Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Michael Rubino is President of All American Restoration and author of the new book, The Mold Medic: An Experts Guide on Mold Removal. Rubino isconcerned about the health of our children and declares that one in four family members experiences adverse reactions to mold without any awareness.Rubino talks to Moms.com about theHLA-DR gene that impacts the way 30% of individuals react to mold, how to locate mold, as well as, how to remove mold, and what families can do moving forward if they suspect mold in their homes.

Moms.com: What made you interested in becoming a mold expert and becoming involved with helping others become more aware of mold?

Michael Rubino (MR):That's a good question. So, since I was five-years-old, my father owns a construction company based out of the New York area. It's called JMC Contracting Corp, and primarily, he was fixing homes that were destroyed in fires. So being around that my entire life, I learned a lot about construction remediation, reconstruction, restoration etc.

After Hurricane Sandy, that area, where he worked in kind of got decimated. There was a lot of problems with remediation properties coming in, and things not being done the right way. People started to get sick. So really in 2013, I started coming across really technical projects with sick people. There were toxins involved, other contaminants than mold. And we started really seeing how this can impact somebody's health.

Moms.com: Are there some parts of the country that you think are more susceptible to mold than others?

(MR):I think humidity plays a big factor. If you look at the statistics of water damaged homes, that'll sort of tell you.

In 1994, a survey found that 50% of homes have a history water damage. So, when you look at that you say, 50% of homes have history of water damage, and we see indoor air pollutants that arise out of that; especially with the COVID right now, we're spending more time at home than ever.

Moms.com: What about school buildings?

(MR):If there's 50% of homes with water damage, schools and buildings are 50%. The age of the home plays a factor into it, too. Another statistic is that one out of every 10 years you're going to have some sort of insurance claim, and most insurance claims are water damage claims. [This means mold issues arise.] Most of the population naturally detoxifies from an indoor air pollutant, but there's a subset of the population that has an HLA-DR gene. It's roughly 30% of the population who has this gene. This gene does not allow the person to detoxify mold the way other people do. That's a problem.

Moms.com: Can you go into that a little bit more about how some people are able to detoxify and some people aren't?

(MR):With a person who can, when indoor air pollutants get into the respiratory tract the recipient body will naturally excrete it out. For certain individuals they have an HLA-DR gene. They basically cannot detoxify. When these things enters their body, it stays in their body.

This predisposition makes things very challenging for somebody who is exposed to mold and bacteria, and once it enters the body, it's not leaving the body.

For 70% of the population this is the opposite. So, those with the HLA-DR gene have to see doctors and do detox programs and take supplements and binders and antifungal, too, to detox their body properly. With this population, the body becomes chronically inflamed; CIRS (chronic inflammatory response syndrome).

Those bodies become inflamed for one reason or another, and mold is a big part of it. It has to do with not being able to detoxify.

Moms.com: What can moms do to properly detoxify homes that have mold?

(MR):Right, one of the neatest tricks involves your toilet bowl.The toilet tank test is one of the best ways to tell if it's time to get a mold inspection. If you lift the toilet tank up, you flip it over, and you look inside the underside of the toilet tank lid and you see any kind of black mold growing on the lid or inside the tank, it's indicative of the fact that there could be mold somewhere in the house.

Because what happens is as mold is in the house and air circulates, wherever there's water, that's where the opportunity for mold to start growing and colonizing.

Moms.com: Is there anything preventative that can be done?

(MR):Absolutely. There's a piece of equipment called the Healthway Super V - buy that piece of equipment and hook it up to your HVAC.It draws air in, recirculates it, and puts the air back out. By getting that unit, you're essentially replacing the need to have these stand alone air purifiers all over the place. You will definitely help purify the air in the house and get rid of that. It's definitely a massive preventative measure. However, if you already have mold, you'll want to remove it before you do that.

Moms.com: How do people get rid of mold in their home?

(MR):It's not something you can really do on your own. But one of the things you want to do as a preventative measure is good housekeeping. Mold actually settles in the dust and combines with the dust. So as you're removing dust, you're removing other indoor air contaminants naturally. If you happen to be a hoarder, you might collect a lot of dust as a result. I'd say good general housekeeping is so important, not only because dust is a nuisance but because of the environmental impact.

Air quality definitely absolutely plays a really big role when it comes to mold prevention and mold in general.

Moms.com: What should parents look for before they move into a new home?

(MR):You want to check windows and doors: entry points. You want to check basements and crawl spaces, because those are the most neglected. It's most important to check those areas. The most neglected areas in our home are often not maintained properly which lead to mold issues. And my final recommendation is get a home inspection done, specifically a mold inspection.

I think that if you're part of the population who is kind of sensitive to your environment, I say, you definitely want to get a mold inspection on top of the home inspection.

Moms.com: What are the side effect of mold exposure?

(MR):The most common ones you hear about are respiratory infections, allergy-like symptoms that feel like seasonal allergies, or something that feels like the onset of a cold that just never goes away.

Moms.com: What are resources for Moms who are concerned about mold?

