Whether youre looking for a keyboard with every feature under the sun, ergonomics to cure wrist pain or something to use for work and play theres a keyboard for everyone

The keyboard of a computing setup is one of the essential components. It is the primary input method for every word you type, but millions of us just use whichever one is lying around or the one thats built into the base of the laptop we could afford.

More thought can and should be put into which keyboard youre using because theres a dizzying range of options. If you dont want to be bent over your laptop as you work from home, then you can elevate it to head height and attach an external keyboard.

If you use a desktop computer already you may think that the keyboard you have is perfectly adequate. But how fast can you type on it, and do you get wrist pain after a long working day? Does it have a number pad and media controls? Do the wires annoy you?

Well be the first to admit that there are far too many keyboards out there but there really is one for everyone and were firm believers that most people wont appreciate how much positive difference a change in keyboard can make to your comfort and productivity.

Here are our picks of the five best keyboards you can buy to improve your work, play, and comfort.

Buy it via Amazon or the Logitech website.

$229.95 / NZ$249.99

It aint cheap but its one of the best wireless keyboards available right now. The design of the keys means they have a decent amount of travel and a satisfying feedback. Each key also has a spherical indent to match your fingertips. Bear in mind its quite flat, and theres no tilt adjustment.

The unit is incredibly solid with its metal frame and its comfortable to type at for hours despite not having an ergonomic shape. We love the proximity sensor that lights the keys up when your hands approach them, and the board can be used with Windows or Mac thanks to its flexible key layout and labelling.

But its the software trickery thats the secret trick of the MX Keys. When paired with the MX Master 3 mouse, you can astoundingly move the cursor from a PC to a Mac. It works very well, and you can even click and drag items from one OS to another.

Buy it via Amazon or the Microsoft Store.

$99.95 / NZ$109.95

This Microsoft ergonomic wired keyboard will help with wrist pain in a design that could offset injury but might disrupt your typing flow at first as you relearn the spacing. The split keyboard is at a good angle and distance, and after a bit of relearning you should be typing up to speed.

The included palm rest is a god send combined with your newly tilted wrists you should hopefully experience less wrist fatigue after typing all day. Its tilt adjustable and despite not being a mechanical keyboard offers a great combination of key travel and comfort in a board thats not too loud.

Its USB-A so if you have a modern laptop with fewer ports you might need to buy a USB-C adapter. There are also handy Windows shortcut keys for Office, emojis and even screen grab tools. You can customise these keys and features with Microsofts Mouse and Keyboard Center app.

If youre strapped for cash then the incredibly good value Microsoft Wired Keyboard 600 is only thirty bucks but lacks the ergonomic design.

Buy it via Amazon or Apple.

$149 / NZ$149

If youre a Mac user and still have an older keyboard or you want to connect your MacBook up to a monitor, then Apple offers its wireless Magic Keyboard if you want to keep things first-party. Its a divisive keyboard, but we like it for its sleek design, simplicity, and good typing feel.

Its divisive because the travel of the keys a long way from the satisfying thunk of a mechanical keyboard but if you prefer low travel and dont mind a clicky sound then youll be able to get up to a decent typing speed. It has all the media and macOS control keys you get on a Mac, charges via the included Lightning cable and lasts at least a month of use on a charge when used wirelessly, if not more.

A longer version with a numeric keypad costs an additional $30 but we prefer the smaller version for its compact design and the ability to chuck it in unnoticed in a bag if you hot desk.

Buy it via Amazon or Mwave.

$249 / NZ$289

Things can get intimidating and complicated if youre after a mechanical keyboard, so put simply: the best mechanical keyboard weve used is the Corsair K70 MK2. If you dont mind the gaming aesthetic, or indeed are after a keyboard for work and play, then this is the one wed recommend. Its low 29mm profile is excellent when combined with the included detachable palm rest.

