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Both A Solar And Lunar Eclipse Will Be Visible In June 2020

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Star watchers have something to look forward to this year. This June, you’ll get to see both a lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse in the same month. The lunar eclipse will take place on June 5th, and the solar eclipse will follow on June 21st.

Solar And Lunar Eclipse

Rare and Spectacular

It’s extremely rare to have two visible eclipses in the same month. Even more astonishing, the solar eclipse promises to be an unusually spectacular “annular” or “ring of fire” eclipse.

What’s that? Read on to find out.

Explaining Eclipses

Eclipses are fascinating astronomical events that cause a planet to be hidden from view.

A solar eclipse happens during a new moon, when the moon passes between the earth and the sun to cover the sun from view. You can only see a solar eclipse from certain parts of the world.

A lunar eclipse can only take place during a full moon, when the moon blocks the sun from view. This can happen when the sun, earth and moon are all in perfect alignment with each other. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is visible from anywhere in the world.

What’s Special About the 2020 Eclipses

The June 21 solar eclipse will be what’s known as an annular or “ring of fire” eclipse. That means it will look like a dark planet surrounded by a glowing band.

As the Space Tourism Guide explains, “During annularity, the sun is completely darkened, and the sky goes dark as well. Imagine sunset, dusk and sunrise all occurring in less than five minutes. Meanwhile, the sun is a great fiery ring in the sky. That’s what annularity is like during an annular eclipse.”

According to eclipse expert Jamie Carter, the so-called Strawberry Moon Lunar Eclipse will also be worth seeing, but the solar eclipse will be the true star of the skies.

How to Watch the Eclipses

As gorgeous as a solar eclipse is, you should only look at it using the right eyewear.

  • Use specially made eclipse glasses or solar viewers to look at the eclipse.
  • Don’t point a camera, binoculars or other devices at it.
  • Do not look directly at the eclipse.

Solar Eclipse Glasses

If you can’t find solar viewers, you can make your own pinhole viewer.

Stay safe while you enjoy the beauty of the night sky.

Both A Solar And Lunar Eclipse Will Be Visible In June 2020

‘Robot Dog’ Unleashed In Public Park To Encourage Social Distancing

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Spot is one of the most popular names for companion canines in the history of dog names. Modern dogs likely wouldn’t be pleased to know the name was popularized by a 1930’s book series and a couple named Dick and Jane who had a pet cat named Spot.

Later on in the series, the cat was changed to a dog, but the name Spot endured. Today, however, Spot looks a little different than Dick and Jane’s furry friend. For starters, his name is SPOT®. He has no head and no tail. And he is available to rent.

Robot Dog

Youtube | CNA

Meet SPOT®, the Robot Dog on a Mission to Stop COVID-19

SPOT® is powered by remote control and can see in 2D and 3D with a 360-degree range of vision. But this isn’t even the most remarkable part. SPOT® also talks in American English using a soft, feminine Asian accent.

As you have likely guessed by now, SPOT® is a robot dog. Built by Boston Dynamics, SPOT is currently on duty patrolling the grounds of the popular Singapore park Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park.

His mission? To maintain social distancing and prevent the spread of COVID-19. Currently, SPOT® can be seen daily roaming about the park, often stopping to scan passersby for the appropriate one-meter distance as they walk, jog or cycle on by.

Cute or Creepy? You Decide

SPOT® can sit, lay down, stand up, walk, stand and run. His yellow and black body looks more like a bumblebee than a canine and his gait is vaguely catlike as he lopes along throughout the park grounds.

Instead of barking, SPOT® continually repeats a message to maintain safe social distancing. What park-goers don’t see is the small army of park officials and operators behind the scenes who are controlling the robot remotely.

Will SPOT® be able to do what the best human efforts to date have not? If he can, he is a wonder-dog indeed.

Robot Dog

Refusing To Dump Milk, Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle Their Own. Sells Out in Hours.

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The economic effects of the coronavirus have been especially harsh on family farms, but one small farm found a unique way to stay in business.

Refusing To Dump Milk, Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle Their Own. Sells Out in Hours.