(MR):Getting a particle counter or a dust particle counter for $50-$60. These will count, let's say, 500 particles outside the house but then counts 5,000 inside the house, this will indicate a need for an inspection. I wrote a book called The Mold Medic.

The Mold Medicis available on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble. It's really meant to help you if you have mold in your house. It goes from "I suspect I have mold in my house" to "I solved the problem." The book includes how to find a good testing company, how to find a good remediation program, and how to remove it. It's written very simply in layman's terms it can connect with the audience.

Moms.com: Michael, is there anything else that you would like to add ?

(MR):The average person takes 20,000 breaths per day, that's 20,000 opportunities to potentially be exposed. The number one thing that we consume is air, it's more important than drinking water - it's the air we breathe.

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Interview With The Mold Medic, Michael Rubino, Gives Insight Into The Dangers Of Mold - Moms

The latest report Breathable Antimicrobial Coatings Market published by Marketstream.biz considers various factors like market size, production rate, import-export status, sales, and supply-demand scenario. The manufacturing process analysis, market share of eminent Breathable Antimicrobial Coatings Market players, industry chain structure is presented in this report. The growth opportunities, development plans, and threats to Breathable Antimicrobial Coatings are analyzed at depth in this report.

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Global Breathable Antimicrobial Coatings Market 2020: Global Industry is expected to Double Its Market Size in Upcoming Years - NeighborWebSJ

Global Antimicrobial Coating Market Growth and Forecast 2020-2026

The report focuses on economic and environmental factors, which impacts on the growth of the businesses. For global analysis, the Antimicrobial Coating Marketis examined by considering the different regions such as North America, South America, Japan, China, South Korea, and India. Leading companies are focusing on spreading their products across the regions. Research and development activities of the various industries are included in the report, to decide the flow of the market. Financial records of the top key players are provided in the report, which helps to understand the basic scenario of the market share. It includes the static view as well dynamic view of the industries, which helps to promote the accurate outline of the businesses.

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Axalta Coating Systems, AkzoNobel, BASF, PPG Industries, RPM International, Sherwin-Williams

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Antimicrobial Coating Market Development, Future, Importance and Forecast Report 2021 to 2027| Axalta Coating Systems, AkzoNobel, BASF, PPG Industries...

During the fall 2017 semester, I vividly remember the early August mornings when the hallways of Brumby were fragrant and thick with hairspray. Girls were awake no later than 4 a.m., perfectly styling their hair and putting on a full face of makeup, primping themselves for the long days of sorority recruitment in the sweltering Georgia heat. Panhellenic sororities at the University of Georgia promote a culture in which its easy to get your worth mistaken for your ability to stand uncomfortably sweaty while engaging in repetitively draining small talk all day.

Other than my inability to apply eyeshadow, I seemed to fit right in with all the other naive freshmen, unable to see anything inherently wrong with this scenario. Now that Im a senior, its clear the standards required to assimilate into a prestigious sorority force women to embody a certain level of commercialized femininity to feel welcome. Despite the progressive changes of today, Greek life continues to reinforce and institutionalize this single-sided femininity, as well as toxic notions of masculinity.

Sororities and fraternities, especially at UGA and other large Southeastern Conference schools, perpetuate the extremities of traditional, outdated gender stereotypes to the point of stunting our current generations social progress. These binary environments are uncomfortable, unfavorable and exclusive to an entire group of UGA students who identify with the LGBTQ+ community.

Anna Houser, a senior environmental economics major at UGA, is lesbian. She recently stepped away from her sorority membership this past fall.

At the time, being a part of Greek life and the LGBTQ+ community felt like I had one foot in the door of each place, but like I was never wholeheartedly in either, Houser said.

From the maltreatment during pledgeship to the excessive encouragement of hook-up culture, fraternities have a reputation for embracing destructive practices and ideologies in attempts to promote manliness. Fraternities and sororities perpetuate this contrived gender dichotomy by prioritizing fraternity-sorority relations through formals, date nights and socials.

Fraternity events have far fewer rules than any sorority gathering, and Greek life has shaped an environment where men tend to get away with more reckless behavior than women, enforcing the detrimental boys will be boys trope. These institutionalized customs not only instigate a gender double standard, but also excuse men for actions they desperately need to be held accountable for.

We know Greek life has roots in racist, sexist and homophobic practices. It is problematic and destructive to our community that UGA turns a blind eye and allows these unacceptable and outdated practices to continue especially when Greek life makes up quite a large presence on UGAs campus.

UGA and other universities cannot continue on with disingenuous concern about the exclusive, discriminatory environments their own students foster in these institutions. Greek councils, including the Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils, recently made diversity initiatives, but with the severity of these problems, the initiatives seem to lack the appropriate level of remediation necessary.

Furthermore, it is unclear how adamantly these initiatives will address issues surrounding homophobia, sexism and the inclusion of the LGBTQ+ community. The ambiguity surrounding their plan is unnerving and their reliance on desultory statements offers little hope for tangible change.

A lot of things need to change in order for Greek life to be a more accepting community, Houser said. Its like the cookie cutter type of girl and guy for sororities and fraternities who fit perfectly into that mold, but it refuses to acknowledge all the other individuals who may not fit so perfectly.

