Prepper's Web

As we prep for the possible impact of Hurricane Ian, there are things you can do right now to protect your home from storm damage

Bulls guard Lonzo Ball is scheduled to have surgery to remove some debris from his left knee Wednesday, with the hope of being on track for a re-evaluation in four to six weeks.

That was all executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas was willing to say with conviction at media day Monday.

How quickly Ball will return or whether he even will return this season wasn’t something Karnisovas was willing to address.

‘‘I’m not a doctor,’’ Karnisovas said. ‘‘I’m just going to wait and see what the doctors are going to tell me.’’

That’s where it gets tricky.

Ball went down in January with what first was diagnosed as a bone bruise that would need a few weeks to heal. One surgery and eight months later, Ball still is sidelined and awaiting another surgery.

There was some criticism about the timing of Ball’s second surgery, but Karnisovas explained that timeline.

‘‘We gave every opportunity [for Ball] to rehab and get back on the court without doing the surgery,’’ Karnisovas said. ‘‘That was our thought process, with the thought in mind of what’s best for the player. We’re at a crossroads now where we need to do something else, and that’s why we opted in to do the procedure.’’

Ball’s teammates have been in contact with him and know how tough this injury saga has been for him.

‘‘I know guys have talked about it all summer, but let’s understand he wants to be out here more than anyone else,’’ guard Zach LaVine said. ‘‘Nobody wants to be injured. It’s tough to have people talk about it each and every day and when you’re going to be back.

‘‘I just told him: ‘Make sure you’re ready because when you come back, we need you. You’re our starting point guard. You’re the cog to our defense, our facilitator.’ ’’

As far as a plan to replace Ball for the time being, coach Billy Donovan was leaving it an open competition. Second-year man Ayo Dosunmu and veterans Alex Caruso and Goran Dragic are all in play, but Donovan said he wanted to use practices and exhibition games to see which groups work in sync with certain personnel.

‘What are you doing, Dragic?’

Dragic knew the question was coming in his first media session with the Bulls. Sure enough, it came.

He was on the receiving end of a 2010 dunk by Derrick Rose, leaving Bulls analyst Stacey King to scream, ‘‘What are you doing, Dragic?’’ after the then-Suns guard attempted to block the shot.

‘‘Yes, this is my nightmare,’’ Dragic said, laughing.

He then explained the play all these years later.

‘‘The funny thing, this was the only time somebody dunked on me in my whole NBA career,’’ Dragic said.

Dragic said he later spoke with Rose about the play when the two were on an Adidas promotion tour.

‘‘I said, ‘You had to do it like that?’ ’’ Dragic recalled. ‘‘I was young, second year in the league. First year I didn’t play much. My second year I started to play a little bit, so I had to go for that play. Of course, if I knew [the outcome], I would never [have challenged Rose]. But it is what it is. At least I’m on TV all the time.’’

Chip Kelly didn’t settle for a one-hour time change when he flew from Boulder, Colo., to Westwood on Saturday night.

After a 45-17 rout of Colorado, the UCLA coach had his players turn their body clocks forward by about 12 hours to prepare for a Friday game against No. 15 Washington at the Rose Bowl. Less than 24 hours after landing in L.A., UCLA (4-0, 1-0 Pac-12 Conference) already was back on the practice field to prepare for the matchup of unbeaten teams that represents the Bruins’ first major test of the season.

Kelly praised his players’ conditioning after the Bruins improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2015. Including Saturday’s 24-7 second-half advantage, UCLA has outscored its four opponents this season 78-21 after halftime with two second-half shutouts. An upcoming stretch against three consecutive ranked opponents will reveal how prepared the Bruins are for a championship run.

“When you’re playing a team as good as Washington is, your conditioning is going to be tested,” Kelly said.

Under first-year coach Kalen DeBoer, the Huskies (4-0, 1-0) are fifth in the country with 530.8 yards per game and 12th in scoring with 44 points per game.

Quarterback Michael Penix Jr. is the nation’s top passer with 347 passing yards per game and is “playing as well as any quarterback in the country right now,” Kelly said.