Paired with the choice of quieter Cherry MX Silent keys (others are available so check before you buy), the K70 has a lovely feel to it with long travel but relatively muted feedback for a mechanical. If you hate hyping on clicky keys with low travel and like to feel each word as you type, then its a great fit.

After hours its also a gaming keyboard with included different texture keys and highly customisable RGB lighting, plus two USB-A plugs for input and passthrough. Youre paying a premium for all those extras though. If you want to pay less, then you can shop around for something else that uses the Cherry MX Silent keys.

A much cheaper alternative is Kogans Full RGB mechanical keyboard with a choice of three switch types.

Buy it via the Razer Store or Amazon.

$169.95 / NZ$179.95

Another mechanical alternative is this work-focused wired keyboard from Razer so doesnt have RGB lighting. It is suitable for gaming, but in a subtler, smaller, and cheaper package than the Corsair.

Its Razer Orange switches good if you prefer a louder, clackier sound but it comes with O-ring for you to individually dampen key sound if you want though taking each key off with a tool and adding a ring is a bit of a chore.

We found we could get up to a decent speed on the BlackWidow and its a particularly good looking keyboard though it has quite a high profile so you may need to get a wrist rest.

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Read more:
The best keyboards: Ergonomic and productive home office options - PC World

Lockdown has been hard for rodents whose fortunes are tied to those of humans. When restaurants closed, and city streets and back alleys emptied of people and their waste, rats lost a plentiful supply of food. So they followed us home, foraging and breeding in our gardens, drains and household voids. They became more brazen and aggressive. And, when that wasnt enough, they began to eat each other.

Cannibal rats are among the grimmest consequences of the upending of urban life. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have warned of unusual or aggressive behaviour in rats, including the eating of rat pups.

This probably shouldnt come as a surprise, given that cannibalism is common among mammals in extremis. Mothers will eat their young in the hope of one day being able to reproduce again, says Steve Belmain, a professor of ecology at the Natural Resources Institute in Kent, and the UKs leading rat academic. If theres not enough food to take care of herself, she wont kill herself looking after them.

Bill Lane-Petter, a pre-eminent postwar rodent expert and lab rat specialist, observed in 1968 that malnutrition in rodents can produce a perversion in the dam, or mother. This will lead her, as well as other adult or growing animals in the cage, to devour carcasses, and even to attack and kill the young in order to eat them.

Even more horrifyingly to human ears, cannibalism, Lane-Petter went on, may develop as a vice. Whisker-eating in mice is not uncommon; it can go on to ear- or toe-chewing, and, from there to total cannibalism.

Cannibalism aside, Britains pest control firms have reported a surge in demand. Rentokil has noted an almost 80% increase in visits to its website compared with this time last year. The company said the warm winter kept rat populations high, adding to the pressure on the animals. Meanwhile, our homes are offering richer pickings because we are eating in and gardening more.

Weve noticed more activity around compost bins, as people in lockdown are composting far more, says Paul Bates of Cleankill, a Croydon firm whose domestic rat call-outs are up 20% compared with last year. With daily replenishment and no limit on consumption, an unsecured vegetable waste bin is a Pizza Hut salad buffet for a rat.

Bates says rats have become bolder in attempting to enter our homes, competing with the mice that are our more common housemates. Rats crawl up drains and gnaw through plastic piping. They can swim into toilet bowls. Demand is high for rat flaps spiked one-way gates for waste pipes that stop rats coming in while letting, well, stuff flow out.

Customers have all commented on how much braver and more brazen the rats have become, says Nick Woodroffe of Peak Pest Control in Derbyshire, where homebound rats are missing the detritus of tourism in Bakewell and Buxton.

Mike Flynn, the boss of Alpha Pest Control in Stoke-on-Trent, remembers a recent call to a house where the father had seen a rat going from the upstairs landing into a toddlers bedroom. Hed searched the room for the animals hiding place without success. We arrived and did probably the same search, but no one had thought to look in the cot, Flynn says. I remember picking up the pillow and being just as horrified as the rat that stared back at me. A chase ensued and a decisive blow to the head.

