Monthly Archives: May 2023

As the commercial world gears up to convince us all to celebrate Mothers Day in increasingly extravagant material ways, its worth looking back at the original anti-war inspiration for this $32 billion annual boondoggle (at least according to Forbes last year).

Slavery abolitionist Julia Ward Howe, sadly better known for her militaristic Civil War paean, Battle Hymn of the Republic, experienced a profound epiphany once she realized the scope of that wars carnage. That included more than 600,000 dead (about 2% of the United States population at the time) and millions injured.

Taking up her quill again in 1870, she penned this Mothers Day Proclamation, a cry for a national day to honor all mothers everywhere by renouncing war:

Again, in the sight of the Christian world, have the skill and power of two great nations exhausted themselves in mutual murder. Again have the sacred questions of international justice been committed to the fatal mediation of military weapons. In this day of progress, in this century of light, the ambition of rulers has been allowed to barter the dear interests of domestic life for the bloody exchanges of the battle field. Thus men have done. Thus men will do. But women need no longer be made a party to proceedings which fill the globe with grief and horror. Despite the assumptions of physical force, the mother has a sacred and commanding word to say to the sons who owe their life to her suffering. That word should now be heard, and answered to as never before.

Arise, then, Christian women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts, Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears! Say firmly: We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies. Our husbands shall not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country, to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs. From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with our own. It says: Disarm, disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice. Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence vindicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of council.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them then solemnly take council with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace, man as the brother of man, each bearing after his own kind the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God.

In the name of womanhood and of humanity, I earnestly ask that a general congress of women, without limit of nationality, may be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient, and at the earliest period consistent with its objects, to promote the alliance of the different nationalities, the amicable settlement of international questions, the great and general interests of peace.

Her heartfelt proclamation, undeniable in its raw truth, resonated with her fellow peace advocates and suffragettes including one Ann Jarvis with whom she campaigned for a Mothers Day For Peace. Anns eventual ailing health and death in 1905 inspired her daughter, Anna Jarvis, to successfully launch a Mothers Day campaign with a memorial service to honor Ann and all women.

Annas seminal celebration featured her distribution of 500 white carnations, symbolizing the purity and enduring qualities of a mothers love. This was quickly seized upon by the floral, card and confection industries of the time and some of the rest of this history is evident all around us. Opposed to the exploitation of the occasion, Anna later campaigned to repudiate Mothers Day but was committed to a sanitarium for the last four years of her life, the costs, whether ironically or deliberately, paid for by the very industries shed opposed.

In Baltimore, the anti-war roots of this new national day were not forgotten as immediately. In 1919, following World War I, a public celebration of the now officially singular Mothers Day involved the planting of 51 trees in a memorial Grove Of Remembrance in Druid Hill Park one for each state plus Baltimore City, the U.S. Allies and the wartime President Woodrow Wilson. Its still there with new trees since added for our subsequent wars, the core message all but ignored.

Julia Howes 1870 Proclamation addressed her Christian world but embraced every woman everywhere. Her proposal was an incarnation of the ancient Golden Rule Treat others the same way you want others to treat you!

On this years Mothers Day, Sunday May 14, the original restored peace sailboat, the Golden Rule, will be docked in Philadelphia, The City of Brotherly Love. The Golden Rule is on a 15-month, 11,000-mile Great Loop voyage managed by its owners, the non-profit organization Veterans For Peace. It celebrated the 65th anniversary of its first 1958 effort to stop open-air nuclear bomb testing in the Marshall Islands here in Baltimore this past May 1. Officially welcomed and saluted by the Baltimore City Council and its president and the Havre de Grace City Council and mayor, it sails these days to continue raising awareness of our need to abolish these insane doomsday weapons of indiscriminate destruction.

Specifically, the Golden Rule Project advocates for non-partisan global endorsement of the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a treaty already ratified by 68 nations with 24 more in the pipeline. It has also been endorsed so far by 19 thoughtful members of the U.S. House of Representatives including Marylands Jamie Raskin and Glenn Ivey. Not a bad start, but nowhere near enough.