Fraternities must dismantle their own harmful ideas and expectations of masculinity and work to redefine what the actual meaning of brotherhood is. Sororities need to acknowledge that the notion of femininity does not look or act a certain way it is a concept that cannot be celebrated in full unless it is intersectional.

With institutional accountability, a shift in mindset, a change in recruitment policies and practices that uphold stereotypes, we could lay the foundation for Greek life to become a more constructive environment and follow our generations progressive path toward inclusivity and social equality.

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OPINION: Greek life reinforces gender stereotypes and stunts social progress - Red and Black

What a difference a week can make.

Last Tuesday,Mizzou Hoops was the toast of the town. Coming off a white-knuckler over Alabama, the conversation around the Tigers appeared to have shifted into a new gear. Once we were arguing about how good they actually were now we were wondering just how high they could climb.

Two losses and one notable absence later, and Missouris season trajectory has taken a sharp 180.

There was always a chance the Tigers would drop both of last weeks games, but the manor in which it did was discouraging to say the least. The Ole Miss disaster might have been the Tigers most uninspired effort yet, and the loss to Arkansas, while not a gut-punch in and of itself, raised the question of how long the Tigers will have to stay afloat without their potentially all-conference big man. As Monday rolled around, we learned quickly that it will be for at least another game.

If youre an optimist, the next few weeks present a glimmer of hope. After all, the Tigers are entering the squishier part of the schedule. Georgia, South Carolina, Texas A&M, potentially Vanderbilt; these are what we wouldve considered chalk just one week ago. Even now, in the face of two consecutive losses and sinking bracketology momentum, the next few weeks offer a chance for Missouri to weather the storm and hit their stride in March, when it all matters.

However, the loss of Tilmon and Missouris continuing defensive struggles also offer fuel to the pessimists. At this point, the Tigers are likely facing an uphill battle to reclaim a protected seed in the NCAA Tournament. Theyd need to beat Florida in the scheduled season finale and get LSU back on the schedule to add two more Quad 1 wins to the resume.

Even with those potential wins, though, Missouri faces a number of potholes ahead. The Tigers face two consecutive road games against decidedly non-NCAA teams, followed by a rematch with a Mississippi team that thoroughly whipped them in Oxford. Its easy to see the Tigers holding serve, but its just as easy to see how a 1-2 stretch could drop the Tigers even further, possibly into the 8 or 9 seed range where their metrics currently place them.

As games tend to feel in mid-February when your team is still in the thick of it, Tuesday nights trip to Athens looms large for the Tigers. A win would put the Tigers back on the right trajectory, one that would see them finish with a flourish and high seed in both of the upcoming tournaments. A loss could turn last weeks stumbles into a full-on slide.

Again: What a difference a week can make.

Note: These starting lineups are projected.

Anthony Edwards departure after last season left a chasm in the Bulldogs lineup, and Tom Crean has spent the better part of a year trying to find ways to piece together that production.

The Bulldogs one of the countrys shorter teams rely heavily on their trio of starting guards, especially Sahvir Wheeler and Justin Kier. Both play over three-fourths of the available minutes. Wheeler is a high-risk, high-reward play driver who has team-high turnover and assist rates. Hes not much of a scorer in his own right, but he no doubt drives the Bulldogs offensive play. Kier is a much more efficient shooter and can beat you from deep, but he also ranks as the Bulldogs most aggressive defender. Tye Fagan completes the trio as Georgias best offensive thread from the back court hes a 64.5 percent shooter from two-point range and thats almost exclusively where he focuses his shot selection. He too is a pesky defender, though not as productive as Kier.

Despite not having any bigs that can challenge the tallest in the SEC, Georgia is well-stocked with large wings and combo forwards. PJ Horne leads the way for this group, and the senior may be the Bulldogs biggest offensive threat. Hes excellent on that end of the glass and shoots well from all three areas 69.4 from two, 83 percent from the line and 35 percent from deep, where he chooses to take most of his looks. Sophomore Toumani Camara also gets starters minutes and may be the teams best player around the edges. He boasts the Bulldogs best block percentage and a high steal rate as well as being the teams leading rebounder overall and an efficient two-point shooter. Andrew Garcia is Creans preferred option off the bench, and hell even get some starting assignments here and there. Hes likely the teams most aggressive driver and is able to bank a lot of high-percentage looks but hes prone to foul trouble.

From there, a large number of players get looks off the bench. Freshman KD Johnson serves as a spark plug scorer for the back court. He fouls a lot and is loose with the ball, but he can shoot from deep (42.5 percent.) Christian Brown follows the Andrew Garcia mold of getting to the rim and looking for contact with his big frame, though hes not nearly the scorer Garcia is. Tyron McMillan is the teams tallest player, but doesnt factor too heavily into areas like rebounding or interior defense; hes mostly just a clean-up man. Sophomore Jaxon Etter also gets some mop-up minutes in the guard position, where hes been incredibly efficient, logging an 82.7 true shooting percentage. Mikal Starks will also get the call if necessary, though he doesnt contribute enough offensively to justify the turnovers he gives up.