Belmain is receiving dozens of emails from homeowners with rat problems. Some have cats that are catching more rats as the urban food chain shifts. Flynn says cats often seen as free pest control dont always help. Rats love catflaps. And cats that enjoy catching and toying with rats can give them a lift indoors, where those with non-lethal injuries can recover to make a new home. Flynn recommends flaps unlocked by smart cat collars that are also equipped with bells to scare off would-be prey.

The feeding of any animals in gardens, including foxes and birds, is an invitation to rodent intruders. Decking creates a lovely home for garden rats, while chicken coops are rat Disneyland. Flynn, who used to advise the government on infestations in food stockpiles, was once called out to a commercial chicken house containing 16,000 free-range birds. There were more than 3,000 rats living in it, gorging on guano.

Cleankill was recently called out to a garage where a motor home was being stored. Rats were swarming in the engine compartment and eating the fabric that covered the seats in which they had nested. The firm was able to evict the squatters before they moved on to the house.

Hungry rats are more likely to be aggressive. In 2016, a councillor in Cork said an elderly man had told him he had been bitten on the backside by a rat while using his loo after local flooding. I would advise homeowners to keep their toilet seats down when not in use, and to watch their posteriors, Noel Collins told the citys Evening Echo.

Flynn was once called out to a museum on a routine visit, where he learned that the night security guard had taken to feeding rats. He got them to come closer and closer to his office using bits of his dinner, Flynn recalls. He managed to entice one inside. It promptly attacked him and bit him. He needed hospital treatment for his wound.

Belmain fell into the rat field by accident. He was an insect guy before work in rural areas in developing countries left him fascinated by the scale of rodent infestations, rat behaviour and the relationship between humans and rats. You have to be part natural scientist and part anthropologist to understand rats, he says.

Rats are basically just squirrels with bald tails. One gets all the nice stuff; the other is vilified

Rat research was much bigger after the second world war, during a quest for an effective poison. Rats have evolved to be wary of unfamiliar food, and had learned to stop eating poisons that made them immediately ill before they received a lethal dose. Scientists then discovered that anticoagulants worked better because they took days to thin the blood, causing internal organs to haemorrhage. Hapless rats would come back for more.

Warfarin-based rat poison, the development of which gave rise to treatment for blood clots and strokes in humans, remains the standard for councils and pest controllers. Part of Belmains work, mainly still in developing countries, is now to consider the less desirable effects of poisoning on the food chain, including in birds of prey.

He also researches the bubonic plague and the age-old role of rats as disease carriers. Were taught to be fearful of them; its ingrained in our culture, he says. Its perhaps no surprise that reports of marauding, bottom-biting cannibal rats strike fear into the heart during a global health crisis. The first sign of a pandemic in Albert Camus 1947 novel La Peste (The Plague), sales of which have been healthy in lockdown, is a swarming of rats from the sewers.

Yet other rodents can do more damage in the home. Grey squirrels, which are often found in loft space, can chomp through wires and insulation, and contaminate water tanks. And yes, theyll also eat each other if they need to. Rats are just squirrels with bald tails, says Paul Gowland of Cobra North East, a pest control company in Sunderland. One gets all the nice stuff; the other is vilified.

Rats can breed at an astonishing rate when times become less lean. They can conceive as soon as they give birth, and then deliver the next litter while still weaning the first. Young rats start to reproduce after two or three months. The population has declined in the past few months but as soon as the restaurants reopen, I think theyll find their old habitats again, Belmain says. Theyll get back to normal, probably, before we do.

Excerpt from:
Summer of the cannibal rats! Hungry, aggressive, highly fertile and coming to our homes - The Guardian

The Little Book of Bonsai: An Easy Guide to Caring for Your Bonsai Tree by Jonas Dupuich ($14.99, Ten Speed Press): The book is small in size, but it is packed with fascinating and practical information about these unique trees, which are attracting attention among beginner gardeners searching for alternatives to small-scale succulents as well as ways to bring a sense of tranquility to their homes, inside and out.