This Mothers Day, urge your member of Congress to endorse House Resolution 77 Embracing the Goals of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the Back From The Brink campaign. Make Mothers Day really mean something again!

If not now, when?

Louis Brendan Curran, Baltimore

The writer is a retired Baltimore assistant public defender.

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Mother's Day roots: the opposition to war | READER COMMENTARY - Baltimore Sun

Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., said during a Select Committee hearing on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that the United States needs to open its eyes to the risks posed by China.

Gallagher made the statement during Wednesday's hearing focusing on strategic competition between the United States and CCP.

"We need to take off the golden blindfolds and open our eyes to the risks in China," Gallagher said. "American businesses shouldn't be complicit in the CCP's ongoing genocide. An American capital should not fuel human rights abuses. Investment managers, especially U.S. pension and retirement fund stewards can't ignore their fiduciary duties."

"Just in the past few months, the CCP has increasingly criminalized routine due diligence, making a mockery of the system of transparent disclosures that undergirds our capital markets and undermined the rule of law," Gallagher said.

CALIFORNIA REP IN HEAVILY ASIAN-AMERICAN DISTRICT FIGHTS AGAINST CHINESE COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IN EDUCATION

Chairman Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., listens during a hearing of a special House committee dedicated to countering China, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Wednesday's hearing sought witness testimony from those who will outline the "pervasive scope of the CCPs economic espionage in the U.S."

The House China committee was approved in an overwhelming bipartisan vote in January to establish the Select Committee on China, which is designed to re-examine the country's strategic competition with China.

GOP, DEMOCRATS TEAM UP TO BLOCK CHINA FROM BUYING UP US FARMLAND

China's national flag is seen in front of cranes on a construction site at a commercial district in Beijing, China, January 26, 2016. (REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)

"We spent decades passing policies that welcomed China into the global system," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said in January. "In return, China has exported oppression, aggression and anti-Americanism. Today, the power of its military and economy are growing at the expense of freedom and democracy worldwide."

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., conducts a news conference in the U.S. Capitols Statuary Hall on Thursday, January 12, 2023. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

McCarthy said there's bipartisan consensus that the era of trusting "communist China" has ended.

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The House voted 365-65 to approve the creation of the committee.

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Rep. Gallagher says US needs to take off 'golden blindfolds' and 'open our eyes' to China risk - Fox News

Open Heaven 18 May 2023MEMORISE: And now abideth faith,hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 1 Corinthians 13:13 (KJV)BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

Read Other Open Heaven Devotional here

The Bible takes the subject of love so seriously that it is equated with the sum of all the commandments of God (Matthew 22:36-40). The Bible goes further to say that love is the fulfilment of the law (Romans 13:10). The use of the word Law in the Bible, is usually a reference to all the commandments and statutes recorded in the Old Testament. Now, the reality that God equates love to the whole of the Old Testament Bible is serious food for thought. The Bible in 1 Corinthians 13:1-2 says:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

The passage above speaks clearly about the importance of love and how children of God should rate it on the scale of spirituality. Here, God compared some special spiritual gifts of uncommon value to love. Speaking in the tongues of men and angels means the ability to speak in heavenly tongues as well as interpreting it in the language of men. The interpretation of tongues has always been a rare gift that is highly sought after in the body of Christ, yet anyone with this gift without having love is described as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal viewed by God as a mere noisemaker.

Furthermore, the Bible says if one should have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries and have all knowledge, with enough faith to do great miracles, without love, such a person would amount to nothing in the eyes of God. Love is the golden rule by which whatever gifts we exhibit and whatever services we offer to God are measured. Therefore, love is the ultimate commandment. Romans 13:10 says, Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. The service that pleases God is one from the heart, rendered in love. God is love. If you are born again, you have the capacity to manifest the agape love. It is a compulsory virtue in Christianity.

