Will the old Johnson Publishing headquarters at 820 South Michigan be getting a make-over?
Columbia College, which now owns the building, recently announced plans for a "Big Walls" event as part of the Manifest urban arts festival. Now entering its 16th year, Manifest showcases some of the best new art and design talent coming out of Columbia. Its an eclectic assortment of gallery exhibitions, live performances, fashion shows, literary readings, and other creative endeavours, with three outdoor stages featuring student bands and DJ sets throughout the day to keep the party going. Chi-town favorites including Twin Peaks and Chance the Rapper have previously graced the Manifest stage, and back in the day Manifest played host to artists such as Lupe Fiasco and Common. For full listings and events happening this year, CLICK HERE.
The "Big Wall" event, set to run between the 1st and 13th May, will lead to the creation of 20 brand new street murals on Columbia buildings and other spaces within the Wabash Arts Corridor. Its not yet been confirmed whether 820 South Michigan is one of the buildings scheduled to undergo a street-art facelift, although Columbia has confirmed they are partnering with Chicago Loop Alliance to create an alleyway site next to the building which will showcase alumni work.
We have already seen how mural artists have transformed black media buildings such as the offices of the New York Amsterdam News in Harlem. Will the Johnson building be next on the list? If 820 South Michigan is to be a mural site, it is hard to envision a mural which doesn't explicitly reference the company's rich history. More news as and when we get it.


Apple launched the iOS 10.2 software update yesterday, and with it came a whole heap of fresh new emoji including rashers of bacon, a gorilla, and yes, finally, an avocado.
The new iPhone emoji keyboard will also now feature new professions, like teacher, astronaut, scientist, and firefighter, for instance, as well as updated people and facial expressions like a pregnant woman, and a queazy, green smiley depicting illness. Meanwhile, fans of emoji sexting will be pleased to see the peach remains very much butt-like.
One of our early favorites sees a regular smiley given a Pinocchio-like nose to a slightly disturbing effect, but cute ones like an owl, a butterfly and a fox help brighten things up again.
Check out the new emoji above, then here’s how to download and install the update:
1. Back up your iPhone before installing the new software. To do this, navigate to Settings > iCloud > Backup > Back Up Now. You can also connect your iPhone to iTunes on your computer via its charging cable to manually back up your phone.
2.After backing up, open Settings.
3. Tap General.
4. Choose the Software Update option.
5. Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi.
6. Tap the Download and Install button to begin the process.


Board members of the Exchange Club of Lawrence and the Andovers present a symbolic check along with a packet of 25 Thanksgiving grocery gift cards valued at $3,100 recently to Lazarus House Ministries. From left are Exchange Club board member Frank Cann, Lazarus House Executive Director Jeff Hassel, Exchange Club board member and project coordinator Rick Blain and Exchange Club board member Al Pappalardo.
The Lazarus House has traditionally given turkeys to the needy for Thanksgiving. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has been forced to shrink its corps of volunteers, making grocery gift cards a more manageable way to help people prepare for the holiday.
Full Article: https://www.eagletribune.com/news/merrimack_valley/exchange-club-donates-to-lazarus-house/article_767089a6-84fa-55bc-bdef-1ece187d6d5d.html


Nationwide, some users of e-cigarettes have started to develop severe lung injuries likely related to substances inhaled while vaping. Doctors and health officials are unsure of exactly what is causing this increase in lung injuries but suspect that added chemicals found in vaping cartridges might be responsible. In Connecticut, over a dozen people have been hospitalized with serious lung injuries related to the use of e-cigarettes. Connecticut health officials have recommended that e-cigarettes users stop vaping until the cause of these illnesses can be determined.
Under Connecticut law, manufacturers, distributors and sellers of e-cigarettes would be strictly liable for injuries caused by these products under the Connecticut Product Liability Act .


Asthma 101: Learn About Asthma!
Over 235 million people worldwide have asthma, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). That number includes 25 million Americans, making it one of our country’s most common chronic diseases. Here, we offer some facts and figures to help you better understand this chronic condition.
What is asthma?
Asthma is a condition that causes swelling of the airways, which narrows the passage through which air moves from the nose and mouth to the lungs. Allergens or other irritants can trigger it, and symptoms include wheezing, coughing, tightness in the chest, and trouble breathing. There is no cure for asthma, but our physicians can help patients manage asthma with the proper treatment.
How common is asthma?
Numbers like 25 million are hard to digest and don’t tell the whole story, so let’s look at it some other ways. Research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that 1 in 13 people have asthma. That includes 7.7 percent of adults and 8.4 percent of children, and the numbers have increased since the early 1980s.
Who is most affected by asthma?
Asthma affects more children than adults, and about 6.2 million children under 18 have asthma. That’s 1 in 12 children, which makes it unsurprising that asthma is the top reason for missed school days. Moreover, it’s the leading chronic disease in children. It’s more common in boys than girls but, interestingly, more common in women than men.
How serious is asthma?
Asthma can be extremely serious- even deadly. 10 Americans die every day from asthma: in 2017, 3,564 people died from asthma. Adults are four times more likely to die from asthma than children, and women are more likely to die of it than men. However, boys are more likely than girls to die of asthma.
What are the statistics on medical care for asthma?
Most deaths from asthma could have been avoided with proper asthma treatment. Still, more than 11.4 million people report asthma episodes or attacks annually, including more than 3 million children. This condition accounts for 9.8 million doctor’s office visits, nearly 200,000 inpatient hospital stays, and 1.8 million emergency room visits yearly. It’s the third-ranking cause of hospitalization in those younger than 15 years of age.
Does asthma vary according to ethnicity?
Asthma affects people of color African-American, Hispanic, and Indigenous people in the United States have the highest asthma rates, deaths, and hospitalizations. However, while Puerto Ricans are more likely to have asthma than any other ethnic group, African Americans are three times more likely than people of different races to be hospitalized or die from asthma. In addition, African-American children have the highest prevalence of asthma, and Black children under the age of 4 have the highest number of emergency room and urgent care visits of any group.
Why is asthma more common in some groups than others?
Racial and ethnic disparities in asthma frequency and severity have to do with many factors. These include:
- Structural determinants: segregation, discriminatory policies, and systemic racism
- Social determinants: education, environment, employment, socioeconomic status, social support, and access to healthcare
- Biological determinants: ancestry and genetic makeup
- Behavioral determinants: adherence to medicines and the use of tobacco
How can asthma be controlled?
Your doctor will develop a plan based on factors like your age, symptoms, triggers, and the severity of your asthma. Prevention and long-term control can keep asthma attacks at bay.
Board-certified allergists are specialists in diagnosing and treating asthma and will give you the education, tools, and confidence you need to manage your condition. Allergy & Asthma Specialists, all our physicians are board-certified in allergy, asthma, and immunology and can help you identify triggers and learn to control your symptoms. Call (866) 966-0583 or schedule an appointment online.


This spring Christina and Ulla made a major physical effort to create an outdoor section for Poikilo Museum Semi-Wild Garden exhibition. In the centre of the city, the park area is hosting a Hexa-Hive Village with new work, Airstrip for Bees. Let´s see how the bees fly with this new construction in their village! More information of the exhibition can be found here.
Videolink of the building process.
The audio of the timelapse video is recorded by Till Bovermann during the summer 2013 in Aalto Otaniemi Campus. A microphone was installed to the hive and what we hear is the bees walking and communicating in the vicinity of the microphone. More experimental sound recordings by Till can be found here.
The colour of the Airstrip will change during the summer, the dominating lila will turn to the yellowi and red when the poppies, Isatis Tinctoria, lavanda and many others start blooming.
At the opening of the Semi-Wild Garden Exhibition in Kouvola, the bees were hiding, as it was raining.
An article in the Kouvola Sanomat mentions the work in the park (shortened online version, in Finnish only).
On the 12th of May, the gallery space was opened as well, with the Sundance Palimpsest. The Palimpsest is a collection of beeswax sheets with the recordings of the sun-rays in Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden, in the summer 2014.
The 37 sheets are framed and exhibited in the room, together with Heliocentric, a video work by Semiconductor (UK).
Both the installation and the audiovisual work, reproduce the path of the Sun, once recorded into beeswax and once on digital media. The works are a tribute to our Light Star, an essential factor of all Gardens of the World.
Thanks to Kalle Kuisma for this enchanting video!
What a lucky coincidence – during our workshop in Kaisaniemi a swarm appeared! Hanna and Mika have placed bees as part of the community gardens in Kuusiluoto. These bees from Artova ry Association have swarmed and Mika and his friends have caught the colony and agreed to place the bees in the Sensored Hive! The bees live on the island of Kuusiluoto and on Tuesday, 10th of June, we row them over to the mainland and give them a new home in Kaisaniemi.
Mika caught the swarm, Harri helped – a fisher net can have many uses…
The cardboard box was too flimsy to keep the swarm contained. Extra cover with a textile helped – a bit.
Transfer to a Langstroth box made the transport to Kaisaniemi more stable.
The boat transfer to the mainland.
The third Melliferopolis workshop in Helsinki is taking place at Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden. The first workshop day was dedicated to soft materials and experimenting with felt to make an object that would be placed in a hive….
at the Botanic gardens….
During the second and third day, we created a sculpture to host a colony of bees. The participants decided to use a felt flower bud and paint it in beeswax.
For weather protection, the felt flower bud was covered in branches and reed.
We were lucky to get a call from Arto Koljonen, a Helsinki based bee keeper, who had caught a swarm and donated the bees to our sculpture.
On Wednesday, we placed the sculpture in the trees and gave these bees a new home. This live sculpture can be visited at the arboretum in Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden.