By the time the Huskies wrapped up their late-night 40-22 win over Stanford on Saturday, some UCLA players already were asleep.

After the team kicked off at noon in Boulder, UCLA’s charter plane landed at about 8 p.m. in L.A. The first thing on defensive lineman Sitiveni Havili-Kaufusi’s mind was eating. He called his girlfriend, who provided him with healthy snacks. His plan to review the game film went awry when the clips were delayed, so he instead went to bed at 10 to prepare for Sunday, which began with the team’s normal Sunday morning routine of meetings and pool regeneration, followed by a quick shift to practice.

Kelly said NFL experience on the staff gives the Bruins a sound blueprint for a short week as coaches are used to prepping for regular Thursday night games.

“Your game plan might not be as big and expansive, but it depends on your personnel,” Kelly said. “What can the players handle?”

Considering that Havili-Kaufusi already has battled shoulder and knee injuries that kept him sidelined for three years, one less day of practice is “nothing to me,” the redshirt junior said.

The converted fullback said he’s feeling the best he’s felt since coming to UCLA. Kelly’s up-tempo practices that track high-speed bursts for each player have helped him seamlessly acclimate to game speed.

“Especially with the high-tempo practice that we have, it really prepares us for the game and just knowing that we’re supposed to go full speed, every play, every drill,” said Havili-Kaufusi, who recorded two tackles against Colorado. “When it comes to game day, that’s why for me, and I speak for the rest of the guys, it just feels like another practice and if not a practice, it’s probably easier because it’s a slower tempo.”

Havili-Kaufusi could be in line for a larger role this week with UCLA’s defensive tackle rotation thinning.

Already without Martin Andrus Jr., who suffered a season-ending injury, and Gary Smith III on Saturday, the Bruins suffered another injury to sophomore Jay Toia. The 6-foot-3, 325-pound defensive tackle did not participate in Sunday’s practice and was seen sitting in the weight room. Smith, a transfer from Duke, was on the sideline working on individual conditioning drills after not practicing last week.

“It’s next man up,” said defensive lineman Jacob Sykes, who recorded a season-high three tackles against Colorado. “Everyone gets their name called at some point. You stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”

Etc.

Offensive lineman Jon Gaines II was on the field for practice but did not participate in any contact drills during the open-viewing period.

When Nothing was unveiled early last year, founder Carl Pei promised that the hardware startup had a full road map. Early stories about the London-based firm alluded to a pitch deck full of Pokémon characters, each representing a different product in the pipeline.

Roughly a year and a half later, Nothing has delivered two major products: the Ear (1) and Phone (1). It’s an impressive showing in a world where young hardware companies are accustomed to playing it safe.

As has been customary with all of its product launches thus far, Nothing just teased another addition. It’s a new pair of earbuds, but ones that are apparently distinct from the $99 Ear (1). Housed in a cylindrical charging case, the new headphones also buck the company’s naming conventions a bit, as the Ear (Stick).

As ever, the tease asks more questions than it answers, though this confirms rumors from the summer that the company was working on a similarly priced follow-up to the Ear (1). A spokesperson confirmed that we’re looking at a “new charging case and new bud[s].”

At the moment, however, it’s not entirely clear whether this is intended to replace the original transparent buds outright, though it seems unlikely the company would replace the Ear (1) outright this early into their lifecycle. Nothing promises a lightweight and “supremely comfortable design” when they’re officially unveiled later in the year.

Until then, a whole lotta nothing.

Plus: 5K Race-day Mistakes to Avoid 

Running season is far from over. It’s prime weather for those who love to pound the pavement, and Door County offers up some fall classics in the weeks ahead.

Hey Hey 5k

Sept. 24, 8 am

Kicking off Autumnfest Saturday in Baileys Harbor, the Hey Hey 5k starts and ends at the Door County Brewing Co. taproom. Register on site Friday from 6-9 pm or Saturday morning at 7 am. 

Run Wild

Oct. 8, 9:30 am

A 5k run/walk or quarter marathon run, plus a third-mile distance for kids all in Potawatomi State Park. Register at runwild.org.