REFLECTION: To what extent does love manifest in your life and ministry?

Thank you for studying todays Open Heaven The Gift of Love written by Pastor Enoch Adeboye

Dont forget to Follow Elanhub on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

Open Heaven 18 May 2023

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Open Heaven 18 May 2023: The Gift of Love - ELANHUB MEDIA

The Fast & Furious franchise has evolved from street racing and basic heists to espionage. However, even as the stakes get higher and the threats get bigger, one thing has remained a constant: the theme of family. Dominic "Dom" Toretto frequently discusses family, whether he's referring to his crew, friends, or son.

RELATED: Fast & Furious: 10 Times The Heroes Couldn't Be Trusted

Dom's love of family has spawned many memes, but he isnt the only one who discusses family in the Fast & Furious franchise. Other characters also understand how much Dom respects his crew, which fans often see in their remarks.

LAPDs Sgt. Tanners words in the first Fast & Furious movie sum up the theme of family in the franchise. Some families are related by blood, but Dom's crew are together because they share a common goal.

When Tanner realizes that Brian has no interest in providing evidence against Dominic Toretto, he lays down the options. If he chooses to protect Dom, there will be consequences. However, if he does excellent undercover work, he will be rewarded. Brian decides to risk his career, proving himself as one of the bravest Fast & Furious characters.

Deckard Shaw might be Doms ally, but in his first appearances, his only agenda was to take Dom down for what he did to Owen. During one of their confrontations, Deckard Shaw boasts about how many friends he has, but Dom doesn't care.

RELATED: Fast & Furious: The 7 Best Rivals, Ranked

Dom's counter-argument is far stronger. Dom states that, unlike Deckard, his people are more loyal because they view each other as family. Shaw's associates might easily switch allegiances any minute because the only thing thats making them care about him is the Gods Eye program.

Thanks to wild stunts and a concrete plot, Fast Five is one of the best Fast & Furious films. The fifth installment marks the first time the whole crew gathers for a mission, and their teamwork pays off when they manage to steal $100 million from the Brazilian crime kingpin, Hernan Reyes.

After the mission, Dom gathers the crew for their usual celebration and reminds everyone that they will always have each others back. The remark doesnt hold much weight at the time, but as the franchise progresses, it becomes obvious that Dom really meant it.

Betrayal is never on Doms mind, but his team gets a real reason to worry after Cipher seemingly turns him against them in The Fate of the Furious. After he helps Cipher attack his own crew, Letty demands to know whether Dom has decided to go against his own principles.

Thankfully, The Fate of the Furious reveals that Dom is only doing it because Cipher has kidnapped his child. The revelation is proof that Dom will never leave his family behind. Even though his crew worries about him, there is a legitimate reason behind it all, which Dom later proves to them.

Dom is such a great leader because he tends to give his crew members a pass. Vince initially fears that Dom wont let him back in the crew because of his past actions, but Dom assures him that this isnt the case. To Dom, anyone who has contributed in the past will always be valuable.

RELATED: The 9 Most Disliked Fast & Furious Characters

Dom's words emphasize the importance of maintaining bonds. As long as someone is willing to admit their mistakes, he thinks he should always be willing to forgive. Regrettably, Vince later succumbs to gunshot wounds, which he gets while trying to rescue Luke Hobbs.

Luke Hobbs has been a major part of the Fast & Furious franchises success. In Furious 6, he gives the crew yet another reason to reunite when he tasks them with taking down former British SAS member Owen Shaw.

Hobbs knows how much the crew members value each other and has no doubt that they will jump at the opportunity of going on another mission together. He uses this to his advantage in a clever quote, but he also gives them an opportunity and promises them that he will get their previous crimes pardoned.

Dom never gives up on those he loves. As such, when Letty develops amnesia after working with Owen Shaw, he does his best to help her regain her memory. Since she doesn't know what is real and what is not, Dom comes up with a rather straightforward way to help her recall things.

