South African Scientology Volunteer Ministers honor the courage and legacy of the heroic traditional leader who stood firm in the face of suppression that stripped the indigenous people of Southern Africa of their dignity and rights.
Press Release –
updated: Feb 8, 2018
LIMPOPO, South Africa, February 8, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Mampuru Day, held by his Majesty the King of the Bapedi Nation, Kgosi Mampuru III, celebrates the life and legacy of his grandfather, King Khoši Mampuru II, who was hanged in 1883 for fiercely resisting colonial rule.
For the past five years, the volunteers have attended the King Mampuru Festival, and they were honored to be invited to erect their bright yellow tents again on the tribal lands of the Mampuru royal family in the village of Mamone where the annual celebration takes place.
Once described by Nelson Mandela as the nation’s first freedom fighter, King Mampuru II was assassinated in 1883 for leading a campaign of resistance against colonial rule. South African President Jacob Zuma has described him as one of the country’s “heroic traditional leaders who refused to be cowed by colonial regimes. They fought with everything in their possession to protect their land and people from systematic repression spanning centuries, which stripped the indigenous people of our country of all human dignity, decency, and human rights.”
Rich in history and natural resources, Limpopo province suffers from the highest level of poverty in South Africa, with more than 78 percent of the population living below the national poverty line, and the Volunteer Ministers are there to provide tools to reverse this and enable the people of the province to flourish and prosper.
There was a constant flow of visitors through the Volunteer Ministers bright yellow tents where the VMs provided one-on-one help and courses on basic skills to improve any condition in life.
The Church of Scientology Volunteer Minister program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by L. Ron Hubbard. Anyone of any culture or creed may train as a volunteer minister and use these tools to help their families and communities. The Church provides free online training on the Volunteer Ministers website.
In creating the Volunteer Ministers program, L. Ron Hubbard wrote, “If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice, and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty, and tolerance.”
Technology has revolutionized the way we find love. With over 366 million people using dating apps, you don’t have to set foot within 100 miles of a bar these days to find what you’re looking for. The best dating apps connect like-minded singles from all over the globe with the swipe of a finger or the touch of a button!
But with so many dating apps for iPhones, Androids, Google phones, Windows phones, etc.—how do you know which ones are actually worth your time? That’s where we come in. We’re here to help you avoid the duds, find the studs, and get what you’re looking for. Below you’ll find a list of the top dating apps for singles in 2023.
The Best Dating Apps
1. Elite Singles
When it comes to leaders in the online dating app world, Elite Singles is one that almost always (and should) be at the top of the conversation. With almost 400,000 new users every month and 85% of the membership base holding an above-average education, it’s a great place to find high-quality, successful, and educated single men and single women. Elite Singles is a great pick for those looking for a relationship or at least dating that could eventually turn into a relationship with the right person.
2. Zoosk
35 million members…3 million messages sent daily…and a decade and a half in the online dating community. These three stats alone should tell you why Zoosk is a must-try for singles in the US and internationally (available in over 80 countries). What’s great about Zoosk is the dating app caters not only to singles looking for serious relationships (like Elite Singles and eHarmony), but it also works for those looking for a little more relaxed (which is why it also headlines our list of the best casual dating apps). If you want the most options out there, try out Zoosk.
3. eharmony
There’s a reason that so many people call eharmony the best across the board—because it works. To date, over 2 million people have found love through the app’s matchmaking algorithm, which works out to a new couple about every 14 minutes! By the time you get done reading this article, another couple will have found love. Maybe you’re next? With over 2.3 million messages sent weekly, eharmony is a must-try for singles looking for committed and serious relationships. It’s no surprise that eharmony tops the list of the best dating apps for marriage too!
4. SilverSingles
Dating apps don’t just cater to the young and tech-savvy anymore. SilverSingles, part of the prominent Spark Network brand of apps, is designed exclusively for singles 50 years and older making it our top pick for the best senior dating sites. What’s great is that users report the app is filled with “young at heart” singles and is a great place to find single men and women who are in the same season of life as you. Whether you are looking for friends, activity partners, casual dating, or to find the love of your life—SilverSingles is amazing for the 50+ community.
5. Higher Bond
It’s always exciting when a new dating app comes out! And if you’re a Christian single who is tired of the luke-warm options out there that feel more like mainstream dating apps with the word Christian slapped on—you’re in luck. Higher Bond is a brand new Christian dating app designed for singles who “value faith as the driving force behind their relationship decisions.” If that sounds like what you’ve been looking for, then this is a must-try for you.
Currently, Higher Bond is giving all users who sign up a free three month premium membership to celebrate their recent launch! If you’re at all interested in meeting other Christian singles, you really have nothing to lose. And, as you might expect, Higher Bond does take the top spot on our list of the best Christian dating apps.
Biggest Pro: Designed for more serious Christian singles
One of the newest dating apps out there is The League (founded in 2014, so not that new). It’s a unique spin on online dating where prospective singles have to join a waiting list and get voted onto the app. The idea is a higher caliber of singles, specifically those who have excelled in life and their field of choice. The League has caught some flack for being too “elitist” and not being open to everyone, but it’s hard to deny that the quality of singles (at least by these metrics) is quite high. If you’re curious, hop on the waiting list!
7. Bumble
Bumble is a unique swipe-style dating app where users are shown profiles of users in their area. If you and another user both indicate interest in each other, a conversation is opened up. However, unlike the original swipe dating app Tinder, only the woman may send the first message. If she chooses not to after 24 hours, the match expires.
For many, they love this as it works to break the stereotypical gender norms of dating. However, for others, they aren’t fans because it puts pressure on the women to make the first move and leaves no opportunity for men to take the lead. Ultimately, whether you like it or not is going to come down to personal choice. But with over 43 million monthly average users, the app is incredible popular and certainly worth holding a spot on our best dating apps list.
8. Hinge
Hinge, one of the latest acquisitions by Match Group (the company that owns Tinder, Match.com, Chispa, etc.), has grown in popularity, especially among younger and more creative users. The app allows you to create a much more interactive and creative profile than any other dating app on this list. You can choose which prompts you answer, where your pictures go, and add video, voice, and questions/polls for other matches.
For some, this is a welcomed opportunity to show off their creativity and create a profile that truly shows who they are. However for some, it’s a little too outside of the box and makes it hard to find the important information you want to know about your matches.
9. Catholic Match
Niche dating apps are either really great or ghost towns that should be avoided. For Catholic Singles, there is good news. Catholic Match is the largest Catholic dating app on the planet and is 100% focused on faith-based relationships. What’s really neat about this app is that it has the endorsement of several Catholic leaders and exclusive partnerships with Catholic schools and organizations, so you don’t have to worry about stepping outside of the lines of your faith to find other Catholic singles.
10. Coffee Meets Bagel
Making the list of the best dating apps doesn’t always mean you have to overcomplicate things and reinvent the wheel. Coffee Meets Bagel (no, the site has nothing to do with coffee or bagels) takes a casual and modern approach to online dating. According to the CMB staff, over 91% of the people on the site are looking for something a little more serious.
Regarding how Coffee Meets Bagel works, the app gives you a few matches a day and lets you choose who you are interested in. Oh, and if you’re a fan of the show Shark Tank, you may have seen Coffee Meets Bagel turning down an offer to sell the entire company for $30 million dollars in their early days! It seems like they’ve made the right decision and have seen great success through continuing to offer a unique flash sale style online dating app.
Biggest Pro: Matches are suggested based on CMB’s compatibility algorithm.
Biggest Con: List of potential matches is limited to 5 per day.
It’s true that Jewish singles can have a lot of luck on more traditional dating apps, but many seem to prefer this faith-based option that’s been helping Jews find love online since 1997. JDate is hands-down the undisputed leader for Jewish dating apps. Don’t believe us? What if we told you that JDate is responsible for over 50% of all Jewish marriages that started online.
With robust profiles, an active userbase, and unique features to search, match, and connect, Jdate is another brand from the Spark network of sites offering a niche experience that’s actually worth your time.
Biggest Pro: Millions of Jewish singles registered worldwide.
Biggest Con: Though fully functional, app design is a bit underwhelming.
Another name you always hear in the discussion of the best dating apps is Match.com. While the features have remained fairly consistent over the years, the platform still is relevant and does a good job of connecting singles. According to Match.com, hundreds of thousands of singles find love on the app every single year. Available on desktop, iOS, or Android, you’ve got a lot of flexibility if you’re looking for a place to find a committed relationship.
