Category: Lifestyle

SUPER BOWL KEYS TO VICTORY: WHAT CHIEFS, EAGLES MUST DO TO WIN

The title game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII features a collection of stars that should produce fireworks at a high quantity.  The game is on Sunday, February 12.

The Chiefs will win if: 

Patrick Mahomes plays like the MVP

The Eagles win the tale of the tape in nearly every category, but the former MVP can tip the scales in the Chiefs’ favor with a spectacular performance in Super Bowl LVII. Mahomes is one of the few quarterbacks with the talent to single-handedly win a game as a magician from the pocket.

Against the Eagles, Mahomes will need to utilize his athleticism to buy time against a ferocious pass rush that features four defenders with at least 10 sacks. Despite nursing a high-ankle sprain, the all-star passer must take advantage of the cracks and creases created by an aggressive pass rush intent on perpetuating a prolific sack rate.

If Mahomes makes a few impromptu plays to enhance an offense that puts up points in bunches, the Chiefs should be able to hang around for four quarters in a matchup that appears lopsided on paper. 

The Eagles will win if:

The running game sets the tone

Despite the presence of a pair of 1,000-yard receivers on the perimeter, the Eagles are at their best relying on a gritty running game that features a dynamic 1-2 punch in the backfield, tormenting undisciplined defenders with various RPOs, misdirection and deception plays. 

Jalen Hurts and Miles Sanders combined for 2,000-plus rushing yards (2,049) and 16 touchdowns as the primary ball carriers in the Eagles’ power-based offense. With the best offensive line in football specializing in knocking defenders off of the ball, the Eagles can force the Chiefs to play more “plus-one” fronts with one-on-one coverage on the outside by successfully running the ball early in the contest. 

If the Eagles can pick up four yards or more on early down runs while controlling the clock with a deliberate tempo, they can successfully utilize a “keep away” strategy that limits Mahomes’ touches while wearing down a Chiefs defensive front that lacks the depth to handle the body blows of a 12-round fight. 

Source: https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/super-bowl-keys-to-victory-what-chiefs-eagles-must-do-to-win

Yellowstone’s Unexpected Ending Is Actually Too Late

Yellowstone started as a family-focused drama about the Duttons trying to find a way to make it in the ranching business. In its five-season run, it has veered wildly off-course — making the ups and downs of securing a family legacy the problem of literally an entire nation. With the recent news that prolific co-creator Taylor Sheridan and Paramount Network are considering closing the book on Yellowstone due to issues with Kevin Costner’s schedule, it’s hard to avoid thinking that perhaps this Western outlived its welcome.

Following the Season 5 midseason finale, Yellowstone fans have been eagerly anticipating the final six episodes slated to air in Summer 2023. Costner’s character John Dutton will have to contend with the impeachment his son Jamie called for so that he can keep the political power necessary to protect his ranch. Though there are still questions that want answers, the political plot of Season 5 has stretched the narrative limits of Yellowstone beyond repair.

Given the inflated stakes of Season 5, the impending end of Yellowstone feels like it offers the series an escape hatch. As the Duttons continue on their mission, most have become less and less sympathetic. John’s more of a villain than ever, his loyal right-hand man Rip Wheeler has little in the way of a character arc and even the once-strong Monica Long Dutton has been reduced to a grieving mother. Beth Dutton, always the wild card of the family, lashes out in increasingly unpredictable ways. Audiences were once invested in ensuring a continued Dutton legacy on the Yellowstone ranch, but now the best thing the family could do in Season 5 is to cut their losses.

Of course, the end of Yellowstone doesn’t mean the end of the Duttons. The prequel series 1923 has been renewed for a second season, and additional properties on the horizon will expand the Yellowstone universe to other states and decades. The difficulties with scheduling Costner gives the series a chance to raze the field and start afresh with new actors, different characters and a renewed sense of what fans want.

The second half of Yellowstone Season 5 arrives in Summer 2023 on Paramount Network.

Source: https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/yellowstone-s-unexpected-ending-is-actually-too-late/ar-AA17ilLr?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=0937731687534eb2a21b4b843c3d9697

Kevin Costner’s ‘Yellowstone’ Ending

Kevin Costner’s Yellowstone will be coming to an end and the actor’s future with the show is up in the air, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Earlier today, Deadline broke the story, Paramount + and Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan have come up with a plan to end Yellowstone.