Fall 50

Oct. 22

Run solo (good luck!) or in a team in this run from the tip of the peninsula to Sturgeon Bay that ends with a massive dance party and costume contest you don’t want to miss. Register at fall50.com.

If you’re stepping to the start line of Saturday’s Hey Hey 5K, chances are good that you’ve spent the past several weeks training for the race. Whether you’re preparing for a 5K or a half marathon, training is a huge time commitment, so make the most of those efforts by keeping these tips in mind to calm race-day jitters and avoid common race-day problems. 

Avoid eating too much (or too little) before the race

This is likely the trickiest part about race day, especially if your stomach is sensitive to race anxiety. There’s a fine line between eating too much before the race and risking a side stitch, and eating too little and running on empty. 

Your best bet? Eat a light snack one and a half to two hours before the start time, sticking to foods you know are safe for you. A banana and a plain bagel, cereal with milk, or even a turkey-and-cheese sandwich on whole-wheat bread are all options that will provide you with that “just right” fuel. 

Dress in layers 

September mornings can be chilly and damp, so watch the weather and dress in light layers if needed. And whatever you don on race morning, make sure you’ve run in that clothing before. The day of a race is not the time to experiment with running in a new pair of shorts or shoes. 

Take a step back 

It’s tempting to position yourself at the front of the group at the start, but unless you’re seeded to win the race (think sub-20-minute time), you’re actually better off moving yourself back into the pack at the start. Not only is it good race etiquette, but it’s also to your advantage psychologically. 

That’s because you’ll be more motivated during the race if you feel you’re running within your own pace versus being passed by faster runners the entire time. And don’t be shy: Ask other runners what their anticipated finish time is to get an idea of where might be a good place to start. 

Plus, because most races, including the Hey Hey 5K, use chip timing, your final time – or net time – won’t dock you for the time it took to cross the starting line. 

Overhydrating

Yes, you do want to be well hydrated for any distance race, but being overhydrated can work against your performance just as much as being dehydrated. Drinking too much will dilute necessary electrolytes, which can lead to muscle weakness and cramping. So hit the water stations – or run with your own water – but just like your speed, pace yourself.

Pace yourself

There’s no question that adrenaline is pumping at the start of a race, but curb the urge to take off too fast. The last thing you want is to feel great during that first mile and then be riding the struggle bus for the final two. 

To avoid running out of steam, settle into your chosen race pace shortly after working your way out of the crowd, and challenge yourself to maintain that pace for the whole race. Or, turn the race into a game, making your first mile your slowest mile, then picking up the pace with each subsequent mile so that the final distance is your fastest. 

The beauty of the 5K distance is that no matter where you are in your running journey, it’s an opportunity to put your training into practice. 

The Hey Hey 5K will start at the Door County Brewing Co. taproom, 8099 Hwy 57 in Baileys Harbor, on Saturday, Sept. 17, at 8 am; weave its way along the backroads of Baileys Harbor; and end at the taproom. Each participant will receive a special Door County Brewing Co. Hey Hey 5K T-shirt, a Hey Hey 5K pint glass and a first fill free at the taproom! Learn more about the race at heyhey5k.com.

Sources: Runner’s World, Active.com

When you get serious about your fitness goals (be they strength- or weight-related), often one first step is to get your nutrition in order. You want to get enough protein to support your muscles, fruits and vegetables for health, carbs for fuel, and a total amount of calories that supports your activity and your goals without undereating or overeating.

If you’ve ever gotten to the end of the day and realized you are nowhere near on track for your daily goals, you get the idea behind planning your meals and even preparing (“prepping”) them ahead of time. A bodybuilder who eats the stereotypical chicken and broccoli for lunch every day may get bored with his meals but he also knows how much protein he’s getting without even thinking about it.

But meal-prepping has its pitfalls. Maybe you will be bored with your meals. Or maybe you won’t even get that far, and you’ll burn out just from the mental and physical effort of cooking a whole week’s meals at once. With that in mind, here are some beginner tips to ease into the process with your sanity intact.

Have a go-to breakfast

Before we start prepping anything, let’s start planning. Most of us are fine with eating the same breakfast every day, and there’s a good chance you already have a few favorites that you can throw together quickly before you’ve fully woken up.