So why isn’t this higher up on our list of the top dating apps? Well, despite all it’s accomplishments Match.com hasn’t always played fair and they were sued by the FTC in 2019. The largest claim was that the Match and other dating apps owned by the company were creating fake profiles internally to trick users into purchasing subscriptions.
This traditional dating app has certainly worked for a lot of people since it’s start in 1995, but it’s got a lot of work to do in earning user trust before we’ll feel comfortable moving it up on our listt.
13. BLK
Owned by the massive Match Group (owners of apps like Match.com and Tinder), BLK is a free dating app designed for black singles. Available via iOS and Android, BLK has gained a fairly large user base and from what we can see users are loving BLK.
The dating app has an average app store rating of over 4.5, so it’s pretty easy for us to say that this is one of the best dating apps for black singles. That being said, it definitely swings more toward the casual side of things so it may be worth checking some other options if you want marriage or serious relationships.
The app follows a freemium model giving you the basic functionality at no cost but you have the option to buy add-ons to enhance the experience. User reviews do mention a high prevalence of spam/fake profiles, but that’s probably to be expected from a platform that is 100% free to join. At the low low price of free we think black singles should certainly give this highly rated dating app a try.
Biggest Pro: Safe, unified dating app for black singles.
Biggest Con: BLK membership pricing and structure can be confusing.
Despite their being some stories of couples finding love on Tinder, this is probably not one of the best dating apps for you if you’re looking for serious dating. However, if you’re looking for casual fun that maybe could turn into something more and you want it now—Tinder is the winner. The app leverages your location to show you potential matches geographically close to you that fit your matching parameters. See someone you like? Swipe right. Not interested? Swipe left. If two people swipe right to indicate interest, a match is created and a conversation opened up.
The reason this app is so low on our dating app is that in addition to it’s reputation for being a hookup app it’s notorious for causing dating app burnout. In a recent study our team found that nearly 80% of adults say they have experienced burnout or fatigue from using dating apps and over 53% of those polled had been using Tinder.
This dating app is incredibly popular and if you’re looking for something casual, easy, and affordable then you really can’t go wrong. Just make sure you’re looking our for your own mental wellbeing and staying safe online.
Are Dating Apps Worth It?
The bottom line upfront is that YES online dating apps do work and therefore are completely worth it if you’re looking for a better way to meet singles in your area. However, there are a lot of caveats to this that can increase or decrease your success rates. These include things like joining the right app, putting the right amount of directed and intentional effort into the process, and approaching the entire process with the right expectations.
While most people you talk to will have anecdotal stories about whether or not they think online dating works, the reality is that these are just their opinions and personal experiences. Their success or lack of success does not properly indicate whether or not you’re going to have success dating online. Instead, we’d invite you to look at the bigger picture that the data shows.
Here are a few stats that help to drive home the point that, yes, dating apps do work.
57% of people who have used online dating apps say it was a positive experience (Pew Research Center)
Over 2 million people on popular dating app eharmony have found love (eharmony)
Most of the best dating apps have extensive lists of success stories you can see. Here are a few examples:
As we mentioned, there are a few factors that can help your success rate with online dating apps and can ultimately be the make or break on whether it is worth it for you or not. Let’s look at a few of those now.
It Matters What App You Join
Don’t worry; this is not going to be a shameless plug for any dating app in particular. What we want to say, though, is that online dating apps only work if you join the right app. Which app is the right app? The reality is—there is not one app that is right for everyone. You need to find the option that fits your needs the best and is most accommodating to what it is that you’re looking for. That’s the reason this list has several options and not just one single app that is the best dating app for everyone. It just doesn’t exist.
The point is that if you join the wrong type of dating site, you’re not going to have much luck. For example, if you’re looking for a fling and you join eharmony, you’re not going to have much luck. That site is really only for people looking for something serious, and you’ll be lost.
Additionally, joining a free dating site that doesn’t have the resources to invest in proper security is a losing recipe. Stick to higher quality dating apps, even if that requires you to pay for a premium membership. A small investment can go a long way to making sure online dating works for you.
It Matters If You Put in Effort
Just joining the right online dating app is not the only key to getting dating apps to work. You have to be willing to put in some effort. We aren’t saying that you need to commit 12 hours a day to the process, but you do need to be willing to give it the effort it needs to work.
This means that you need to fill out your profile, take the time to upload some photos, and actually look around and find some people to message. When you find people that you are interested in and want to message, YOU NEED TO MESSAGE THEM. We can’t tell you how many people we’ve talked to that say online dating isn’t working and then proceed to tell us they’ve sent out and responded to zero messages.
If you aren’t willing to engage in the process and give things a chance, it will never work for you. You don’t just join a dating app, and Mr. or Ms. Right shows up on your doorstep in 30 seconds. While online dating certainly makes the process easier and more efficient, it still requires some effort from you.
It Matters Your Expectations
Remember when we mentioned that the quality of your matches was a good indicator of the quality of an app? You’ve got to do your part, too. If you’ll only accept someone who’s 6’1”, jacked, has black hair and green eyes, owns a successful chain of high-end cheese shops, and wants to get married in the next six months, you will definitely be disappointed by every app you try. Preferences are one thing, but if you’re so set in your ways that your search yields zero results, it’s probably not a problem with the app.
Don’t settle, but if you’re not finding the kinds of people you’d like to meet, take a little time to reflect on what your relationship goals are, and understand the difference between a priority and a preference. You may be missing out on meeting the love of your life just because you have a fantasy person already imagined.
How Do Dating Apps Work?
Often, people have a mental block to accepting that dating apps do in fact work. When we talk to these people, we find that the block is often rooted in the fact that they just don’t understand how dating apps and dating sites actually work. In light of today’s discussion, we thought we’d give you a quick overview. This should help you to see the merits of the process and better understand that it can be a viable way to meet someone special.
Here is how online dating apps work. Keep in mind that things will be different on each app, but here is the general way. Members (like you) join an app and share some information about yourself, what you’re looking for, and a picture of yourself. While you are doing this, other members are doing the same thing.
The dating app then takes all of this information and puts it into a profile for you. Based on your preferences of what you are looking for and what other members are looking for, they show your profile to them and their profile to you. If either of you is interested (or if both are interested in some instances), you can send a message to each other! From there, it is up to you if you want to talk on the phone, meet in person, go on a date, etc.
Other dating apps follow a similar process but use what is called mutual match to control conversations. As you look at other user’s profiles and they look at yours, you can swipe to indicate that you are interested or not. As soon as two people indicate interest in each other, a conversation is opened up and both users are notified. This does reflect the way the bulk of dating apps work nowadays, though, there are a lot of concerns about how swipe-style dating apps affect your mental health. It’s the reason you see very few of these options on our list of the best dating apps above and more options that follow a traditional profile approach to the process.
The bottom line is that online dating is real people looking to connect with other real people using technology to make that process easier and more efficient.
Common Arguments Why Dating Apps Don’t Work
Most people who are asking if dating apps are worth it or if they really work have probably been told by someone else that they don’t or they have their own thoughts as to why not. What we wanted to do is talk about the most common arguments as to why dating apps don’t work and share our opinions on each.
“Dating sites are full of scammers.”
This 100% depends on which dating app or site you use. Are some of them full of scammers? Absolutely. Romance scams do exist. But the higher quality dating apps with great processes in place do wonders to remove these people. Yes, there will be some that slip through the cracks, but how is that different than when you go to meet people in person? In person, you have no systems trying to verify if the person is real or not.
Online, you at least have technology trying to help. And as long as you trust your guy, this is not a reason that online dating doesn’t work. And if you’re really concerned (which is ok), you might want to check out our list of the safest dating apps for more options and information.
“I had a bad experience dating online.”
Often, this is from someone who met someone online who things didn’t work out with. Does this mean that all of online dating is terrible? Does it mean that everyone online is awful? You’re considering joining and you’re not terrible! So that debunks that right away. The same could be said about bars being bad for dating because a lot of people have met people at bars and it didn’t work out. One case does not speak for every opportunity in online dating.
“No one sent me any messages.”
Effort. Period. If you haven’t sent a single message to anyone else and just expect them to reach out to you, you’re probably going to start to think that online dating sites don’t work. We’ll get more into details shortly but you have to be an active participant in the process if you want any chances of having success.