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LIVING ROOM CHATS.
Living Room Chats is a new monthly podcast hosted by Kelly Suzanne Saulsberry. You can tune-in on Affinity’s Facebook page every third Wednesday at 7pm CT.
“Living Room Chats” will feature conversations with dynamic individuals from a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, and walks of life. Some of the topics we’ll dive into include political advocacy, culture, identity, and spirituality.
Each of us has a story. Each of us has questions we ask ourselves and others. Each of us has things we aspire to, issues and principles we are for or against, and existential questions we ponder. Each of us has identities that shape how we perceive each other and ourselves.
In this time of divisive and vitriolic rhetoric, hyper curated networks on social media, and a heightened sensitivity that makes some of us afraid to say anything, there is a real need for brave conversations and bold voices that push us beyond talking points and stereotypes, and empower us instead to think critically, feel deeply, and speak candidly about our thoughts, experiences, and lives.
This is the mission of Living Room Chats at Affinity. We are excited about bringing these conversations from our living room into yours, and hope that this podcast will inspire you to have brave and bold conversations of your own with people in your lives.
Want to find previous episode? Watch more.
Episode 12 w/ Ken Mejia-Beal
Ken Mejia-Beal is originally from the Southside of Chicago. Ken Mejia Beal is a political organizer who has worked for candidates across the Midwest. He is also an award winning commentator for two publications , Patriot Not Partisan and DemWrite Press. In addition to writing and politically organizing Ken serves on several civic boards and advisory panels for marginalized people. Ken, along with his business associate Isaac King , started the first all Political Podcast hosted by 2 LGBT hosts of color in the Midwest. Ken was also the first openly LGBT and African American to serve on the board of the Democratic Party of DuPage County.
Episode 11 w/ Kim L. Hunt
Kim L. Hunt. She is the former executive director of Affinity Community Services. Currently serving as executive director of the Pride Action Tank (PAT), a project of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC), where she also serves as the senior director of Policy & Advocacy Operations. Ms. Hunt’s career spans the public, private, and nonprofit sectors with a focus on advocacy, community and organizational development, and leadership.
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Dr. Diane MD interviews Dr. Jennifer Caudle,
Welcome to Health Talk With Dr. Diane MD.!
Dr. Jennifer Caudle, D.O., is a board-certified Family Medicine physician. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the department of Family Medicine at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. Prior to this, Dr. Caudle was a faculty member in the Johns Hopkins University/Sinai Hospital Residency Program in Internal Medicine in Baltimore, MD and an Instructor of Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Enjoy the Show!


Last week I quoted William H. Lamar, pastor of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., who said: “The church’s language is not spectator language. It does work, and it has work to do.” The story known as The Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36) is a workhorse of a story.
In the history of ideas it worked as a quantum leap in human consciousness. It continues to work in the issues we encounter in our everyday lived experiences. This Sunday we will re-familiarize ourselves with this conscious-shifting story and examine it through a 21st century lens—exploring the “work” the Transfiguration has done and what it still has to do.
With ever-deepening gratitude and appreciation for all of you, Linda


Joywave sind bekannt für ihren zeitgenössischen Sound zwischen Indie und Electro, den sie mit tiefgründigen und gesellschaftskritischen Themen kombinieren. Nicht ohne Grund werden die Amerikaner oft als Indie-Neudenker bezeichnet. Auf ihrem neuen Album „Possession“, das am 13. März erscheint, setzen sie sich vor allem mit dem Kontrollverlust auseinander, den wir Menschen in den heutigen Zeiten oft erleben. Wir haben mit Sänger Daniel Armbruster vor seiner Show im Lido über tödliche Viren, Aliens und das neue Album „Possession“ gesprochen.
Right now you’re touring with PVRIS. How’s everything going?
Daniel: Good but scary. We’re one step ahead of a mutant virus the entire way but so far everyone is still healthy. Although, every morning when we go down to the hotel lobby, the only word I can recognize in the news is corona and the other word is “uno” or “un” or something that I’m pretty sure it’s one and then I’m like “Oh no, it’s here!”
Maybe it means that there’s just one person that was diagnosed?
Daniel: That’s what I think but it’s still scary to wake up to, you know. I want to go home. I’m going home tomorrow and apparently there’s no outbreak yet. So we had a pretty good run.
Well, fingers crossed you won’t catch the virus! Anyways, you’re going to release your third album “Possession” soon. Do you feel it’s different compared to your previous albums?
Daniel: Yes, I think it has a lot of the pop sensibilities of the first record but the lyrical depth of the second. I think it’s a best of both worlds of what we’ve done so far.
Joywave – Obsession
Where there any important topics for you now that you didn’t really think of before?
Daniel: Yes, oh my god. The entire theme of this record is the idea of zooming out. Everything in our lives is breaking news, everything is so extreme all the time. This record is put together with samples from the NASA space probe “Voyager” which was launched in the 1970s. And on the front of the Voyager there’s this golden record with all these sounds the earth meant to show the aliens but now it’s about fourteen billion miles away from the earth. I wanted to have this kind of perspective from being that far away from the problems and the craziness of life and wanting to be able to just take things in stride and not stress out.
The title of your record hints at both control and the loss of control which we experience more frequently today. In what aspects do you think we have less control over our lives today than previous generations had?
Daniel: I would say it’s comparable to how crazy things got in the 1960s. I mean, I wasn’t alive but from my understanding people were hiding under their desks in school from nuclear weapons. It’s like that constantly, every single day. Like the virus thing we’re dealing with right now. In the U.S., last year North Korea was threatening to send nuclear weapons. There’s always something making you feel like the world is ending and everybody has anxiety at this point.
That’s true. You already mentioned the „Golden Voyager Records“, which might inform aliens about our existence. What do you think, they would copy from human beings and what definitely not?
Daniel: They would definitely copy Joywave. But I think there are lot of things they shouldn’t copy from us for sure. We have a lot of fear of the unknown and things we don’t understand. I think that’s kind of the root of all the evil in the world.
You’re using a lot of elements of different genres and I would say that it’s the variety of musical influences that characterize your sound. What do you think of this categorisation of your music?
Daniel: I feel like that’s going away. In the U.S. that’s definitely a thing. Our radios are really segmented but now these lines are getting really blurry. Now the rock stations will play Post Malone. I think it’s good that it’s going away. Everything is just a Spotify Playlist at this point. There’s music you like and music you don’t like and that’s how it should be.
Joywave – Blank Slate
Would you put yourself into a certain genre or do you like to keep it pretty open?
Daniel: I keep it open. I mean, I obviously do what I like so I don’t think there will be a Reggae Joywave song anytime soon but I don’t know, I could discover that side of myself in the future.
Are there differences in your private musical taste? Which music do you prefer when you’re alone?
Daniel: I don’t really listen to a ton of music to be honest when I’m by myself. Occasionally I put on a record but I don’t know. I like some Hip Hop stuff and I try to listen to “OK Computer” by Radiohead one time a year. But only one time because it’s really, really, really good and I like to keep it special.
Why aren’t you listening to music?
Daniel: It’s a great question. Because I hate it. I prefer to spend time with podcasts and things that stimulate my brain that way because I spend most of my time creating music. When I consume music or hear it, I start obsessing about it. I start analyzing it and start seeing it like the Matrix as a series of ones and zeros. I can’t think about anything else when music is happening and I need to be deliberate about it or remove myself from it. If music was playing right now, I would not be talking to you. I would be focused on the background music and thinking about how I like it and why I like it or how I hate it.
So you always have to pay attention when music is playing?
Daniel: Yes, I worked in a retail job for many years. I worked at a Staples store and it was terrible. But the music overhead would constantly taunt me and I found my least favourite song is “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood. I hate it. I would be loading printers off the shipping things and putting them out on shelves and that song would be playing with this stupid trumpet line. And everytime I hear it, it reminds me of that.
Joywave – Half Your Age
Let’s go back to your music. In your music video of „Half Your Age“ the protagonist transforms into a super human by taking a special pill. What inspired you to this idea?
Daniel: There are a lot of very funny pharmaceutical ads in the United States that are meant to be taken seriously. So, we thought, the chorus of the song has that line “Brush it all, brush it all, brush it all, brush it away”. And we were kinda like: “What if we took this song and make the worst advertisement with a misinterpretation of the lyrics to this song?” There was this ad in the United States that had this song “You’re unbelievable” but it was “They’re crumbelievable” for a product called “Crumbles” and it was a salad topper. I alway thought that that was awful. We wanted to create something that was just as bad, so we went pharmaceutical.
Let’s be honest, would you take this pill if it existed?
Daniel: I would take one of them or maybe two but not the whole bottle.
Now, what are your plans for the rest of the year after finishing the tour with PVRIS and the release of “Possession”? Will you come back to Germany?
Daniel: If I’m invited, yes I will! We have a full U.S. tour planned in april and may. Probably just touring the rest of the year.
Foto: Mary Ellen Matthews