The award-winning bonsai experts passion for the ancient but evolving living art form is clear from the first page as he tells his story of becoming hooked and wanting to help readers keep their trees healthy and beautiful.

Dupuich describes the development and distinctions of bonsai, and how styles are based on the character of the trunk, roots and branches of a variety of different species.

The chapter on how to nurture bonsai is very clearly written with information about critical elements of care watering, fertilizing and controlling pests.

The largest portion of the guide covers tools and techniques. Dupuich details methods for pruning, wiring and styling, the elements to sculpt small, wild pines, junipers and other familiar trees into artistic, natural forms.

Excellent photographs by David Fenton complement the prose throughout the 112-page, hardcover book and help the reader comprehend the complicated process of caring for intricate, miniature representations of nature.

The last chapter provides the bonsai enthusiast with starting points that can help you deepen your understanding of bonsai, build your skills or get help with your trees, writes Dupuich, who founded the informative Bonsai Tonight website. He ends with suggestions for viewing bonsai around the world as well as further reading and other resources to fulfill your passion.

-- Sally Peterson

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The Little Book of Bonsai: Peaceful plants that are better than succulents - oregonlive.com

If anyone knows about buying and selling houses, its Bob Fraser.

As senior partner with Aberdein Considine, hes dealt with thousands of homes of all shapes and sizes over the years he puts it at a ballpark figure of 20,000.

But theres one property on the market which hes keeping a closer-than-usual eye on Number 74 Hamilton Place in Aberdeen.

Thats because for the last 16 years, he and his wife Annie have called this elegant A-listed, semi-detached property, home

With their daughter Rebecca now living in Spain, and about to give birth to their first grandson, theyve decided the time is right to downsize and let another family experience life in this substantial home, built around 1885.

When your job is dealing with dozens of properties on a daily basis, there has to be something special about a house which makes you want to buy it yourself

So what was it about this one that made Bob and Annie put in an offer for it?

Hamilton Place is in three different sections and Ive always liked the middle section, said Bob, 60.

My parents used to stay about 500 yards away from here so Ive known this area since my school days.

As a street I think it is a lovely example of, and one of the nicest granite streets in Aberdeen.

Aberdeen is often referred to as The Granite City thanks to the sparkling granite extracted from Rubislaw Quarry and the beautiful granite buildings and private houses built by superbly skilled craftsmen.

Number 74 was designed by architects Pirie & Clyne, who were commissioned by John Morgan who was the pre-eminent granite builder of the era to build the house, said Bob.

It has a spectacular frontage in pink and grey granite while the double-height semi-circular bow windows make it look as elegant and stylish today as it as they would have done in the Victorian era.

When we bought it it needed a little TLC and upgrading, but what we didnt want to do was change any of the traditional features which we really liked, just add some more modern comforts.

Sympathetically resorted and in mint condition throughout, the house, which is on the market at offers over 665,000, is elegant and stylish, with large bright rooms tastefully decorated with quality fabrics and soft furnishings to make it a warm and welcoming space.

Its packed with original features such as the mosaic floor tiles and stained glass door in the entrance hall.

While the stained glass in the hall is original, we commissioned a local lady to make matching stained glass panels for the door into the kitchen and for the bathroom upstairs, said Bob.

Theres a sweeping wooden staircase, ornate plasterwork and cornicing, gorgeous fireplaces, and spacious, bright rooms and at the heart of the house, a superb kitchen.

We both like to cook and entertain and have had some great times here over the years, said Bob.

The large dining kitchen has a bespoke Clive Christian-style units including a matching oak island, marble worktops and oak hanging pan/utensil rack, while Miele appliances ensure those who like to entertain have everything they need to hand.

The six-burner free-standing Wolf range may be included by separate negotiation.