Unrealistic Expectations
There are zero places on planet Earth that can produce the perfect guy or girl for you in just a few minutes. Sure, it happens rarely, but the norm is that it takes a while to find the right person for you. This doesn’t change with online dating apps, nor do they pretend that is going to be the case. If you go into online dating expecting miraculous things to happen that just aren’t realistic, you’re setting yourself up for failure. And when that failure happens, the easy thing to do is blame the dating apps.
This also leads into your expectations of what you’re looking for. If you’re someone who doesn’t really have life altogether and things are a bit of a mess (that’s okay if that’s the case) but you’re looking for Prince Charming who is rich, handsome, and is looking for someone to pamper—you probably aren’t going to have a lot of luck. Not only do your expectations for the sites need to be inline but your expectations for an ideal match should be as well.
Matt Seymour is a dating industry expert with over a decade of experience coaching singles, reviewing dating apps, and analyzing trends within the industry. With a Masters of Science in Finance (MSF) degree from the University of Florida and extensive knowledge of the innerworkings of the online dating industry, Matt frequently serves in an advisory role to some of the largest dating apps on the market. In Matt’s current role with Healthy Framework, he leads the interview team that regularly interviews key dating industry leaders, and leverages his financial knowledge and dating app experience to review and share what singles need to know to get the most out of dating online.
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Gordie Howe Sports Complex in Saskatoon grows to serve more athletes with the help of FieldTurf, Beynon Sports & Playteck Enterprises.
SASKATOON, Saskatchewan, February 8, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– One of Canada’s largest, most ambitious and popular, year-round, community sports complexes is receiving a massive upgrade; setting itself up as a leading example for communities worldwide.
The improvements will elevate the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, in Saskatoon, to a legendary level of public amenities and extend a strong relationship with the Tarkett Sports family – FieldTurf, Beynon Sports & Playteck Enterprises. Included in the upgrade will be a conversion to premium FieldTurf surfaces (including Canada’s first outdoor FieldTurf CORE sports field); adding a winter speed skating oval that converts into a summer outdoor Beynon track by Playteck Enterprises; plus, new indoor and outdoor baseball and softball diamonds, and much more.
“Our history with the Saskatoon sports community goes back to 2005 when we first installed our playing fields at the SaskTel Soccer Centre. Over the years, this relationship has continued to grow and in 2014 we were delighted to build our first FieldTurf Revolution field at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex,” said Eric Daliere, President, Tarkett Sports. “Led by the Friends of the Bowl, this community is leveraging the combined strengths of our Tarkett family by utilizing the unique features in every product we offer; from the debut of our CORE system to the use of FieldTurf Armour to create a winter speed skating track on top of an outdoor Beynon IAAF certified athletic running track – this is a dream project for us.”
Strong community support spearheaded by the visionary leaders of the Friends of the Bowl has experienced significant financial donations from multiple donors and has been encouraged by a supportive Saskatoon City Council.
“Whereas our Mission with the ‘Friends of the Bowl’ is to improve all sporting facilities within the Gordie Howe Sports Complex for the benefit of all citizens of Saskatoon, we are thrilled to be partnering with FieldTurf, Beynon Sports, Playteck Enterprises and its various product lines to ensure that we have the very best of sports surfaces in all areas to be used by all for many years to come,” stated Bryan Kostersoski, Chairperson.
In total, multiple sporting activities will be featured at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex, including football (tackle, flag and touch), soccer, softball, baseball, speed skating, cross-country skiing, track and field, ultimate frisbee, hockey, rugby and lacrosse.
Upgrading the existing facilities at the complex will continue to allow the hosting of future national and international sports championships, now in even more activities than ever before.
Details of newly added features include:
Canada’s first outdoor FieldTurf CORE system. The world’s first multi-layer, dual-polymer turf fiber will debut at the Gordie Howe Sports Complex.
New, indoor, 60,000 square foot multi-sport training center featuring Beynon Sports PolyTurf flooring for weightlifting spaces and general areas, plus indoor FieldTurf fields for softball/baseball infield diamonds.
New Beynon Sports BSS 2000 track and field surface built to Class II IAAF certification standards will be one of the largest and most prestigious athletic facilities across Canada. This unique, 400-meter track with all associated field events as well, will convert to a speed skating oval for use by the skating community throughout the winter months.
Two all-weather, year-round, outdoor FieldTurf baseball infields.
Batting cages, both indoor and outdoor.
The complex was originally created as part of an existing city park and renamed and expanded to honor “Mr. Hockey”, the legendary Gordie Howe, a native son of Saskatoon. From 1946 to 1980, Howe played twenty-six seasons in the National Hockey League and six seasons in the World Hockey Association; his first 25 seasons were spent with the Detroit Red Wings. The support of the Howe family with this city complex continues to this day. Construction on the new additions to the complex begin in April and scheduled for completion by late 2018.
More about the products slated for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex:
FieldTurf CORE is the world’s first multi-layer dual-polymer fiber. Engineered as the premier system, CORE is designed to deliver a more realistic, textured, grass-like shape with optimal durability and resilience. The system is constructed to deliver the highest fiber performance and resiliency available on the market. CORE is designed to provide elite high schools, high-level collegiate programs and professional teams with a system that exceeds even FieldTurf’s current industry-leading products.
Beynon Sports BSS 2000 This Olympic-caliber track system is designed to deliver safe daily training and still be exceptionally fast on race day. The track features a force reduction layer of high-performance butyl rubber and full-depth color polyurethane, finished with Beynon’s specialized Hobart Texture™, engineered to eliminate the EPDM granule migration found in traditional embedded track systems.
Beynon Sports PolyTurf Plus is a seamless sports flooring option, manufactured by Beynon Sports. This polyurethane pad and pour system is formulated for superior durability, precise game line markings, and fast installation. PolyTurf Plus Pad and Pour is also GREENGUARD Gold certified, representing a higher standard of indoor air quality. It is an excellent solution for schools and physical training areas.
FieldTurf Armour Designed to minimize wear and damage to your track & field surface. FieldTurf Armour protects against surface abrasion, surface and base compaction and contamination of the turf and the infill, as a result of event attendee traffic.
ABOUT FIELDTURF
When it comes to artificial turf sports fields, FieldTurf is the most trusted brand in the industry. Whether it’s football, soccer, baseball or any other sport, FieldTurf fields provide athletes with the safety and performance they need to perform at their best, while giving field owners the durability they want to maximize the value of their investment. FieldTurf is the world leader in artificial turf with over 20,000 installations worldwide.
ABOUT BEYNON SPORTS & PLAYTECK
Beynon Sports, the leader in track surfacing, is represented in Canada by Playteck Enterprises. Playteck has been installing, innovating and transforming the Canadian track market over the last 30 years. Alongside their nation-leading 5 Class II IAAF certified tracks, Playteck is the trusted supplier of University of Alberta, the University of Guelph, University of Victoria, Canada Games Center at the University of Prince Edward Island, Foothills Athletic Park in Calgary and countless University and College projects in Canada.
ABOUT TARKETT
Tarkett is a global leader in innovative and sustainable solutions for flooring and sports surfaces. Offering a wide range of products including vinyl, linoleum, carpet, rubber, wood & laminate, synthetic turf and athletic tracks, the Group serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide. With 12,000 employees and 34 industrial sites, Tarkett sells 1.3 million square meters of flooring every day, for hospitals, schools, housing, hotels, offices, stores and sports fields. Committed to sustainable development, the Group has implemented an eco-innovation strategy and promotes circular economy. Tarkett is listed on Euronext Paris (compartment A, ticker TKTT, ISIN: FR0004188670). www.tarkett.com
NEW YORK, February 8, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Asheville, North Carolina based designer Charles Josef brings his Retreat Collection for Men to New York. This 2018 Collection will feature an expanded group of menswear in his growing Swim and Resort line of clothing. The Charles Josef brand focuses on luxury attire for people who are confident, fun loving and young at heart. For the destination driven and contemporary man on the go, the collection will deliver new exclusive prints, effortless resort wear, and alternative evening and wedding attire.