In a moment that highlights both his concern and desperation, Dom tells Letty that anything else she is thinking about is not true. The only real thing in her life is him and her former colleagues, not Shaw and his crew. The remark is a long shot, but it helps bring some of her memories back.

Doms true love has always been Letty. However, the DSS agent, Elena Neves, was a good partner for Dom. Sadly, because of Lettys return, their relationship doesnt stand the test of time. The two cut ties in a heartbreaking scene when Elena points to her badge and declares that her work is her family.

RELATED: 10 Things That Make No Sense About Fast & Furious

While its sad to see Elena go, she makes a good point because she cant dedicate her life to being a member of Doms crew, especially because he is clearly in love with someone else. The only logical thing for her to do is to avoid him and focus on her work.

Each member of Doms crew has a reputation for being a daredevil. Before the mission to retrieve Gods Eye in Furious 7, Mr. Nobody reminds Dom that they need to exercise caution. The covert operative insists that he doesnt want to see any other member of Doms crew get hurt, which Dom takes to heart.

Mr. Nobodys comment about family references the beloved Han, who Deckard Shaw seemingly killed. However, the franchise would later throw in one of the biggest twists by revealing that Han was alive and had plotted with Mr. Nobody to fool everyone into thinking he was dead.

Deckard Shaw overshadowed his younger brother Owen in the Fast & Furious films. However, Owen was one of the best drivers in the Fast & Furious franchise and one of the most courageous characters. Owen met with Dom and threatened him, letting him know what he needs to do to prevent his family from getting harmed.

Dom isnt too impressed, so he reminds him about the golden rule of threats. Anything goes, but when someone threatens another persons family, there is usually no coming back from that. At that point, Owen feels that Doms words are pointless, but he later makes Dom pay.

NEXT: 9 Harsh Realities Of Being A Fast & Furious Fan

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10 Best Quotes About Family In The Fast & Furious Franchise - CBR - Comic Book Resources

The incredible growth in U.S. LNG export capacity over the past few years has been facilitated by a mostly predictable federal permitting process. It may sometimes be slower than developers like and leave them more open to pushback at the state and local level, but LNG export projects that enter the federal permitting process with both the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) are generally granted their authorizations and export licenses. And once they have them, theyve been able to hold onto them until now. Both FERC and the DOE had been granting extensions to these permits as their authorization windows were closing, meaning that projects that were authorized a decade ago and still not online have retained their authorizations and export licenses. But with a DOE rule change announced April 21, the era of repeatedly renewing authorizations appears to be over. The DOE is sending a clear message to LNG developers: Get your project across the finish line in a timely manner or get out of the way and make space for someone who can. In todays RBN blog, we take a closer look at the DOE rule change and its impact on LNG projects currently under development.

The policy in question here concerns the DOEs export licenses, which typically get a lot less press, public pushback and notice than the FERC environmental review and authorization process. Nonetheless, every project that plans to export U.S. natural gas as LNG meaning not only the projects in the U.S. but any project in Mexico or Canada that plans to source feedgas from the U.S. requires an export license from the DOE. The export licenses come in two varieties, one for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries and one for non-Free Trade Agreement (non-FTA) countries. Projects need both licenses to export competitively they are usually granted in that order (FTA first, then non-FTA) and both typically come after a project has already received its FERC authorization. All LNG export licenses contain a clause that essentially says the project has seven years to begin exporting or the license expires. The LNG terminal does not need to reach commercial operations in that seven-year window; the condition is satisfied with the first LNG cargo exported, and commissioning cargoes count.

