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Chewy Sends Man Sweet Note And Custom Portrait After Dog Passes

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The bond that we have with our pets is like nothing else. Now, the online pet retailer Chewy.com has honored that bond in an unforgettable way.

Joseph Inabnet of Falls Church, Virginia, was a regular customer of Chewy.com. His beloved pug Bailey needed a prescription diet, so Inabnet ordered the special food from Chewy.com every month. Inabnet was determined to give Bailey the best chance at overcoming his illness and being a happy, healthy pup.

A Sad Outcome

When Bailey passed away, a grieving Inabnet contacted Chewy.com to ask about an unopened $70 bag of dog food that he still had. He asked if he could return it for a refund. The customer service rep told him the company would refund his money, but he didn’t need to send the food back. They suggested that he donate the dog food to a shelter or rescue.

That was impressive enough, but it gets even better. A few days later, Inabnet received a package from Chewy.com. Inside were a heartfelt sympathy card and a gorgeous oil painting of Bailey.

Pet portrait artist Sharon Lamb did the painting from a photograph of Bailey.

A Caring Response

This is not the first time Chewy.com has shown incredible customer care. This past February, another woman’s account of her interactions with the company went viral.

Cecelia recounted that when her beloved cat died, the company refunded the money she had spent on cat food, suggested that she donate or give away the food, and sent a detailed, personal letter of condolence.

Understanding the Bond We Share

Chewy.com is owned and managed by people with pets. In a sea of faceless online retailers, Chewy.com stands out by showing real care to pets and people.

 

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21 Popular Breakfast Cereals Contain Cancer-Causing Weed Killer, Tests Reveal

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A new report released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that several popular breakfast foods are contaminated with glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup weed killer. All 21 of the products tested had glyphosate levels that were “higher than what EWG scientists consider protective for children’s health.”

21 Popular Breakfast Cereals Contain Cancer-Causing Weed Killer

The three highest levels of glyphosate were found in Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch at 833 parts per billion (ppb), Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal at 729 ppb and Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, Maple Brown Sugar at 566 ppb. These levels are well over the EWG children’s health benchmark of 160 ppb.

Out of the 21 items tested, glyphosate levels were highest in the following products:

  • Honey Nut Cheerios Medley Crunch (833 ppb)
  • Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal (729 ppb)
  • Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, Maple Brown Sugar (566 ppb)
  • Nature Valley Granola Cups, Almond Butter (529 ppb)
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheerios (400 ppb)
  • Nature Valley Baked Oat Bites (389 ppb)
  • Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, Oats and Honey (320 ppb)
  • Nature Valley Crunchy granola bars, Peanut Butter (312 ppb)
  • Nature Valley Granola Cups, Peanut Butter Chocolate (297 ppb)
  • Cheerios Oat Crunch Cinnamon (283 ppb)

The report comes less than a month after a California jury awarded a couple more than $2 billion in damages after determining their cancer was caused from long-term exposure to Monsanto’s glyphosate-based Roundup.

Although the tested products have detectable levels of glyphosate that the EWG considers unsafe, the levels are well within the EPA’s legal limit of 30 parts per million for glyphosate on oats. It appears there is no end in sight to the ongoing debate concerning glyphosate’s alleged cancer-causing properties. What is your opinion on this subject?

 

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Girl Trips Are Good For Mental Health And Longevity, Research Says

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When was the last time you took a girl trip? If it’s been a while, you might want to start looking at some travel websites. Studies have found that taking girl trips can be a huge boost to your physical, emotional and mental health.

Traveling Is Good for You

You probably know that taking time to unwind and get away from it all is important. Science backs up that intuition.

Travel is like a magic health potion and youth serum all rolled into one. Studies have repeatedly found that it helps you:

  • Keep your brain healthy.
  • Learn to adapt to new situations.
  • Stave off depression.
  • Learn to value experiences over possessions.
  • Increase your sense of gratitude.

Those are good reasons to pack your bags right now. But before you do, give your best friend a call.

Your Girlfriends Can Keep You Sane

You probably don’t need research to tell you how important your friends are. You might even wonder why anyone would need to research something that obvious. What’s intriguing about research into friendship, however, is that it finds real differences in the way that men and women relate to their friends.