This admittedly sounds a bit strange coming off of Missouris best three-point performance of the season, but Georgia offers Missouri another opportunity to do what it does best get to the rim. Even without Jeremiah Tilmon, Missouri should still have plenty of opportunities in the paint. Georgia is dreadful in both eFG defense and defensive rebounding. Not only that, but Missouri has a distinct size advantage. Dont overthink it pound away near the bucket and make Georgia defend like it hasnt all season.

Missouri has played a lot of fast teams this year, but few play faster than Georgia, who rank 15th in adjusted tempo on the season. Theyre decent shooters from two-point range and they crash the offensive glass effectively. But if theres one way Missouri could turn this into a boat-race, it would be with turnovers. The Tigers arent particularly adept at forcing turnovers on the season, but Georgias fast and loose style means theyll be there for the taking. If Missouri can take advantage of UGAs poor ball-handling, the transition opportunities that follow will be a boon to the Tigers offensive health.

Missouri 79, Georgia 76 | Theres no way to put it nicely Missouri is fading a little bit and needs a good stretch of games to pick itself up. A return to protected seed territory isnt off the table, but itll start with taking care of business in winnable games, something Missouri didnt do at all last week. Georgia isnt great theyre not even good, honestly but theyre more than capable of beating Missouri on a bad night, of which the Tigers have had a few lately. Given that theyll once again be without Tilmon, it should be a tense night as Missouri looks to get back in the win column.

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Hoops Preview: Mizzou will have to beat a tenacious Georgia team without Jeremiah Tilmon - Rock M Nation

In part 1 of this two-part article series, we discussed sanitation and preventative practices to deter pests and diseases in propagation (see Greenhouse Canada, December 2020). In this second installment, we consider what biological management options are available through to flowering and harvest. With proactive steps taken in propagation, your cannabis crop should be growing healthily, but dont take your foot off the gas just yet! It is important to maintain good practices through the next phases in the crops life to ensure you reach the plants full production potential.

Vegetative to early floweringDuring these stages, the threat of crop loss to root diseases remains and biofungicides should be reapplied when young plants are potted up. But now, there is the added challenge of dealing with foliar diseases.

BCA releases and bioinsecticide sprays should continue. You may be tempted to cut back as pests seem to be under control, but we have seen resurgences in broad mites and thrips when predators have been removed from the program at this stage. Major remediation efforts with biopesticide sprays were then required, and significant crop losses incurred.

Foliar diseasesCultural practices like pruning and air circulation help keep powdery mildew in check, but the disease invariably shows up. Crop scouting will allow signs of infection to be detected early on, and regular preventative treatments will help contain the disease.

Potassium bicarbonate products such as MilStop can be used in a preventative or curative manner. K-bicarbonate brings a physical mode of action to bear and will desiccate mildew spores, destroy cell membranes and, by altering the pH at the leafs surface, create conditions that impede powdery mildew growth. The adjuvants in the formulation can be harsh on soft-bodied biocontrol agents (BCAs), but will not harm predators in sachets. Once spray residues are dry, they are harmless to BCAs.

Also BCA-friendly is Regalia MAXX biofungicide, a liquid concentrate based on an extract from the giant knotweed. When applied to plants, it induces a resistance response which helps protect it against powdery mildew. Regalia and MilStop are compatible with each other and can be sprayed in rotation. Spray oils, such as Suffoil-X and PureSpray FX, will also help in controlling powdery mildew and are good options closer to harvest.

Pest managementThe same list of suspects encountered in propagation are likely to continue through this stage of plant development, notably mites, root aphids, and thrips. Whiteflies are generally not a problem in northern US and Canadian greenhouses.

The control options for these pests are essentially the same as described before, (i.e. Beauveria-based biopesticides, BCAs see previous article for details). However, specific use practices and release rates will change as plants are now larger and the substrate volume is greater. A second release of the soil-dwelling predators Stratiolaelaps and Dalotia at potting up should ensure they become established for the remainder of the cropping cycle.

One addition to the BCA arsenal at this stage is the generalist predator Orius insidiosus. If released into hot spots, it can become established for an extended period from the first treatment or release. However, it is unlikely to persist for several generations in indoor grow facilities under artificial lights and is prone to diapause during the shorter daylight months (Nov to Feb).

For predatory mites (cucumeris, swirskii, californicus), mini sachets remain the preferred method of delivery into the crop. At this stage of production, however, sachets can now be hung in the canopy of the growing plant. Phytoseiulus persimilis is another valuable player at this stage of crop development and it can be used to clean up two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) hot spots if needed. Again, scouting is an important part of the program to ensure TSSM are detected before the webbing appears.

Foliar aphids now present a significant challenge. Biopesticide options include horticultural oils such as SuffOil-X and PureSpray FX, and insecticidal soaps such as Kopa and Opal. A wide variety of sprayers can be used to apply these and microbial biopesticides. While makes and models vary, they essentially fall into two types: hydraulic sprayers and low volume sprayers, and they use different methods to produce and deliver spray droplets onto the plant.