The spacious dining room, decorated in a deep, vibrant shade of red is ideal for casual and formal dining.

It overlooks the rear garden and has an open coal fire with traditional surround one can imagine how perfect this would be at Christmas time!

Off the kitchen theres a comfortable family/ garden/TV room with a bespoke built in home cinema wall unit in oak with burred oak doors and wiring for surround sound.

During lockdown the house came into its own the home cinema has been great, while the walled garden and patio areas have been perfect places to spend some time, said Bob.

Moving upstairs, theres a mezzanine level with a guest bedroom and a family bathroom beautifully tiled with Italian ceramic tiles and a three piece suite in white with separate shower cubicle.

Accommodation on the first floor includes an elegant master bedroom with a beautiful semi-circular bow window enjoying open views to the south and a bespoke hand painted fitted wardrobe with matching bedside cabinets.

Adjacent to this is a luxurious master shower room with bespoke oak units and marble worktops and a four-piece white suite and a further bedroom, currently used as a study.

On the second floor theres a south-facing double bedroom enjoying panoramic views to the south over the city; a large bathroom with three-piece white suite and a box room with attic window.

Outside, the front garden is fully enclosed by dwarf granite walls and traditional railings and full of lovely roses bushes.

The back garden is a peaceful haven ideal for youngters and pets.

It has two paved terraces, ideal for al fresco dinning,while a glazed summer house ensures year round use.

To the side theres a single garage, while attached to the gable is a storage area, wine cellar and a separate cellar housing the modern central heating boiler and water tank.

It really has been a lovely home and I think one of the things Ill miss most abut it is the location, said Bob.

Its a beautiful street when the cherry blossom is out in the Spring, while the location means I can walk to work in the city, but its also no distance by car to the new by-pass.

So for them, its time to say goodbye to the house theyve loved for so many years and hello to house number 20,001, a revamped 70s-style bungalow theyve bought near Torphins.

Contact: Aberdein Considine onhttps://www.acandco.comor 01224 589589.

See the rest here:
VIDEO: Take a virtual tour around this 665000 A-listed Aberdeen house - Press and Journal

Issued on: 29/06/2020 - 22:46

Guwahati (India) (AFP)

More than a million people have been affected by flooding in northeastern India, where the death toll over the past week rose to 13, authorities said on Monday.

Flooding is an annual phenomenon in India's northeast, claiming hundreds of lives each year.

"The flood situation is grim in Assam. More than a million people have been hit by this year's" rising waters, Assam Disaster Management Authority's state project coordinator, Pankaj Chakravarty, told AFP.

The state was first hit in mid-May when pre-monsoon rains arrived, causing floods that killed 11 people. Another 20 died in landslides caused by days of incessant downpours.

The floodwaters receded after a few weeks, only to rise again on June 22 at the start of the annual monsoon season.

Almost 29,000 people, mostly in rural regions, have been evacuated from their homes and brought to relief camps, officials said.

About 70 percent of Assam's World Heritage-listed Kaziranga National Park -- home to two-thirds of the world's remaining one-horned rhinos -- was submerged by the floods.

Park director P. Sivakumar said three hog deer died when they were hit by vehicles while trying to escape the inundation.

"With the water level rising, the animals are rushing to higher areas. Many of these animals cross the highway," Sivakumar told AFP.

The monsoon is crucial to replenishing water supplies in South Asia, but also causes widespread death and destruction across the region each year.

2020 AFP

Read the original here:
More than a million hit by India monsoon floods - RFI

Q. Hi Honk: My family was driving along the I-5 Freeway near the Ortega Highway off-ramp in San Juan Capistrano and noticed some nets below what must be power lines. Hoping you can tell us what they are for. My sons guess was to catch birds that arent so lucky landing on live wires. Yikes!

Alison Cox, Aliso Viejo

A. Good tidings for your son, Alison and all of the other bird lovers.

San Diego Gas & Electric was replacing electrical wiring over the freeway there, spokeswoman Denice Menard said. The project is to reduce the chance of electrial outages and to improve the grid.