INDIA: JioCinema- a king or a contender in Indian OTT space? Since the pandemic hit the globe, most moviegoers found their source of entertainment on digital screens. At such time streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and many OTTs skyrocketed to amass billions of views resulting in a striking profit off the charts.
However, the time has passed since then, few have been able to maintain their position, some have struggled to glue their subscribers to the digital screens, and some even today continue to lose their users (Netflix talking to you).
Though entertainment giants losing their hold on the audience is another topic to explore, today we’ll talk about the rising behemoth in the OTT space, who has started the journey at a slow pace, but now it appears it aims to rule the digital kingdom.
JioCinema: A rising OTT king?
Inception of JioCinema
Yes! We are talking about JioCinema, which arrived on the digital screens in 2016 through the internet boom brought by Jio, founded by Mukesh Ambani. In its beginning years, the platform was in toddler days exploring the world it has been brought up into.
At that time, it showcased a content library accumulating multiple genres in Indian regional languages (Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Punjabi, and many more). All this at of free-of-cost, but the only condition required for viewing the content was that the viewer must be a user of Jio.
Jio’s gamechaning decision: Acquires FIFA and IPL rights
Fast-forwarding the time to 2022, JioCinema merged with Viacom18, a partnership between Paramount Global and Network18 Group, a Reliance Industries company. Moving a few months later in the OTT platform’s journey, it made another milestone decision by making it free to all users irrespective of their network providers. This means that any Vi, Airtel, or other user can use the streaming app for free.
In November last year, JioCinema emerged as the FIFA World Cup 2022 broadcaster. It debuted the showcasing of FIFA to the audience in digital space with no charges. However, this “free-of-cost” subscription arrived with users’ complaints about its live streaming of the match. Many criticized that the app choked while showcasing live games.
In the same year, the OTT contender took another foot forward to leave a lasting impression as it acquired the digital streaming rights to the much-loved sports premier league of India, IPL (Indian Premiere League). It bagged the deal by defeating the multiple bidders, which included Disney+ HotStar (earlier digital broadcaster of IPL) as a major contender.
The streaming horse of Reliance, which, in the beginning, slowly started the race, appeared to be preparing for a big win. JioCinema’s IPL rights deal delivered a staggering blow of 4.6 million in subscriber loss to the House of Mouse, as per reports. It also had a record-breaking viewership for streaming TATA IPL.
According to Jio, on Monday (June 29), almost 3.2 crore viewers watched the IPL 2023 final between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, shattering the previous record of the most concurrent views to a live-streamed event.
Reliance-owned platform marched ahead by acquiring the Women’s Premier League rights in January 2023. JioCinema didn’t stop at this. Following its game of sports, the OTT tentpole now eyed the entertainment field.
Jio arrives in OTT arena with promising team up
In April, the platform teamed up with Warner Bros Discovery to open the gates for HBO, MAX, and some of WB’s original content. This deal landed another blow to Hotstar as it lost the streaming rights of House of the Dragon and many MAX content.
However, the whole WB Discovery content has no space for freebies as it falls under the premium subscription, costing Rs 999 per year. The premium library offers Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, the Harry Potter series, and many more.
Later, Jio Studios announced its plan for 100 movies streamed on JioCinema. This century of entertaining content elevates the library of the streaming platform to a whole new level. Recently, the Bollywood remake of the Tamil film Vikram Vedha also premiered on the platform for free of cost.
The free streaming also includes Varun Dhawan’s Bhediya, Randeep Hooda’s Inspector Avinash (an original series), Radhika Madan’s Kacchey Limbu, Nipun Dharmadhikari’s Me Vasantrao and many more.
The lineup for free viewership includes Shahid Kapoor’s Bloody Daddy, scheduled for June 9, Arshad Warsi’s Asur Season 2, released on June 1, and Vijay Setupathi’s Mumbaikar, which debuted on June 2.
JioCinema will also stream the upcoming season of Salman Khan hosted Bigg Boss. However, whether the show will be free or will cost subscription charges is not confirmed. Besides this, another multitude of upcoming featurettes will be streamed on the OTT giant.
Jio vs Netflix: A tale of OTT dumping
Given the arrival of Mukesh Ambani’s Jio in the digital space, the streaming behemoth has grabbed the two most loved elements by Indians, which are cricket and entertainment. These two factors play a vital role in any business to build its user base easily in the country. However, in JioCinema’s case, it has leapt by announcing its content free of cost.
This strategy will help Ambani build a suitable user base for JioCinema. Given the arrival of premium membership for WB-related content, it is expected that the streaming giant will cost charges for its upcoming lineup, which holds major potential.
Talking about Jio’s rival, Netflix, which became mainstream in India in 2018, now struggles to build its user count in the country. According to reports, the US-based streaming platform lost approximately 2 lakh users in April 2022. The cause of the loss might be attributed to a variety of factors, including high subscription fees and a halt in password sharing.
However, in my opinion, another reason for the loss of subscriber count may be the dumping of mediocre OTT content. The excessive number of series and movies released almost every month kills the interest in streaming.
The OTT content dumping is not the only case with Netflix. Most streaming platforms have been doing the same for a long time.
Underlining the OTT dumping, JioCinema must also remember not to overfeed the viewers with its content. Looking at its latest release Jio has released multiple series and movie, which appears promising, but some offer a mediocre or below-average vibe.
Vijay Setupathi and Vikrant Massey’s Mumbaikar can be considered the latest example of OTT dumping. The Bollywood film is a remake of Lokesh Kanagraj’s Maanagaram (2017). It promises a pure notion of a sluggish screenplay with a misuse of a talented star cast and everything which could possibly go wrong.
So JioCinema has to take a step carefully by balancing the latest release and the quality of its content. If Jio gets the game on point, then it may ascend the throne as a King of OTT platforms in India.


Award ceremony at Roner Distilleries 29.02.2024
South Tyrol's most popular winter lodges
Huge celebrations among the winners: victory goes to the Pichlerhütte in the Gitschberg ski area, second place to the Prantneralm near Sterzing, and third place to the Freundalm in Ratschings.
Over 23,000 votes were cast for the winning establishments. From January 15 to February 8, online users had the opportunity to vote for their favorite mountain lodge every day and at the same time take part in the prize draw for attractive prizes. Almost 300 winter lodges took part in the voting. On February 29th, the winners were honored in a festive setting at the Roner headquarters in Tramin.


Advantages of Web Video Marketing and Animated Videos
Video marketing isn't really practically assembling pieces of clips to promote a brand. Video marketing is everything about catching what the audience wishes to see, and what the brand name requires to be. Videos, as compared with other multimedia platforms, cultivate engagement and boost viewer interaction. Here are some of the primary functions of video marketing, and why your brand name ought to practice this effective publicity project.
Data reveal that video marketing increases ROI.
Your return on investment is the amount by which your initial capital has actually been made back. Research and quantitative analytics show that more than 80% of brands testify to the reality that videos assist in accomplishing higher sales conversion. This suggests that more website visitors are attracted to make a purchase, which will in turn raise your company's revenue and earnings.
Videos help in interacting to your audience.
It's simpler to show how the products are made, if it's done through a video. It can communicate feelings, ignite feelings and engage more audience. There's a reason YouTube has prospered as a social website, and why vlogging has actually ended up being a big thing in the 21st century.
Search engines favour websites with videos
The algorithm of online search engine easily targets sites with videos and other quality media material. This is primarily due to the increased time spent of audiences on a website with videos. Some studies recommend that a site with videos has 50% opportunity of revealing up on the topmost outcomes page of Google. Invest in high quality videos on your website if you want to improve your SEO profile.
Videos help brands make the market's trust.
It likewise assists in building trust and self-confidence. Netizens have the tendency to trust brand names that could provide much better quality marketing media content. Individuals who are sceptic about certain items might be encouraged with a great video presentation. Apart from the credibility of claims, videos also have the tendency to show a concrete proof of its functions.
Videos comply with society's patterns
Trends and pop culture, videos are the most popular types of media to circulate around the web when it comes to memes. Because the material is typically simple to understand and relatable, netizens discover it simpler to tag their friends, family members and other acquaintances when revealing a video. It's an easy method to share the fun without even needing to type a single word on their phones.
Brands can perform their imagination with a video.
Rather than photos, write-ups and other campaign platforms, videos can help brand marketers in displaying imagination. For example, Jollibee, a popular junk food chain in Southeast Asia went viral all over social networks throughout Valentine's Day 2017 for its well-created videos of real life love stories. Even individuals who haven't heard of the brand encountered the video online, which became its one way ticket to a greater market reach.
Apart from that, videos are likewise crucial when developing a brand name's reputation and online branding. If you want to make your brand to stand out in the cyber world, videos are your best bet.
Video marketing isn't just about website putting together pieces of clips to promote a brand. Video marketing is all about capturing what the audience wants to see, and what the brand needs to be. Here are some of the main features of video marketing, and why your brand ought to practice this effective publicity campaign.
Research and quantitative analytics reveal that more than 80% of brands attest to the fact that videos help in achieving greater sales conversion. As opposed to images, articles and other project platforms, videos can assist brand name online marketers in showing imagination.
Videos are important when creating a brand's reliability and also online branding. Animated Videos are your best bet if you prefer to make your trademark name to stand apart in the cyber world. In contrast to pictures, testimonials, as well as other job platforms, video clips can help with your Online Video Marketing and reveal your imagination.
Nearly every business or website owner has an exceptional reason to use video on their internet site. Rather than the noticeable "sells" video, why not generate a video that shows how to use your item, or potentially brand video? Or an unique approach or usage of your product. Different designs of video can advertise your brand name in different means.
We are Utah based Video Production Company. Our emphasis is primarily on Videos for web sites. , if you see one of those spokespeople reveal up on a web page without a background.. We stemmed those. Presently, we are doing a lot of Whiteboard and Animated Videos for business all over the world. Likewise, we've produced many regional and cable commercials.
We have actually been producing Animated Videos and helping companies with online video marketing for over a decade. We have made 10s of thousands of videos for everyone from tiny blogs to Fortune 500 companies. So, you know you can trust us to create a great video for you.
Our focus is generally on Videos for web websites. We desire to talk with you about the type of animated video you want for your web site or Blog. We have made 10s of thousands of videos for everyone from tiny blogs to Fortune 500 business.


The GuardiansTHE GUARDIANS was born from my desire to document and pay tribute to these people, these “guardians of urban temples” that we meet everyday without really noticing.
My approach is based on a principle of hazardous perambulation in every city that I visit. The initial idea is to have no more benchmark and enter spontaneously in places where the visual attraction is strong. I like to see every city as a maze in which I enjoy getting lost and finding these treasures.
These places are sometimes magical, overloaded with elements, colours and stories, guarded by these characters who are sometimes touching, funny, quirky, and at times frightening.
The photos that I take are often the only memory that this “Guardian” will have of him/herself in theirdaily environment. This photo can be the only visual record of the existence of this place, the only photographic memory.
People pay less and less attention to their environment. They are always in a hurry, they don’t take the time to spend time with one another. Unfortunately, these places will one day no longer be around. This is one of the reasons that compelled me to want to document these “guardians”.
So far, I’ve visited 9 cities (Montreal, New York, Las Vegas, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, London, Amsterdam, Beirut) and photographed nearly 250 Guardians.
Each picture is taken during my first encounter with the “Guardian”. Once contact is established, a link is created or not. Sometimes I leave with a small gift from the person, an anecdote, or just their portrait .
A photographic moment based on a brief exchange with these individuals. I try to make the audience feel the personality of the place and the owner.
I’m interested in the relationship between the environment and the attitude of the Guardians, how they position themselves in space. I become the director of their universe. I show them their day to day life through my eye and my camera.