This time frame was established during permitting for the U.S.s first LNG export facility, Sabine Pass, after some back and forth with Cheniere around a fair and realistic process. (For more on permitting for energy infrastructure, see Dont Pass Me By.) Every U.S. LNG terminal that is currently operational, including the still-commissioning Calcasieu Pass, has met the conditions of that clause without needing an extension, a fact noted by the DOE when it announced its new rule. That includes Calcasieu Pass, which has been able to achieve LNG exports during its seven-year window despite its construction happening during COVID, a reason frequently cited by projects seeking extension requests. In 2020, the DOE granted extensions to three LNG projects: the under-construction Golden Pass as well as pre-FID projects Lake Charles LNG and the Cameron expansion project. Golden Passs original export license would have expired April 25, 2024, and that was pushed back to September 30, 2025; however, Golden Pass is expected to begin commissioning later this year and it might not even need the extra time it was granted. In the policy change, the DOE reaffirmed that seven-year window and said it will no longer consider extensions unless the project is (1) already under construction and (2) can prove extenuating circumstances outside its control. While there are no specifics on what those extenuating circumstances could be, it certainly seems like saying COVID or bad markets isnt going to cut it anymore. If a project isnt eligible for an extension, it has to restart the DOE licensing process and get in line behind all the new projects in the queue.

At the time of this policy change there were four pending extension requests, which would be grandfathered into the old consideration metrics. With the most recent announcement the DOE also ruled on two of those: The under-construction Port Arthur project was granted an extension from May 2, 2026, to June 18, 2028, but Lake Charles LNG was denied a second extension of its authorization window. The projects original non-FTA export license was granted in 2013, but with its previously granted extension it has until December 16, 2025, to begin exporting. The unprecedented second extension request was cited by the DOE as grounds for the denial. Of course, given the project is not under construction it would be impossible to make that window. The project's developer, Energy Transfer, has said it plans to appeal the decision, but if Lake Charles is to move forward it will need to win that appeal or a new export license. The other two extensions still under consideration are for Magnolia LNG and Pierdae LNG in Canada. The DOE will consider these extensions under the previous policy, so they may still be granted. Magnolia has requested a 29-month extension until April 15, 2026, and Pierdae until February 5, 2028. However, neither of these projects are remotely likely to move forward in the near future and subsequent extensions would be subject to the same rule change.

There are currently five LNG projects under construction and on the clock to keep their DOE export license, with four in the U.S. Golden Pass, Plaquemines LNG, Corpus Christi Stage III and Port Arthur LNG along with ECA LNG in Mexico. As we mentioned above, Golden Pass already has an extension, which it may not even need, and Port Arthur was already granted an extension to 2028. As you can see from Figure 1 below, none of these projects is likely to need an extension absent some significant extenuating circumstances. (Remember that the window is satisfied with the first LNG export, which can come well before commercial operations.)

Figure 1. Export Licenses for FID/Under Construction LNG Terminals. Sources: DOE, RBN

The policy shift will be felt most by the projects not yet under construction. Lake Charles is the first project that the DOE did not grant an extension for, but likely not the last, as older projects will soon reach the point where they too will need an extension. Of the potential LNG projects we track in our LNG Voyager Quarterly report, there are 14 that already have their DOE export license but have not yet taken FID (see Figure 2). As we noted earlier, the two projects with the nearest license expiry (Pierdae and Magnolia) were grandfathered in under the old policy review, but the other projects will see their export licenses expire as soon as 2024 and no later than 2028. Construction times for LNG vary greatly depending on the technology being used, whether a project is using large trains (Port Arthur, Golden Pass, etc.), mid-scale modular technology (all the Venture Global projects, Corpus Christi Stage III) or floating LNG (FLNG; Delfin and Altamira).

Figure 2. Export license status for Pre-FID LNG projects. Sources: DOE, RBN

* Projects have extensions currently under review by the DOE under the previous policy.