For all biopesticides though, achieving good spray coverage is critical to efficacy. As most pests occur on the undersides of leaves, sprays must target that area to ensure sufficient contact with the pest. Investment in quality, reliable spray equipment, correct selection of nozzles and spray pressure, sprayer maintenance and calibration, and attention to applicator training, all help to achieve better efficacy from each spray application. Incorrect timing and poor coverage are primary causes of biopesticide failure.

On the BCA front, different aphid parasitoids are recommended for targeting different aphid pests, and correct identification is necessary to select the appropriate parasitoid for release. Notable foliar aphid pests include those categorized as small species (i.e. green peach aphid, cotton/melon aphid), and those considered to be large species (i.e. cannabis aphid, potato aphid, foxglove aphid). Aphidius colemani or A. matricariae are the best options for small aphids; A. ervi for large species. Predators are less discriminating, and Aphidoletes and Chrysoperla (lacewings) eat everything; as such, they often do an excellent job of cleaning up infestations. However, Aphidoletes will not establish under artificial lights. Orius will feed on aphids as well, and when established, will help keep several other pests in check.

Rice root aphid infestations can become problematic at this stage unless regular, preventative measures are taken. Drenching the root ball with entomopathogenic fungi is one of the few approved ways to manage aphid forms that feed on roots. The fungal suspensions must be applied in sufficient volumes to saturate the root ball and growing medium to ensure contact with aphids on the roots. Root drenches are best combined with other measures targeting winged adults (i.e., biopesticide sprays) as aphids move from the soil and into the foliage. Targeting both life stages delivers a one-two punch for greater overall efficacy.

Its important to continue preventative practices throughout the vegetative and early flower stages, building on the clean start established during propagation. There is now also the added challenge of foliar diseases. Photo credit: Plateresca / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Trichome sensitivity has been a key factor in determining the pest and disease management options available. Photo credit: Gleti / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Flowering to harvestThe final three weeks of production can be a nail-biting period. Given the sensitivity of the trichomes and the need to consider microbial loadings in flowers (owing to mandatory microbial testing requirements), there are few pest and disease management options available. For example, it is strongly recommended that growers halt microbial sprays within three weeks of harvest, which means that Beauveria-based products should not be used. Potassium bicarbonate sprays should also be halted three weeks prior to harvest to avoid potential damage to the trichomes. SuffOil-X sprays (at the 1% rate) can generally be continued up to one week prior to harvest, but different cannabis varieties show different sensitivities. Pay close attention to the plants to see if there is evidence of phytotoxicity; test first on a small batch if unsure. BCAs can still be used, but if the earlier measures have been taken and maintained, pest numbers should remain low through the final three weeks.

One of the biggest challenges at flowering is Botrytis. With the recent Health Canada decision to allow sprayable nutrients to be applied in cannabis, use of such materials can help promote plant health. Use of sprayable nutrients like ON-Gard or ON-Gard Calcium can enhance uptake of elements like calcium which is an essential component of plant cell walls. The bottom line is that stronger cells, especially in flowers, can reduce susceptibility to diseases like Botrytis. This has been demonstrated in petunia whose flowers are very susceptible to grey mold; susceptibility in this instance is linked to poor movement of calcium into flowers resulting in deficiencies, which translates to weaker cell walls, and increased susceptibility to Botrytis. Although this link has not been definitively established in hemp or cannabis, it seems to hold a lot of promise for the future as another tool to prevent infection. In the interim, there are a few sprayable materials that can help suppress the disease. These include Regalia MAXX biofungicide, which can be applied up to harvest (as a plant extract, it contains no living organisms); RootShield HC and PreStop, which can be applied as foliar sprays up until three weeks before harvest; and MilStop, which may be applied through the early flowering stages. All may be rotated within the same program to bring different modes of action to bear.

Foliar sprays of hydrogen peroxide (e.g. ZeroTol) may be one of the most valuable tools at this time. Peroxide can be integrated into a preventative phytosanitation strategy through the vegetative growth phase and may be continued for the last two weeks through flowering to harvest. The peroxide helps reduce microbial contamination on the flowers and helps to suppress pathogens.

Some take-homesNo two locations are the same, so it is impossible to provide a single plant management blueprint that can be applied everywhere. The information shared in this two-part article series has considered many of the common challenges and some possible solutions that will help you through the production cycle.

Remember, there are many lessons that have been learned in other horticultural crops (particularly floriculture) and techniques that may be transferred easily into cannabis production. Commitment to continued education and discourse will help the industry as a whole to move forward.

We have discussed many preventative strategies that have been shown to work. Putting together a successful program requires planning (before the crop, not during!) and good record-keeping. There is always a lot to learn from previous crops: when pests/diseases appeared, what worked, what did not (and why), and what happened in different varieties. Good planning is fundamental to success.

Some key points to remember

Michael Brownbridge, PhD, is a biological program manager at BioWorks Inc. He can be reached at mbrownbridge@bioworksinc.com.

For more, watch the accompanying webinar of the same title at greenhousecanada.com/webinars and revisit part 1 of the article series on propagation in the December 2020 issue of Greenhouse Canada.