The main inspirations for the collection are travel and a thriving lifestyle, with the intention of offering the modern man clothing that keeps him stylish as he navigates through life wherever it may take him. Charles Josef focused on Caribbean bright colors to capitalize on the seasons emerging Summer trends and many of the swimsuits are made from custom designed eye-catching fabrics. Dinner jackets are designed to showcase these exclusive prints with playful and bold themes that make men feel as though they are the only man in the room. The collection also includes bags and hats to make travel fun and easy. Attendees will experience creative, playful and sexy styling in underwear, swimsuits, printed dress shirts, and evening attire that is versatile and fun to wear.
Charles Josef’s collections are manufactured in Asheville, N.C. The collection will be offered to retailers and sold on the website charlesjosef.com where the limited products are scheduled to sell out by the end of the season.
Charles Josef started designing swimwear after he was faced with a very real problem. Swimsuits that did not fit properly. After many years of creating swimsuits by hand, Charles Josef developed a custom line of products and following of clients that appreciate fit, style and quality in swim and menswear.
The Charles Josef New York Runway Show is scheduled for 5:15 pm on Thursday, February 15th at the PLITZS New York City Fashion Week Designer Showcase. This fashion event will be privately held at the Hotel Pennsylvania (401 7th Ave between 32nd and 33rd Street) in New York City. Limited tickets available upon request.
Contact Info
For more information about The Retreat Collection or for an interview with Charles Josef, please write to cjosefswim@gmail.com. Media high-res photos available upon request.
About The Charles Josef Company
Josef began to sew at the age of five with his grandmother, a sample seamstress in the New York Garment district, as his teacher. In addition to menswear, Josef also designs evening and bridal attire for women at his Asheville, N.C. atelier.
LOS ANGELES, February 7, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Designed to shake up the ways and whys we send flowers, allows users to send flowers anytime, anywhere in a moment’s notice via their iOS device. Flowerlings bud, bloom and wilt in real time with a lifespan of eight days … digitally! And, with every Flowerling sent, we plant a live tree in Madagascar through our partnership with Eden Reforestation Projects — plus, the app comes complete with a real-time planted tree counter. And, with over 25,000 trees planted to date, Flowerling is well on its way to rewarding the planet by offsetting our global carbon footprint.
Each Flowerling rose, bouquet and plant is professionally curated and photographed by our own floral stylists and design team. Photographs are rendered using our proprietary IP, creating the real-time, digital aging that unfolds for the user over eight days. This unique interface allows users to experience real-time aging of their Flowerlings via their iOS device. For wilted Flowerlings, options to add food or water to extend their lifespan are available. There is no other app experience like it in the world.
With more and more people focused on the state of our planet, Flowerling allows users to do what they already love to do – send flowers – but in a new and unique way that brings joy and happiness to those who receive them, and makes a positive impact on the world we all share.
Feb. 7 to 14 – a national campaign to reduce poverty, improve marriages. News: Recent bipartisan MN law encourages low-income couples to mar
Press Release –
updated: Feb 7, 2018
NEW YORK, February 7, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– National Marriage Week USA (www.nationalmarriageweekusa.org), a national campaign to increase marriage education and champion marital success, launches today and will conclude on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. National Marriage Week, which began as a grassroots campaign in 2010, seeks to espouse the many benefits of marriage, including better health, increased wealth, and greater happiness for married couples and their children.
“National Marriage Week USA (Feb. 7-14) is an opportune time to discuss the decline of marriage in America and its correlation to poverty,” said executive director Sheila Weber. “Marriage is the number one social justice imperative to reduce poverty, so it’s vital that Americans understand the significant benefits of marriage for their own lives as well as the lives of their children.”
Marriage is the number one social justice imperative to reduce poverty, so it’s vital that Americans understand the significant benefits of marriage for their own lives as well as the lives of their children.
Sheila Weber, Executive Director, National Marriage Week USA
The campaign has many compelling messages and projects, including:
· Research proves that marriage heals the economic divide, lifting women and children out of poverty. According to the Brookings Institution, our economy would see a 25 percent reduction in poverty if today’s marriage rates were the same as those in 1970. To read additional articles and Op-Eds, visit www.NationalMarriageWeekUSA.org/news-coverage.
· In a move to encourage marriage among single parents, a groundbreaking bipartisan Minnesota law increased the poverty threshold, allowing parents to continue receiving government benefits for 12 months after they marry.
· Research highlighted this week shows the value of affordable weddings. National Marriage Week USA has videos and tips on creative ideas for low-cost weddings, now timely after holiday engagements and for upcoming June weddings.
· National Marriage Week USA has the only online National Marriage Calendar, where all groups can list and locate for free any marriage class or event across the nation.
Visit www.NationalMarriageWeekUSA.org to learn more about this vital issue or to request interviews. Contact Sheila Weber at sheila@nationalmarriageweekusa.org or 646.322.6853.
PALESTINE & RUSK, Texas, February 7, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Eggstra! Eggstra! Read all about it! A REALLY BIG bunny has been spotted in East Texas! The Easter Egg Express at Texas State Railroad, running on March 24, 25, 30, 31 and April 1, takes the whole family out for an Easter Egg Hunt filled with games and activities for all ages. There’s no better way to celebrate springtime than with hugs, candy and photo-ops with the mischievous hare!
Starting at the Rusk, Texas, depot with 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. departure options, there are plenty of opportunities to journey into Texas State Railroad’s enchanted Easter landscape. Kids can roam the grassy hills in search of colorful eggs filled with candy and prizes and get a great photo taken with the Easter Bunny. A variety of food and drink specialties will be available for purchase. The relaxing train ride is an eggstra-ordinary venue for a delightful springtime afternoon in the Piney Woods. These popular trains fill quickly and it’s recommended to book seats early.
Spring is the season when the region’s renowned Dogwoods are in bloom, peaking in late March. These delicate pink and white flowers are vivid along the rails of Texas State Railroad, contrasted against the train’s burly, black locomotives and the vibrant crimson passenger cars as they pass through the verdant Piney Woods. As the rolling hills of the woodland forest unfold sleeping buds and new wildflowers, a kaleidoscope of color bursts along the tracks. There’s freshness in the air on the open-air cars as the train passes over several rambling creeks and rivers.
This year, the blooms are even brighter at the popular “Texas Dogwood Trails” because East Texas is marking 80 years since the festival started. In addition to a train ride through the Piney Woods, an afternoon viewing the tantalizing beauty of the Dogwood trees in Palestine’s Davey Dogwood Park should be on the agenda.
Celebrate the season with an adventure aboard Texas State Railroad; every minute aboard this vintage train is a reminder that it’s the ride of a lifetime.
AI forecasting software anticipated Monday’s market volatility based on patented global intermarket analysis technology
Press Release –
updated: Feb 6, 2018
WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. , February 6, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– The leading provider of intermarket analysis software for the individual trader, Market Technologies, today announced that its VantagePoint artificial intelligence trading software predicted the largest single-day Dow Jones industrial average point drop in history.
On Monday, Feb. 5, 2018, the Dow had the largest point drop in a single day in its history, falling nearly 1,200 points, a record-setting decline for the stock market. VantagePoint software predicted this drop, five days prior on the night of Jan. 30, based on its proprietary intermarket indicators which use a global approach to analyze the behavior of the markets. All indicators pointed to a negative, downward drop.
The stock market today moves too quickly for everyday investors to adjust their portfolios ahead of key moments of volatility like the dip we saw in the Dow on Monday. By leveraging AI forecasting, we’re equipping these investors with the insight they need to stay ahead of the curve, ultimately helping to preserve and grow their hard-earned capital.
Lane Mendelsohn, Vice President
“The stock market today moves too quickly for everyday investors to adjust their portfolios ahead of key moments of volatility like the dip we saw in the Dow on Monday,” said Lane Mendelsohn, vice president of Market Technologies. “By leveraging AI forecasting, we’re equipping these investors with the insight they need to stay ahead of the curve, ultimately helping to preserve and grow their hard-earned capital.”
Traders using VantagePoint Software were able to leverage this important insight to make more informed investment decisions in advance of Monday’s historically volatile trading day. VantagePoint customers have cited saving significant amounts of money by proactively adjusting their holdings ahead of Monday’s drop. In addition to being able to anticipate and forecast the drop, the patented artificial intelligence indicators also accurately predicted the expected trading range for the following day. For example, on Monday evening, VantagePoint predicted the range for Tuesday, Feb. 6, to have a range of 1,079 points which was within 70 points of the actual range for the day. This is unbelievable accuracy considering the tremendous volatility.