The parties have decided to launch a Matthew McConaughey-lead spin-off which will continue with the majority of the cast.

Sources revealed that Costner has been refusing to commit to a lengthy shooting schedule. Deadline said that Costner originally had agreed to 65 days of shooting for the show. However, for the first part of the current season he only wanted to commit to 50 days.

Things got worse when it came time to plan the second batch of episodes for the current, firth season. An insider told the outlet that Costner asked to only shoot a week.

Costner has been pulled in several directions from his family and team. The actor has been busy filming a big-budget western Horizon for Warner Bros, which he co-wrote.

Another source told RadarOnline.com that Costner’s wife Christine Baumgartner has been begging him to leave Yellowstone to spend more time at home.

“It’s really knocked a hole in their family life,” said a source. “The show is such a mega-hit, producers want it to go on forever! However, Christine wants her husband to hang up his cowboy hat, with an insider saying her patience is starting to fray.

“She wants a firm commitment this is his last season — or he might have to hit the dusty trail!” an insider claimed last year.

At the same time, an insider said, “It’s no secret that Kevin’s been getting itchy feet, but he’s not saying either way if he’s in or out. It’s driving cast and crew alike crazy!”

A rep for the network told the outlet,“We have no news to report. Kevin Costner is a big part of Yellowstone and we hope that’s the case for a long time to come. Thanks to the brilliant mind of Taylor Sheridan, we are always working on franchise expansions of this incredible world he has built. Matthew McConaughey is a phenomenal talent with whom we’d love to partner.”

Source: https://radaronline.com/

Holidays and Observances to Celebrate in February 2023!

February 5

  • Adlai Stevenson Day
  • Disaster Day
  • Dump Your Significant Jerk Day (first Sunday in February)
  • National Chocolate Fondue Day
  • National Fart Day
  • National Weatherperson’s Day
  • Scout Sunday (first day of Boy Scout Week)
  • Shower With a Friend Day
  • Western Monarch Day
  • World Animal Reiki Day
  • World Nutella Day

February 6

  • International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
  • International Frozen Yogurt Day
  • Lame Duck Day
  • National Chopsticks Day
  • Pay a Compliment Day
  • Ronald Reagan Day (in California only)

February 7

  • African American Coaches Day (first Tuesday in February)
  • Ballet Day
  • Harry Potter Book Night
  • National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
  • National Fettuccine Alfredo Day
  • National Periodic Table Day
  • Rose Day (beginning Valentine’s Week)
  • Send a Card to a Friend Day
  • Wave All Your Fingers at Your Neighbor Day

February 8

  • Boy Scout Anniversary Day
  • Laugh and Get Rich Day
  • Molasses Bar Day
  • National Kite Flying Day
  • Opera Day
  • Propose Day

February 9

  • Giving Hearts Day (in North Dakota and Minnesota)
  • National Bagels and Lox Day
  • National Develop Alternative Vices Day
  • National Pizza Day
  • National Stop Bullying Day
  • Read in the Bathtub Day

February 10

  • Cream Cheese Brownie Day
  • International Winter Bike to Work Day (second Friday in February)
  • National Flannel Day
  • National Home Warranty Day
  • National Umbrella Day
  • No One Eats Alone Day (second Friday in February)
  • The Inbox Day (second Friday in February)
  • World Pulses Day

February 11

  • Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day
  • Get Out Your Guitar Day
  • Grandmother Achievement Day
  • International Day of Women & Girls in Science
  • National Inventor’s Day
  • National Make a Friend Day
  • National Shut-in Visitation Day
  • Peppermint Patty Day
  • Pro Sports Wives Day
  • Satisfied Staying Single Day
  • White T-Shirt Day

February 12 is Super Bowl Sunday

  • Autism Sunday (second Sunday in February)
  • Darwin Day
  • Oglethorpe Day or Georgia Day (in the state of Georgia)
  • Hug Day
  • International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers
  • Lincoln’s Birthday
  • NAACP Day
  • National Freedom to Marry Day
  • National Lost Penny Day
  • National Plum Pudding Day
  • Safetypup Day
  • Super Bowl Sunday
  • Super Chicken Wing Day
  • World Marriage Day (second Sunday in February)