Facebook | Whoa Nellie Dairy

A Longtime Family Business

Ben and Mary Beth Brown own the Whoa Nellie Dairy Farm in Acme, Pennsylvania. The Johnsons sell milk, cream, cheese and other products at their dairy store. They sell the rest to Schneider’s of Pittsburgh, a large dairy distributor.

The farm has been in the Brown family since the 1700s.

Refusing To Dump Milk, Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle Their Own. Sells Out in Hours.

Facebook | Whoa Nellie Dairy

The Distributor Told Them to Dump the Milk

Recently, Schneider’s informed the Browns that it wouldn’t be picking up the milk and they should just dump it.

“I hate the idea of wasting food or milk when people are struggling,” Mary Beth told CNN in an interview. “We decided instead to pasteurize, bottle and sell the milk ourselves.”

Working Around the Clock

In a Facebook announcement, Ben told local residents, “We can only pasteurize and bottle 30 gallons at a time, but we are going to work around the clock to try to bottle as much as we can. We are really going to try to not waste a drop.”

Over the next few days, Ben worked 24-hour shifts to get it done.

Refusing To Dump Milk, Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle Their Own. Sells Out in Hours.

Facebook | Whoa Nellie Dairy

Tremendous Community Support

The response was overwhelming.

One Facebook post showed the cars and trucks that lined the road as people waited for hours to buy milk. The entire community turned out to support the Browns.

Refusing To Dump Milk, Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle Their Own. Sells Out in Hours.

Facebook | Photo credit: michaelmphotos.com

Still Standing

In another Facebook post, Ben wrote, “Over the last couple of years, hundreds of farmers have gone under, yet we remain. I want to thank all of you who have stood in line for our milk. It is you who are keeping us going and keeping this family farm alive. Thank you!”

The Browns are still selling milk and other dairy products. They have also donated extra milk to area food banks. They purchased a larger pasteurizer, and Ben no longer has to work 24-hour shifts to get the milk bottled.

Refusing To Dump Milk, Pennsylvania Dairy Farmer Decides to Bottle Their Own. Sells Out in Hours.

Where’s my stimulus check? Here’s when to expect your payment

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Already, the United States Congress has approved three different stimulus bills to keep the economy running during the COVID-19 crisis. Out of the three bills, the largest one was worth $2.2 trillion. This bill included one-time payments for millions of Americans who have been impacted by the crisis.

Stimulus Check

Who Can Get a Stimulus Payment?

You are eligible for the stimulus payment if you have an adjusted gross income that is less than $75,000. Married couples who file joint returns can earn up to $150,000 and receive the entire payment. After you hit this income level, the payment is reduced by $5 for every $100 you earn above $75,000 or $150,000.

If you made $99,000 as an individual or $198,000 as a couple, you are not eligible to get this payment. To be eligible for an automatic payment, you must have filed a tax return in 2018 or 2019. If you are an eligible taxpayer, you can also get up to $500 for each qualifying child in your household.

How Much Will It Be?

Unless you earn more than the threshold, you should get $1,200 as an individual. Married couples who file joint returns will receive $2,400. You will also receive an extra $500 for each child in your home.

Stimulus Check

When Will My Stimulus Check Arrive?

On March 30, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department announced that the payments would be distributed within the following three weeks. These payments are going to occur automatically. If you did not file a tax return, you will need to submit a simple tax return if you want to receive a payment.

The House Ways and Means Committee has tentatively scheduled a timeline for distributing the checks. They plan on having 60 million checks sent out through direct deposit during the week of April 13, 2020. From May 4 until September, they expect the IRS to send paper checks at a rate of 5 million payments per week.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said that checks will be distributed much faster than this timetable. According to the Treasury Department, 50 to 70 million Americans will get a stimulus check through direct deposit by April 15. In the following three weeks, the Treasury Department plans on sending the majority of the remaining checks.

Super Pink Moon Coming In April – Here’s How To See It

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Astronomists and sky watchers everywhere have something to look forward to in April. The first full moon of spring, known as the super pink moon, will be in the sky on the night of April 7.

Pink Moon

What Makes The Moon “Super”?