All of the projects on this list have at least a moderate risk of needing an extension. For the projects whose licenses expire in 2026 or before, with the exception of Cameron Phase 2, that risk is very high considering theyd likely need to be under construction by now to make that window. For the two nearest expiries not currently under review for extension Delfin and MPL they just about certainly will need an extension. The latest estimates from both developers are for 2026 startups, or after their authorizations are set to expire. Starting construction without a valid license would be a huge risk around what the DOE would accept as extenuating circumstances under the new policy, meaning that these projects may decide to reapply for export license and open themselves up to further regulatory scrutiny. That would require them to get in line behind the six LNG projects with export licenses currently under review and other potential projects that have yet to file. Venture Globals Delta LNG as well as Chenieres two newest projects, Corpus Christi 8 & 9 and the Sabine Pass expansion, all have yet to file for export licenses. But thats perhaps the DOEs point, these projects have had their shot and maybe its time for newer, faster, greener projects to get their chance.

Life in the Fast Lane was written by Joe Walsh, Glenn Frey and Don Henley. It appears as the third song on side one of The Eagles fifth studio album, Hotel California. The song was based on a guitar riff from Joe Walsh, with the title idea coming from Glenn Frey after a scary high-speed drive with an associate on a freeway in Los Angeles. Frey and Don Henley collaborated on the lyrics. Life in the Fast Lane was the third single from Hotel California, released in May 1977. It went to #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. Personnel on the record were: Don Henley (lead vocals, drums), Joe Walsh (lead guitar, rhythm guitar), Glenn Frey (Clavinet, backing vocals), Don Felder (lead guitar, rhythm guitar) and Randy Meisner (bass, backing vocals).

Hotel California was recorded between March and October 1976 at Criteria Studios in Miami and Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles, with Bill Szymczyk producing. Released in December 1976, the album went to #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. It has been certified 26x Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.

The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. They have released seven studio albums, two live albums, 10 compilation albums and 32 singles. The band has won five American Music Awards and six Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. In 2016, The Eagles were recipients of Kennedy Center Honors. Nine members have passed through the ranks of The Eagles since its formation, with Don Henley being the only original member still in the band. Founding member Glenn Frey passed away in 2016. The band still records and tours and recently completed its Hotel California tour.

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Life in the Fast Lane - New DOE Rule Changes Push LNG Projects ... - RBN Energy

Dont Say That Word- Days After Golden Advice From Wrexhams Ryan Reynolds, NFL Icon JJ Watt Reminds Wife of Unspoken Rule After Burnley Investment  EssentiallySports

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Backpacking is hard work, but its also supposed to be fun (even if its of the Type II variety). When youre deep in the mountains with dozens of miles between you and the nearest town, the last thing you need is a bad nights sleep. Proper rest is crucial to your strength and spirit.

It took me forever to get comfortable sleeping outside. Partly it was the rocks and roots under my back, and partly it was the sheer weirdness of sleeping outside the protective embrace of walls and roof for the first time. But I got over it in the end, and now I can rest as easily on the trail as I would in my own bed. In fact, since getting into backpacking and thru-hiking, I now sleep better on and off the trail than I ever have in my life.

In this article, Ill outline the habits and tricks I use to overcome anxiety, aches, and adverse conditions for a peaceful night of sleep. This advice is backcountry-specific, but many of these suggestions are transferable to off-trail life as well.

First of all, feeling out of sorts the first few times you sleep outside is completely normal. If youve never done it before, it will take time to adjust. And even seasoned hikers get into a funk every now and then.

On trail, as in regular life, insomnia is often largely a mental game. Self-reproach isnt a very restful emotion, so rather than beating yourself up about not sleeping enough, accept that the occasional rough night is an inevitable feature of trail life. By anticipating the likelihood of difficult sleep, you can plan ahead and take steps to mitigate it.

Sleeping outside can be unnerving. Most of us were fortunate enough to grow up with a roof over our heads at night and a locked door between us and the world. When you swap those sheltering walls for the dubious protection of a flimsy silnylon tent, you might suddenly become aware of how puny and vulnerable you really are.

Take some time to unpack the anxieties that keep you up at nightby understanding them, you can start to dispel them.

Are you afraid of bears? Remind yourself that black bears generally arent aggressive and would much rather pilfer your snacks than harm you. Is it the threat posed by other humans that keeps you up at night? People can be dangerous, true, but crime rates are statistically much lower on trails than in cities.