Source: https://parade.com/living/february-holidays-observances

Early Spring Perennials

What better time than snowy February to begin planning your perennial garden. Whether it’s a complete perennial garden or just adding one or three additional plants to an existing garden, now is the time. Here are a few selections from the garden at Iowa State to help in your planning.

iowa stateuniversity©

Attracting wildlife with native plants

A parent fed up with their child’s persistent use of technology (internet, video games, tablet, you name it!) has decided to pull the plug on their sedentary habits. They strip the devices from their child’s hands and throw them outside and say, “Go play!” The child looks around. Before them lays their entire suburban property comprised of lawn. Looking left and right they see their neighbor’s yard, more lawn. To the back of the property where once ran a creek, now buried, is replaced by a smoothly graded ditch draining toward a culvert. This ditch is planted with what? Lawn, of course.

What the above-mentioned situation lacks is diversity, and without diversity, you can’t support a dynamic ecosystem that attracts wildlife. Turfgrass is one of the largest irrigated monoculture crops in the United States. Researchers at the NASA Earth Observatory give a conservative estimate of “three times more acres of lawn in the U.S. than irrigated corn” or about 50,000 square miles of turf. To put those numbers in greater perspective that would be like covering almost all of Illinois in turfgrass.

If you desire to create an opportunity for exploration and learning for others, promote local ecosystem health, or for your sheer enjoyment, then consider creating a landscape that attracts wildlife.

Why wildlife?

For those that continually ward off deer and repair damage caused by squirrels or raccoons, you might shudder at the thought of attracting more wildlife into your yard. However, we’re talking more than just deer. When I speak of wildlife, I am referring to songbirds, butterflies, bees, reptiles, and yes the occasional ruminating mammal.

Our development patterns have significantly fragmented, altered, and eliminated native ecosystems across the U.S. According to an article by entomologist Doug Tallamy, of the total land area in the United States, only about 5% is considered wildlife zones. Tallamy estimates this loss of habitat has imperiled 33,000 species of plants and animals rendering them “functionally extinct”.

Why natives?

Using native plants is the best strategy to attract wildlife. Our birds, insects, reptiles, and mammals evolved right alongside our native grasses and forbs and, for some, their lifecycles are codependent. Take the monarch butterfly as an example. Over millennia the monarch caterpillar developed the ability to withstand the toxic attributes of milkweed, even acquiring the ability to feed on the leaves without triggering the milky sap that gives the plant its name.

I’m sure there are those of you that scoff at the idea of installing plants in your landscape simply to be eaten! Is that what I’m suggesting? Well, yes! But let’s put that statement in perspective. Local wildlife has developed a give-and-take relationship with their respective native plants which have in turn developed elaborate chemical and physical defenses.

Doug Tallamy’s studies at the University of Delaware tracked insect damage on natives vs. non-natives. What they found was that feeding damage was higher on the non-natives. Plus, the damage that was present on native plants was less than 1% in regards to piercing-sucking damage and around 4% with chewing damage, well below the 10% threshold where the typical homeowner notices any damage at all.

Another reason for using native plants is because of an often used alternative to attracting wildlife – feeding them. Birdfeeders aside, it is not recommended to feed wildlife.

  • Wildlife are NOT pets
  • Feeding makes wildlife lose their natural fear of people, often making them a nuisance
  • Animals who depend on people can cause injuries or spread diseases
  • Young wild animals, dependent on humans for food, are less experienced in foraging for food and less likely to survive
  • Wildlife requires a variety of foodstuffs to provide the nutrients required to stay healthy
  • “People” food bears no resemblance to the food animals eat in the wild

Using native plants provides a natural food source and options for shelter and nesting materials. For an animal to pick your yard as a home they must have their basic needs met which include food, water, shelter, and a place to raise their young. Scroll down for a list of recommended native plants.

As I write this article, the goldenrod and boneset are in full bloom and loaded with insects of all shapes and sizes. Meanwhile, yellow finch feast on the seed heads of spent purple coneflowers. After adding native plants, you may value them beyond their aesthetic appeal and instead admire the vast and complex web of life they support, capturing the awe of a child, forced outside away from technology into a vibrant landscape.

Recommended native plants for Illinois

Are natives the only answer to providing wildlife resources? Certainly not! Animals and insects use many non-natives such as hosta or sedum. Yet, to promote local ecology and identity, the following are some Illinois natives recommended in the home landscape.