VantagePoint was the first commercially available intermarket analysis software leveraging artificial intelligence to perform technical analysis. Since the first version was released in 1991, Market Technologies continues to invest in its VantagePoint Software, recently announcing Version 10 which significantly increases end-user customization and efficiency options, and provides access to 10 years of historical trading data – giving traders unprecedented predictability potential.
Headquartered in Wesley Chapel, Fla., Market Technologies, creators of VantagePoint Software, is a leader in trading software research and software development. VantagePoint forecasts Stocks, Futures, Forex and ETFs with proven accuracy of up to 86 percent. Using artificial intelligence, VantagePoint’s patented Neural Network processes predict changes in market trend direction up to three days in advance, enabling traders to get in and out of trades at optimal times with confidence.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jen Aquilino Communications Specialist JenA@vantagepointsoftware.com
Whether you enjoy bundling up in your coziest gear or are already counting down the days until spring, here are 15 facts about winter weather to savor while you wait for the return of the sun.
You wouldn’t be shocked to see snow on the ground in Siberia or Minnesota when traveling to those places during the winter months. But northern areas don’t have a monopoly on snowfall—the white stuff has been known to touch down everywhere from the Sahara Desert to Hawaii. Even the driest place on Earth isn’t immune: In 2011, the Atacama Desert in Chile received nearly 32 inches of snow thanks to a rare cold front from Antarctica.
Most snowflakes range from dime-size to the diameter of a human hair. But according to some apocryphal stories, they can grow much larger. Witnesses of a snowstorm in Fort Keogh, Montana, in 1887 claimed to see milk-pan sized crystals fall from the sky. That would make them the largest snowflakes ever spotted, at around 15 inches wide.
The air doesn’t need to be super-moist to produce impressive amounts of snow. Unlike plain rainfall, a bank of fluffy snow contains lots of air that adds to its bulk. That’s why what would have been an inch of rain in the summer equals about 13 inches of average snow—or up to 50 inches of super-dry, ski-able powder—in the colder months.
If you’ve ever heard the unmistakable rumble of thunder in the middle of a snowstorm, that’s not your ears playing tricks on you. It’s likely thundersnow, a rare winter weather phenomenon that’s most common near lakes. When columns of warm air rise from the ground and form turbulent storm clouds in the sky in the winter, there’s potential for thundersnow. A few more factors are still necessary for it to occur—namely, that the air is warmer than the cloud cover above it, and that wind pushes the warm air upwards. Even then it’s entirely possible to miss thundersnow when it happens right over your head: Lightning is harder to see in the winter and the snow sometimes dampens the thunderous sound.
At least in the case of snowflakes with broad structures, which act like parachutes to slow the descent. Graupel, a form of pellet-like icy snow, travels to Earth at a much faster rate.
Weather records in Rapid City, South Dakota, show just how dramatically temperatures can plummet. November 10, 1911, started out at a pleasant 55°F at 6 a.m., then a wicked cold front brought the temperature down to 3°F by 8 a.m. The front caused outbreaks of violent tornadoes across the midwest. One of the largest drops over a short period of time took place on January 23-24, 1916, in Browning, Montana, where the mercury dove from 44°F to -56°F in less than 24 hours. In Fairfield, Montana, the temp on December 24, 1924, dropped from 63°F to -21°F in less than 12 hours.
Every January (the winter season in the Northern Hemisphere), Earth reaches perihelion, the point in its orbit that’s nearest to the sun. Despite some common misconceptions, the seasonal drop in temperature has nothing to do with the distance of our planet to the sun. Instead, it relates to the direction Earth’s axis is tilting, which is why the two hemispheres experience winter at different times of the year.
According to the Lake Champlain Sea Grant, that’s enough to fill a line of dump trucks extending 8333 miles.
Aomori City in northern Japan receives more snowfall than any major city on the planet. Each year citizens are pummeled with 312 inches, or about 26 feet, of snow on average.
Something strange happened in 2016 in northwest Siberia: Mysterious, giant snowballs began washing up on a beach along the Gulf of Ob. It turns out the ice orbs were formed naturally by the rolling motions of wind and water. You wouldn’t want to use this frozen ammunition in a snowball fight—some spheres reached nearly 3 feet in diameter
When the meteorologist reports a “real feel” temperature of -10° outside, it may sound like they’re coming up with that number on the spot. But wind chill is actually calculated using a complicated equation combining temperature and wind speed. For math nerds who’d like to test it at home, the formula reads: Wind Chill = 35.74 + 0.6215T – 35.75(V^0.16) + 0.4275T(V^0.16).
When snow piles up too high for cities to manage, it’s usually hauled away to parking lots or other open spaces where it can sit until the weather warms up. During particularly snowy seasons, cities are sometimes forced to dump snow in the ocean. Some cities employ snow melters that use hot water to melt 30 to 50 tons of snow an hour. This method is quick but costly—a single machine can cost $200,000 and burn 60 gallons of fuel in an hour of use.
Physics confirms what you’ve likely known since childhood: Snow on the wet or moist side is best for building your own backyard Frosty. One scientist pegs the perfect snow-to-water ratio at 5:1.
Snow crystals usually form unique patterns, but there’s at least one instance of identical snowflakes in the record books. In 1988, two snowflakes collected from a Wisconsin storm were confirmed to be twins at an atmospheric research center in Colorado.
Freezing rain and sleet can both have scary effects on driving conditions, but their formations differ in some key ways. Both types of precipitation occur when rain formed in warm air in the sky passes through a layer of cold air near the ground. Thicker layers of cold air create sleet, a slushy form of water that’s semi-frozen by the time it reaches the Earth. Thinner layers don’t give rain enough time to freeze until it hits the surface of the ground—it then forms a thin coat of ice wherever it lands.
A version of this story was published in 2016; it has been updated for 2023.
Congregation Votes Unanimously to Live Its UU Values, Honor the Worth and Dignity of Every Person
Press Release –
updated: Feb 6, 2018
WALNUT CREEK, Calif., February 6, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– On Jan. 30, 2018, members of Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church (MDUUC) voted unanimously to authorize its board of trustees to consider and act on requests for physical sanctuary for undocumented immigrants under threat of deportation. The congregation also voted to authorize MDUUC to bear public witness in support of the national Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism (BLUU) movements. Both questions were called by the faith community’s board of trustees and strongly endorsed by Lead Minister Reverend Leslie Takahashi, who chairs the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA)’s Commission on Institutional Change.
Said Lead Minister Rev. Leslie Takahashi, “In these deeply troubling times, it is truly inspiring to see people reach beyond their knowing and out of their comfort zone. Our vision is to become an exuberantly multicultural, sacred sanctuary for spiritual growth, connection and renewal. I am deeply grateful to Michele Carroll, and the rest of the board of trustees, MDUUC’s Beloved Commitments group, the Racial Justice and the Sanctuary workgroups and my deeply committed colleague the Reverend Neal Anderson for achieving this important milestone in MDUUC history.”
In these deeply troubling times, it is truly inspiring to see people reach beyond their knowing and out of their comfort zone. Our vision is to become an exuberantly multicultural, sacred sanctuary for spiritual growth, connection and renewal. I am deeply grateful to Michele Carroll and the rest of the board of trustees, MDUUC’s Beloved Commitments group, the Racial Justice and the Sanctuary workgroups and my deeply committed colleague the Reverend Neal Anderson for achieving this important milestone in MDUUC history.
Rev. Leslie Takahashi, Lead Minister
MDUUC hosts regular movie nights to explore racial justice, with guided dialogue to help the community do the work of looking inward to better understand systemic issues of inequity in our society and the pain it causes. The community is now hosting its fifth offering of the nationally renowned “Beloved Conversations” course for deeper work, learning and growth. For more information and to register, please go to www.mduuc.org.
Assurance Provided by CliftonLarsonAllen LLP in Accordance with Attestation Standards Established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Press Release –
updated: Feb 6, 2018
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., February 6, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Computer Guidance Corporation, the leading developer of cloud-based ERP software solutions for the construction industry, today announced receipt of its annual Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II attestation engagement report. The trust services report provides independent validation that Computer Guidance Corporation’s security, availability and confidentiality controls operated in accordance with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant (AICPA) applicable Trust Services Principles and Criteria (TSPC).