Another common backcountry fear is simply of the wild itselfof getting lost or hurt or generally just not being prepared for everything nature can throw at you. This is one of those trepidations that gets better with time and familiarity with the outdoors. So again, go back to square one: give yourself time.

A little preparedness goes a long way.

The chances of you running afoul of a two- or four-legged creature while in your tent are slim, but its still a legit fear. Arm yourself with your long poky sticks for whatever theyre worth, and keep your GPS device (inReach, Spot, etc.) handy in case you need to call for help. Feeling like youre prepared to deal with hairy situations can go a long way toward easing your anxiety.

And make sure you have spare batteries for your headlamp. A little light is very reassuring on a dark night, and youll feel even better knowing you dont have to worry about your battery running out and plunging you into literal and, potentially, metaphorical darkness.

Getting out of bed to pee is fairly uncomfortable on a backpacking trip, especially if its cold or rainy. The struggle of extracting yourself from your cozy bag and going out into the elements is enough to wake anyone up, and if youre already worried about what might be lying in wait out there for you, its even worse.

Save yourself the struggle and get a pee bottle so you dont have to leave the comfort of your tent. It might sound gross now, but everyone does it. And once youve experienced the magic for yourself, youll never look back. Pro-tip: a splash of strong peppermint soap will keep the bottle smelling fresh day after day.

If anxiety is keeping you awake, dont just lay there listening to ominous rustling sounds outside your tent and picturing your impending doom. A good book or enthralling podcast is a great way to take your mind off things. Even if distracting yourself with media keeps you awake for the immediate future, it will help you get over your nerves for better sleep in the long run.

Even in the civilized world, the conventional wisdom for insomniacs is to get up and do something rather than remain in bed stewing over your sleeplessness. If books and music dont do it for you, do a little stretching or spend some time patching that snag in your base layer that youve been putting off fixing. When you start to feel drowsy, put your project aside and try again to sleep.

What does the fox say? From my tent, its peculiar cry sounds a lot like, Im a psycho sneeze monster, and Im coming to dismember you in your tent while giggling insanely. HEE! HEE!

In the dark forest, an adorable chipmunk scampering through the leaves sounds like a charging bear. An actual bear sounds like a truck crashing through the undergrowth. And those goddamn foxes, of course, sound like 1545 minutes of anxiety and lost sleep as I game out various Kelly-vs.-Slylock Ultimate Showdown scenarios in my minds eye. (I dont love my odds, but at least Ive got those trekking poles, eh?)

So anyway, while Im generally a big advocate for situational awareness, sometimes you just have to cut out the eerie night sounds to get your snooze on. Earplugs do the job, or you can play soft yoga music through headphones (but this uses a lot of battery).

Earplugs also come in handy for cutting out 0ther unwanted noise, like a snoring sheltermate or a chorus of spring peepers (if you know, you know). I never leave home without a pair tucked into my first aid kit.

Sometimes the zs wont come because youre too cold and drafty to get comfortable. Pay attention to your sleeping bag temperature rating in particular: many bags, especially mens and unisex bags, are rated to the temperature at which an average warm sleeper can maintain thermal equilibrium while curled up to conserve warmthwhich isnt the same thing as sleeping comfy and cozy.

Try investing in a bag with a more conservative temperature rating and/or a sleeping pad with a higher R-value. Closed-cell foam pads typically only have an R-value of 2, while inflatable pads can have R-values as high as 7. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm NXT is the warmest pad on the market with an R-value of 7.3.

If you dont want to shell out for a complete sleep system overhaul, you can modify your existing setup by adding a sleeping bag liner and/or a 1/8-inch supplemental foam pad.

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Beyond just upgrading your gear, you can employ the following tricks to boost your warmth overnight:

On the opposite end of the spectrum, many people get poor sleep because they overheat at night. This can be tricky to deal with, especially if you suffer from hot flashes or full-on night sweats, to which theres no easy or perfect solution. But the following tricks can help you to mitigate the Im-too-hot issue.