The netting is put into place to prevent wires from potentially falling onto the road while construction work is taking place, she told Honk in an email.

The netting was up for, roughly, the month of May before being tucked away.

The netting is no longer over the freeway, she said. It is tied back to the poles on the side of the freeway and will be deployed again in the fall when we are ready to finish stringing activities.

Netting is often used by SDG&E when putting up wires over freeways and roadways, Menard said.

Q. Honk, below are a few of the practice questions on the Department of Motor Vehicles website. The answers dont match the questions. Am I missing something?

Bruce Welch, Northridge

A. Just the right landing spot, Bruce.

You stumbled onto some business website meant to somewhat mimic the DMVs site. It is real easy to get onto the wrong website, because some sites make their addresses close to the real thing.

Honk didnt include those questions in your query here we dont want to confuse the masses, right?

For legit sample tests, go to dmv.ca.gov and in the search tool in the upper-right corner type in practice knowledge tests.

A couple of years ago, the DMV went from calling them written tests to knowledge tests, for whatever bureaucratic reason.

Anyway, you will then get five 10-question tests for a Class C license, the type needed to drive a car or a pickup. There are sample tests, too, for commercial drivers and motorcyclists.

You can see how you did. Kinda fun.

Honkin reminder: Because those in Honkland are the smartest (and best-looking) folk anywhere, if you have a pressing question it is likely that another Honkland resident has asked it and the wizard-like Honk has answered it.

Generally he has time to only answer questions that make it into the column. If he didnt tackle a question you sent in, or your curiosity is working overtime, try looking online at ocregister.com/tag/honk for past columns, or try Googling honk and ocregister and the key words.

To ask Honk questions, reach him at honk@ocregister.com. He only answers those that are published. To see Honk online: ocregister.com/tag/honk. Twitter: @OCRegisterHonk

Original post:
Nets over 5 Freeway arent to catch birds that land on live wires - OCRegister

Fantastic penthouse w/ stunning view of Shaw Park & the Clayton skyline! 3783 sq ft, 4 bedroom suites, 4 baths, dining room, family room, living room, media room, study, laundry room, service entry & hall w/ access to kitchen, elevator opens to penthouse foyer from garage & secure main lobby, 3 garage spaces, & storage unit. 10' ceilings, 8' doors, extensive molding, casework, crown molding, & recessed speakers & lights throughout, 4 terraces, 5 fireplaces located in family room, master suite, living room, study, & terrace. Center island kitchen w/ granite, custom cabinetry maximizes storage, Bosch dishwasher, instant hot/cold water dispenser, Subzero refrigerator & freezer drawers, Wolf 4 burner gas stove w/ griddle, Wolf wall oven, & Subzero side by side. Master suite w/ 10' tray ceiling, wet bar w/ refrigeration, private terrace. Master bath w/ heated marble floors, spa tub for 2, multi-head steam shower, adjoins dressing room w/ center island shelving & custom built-in organizers.

View Listing

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Big Homes Just Listed in the St. Louis Area - Ravalli Republic

For many animal rescuers and rehabilitators, the pandemic has brought a new set of challenges.

Miranda Altice

June 12, 2020

Find more of our Covid-19 coverage.

Despair and heartbreak are two words to describe how the volunteers felt when Olly Pitt, general manager for the Australian Seabird Rescue (ASR), told everyone to stay home. In March, as Australia reacted to the Covid-19 outbreak, Pitts staff, faithfully clad in blue ASR shirts and holding trays of raw, pungent squid destined for the 26 sea turtles in rehab, listened to the rest of her message.

Because of Covid-19, she announced, its crucial that we put measures in place not only to protect our organization but to protect the volunteers as well. For that reason, Pitt continued, ASR would be sending many volunteers home and postponing programs.