The audit reviewed several processes and procedures that have been implemented by Computer Guidance to proactively manage the cloud environments that host the eCMS system, including the relationship with Avnet and associated Tier III data centers, including:
Computer Guidance Corporation’s successful completion of this audit for the past six years demonstrates its integrity, accountability and commitment to its clients. Computer Guidance customers can be confident that controls described within the report are accurately depicted and were operating as represented during these engagement periods.
Mark Eich, Partner In Charge of Information Security Services, CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP
eCMS Hosting Services System based on the criteria set by the AICPA Guide Reporting on Controls at a Service Organization Relevant to Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, or Privacy (SOC 2®)
The suitability of the design and operating effectiveness of controls to meet the criteria for the Security, Availability, and Confidentiality Trust Principles set forth in TSP section 100, Trust Services Principles, Criteria, and Illustrations for Security, Availability, Processing Integrity, Confidentiality, and Privacy (AICPA, Technical Practice Aids) throughout the period.
“Computer Guidance Corporation’s commitment to strong internal controls in regard to their cloud-based hosted system solutions and services is evident in this report,” stated Mark Eich, partner in charge of information security services, CliftonLarsonAllen LLP. “Computer Guidance Corporation’s successful completion of this audit for the past six years demonstrates its integrity, accountability and commitment to its clients. Computer Guidance customers can be confident that controls described within the report are accurately depicted and were operating as represented during these engagement periods.”
“Our customers rely on Computer Guidance to deliver secure and reliable managed hosting systems and services and ensure data security and systems controls,” stated Bob Shantz, director of infrastructure and cloud services, Computer Guidance Corporation. “SOC 2 Type II certification further gives our clients confidence that Computer Guidance complies with their internal security policies and standards.”
About Computer Guidance Corporation
With over 20 percent of their client base represented on top ENR lists, Computer Guidance Corporation has long delivered the leading construction-specific enterprise resource planning solution including financial and project management applications, #1 business intelligence, mobile technologies and enterprise content management. Scalable, custom configurable and available for both cloud-hosted and private cloud, eCMS serves the needs of thousands throughout North America and has been named as the ERP solution of choice by the AGC. Computer Guidance Corporation is part of JDM Technology Group, a global construction-specific software conglomerate that serves more than 45,000 users in 40 countries and six continents. For more information, visit www.computerguidance.com or call 888.361.4551.
The successful test confirms government entities can communicate important emergency information in more than one language
Press Release –
updated: Feb 6, 2018
BOISE, Idaho, February 6, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– AlertSense made Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) history on Dec. 27, 2017, when it delivered the first Emergency Alert System (EAS) test message broadcast in Spanish.
AlertSense is an alert-origination provider that equips states and local government authorities with technology to easily send EAS messages through FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS). AlertSense’s statewide test across Nevada in Spanish was a landmark achievement as it marked the first time these mandatory tests were provided in a language other than English.
It’s the first time we’ve been able to offer our Spanish-language broadcasters the opportunity to carry this FCC-required test in their broadcast language. This was not just a test for Nevada broadcasters, it was an important test for the AlertSense technology used by our state and local emergency managers, law enforcement and public safety officials to issue critical information.
Adrienne Abbott, State of Nevada EAS Chair
“We understand the importance of delivering important emergency information to as many people as possible,” said Dave Smith, CEO at AlertSense. “ By being able to provide messages in English and Spanish, we’re doing our best to ensure that more people are informed and know what to do in case of an emergency.”
The successful test means that should an actual emergency occur, information can be shared in both languages, helping to ensure that the message reaches more people in their preferred language. The messages were broadcast on television and radio stations across Nevada and some bordering counties in California.
“It’s the first time we’ve been able to offer our Spanish-language broadcasters the opportunity to carry this FCC-required test in their broadcast language,” said Adrienne Abbott, the state of Nevada’s EAS Chair. “This was not just a test for Nevada broadcasters, it was an important test for the AlertSense technology used by our state and local emergency managers, law enforcement and public safety officials to issue critical information.”
About AlertSense: AlertSense provides a world-class alerting, crisis management and collaboration platform. This platform not only empowers organizations, government and enterprises alike to alert their citizens or employees of a crisis or emergency but also streamlines crisis response by providing efficient communication and collaboration tools. Our clients rely on us to keep millions of employees, partners and citizens informed and protected in more than 100 countries.
Learn more by visiting alertsense.com.
Media Contact:
Contact: Lee Wells Phone: 801-726-8488 Email: lee.wells@alertsense.com
If you’re a first-time cat owner or have recently taken home a new pet, one of the first questions you’ll ask yourself is, “How much should I feed my cat?” Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. Just like people, our pets’ dietary needs change throughout their lives and depend on factors such as size, metabolism, exercise and even your cat’s environment. Understanding what a balanced diet means for your individual pet, then, will be key to keeping him healthy throughout his life.
The first decision when feeding your pet is whether to give him dry food, canned meat or a mixture of both. Many owners feed their cats dry kibble alone, which is nutritionally sound as long as the formula is complete and balanced—namely, a low-carb, high-animal protein feed. Make sure cats eating a kibble-only diet have plenty of access to fresh water, too, as they normally receive a large portion of their daily water intake from meat. Though dry food is cheaper, many cats prefer canned food over kibble, so watch that your pet isn’t overeating if you feed him an all-meat diet. It’s also acceptable mix canned and dry food, as long as you keep portion control in mind.
After selecting the right food for your pet, establish a feeding routine that suits his age and body type. Kittens are growing, so require more frequent feedings than adult cats. A good rule of thumb is to feed kittens three meals a day until they’re around six months old, at which time most cats do well with one or two meals a day. This pattern should work throughout your cat’s senior years, too, as long as he is in good health. Arrange mealtimes around your own schedule so you can keep them consistent, since cats can be sensitive to changes in routine.
Many cat owners allow their pets free access to dry food, which works well for self-regulating felines. Some pets, however, will overeat when given the opportunity, especially in multi-cat households where competition for food is common. To control Kitty’s portions, follow the label on his pet food, adjusting to meet your cat’s individual needs. A general guideline for an active, 8-pound cat is 30 calories per pound per day, but this may be too much for a less active pet or too little for a playful kitten. For help determining whether your cat is over- or underweight, check his backbone and ribs: If they show through his skin, he is too thin, and if you can’t feel his ribs, he is likely overweight.
Whether he’s a hungry kitten or a senior who requires a special diet, your cat’s food is the brick and mortar of his health. By finding a nutritionally balanced formula and establishing a feeding routine that works for your pet, you can ensure he stays healthy throughout his life.
It’s fair to say that Richard—an ennobled great-grandson of King Edward III—dying at the Battle of Wakefield in 1460 probably isn’t the most well known of historical facts. But when you retell that story as “Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain,” then it suddenly becomes a bit more familiar: An obscure occurrence from the early days of the Wars of the Roses has become immortalized as a mnemonic to remember the colors of the rainbow.
But there’s more to mnemonics like this than just remembering colors. From royal wives to birthstones, here are some memory-building sentences to give your general knowledge a boost.
Everyone knows the rhyme “divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived” to remember the fates of Henry VIII’s wives—but which wife matches which fate? Mnemonics used to remember the six wives’ names are tricky, not least because there are three Catherines to contend with (some of whom sometimes have their names spelled with a K rather than a C). But when all else fails, try remembering the appropriately evocative sentence “A Big Secret Conceals Her Past” to help recall the dramatic lives of Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr.
Saturnian System From Voyager 1. / Heritage Images/GettyImages
Until the International Astronomical Union downgraded Pluto to a dwarf planet in 2006, the line “My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming Planets” helped a lot of people remember the order of the planets from nearest to furthest from the Sun. With only Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune to recall, the eight-word “Mother Visits Every Monday, Just Stays Until Noon” works better.
Periodic Table of Elements / Ted Streshinsky Photographic Archive/GettyImages
From symbols and atomic numbers to groups and periods, any chemistry student knows there’s plenty to remember when it comes to the periodic table. But to remember the names of the elements themselves, use “Happy Henry Lives Beside Boron Cottage.” That not only helps recall the names of the first half dozen elements (hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium, boron, and carbon) but also their chemical symbols (H, He, Li, Be, B, C—so long as you know which elements have two-letter rather than one-letter symbols, of course). But if you want to remember the first 20 elements, you’ll have to remember a bit more about Happy Henry and his friends:
“Happy Henry Lives Beside Boron Cottage, Near Our Friend Nelly Nancy MgAllen. Silly Patrick Stays Close. Arthur Kisses Carrie.”