The crypto exchange Coinbase announced that it is now offering deposits and withdrawals denominated in the British Pound Sterling (GBP) for users in the UK.
The exchange’s U.K. division will now offer same-day deposits and withdrawals from the platform, allowing transfers to happen almost immediately. Coinbase U.K. chief executive Zeeshan Feroz wrote that this system will replace the previous method, which had customers convert cryptocurrencies into euros before converting a second time into pounds.
The old process took several days, he said, an aspect that the new process will skip altogether. Making the whole process much faster and less cumbersome whilst also reducing associated fees.
Customers will not only benefit from increased speed, but reduced cost as well. By no longer having to convert funds from GBP to euros and vice versa to add and remove funds, there will be no more exchange rates.
Many customers already have access to GBP wallets, and all U.K. customers will receive access over the coming weeks.
Both individual and institutional customers will benefit, Feroz said, adding that the new wallets
will allow investors to make almost immediate transfers, an essential feature for traders and hedge funds who need to be able to enter and exit their positions quickly.
Feroz also stated that Coinbase is working on expanding its services in both the U.K. and the EU, citing the e-money license they received earlier in the year.


London Design Week 2017 starts Sunday March 12th ~ at Design Centre Chelsea Harbour
On Monday, 13th March at 4PM
We are excited to introduce Victoria Bain, founder of Victoria Bain Embroidered Textiles for a discussion about her newest introductions and the process of bespoke embroidery design from inspiration to execution.
(Photo by Andrew Johansson)
Victoria Bain will also be taking part in the “Conversations in Design” programme on the main stage at London Design Week 2017.
The editor of Homes & Garden, Deborah Barker, will be chairing the session on Sunday 12 March at 11:30am. It is entitled “From Thinking to Making”.
The Design Club
Third Floor, South Dome,
Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour,
London SW10 0XE


During the month of July 2015, the British Council and SupportYemen partnered to deliver Comra, a documentary filmmaking project that aimed at training 12 young filmmakers on guerrilla filmmaking and produce films that tell human stories from Yemen at a time of war
To give young filmmakers in Yemen a complete picture of the art of filmmaking, an added training on narrative and fiction was delivered in December 2015. This time was aiming to include a larger number of young Yemenis who have a passion for films and filmmaking. The month long training included sessions on scriptwriting, production, directing, lighting & sound, editing and acting. Participants were divided into the sessions that would eventually make a up complete film crew.
Because the British Council is celebrating Shakespeare's work in 2016 on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of his death, we challenged the teams to make Yemeni films inspired by Shakespeare's work.


As the euro crisis muddles along with no end in sight, let's analyze the journey of the eurozone so far since the great financial crisis of 2008, and the subsequent downward spiral of the eurozone periphery set in motion by the Greek socialist government's revelation in December 2009 that the Greek budget deficits were twice what were previously estimated.
The Greek crisis, on the heels of the Irish economic crisis, spread like a wild-fire across Europe and has left in its wake Portugal, Italy, and Spain, in a state of financial and economic panic. Albeit the panic assumed different proportions in those countries called the PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain) or the periphery as a group, its gust had the potency to draw the eurozone's core - Germany, France, Netherlands - in to the center of the storm. The fiscal crisis in Greece set off alarm bells across the eurozone, especially the periphery, on the fiscal front. They then triggered a series of backlashes from the bond vigilantes, who forced sovereign governments of the peripheral nations to pay up more to hold their debt, triggering a crisis of confidence that percolated through their banking and financial systems. Of course, I haven't said anything that you did not know, but what has been lost in the current turmoil is the root cause of the crisis.
All the discourse amongst the policy makers and the perquisites imposed by the troika of ECB, IMF and EU on the countries in the periphery to tackle the turmoil have solely focused on austerity measures to put the fiscal balances in order, and largely to preserve the monetary union. The irony is that none of the recommendations have emphasized reforming the flawed macro-economic fundamentals of the periphery, which have been asymmetric to that of the core ever since the establishment of the eurozone. The asymmetric macro-economic fundamentals of the periphery, which have been put to test by the recent crisis, are threatening to rupture the eurozone as the one-size-fits-all coordinated monetary policy has been ineffective so far, as it has failed to manage the persistent current account imbalances of the countries in the periphery
Lending by eurozone core to the periphery
As you can see in figure 1, German banks have retrenched their lending to the PIIGS from a peak of €917 billion ($1,218.63) in Q2 2008 to a €383 billion ($ 508.956) in Q2 2012. The German exposure was about 37% of its GDP at the peak in Q1 2008 compared with the 15% at the end of Q2 2012. Similar has been the case with French as well as the Dutch banks too (see figure 2 and figure 3). In the case of the French banks, the exposure dwindled from 52% of the GDP at the peak to 22% at the end of Q2 2012, while the Dutch banks' exposure dwindled from 63% of the GDP to 19%. With the year-over-year declines in the banking exposure to the PIIGS hovering between 25% and 35% in these countries, the periphery has been experiencing the classic case of "sudden stop" with inter-bank lending virtually coming to a halt. As a result of the "sudden stop," the slack in private lending has been picked up by ECB, the lender of last resort, the sovereign governments in the periphery, the duo of European Commission and IMF, and the bloated TARGET2 balances. The total exposure of banks from core eurozone countries Germany, France, Netherlands, Austria and Belgium to PIIGS dropped from €2.6 trillion in Q1 2008 to €1.0 trillion in Q2 2012 (see figure 4).
The global recession of 2008 morphed into a crisis of confidence as well as a banking and debt crisis for the countries in the periphery, pushing Europe into another round of recession. In order to prevent the banking and debt crisis from spreading from the periphery to other peripheral and core nations of the European Union, the ECB stepped in to fill the liquidity gap left behind by the sudden withdrawal of private capital - as cross-border private lending as well as inter-bank lending had dried up. In January 2008, ECB lending to the PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain) in the form of Main Refinancing Operations and Longer-Term Refinancing Operations amounted to about €100 billion. As of end of October this year, ECB lending to the periphery has ballooned to around €1 trillion including lending by the individual National Central Banks via Emergency Liquidity Assistance (ELA). The lending also includes the 36-month Longer-Term Refinancing Operations conducted by the ECB in two installments - one at the end of December, 2011, and the other at the end of February, 2012. ECB allotted €489 billion to 523 banks in eurozone in the first installment and about €530 billion to 800 banks in the second installment. Figure 5 summarizes the ECB lending to the peripheral nations. In the figure, the numbers for Greece include the ELA lending of €122 billion by Bank of Greece, backed by inferior collateral than that accepted by ECB in general. The size of the entire ELA facility today stands about 234 billion (see figure 6), and factoring that into the total number from figure 4, and as said earlier, the total lending by ESCB (European System of Central Banks) should undeniably be more than €1 trillion. Figures 7 through 11 will reveal the size of the ECB lending to various peripheral countries.
Flight of Deposits and collapsed lending
Of the peripheral countries, Greece, Ireland, and Spain, have seen a massive exodus of deposits (see figures 12 and 13), partly from German, English, and French banks reducing their exposure to them, and in large part from the flight of investors pursuing safety. Spain has seen its deposits dwindle from €1.7 trillion in June 2011 to €1.5 trillion, at the end of October 2011, a decline of €237 billion. On the other hand, Greece has seen its deposits erode by €83 billion euros since the current crisis raised its ugly head in December 2009. Likewise, Ireland has seen its deposits erode by €23 billion euros since August 2009. However, as you can see from figure 12, core countries like Germany, France, and Netherlands are experiencing steady growth of bank deposits in spite of the crisis. The flight of deposits from the periphery coincides with the growth of deposits in the core countries, creating a fragmented credit system and a dualistic banking system in the eurozone, and thus, dampening the ECB's current ultra-slack monetary stance. With the flight of deposits, the cost of credit in the peripheral countries is rising, crippling the already strained credit system there. As you can see figures 14 & 15, lending has collapsed in Spain, Ireland, and Greece.
ECB's monetary policy
By applying Taylor's rule to the countries in the periphery and the core, and despite the deluge of liquidity pumped by the ECB, we can gather that the current ECB target rate is too tight for the periphery, while being lax for the core group. As you can see in figure 16, Taylor's rule suggests that the ECB target rates historically have been incongruent to the macroeconomic conditions of the two individual clusters considered separately. In other words, one size policy does not fit the economic circumstances of the disparate countries in a monetary union. Considering the fact that the current crisis in the eurozone has created a divergence between the core and the periphery, it raises the question - how long can the ECB be accommodative toward the periphery, without harming the economic interests of the core of the eurozone.
Incongruity of fiscal policy as well as monetary policy with macroeconomic conditions in the periphery
The bond vigilantes have forced the sovereigns in the periphery to undertake austerity measures, and with the ECB's current monetary stance, despite infusion of abundant liquidity, being tight for the conditions there, both the fiscal policy as well as the monetary policy as a result are running counter to the macroeconomic conditions in the periphery. The conditions set forth by the troika as part of bailout programs are grounded on principles of austerity, whereas the order of the day should have been comprehensive macroeconomic reforms supplemented by austerity measures. Ever since the existence of the European Union, the nations on the periphery have been running current account deficits with the core nations. And therefore all the prescriptions provided by the troika, in addition to austerity measures, should have been centered on labor reforms emphasizing productivity and wage reduction in the periphery. To be added to the list of prescriptions should have been the depreciation of the currency, which is impossible in the current scenario, considering the coordinated monetary policy that is threading through the peripheral nations as a result of being in a monetary union. Unless efforts are not made to restore balance to the current account, the periphery will never see resurgence again and will continue to muddle along in the quagmire as we have seen in the last few years, and that too only with the aid of boundless ECB liquidity. The ECB liquidity programs have given an opportunity for the core countries to set their financial books in order by reducing their financial exposure to the periphery and thereby setting the stage for transformation of the eurozone with minimum disruptions. The economic and financial divergence between the core and the periphery has reached a critical stage now. The policy makers in the EU and ECB now should be emphasizing through the current liquidity programs, maybe, an orderly bifurcation of the eurozone into two groups - one containing the core nations and the second containing the periphery including Portugal, Ireland, Greece, and Spain (Italy for all purpose would remain in the core). So far when the circumstance were good, the core nations were reaping the benefits from the union to some extent at the expense of the periphery, but since the crisis, the core led by Germany have not been happy campers for having to undertake the burden of bailing out the economically downtrodden brethren from the periphery. The divergence on the economic front has spilled over in to the political realm widening the breach even further. An orderly bifurcation rather than that forced by the markets would be the best long-term solution to the crisis in the periphery
For each of the countries in the periphery, the only way out of the current quagmire is through economic reforms aided by independent fiscal and monetary policy. The fiscal belt tightening going on in these peripheral nations is not helping alleviate the macroeconomic problems in these countries at all. As discussed earlier the underpinnings of austerity measures solely promote fiscal balance, and restoration of normalcy to the eurozone at the earliest, and not rectifying the macroeconomic flaws in the periphery. Since the coordinated monetary policy is not conducive for comprehensive macroeconomic reforms, independent monetary policy should be the way forward, but for that to happen the periphery will have to exit the monetary union. Labor reforms are the first that should be undertaken in order to promote productivity in the economy by removing labor market rigidities and welfare programs that thwart job creation and limiting cross-border labor migration. The wage structure in these countries needs to be rationalized to the national standards rather than the EU standards, thus promoting job growth. The peripheral nations have to depart from the euro currency, so that their new currency would operate at an optimum efficiency, which would eliminate current account imbalances and reduce the growth rate of sovereign debt. With the population growth rate at below replacement levels, the classical Solow's growth model would reveal that the long-term growth rate of the countries in the periphery would be governed purely by the rate of growth of productivity and human capital growth.
The rupture of the eurozone is inevitable due to the economic imbalance between the periphery and the core, but the rupture can be managed in an orderly fashion with the help of ECB. Doing so in an orderly manner will eliminate all uncertainties and minimize financial and economic losses. The ECB's quantitative easing has helped the core countries to manage their exposure to the periphery, and the policy makers should use this as an opportunity to stage the reformation of the eurozone rather than it being forced on them by the markets. Irrespective of how the rupture transpires, for long-term investors, exposure to country ETFs like EWP (iShares Spain Country ETF), having an exposure to financials of 50%, and EIRL (iShares Ireland Country ETF), should be kept at bare minimum
I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


