Truth and Hammer

Author: Truth & Hammer

Plants the Deer Don’t Eat – FineGardening

Susan Esche has been facing the same problem as many gardeners: hungry deer.

My rural garden near a lake is becoming increasingly popular with the local deer, and this is shaping my design and plant options. Aside from a 20×20 fenced area for vegetables, everything else must be sufficiently unpalatable to survive here. Phlox is being replaced by agastache, Brazilian verbena (Verbena bonariensis, Zones 7–11 or as annual), artemisia, and cleome. The daylilies will be given away and replaced by nepeta, lamb’s ears (Stachys byzantina, Zones 4–7), bugleweed (Ajuga reptens, Zones 3–10), and Millenium allium (Zones 5–9). Purple basil, lantana, and variegated sage replaced pots of coleus. Ferns and Lenten roses (Helleborus sp.) replaced hostas in the shade. The smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens, Zones 3–9) is not immune to nibbling, but that midsummer pruning sometimes brings more flowers on the fresh growth. The southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora, Zones 7–11) gives year-round structure, as do golden false cypress and Hicks Yew. So far, the stately oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia, Zones 5–9) have escaped their notice, but I have already decided upon buckeyes (Aesculus sp.) if I have to replace those. I dare you to nibble on that, Bambi!

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia, Zones 4–8) is beautiful—and toxic. Deer leave it alone.

Brazilian verbena is perennial in Zones 7–11 and often self-sows year after year in colder zones.

Lamb’s ear has fuzzy leaves unpopular with deer, and small flowers very popular with bees.

Allium ‘Millenium’ is a beautiful flower, and like most members of the onion genus, it is unpalatable to most deer.

Clouds of purple verbena and pink and white cleome (Cleome hassleriana, annual) make a beautiful, deer-resistant planting.

A huge white flower opening in the evergreen, and deer-resistant, southern magnolia.

Agastaches have colorful flowers, and new varieties are always coming on the market. Like many plants with fragrant foliage, agastaches don’t count many deer as fans.

Smooth hydrangeas are usually not on the top of deer’s most-loved list, so they can often do well despite the occasional nibble.

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This content was originally published here.

June 26, 2019
Your Guide to Rustic Style
What Is Rustic Style?

Rustic style wholeheartedly embraces the natural beauty of the outdoors. Materials are left as raw and unadulterated as possible, with exposed wood beams, brick and stone; big, comfy furniture; and warm, cozy textiles. Inspired by woods, plains, rivers and lakes, rustic style can be as simple and pared-back as a one-room log cabin or as jaw-dropping as a ski lodge perched on a mountainside. And while rustic style is inspired by the past, today’s interpretation can lean contemporary with more streamlined furnishings, depending on your personal design sensibility.

Rustic style is:

Rugged. Furnishings are hardy and made to stand up to heavy wear. Materials are tough and weathered — pieces that look better with age fit right in.

Cozy. Rustic style embraces the home comforts we crave after a day spent outdoors, including fireplaces, overstuffed armchairs and warming textiles.

Rustic style is not:

Complicated. Rustic style is about getting away from it all, not complicating life with fussy decor. Keep it simple and straightforward.

Trendy. Tradition and heritage are rustic style’s strong suits. Leave the passing fads in favor of pieces that will stand the test of time.

Polished. Think softly gleaming wood, not highly polished chrome, and you’ll be on the right track.

Key Element: Rough-Hewn Wood

In rustic spaces, wood is a key ingredient, not an afterthought. Whether you opt for wood beams, wall paneling, floors, counters, furniture or all the above, you can’t go wrong with natural wood in a rustic home.

Key Element: Natural Hues

Rustic homes tend toward colors pulled directly from nature — think of the rusty red of a fallen autumn leaf, not glossy fire-engine red. Echo the hues of natural materials like stone and warm woods with paint colors and accents in similar shades for a rich, cozy look.

Great shades for rustic-style spaces:

Neutrals. Buttermilk, cream, straw, wheat, stone

Earth tones: Chestnut, mushroom, umber, terra-cotta, sepia

Spicy hues. Cinnamon, saffron, pumpkin, chile pepper, baked apple

Key Element: Hefty Furniture

Furniture that looks as strong as an ox will feel right at home in a rustic space. Look for solid wood coffee tables and leather armchairs and sofas. Solids make up the bulk of upholstery, with texture playing a larger role than pattern — think of buttery leather, soft velvet, nubby linen or even burlap, with classic details like tufts and nailhead trim.