The term “super moon” refers to an event where the moon appears unusually large in the sky. This moon happens to occur during the moon’s perigee, which is the point in the moon’s orbit when it’s closest to Earth. Super moons are brighter than full moons and often have a slight color.

What’s In a Name?

This particular super moon goes by several names including the fish moon, grass moon or egg moon. Those names come from Native American lunar ceremonies. Christians call it the Paschal moon because it arrives just before Easter.

The moon does not glow pink.

Most people call it the pink moon because of a spring flower that starts blooming at the same time. The moss pink plant, also known as wild ground phlox, is a ground cover with delicate pink flowers. Those pink flowers are one of the first signs of spring.

When Can You See The Super Pink Moon?

According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the moon will be visible after sunset and at its brightest around 10:30 PM eastern time:

“For the best view of this lovely spring moon, find an open area and watch as the moon rises just above the horizon, at which point it will appear its biggest and take on a golden hue.”

Are you planning to catch the pink moon?

JOANN Fabric Stores Giving Out Free Materials At Curbside To Make Face Masks For Health Care Workers At Home

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If you are an avid seamstress and have thought about how you can help the lack of protective masks for our nation’s health care professionals, JOANN Fabric Stores will help you out. The caveat is, you must have a JOANN store in your area that has remained open in the face of the COVID-19 crisis. Even if you don’t have an open JOANN store nearby, you can still participate in this initiative and help health care providers in your area if you have a sewing machine and extra fabric to make masks.

Joann Fabric Stores

Image: JOANN Stores

How JOANN Stores are Helping the Cause

You can help in one of two ways if you have an open JOANN store near you. First, JOANN stores have opened up their crafting areas to comply within social distancing limits to teach interested individuals to make facial masks to give to medical professionals working with those affected by COVID-19. The crafting areas will adhere to guidelines set forth by the CDC for social distancing. However, if you feel more comfortable with simply making the masks in your own home, JOANN stores will provide you with curbside pickup of fabric that you can use in your own home to make the masks and will also help distribute the masks that you make.

Do These Masks Meet Medical Guidelines?

In short, no, they do not, however, many medical professionals have noted that some kind of masks will help prevent disease spread even if they don’t meet guidelines set forth by the government.

In that spirit, how do you go about making these masks? JOANN has a video as well as additional information on how to help. Vanderbilt University also has useful information on how to make and donate mask if you want to help the pandemic effort.

More US Veterans Died By Suicide In The Last 10 Years Than Died In The Vietnam War

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We celebrate our veterans for their strength and courage, but too many of them are fighting a lonely battle against mental illness.

Veterans Suicide

Suicide Rates Are Sky-High

Suicides have increased at an alarming rate among the general population, and they’re even more common among veterans.

A special report by CBS News focused on Justin Miller, a 33-year-old Marine who served in Iraq. Although Miller was a talented trumpeter who looked forward to playing in the Marine band, he was deployed as a sniper.

When he returned, his family said he was a changed man. He showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after his deployment. Miller was being treated for depression at the VA hospital in Minneapolis when he killed himself in 2019.

A Crisis Among Veterans

Miller was one of 6,000 veterans who took their own lives that year. In the same year, three veterans killed themselves in five days.

From 2008 to 2017, veteran deaths by suicide add up to more than 60,000. That’s more than the 52,800 American soldiers who were killed in Vietnam.

Haunted by Memories

Veterans’ families say their loved ones can’t get the images of violence out of their heads. They recount seeing terrible things in combat situations. They also report bad memories of civilian details like the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti.

According to the VA, veterans commit suicide 1 1/2 times more often than civilians do. Men use a firearm to kill themselves in 70% of these deaths, and women use one in 42% of these cases.

Research assessments have found that veterans who can get access to mental health services at the VA are less likely to commit suicide. The VA urges anyone who knows a veteran in crisis to contact their local VA hospital.

Veterans Suicide

Sanitizer Hoarder Forced To Donate His Stash of Almost 18,000 Bottles

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A man who hoarded 18,000 bottles of sanitizer has donated the entire stash. Half the bottles went to a local church, and the rest will go to stores to help them restock their shelves.