When they’re stressed out or unhappy, women look for connection and closeness as a way to cope. The best way to connect is to spend time with your friends.

Girl Trips Are Good For Mental Health And Longevity

Girl Trips Are a Great Way to Bond and Stay Healthy

Put this all together, and the solution is clear. You need to take a trip, and you need to take it with your girlfriends. It will nurture your friendship and improve your life in countless way.

Grab your best buddy or a group of friends and start planning some girl trips. They’ll do wonders for your friendship and your health.

 

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Energy Drink Addiction Leaves Mom With Pacemaker at 32

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A 32-year-old mother was recently outfitted with a pacemaker after drinking excessive amounts of energy drinks. Are these drinks really that dangerous to the human body? Learn more about how energy drink addiction can create health issues at any age.

Energy Drink Addiction

© BPM Media

Keeping up With Modern Life

The New York Post describes a British woman and her quest to keep up with her three children. She needed energy, so she turned to energy drinks.

She was drinking around five to six cans a day. Health issues started to plague her. Doctors insisted on fitting her with a pacemaker because her rhythms were dangerously off.

Caffeine’s Effects on the Human Body

The main ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine. When you drink more than one can a day, you’re adding many milligrams of caffeine to your diet.

The nervous system reacts with a hyperactive state. Your heart races, reports Healthline.

Drinking many cans on a daily basis forces your heart to beat at irregular rhythms. Over time, the heart begins to lose its natural rhythm.

Cardiovascular problems set in with subtle ease. You may not realize that there’s a problem until a serious issue arises, such as a heart attack.

Energy Drink Addiction

Compounding Caffeine with Pre-Existing Conditions

Energy drinks can certainly harm the human body when consumed in large amounts. Serious issues can arise even faster if there’s a personal history of arrhythmia or heart disease in the family, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine. A health condition doesn’t have to be present for energy drinks to make a negative impact either.

A person taking illicit drugs and combining them with excessive volumes of energy drinks can also induce heart problems.

Moderating anything in life is usually the best way to lead a healthy lifestyle. Consume energy drinks on occasion, but certainly not in great volume. Everyone’s well-being can improve with this mindset.

 

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Disney’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge Opens May 31, 2019

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Mark your calendar! Reservations are required for visits to the new and exciting Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California between the dates of May 31, 2019 and June 23, 2019. It is the largest single-themed Disneyland expansion ever. It covers a whopping 14 acres with an estimated cost of $1 billion.

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge

There will be no additional cost to make reservations, but access to the Land and its experiences may be unavailable based on demand. It is recommended that you check in at the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge page for more details.

Guests staying at one of the Disneyland Resort hotels during May 31 and June 23 will receive a reservation (one per registered Guest) to access Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during their stay with the required valid theme park admission.

The official opening date at Disney World Park in Orlando, Florida will be on August 29, 2019.


Following are some of the major attractions and shops in addition to various places to eat and the first Disney venue that will sell alcoholic beverages:

Black Spire Outpost

Black Spire Outpost on the Planet Batuu is a large imaginary village with round-topped towers and the petrified remains of towering ancient trees that is an extension of the Star Wars world and is on the edge of the galaxy between the Wild Space and the Unknown Regions. The village may be modern but is built on the remains of crumbling structures that were built by a long-extinct civilization. You will encounter a group known as the “Gatherers,” treacherous rogues, scoundrels, smugglers, Resistance individuals, and the First Order that is eager to stomp out any flickers of opposition to their control.


Savi’s Workshop is where you can build a custom one-of-a-kind lightsaber with kyber crystals at this shop that features whimsical pieces and miscellaneous memorabilia that continue the traditions of the Force and allows you to become one with the Force. You can select from four lightsaber themes: Peace and Justice, Power and Control, Elemental Nature, or Protection and Defense. When your lightsaber is completed and purchased, you will be ready to embark on incredible new adventures.

At the Droid Depot, a customized droid like R2-D2 and BB-8 can be designed, assembled, and activated.

Toydarian Toymaker is a whimsical workshop with handcrafted toys, plush, playthings, art and collectibles, many handmade by the busy toymaker, Zabaka the Toydarian. Her storefront is filled with crates of toymaking supplies and unique works in progress such as Wookiee dolls and classic games.

Coming Attraction

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will be opening later this year. You will be able to join the Resistance on a secretive mission and a climactic battle against the First Order while seated in the belly of an imposing First Order Star Destroyer and looking up at a gigantic robot.

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Children With Autism Locked In Dark Bathroom And Punished With Loud Whistles By Florida Teachers

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County police arrested three faculty members at a special needs day school on a first-degree felony charge because of abuse towards three children with autism. They are accused of using scare tactics on the children as a form of discipline.

Children With Autism Locked In Dark Bathroom

The Silver Sands School is located in Fort Walton Beach, an hour away from Pensacola on the Florida panhandle. Sheriff Larry Ashley identified the teacher as Margaret Wolthers and the aides as Carolyn Madison and Diana LaCroix. Wolthers is the wife of a deputy in the police department.

Wolthers, Madison, and LaCroix punished the students by blowing a whistle in their ears and locking them in a dark bathroom for up to 90 minutes. Two of the children were 8 years old and one child was 10 years old.

A third aide refused to stand by and watch these children get tortured as punishment anymore. The unidentified female reported the incident to a school police officer. An investigation came afterward and school superintendent Marcus Chambers placed the three on administrative leave. The findings of the investigation eventually led to their arrest.

A witness stated that the children would “scream and cry” when placed in the dark bathroom. If the student turned on the bathroom light or tried to leave, the faculty made them stay there even longer. Meanwhile, a male student wore headphones due to noise sensitivity. The three women held his arms down on purpose so he couldn’t cover his ears when they blew the whistle.

The incident occurred between September 1 and November 14 of 2018. However, police believe the incident lasted much longer than the given period. The alleged abusers, if convicted, could face up to 30 years in prison. In the meantime, investigators are actively searching for more victims.

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Police Search Stage 4 Cancer Patient’s Hospital Room for Marijuana

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Should a terminally ill cancer patient in Missouri have been been subjected to a search of his personal belongings because a hospital employee claimed that the smell of marijuana had emanated from the patient’s room? Furthermore, what rights do terminally ill patients have to relieve pain that they are suffering during their final days.

Viral Facebook Video

The controversy began when Nolan Sousley, a Stage 4 pancreatic cancer patient who recently stopped chemotherapy livestreamed a video on his Facebook Page, Nolan’s Tribe of Warriors Against Cancer. The video showed local police officers in Bolivar, Missouri rifling through his belongings in an attempt to find marijuana. Someone at Citizens Memorial Hospital, where Sousley is being treated, called police to complain that they smelled marijuana coming from his room. The hospital does not allow smoking or vaping on its premises.

On the video, Sousley can be seen telling the police that he doesn’t want them searching his belongings because he did not have any marijuana and that the contents of his bags contained his end-of-life preparations. Sousley also tells the officers that he had recently taken a capsule containing THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive component of marijuana, to manage his pain. A discussion ensues between the legality of medical marijuana and the fact that Sousley doesn’t have much time to live.

The State of Medical Marijuana in Missouri

One of the Bolivar officers indicated that medical marijuana is still illegal, but that is not exactly true. In November 2018, Missouri voters passed Amendment 2, a provision to legalize medical marijuana in the state. That provision went into effect December 6, 2018.

The state of medical marijuana in Missouri is temporarily in legal limbo, however, as state officials are in the process of setting up the procedures for qualifying patients along with dispensaries. Under the law, Sousley would qualify because of his status as a terminal patient.

A woman identified as Sousley’s doctor questioned whether police had the right to search for cannabis. Maybe not. Possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis has been legal in Missouri since 2014.

‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Reboot Coming to Netflix

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Nineties nostalgia is back in full swing with the latest Netflix reboot. “The Baby-Sitters Club” is a family-friendly streaming series that puts a modern-twist on everyone’s favorite babysitting fivesome. While the new show will tackle serious issues like divorce and racism, it will also be light enough to be enjoyed by young and old alike.

‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Reboot Coming to Netflix

From Novels to Netflix

Ann M. Martin began writing “The Baby-Sitters Club” novels in 1986. Initially planned as a four-book series, the babysitters found an audience with tweens and teens who related to the friendships in Stoneybrook. The book series was first turned into a live action television series in the 1990s. A popular feature-length film starring Schuyler Fisk and Rachel Leigh Cook was released in 1995. Thanks to Netflix, a new generation of children can enjoy learning from the babysitters as they watch alongside their families.

Backed by Netflix Royalty

Those involved with “The Baby-Sitters Club” have already experienced a massive amount of success through Netflix and beyond. The showrunner for the series is Rachel Shukert, who has served as a screenwriter and executive story editor for “Glow.” Shukert has twice been nominated for her work on “Glow” by the Writers Guild of America. The new series is executive produced by Michael De Luca and Lucia Aniello, who will also direct. Martin will serve as producer of the series.

Netflix has ordered 10 episodes of “The Baby-Sitters Club.” There is no word yet about casting or when the show will be available for streaming.

Celebrate NEA’s Read Across America Day

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Read Across America Day

If you’ve ever shared a book with a child, you know the joy and excitement this small but meaningful act can bring. But, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, since 1993 only 53 to 58 percent of children ages three to five received this joy on a daily basis.

We can do better! Simply reading daily with a child does requires parents, older brothers and sisters, and other caring adults to add yet another hat to the many they already wear to care for and raise a child. But by adding the reading hat to your collection, you also add great rewards:

  • Children who are read to at home have a higher success rate in school.
  • Children who read frequently develop stronger reading skills.

Read Across America Day

To get kids excited about reading and encourage more adults to spend time reading with their children, the National Education Association (NEA) launched the first NEA’s Read Across America day in 1998. On March 1, 2019, NEA’s Read Across America will mark nineteen years of celebrating reading and the birthday of Dr. Seuss.

So from coast to coast, teachers, celebrities, community members, and parents are putting aside the many hats they wear for work and play and donning their reading hats, the red and white striped stovepipe hat of the Cat in the Hat.

In bringing a nation of readers together under one hat, NEA’s Read Across America offers opportunities for you to volunteer, to read, and to share your life experiences; opportunities for businesses to contribute products to congratulate young readers and for employees to volunteer time at reading programs; and opportunities for our elected officials, from the national to the state and local levels, to make reading a high priority.

Let’s all join together on March 1, and every day thereafter, to ensure that America’s children have caring adults to share books and rich reading experiences.

 

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School Bully Assault Nearly Blinds Teen

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A recent school bully assault in Derby proved just how vicious fellow students can be. On February 6, 2019, 15-year-old Nathaniel Dryden was violently punched in the face with so much force that his eyeglasses shattered. He was left with many cuts and much bleeding to the face.

school bully assault nearly blinds teen

Images by Amanda Dryden

The Results of the Bullying Were Horrific

According to the Daily Mail, the punch could have left him permanently blind if it had landed even an inch lower. His father, who is a nurse practitioner, said that his son will most likely suffer the psychological effects from this attack for the rest of his life. Plus, there is sure to be scarring from the glass that shattered around his eye.

Bullying Happened More than Once

While the worst attack on Nathaniel occurred on February 6, this was not the first incidence of bullying against him. On January 23, a schoolmate began punching Nathaniel seemingly for no reason. The next attack in February was actually caught on camera and shared via social media.

According to Derbyshire Live, Nathaniel sustained the punch directly to his face. The smashed glass gave him multiple cuts around his left eye and required him to receive 13 to 15 stitches. He also had to have a shard of glass removed from his eye.

Bullying Is Not Acceptable at School

Photographs posted by his mother, Amanda Dryden, on Facebook showed the damage as her son was in Derbyshire Hospital. She posted, “Bullying is not acceptable by any means.” Her posts have garnered numerous sympathetic comments and a sense of surprise that any child would stoop that low to hurt a schoolmate.

While bullying seems to be heating up in schools around the country, the Merrill Academy in Derby is dealing with this school bully assault as well as it can, utilizing its school behavior policy and keeping parents informed throughout the process. However, Nathaniel Dryden may be headed to a different school once his wounds are healed in hopes that a fresh start will accelerate his emotional recovery from this senseless act of bullying.

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