So, your first step is to come up with a breakfast that fits your macros and that is easy to prepare. We’re taking baby steps here, so don’t worry too much about prepping this ahead of time. Just make sure that it will be ready when breakfast time arrives.

For example, maybe your breakfast is yogurt and fruit. That’s easy enough: Buy some yogurt and buy some fruit. In the morning, you can put the two together. Or you can make something the night before to grab on your way out the door. I like to make Bircher muesli two servings at a time, since each calls for half an apple. So on Sunday night, I’ll prep jars for Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday night I’ll make another pair.

Save your takeout containers

When we start packing up dinners and lunches, we’ll need something to put them in. While cute little Bento-esque Tupperwares may look nice, you may decide you don’t actually want all those divided containers. Or the boxes you buy may turn out to be the wrong size once you start filling them. Save money and time by selecting one or two types of takeout container that you get plenty of, and save those whenever you get them. I like the flat rectangular ones and the round one-pint soup containers. (You can also buy them in bulk if you need fresh ones.)

Make one meal at a time

After you get into the habit of eating your planned breakfast every day, the next step is to choose a second meal. For most of us, it will be lunch. This way, you have your first two meals taken care of, and you’re still free to make any dinner plans you like. (It is fine if you never advance past this stage.)

I also recommend, at least at first, not planning for seven days at a time. Since I work a Monday-through-Friday job, I like to prep my weekday meals and then wing it on the weekends. (This usually involves my regular breakfast, some kind of meal scrounged from leftovers, and often a takeout meal or two.)

For your first foray, I recommend finding a recipe that makes three servings. Two such recipes will get you through the work week with one to spare. You can even alternate the two meals.

An important food safety tip: Meals prepped on Sunday aren’t going to be in the greatest shape come Saturday. I recommend choosing one of the following strategies:

1. On Sunday, make one dish and divide it up for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday meals; then on Wednesday night, make another three-serving dish for the second half of the week.
2. On Sunday, make both your dishes so you can alternate. Pop three of the meals into the freezer. Then, on Tuesday or Wednesday, take them out of the freezer to begin to thaw.

Try a recipe before you commit

Ready to start making that first meal? Hold up: Did you choose a recipe you actually like? I’m not asking whether it looks good in photos. The ideal meal prep recipe is something that you have not only eaten in the past, but also one where you have an idea of how well it reheats.

That means that you can stay off the recipe websites for now. Choose an old favorite; you can get experimental later. And if you ever become tempted to make, say, a month’s worth of food on your meal prep day, definitely try that exact recipe out in a one-week batch first.

Be lazy

This is honestly my most important tip. When I started meal prepping, I’d spend an entire Sunday afternoon shopping and cooking. My feet would ache and my other household chores would be unfinished. No time or effort was saved, it was just moved.

I’ve gotten better since then. One of my favorite meal preps is to buy two bags of Trader Joe’s chimichurri rice, and a pound of ground beef, and heat each of them up appropriately and combine them. The job is done in barely 15 minutes, and I now have four lunches for the week that each fit perfectly into one of those round soup containers. Do I care that Mr. Joe gets half the credit for my culinary artistry? I do not.

If you’re going to make everything from scratch, make it easy on yourself. Buy frozen veggies, since they’re already chopped. Get a rice cooker if you find yourself using rice for a lot of your meals. If there’s a special homemade sauce or condiment you want to use, allow yourself that one labor-intensive item, and make sure your other tasks are simple ones.

For example, most items in the animal and vegetable kingdoms can be thrown onto a sheet pan and roasted. I’ll buy some frozen fish and fresh or frozen veggies, and then roast a tray of each with appropriate seasonings. (Olive oil and garlic salt are perfect for broccoli or, to be honest, any vegetable.) Chicken tenderloins marinated in mayo are another protein option that go with anything and can be prepared en masse. Thanks to the extra moisture, they reheat superbly well.

You get the idea: Make a lazy meal, make no more of it than you will actually eat, and pack it into the containers that you already have around. Don’t expect to get everything perfect at first; you’ll refine your workflow over time.

   

News

Agronomist says northern Indiana farmers prepping for harvest

An agronomist is Northern Indiana says harvest is just around the corner for farmers in his part of the state.

Jason Harmon is with DEKALB and Asgrow. “We still have a lot of corn that is finishing out nicely,” he says.  “It’s at half milk line to 3/4 milk line. We’re going to get to black layer pretty soon, I’d say in the coming 10 to 15 days, and then we’re going to start drying down. It looks like temperatures are going to get cooler and corn harvest will start clicking out.”

He tells Brownfield early planted Group 2 soybean harvest will likely start around the same time.  Harmon says they’re optimistic about this crop, especially with the less-than-ideal start to the growing season.  “We had zero rainfall from pretty much June 1^st until July 10th in many areas and that was really tough,” he says. “But one thing I’ve consistently heard, and I agree with many of the farmers, is that for what we were dealt, the crop we are looking at is very impressive with how it handled the growing conditions.”

He says overall, both corn and soybean crops have been healthy, but some farmers did battle phytophthora early on in the growing season, and Sudden Death Syndrome crept in within the last few weeks.

NASA is gearing up for a crucial fueling test of its Artemis 1 moon rocket on Wednesday (Sept. 21) that could keep the huge vehicle on track for a liftoff less than a week later.

Artemis 1, the first mission in NASA’s Artemis moon program, will use a Space Launch System (SLS) megarocket to send an Orion capsule on a long journey to lunar orbit and back. NASA originally aimed to launch Artemis 1 on Aug. 29, but technical issues scuttled the planned liftoff twice.

The second of those glitches was a leak of liquid hydrogen propellant, which the mission team traced to a faulty seal in a “quick disconnect” linking the SLS core stage with a fuel line coming from Artemis 1’s mobile launch tower. Technicians replaced two seals at the quick disconnect earlier this month, potentially solving the problem.

Related: NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission: Live updates
More: NASA’s Artemis 1 moon mission explained in photos

Wednesday’s fueling test will show if that fix worked. The Artemis 1 team plans to pump supercold propellant — liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen — into the SLS on Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The operation is scheduled to begin at 7:15 a.m. EDT (1115 GMT) on Wednesday; it “will conclude when the objectives for the test have been met,” NASA officials wrote in an update (opens in new tab) on Friday (Sept. 16).

You can watch the test live here at Space.com, courtesy of NASA, or directly via the space agency (opens in new tab).

NASA will hold a press conference on Monday (Sept. 19) at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT) to discuss the fueling test. That briefing will stream live here as well.

The participants in Monday’s discussion are:

• Tom Whitmeyer, deputy associate administrator for Common Exploration Systems Development, NASA headquarters
• Mike Sarafin, Artemis mission manager, NASA headquarters
• Jeremy Parsons, deputy manager, Exploration Ground Systems Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
• John Blevins, chief engineer, Space Launch System Program, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

If Artemis 1 cannot hit the Sept. 27 launch opportunity, a backup window opens on Oct. 2. 

The Artemis 1 stack rolled out to Pad 39B on Aug. 16 from KSC’s huge Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). If Wednesday’s fueling test does not go well, SLS and Orion may have to go back to the VAB for more extensive work. 

Artemis 1 might also have to roll back to the VAB for another reason. The mission’s flight termination system (FTS), which is designed to destroy the rocket if it veers off course during launch, was certified for just a 25-day stretch. That time is already up, and NASA needs a waiver from the U.S. Space Force to let Artemis 1 launch in its present condition. (The Space Force oversees the Eastern Range for rocket launches.)

NASA already received one such waiver, from 20 days to 25 days, and has requested another one. If that second request is denied, the FTS would have to be recertified, which would require a rollback to the VAB.

Mike Wall is the author of “Out There (opens in new tab)” (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall (opens in new tab). Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom (opens in new tab) or on Facebook (opens in new tab).  

Syracuse, N.Y. — The last time Purdue played at an indoor venue was in 2017.

It was Jeff Brohm’s first game leading the Boilermakers, and his program faced off against Louisville at Lucas Oil Stadium. Purdue lost that game 35-28 but has found increasing success under Brohm since.