Originally posted here:
Taking on pests and diseases in cannabis: Vegetative to flowering - Greenhouse Canada

Source: Iron Gate Studio

The world within the Viking-themed survival game Valheim is a beautiful one, but looks don't tell the full story. There are several dangerous enemies that lurk in the shadows of the land, and powerful rainstorms are threatening as well. Therefore, you're going to need to build a solid and sturdy base that you can use for shelter, storing supplies, crafting gear, and more. Unlike a lot of other survival games, though, you have to worry about things like structural integrity and smoke generated by fires in Valheim. Because of this, building a base in Valheim is tricky, and you can (and likely will) run into issues if you don't do it properly. With that said, don't worry we're here to help. Here are some helpful building tips, tricks, and strategies that will help you improve your base-building skills.

Getting started with base building in Valheim is a little confusing, but these tips and suggestions will help new players get started on the right foot.

Occasionally hordes of enemies will attack your base, and if you just hide, they'll tear it down to get to you. Therefore, you need to fight them, but how can you do effectively when you're outnumbered twenty to one? The answer lies with the use of defensive fortifications. Here are some tips that will help you make and use effective defenses.

These strategies and tools are intended for people who know the basics and can create functional structures but want to know how they can create more advanced structures and/or furnish their base with decorations.

Have any further questions about base-building in Valheim? If so, don't hesitate to reach out and we'll promptly reply in the comments. Also, don't miss our guides on how to find, summon, and defeat every boss and how to hunt for food, leather, and hide.

Valheim is available now in Early Access for $20 on Steam. I highly recommend playing it if you haven't gotten it already, as it's easily one of the best survival games for PC available.

Norse-themed survival FTW

Valheim is a challenging, yet incredibly fun survival game set in a world heavily inspired by Norse mythology. Build, craft, scavenge, and hunt your way to success.

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Valheim building: Create bases and homes the right way with these tips and tricks - Windows Central

Mac Aljancic| Times-Reporter Sports Correspondent

The 2020 NFL season just wrapped up but Cleveland fans have no interest in packing away their passions in the attic beside the Christmas decorations.

Browns Nation is already eagerly anticipating the 2021 kickoff after several long, painful droughts finally came to the end in 2020:First winning season since 2007. First playoff appearance since 2002. First playoff victory since 1994. First playoff road win since 1969.

After their huge leap from 2019 (6-10 record) to 2020 (11-5 regular season record), many expect the franchise to continue its progression in 2021. That would equate to making the AFC title game, and possibly the promised land of the Super Bowl.

But franchise history clearly shows that making that "second jump" is the exception, not the rule. Over the last four decades, the Browns have had five "leap years" when they showed drastic improvement that resulted in a winning record. All but one of those "leap years" were followed by an ugly setback season.

Here is an examination of those eras to identify the similarities to 2020, setbacks, and potential lessons to learn.

SIMILARITIES: Like 2020, 2007 was carried by a huge offensive explosion where young talent meshed beautifully with off-season additions. Cleveland improved from 4-12 to 10-6 and jumped from 30th (14.9 points per game) in 2006 to 8th (25.1 ppg). Three young offensive weapons had breakout Pro Bowl seasons (quarterback Derek Anderson, tight end Kellen Winslow Jr., and wide receiver Braylon Edwards), and free-agent acquisition Jamaal Lewis finished 7th in the NFL with 1,304 rushing yards. This success was sparked by a re-fortified offensive line: starters Eric Steinbach, Hank Fraley, and draftee Joe Thomas were all acquired in the off-season. This Browns boom was also aided by facing the NFLs fifth easiest schedule, according to teamrankings.com (which hadthe 2020 Browns ranked as the second easiest). The 2007 Browns had just threegames vs. teams with winning recordsand played seven opponents with 11 or more losses.

SETBACKS: The offense lost all of its magic in 2008, falling right back to 30th in scoring (14.5 points per game) and a 4-12 record. Anderson, Edwards, and Winslow never again in their careers came close to making another Pro Bowl. The Browns ended up playing the fourth toughest schedule that season.

LESSONS: The 2008 offensive crash-and-burn was greatly due to a collection of 2007 one-season wonder performances. The current Browns offensive line-up is scattered with players whohave already proven themselves as established NFL talent (Chubb, Hunt, Ward, Landry, Mayfield, Beckham, Hooper), so a dramatic decline is very unlikely. The clear red flag, though, is the schedule jump. The 2021 Browns will be challenged by a much stiffer schedule (ninthtoughest in terms of opponents 2020 win percentage) that includes seven 2020 playoff qualifiers.

SIMILARIITIES: Like Kevin Stefanski last season, Butch Davis brought needed structure, accountability, and intensity in 2001 to a franchise that floundered (5-27 record) in the two seasons after its 1999 rebirth. And both eras were led on offense by a young No. 1 NFL draft pick quarterback. The 2002 team went 9-7, a two-game improvement from the year before, and earned a wild-card berth before falling to 5-11 in 2003.

SETBACKS: Unlike Baker Mayfield, Tim Couch was never surrounded with much offensive talent. The top three weapons were mediocre: running back William Green and receivers Kevin Johnson and Dennis Northcutt. Couch himself was pretty "meh" ashis career-high 18 touchdown passes in 2002 ranked just 14th in the NFL, while his 18 interceptions ranked as fourth most that season. After Couch was injured inthe 2002 regular-season finale, Kelly Holcomb had a spectacular playoff performance in Pittsburgh (429 passing yards and threetouchdown throws), then won the starting job to begin2003. Both QBs started eightgames that season, and both struggled.

LESSONS: Thankfully, the 2021 Browns have much more offensive talentand much more stability at quarterback. Those old Browns had major salary cap issues after the 2002 season, creating line-up holes by forcing them to move on from numerous veteran starters. Because of their young roster, the current Browns are in great salary cap shape. But as these players begin to enter their much higher paying second contracts, the Cleveland front office personnel needto be careful not to handcuff themselves financially.

After three losing seasons in Cleveland, including a 7-9 record in 1993, Bill Belichick finally turned the corner with an 11-5 record and wild-card berth in 1994, thanks to the stingiest scoring defense in the NFL (12.8 points per game) spearheaded by the head coach and his young defensive coordinator, Nick Saban. That was followed by a 5-11 finish in 1995.

SIMILARIITIES: Like Myles Garrett of today, the 1994 squad had a premierdefensive lineman in Michael Dean Perry (who made hisfifth Pro Bowl that year). And similar to Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, the 1994 offense was sparked by a dynamic backfield duo: Eric Metcalf and Leroy Hoard (both 1994 Pro Bowlers). And just like in2020, the 1994 Browns had the leagues second easiest schedule.

LESSONS: For 1995, the team signed an elite, diva free agent wide receiver whobecame a distraction and a bust (Andre Rison). Todays team needs to make sure Odell Beckham Jr. will harmonize with the offense that thrived after his season-ending October injury. And if Jimmy Haslam wants to win in 2021, he probably shouldnt make a mid-season announcement that he is moving the franchise, like owner Art Modell did on Nov.6, 1995.

In upcoming Part 2, Ill examine both the bad and good examples of the 1980s Browns.

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Aljancic: Making that 'second jump' for the Browns is the exception, not the rule - New Philadelphia Times Reporter

Carlos Asuaje wont be duking it out with Cory Spangenberg over the second-base job this spring. The Padres arent searching for third, fourth and fifth starting pitchers. They know exactly who will play center field.

Thank A.J. Preller, whose frenetic offseason has left the Padres with few position battles heading into camp, outside those that take place on the fringes of the active 26-man roster.

As pitchers and catchers report Wednesday, heres an early projection for the Padres opening day roster:

Lowdown: Look above. What else needs to be said? Besides the fact the Padres will likely need more than this group as the season expands from 60 games to 162. Thats all the more reason to keep LHP Adrin Morejn and RHP Michel Bez stretched out in the minors. LHPs MacKenzie Gore and Ryan Weathers are also likely call-ups, as is RHP Reggie Lawson in the second half of the season as he returns from Tommy John surgery.

Lowdown: Although the club has not confirmed reported deals for Melancon and Kela, their additions bring considerable depth to the Padres middle relief options. Both could also factor into closing situations as the Padres have been unafraid to throw their top relief arms Pomeranz and Pagn whenever they think the game is on the line. Strahm is a question mark coming off offseason knee surgery. If hes not ready, LHP Jose Castillos stuff gets the nod over LHP Tim Hill if Castillo can prove hes healthy.

Lowdown: Trades over the last seven months have all but anointed Nola as the No. 1 catcher and Caratini as the backup. The only question is whether the Padres carry three catchers. Luis Campusanos legal troubles are not expected to delay him this spring, but the organizations top catching prospect would be better served with further minor league seasoning as he has played only one game above A-ball.

Lowdown: With the arrival of Kim and the return of Jurickson Profar as a super utility, theres little room for movement here and in the outfield depth chart. Hosmer, Machado and Tatis are the unquestioned starters with Kim and Cronenworth battling for playing time at second base and providing depth at the other three spots. Kims focus would be on the left side of the infield, while Cronenworth filled in admirably while Hosmer was sidelined last year. Profar also played second base and first base in 2020, in addition to all three outfield spots. His return also makes it that much more difficult for the all-run, little-hit Jorge Mateo to crack the roster.

Lowdown: Like the infield, the outfield is largely set, with Grisham in center, Myers in right and Pham in left. Profar can play all three outfield spots, as can OGrady, who signed a major league deal after fashioning an .807 OPS throughout his minor league career. OGrady also has experience at first base, increasing his value as a bench player over Jorge Oa, who had only a month of playing time above A-ball before last years call-up.

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A (way too) early projection for the Padres' opening day roster - The San Diego Union-Tribune

John Reid|Florida Times-Union

Jaguars coach Urban Meyer and general manager Trent Baalke are amonth away from filling some of the team's primary needs with veteran talent acquired in free agency.

It's a critical step that begins on March 17 when NFL teams can begin signing free agents during the official start of the 2021 league year.The Jaguars are in a position to make a big splash with more than $74 million in available cap space.

After going 1-15 last season under former coach Doug Marrone, the Jaguars have plenty of trouble areas on their roster that must getaddressed.

Perhaps, at the top of the list is getting more talent on the defensive front. Last season, the Jaguars didn't get enough pressure on the quarterback as they finished with the second-fewest sacks in the league with 18.

Another difficult position has been the tight end. The unit combined for just two touchdowns last season that Tyler Eifert caught. In 2019, only James O'Shaughnessy (2) and Nick O'Leary (1) caught TD passes.

Here are fivefree agents the Jaguars should possibly targetin free agency.

Position: Left tackle

Team in 2020: San Francisco 49ers

What makes him a good fit: With Cam Robinson becoming a free agent, the Jaguars need an upgrade at left tackle. Why not make a push to get the best available? Williams is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and would be more than capable of protecting quarterback Trevor Lawrence's blindside. Williams has allowed only 4 1/2 sacks over the past two seasons. It will take a lucrative offer to entice Williams to come to Jacksonville, but the Jaguars have the available cap space to outbid teams. The Jaguars' top competition is expected to be the 49ers, who acquired Williams in a trade last year with the Washington Redskins in exchange for a fifth-round the 2020 NFL Draft and a third-round pick in 2021.

Position: tight end

Team in 2020: Tennessee Titans

What makes him a good fit: Smith enjoyed career highs for catches (41), receiving yards (448) and touchdowns (eight) this past season. That's the kind of production the Jaguars desperately needs that's been lacking for the past three seasons. Smith has the ability to get separation to become an effective downfield threat for Lawrence.

Position: Wide receiver

Team in 2020: Carolina Panthers

What makes him a good fit: Samuel played for Meyer at Ohio State and could be a big factor why the Jaguars may make a strong push to pursue him instead of Allen Robinson. It never hurts coming off a breakout season as Samuel did this past season for the Carolina Panthers with career-highs for catches (77) and receiving yards (851). The Jaguars need more reliable playmakers to join DJ Chark and Laviska Shenault. It's likely theJaguars will make a push to re-sign free agent receiver Keelan Cole but not for Chris Conley, who struggled with drops last season.

Position: Defensive tackle

Team in 2020: New Orleans Saints

What makes him a good fit: The Jaguars are expected to operate from a 3-4 base defense under new defensive coordinator Joe Cullen, which means they need bigger interior lineman. This unit has a young promising talent in DaVon Hamilton, but it lacks proven veteran talent. Rankins is a fifth-year veteran who has been overshadowed in New Orleans by defensive end Cam Jordan. Under the right situation like with the Jaguars, Rankins could be the veteran leader that's been missing Calais Campbell was traded last spring. However, Rankins has to get back to the level he performed in 2018 when he had eight sacks and 41 tackles. Over the past two seasons, Rankins has combined for 3.5 sacks and 30 tackles.

Position: cornerback.

Team in 2020: Los Angeles Rams

What makes him a good fit: The Jaguars need a veteran to fill the role as a shutdown caliber cornerback and Hill would be an excellent addition. He scored three defensive touchdowns for the Los Angeles Rams last season - two interceptions returned for a touchdown and a fumble recovery, too. Although he mainly played nickel corner for the Los Angeles Rams last season, Hill could play on the outside. First-round pick C.J. Henderson was thrust in the starting lineup last season and struggled after having a breakout game against the Colts in the opener. This position needs more experienced competition.

The Jaguars announced the additions of Michael Davis as senior personnel executive ,director of roster managementTrip MacCrackenand player personnel CoordinatorDrew Hughes. The three will assist General ManagerTrent Baalke.

Mike, Trip, and Drew will be key contributors to our personnel department, said Baalke. Mike and Trip bring 45 years of combined experience in the NFL and Drew has over 8 years of experience directing the recruiting efforts at Power 5 universities. Mike and I worked together for the New York Jets organization from 1998-2000. He has a proven track record as a talent evaluator and will focus his attention on the evaluation and assessment of college prospects.

Davis joins the Jaguars after spending five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs as a personnel executive. While in Kansas City, Davisoversaw the scouting of top collegiate prospects and assisted in pro personnel operations.

MacCracken enters his 20th season in the NFL, last serving in the league from 2010-17 as the director of football administration for the Kansas City Chiefs. Most recently he served as the director of player personnel for the XFLs New York Guardians from 2019-20. Prior to his time in Kansas City, he was the salary cap manager from 1999-2009 for the Cleveland Browns, where his duties included contract negotiations in addition to other responsibilities in football operations. Prior to his time in the NFL, MacCracken completed an internship at the NFL Management Council in 1998.

Hughes most recently served as the director of player personnel with the University of South Carolina in 2020. Previously he managed the recruiting efforts at the University of Tennessee and was the director of player personnel at Florida from 2014-17. Hughes held similar roles at N.C. State in 2013 and Central Florida in 2012. He also served as a recruiting specialist at Alabama from 2007-11.

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Jaguars must take advantage of free agency to improve roster - The Florida Times-Union