Another woman has been killed by Republican abortion bans that are sold under the misnomer “pro-life” as a pregnant teenager died trying to get medical care in Texas.
The teenager, Nevaeh
A thick blanket of snow can make a hike look immensely inviting, but you aren’t going to get very far without a quality pair of snowshoes. This footwear uses a wide frame to evenly distribute your weight, allowing you to travel freely on the surface of the snow.
Not all snowshoes are created equal, however, and the quality of the construction can vary greatly depending on the model. That said, if you want versatile, high-quality snowshoes from a trusted brand, the MSR Evo Trail 22-inch Hiking Snowshoes are the top pick.
The use of snowshoes dates back thousands of years. This simple footwear works by distributing weight across a large surface area, thereby allowing the user to “float” on the surface of the snow instead of sinking into it. Ancient snowshoes were crafted using a wooden frame with animal skin lacings. Modern footwear follows a similar concept but uses lightweight metal and plastic instead. Today’s snowshoes also incorporate a raised toe design and crampons for improved maneuverability and traction.
Snowshoe size is typically measured in inches that correspond with the user’s weight. For example, adults that weigh between 120-200 pounds (including clothing and gear) can use a snowshoe that’s 25-27 inches long. To maximize mobility, try not to overestimate your weight when choosing snowshoe size.
Many snowshoers use ski poles to maintain balance when walking, while others may wear gaiters to keep snow out of their boots. If you plan to snowshoe frequently, consider purchasing a specially designed snowshoe bag to carry your gear to and from the trail. Hand warmers can also be used for those particularly frigid days.
The cost of snowshoes can vary widely depending on the quality of the construction and the size of the frame. Most users can expect to spend around $80-$200 for a pair of simple snowshoes, and specialty models regularly exceed $300.
A. Any regular hiking boots can be worn with snowshoes. Try to wear a water-resistant pair to keep your feet from getting wet.
A. Some snowshoes have a left and a right, but most can be worn on either foot without any issues.
MSR Evo Trail 22-inch Hiking Snowshoes
What you need to know: These versatile, durable snowshoes are built for a variety of terrains.
What you’ll love: Backed by an industry leader, these lightweight and versatile snowshoes have an alloy steel frame with durable carbon steel crampons. Users note the ease of use and maneuverability offered by this footwear.
What you should consider: Some users felt these snowshoes were noisier than they’d like.
What you need to know: These affordable snowshoes boast a sleek design and come with a free storage bag.
What you’ll love: Perfect for casual snowshoeing, this budget-friendly footwear features an aluminum frame and quick-release bindings. The purchase also includes a carrying bag with straps, side handles and a compartment for ski poles.
What you should consider: These shoes are designed for flat terrain only. Mountain and rolling terrain hikers may want to look elsewhere.
Yukon Charlie’s Sherpa Snowshoes
What you need to know: This user-friendly snowshoeing kit includes everything you need to get started.
What you’ll love: This comprehensive kit includes a pair of lightweight green and black snowshoes, two ski poles and a mesh storage bag. The “quick-click” bindings make getting in and out of the shoes simple and easy, and the hardened steel crampons are great for gripping snow.
What you should consider: A few users received shoes without the advertised accessories.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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Donald Trump fantasized about guns being put in the face of former Rep. Liz Cheney during a campaign event on Thursday night.
“She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her where the rifle’s standing there with nine barrels shooting at her, okay? Let’s see how she feels about—you know when the guns are trained on her face,” Trump said.
Cheney responded to Trump’s comments after the video was posted online.
“This is how dictators destroy free nations,” she wrote on X. “They threaten those who speak against them with death. We cannot entrust our country and our freedom to a petty, vindictive, cruel, unstable man who wants to be a tyrant.”
Ian Sams, a senior adviser for the Harris-Walz campaign, slammed Trump’s remarks in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday morning.
“Think about the contrast between these two candidates: You have Donald Trump, who’s talking about sending a prominent Republican to the firing squad and you have Vice President [Kamala] Harris talking about sending one to her Cabinet,” Sams said.
Trump’s comments come just days after he attempted to cast himself as a “protector” of women, “whether the women like it or not.” The venue for Trump’s attack on Cheney was an interview with disgraced former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, who has a long history of misogynist remarks.
Trump has expressed anger at Cheney for crossing the aisle and endorsing Harris’ presidential campaign. Cheney has said she backs Harris, despite disagreeing with her on a host of issues, because Trump represents a threat to American democracy.
At a campaign event in Wisconsin in early October, Cheney specifically called out Trump’s actions during and after the Jan.6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.
“He praised the rioters. He did not condemn them. That’s who Donald Trump is.”
Cheney was the vice chair of the Jan. 6 congressional committee that investigated the attack and was one of only two Republicans (the other was former Rep. Adam Kinzinger) willing to cross the aisle to do so. She was later defeated in Wyoming’s Republican congressional primary by a pro-Trump Republican, Rep. Harriet Hageman.
Both Cheney and Kinzinger also voted to impeach Trump for his role in inciting the Capitol attack. The vote was Trump’s second impeachment .