Yarra City Council is trialling a 30km/h area-wide speed limit in a pocket of Fitzroy and Collingwood.
There is clear evidence that slower travel speeds save lives. We want to make livelier, healthier streets that everyone can enjoy, whether they are walking, driving or riding. We know it might seem like a big change, but we think 30km/h has potentially huge benefit, for comparatively little inconvenience, and we think it’s worth investigating.
Thanks for your support. Thanks for 30.
What our supporters say
“Neighbourhoods with 30km/h speeds are safer and more social as people are able to be out talking with other locals, and there are fewer road crashes. They are happy, liveable neighbourhoods and so we expect more communities will want 30km/h streets when the trial is finished.”
Ben Rossiter, Executive Officer, Victoria Walks
“When traffic speeds are 30 km/h or less, not only does the crash rate come down for all road users, but the streets feel different -- less frantic and threatening, and more friendly and welcoming, especially for people on bikes. Everybody wins.”
Anthea Hargreaves, General Manager, Public Affairs, Bicycle Network
“Slowing speeds to 30km/h makes it safer for people to be more active in their neighbourhoods. At least 30 minutes of physical activity a day can reduce your risk of heart disease by 35 per cent.”
Kellie-Ann Jolly, CEO, Heart Foundation
“30km/h limits are the developing global standard for places where motor vehicles mix with pedestrians and cyclists. Across the world, communities are saying that “20’s Plenty where people are” (in mph) and are “Loving 30” (in km/h) – it’s great that this now includes Yarra.”
Rod King MBE, Founder and Campaign Director, 20's Plenty for Us
“The Pedestrian Council of Australia has been campaigning for 30 km/h zones for over a decade. The safety, community and commercial benefits are irrefutable. These zones are throughout Europe and the UK and NZ. We congratulate Yarra City on this vitally important initiative.”
Harold Scruby, Chairman/CEO, Pedestrian Council of Australia
“Lower speeds make the roads safer for everyone, especially vulnerable cyclists. 30km/h speed limits are being introduced across the world. We congratulate the City of Yarra on trialling 30km/h and encourage other councils to adopt this important road safety measure.”
Phoebe Dunn, CEO, Amy Gillett Foundation
“The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons recognises the major role that excessive speed plays in the causation of serious road crashes and supports appropriate speed limits being adopted - having regard for the environment, traffic density and other considerations. Enforcement of programs and initiatives such as Thanks for 30 along with the regular review of speed limits in our metropolitan areas is imperative to reducing unnecessary trauma and fatalities.”
Dr John Crozier FRACS, FRCST, DDU, Chair, RACS National Trauma Committee


Ever wonder just how many pizzas are sold in the U.S. each year? How about how much the most expensive pizza in the world costs? Or the most popular type of pizza in America? Take a guess and then read on to find out if you got it right. In this article, we’re getting to know one of the world’s favorite foods a little bit better with these 26 deliciously appetizing (and surprising) pizza facts you probably didn’t know before.
- 350 slices of pizza are eaten every second in the United States.
Nationally, 21,000 slices are eaten in just one minute. That’s a lot of ‘za!
2.Pizza Hut sells over 2 million pizzas during the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest days for pizzerias across the United States, so it’s no surprise that Pizza Hut absolutely kills it on this day each year.
3.The invention of the first pizza is credited to Naples in the early 1500s.
Historians discovered that the poor people of Naples would put slices of tomatoes on dough and include cheese on top to make a low-cost, easy meal to feed their families.
4.The first pizzeria to open in the United States was called Lombardi’s located in NYC.
Originally a grocery store, Lombardi’s started selling pizzas in 1905, which led to an explosion of pizzerias across New York City. You’d be surprised to know Lombardi’s is still in business today!
5.World War II soldiers made pizza as popular dish as it is in the United States.
World War II soldiers who were stationed in Italy grew quite fond of pizza while there, bringing the idea of this tasty dish back with them to the United States. It wasn’t long until pizza became popular in America.
6. Chicago-based Pizzeria Uno invented the first deep dish pizza.
This mouthwatering created was created in 1943.
7. About 13 percent of Amercians eat pizza daily.
This fact comes from the United States Department of Agriculture. That’s about one in eight Americans!
8. America’s consumption of cheese has increased by 41 percent since 1995 due to pizza.
The USDA also discovered that a typical two-slice serving of pizza accounts for 37 percent of our daily calcium consumption.
9. The most expensive pizza in the world costs about €8,300.
In the United States, this converts to about $12,000. Master pizza chef Renato Viola created the most expensive pizza in the world at his gourmet pizzeria in Italy. It’s toppings include lobster, buffalo mozzarella, caviar, squilla mantis (a Mediterranean shrimp) and pink Australian salt.
10. The largest pizza in the world measured to be 122 feet, 8 inches in diameter.
The Guinness World Records recorded this pizza, named “Ottavia,” in Rome, Italy on December 13, 2012. The pizza was gluten-free, made to increase awareness of health-conscious food choices.
11. You can order your pizza with squid and mayo as toppings in Japan.
Other popular toppings in Japan include corn, potatoes, tuna, bacon and just about anything else you can think of.
12. You can make pizza on the stove!
Yes, you read that right. Many people think you can only make pizza in the oven or on the grill. But with a revolutionary new pizza-making product on the market called Pizza Chef, cooking pizza on the stove top is easier and quicker than ever! Learn more here.
13. In 2013, Domino’s created DVDs that smelled like pizza.
This marketing campaign was created by Domino’s Brazil with 10 stores releasing DVDs that smelled like pizza when you watched them.
14. In 2001, a pizza was delivered to the International Space Station.
This six-inch salami pizza was delivered by Pizza Hut and was the first pizza to ever be delivered to outer space.
15. NASA funded and tested a 3D printed that would made pizza for astronauts.
Now astronauts never have to crave pizza! The 3D food printer created by BeeHex can make a pizza in half the time an average pizza chef can and has a variety of toppings and sauces.
16. $38 billion worth of pizzas are sold each year in the United States.
America is one of the biggest consumers of pizza around the globe. Three billion pizzas are sold in the U.S. annually.
17. Most Americans prefer thin crust pizza.
61 percent to be exact. Deep dish is the second most popular with 14 percent of Americans taking a liking to this type.
18. Dough spinning is a competitive art form — with a purpose.
Dough spinning is a professional-level sporting event where teams compete in acrobatic competitions at the World Pizza Championships. But it’s not all fun and games! Spinning pizza dough is the best way to evenly spread dough and create a uniform crust, and it helps the dough retain moisture.
19. 93 percent of Americans have at least one slice per month.
This fact comes from the USDA. While the percentage is so high, does it come as a surprise?
20. Meat lovers pizza is the most preferred in America.
A study by the Culinary Visions Panel showed that out of 500 Americans surveyed, 76 percent favored meat lovers pizza over any other type.
21. There are four main types of mozzarella.
Mozzarella di bufala is made one type made from the milk of water buffalo in Italy and used on Neapolitan-style pizzas. Similarly, fior di latte is made from cow’s milk. Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese known for its creamy filling. And finally, pizza cheese is the whole-milk or part-skim mozzarella used by most American pizzerias.
22. Saturday night is the most popular night for pizza-eating.
This fact comes from UberEATS, which found that most people in the U.S. eat pizza for dinner on Saturdays.
23. Pizza Hut is the top-selling pizza chain in the United States.
According to Pizza Magazine, Pizza Hut dominates the pizza industry in America with over 5.5 million sales.
24. There are more than 34 million combinations to create a single pizza from Domino’s.
Domino’s gives people the variety and customization they crave!
25. Papa John’s was the first pizza chain to offer ordering online.
Created in 2001, Papa John’s revolutionized the pizza industry with online ordering. According to the chain, by 2008, Papa John’s earned over $1 billion in ecommerce sales in comparison to $1 million in mobile phone orders.
26.Peyton Manning owned 31 Papa John’s franchises.
The former football celebrity owned the chains in the Denver area, purchasing them in 2012 and selling them right before leaving the NFL.