Sanitizer Hoarder

PROFITING FROM A CRISIS

Matt Colvin of Hixson, Tennessee, achieved notoriety recently when he and his brother scooped up more than 17,000 bottles of hand sanitizer. The brothers, who buy items to sell online, saw a profit motive in the coming coronavirus pandemic.

They traveled all over the state to load up on the sanitizer as soon as news of the virus hit.

They later placed 300 bottles for sale in their online store at prices ranging from $8 to $70 a bottle. The bottles sold instantly.

SEVERE BACKLASH

Unfortunately for them, the brothers didn’t count on the backlash they would get for hoarding sanitizer during a global medical crisis.

As the Chicago Tribune reported, “The donations capped a tumultuous 24 hours for Colvin. On Saturday morning, the New York Times published an article about how he and his brother cleaned out stores of sanitizer and wipes in an attempt to profit off the public’s panic over the coronavirus pandemic. Colvin sold 300 bottles of hand sanitizer at a markup on Amazon before the company removed his listings and warned sellers they would be suspended for price gouging.”

DOING THE RIGHT THING

Colvin makes his living selling goods on Amazon, so the suspension hurts him where it counts. In addition, he said, he received hate mail, death threats and a cease-and-desist letter from the Tennessee attorney general’s office.

It sounds like a lot of people weren’t too happy with his actions.

At least he’s decided to do the right thing now.

Grandma Rescues Base Jumper Dangling Off High-Rise Building

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A video of a base jumper being rescued by an elderly woman has emerged on social media and gone viral. The incident occurred at an Acapulco resort in Mexico after the base jumper, Kody Kosloski, misjudged his trajectory and crashed into the woman’s high-rise apartment.

Grandma Rescues Base Jumper

Inside Edition / Kody Kosloski

Footage of the Scary Incident

Kosloski, a Michigan resident, was recording his stunt from the top of the tall building. The on-body camera captured his descent and unexpected veer to the left. Then, he crashed into the side of the apartment block.

For a few seconds, Kosloski dangled on the side of the building before an elderly woman appeared on the balcony below him. As she asked him what he needed, he told her that he was OK. When he failed to climb up to the balcony above, he pulled out a knife to cut himself free.

Kosloski was able to steady himself between the railing and roof of her balcony. As he cut himself loose, the elderly woman reached out her hands to safely guide him onto her balcony. He survived with only a scratch on his knee.

After the Rescue

When Kosloski landed safely, he yelled, “I’m OK,” to a cheering crowd. Then, the camera panned over to his base-jumping equipment, which was still attached to the building.

The elderly woman offered him a glass of water, but he declined. In an interview with Inside Edition, Kosloski said, “That lady was a sweetheart, very helpful, kind and nice. I’m sorry for scaring her.”

California Sending Veteran Firefighters To Battle Australian Bushfires

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When California was swept up in deadly fires, Australian firefighters crossed the ocean to lend a hand. Now, California firefighters are returning the favor by sending an elite crew of veteran firefighters to battle the bush fire crisis down under.

California Sending Veteran Firefighters To Battle Australian Bushfires

Photo: Teri Oroz, NICC

Hand-Picked and Battle-Tested

The California crew consists of 20 hand-picked, highly experienced veterans. Many of them fought the Station Fire and Saddle Ridge wildfires in California.

They’ll be joining more than 100 other firefighters from across the U.S. who are already there.

Australia’s bush fires have raged out of control since September. The fires have killed 23 people, wiped out hundreds of thousands of animals and destroyed more than 23,000 acres of land including koala and kangaroo habitats. They have also taken the lives of at least two firefighters.

It Goes Up Like a Torch

Jonathan Merager of the Angeles Forest Fire Service explained that Australia asked for firefighters with experience with large trees. Merager noted that eucalyptus trees are particularly deadly.

“The wind will carry embers at a significant distance,” he told CNN. “There’s a great amount of oils in the eucalyptus, and when it catches, it goes up like a torch.”

Proud of Our Heroes

The Angeles Forest Fire Service posted a picture of the crew getting ready for its 16-hour flight, saying, “We are proud of our heroes and wish them safe travels.”