Over the last few months, the Covid-19 outbreak has unleashed a dystopia of physical distancing, lockdowns, and anxieties. Only those with an Im essential passcode are allowed to carry on in a strange new world. Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centers work in conjunction with wildlife veterinarians, making them an essential service. But the pandemic has brought a whole new set of challenges that many of these centers couldnt have predicted. Because centers have their own unique organizational structure, they have different ways of coping with these changes. For most, it boils down to volunteers and donations.

From March 23, we asked all of our volunteers that were elderly, living with someone elderly, have school children, or were showing signs of illness to no longer come to the center, says Pitt. Ive had to balance that and the pressure building up with running the center without our normal influx of vollies and funding.

The Australian Seabird Rescue usually operates with around 40 volunteers, but now theyve had to learn how to make do with the remaining few.

When we issued our Covid management plan, recalls Jen Slape, ASRs North Coast coordinator, we cut back to one volunteer a day to help feed the animals and clean the tanks. This is just the bare minimum so we can adhere to the social distancing measures while taking care of the essentials.

At the moment, only two people out of ASRs six rescuers are working, alternating days to rescue marine animals. Our two rescuers are coping, says Pitt. Fewer people on the beaches also means fewer people reporting rescues, but they will need a well-deserved break after all of this!

Larger organizations have a little more breathing space, but they still rely heavily on volunteers. The Marine Mammal Center, with locations in Hawaii and California, is the worlds largest marine mammal hospital and the only partner organization authorized by NOAA to treat Hawaiian monk seals, one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world.

With a trained force of more than 1,400 volunteers, the centers volunteers are truly the backbone of our non-profit organization, Giancarlo Rulli, a spokesperson for the center, said in an email.

According to Rulli, volunteers at the centers operations in California and Hawaii contributed more than 150,000 service hours in 2019 alone. Thats approximately $4 million in workforce value, she said, a staggering figure.

Dr. Cara Field, the centers medical director and staff veterinarian, explains that the hospital continues to provide expert care for their marine mammal patients, while also prioritizing the health of our staff and volunteers in both California and Hawaii-based operations. This includes reducing the number of volunteers and staff on every shift, following CDC distancing guidelines, and eliminating non-essential projects. All staff who can do so are working from home, Field says.

Ryan Berger, the centers Northern Range operations manager, says that their volunteers go through a rigorous training process that allows for greater flexibility, since these volunteers are able to work alone or with limited assistance while maintaining social distancing. This adaptability, he says, has proven its worth during the pandemic.

The Wildlife Information Rescue and Education Service, or WIRES, in Australia can manage the Covid-19 restrictions a little differently because they handle animals that dont need specialized aquatic enclosures and filtration systems, like sea turtles and seals.

WIRES is unique in that our volunteers rehabilitate wildlife from their homes, not from hospitals and centers, says John Grant, their media officer.

Representing Australias largest rescue organization with 3,000 volunteers and 28 branches in New South Wales, rescuers at WIRES receive more than 50 calls per day, depending on the branch location.

After the bushfires earlier this year, an influx of donations has allowed WIRES to meet this demand by providing their rescuers with medical supplies, specialized food, medical support, veterinary bills, and improved enclosures. This funding couldnt have come at a better time, as Covid-19 has closed down tours, school holiday programs, training sessions, and fundraising events that typically bring in significant funds.

Other organizations havent been as fortunate.[Our programs] are all postponed,ASRs Pitt says. As a non-profit, this heavily impacts our finances, but what scares me the most is not being able to educate the public on our marine life.

On a positive note, she continues, weve put our creative brains to work and come up with virtual ways of educating the public. For example, ASR has flooded its social media outlets with educational videos and live talks about sea life. I imagine that after the pandemic, we will still offer something similar, Pitt says.

The Marine Mammal Center is navigating through similar digitally creative waters. With no public visitation at both hospitals due to Covid-19, Rulli says, our Learning and Community Team are building learning resources to help families and teachers amidst school shutdowns.