Like, follow, and join us to see another side of Porter Ranch, including videos, news, events, and other fun morsels you can’t get anywhere else. It’s a great way to stay informed about this extraordinary community.
PORTER RANCH, Calif.--(LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS)--Gus’s BBQ, known for its Southern-style barbecue, is opening a new location at the Vineyards in Porter Ranch, according to the Vineyards. The South Pasadena restaurant, which has been serving barbecue since 1946, will open its doors at 20179 W. Rinaldi Street, Suite 150.View Article
PORTER RANCH, Calif.--(LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS)--A Porter Ranch park featured in Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” is one step closer to be named after the iconic film. A local neighborhood council’s board endorsed a letter sent by Councilman Greig Smith, whose district includes Porter Ranch, and who earlier asked about officially renaming Porter Ridge Park at the Sesnon Avenue and Reseda Boulevard intersection after the classic movie.View Article


Host a SOLD Premier and raise awareness about Human Trafficking Relief.
SOLD is a narrative, feature film adaptation of Patricia McCormick’s globally acclaimed book based on true stories. Through one extraordinary girl’s story, SOLD shows the brutality of child trafficking, which affects millions of children around the world every year. SOLD is a call to action to change this current system of brutality and violence, and a testament to the resilience and power of the human spirit.
You can help raise awareness about human trafficking relief by hosting a SOLD premier in your community! Through a partnership with Tugg.com, individuals, groups and organizations can set up personalized screenings of SOLD in theaters across the U.S. By bringing a screening to a community near you, you not only help spread awareness about this issue, but call people to take action and join the movement to end trafficking.
To host a screening of SOLD near you, visit: http://www.soldthemovie.com/request-a-screening/. Follow the simple steps to begin the process of bringing SOLD to a theater in your community! It is free to host a film and extremely easy. You are provided all of the marketing materials necessary to launch a successful screening. All you have to do is invite your friends and promote the event!


The switch from a healthcare industry driven off of a fee-for-service model to one that emphasizes value-based care is not just in full gear. According to some industry experts, the time has passed when fee-for-service health networks can expect to operate efficiently anymore. To keep patients engaged, there needs to be a new healthcare system that caters to their needs, as well as a new kind of physicians network that provides those services.
That is the message coming out of the annual meeting of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, Healthcare Finance News reported. While physicians may at one point have been content to let patients come to them, the atmosphere of clinical care has changed to the point where if clinicians are not available when and where their patients require their solutions, it may be too late to win them back, and the costs of losing them to out-of-network services might be too high to stomach. That is why Daniel Marino, senior vice president of The Camden Group, told attendees to the HFMA event that integrating physicians in a vertical model is critical to providing near-constant access to care.
Coordinating care is critical to costs
In decades past, it was both cost effective and tolerated by patients to provide a single physician for all of their healthcare needs. Whether it was for routine checkups or acute health issues, the primary care physician was the single point of access to medical services, other than the exorbitantly expensive trip to the emergency room.
However, the industry-wide switch to value-based care has emphasized a paradigm shift toward putting the patient at the center of the healthcare ecosystem. As such, Marino explained at the HFMA conference that failing to offer patients convenient access to care is akin to begging them to find somewhere else to provide their health care services.
"Access becomes critical," Marino said, as quoted by Healthcare Finance News. "Hospitals and physicians are starting to align. The next thing is to engage consumers. Link them into your network so they do not want to leave. What is that cost of care? We need patients to stay in network."
"On-going care availability will reduce the number of redundant tests and interventions."
Of course, care access points cannot be created from nothing, which is why care coordination has become such a critical dynamic in the modern healthcare world. Aligning all members of an individual patient's stakeholder team into a vertically coordinated group will not only allow that person to seek and obtain services when necessary, but this on-going availability will also reduce the number of redundant tests and interventions, thereby reducing the overall spend for chronic patients who have the potential drive up costs, Marino explained.
Coordinate sooner rather than later
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, many of the biggest roadblocks to coordinated care networks involved the holdovers of a fee-for-service healthcare model. Fragmented services like primary care and supplemental radiological or testing locations often require patients to navigate the gaps in care by themselves. However, as Marino told the HFMA conference attendees, technology has emerged as a solution to those previously insurmountable missing links.
"The successful [providers] that are out there are building systems of care," Marino said. "Technology and analytics, connected with care will reduce redundancy and drive down cost."
By moving patient health records onto a cloud-based system that reduces the burden of file sharing, patients can experience shorter wait times and more efficient care across the healthcare continuum. Whether they are seeking specialists in departments that are not traditionally connected to primary care services or waiting for results to transfer back to the physicians who require them before successive steps can be taken, technology is the bridge that links coordinated care.
While the costs to transition to a coordinated care network may be high, the future rewards may be too good to pass up, Marino explained. Initially, he stated that it may cost anywhere between $3 to $20 million depending on each individual provider's existing network, but initial investments dwarf in comparison to future dividends.
"It is not just talk about clinical integration as you set it up, you have to talk about what is next around value-based contracting," Marino said. "If you do a better quality of care with a patient, you will reduce costs."


Norrisville VFC member – Safety Officer 10, Bryan Isaacs, sustained a near fatal line of duty injury while at work as a FF/PM with the Baltimore City Fire Department. FF/PM Isaacs was ejected from the cab of Baltimore City Engine 6 while responding on a call. He was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma where he remained in critical condition for several weeks after the incident. Bryan made a remarkable recovery and was able to return home.
Bryan has been on light duty with Baltimore City Fire Department and Norrisville Volunteer Fire Co. since the incident on March 5th 2008. He has been through numerous tests and extensive rehab and has been cleared to return to work.
Bryan will be assigned to the Training Academy with the Baltimore City Fire Department and has been cleared to full duty with the Norrisville Volunteers. The Norrisville Volunteer Fire Company wishes Brother Isaacs the best as he pursues his passions in life.


District 24 schools are some of the most diverse in the state, and our young people are overcoming incredible odds to succeed. We have high rates of poverty, food insecurity, and homelessness. Many students come from immigrant and refugee families and need extra help to catch up to their peers. Our schools require adequate funding and support, and the fact that we spend more on incarceration than education should outrage every Oregonian. The most recent state budget came $200 million short of meeting our educational needs. It’s time to reverse this trend and invest in our children, not in prisons.
More details coming soon.


Welcome to Alentejo, an idyllic oasis nestled in the heart of Portugal. Far from the bustling crowds, this hidden gem invites you to slow down, breathe in tranquility, and immerse yourself in a world where time stands still.
From its rolling golden plains to its ancient towns and vineyard-dotted landscapes, Alentejo captivates the senses with its raw beauty and rich cultural heritage.
In this article, we will unveil the secrets of Alentejo, offering a glimpse into its soul-stirring landscapes, warm hospitality, and experiences that will leave an indelible mark on your heart.
A Serene Haven in Alentejo's Warm Embrace
As the warm months cast their golden glow over Alentejo, the region awakens with vibrant possibilities. Here are some extraordinary things to do and experience in Alentejo, especially during the warmer seasons.
Alentejo embraces a slower pace of life, inviting you to unwind and relish every moment. Wander through picturesque towns like Évora, where centuries-old architecture tells tales of bygone eras.
Stroll along charming cobblestone streets, savoring the scent of orange blossoms and admiring whitewashed houses adorned with colorful flower pots.
Alentejo's cuisine is a celebration of simple yet flavorful dishes, crafted with love and passed down through generations. Indulge in traditional specialties like migas, a delectable combination of breadcrumbs, garlic, and regional spices. Pair it with hearty Alentejo wines, renowned for their exceptional quality, and let your taste buds embark on a journey of pure delight.
Estremoz, known as the "Marble City," mesmerizes visitors with its ethereal beauty. Wander through the town's historic center, where you'll encounter stunning examples of marble architecture, from the majestic Estremoz Castle to the intricate detailing of churches and palaces. Marvel at the skill of local artisans as they shape this precious stone into exquisite sculptures and handicrafts.
Alentejo's vast landscapes beckon adventurers to explore their untamed beauty. Lose yourself in the serene tranquility of Alqueva Lake, Europe's largest artificial lake.
Hop on a boat and navigate the calm waters, basking in the breathtaking views of rolling hills, ancient olive groves, and sleepy villages dotting the shoreline. It's a chance to reconnect with nature and find solace in its unspoiled embrace.
Alentejo's unspoiled coastline reveals secluded beaches that offer an escape from the world's worries. Dive into the crystal-clear waters of São Torpes Beach, renowned for its excellent surfing conditions.
Or venture to the pristine sands of Carvalhal Beach, where you can enjoy long walks along the shoreline, the gentle sea breeze caressing your skin.
Alentejo's vineyards produce award-winning wines that reflect the region's character and terroir. Embark on a wine-tasting journey, immersing yourself in the aromas and flavors of this rich winemaking heritage.
Visit renowned wineries like Herdade do Esporão and Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, where you can learn about the winemaking process, stroll through vineyards, and delight in the perfect marriage of wine and food.
Alentejo is a land steeped in history and traditions. Attend local festivals, where the rhythm of traditional music and the vibrant colors of folklore costumes ignite the senses.
Engage with locals, who greet you with warm smiles and open hearts, sharing their stories, crafts, and deep-rooted cultural traditions. It's an opportunity to connect with a heritage that has withstood the test of time.
Alentejo, Portugal's serene oasis, invites you to embark on a journey of self-discovery and connection with nature and culture. Let its timeless landscapes, warm hospitality, and exquisite flavors awaken your senses and leave an imprint on your soul. From the tranquil towns to the breathtaking coastline, Alentejo reveals its treasures to those who seek a respite from the ordinary. So, surrender to the allure of Alentejo, where the essence of Portugal unfolds in all its unspoiled splendor.