Trees

  • Wild black cherry | Prunus serotina
  • Flowering dogwood | Cornus florida
  • Black gum | Nyssa sylvatica
  • Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis
  • Shagbark hickory | Carya ovata
  • Hophornbeam (ironwood) | Ostrya virginica
  • Sassafras | Sassafras albidum
  • Witch-hazel | Hamamelis virginiana

Shrubs

  • Black chokeberry | Aronia melanocarpa
  • Gray dogwood | Cornus racemose
  • American hazelnut | Corylus americana
  • Leadplant | Amorpha canescens
  • Spicebush | Lindera benzoin

Wildflowers

  • Blazing stars | Liatris spp.
  • Black-eyed Susans | Rudbeckia spp.
  • Coneflowers | Echinacea spp.
  • Ironweed | Veronia spp.
  • Joe-Pye weed | Eutrochium spp.
  • Milkweeds | Asclepias spp.
  • Phlox | Phlox spp.
  • New England Aster | Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
  • Wild bergamot | Monarda fistulosa

Good Growing Tip of the Week: Did you know that observing wildlife has a calming effect on our brains? Watching animals, birds, and even the movement of grasses in the wind actually boosts our mood and has a recovery effect for stress.

Source: https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/good-growing/2022-09-15-attracting-wildlife-native-plants

What Is the Worst Habit for Inflammation?

According to Dr. Grayver, a cardiologist at Northwell Health in New York, poor stress management is the worst habit for inflammation. Why? In part because stress causes the release of the stress hormone known as cortisol.

“Cortisol is one of those things that goes and disrupts the inner layer of our vasculature and creates unstable plaque,” Dr. Grayver says.

Wait—isn’t plaque a dental problem? Yes, but it’s also a cardiovascular issue. Dr. Grayver says that many people have stable plaque, which progresses slowly.

“When there’s inflammation, cortisol is released, it seeps out into our vasculature and it destroys that nice, contained fibrous cap sitting on top of the stable plaque and turns it into unstable plaque.”

Unstable plaque can become a problem quickly. “It’s the yucky plaque that breaks off, flows downward and causes things like stroke and heart attack,”.

It can also increase blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol, which can also heighten the risk of heart attack and stroke. “Stress causes a vicious cascade,” Dr. Grayver emphasizes.

That being said, some stress is OK—good, even. 

“Some stress is normal and allows us to achieve greater goals and create certain things,”. “Severe, chronic stress is what I want to hone in on. That can have a significant impact on heart health in multiple ways.”

What’s the difference? “Normal stress has more goal orientation,” she says. “It’s not the kind of stress keeping you up at night, leading you to make unhealthy choices or have horrible chronic fatigue.”

Other Habits That Can Negatively Impact Inflammation

Stress isn’t great, and reducing it is one way to lower your risk for inflammation. But Dr. Grayver says other lifestyle habits factor into inflammation.

Smoking is a big no-no for various reasons, including inflammation related to heart health. “It’s one of the unhealthiest habits,” Dr. Grayver says. “The chemicals in the tobacco [are terrible for you].”

Drinking too much alcohol can also increase inflammation.

“I’m not talking about one glass,” Dr. Grayver says. The CDC advises men to limit alcohol use to two drinks per day and women to stick to one. (A drink is defined as a 5 oz. glass of wine, 12 oz. glass of beer, or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor.) Dr. Grayver says anything more starts the inflammatory cascade. A 2017 review linked high alcohol consumption to inflammation.

Diet can also increase inflammation and the risk for heart disease risk, but Dr. Grayver says figuring out the best one for you can be a challenge.

“I was at a grocery store the other day,” she says. “There were 14 magazines displayed, and 12 of them mentioned the ‘heart-healthy diet.’”

Diets Dr. Grayver recommends include vegan, DASH and the Mediterranean Diet. Each is a bit different—vegan means no animal products, whereas Mediterranean and DASH are less rigid, for example. But the common ties include low sodium and an emphasis on fruits, veggies, nuts and lean—preferably plant-based—proteins.