The former representatives are joined by a host of former Republican officials—including some who served in Trump’s administration—who are now supporting Harris’ campaign.
After the Associated Press reported that the White House altered the record of President Joe Biden smearing Trump supporters as “garbage,” critics ripped the media for trying to spin the edit as being taken out of context.
The post Politico’s Jonathan Lemire Ripped for ‘Dishonest Spin’ of Biden’s ‘Garbage’ Smear After Report of Cover-Up appeared first on Breitbart .
Before Crown Point senior Bri DeJesus could take her next step forward, she needed to take a step back.
That meant taking time away from volleyball.
“After my junior year, I was so burned out,” DeJesus said. “It had never happened to me before with sports, so it was a weird experience for me. But once I got my mind off of volleyball and on to other things, it really helped me get through that little mental break.”
DeJesus didn’t play club volleyball following her junior season, and that break helped her recharge for a senior season that continues Saturday, when the Bulldogs will play Fort Wayne Carroll in the Class 4A Huntington North Semistate semifinals.
With a win against Carroll (30-3), Crown Point (28-6) would advance to the semistate championship match. Bishop Noll (33-3), the other local team still alive in the postseason, will play Angola (30-4) in the Class 3A Plymouth Semistate semifinals.
DeJesus has guided the Duneland Athletic Conference champion Bulldogs to this point as their setter, racking up a team-high 558 assists. She also has 199 digs and 41 aces.
Crown Point coach Alison Duncan said DeJesus’ performance this season is part of a steady upward trajectory.
“It just demonstrates the number of reps she’s taken over the course of her career,” Duncan said. “With the fast-paced offense that we like to run, it takes a lot of time to develop, and she’s continuously gotten better on her four-year path here at Crown Point.”
Junior outside hitter Elle Schara , a Purdue commit who has team highs with 557 kills and 57 aces, said DeJesus has provided consistent sets all season and has embraced additional responsibilities that are often part of the job for seniors.
“She runs the court, and she’s the person setting up our team for success,” Schara said. “And she’s really stepped up as a leader. Watching her work is pushing us to be a better team.”
DeJesus said she tries to keep her teammates focused.
“All I’ve been telling myself is that I need to make sure that everyone knows what they’re doing and make sure that everyone’s calm and collected,” she said. “If someone makes a mistake, I’m always making sure that they know they’ve got the next one. I’m always encouraging them.”
DeJesus didn’t feel so encouraged toward the end of her junior season, when Crown Point lost to LaPorte in the regional final.
“I was still playing with my friends, but I wasn’t as happy as I used to be when I was playing,” she said. “It felt like a chore to go to practice, and I wasn’t having fun at practice or in games or anywhere else. I needed to take a mental break, and that felt like the right choice for me.”
Instead of devoting the winter and spring months to club volleyball, DeJesus found other ways to occupy her time.
“I focused on myself more and started focusing on school more,” she said. “Taking a break from club really helped me. I started to miss volleyball.”
Duncan agreed that DeJesus’ time away from the sport benefited her.
“She came back rejuvenated once the summer hit and has had a good, successful run for us,” Duncan said.
That run will include at least one more match. DeJesus said the Bulldogs have taken time to celebrate their first regional title since 2019 but also want to play in their first state championship match since 2017.
“We’re really proud that we’ve made it this far,” DeJesus said. “We’re all taking it seriously, even though we’re all dressed up for Halloween right now. We’re working really hard in practice this week, and we’re all confident that we can win our matches this weekend.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
“There’s no evidence of widespread voter fraud” is the response you tend to hear from liberals when you bring up the 2020 elections.
As the presidential candidates’ positions on cannabis policy make the headlines, it’s important to remember that the real power to shape cannabis laws doesn’t reside in the Oval Office.
Over the years, advocates have fought for patients’ rights to access medical cannabis under numerous presidencies. Yet, the biggest strides in protecting medical cannabis patients haven’t come from the White House — they’ve come from Congress.
Yes, the president can sign legislation, influence federal agencies and set policy priorities. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have expressed support for moving cannabis to Schedule III and even hinted at legalization.
But here’s the reality: Neither has the authority to make these changes. Even the rescheduling process is out of their influence, in the hands of a Drug Enforcement Agency that is resisting the move to Schedule III.
The executive branch’s influence is more limited than many realize.
There are a few things a president can do to alleviate some of the challenges medical cannabis patients face, like directing HUD to stop evicting medical cannabis users in federal housing. The president could also direct the VA to allow its doctors to recommend cannabis to veterans or end drug testing for federal employees.
But these are temporary fixes — band-aids on a much larger problem.
The most significant progress in protecting medical cannabis patients has come from Congress. The Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment (also known as the CJS Amendment) halted federal raids on medical cannabis providers, even when President Obama couldn’t. That same amendment protected patients under Trump’s attorney general, Jeff Sessions, a staunch opponent of cannabis .
These actions underscore where the real power lies: in Congress.
Only Congress has the authority to fundamentally change cannabis laws. Yet, as we approach the 2024 elections, the media’s focus remains largely on the presidential race, while the 468 congressional and Senate races that will ultimately decide the future of cannabis in America are not being pressed on the issue.
At present, medical cannabis patients are denied basic protections under laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act . They can be drug-tested at work, kicked out of housing and forced to choose between their health and their basic rights.
Congress is the only body that can integrate cannabis into our national healthcare system, restoring Second Amendment rights to medical cannabis patients, their ability to travel, relocate or pursue education, and ensuring that hospitals, hospices and assisted living facilities can’t deny them care.
These aren’t just policy talking points — they’re life-or-death issues for millions of Americans. Over 6 million patients rely on medical cannabis to manage chronic pain, PTSD, seizures and other debilitating conditions. Millions more want access to cannabis as medicine but fear losing their housing, jobs or government assistance.
These patients — and their families — deserve advocates in Congress who will not only protect their access but will fight to treat cannabis as the legitimate medicine it is.
As Election Day approaches, it’s vital to remember: When it comes to medical cannabis, the power for change lies in Congress, not the presidency. Join us in asking those running for Congress if they will stand up for medical cannabis patients. Because if we don’t ask, no one else will.
Steph Sherer is the founder of Americans for Safe Access , The Compassionate Candidate Campaign .
Check out The Washington Post’s presidential polling averages of the seven battleground states most likely to determine the outcome of the election.
Christmas is a big event. In fact, it is so big that people celebrate not only the holiday itself but also the anticipation of the holiday as well. Besides putting up lights, decorating and buying presents, many people countdown the days leading up to Dec. 25. To do this, they use an Advent calendar.
The best Advent calendar for kids will be one that has a theme that excites the recipient. If it is a child, for instance, the LEGO Friends Advent 2024 Calendar is an excellent choice. This surprise-a-day calendar allows your child to assemble an entire festive playset one piece at a time until Christmas arrives.
An Advent calendar is a special calendar designed to build anticipation as you count down the days until Christmas. These calendars often feature a number of compartments that are opened, one each day, for 24 days. Inside the compartment, you will find a treat or a little toy surprise.
While most commercial Advent calendars simply begin on the first day of December, Advent actually begins four Sundays before Christmas. So, if you get a calendar specific to the year, it may begin anywhere between Nov. 27 and Dec. 3.
Not all Advent calendars offer a surprise each day. Some merely provide a way to countdown the days until Christmas. However, when considering the Advent calendars that do offer a treat, you will find that there are two types: one-time-use and refillable ones.
Some Advent calendars are small, lightweight items made of fabric that can be hung on a wall. Other models are larger items that must be placed on a table for display. The larger an Advent calendar is, the larger the prizes it can accommodate. Consider the amount of room you have in your home so you can purchase an Advent calendar of the proper size.
While this may seem like a minor feature, some kids love hunting for the next surprise and prefer an Advent calendar that is not laid out in sequential order. If you have a model with removable drawers, and all the drawers are the same size, you can arrange them in whatever order you prefer.
Advent calendars are such popular items that they have extended beyond use for religious purposes and can be used to celebrate the winter season in general. Because of this, you can purchase Advent calendars that have a wide variety of themes.
While the general price range for a kids’ Advent calendar is between $12 and $50, it is possible to find ones with more expensive surprises that cost as much as $150 or more.
A. Of course! Advent calendars for adults can feature ornaments, tea, makeup, wine, collectibles, chocolate, fruit spreads, bath bombs, jewelry, socks and more.
A. While an Advent calendar featuring 24 days is common because Christmas is the day you are anticipating, some calendars also feature a surprise for Dec. 25.
LEGO Friends Advent 2024 Calendar
What you need to know: If your child likes LEGO, this smartly designed kit contains enough items to assemble a seasonal wonderland by Christmas.
What you’ll love: With 272 pieces, this LEGO kit helps ensure your child will have something to look forward to each day in December. Hidden behind the doors, your child will find LEGO toys such as micro figures, pet figurines, a mini snow catapult, Christmas cookies, a station to write letters to Santa and more. Many of these buildable toys have moving parts, making them even more fun.
What you should consider: While not every day is a stellar surprise, the pieces of this Advent calendar for kids do combine to create an impressive set.
Bluey’s Exclusive Advent Calendar Pack
What you need to know: If your child is a fan of Bluey, this affordable Advent calendar is the best you can get.
What you’ll love: It includes a mini Christmas tree that kids can put together as part of the calendar. It’s great for families who love to watch “Bluey” and want to put the set together. It has five stickers and 16 accessories, including toy figurines of different characters from the show.
What you should consider: Not all the prizes are toys. Some are stickers, which may disappoint some kids.
The Purple Cow The Crazy Scientist Advent Calendar
What you need to know: This educational Advent calendar for kids is perfect for the inquisitive child who has a thirst for knowledge and wants to better understand the world around them.
What you’ll love: There are 24 activities in this Advent calendar along with a full-color instruction book and a board game. Each experiment comes packaged in its own colorful little box to help you keep things organized. The activities included in this Advent calendar are suitable for kids ages 6 and up.
What you should consider: Some activities require a few common household items that do not come with the Advent calendar.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says he does not accept former President Donald Trump’s endorsement for Senate, clarifying his stance after a report said he was saying one thing in public and another in private.