Thank you Dāsha for this lovely feature!
I’m beyond honoured to be part of this select Wonder Woman group!
Originally posted on Windy City Wardrobe:
Happy Friday Fashionista’s!
I’m so excited about this week’s wonder woman! If you missed what this series is all about click here for an update.
IMAGE BY:SATURN TWINS
Without further ado, I give you our wonder woman of the week, Annie B. She’s the makeup guru behind the blog, Annie’s Beauty! So many turn to Annie daily for skin care tips, fashion, and makeup reviews. Let’s jump into the interview and get to know her better.
- Everyone has bad habits, what’s yours? I’m a perfectionist and I want things to be done on time and flawlessly!… Which often comes with an extra, bossy attitude! Is that really such an awful thing?
- When or how did you become aware of your entrepreneurial spirit? Haha! That happened when I was about 12 or 13… When I had my first paid job as a “translator” for a family friend!
- How did you choose the name for…
View original 393 more words


Over 1600 pregnant women set a world record by practising yoga in Gujarat’s Rajkot on the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday.
One thousand six hundred and thirty two pregnant women performed together at the Swaminarayan Temple premises under the guidance of a trained instructor and in the presence of a medical team.
Nearly 1.25 crore people took part in the Yoga Day celebrations held at around 40,000 venues across the state.
Chief Minister Anandiben Patel along with governor OP Kohli and many other religious and spiritual leaders were present at state-level celebration held at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad.
The CM practised ‘asanas’ for almost 40 minutes along with more than 30,000 participants, including IPS and IAS officers, MLAs, corporators and BJP leaders.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda participated in a yoga session held at Nikol area of the city.
In his recorded message, played before the mass demonstration of ‘Common Yoga Protocol’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his best wishes to the participants.
The PM also expressed happiness at the rising awareness about yoga and its benefits.


Smog or haze is formed due to air pollution caused from hazardous gases, chemicals and stems from industries, automobiles and power plants and also smoke from fires. Mouth cancer or oral cancer can still be possible even if you do not use tobacco, chew betel quid, smoke and drink alcohol. Yes, it is a fact, even if you control other habits, air pollution can still contribute to mouth cancer.
According to a new study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), people who are living in urban areas with heavy air-pollution are at an increased risk of getting mouth cancer. Incidences of mouth cancer are increasing not only in adults but also in middle-aged men – especially those who are living in metropolitan cities and cities with highest rate of air pollution. Thus, men are more likely to get oral cancer if they are in areas with highest levels of air pollutants.
Air-Pollution – A major risk factor now
People exposed to huge levels of fine particulate matter in air are nearly about 45% more likely to develop oral cancer – according to the same study. Furthermore, according to the senior researcher – professor Yung- Po Liaw, the presence of heavy metals in the particulate matter of polluted air could be the reason for increased risk of mouth cancer.
Polluted air contains fine metallic particulate components such as nickel, chromium, arsenic, cadmium and lead and also other PAHs – polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (organic compounds). Both these organic and metallic components of air are carcinogenic. The tiny particles present in the polluted air contain heavy metals – which are easily absorbed by the tissues of the mouth.
The overall fine particulate matter in polluted air contains carcinogens. Therefore, their effects are beyond respiratory problems and heart ailments. According to the statistics from Oral Cancer Foundation. among the majority of people who have been diagnosed with oral cancer, nearly about 50% will survive after five years. The mortality rate associated with mouth cancer is quite high due to the fact that these types of cancers are usually diagnosed at a late stage.
Measures to Minimize the Risk
Until now the health issues associated with air pollution were confined to heart and lungs, but now the major cause for concern is the association between air-pollution and oral cancer. Though the association is not like cause-and-effect type, yet the risk is huge. Therefore, the researchers have recommended mouth cancer screening for individuals living in high-risk polluted areas. This will help in early diagnosis and timely treatment.
Prevention is better than cure
Lifestyle modification can help because it is literally impossible to completely avoid exposure to polluted air. The risk can become manifold for those who are living in polluted areas and are involve in unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking. Therefore, to minimize the risk, one should quit smoking and drinking and avoid exposure to polluted air. In addition, those who spend long hours outdoors owing to job or service should take additional precautionary measures such as – avoid going outdoors when particulate matter is very high in air. If their jobs demand going outside, then they should wear protective face masks when outdoors.


2020 changed a lot about how we approach large gatherings, most notably that couples across the world have been patiently waiting to hold landmark celebrations such as weddings, and their time has finally arrived. The 2021 trends in wedding decoration have been influenced both by logistical concerns and a desire to bring long overdue dreams to life, so let’s take a look at the five most popular ones to find which trends will work for you.
#1 Small Guest List, Big Spectacle:
Smaller guest lists give event organizers the opportunity to lavish extra care on each and every attendee. This is shown not only through extra investment being put into wedding decorations, but also through an increasing trend of offering attendees personalized meal options, particularly those that are served individually to reduce shared utensils and similar points of contact between guests.
In addition to this, live performers and entertainment have become a wedding essential, providing engagement and a sense of connection with guests even when the stars of the show are busy.
#2 Remote Streaming:
Some of the adaptations originally made to weather the lockdown are already being harnessed to make the traditional wedding structure even better. One of the most obvious incarnations of this is the increased focus on providing accessibility through remote streaming. According to data provided by the Knot Worldwide, over 43% of US couples organizing a 2021 wedding plan to include some form of streaming technology to better include friends and family unable to attend in person.
#3 Leaning Into Nostalgia:
Returning to tried and true design concepts can be a great comfort after a period of upheaval. Because of this, there’s been a resurgence of weddings that take inspiration from 1960s and 1970s decoration. Other couples are looking to their parent’s weddings for design ideas, which provides a unique opportunity to incorporate vintage décor pieces or clothing items to tie family timelines together in a touching gesture.
#4 Out of the Box Venues:
Outdoor weddings have become extremely popular in 2021, as the combination of fresh air and open spaces make them a welcome relief from the cramped indoors. The appeal of this event layout is optimized with design choices that put the venue on full display, such as open sided tents covering seating, furniture that incorporates features like naturally treated wood, and of course twinkling fairy lights to guide the way and make night dances just a bit more magical.
#5 Looking to the Internet:
After a full year of assembling concept boards and searching for the perfect theme, many couples are incorporating elements of popular internet aesthetics into their wedding décor. Whether it’s the refined elegance of dark academia or the rustic simplicity of cottagecore, you may find the perfect design for your event closer than you think.
As always, looking at decorating trends is a great starting point, but remember that your wedding should be tailored to your tastes above all else. It’s your day, so don’t be afraid to incorporate that unique and quirky décor idea that could only have come from you!


In celebration of the first day of spring on the lunar calendar, BNP Paribas is pleased to hold a spring bazaar today in collaboration with the leading social enterprise Beautiful Store. All the proceeds from the bazaar will be donated to a meaningful programme that provides emotional support to socially neglected children.
In support of this event held at the Seoul Station branch of Beautiful Store, BNP Paribas employees have donated over 1,400 secondhand goods such as baby clothes, toys, books and shoes for the charity sale. Including 30 employees who act as volunteers to help out at the bazaar, a total of 70 employees contributed for this event.
Joris Dierckx, Country Head of BNP Paribas Korea, said: “As a leading global banking and financial group, BNP Paribas embraces a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility in every market it operates in, including Korea. Beautiful Store dedicates a lot to promote the awareness of environmental protection and support the socially vulnerable groups, which are also the issues that we in BNP Paribas are very concerned about. Therefore, many colleagues are very happy that they have the chance to provide support to this exceptional spring bazaar.”
Having a long-term commitment to providing support to socially-neglected children in Korea, BNP Paribas has been holding a charity bazaar every year since 2011, including “Good White Day with Cardif” in 2011, “Sharing-Love Charity Bazaar” in 2012, and “Green Eco Day Bazaar” in 2013.


Wednesday, June 14, 2023 - Baton Rogue, LA
We had an incredible stop at the Louisiana State Capitol, graciously hosted by Louisiana Clean Fuels. It was a pleasure to engage in stimulating conversations about clean transportation with the Baton Rouge Hertz team and other attendees. The passion and dedication towards sustainable mobility were evident in our discussions. We were particularly thrilled to learn that the Louisiana transit system has already integrated nine electric transit buses and has plans to expand their fleet to 24 by the end of 2024. Hertz, too, has been making remarkable strides in incorporating electric vehicles into their fleets, further propelling the adoption of clean transportation.
As we bid farewell to Baton Rouge, our next destination was Mobile, AL. However, before hitting the road, we encountered a common challenge faced by EV drivers—finding a working fast charger. Unable to find a working fast charger in Baton Rogue, we made a strategic stop in Hammond, LA. This highlighted a critical issue faced by charging stations: the lack of essential amenities. Charging under the scorching heat of 92 degrees, intensified by high humidity making it feel like 100, emphasized the pressing need for shade and conveniences commonly found at traditional gas stations, such as windshield whisperers, proper lighting, and trash cans. These amenities are essential to enhance the charging experience and ensure the comfort and convenience of EV drivers.
Our journey continued as we ventured into Mississippi, making a fantastic stop at the Gulfport Outlets. It was here that we had an excellent charging experience, topping up our Bolt EUV to 85% capacity. The ease and reliability of the charging process made our visit all the more enjoyable. Energized and ready for the next adventure, we set our sights on Mobile, Alabama—a true delight! Not only did we have the pleasure of meeting up with Drive Electric Alabama, but we also discovered that Mobile is the birthplace of Mardi Gras. The vibrant culture and warm hospitality of the city, coupled with the surprises and goodies shared by Drive Electric Alabama, made our time in Mobile truly unforgettable.
What an eventful day it has been, traversing through four different states in a single day! From the Louisiana State Capitol to Hammond, Mississippi, and finally reaching Pensacola, Florida, our coast-to-coast EV road trip continues to unfold with excitement and discovery.