Dr. Grayver noted people got into the habit of skipping regular check-ups during the COVID-19 pandemic. If that sounds familiar, it’s time to make an appointment—your doctor can catch symptoms of inflammation and heart disease, such as high blood pressure, cholesterol and biomarkers. Together, you can work to manage inflammation before it becomes worse.

The kicker? Stress makes people more likely to make these types of choices, Dr. Grayver says.

“It’s then easy to fall back on unhealthy coping mechanisms, like poor diet choices, alcohol and smoking,” she says.

What Is the Best Habit for Inflammation?

Dr. Grayver says exercise does the mind and body good, in part, by reducing stress. “I’m someone who has never been good at meditation, but when I exercise and do breathing during my run, that to me is meditating,” Dr. Grayver says.

Finding the right exercise routine for you is important, though. “There is not a cookie-cutter approach to anything, not in medicine, not in personal lifestyle,” Dr. Grayver says. “It’s important for people to find what works for them and makes them happy. If it works and makes them happy, they’ll continue it long-term.”

Source: http://www.msn.com/en-us/health

What’s New on Disney+ in February 2023

Here’s everything else arriving on Disney+ in February, including a new season of the animated series reboot The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Feb 1).

Screenshot: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever/Marvel Studios (Fair Use)

Disney Plus series with new episodes premiering weekly in February 2023

  • National Treasure: Edge of History (season finale Feb. 8)
  • The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, S2 (season premiere Feb. 1)
  • Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Movies and complete series/seasons coming to Disney Plus in February 2023

Arriving Feb. 1

  • Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
  • The Chorus: Success, Here I Go — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes)
  • Dead End Express (S1)
  • Miraculous Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (S1, S2, S3)
  • Puppy Dog Pals (S5, 3 episodes)
  • O Coro: Sucesso, Aqui Vou Eu (S1)

Arriving Feb. 3

  • Clan of the Meerkats
  • Life Below Zero (S19)
  • Water and Power: A California Heist

Arriving Feb. 8

  • 7 Toughest Days (S1)
  • Arranged (S1)
  • Celebrity House Hunting (S1)
  • Dance Moms (S1, S2, S7)
  • Dance Moms: Miami (S1)
  • Forged in Fire: Knife or Death (S1, S2)
  • Forged in Fire (S4)
  • Ghost Hunters (S1, S2)
  • Hamster & Gretel (S1, 5 episodes)
  • History’s Greatest Mysteries (S1, S2)
  • Ice Road Truckers (S11)
  • Man vs. Child Chef Showdown (S2)
  • Marvel Studios’ Assembled: The Making of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever — Disney+ Originals documentary premiere
  • Me & Mickey (Shorts) (S1, 7 episodes)
  • The Owl House (S3, 1 episode)
  • The Proof Is Out There (S1, S2)
  • Rescue Cam (S1)
  • Storage Wars: Barry’s Best Buys (S1)
  • Storage Wars: Miami (S1)
  • Storage Wars: New York (S1, S2)
  • Storage Wars (S14)
  • Arriving Feb. 10
  • 42 to 1
  • The Christmas Consultant
  • Dug Day’s: Carl’s Date — Disney+ Originals short film premiere
  • Feliz Navidad
  • House of Darkness
  • Liz & Dick
  • Marvel Studios Legends: Ant Man/Hank & Janet/Wasp
  • People Presents: Once Upon a Main Street
  • The Real MVP: The Wanda Durant Story
  • The Santa Con
  • Tommy
  • Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart
  • Turkey Hollow
  • Victoria Gotti: My Father’s Daughter
  • Arriving Feb. 15
  • Cesar Millan: Better Human Better Dog (S3)
  • Dian Fossey: Secrets in the Mist (S1)
  • Mars (S1)
  • Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (S1, 6 episodes)
  • Mila in the Multiverse — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes)
  • SuperKitties (S1, 7 episodes)
  • Arriving Feb. 17
  • Inside Airport Lost & Found
  • Making the Wish: Disney’s Newest Cruise Ship
  • Arriving Feb. 22
  • The Low Tone Club — Disney+ Originals series premiere (all episodes)
  • To Catch a Smuggler (S4)
  • Ultimate Airport Dubai (S1, S2, S3)
  • Voices Rising: The Music of Wakanda Forever — Series premiere (all episodes)
  • Arriving Feb. 24
  • Blow Your Mind
  • Tini: The New Life of Violetta
  • Source: https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle
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