But as Covid-19 has forced wildlife rescuers and rehabilitators to adapt to these changes, many of them have chosen to look at the bright side.

Ive found myself able to remember whats important, says Pitt. Before Covid, I was caught up in office work and not making time to dedicate myself to the animals in the center. Now, Im reminded of the importance of 100 percent animal engagement, while still finding time for my office work, because sometimes, it can just wait.

Plus, even with beaches and parks reopening, the limited visitor numbers could still be considered a relief to both wildlife and rescuers and rehabilitators. Pitt notes that they are seeing less direct anthropogenic activities such as fishing tackle injuries or trash that could be ingested by an animal, and the Marine Mammal Center has noticed a positive side effect of fewer people on the beaches.

Seal pups are at their most vulnerable stage and can easily become stressed or abandoned by mothers if a human or dog gets too close, Berger explains, and because many beachgoers cant resist taking what Berger calls a seal-fie, responders often need to step in to rescue the dependent pups. This year, however, has given seal pups their space.

In the meantime, wildlife rescuers remain hopeful. The world will turn, the money will come, and volunteers dont lose their passion overnight, says Pitt. They will come back, and our animals will recover.

Here is the original post:
How Wildlife Rescue Centers Are Coping with Covid-19 - Earth Island Journal

HONG KONG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Heilind Asia Pacific, part of Heilind Electronics Inc., was awarded the 2019 Best Asia Performance Award from Amphenol in May. The award was presented to Heilind Asia Pacific during EDS-Summit which was held online due to the circumstances surrounding the 2019 Novel Coronavirus.

The award was presented by Amphenol, which is the leading manufacturer of sensors, electronic and fiber optic connectors, cable and interconnect systems. As a professional global distributor, Heilind Asia Pacific received the award in recognition for the outstanding performance and positive contributions which evolved from the successful partnership with Amphenol.

On behalf of Amphenols CEO, Adam Norwitt and the entire Amphenol organization, may I take the opportunity to congratulate Heilind Asia for winning Amphenols 2019 Best Asia Performance Award during Amphenols virtual EDS Distributor VIP and Awards presentation. This award is so well deserved! I would like to personally thank you and the entire Heilind team for the explosive growth last year, across several Amphenol groups. Your partnership means so much to us! said Annette Tyler, Corporate Distribution Director of Amphenol.

Thanks Amphenol for awarding the 2019 Best Asia Performance Award to Heilind Asia. We value our partnership and look forward to greater achievement with Amphenol in the future. As an authorized distributor for over a dozen Amphenol divisions, Heilind consistently demonstrates its commitment to expanding market share. said Alan Chuah, Marketing Director of Heilind Asia Pacific.

Heilind Asia Pacific supports both original equipment and contract manufacturers in all market segments of the electronics industry, stocking products from the industrys leading manufacturers in 25 component categories, with a particular focus on connectors, relays, switches, thermal management & circuit protection products, terminal blocks, wire & cable, wiring accessories, insulation & identification, fastener/hardware and sensor products.

About Heilind Electronics:

Founded in 1974, Heilind Electronics, Inc. (http://www.heilind.com) is one of the world's leading distributors of connectors, relays, switches, thermal management & circuit protection products, terminal blocks, wire & cable, wiring accessories, insulation & identification, fastener/hardware and sensor products. Heilind has over 40 facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Europe and Asia Pacific including India.

Heilind Asia Pacific (www.heilindasia.com) commenced operations in Dec 2012, and now has 23 locations throughout Asia. Its industry leading service offerings to customers in Asia Pacific is the result of a commitment to the belief of Distribution As It Should Be. Learn more at http://www.heilindasia.com and on Facebook, WeChat, Weibo and Twitter.

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Amphenol Presented 2019 Best Asia Performance Award to Heilind Asia Pacific - Business Wire

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Electrical Wiring Tools Market 2020: Potential Growth, Challenges, and Know the Companies List Could Potentially Benefit or Loose out From the Impact...