Houseplant clinic: what kind of pots should I put my plants in?
What's the problem?
I'm not sure which pots are better than others, or whether I can just leave my plants in their plastic nursery pots.
Diagnosis
Nursery pots – the plastic containers plants are often sold in – are typically designed for short-term use and can easily crack. Although choosing the right pot for your plants is about more than just aesthetics, I believe every plant deserves a great pot, the same way as a piece of art is enhanced by a great frame. A good pot can elevate your plant.
Prescription
If your plants are thriving, you can keep them in nursery pots. But consider repotting if they show signs of being rootbound, growth is slowing or water isn't draining properly. Terracotta pots are porous, promoting airflow and moisture evaporation. These work well for plants that don't like overwatering, such as cacti. Plastic or glazed ceramic pots are good for plants that need more moisture retention, such as ferns. Make sure your pots have drainage holes.
Prevention
You should never repot more than one pot size up. If the pot is too big for your plant, the soil will hold on to too much water, causing root rot.
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The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Who's in charge? CDC's leadership 'crisis' apparent amid new COVID-19 vaccine guidance
There was a notable absence last week when U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in a 58-second video that the government would no longer endorse the COVID-19 vaccine for healthy children or pregnant women. The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — the person who typically signs off on federal vaccine recommendations — was nowhere to be seen. The CDC, a $9.2 billion-a-year agency tasked with reviewing life-saving vaccines, monitoring diseases and watching for budding threats to Americans' health, is without a clear leader. 'I've been disappointed that we haven't had an aggressive director since — February, March, April, May — fighting for the resources that CDC needs,' said Dr. Robert Redfield, who served as CDC director under the first Trump administration and supported Kennedy's nomination as the nation's health secretary. $9.2 billion-a-year agency without leader as nomination awaits The leadership vacuum at a foremost federal public health agency has existed for months, after President Donald Trump suddenly withdrew his first pick for CDC director in March. A hearing for his new nominee — the agency's former acting director Susan Monarez — has not been scheduled because she has not submitted all the paperwork necessary to proceed, according to a spokesman for Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who will oversee the nomination. HHS did not answer written questions about Monarez's nomination, her current role at the CDC or her salary. An employee directory lists Monarez, a longtime government employee, as a staffer for the NIH under the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health. Redfield described Kennedy as 'very supportive' of Monarez's nomination. Instead, a lawyer and political appointee with no medical experience is 'carrying out some of the duties' of director at the agency that for seven decades has been led by someone with a medical degree. Matthew Buzzelli, who is also the chief of staff at the CDC, is 'surrounded by highly qualified medical professionals and advisors to help fulfill these duties as appropriate,' Andrew Nixon, an HHS spokesperson said in a statement. Adding to the confusion was an employee-wide email sent last week that thanked 'new acting directors who shave stepped up to the plate." The email, signed by Monarez, listed her as the acting director. It was was sent just days after Kennedy said at a Senate hearing that Monarez had been replaced by Buzzelli. The lack of a confirmed director will be a problem if a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic or a rapid uptick in measles cases hits, said Michael Osterholm, an epidemiologist at the University of Minnesota. 'CDC is a crisis, waiting for a crisis to happen,' said Osterholm. 'At this point, I couldn't tell you for the life of me who was going to pull what trigger in a crisis situation." An acting director rarely seen, and stalled decisions At CDC headquarters in Atlanta, employees say Monarez was rarely heard from between late January – when she was appointed acting director – and late March, when Trump nominated her. She also has not held any of the 'all hands' meetings that were customary under previous CDC chiefs, according to several staffers. One employee, who insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media and fears being fired if identified said Monarez has been almost invisible since her nomination, adding that her absence has been cited by other leaders as an excuse for delaying action. The situation already has led to confusion. In April, a 15-member CDC advisory panel of outside experts met to discuss vaccine policy. The panel makes recommendations to the CDC Director, who routinely signs off on them. But it was unclear during the meeting who would be reviewing the panel's recommendations, which included the expansion of RSV vaccinations for adults and a new combination shot as another option to protect teens against meningitis. HHS officials said the recommendations were going to Buzzelli, but then weeks passed with no decision. A month after the meeting ended, the CDC posted on a web site that Kennedy had signed off on recommendations for travelers