Design Detail: Chandeliers

A chandelier offers just the right balance of big statement and soft glow for a rustic space, whether it’s a classic candelabra fixture, a wood wagon wheel or a naturally shed or resin antler fixture. For maximum ambiance, be sure to include a dimmer switch.

Finishing Touches: Cozy and Outdoorsy

Express a love and respect for nature and the outdoors through carefully chosen art, textiles and accessories that bring to mind the creatures, landscapes and traditions of your region and envelop you in cozy comfort.

Classic accessories for rustic spaces:

Do You Have to Live in the Mountains to Make Rustic Style Work?

No way. Rustic style is about embracing the beauty of the outdoors, no matter where you live. In fact, incorporating a rustic look into a suburban or urban home can be a wonderful way to feel connected to nature, even if you can’t get away to the mountains as often as you would like. Case in point, this inviting rustic-style space is far from the mountains in Austin, Texas.

Rustic Kitchen Design

With a tumbled slate backsplash, a copper farmhouse sink, a live-edge counter and lots of knotty lumber, this room is a spot-on example of a rustic kitchen done right. Rich with natural materials and exuding comfort and warmth, a rustic kitchen has wide appeal.

Features of rustic kitchens:

Brick and stone. Natural materials are a must, and the less polished the better. Consider slate, soapstone, brick, stone veneer or even a brick oven or kitchen fireplace.

Natural wood. Exposed wood beams, wood flooring, knotty wood cabinetry, a farm table, butcher block and other wood accents bring warmth to a rustic kitchen.

Soft lighting. Of course you need good, bright task lights over your work surface. But in a rustic kitchen, it’s also nice to have the option to turn down the dimmer a bit and bask in a warm glow.

Weathered hardware. Go for cabinet pulls in antiqued brass, hammered copper or oil-rubbed bronze. Or opt for something more whimsical like twig- or stone-shaped hardware.

Find a local kitchen and bath designer on Houzz
This content was originally published here.
June 26, 2019
Scientists successfully transfer first test tube rhino embryo in hopes of saving the species

Scientists in Europe said Tuesday they’ve successfully transferred a test tube rhino embryo back into a female whose eggs were fertilized in vitro, as part of an effort to save another nearly extinct subspecies of the giant horned mammal. The procedure was performed last month on a southern white rhino at Chorzow zoo in Poland, said Thomas Hildebrandt of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin.

Hildebrandt is part of BioRescue, an international team of scientists and conservationists trying to use IVF to save the rare northern white rhino.

Only two northern white rhinos — both females — are left. The last male northern white rhino, named Sudan, died in March 2018. Scientists had preserved frozen sperm samples from several males that they now hope to use to revive the species.

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June 26, 2019
“God, Guns and Freedom”

A car dealership in a rural Alabama town is tapping into some of the locals’ passions for a special Fourth of July promotion.

Chatom Ford, a dealership in Chatom, Alabama, is running a “God, Guns and Freedom” promotion that promises a Bible, a 12-gauge shotgun and an American flag to anyone who buys a car between the start of the promotion and July 31.

The dealership released a Facebook video that features Koby Palmer, a general sales manager, talking about the promotion. It’s been viewed nearly 14,000 times as of Tuesday night.

“I guess it went viral, as the kids say,” Palmer, 29, told USA TODAY.

He added, “We live in a small town of 1,200 people. It’s a very small, rural area. They lean on their religious beliefs, their pride in America and they love to hunt.”

With a laugh, Palmer was quick to mention that the dealership wasn’t just “handing out shotguns in Alabama.” When you purchase a car, you get the Bible and the flag. You’re also given a certificate that can be taken to a certified firearms dealer in town or to one in Mississippi that has partnered with the dealership.

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June 26, 2019
The golden asteroid that could make everyone on Earth a billionaire

Whether it was the Big Bang, Midas or God himself, we don’t really need to unlock the mystery of the origins of gold when we’ve already identified an asteroid worth $700 quintillion in precious heavy metals.

If anything launches this metals mining space race, it will be this asteroid–Psyche 16, taking up residence between Mars and Jupiter and carrying around enough heavy metals to net every single person on the planet close to a trillion dollars.

The massive quantities of gold, iron and nickel contained in this asteroid are mind-blowing. The discovery has been made. Now, it’s a question of proving it up.

NASA plans to do just that, beginning in 2022.

Of course, says veteran miner Scott Moore, CEO of EuroSun Mining “The ‘Titans of Gold’ now control hundreds of the best-producing properties around the world, but the 4-5 million ounces of gold they bring to the market every year pales in comparison to the conquests available in space.”

In the decades to come, if you want to be a gold titan, you’ll have to get your feet off the ground. The real titans will be far from Earth.

Moore should know: He heads up a junior mining company that is seeking a seat at the titan table with the biggest in-development gold mine in Europe.

The 21st-Century Gold Rush

Can we actually extract this space gold? That is the quintillion-dollar question, certainly.

Speaking to Outerplaces, Professor John Zarnecki, president of the Royal Astronomical Society, estimates that it would take around 25 years to get ‘proof of concept’, and 50 years to start commercial production.

Of course, it all depends on two key things: Economic feasibility and our advancement of space technology.

And then, we’re not alone, either. There are other world powers who would like to get their hands on that asteroid, as well. China definitively plans to dominate this race.

Mitch Hunter-Scullion, founder of the UK-based Asteroid Mining Company, tells the BBC that this is definitively the next industry “boom”.

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June 26, 2019
Surprising Survey Shows 45% Of Americans Doubt Safety Of Vaccines

The latest measles outbreak that’s gripped communities across the country in recent months pushed the topic of vaccinations (and those who choose to forgo them) right back onto centerstage for many Americans. Now a new survey delving into feelings over immunizations finds the country may be more split on the issue than believed, with 45% of adults admitting to harboring some doubt about the safety of vaccines.

That said, the vast majority — more than eight in 10 surveyed — still view vaccines as effective and continue to support them, despite their concerns.

The survey, funded by the American Osteopathic Association, questioned 2,000 adults and asked doubters the source of their suspicions of the science-supported, long-established safety and importance of vaccinations. Of the nearly half who listed at least one source of doubt over vaccine safety, researchers found the most common sources came from online articles (16%), distrust of the pharmaceutical industry (16%), and information from medical experts (12%).

According to lead researcher Rachel Shmuts, a perinatal psychiatrist, widespread negative attitudes towards vaccines has become a phenomenon caused by human psychology and amplified by social media.

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June 26, 2019
Man lives after bear breaks his spine and keeps him as food inside den

WARNING STRONG IMAGES!

The emaciated man from Russia’s remote Republic of Tuva was preserved as ‘tin-can’ food to eat later by a brown bear, say local reports in the region.

A group of local hunters found Alexander after their dogs refused to leave the area of the den.

Their persistent barking pushed the hunters to check inside the lair, where they found a barely-alive man. He was rushed to the local hospital and has been diagnosed with a broken spine and severe emaciation.

Alexander remembers his first name but not his age, and was reportedly in the den for around one month, drinking urine to survive.

He is now in the intenstive care with multiple injuries and rotting skin.

He can move his arms, local hospital doctors said.

Local medics say they cannot explain how the man survived such injuries. Picture: EADily

A video shows Alexander opening his blue eyes and confirming his first name.

It is as yet unclear if he was a hunter, too, and how his encounter with the bear happened.

He managed to explain that he was attacked and dragged inside the den when he broke his spine.

The attack happened approximately a month ago, Alexander said.

‘The bear preserved me as food for later’, he explained.

A video filmed inside the local hospital shows that the man turned into a ‘speaking mummy’ with his tissues rotting after laying motionless for so long.

Local medics say they cannot explain how the man survived such injuries.

UPDATE:

The story on the bear man was reported by major Russian newspaper Izvestia and news agency EADaily.

But a spokesman at the health ministry in Tyva Republic said: ‘We cannot confirm the case happened in Tuva.

‘It was not registered by the Ministry of Health, the Emergencies Ministry or any other official body (in the region).

‘Most probably, it happened somewhere outside Tuva.’

Speech on the background in the video appears not to be local language Tuvan.

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June 26, 2019
Teen tourist falls into coma on Dominican Republic trip: report

A teenage girl from Argentina has gone into a coma while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, with doctors pointing to a life-threatening diabetic condition — even though her family says she has no history of diabetes.

Candela Saccone, 15, had been scheduled to return home from Punta Cana on June 19 after traveling there earlier in the week, but she reportedly got sick that morning.

Her mother, Natalia Knetch, told CNN’s Spanish-language news channel that she rushed the teen — who was displaying symptoms of dizziness, dehydration and vomiting — to a local medical center, where doctors diagnosed her with diabetic cetoacidosis.

The condition is described online by the Mayo Clinic as a “serious complication of diabetes that occurs when your body produces high levels of blood acids called ketones.” It normally develops “when your body can’t produce enough insulin,” the clinic says.

Candela was reportedly transported from Punta Cana to the General Hospital of the Plaza de la Salud in Santo Domingo — with Argentine officials claiming that the initial medical center “did not have sufficient equipment to treat her.” It’s unclear when she went into the coma, only that the teen was still unconscious and in critical condition on Tuesday, yet stable and showing signs of improvement, according to CNN.

The Argentine foreign ministry confirmed the details of Candela’s situation with the network on Monday. Her mother said Candela had suddenly gotten sick the night before their departure. She reportedly lost her appetite and was suffering from extreme discomfort in her throat — to the point where she couldn’t swallow, her mom said.

The Dominican Minister of Health visited with Candela’s family on Monday and told CNN that she was “under control in a high-quality hospital center.”

The teen’s hospitalization couldn’t have come at a worse time for the DR, which has seen a disturbing trend of tourist deaths and illnesses being reported recently. Health minister Rafael Sánchez Cárdenas insists the cases are unrelated.

“What do we have here? Tourists who arrive with preexisting conditions and die in this country as they do in all countries,” Cárdenas told CBS News on Monday through a translator.

The FBI is looking into whether any of the reported deaths are linked. Agents have been running toxicology tests on resort minibars to see if tainted alcohol is possibly to blame. They’ve honed in on at least three cases — all of which involved tourists dying at the popular Bahia Principe hotel chain.

So far, at least 11 people have died in the past year while vacationing in the DR. Dozens more have gotten sick.

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June 26, 2019
FACEBOOK LIVE AIRED VIDEO of St. Louis Police Officer Langsdorf Lying on the Floor After Execution — WHILE HE WAS DYING! (VIDEO)

St. Louis County Police Officer Mike Langsdorf was killed in duty Sunday afternoon in North St. Louis County on Page Avenue.

Officer Langsdorf had been with the North County St. Louis Police Department for 3 months.

The suspect struggled with Officer Langsdorf and then shot him at point blank range in the back of the neck.
The bullet traveled through his neck and out his chest.

Video surveillance inside the store captured the entire incident.

Witnesses later posted video of the downed officer on YouTube.

Officer Langsdorf was executed as he lay face down on the floor.

Suspect Bonette Kymbrelle Meeks stood over Officer Langsdorf and shot him in the back of the neck.

In 2003 Mike rescued a little girl from a fire in her home in St. Louis city.

The video of Officer Langsdorf dying on the floor of the store was on FACEBOOK LIVE!

The video of Officer Langsdorf on the floor bleeding is still playing on YouTube.

Google-YouTube bans conservative content on their platform but allows this?

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June 26, 2019
AOC CRITICIZED FOR WEARING $600 WATCH DURING ‘CRYING’ BORDER PHOTO-OP

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has received heat after it was revealed that she was wearing a $600 dollar watch during her carefully staged ‘crying’ border photo-op.

The photos, which show AOC crying into her hands, were taken two days before she won her Congressional race. They show her outside a “tent city” in Tornillo, Texas which was being used to temporarily hold migrant children.

Ivan Pierre Aguirre@i_p_a_1

Before @AOC hit the national stage & was just a fairly unknown House candidate frm NYC,she took time awy frm her campaign & came dwn to #Tornillo to protest the #tentcity housing migrant children.I made these previously unpublished fotos a yr ago today. #elpaso #aoc #onassignment

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It is unknown what Ocasio-Cortez is looking at or crying about, but the photos are carefully

UPDATE: Photos Reveal AOC Was Crying Over an Empty Parking Lot

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has received heat after it was revealed that she was wearing a $600 dollar watch during her carefully staged ‘crying’ border photo-op.

The photos, which show AOC crying into her hands, were taken two days before she won her Congressional race. They show her outside a “tent city” in Tornillo, Texas which was being used to temporarily hold migrant children.

It is unknown what Ocasio-Cortez is looking at or crying about, but the photos are carefully staged to catch the height of her emotion, prompting questions as to their ‘in the moment’ authenticity.

Even Newsweek highlighted the bizarre sight of AOC wearing a pristine, crisp white outfit and bright red lipstick during what was supposedly a “protest”.

Ocasio-Cortez was apparently trying to look good alongside the numerous celebrities who showed up for the event.

Now Twitter users are dragging Ocasio-Cortez for wearing a $600 dollar watch during a protest.

Eagle-eyed sleuths zoomed in on the watch and found out that it was a Mavado Museum Classic which retails at $595.

While that’s hardly Rolex-level, it did prompt some questions.

“When in a dusty area near the border it is always important to be stylish with a designer watch and all white….in the dust…Apparently she wasn’t there long,” commented one respondent.

“Of course it was a contrived display,” remarked another. “The body language, the pose, the clothes. Everything there is screaming, “I need to look good for the cameras”.

“She seems to be doing pretty well for a bartender who couldn’t afford an apartment 6 months ago!” commented another.

“But muh student loans,” added another.

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June 26, 2019