From near onwards, that will help you remember nitrogen (N), oxygen (O), fluorine (F), neon (Ne), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), phosphorus (P), sulphur (S), chlorine (Cl), argon (Ar), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca).
Remembering that the names of the five Great Lakes spell the word homes is one thing, but when it comes to remembering them in order of size from largest to smallest surface area, try “Super Heroes Must Eat Oats”—Superior, Huron, Michigan, Erie, Ontario. Want to know them from left to right on a map? Swap those super heroes for “Super Man” who, it’s worth remembering, “Helps Every One.”
Unless you’re a zoologist or a taxonomist, you might not need to know the hierarchy of the chief taxonomical classifications all too often (depending on how difficult your local pub quiz is, of course). But when need be, just remember that time when “King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti,” or that “Kings Play Chess On Fine Glass Surfaces,” and you’ll easily recall the order of kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species.
If you struggle to remember the names of the seven countries of Central America, remember that “Big Gorillas Eat Hotdogs, Not Cold Pizza”: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
In music, the mnemonic “Every Good Boy Deserves Favor” (or “Football,” or “Ferraris,” depending on what your incentive of choice is) is such a well known method for remembering the notes on the lines of the treble clef that it’s been immortalized as both the title of a Tom Stoppard play and a 1971 album by the Moody Blues. If you’ve ever had a piano lesson you’ll also know that the four spaces in between the lines spell FACE.
As for the bass clef? “All cows eat grass” is a neat way of remembering the four bass spaces ACEG, while the five lines either side of them can be used to spell out the fact that “Good Boys Deserve Favor Always.”
Another musical order worth remembering is that of the sharps added to successive keys. So while the key of C major has no sharps at all, G major has an F sharp; D major has both an F and C sharp; A major has an F, C, and G sharp; E major adds a D sharp into the mix; B major adds an A sharp; the key of F sharp major needs an E sharp; and all notes are sharped in the key of C sharp major, which adds a final B sharp into the mix. It’s a bit of a muddle on its own, but if you bear in mind that “Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle”—or that “Fat Cats Go Down Alleys Eating Birds”—then you can’t go far wrong.
Don Emmert, AFP/Getty Images
From lowest to highest the notes to which the strings on a violin are tuned spell out “Good Dogs Always Eat.”
Memorize that sentence to remember the notes of the six strings in a standard guitar tuning.
Keep the above sentence in mind, and you should be able to remember the order of the 12 traditional birthstones, garnet (January), amethyst (February), aquamarine (March), diamond (April), emerald (May), pearl (June), ruby (July), peridot (August), sapphire (September), opal (October), topaz (November), and turquoise (December).
Nero Roman Emperor (circa 1590-1629) / Heritage Images/GettyImages
Need to remember the first batch of Roman emperors? “Another Tom Cat, Caught Napping,” put another way, is Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.
A version of this article was originally published in 2018 and has been updated for 2023.
SYDNEY, February 6, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– 4WD Supacenter: Shade is one of the most fundamental requirements, and nothing ruins a camping trip or day at the beach like a family of badly sunburnt outdoor enthusiasts.
Trees can provide good shade, but what happens if there are no trees near camp? Or what happens when that shady morning spot is in the direct line of the harsh western sun as it sets? Car or 4×4 awnings are excellent shelters, but not all of us have a vehicle with roof racks. Or maybe we don’t have a vehicle tall enough to hang an awning off the side to stand under.
The most multi-purpose shade solution out there is a portable gazebo, like the Kings 3x3m or 6x3m camp gazebos.
Whether a camper, backyard BBQ host, love a day trip to the park or beach or love cheering from the sidelines at weekend sport, a Kings gazebo is the portable shade solution needed. Let’s take a look at why they’re popping up all over the place with their stunning popularity.
Easy to transport
Packed up in their included travel bag, Kings 3x3m gazebos (the most popular size) are only 1.6m long and 25cm wide and deep. That’s more than compact enough to fit on the backseat or in the boot of almost any SUV, hatchback, wagon, sedan, ute or van on the road! It doesn’t matter if there isn’t a roof rack to hold an awning (but if there is, Kings gazebos travel well on the roof in their transit bags) or a big wagon with heaps of boot space – as long as there’s a car, it can carry the portable gazeboand provide shade wherever it goes.
Set up anywhere
With two heavy-duty carry handles on the bag, this gazebois easy to take out of the car and move around at camp until campers find the perfect spot to set it up. That’s where a portable gazebo really comes into its own. It doesn’t have to be erected wherever the car is parked – take it right down to the water’s edge, peg it down next to the mates, move it closer to the fire – set it up wherever you want!
Strong anchor points
To set it up, the portable gazebocomes with included guy ropes and heavy-duty steel pegs to anchor the 30mm thick legs in place. While it’s still easy enough to set up with one person, it’s heavy duty enough to protect an entire family. Rather than a thinner frame that some other gazebos come with, the very heavy-duty hammertone steel frame of this gazebo won’t bend and buckle at the slightest puff of wind. There’s no point in being portable if it’s built so light it can’t protect everyone when the weather takes a turn, which is the exact balance we had in mind when developing the Kings gazebo.
We went for heavy duty 100 percent waterproof and UPF50+ UV rated (that’s the highest possible rating) material to stand up to the sun and rain. We also went for thicker metal legs and frame as well as reinforced peg-down points, while ensuring the gazebois still light enough for a single person to transport and set up.
With the included pegs and guy ropes, anchoring the portable camping gazebo in one place only takes a couple of minutes, and then everyone can enjoy the benefits day after day.
So what are the benefits?
Apart from the best possible UV ray protection and a 100 percent waterproof roof, peace-of-mind is the biggest benefit. Don’t lie awake in the swag at night scared that the shelter will blow away if a breeze picks up. If it starts to rain while cooking dinner, move the table and BBQ under the gazebo and keep on cooking like nothing has happened.
Being detached from the 4×4 or car, position the gazebo anywhere as a base camp. Need to drive the car into town to get a bag of ice or the other side of the caravan park to do a toilet run? No worries – a portable gazebo also makes the car portable at camp, providing flexibility to see the sights without having to pack up camp every time.
With a portable gazebo, make great use of camping with mates. If friends have a side awning, set the gazebo up next to it for a larger shade or at the back of their car to give shade to the side and rear. With two gazebos, have a cooking and camp set up on one side of the car and a sleeping shelter on the other. There’s no limit to the ways to use a portable gazebo – many people even put them up in the backyard for parties!
In the market for some strong, multi-purpose portable camp shade? Look no further than the Kings range of gazebos. Built tough yet easy enough for one person to pack up or set up and at a price that can’t be believed – you can’t go wrong!
Stange Law Firm, PC is proud to announce that Jillian A. Wood has been promoted to Managing Partner of Stange Law Firm, PC
Press Release –
updated: Feb 5, 2018
Clayton, Missouri, February 5, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Stange Law Firm, PC is proud to announce that Jillian A. Wood has been promoted to Managing Partner at Stange Law Firm, PC. Stange Law Firm, PC is a divorce and family law firm in the Midwest with offices in Missouri, Illinois and Kansas in areas such as St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, Springfield, Wichita and beyond.
Lawyer Jillian A. Wood started with Stange Law Firm, PC in 2012. Jillian began as an associate attorney and has rose through the ranks within the firm having assumed previously several different positions. These positions include being a Senior Associate Attorney, Team Leader and a Partner.
Jillian has been instrumental in the firm’s growth at Stange Law Firm, PC having overseen the rapid growth of the Illinois Offices of the firm. Jillian has also experience handing complex and divorce and family law matters in court through the litigation process.
However, Jillian is also a trained mediator and collaborative attorney. Jillian has also spoken at numerous family law seminars for organizations such as the National Business Institute and Strafford Publications.
As Managing Partner, Jillian will manage the legal functions Stange Law Firm, PC. Jillian will also manage important administrative functions within the law firm.
Stange Law Firm, PC is proud and honored to announce Jillian’s promotion to Manager Partner of Stange Law Firm, PC.