Some hikers carry sleep supplements like melatonin or valerian root to help conk them outjust make sure to repackage them into a ziplock bag to save pack space. Also, our intrepid leader, Zach, says hes had good results with magnesium l-threonate supplements.

Meanwhile, if aches and pains are keeping you up at night, dont underestimate the power of good old Tylenol PM to knock you out. This obviously isnt a long-term sleep solution, but when your body is killing you and you really need a full complement of zs, its good to have a few Tylenol PMs on hand.

Photo: Madison Dragna

Stretching before bedtime is a useful nightly routine for footsore long-distance hikers. Besides keeping your muscles happy so you can avoid injury, stretching is a great way to improve your nights sleep.

You can ease your discomfort by stretching out tense muscles and doing a little self-massage before hitting the sack. The physical tension release is invaluable. Its also sort of meditative, a gentle transition phase during which you can downshift into snooze mode.

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If youre using a foam sleeping pad and struggling to get good sleep on trail, table every other piece of advice on this list and go try an inflatable sleeping pad first. Closed-cell foam pads have many virtues, but comfort isnt one of them. Some hikers can make it work; others cant. Inflatable pads offer more cushioning and keep you from feeling every rock and root under your tent.

One of the greatest things about inflatable sleeping pads is that you can control the level of firmness. I struggled for months with a sore lower back in my tent before I realized I was overinflating my sleeping pad. Try adjusting the inflation level to see if a firmer or softer mattress works better for you.

Im a fan of the good old clothes-in-stuff-sack technique myself, but many thru-hikers swear by a proper pillow in the backcountry. The Sea to Summit Aeros inflatable pillow and its ilk are among the most popular luxury items in thru-hikers backpacks. Its a small investment of money and weight that can pay huge dividends in terms of your nightly comfortso why not?

On that note, dont be afraid to experiment with your pillow configuration. I actually find my improvised stuff-sack pillow more comfortable than the inflatable type because I can control the size and shape. Get creative and consider all of your vaguely soft gear as a possible pillow candidate: when not in use, my rain fly in its little stuff sack is also a killer pillow, as is the removable brain on one of my larger packs with my puffy stuffed inside it.

Some hikers find hammocks easier on their backs: suspended above the ground, hard earth and rocks and roots are a non-issue. Youll have to work a bit harder to stay warm and find a viable sleeping position, but theres a reason the hammock lifestyle has such a passionate following.

One caveat: hammocks really are not the best choice if youre a side sleeper, and theyre a hard pass if you like to sleep on your stomach.

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Hiking takes a lot of energy! I think the biggest reason I now sleep so soundly in my tent is that Im so dadburn tired by the end of each day. Many thru-hikers find that sheer physical exhaustion is the best treatment for backcountry insomnia; if youre having a hard time sleeping and nothing else is working, maybe you need to push a little harder each day to ensure youre primed for sleep.

Common sense and body awareness are obviously key to this strategy. You want to strike a balance between wearing yourself out and not injuring/emaciating yourself (and hiking the hike that YOU want, which might include shorter days). So yeah, make your own call here, but just know that the physical demands of a 20-plus-mile day often trump sore muscles and anxious thoughts on a thru-hike.

Long-distance hiking is exhausting. The sheer fatigue of trekking long miles through the mountains each day is often enough to overcome your worries and physical discomforts, bringing sleep in an instant. But it doesnt always work that way. When sleep is slow to come, try these techniques to get your Circadian rhythm back on track.

But above all, be patient with yourself. Bad nights of sleep can and do happen, even on trail, and stressing about it isnt going to make it better. Get as much rest as you can overnight and follow the golden rule during daylight hours (Never Resist a Nap).

Featured image: Graphic design by Zack Goldmann.

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14 Handy Tricks To Get Better Sleep While Backpacking - The Trek