The subtle changes in weather are nodding to fall… 

and we couldn’t be more excited to start preparing for the coziest season of the year. While we refresh our interiors for fall, we’re also looking to care for our yards and gardens. We chatted with a handful of our favorite gardeners and asked them to share their top fall gardening tip. From bringing your herbs indoors, to enjoying a moment of Zen in the garden, here are all the ideas for making the most of your garden this season. 

 The following content may contain affiliate links. When you click and shop the links, we receive a commission.   

Alan Calpe & Christopher Crawford –

@thegardenheir 

Though it’s been a scorching summer, with the transition to fall, it likely means it won’t be long before the arrival of the first frosts (at least in our northern region). One easy task we like to do in anticipation of dropping temperatures is to transplant some tender herbs from the garden into pots for the home. Once the plants are carefully lifted and placed in terracotta pots amended with good soil, you’ll want to give the plants a week or two outside to acclimate. When indoors, place potted herbs in an area that receives ample light, take care to water when the soil is bone dry, and you’re set. You’ll be able to enjoy the herbs in kitchen meals all throughout the colder months, and their fragrance, color, and form lend new life to your interiors while the garden outside sleeps. 

Image by The Garden Heir

Christopher & Eric Feml-Nelsen –

@GrowforMe5b 

Fall is a fantastic time to take advantage of sales and clearances at local garden centers! But more importantly, anything newly planted at the end of summer through fall needs to keep getting watered much deeper and later into the year than one might think. Our tip is to water newly planted items up through Thanksgiving in our growing zone 5b. A deep, weekly soaking of the root ball is essential. Use a slow trickle to reduce water runoff. Doing this ensures that the plants will be ready and rooted to take on the cold, and a potentially dry winter. And you’ll set up your new plantings for success come spring!

Images by Christopher and Eric Feml-Nelsen

Christian Golbreski –

@romanandivy 

My favorite fall garden tip is a bit different from the usual dividing of perennials or planting of bulbs. I like to take the last of summer’s blooms — such as dahlias, daisies, or any annuals you may have planted earlier in the season — and create a floating “Zen Garden.” Find some containers in various sizes (without drain holes), then add water, clip your blooms and float them on the surface. Adding ferns provides a nice touch as well. Try placing them by a front door for a colorful welcome, or any spot in your garden or terrace!   

Image by Christian Golbreski

Tony Spencer –

@thenewperennialist 

Embrace the wabi-sabi in your garden. No, it’s not about tree hugging ;) Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy about finding beauty in imperfections and learning to accept the natural cycles of life. In the fall garden, that means finding beauty not only in flowers but in the patterns of their intricate seed heads, the elegance of decaying leaves, even the plant skeletons of winter. No need to cut anything back until late spring. The foraging birds and insects will thank you, too.

Images © Tony Spencer from his gardens in Mono, Ontario, Canada

Joy Wujek –

@camilliabloomsbury

I love to keep the leaves on the ground and the dried plant stems standing until spring. Leaves help protect the root systems during freezing temperatures, return nutrients back to the soil as they degrade, provide a habitat for beneficial insects, suppress weeds, provide a hideout for butterfly and moth caterpillars and pupae, and harbor insects that birds depend on in the early spring. If you have too many leaves on your property, you can mow them into mulch, or make a compost pile for future garden seasons. (It takes 1 to 2 years for leaves to break down and become viable mulch for the garden.) As busy gardeners, we earned a rest this fall and can tend to the cleanup in the spring. 

Images by Joy Wujek

Our Favorite Gardening Tools –

McGee & Co.

McGee & Co. Terracotta Planter

McGee & Co.

Rattan Gardening Tray

McGee & Co.

Wood Handled Secateurs

McGee & Co.

Lotte Watering Can

Williams Sonoma

Sophie Conran Everyday Gardening Gloves

McGee & Co.

Edene Ceramic Planter

McGee & Co.

Brass Garden Tags (Set of 4)

McGee & Co.

Lined Rattan Basket

McGee & Co.

Matte Gray Planter

McGee & Co.

Gardening Shears

McGee & Co.

Bolsa Planter

HANDLANDY

Long Sleeve Leather Gardening Gloves