against chikungunya, a viral disease transmitted to humans by mosquitos. But there continues to be no word about a decision about the other vaccine recommendations. Controversial COVID-19 vaccine recommendations bypassed CDC panel The problem was accentuated again last week, when Kennedy rolled out recommendations for the COVID-19 vaccine saying they were no longer recommended for healthy children or pregnant women, even though expectant mothers are considered a high-risk group if they contract the virus. Kennedy made the surprise announcement without input from the CDC advisory panel that has historically made recommendations on the nation's vaccine schedule. The CDC days later posted revised guidance that said healthy kids and pregnant women may get the shots. Nixon, the HHS spokesman, said CDC staff were consulted on the recommendations, but would not provide staffer's names or titles. He also did not provide the specific data or research that Kennedy reviewed to reach his conclusion on the new COVID-19 recommendations, just weeks after he said that he did not think 'people should be taking medical advice' from him. 'As Secretary Kennedy said, there is a clear lack of data to support the repeat booster strategy in children,' Nixon said in a statement. Research shows that pregnant women are at higher risk of severe illness, mechanical ventilation and death, when they contract COVID-19 infections. During the height of the pandemic, deaths of women during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth soared to their highest level in 50 years. Vaccinations also have been recommended for pregnant women because it passes immunity to newborns who are too young for vaccines and also vulnerable to infections. Nixon did not address a written question about recommendations for pregnant women. Kennedy's decision to bypass the the advisory panel and announce new COVID-19 recommendations on his own prompted a key CDC official who works with the committee – Dr. Lakshmi Panagiotakopoulos – to announce her resignation last Friday. 'My career in public health and vaccinology started with a deep-seated desire to help the most vulnerable members of our population, and that is not something I am able to continue doing in this role,' she wrote in an email seen by an Associated Press reporter. Signs are mounting that the CDC has been 'sidelined' from key decision-making under Kennedy's watch, said Dr. Anand Parekh, the chief medical adviser for The Bipartisan Policy Center. 'It's difficult to ascertain how we will reverse the chronic disease epidemic or be prepared for myriad public health emergencies without a strong CDC and visible, empowered director,' Parekh said. 'It's also worth noting that every community in the country is served by a local or state public health department that depends on the scientific expertise of the CDC and the leadership of the CDC director.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Cheers actor George Wendt's cause of death revealed after shock passing aged 76
Cheers icon George Wendt's cause of death has been revealed two weeks after his shock passing aged 76. The legendary actor, who died in his sleep on May 20, played the beloved Norm Peterson on the hit NBC show from 1982-1993 and earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for the role. Wendt died from cardiac arrest per a Los Angeles County Department of Public Health death certificate. Congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and hypertension are listed as underlying causes on the certificate obtained by TMZ. Other significant contributing conditions listed include end-stage renal disease, kidney failure, and hyperlipidemia, which relates to high levels of fat in the blood. Per the certificate, Wendt was pronounced dead at 10am on May 20 and cremated on May 28. Wendt's family said in a statement: 'George was a doting family man, a well-loved friend and confidant to all of those lucky enough to have known him. 'He will be missed forever. The family has requested privacy during this time.' His shock passing came just six months after the frail star was seen being wheeled out of an California dialysis clinic and 32 years to the day that the Cheers finale aired. In the wake of his shock death, his Cheers co-star Ted Danson, 77, who played bartender Sam Malone - paid emotional tribute to his 'Georgie.' In a statement to People, Danson said he's 'devastated to hear that Georgie is no longer with us. 'I am sending all my love to Bernadette and the children. It is going to take me a long time to get used to this. I love you, Georgie.' Wendt's iconic sitcom Cheers ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993, though the show was almost canceled after its first season due to low ratings. However, it spent eight of its remaining 10 seasons in the top 10, becoming the most-watched show in Season 9. It earned 28 Emmy Awards from 117 nominations, earning Outstanding Comedy Series nominations all 11 seasons, winning four. Wendt - who is also the uncle of Ted Lasso actor Jason Sudeikis - impressively appeared in every episode until it went off air in May 1993. His lovable, happy-go-lucky barfly Norm - whose occupations included accountant, painter and decorator and coast guard - quickly became a fan favorite, thanks to his iconic entrance into the bar. Norm would arrive and yell 'Afternoon/evening everybody!' with the bar crowd shouting his name back. He told Chicago Magazine in 2021: 'Norm is just me with better writing. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of actors who could have delivered on the absolute gems that I was handed on a silver platter every Wednesday morning.' Wendy forged close friendships with his co-stars Ted Danson, Shelley Long, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger, Kelsey Grammer and Woody Harrelson. Wendt's former Sabrina the Teenage Witch co-star Melissa Joan Hart said 'heaven just got a little funnier' with his arrival. 'He was warm, professional and kind and our cast and crew were gifted with his presence every time. Rest in peace! #GodBlesstheFunnyPeople.' Hailing from Chicago, prior to acting Wendt was expelled from the University of Notre Dame in Indiana over poor grades before moving into showbusiness, where his first job was sweeping a theatre floor. Guest roles in Taxi and M*A*S*H were followed by his big break on Cheers, and two years after it finished he launched a self-titled sitcom on CBS, but it was canceled after eight episodes. Other than his success in the hit sitcom, the popular entertainer has appeared in shows such as Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Columbo and Wings. He also had a recurring sketch on SNL's Bill Swerski's Superfans, which was dedicated to sports fans from Chicago. Other than his success in the hit sitcom, the popular entertainer has appeared in shows such as Sabrina The Teenage Witch, Columbo and Wings. Wendt had been married to Bernadette Birkett – who played the voice of the mysterious Vera on Cheers – since 1978 and they have one daughter and two sons. Wendt had kept a low profile in recent years, making only a handful of small appearances on screen, including his stint as a contestant in The Masked Singer in 2023. More recently, he made a surprise appearance on stage when he reunited with the Cheers cast at the Emmy Awards in January 2024. Wendt was joined by former co-stars Danson, Grammer, Perlman and Ratzenberger around a recreated set of the show's iconic bar. Cast members Long and Harrelson did not attend the reunion. Sudeikis explained to Playboy in 2011 how his mother's brother Wendt inspired him to embark upon his own career path. He admitted: 'He's always been very encouraging, but there was no Tuesdays With Morrie kind of relationship between him and I. 'He didn't take me to the park to explain comic timing. There was nothing like that. He was just a good example that being an actor was a viable option.' The actor added: 'Here's a guy from the Midwest, in my family, who took the road less travelled and it worked out for him. The advice he gave me, and I say this jokingly, is "Get on one of the best sitcoms of all time and then ride it out."' Wendt encouraged his nephew to audition for Saturday Night Live after attending one of his improv performances. In June 2024 Wendt lauded his nephew - the son of his sister Kathy on the podcast Still Here Hollywood with Steve Kmetko He said: 'He's such a great kid. Very proud. Proud especially, you know, not only of the success, but he's solid. Have you read profiles and stuff? I mean he is such a mesh, so smart, so thoughtful. I mean, it all comes out in the show. Right?'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Frantic search for Navy sailor who vanished from her Virginia barracks without a trace
Family and friends of a Virginia Navy sailor are looking for answers after her sudden disappearance - as officials warned that she may be in danger. Angelina 'Angie' Petra Resendiz, 21, was last seen at her barracks at Naval Station Norfolk on the morning of May 29. Her friends and family haven't heard from her since, which her mother says is very unusual. 'She calls my mother, she calls her brother, her sisters; she has friends—middle school friends she still talks to,' said Esmeralda Castle who headed to Virginia to learn more about her 21-year-old daughter's uncharacteristic departure. 'I need to start looking for my kid because I don't know what's going on.' Castle told WCEV that her daughter talks to her family every day, she even has a 400-day Snapchat streak with Castle's sister. She says Resendiz would never leave on her own without permission or miss work. 'My kid is missing, and she wouldn't just unauthorized, leave without permission. Angie's too scared to miss work; she wouldn't do that.' The 21-year-old's Navy base is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. Her barracks were located at Miller Hall. Virginia State Police issued a critically missing adult alert on June 3 for Resendiz. The notice says she was seen at 10am in Miller Hall the day she vanished. In their statement, police said her disappearance 'poses a credible threat' to her health and safety. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) confirmed to Daily Mail that Resendiz 'has not been seen or been in contact with family or friends since May 29.' NCIS also fears the young woman is in danger. Resendiz grew up in Texas, where her mother still lives, and works as a culinary specialist for the Navy. Castle told local news outlets that her daughter is extremely kind and loving. Police have described her as a 5-foot-tall Hispanic woman with brown eyes and black hair. Officials say she weighs about 110 pounds. She goes by the name Angie. According to the New York Post, her mother said it felt almost as if her daughter just stopped existing. 'She's spent no money, made no calls. She just stopped.' As the NCIS continues to investigate the case, they are looking for any and all information about her whereabouts. They're asking those with tips to call their tip line or submit via the NCIS website. Daily Mail reached out to Castle for comment.