Welcome and thank you for stopping by! Janell
Friday, May 20, 2011
Welcome To The House of Fifty Blog!
Welcome to the House of Fifty Blog. We are excited to be adding this new feature to the House of Fifty website! Through the blog we will have the opportunity to present more frequent content on the topics featured in the magazine, cover some of the stories seen in the magazine in more depth and provide additional stories, building upon the idea of finding inspiration in the everyday.
Posted by Janell @ House of Fifty at 9:34 AM


Christine Lafortune, 49, is a farmer with three children and two grandchildren. This tent has served as their home since the earthquake.
Carline's family has been on Homes from the Heart's list for over a year. Unfortunately, her mother passed away in February.
Thank you once again for supporting the work we do and allowing us to complete our next home. It is hard to believe we are already wrapping up home 102 and are moving right along with the next home.
Oftentimes, our homes can give all families, but especially women, the sense of security and financial means to move forward with their goals instead of remaining in a seemingly endless pattern of struggling.
"Now I can die in peace," said 69 year old Lucienne Joseph. "Having a house was my last wish!"
The recipient of home 98 in Haiti is Josette Arnold, age 57. Josette has lived with her two children in the backyard of her church for the past five years.
Homes from the Heart is all about taking stories of loss and converting them into stories of giving. That brings us to home number 96.
Our team in Haiti completed its 95th home this week. The recipient of our home, Yvonne Poteau, experienced tragedy and the neighborhood came together to begin building a home, but ran out of resources. That is when they turned to Homes from the Heart to help them complete the job.
Guerda Charles is the recipient of Homes from the Heart's 94th home completed last week in Haiti. Guerda has been taking care of her grandchildren ever since the death of their mother in the earthquake.
Philogène "Nène" Edner is 56 years old and has always lived in the dirt house pictured below with his four children and one grandchild. The home is make shift and requires Nène to use buckets to catch leaking rain water. He has continued to raise those children after the loss of his wife in earthquake.
We are saddened to share that Michael Bonderer, Executive Director and a founder of Homes from the Heart (HFTH), passed away. Michael first became ill with pneumonia in El Salvador and returned to Kansas City for medical care. He later suffered complications from his illness and passed away peacefully in the company of his wife Zuze, brother Dan, daughters and other family members and friends on Wednesday, November 2, 2016.
Michael’s journey with the poor began in 2001 following two devastating earthquakes in El Salvador that destroyed over 330,000 homes. In response to that tragedy, Bob Miller, Jack Fisher and Ron Ward of Kansas City founded HFTH. Michael and Zuze immediately moved to El Salvador and have since built over 400 homes in the area.
Carline Joseph has three kids. She is a farmer. And she has lived in this house made of dirt since the earthquake. She had been unsuccessfully been fighting to get government housing for years. When she heard about Homes from the Heart, she reached out immediately.
Hurricane Matthew rocked the Caribbean and Southeast Coastal areas the past few weeks. As you have seen in the news and, as Jimmy's pictures reveal, there have been a lot of homes lost in the Southwest.
They say families that pray together, stay together. I would add that families who serve together, stay together.
With a last name like Miller, we could have been just about any run-of-the-mill family. It's easy to become a family that spends hours in front of separate television sets and falls into their own busy routines. Prioritizing family time is difficult. My family has found a way to make it work through the years and state lines that have attempted to divide us. A key component of that has been our shared focus on giving of ourselves to the community.
Few people in El Salvador have been more committed to helping the poor than Archbishop Oscar Romero. This Saturday, Pope Francis will beatify Romero in what is expected to be one of the largest ceremonies in El Salvador's history.
Salvadorans' love for Romero is well-earned. During his time as Archbishop, El Salvador was entering into a time of civil war and extreme violence. He served, often alone, as a voice for the voiceless, defending the rights of the poor.
It seems providential that even as Romero is being beatified, we have been invited to honor him at The Romero Community, building homes for families in severe poverty. For ten years, the community fought to receive the rights to their land, and their persistence has finally paid off. The President himself presented land titles to residents of the community last week in a ceremony full of grateful tears and smiles. Romero's legacy remains with the people of El Salvador, with the poor, and we are humbled and blessed to be a part of this redemptive story.
Perhaps you saw one of the many articles this January on what's been accomplished (or hasn't been accomplished) in Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. Haiti's recovery is anything but simple. However, there are proven methods that have worked, and which we continue to use, rebuilding Haiti one home at a time.
To know where we've come though, we should first consider where we started.
In 2010, a massive earthquake left over 2 million Haitians homeless. The earthquake destroyed or damaged roughly 250,000 homes.
As the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, and with little infrastructure to begin with, the nation was unprepared to respond. International Aid agencies rushed to the scene, providing much needed medical care, food, and temporary shelter. However, as is often the case with natural disasters, the ruckus fades on news stations and the next big disaster beckons our attention elsewhere.
Maculla Milien, like many of the Haitians that came through the 2010 earthquake, has known great loss. Her house, her husband, and her son, all were stolen from her in one cruel disaster. However, she didn't give up. She picked up the pieces and kept moving, supporting herself and her remaining children by buying goods that she could resell at the market. The tent pictured below provided meager shelter for the family as they continued to hope for a change.
Today, Maculla's hopes have turned into realities. She and her family live in a sturdy, dry, earthquake-resistant home complete with the bright colors and inviting front porch that are characteristic of Haitian culture. Not every loss can be restored, but this miracle, as Maculla calls it, can bring one family closer to healing and happiness. Their thanks and prayers are given to all who made this new home a reality.
“All in for Christ, family, communities, and selfless service to humanity worldwide.” In his own words, that was how Rick summed up his life, and he certainly lived it. Richard A. “Rick” Dye was a board member of Homes from the Heart for two years, until his recent passing on May 29th at the age of 52.


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Sexual harassment hadn't been talked about as much since the 90's with Clarence Thomas, but now that it's almost a daily headline many people are asking do we really understand what that means?
Come join WCREW for an evening presentation & networking event to get clarity on the subject. Andrea Hoeschen, a Shareholder at Thomadsen & Hoeschen, and Cheri Hipenbecker, General Counsel at Knight Barry Title, will be discussing critical differences between “sexual harassment” as a legal term, and its popular usage in the last several months. Along with Andrea & Cheri, Jennifer Dirks, President and CEO of Tempo will be opening up the program with data from a survey Tempo did of their own members, which was recently highlighted in the Milwaukee Business Journal's article on January 8th.
- how to recognize sexual harassment that affects "terms & conditions of employment".
- how to effectively raise concerns on your own behalf.
- how workplaces can protect themselves and their employees by having effective and approachable avenues for women/men to bring their concerns to management.
- how to be a proactive leader on the matter of sexual harassment, in a way that is good for business and employees.


On September 22, 2016 at 10:50 AM, Patrolman Anthony Robbins stopped a motor vehicle, driven by Drew Hartrum, 50 of High Bridge, NJ on Halstead Street for Improper Passing. During the course of the stop, Patrolman Robbins observed indications that the passenger, James Summers, 50 also of High Bridge, NJ was in possession of illegal narcotics. Summers was subsequently found to be in possession of suspected Heroin. Hartrum was issued a summons for Careless Driving. Summers was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance. He was released and scheduled to appear in Hunterdon County Superior Court on Sept. 30, 2016.
The filing of criminal charges is merely one step in the process of determining a person's guilt. All persons mentioned in this press release are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.


News Flash Home
The original item was published from 7/28/2017 10:29:00 AM to 8/3/2017 12:00:06 AM.
Posted on: July 28, 2017
[ARCHIVED] National Night Out
NRPD's National Night Out will feature facility tours of NRPD headquarters, equipment and K-9 demonstrations, fun activities for children & teens, food, plus a live DJ!


Doubtless Bay Branch has undertaken a fantastic project helping Peria School in 2014 to help achieve its vision of expanding its sustainable culture to generating its own electricity. This will hopefully free up funds to expand its curriculum to include more science equipment, formal music and art tuition, and heating its pool so it can be used by the whole community year round.
On Monday, 23rd June, Peria School in the far north became the very first North Island school to be solar powered. The switch on was officiated by Dr Russell Norman who was most impressed by the communities can-do attitude that facilitated this achievement without government assistance.
Featured in the photo above are Doubtless Bay Branch members Joan Petherick, Pat Shephard, Lois Garton and Gail Garton with Dr. Russell Norman. Featured below right is Dr. Russell Norman addressing the students, staff and guests at the 1872 Peria school with the new solar panels.
You can read more on the project from the NZ Herald here.
Categorised in: Uncategorized


Cat eyeliner never seems to be out of fashion. It was spotted on many fashion shows last Spring 2012 and the Bardot-esque cat-eye look was all again over the autumn 2012 runways.
To me the cat eyeliner is a very classy, and yet sexy make up look, that gives your eyes an instant lift.
If you also want to master the cat eyeliner like a pro, follow the easy lesson below. I think the pictures shown speak for themselves.