For more information about Stange Law Firm, PC, individuals can call 855-805-0595 or visit the Stange Law Firm, PC online.
Note: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. Kirk Stange, 120 South Central Avenue, Suite 450, Clayton, Missouri 63105.
Those planning a stay at Hotel Union Square – a San Francisco Hotel – can take advantage of impressive special offers.
Press Release –
updated: Feb 5, 2018
SAN FRANCISCO, February 5, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– With the light at the end of the winter tunnel in sight, Hotel Union Square, a San Francisco Hotel, announces special offers to welcome guests who are planning a spring visit to the Bay Area. Several offers are available and there are options for both business and leisure travelers. View offer details.
Stay Longer. Save More. The only thing better than two nights in San Francisco is three nights in San Francisco. Guests who book three or more nights in a guest room or guest suite at Hotel Union Square will save up to 35%.
Breakfast Package Whether a guest is in town for sightseeing or important meetings, a breakfast is a perfect way to start the day. The Breakfast Package includes a full breakfast each morning of the stay.
Parking Package In any big city, finding—and paying for—parking is a hassle. The Parking Package includes valet parking for one car as well as additional savings on the price of the guest room or suite.
Sightseeing Package For those coming to enjoy the many activities and attractions near Hotel Union Square, the Sightseeing Package is a smart choice. It includes a ticket on the City Sightseeing open-air tour bus for each registered guest. The tour begins a few steps from the hotel and includes many of the city’s most popular attractions.
Special offers for AAA/AARP members and government employees are also available. Offers can change at any time and new offers are added periodically. Those planning a visit can check rates and make reservations or call Hotel Union Square at 415.969.2301.
About Hotel Union Square – A San Francisco Hotel: Built in 1913, our San Francisco Accommodations were the City’s first boutique hotel. Original murals remain and are featured in the beautiful fusion of art deco and classic San Francisco style. The sleek furnishings sit amidst a rich color palette of crimson, shades of grey and earthy taupe.
The ideal location of this Union Square Hotel puts our guests in the very heart of the San Francisco shopping district and just one block from the historic Cable Car Turnaround. Guests at Hotel Union Square will be a short stroll from top San Francisco restaurants, attractions, and activities.
Hotel Union Square’s guest rooms and guest suites feature thoughtful amenities including complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi, on-site parking, flat screen TVs, complimentary morning coffee & tea in the lobby, complimentary evening wine reception with a live acoustic guitar player, dog friendly (fees apply), complimentary 24-hour business center, complimentary use of a fitness center within walking distance & more.
Visitors to San Francisco can choose Hotel Union Square – a San Francisco Hotel. This boutique hotel offers an ideal location, beautiful accommodations and friendly service making Hotel Union Square a popular choice for both business and leisure guests.
The hotel’s San Francisco Visitor’s Guide offers information about nearby San Francisco Activities, Dining, Shopping, and Attractions.
Henry Wells, III, Campus Principal and Head of Westside Christian Academy recently announced the formation of the Westside SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) Membership Program, to further educate students on the value of manufacturing and the career possibilities available to them.
Detroit, Michigan, February 5, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn the many opportunities for a career in manufacturing including skilled trades, engineering, designing and programming,” said Wells.
There are currently more than 600,000 jobs available in manufacturing in the US, with the expectation that number could grow to 2 million by 2025 because of an aging workforce and new technologies creating more jobs.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn the many opportunities for a career in manufacturing including skilled trades, engineering, designing and programming.”
Henry Wells, III, Principal and Head of Westside Christian Academy
“Our students will envision a more positive future when they learn about the manufacturing resurgence in Detroit and realize that they can be a part of it and begin to work toward that goal,” said Wells.
The SME high school student membership program provides a wealth of knowledge for the student members including access to programs and activities that provide them with both hands-on and virtual access to resources and information related to manufacturing including a mentorship program and scholarships.
“Our students are discovering that manufacturing is undergoing a renaissance in their own community with high paying manufacturing jobs and successful careers opening up to them,” said Wells. “They need to learn what opportunities are out there for them, and becoming involved in the SME High School Membership Program will give them access to that information.”
About SME
SME is a nonprofit organization has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skills needed for the industry.
About Westside
Westside Christian Academy is a beacon of hope providing children a holistic, Christ-centered education in a loving community. Founded in 1994, Westside Christian Academy is located at 9540 Bramell Street on the western edge of Detroit. Westside Christian Academy is led by Mr. Henry Wells, Campus Principal and Head, and is supported by a board of directors dedicated to excellence. Graduates of Westside can be found in colleges and universities, the military and various careers such as business, education, ministry and law enforcement. 313-255-5760, www.westsideca.org
15-Minute Golf Coach is the first and only mobile platform that provides players with an exclusive audioguide and videos
Press Release –
updated: Feb 5, 2018
NEW YORK, February 5, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Golf is a truly dynamic game. The critical challenge for most players is developing a consistent, reliable set of skills. The simple answer comes from an experienced PGA coach who can provide maximum returns with minimal effort. You’ll grow more with 15 minutes of focused drills than with hours of wasted effort.
15-Minute Golf Coach is the first and only mobile platform that provides players with an exclusive audioguide and videos. This award-nominated app allows golfers to engage their own seasoned coach while on the fairway or driving range. A combination of technique and focus provides users with maximum results.
The engaging interface provides a unique focus to the lesson at hand. When a golfer’s game is more productive, the reward is immediate. Enjoy a cleaner game to share with friends.
Experience each focused lesson as you address the ball. Put in earbuds and watch a short 90-second video to explore a concept. Then listen to the exclusive audioguide with club in hand. At that moment, we bring the golfer, the course and our coach together in the same place and time. Players experience effective learning and growth.
15-Minute Golf Coach is designed to explore the many disciplines of the game. Users can systematically address a broad span of topics or investigate specific concerns.
For the cost of a single lesson, players can embrace a library of 32 tailored lessons – $29.99 provides access to a career of professional-level experience. With each lesson, the player spends time with a seasoned coach while on the fairway or at the driving range.
15-Minute Golf Coach addresses the concerns of experienced players and beginners. Growth is nurtured through tailored guidance, not endless repetition. Rediscover the enjoyment of the game through increased performance on the fairway.
15-Minute Golf Coach is currently available for Apple mobile phones.
Enrich your game. Experience 15-Minute Golf Coach.
The public is Invited to view new one-bedroom apartments with contemporary touches at South Orange Senior Living Community; Community will hold programs that are open to area seniors.
Press Release –
updated: Feb 5, 2018
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J., February 5, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Village Apartments of the Jewish Federation, a senior living community in South Orange, will hold an open house for its new luxury one-bedroom, one-bath apartments for adults 62+. Area residents interested in viewing the apartments are invited to come to the community on Thursday, February 22 from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Village Apartments is located at 110 Vose Avenue in the heart of South Orange Village.
The upscale, airy apartments have beautifully equipped kitchens with stainless steel appliances, porcelain tile floors and dining peninsula that is open to the living room. The bathrooms have a porcelain tile floor, contemporary glass tile backsplash, custom elevated vanity and walk-in shower with safety grab bars. Included in each apartment are custom window coverings and laminate flooring in the living room, wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedroom and bright, energy-efficient LED lighting installed throughout. Monthly rent is $1600 plus utilities.
· Tues., Feb. 21 – Come learn about “Litvaks & Galitzianers: The Hatfields & McCoys of the Jewish World,” part of our Hirschhorn lecture series
· Tues., Feb. 28 – Celebrate Black History Month with musical entertainment by singer Rosalind Grant
· Every Wed., 2:00 p.m. – Current events discussion
· Every Wed., 4:00 p.m. – Knitting club
The rental community for independent seniors is located within walking distance of everything that vibrant downtown South Orange offers. Residents enjoy a full monthly schedule of creative arts and cultural programs, exercise classes and health screenings, and much more. It is one of four senior living communities owned and managed by the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey. More information is at www.jchcorp.org.
About the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey Founded in 1983, the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey (JCHC) owns and manages more than 470 apartments in four buildings for older adults in Morris and Essex counties in northern New Jersey. The non-profit organization offers seniors a range of options in terms of services, amenities, location, and cost, all within a traditional Jewish environment. The JCHC provides housing, programs, and services for the independent elderly as well as those who need assisted living. For more information, go to www.jchcorp.org.
Source: Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey