilion for taiwan lantern festival
artist cheng-tsung feng has conceived 'sailing castle' as part of taiwan lantern festival. the pavilion, made from timber construction, symbolizes the image of sailboats gathering at the harbor. by using white sails intertwined within the wooden structure, the artist aims to create a sculptural entity that embodies the enchanting scenery from the donggang coast.
by constructing the 'sailing castle' as an attraction for people to visit during the festival, feng depicts the idea of fishermen and boats sailing off and making homeward voyages as people enter the installation. the interaction among people and the pavilion aims to represent the prosperity of the fishery industry, communal unity, expectation, and joy.
the shape of the sailing castle manifests the architectural attributes of local and traditional culture in donggang via its modern art form. in the motif of feng, the sailing castle is endowed with the qualities of temples, churches, and shrines. furthermore, it furnishes audiences with distinctive charismas from day to night. the project will be on display during the 2019 taiwan lantern festival and inviting visitors until march 3rd.
(ZH) — Tesla owners will be relieved to know that while parked idly and not spontaneously combusting, their "safe" vehicles can be stolen in less than a minute. There's even video evidence to prove it.
Footage was posted from a security camera at home in the United Kingdom showing two hooded thieves stealing a locked Tesla in about 30 seconds by "hacking" the car's computer and fooling it into thinking that its key was nearby, according to the Mail.
A doorbell camera caught the security footage that showed two people using what looks to be a relay wire system to relay the key's signal from the house to the car. Because wireless keys emit a short signal that extends about 2 meters, thieves can easily amplify the signal and relay it to the car from outside of the house.
The car's owner said: "It was absolutely shocking how quickly it went."
You can view the video here:
We wrote just days ago about now it was now possible to many steal newer, technologically "advanced" cars in as little as 10 seconds using similar systems. In a test performed by "What Car?" magazine, seven car models with keyless entry and start systems were tested to see how quickly they could be stolen. The results? An Audi TT RS was stolen in 10 seconds and a Land Rover Discovery Sport was stolen in 30.
Security experts performed the tests using the same type of technology that's commonly used by thieves. They measured the amount of time it took to get into the vehicle and drive it away. The BBC notes that car theft rates in places like England and Wales have reached eight year highs and that more than 106,000 vehicles were stolen in 2018 alone.
Additionally, insurance claims for stolen vehicles hit their highest level in seven years at the beginning of 2019. Claims for January to March were higher than for any other quarter since 2012, according to the Association of British Insurers. Keyless car crime was part of the blame, the ABI said, but it did not have exact figures on what proportion of claims were for keyless vehicles.
After being stolen, the cars are usually stripped for parts, which for many owners may be the only recourse to fix their broken Teslas courtesy of that famously terrible Tesla service.
The views in this article may not reflect editorial policy of The Mind Unleashed.
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