Sunshine Slate

Our top choice this week is “ A Town Like Alice ” by Nevil Shute. Jean Paget is just twenty years old and working in Malaya when the Japanese invasion begins. When she is captured she joins a group of other European women and children whom the Japanese force to march for miles through the jungle. While on the march, the group run into some Australian prisoners, one of whom, Joe Harman, helps them steal some food, and is horrifically punished by the Japanese as a result. After the war, Jean tracks Joe down in Australia and together they begin to dream of surmounting the past and transforming his one-horse outback town into a thriving community like Alice Springs… This is an Audible Original Podcast . Free for members. You can download all episodes to your Library now. The post A Town Like Alice appeared first on Sunshine Slate . source https://www.sunshineslate.com/entertainment/a-town-like-alice/

The persistent pay gap between men and women often leads to less retirement income for women, and groups that support expanding pension plans say they offer a solution. A new report from the National Institute on Retirement Security said even if a woman works full-time, she’ll likely earn less throughout her career and receive 80% of a man’s retirement income. Women tend to rely more on Social Security and, as they age, are more likely to slip into poverty. Daniel Doonan, executive director of the Institute, said women face other challenges that can make retirement more costly. “Given that women tend to be more ‘durable’ than us guys, meaning they live longer, on average, they should expect to need income for more years during retirement,” Doonan noted. Women also are more likely to leave the labor force to give birth or provide caregiving for family members, which impacts their ability to save for retirement. In Florida, about one in eight women over age 65 live in poverty . ...

Since the very beginning, mice problems are no doubt a cause of concern and serious issue to humans in their day-to-day lives. Not only do these mice carry various diseases within them, but they are also responsible for damaging your house belongings. You may mostly have got to see mice getting into your house or commercial property chewing wires, tearing books, or other valuable documents. Mice, rats, and any other type of rodents are a sure nuisance and you need to get rid of them to keep your home or commercial place safe. You can go for mice-killing liquids, foods to trap mice, etc. but there are always no permanent solutions that are available. Best Mice Control Services In such cases, you should opt-in for professional mice control services so that you can be sure to get rid of this annoying problem once and for all. 6 Steps to Finding the Best Mice Control Service: Before availing of the services of professional mice control services, there are certain factors that you nee...

The quieter, safer, and sleeker option for an automatic litter box. Rated “The best overall self-cleaning litter box” by Good Housekeeping Magazine , the AutoEgg is the pet product aimed to revolutionize cat care in 2021. With a patent pending design for our zig-zig litter tray and 70-degree raking system, the AutoEgg provides a deep and thorough clean 4 times a day in addition to every bathroom trip. How Does It Work? Using 4 weight sensors (0.03 oz accuracy) the AutoEgg can detect once your cat has entered and exited their litter box. After your cat has left, the raking system will sift through the litter in just 5 minutes and will scoop out the waste into a concealed compartment to trap dust & odors. Once finished, the unit leaves behind a fresh bed of litter ready for the next use. ChillX is a startup based out of Downtown Los Angeles where our goal is to ease the day-to-day for cat owners everywhere. We’ve combined both design and tech elements to develop a product that...

More than 790,000 Tennesseans have been infected with COVID-19 , and more than 11,000 have lost their lives one year into the novel coronavirus pandemic. Health-care workers say the experiences of patients without health coverage during the pandemic should prompt lawmakers to consider Medicaid expansion. CEO of Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center, Katina Beard, said the state’s essential workers, who are disproportionately Black and Brown people, also are more likely to work in jobs that do not provide health coverage. “So we have seen a direct impact in what the coronavirus did for individuals,” said Beard, “particularly in their ability to retain their private insurance, and the number of individuals who lost their insurance over the course of a year.” A recent report from Families USA found that nationwide, for each 10% increase in counties whose residents who lacked health insurance, COVID-19 cases spiked by 70%, and deaths increased by 40%. Opponents of expansion say ...

Maintaining the health and safety of the workers in a workplace is very important for every employer. Safety clothes were invented in 1956 and these dresses are specially designed for the workers who work on the height. But today you can find various types of safety clothing suppliers that are dealing with different segments. They can provide safe clothes to the workers who work in the chemical industry, packaging or cargo industry, and construction companies. The history of safety clothes “The Agricultural Health and Safety act” was developed in order to ensure that all workers and also even children are kept completely safe in the agricultural apparatus. Of all the laws, one very crucial one is the investigation & reporting of accidents or diseases. In 1974, a revolutionary act was created that changed Health and Safety in the workplace for everyone. This is called “The Health and Safety at Work Act” and at the time when it was introduced, it was particularly meant to connect ...

A number of states are moving closer to expanding COVID-19 vaccinations to their general populations. But public-health experts warn that progress in places such as South Dakota could be hindered if false claims about vaccines keep spreading. Since vaccinations for the novel coronavirus came on board, the Mount Rushmore State has received praise for how it’s distributed doses to vulnerable residents. Assistant Professor Aaron Hunt is the coordinator of the Masters of Public Health Program at South Dakota State University. He said to stay on the right path, residents need to adhere to messaging from trusted sources. He said he worries too many people still might believe claims, mainly posted on social media, that the shots are deadly. “The death one, yeah, that was really concerning and very misleading,” said Hunt. “Because the clinical trials – when they were closely monitoring thousands of people – they did not see that at all.” He said while the vaccinations came together rath...

Student-government leaders from several Florida universities want their schools to commit to using 100% renewable energy. This week, the student government association at the University of South Florida (USF) passed a resolution asking all power for the school come from renewable sources by 2030, and for a 100% renewable-energy model for all schools in the system by 2040. It’s the fourth Florida school where students have stepped up to demand climate change be a priority in energy consumption. Ryann Lynn, climate and clean energy advocate at the Environment Florida Research and Policy Center, said more than 50 schools across the country have committed to clean energy, but none are in Florida. “Colleges and universities are some of the biggest energy users in any given city or community that they’re in,” Lynn explained. “So, if they are unwilling to make this commitment, that is a lot of fossil fuels that we are continuing to be reliant on.” Lynn’s group helped launch the “ 100% ...

Maine lawmakers are pushing a package of bills they call “Making Healthcare Work for Maine,” which includes bills to lower costs and protect people from drug-price hikes. Sabrina Burbeck, a hospital screener from Old Town, whose son and brother live with Type One diabetes, said nobody should have to worry about losing their loved ones because their medication prices spike overnight. Burbeck remembered her parents struggling to pay for her brother’s insulin, and in adulthood, he now struggles to cover the cost . “He had to change what kind of insulin he takes based on costs, and has even resorted to rationing vials of insulin when he is in a pinch,” Burbeck observed. “No one should have to live like this or make choices like this. This is not the life that I want for my son.” She joined bill sponsors at a news conference about the package. It includes Legislative Document 120 , to establish an Office of Affordable Healthcare to identify what’s driving high prices and make recommend...

Today is Equal Pay Day , which represents how long into 2021 a woman would have to work in order to earn what a man did, on average, in 2020. The marker highlights the pay gap that persists for women. Gabriela Quintana, advocacy director for the Seattle-based Economic Opportunity Institute, said women of color achieve equal pay with white men even later in the year. “We mask it by clumping us all together,” Quintana pointed out. “But the reality of it is that women of color are still way behind white women.” Black women’s Equal Pay Day is August 3. For Native American women it’s Sep. 8, and for Latina women it’s Oct. 21 this year. Women are paid about 82 cents on average for every dollar men make. But the gap is even larger in Washington state, where women make about 78 cents for every dollar men make. Quintana acknowledged state lawmakers have tried to close the pay gap with blanket policies for all women, such as preventing employers from asking prospective employees about t...

In addition to its impact on public health, COVID-19 has caused a major economic shock and the impact on life and business has been profound. Now is the time for businesses to rebuild, from a standpoint of reassessing purpose, personally and professionally. In the UK, where the volume of self-employment had risen for two decades before COVID-19, data from the Office for National Statistics show that 2020 saw the sharpest decline in self-employment since records began. The National Bureau of Economic Research claims that bankruptcies are set to rise even higher as debt-laden businesses continue to succumb to the effects of COVID-19. Research in North America by Bartik & Bertrand et al , found that 43% of businesses had closed due to COVID-19 and industries such as retail, arts and entertainment, personal services, food services, and hospitality have all reported employment declines exceeding 50%. Globally, the mission to rebuild businesses has already started and to assist in th...

As school districts grapple with the pandemic’s academic fallout, new research shows intensive in-school tutoring could help bridge the equity gap in education, and in particular, with high school math. Monica Bhatt, senior research director at the University of Chicago Education Lab, said there’s a false assumption that once kids reach high school, it may not be possible to change student behaviors and outcomes. She is co-author of a National Bureau of Economic Research report, which found in some of Chicago’s most economically disadvantaged schools, 45 minutes of math tutoring during the school day improved both test scores and grades for ninth- and tenth-grade students. “It’s not too late to invest in young people, even in adolescents, and you can still realize very big gains,” Bhatt asserted. “From an equity perspective, I think this is really important to think about.” Failing core math courses is a common reason students drop out of Chicago schools. And while it may be obvi...

Plastic- and rubber-dominated playgrounds in Colorado Springs have added winding pathways with tall grasses, gardens, “mud kitchens” and other ways for kids to explore the outdoors. It’s part of a program to expand health and learning opportunities for children by helping them connect with the natural world. Kelly Hurtado, early childhood program director at the Alliance for Kids, a hub for El Paso County’s Early Childhood Council, said outdoor learning environments can transform the way children play. “It can boost energy; it increases movement,” Hurtado outlined. “It can actually boost the immune system. It helps inspire a different type of play that encourages creativity.” The National Wildlife Federation’s Early Childhood Health Outdoors (ECHO) program partnered with Hurtado’s group to distribute nine micro-grants of $500. Led by landscape designers and early childhood experts, ECHO works with community child-care programs to add pollinator gardens, boulders, logs, native pl...

Worldwide Speakers Group (WWSG) is proud to announce that former Vice President Michael R. Pence has joined their roster of global thought leaders. WWSG will facilitate the Vice President’s global speaking engagements exclusively. “Worldwide Speakers Group is a leader in its industry, and I am honored to join the roster of distinguished thought leaders that WWSG currently represents. I look forward to continue working with Bob Thomas, Dan Sims, and the entire WWSG team,” said former Vice President Mike Pence. As Vice President, Pence championed a number of the Administration’s policy priorities, fought to achieve results that delivered unprecedented prosperity for the American people, and chaired the White House Coronavirus Task Force. With regard to his speaking engagements, the former Vice President plans to address leadership; policymaking; and faith, values, and service. “It is always an honor to represent individuals who have served our country, but especially Vice Preside...

Our top choice this week is “ Orlando ” by Virginia Woolf, adapted by Lettie Precious podcast . A spirited new version of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando adapted with a distinctly queer point of view. This adaptation revels in the origin of the story as a love letter from Woolf to Vita Sackville West. Beginning the story as a young 16th century nobleman, Orlando’s life spans centuries, continents, lovers and genders in a sumptuous celebration of what it means to explore one’s own identity. Lettie Precious celebrates this gender fluid masterpiece as a progressive tale in the context of its own time, while also bringing a distinctly 21st century lens to the issues of gender, sexuality, privilege and race raised by the text. A love letter to a love letter. This is an Audible Original Podcast . Free for members. You can download all 4 episodes to your Library now. The post Introducing “Orlando” by Virginia Wool appeared first on Sunshine Slate . source https://www.sunshineslate.com/ent...

Wildlife migrations are a part of the American West’s lore and history, but many of those centuries-old passages are now obstructed by the trappings of modern civilization. There is new optimism renewed cooperation between state and federal agencies can identify and preserve seasonal migration routes in Colorado and other states. At a virtual forum , people from public, private and native conservation groups discussed the need for joint programs and renewed funding. Dan Gibbs, executive director for the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, said while humans are keenly aware of borders and boundaries, migrating animals don’t care. “Just like wildfires don’t know the difference between federal, state, private, tribal lands, wildlife don’t know the difference either,” Gibbs pointed out. “So, we really need to have a better-coordinated effort between all different land managers.” Participants cited a 2018 federal order on cooperation between federal and state officials as the k...

Health workers with experiences like the people they serve can provide unique care to communities. In Oregon , organizations that employ these workers are receiving grants , with the aim of closing health disparities in communities impacted by discrimination. Parrott Creek Child and Family Services was founded in 1968 as a residential treatment facility for youth in the juvenile justice system. Simon Fulford, executive director of the nonprofit, said the grant will help Parrott Creek grow its traditional health workers program assisting mothers in sobriety. “Our staff and members of the community who have that lived experience,” Fulford explained. “[They] have gone through challenges in their lives, have found the path to accessing health care supports or social service supports and can kind of share their journey and guide others into getting the right supports and services.” CareOregon is investing $455,000 in eight groups, including the Asian Health and Services Center, Immigra...

Prison reform advocates rallied outside Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Manhattan offices and the executive mansion in Albany Sunday, to demand he sign the Humane Alternatives to Long-Term Solitary Confinement Act (HALT Act) into law. Prolonged solitary confinement has long been classified by as torture, but holding prisoners in extreme isolation for weeks, months and even years has been common in New York prisons. The bill, passed by the state Senate Thursday, would put an end to that. Jerome R. Wright, statewide organizer for the New York Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement , said Cuomo must sign the bill immediately to send a clear message. “That criminal justice in this state is not going to be done with trauma and torture,” Wright asserted. “That it’s going to be done with treatment, programming and rehabilitative services.” Cuomo has not indicated whether he will sign the bill. Some corrections officers argue the HALT Act would take away an important disciplinary tool a...

You must have seen walkways, driveways, or footpaths made with bricks or stone. For the interior flooring of bedrooms or halls, living area we often use floored made of  marble, quartz, or floor tiles. But the same flooring may not be suitable or not affordable and durable for outside flooring, for areas like the walking space, the driving area, or in your lawn. Floor tiles in the garden area are not only visually dull they but also increases your expense by many times and they might not be able to tolerate the natural weather as well.    Flooring your garden area or driving area with tiles is not recommended as they are not as strong as concrete, to sustain the pressure of heavy cars. So, you have to go for concrete paving slabs. What are concrete paving slabs? Concrete is nothing but a flooring option mostly used for pavements, driveways, or lawn areas. Made from a mixture of sand, gravel, and stones, put on a surface of the soil, concrete paving slabs are used ...

Passion Funding Purpose, Inc (PFP) is pleased to announce its official establishment as a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing assistance to African American families facing financial hardship. The vision of PFP is to be an extension to the black community with resources that are difficult to acquire through government aid due to restrictions often impacting a daily, working class individual. The organization is primarily privately funded and will service families in Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb and Fulton counties in Georgia and Humphreys County in Mississippi. Interested families can begin applying for assistance April 25, 2021 at passionfundingpurpose.org . Passion Funding Purpose, Inc was created by S. Elle Clark, a Realtor of over 15 years through Elle Clark Solutions and a small business retail owner. She has also recently launched Sippin Good – a loose leaf tea brand that she created with her son to begin teaching him about entrepreneurship. All successful transactions th...

Advocates for people with disabilities say the cap New York put on Medicaid spending in 2011 doesn’t keep pace with growing health-care needs and they’re urging lawmakers to finally repeal it. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 2021 to 2022 budget proposal calls for extending the Medicaid cap for two more years. But according to Heidi Siegfried – director of health policy at the Center for Independence of the Disabled New York – the cap is arbitrary, unrelated to growth in Medicaid enrollment, and unresponsive to medical needs. “It’s really affected people with disabilities,” said Siegfried, “who rely on long-term home care in particular to stay out of nursing facilities and to get the services they need to remain in their home.” She said lawmakers in both the state Assembly and Senate have introduced legislation to repeal the Global Medicaid Cap . With the pandemic, Medicaid enrollment in New York has increased by more than 700,000 in the past year. And Siegfried noted that last year Cuomo wa...

As scientists warn that the increase in extreme weather events shows no signs of stopping, experts say it’s important as ever to prepare renewable sources for the conditions. Iowa gets more than 40% of its power from wind energy, and for the most part, wind turbines can be weatherized to operate in winter weather conditions. Tad Miller, regional director of field operations for energy company EDF Renewables, said cold-weather packages for wind turbines can range from using thinner oil – like you would do for your car in a cold climate – to putting heaters in the gearboxes or even on the blades. “Every manufacturer has additions or changes they can make to adapt it to their environment that will make it more more reliable there and higher performance,” said Miller. There are limits, and some of Iowa’s wind turbines were shut down during the 2019 polar vortex, when the Hawkeye State saw record-breaking cold temperatures, reaching negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Miller said manufac...

Our means of transportation have changed drastically in the past decade. As taxi cabs are phasing out in many metropolitan areas, companies such as Uber and Lyft have taken over the market. And as ordering products online becomes more prevalent, especially with the recent growth of Amazon, delivery drivers seem to be a common sight in neighborhoods. More and more people are being employed by companies that require driving, or they are self-employed drivers. But what if you make a mistake while driving that makes you ineligible to get certain jobs, or worse, results in losing your job? “In certain situations, DUIs can prohibit you from getting certain jobs. It is a bit intuitive, usually if its a job that involves driving and your license happens to get suspended- it usually does cause some complication for you to be able to maintain that job,” explains Mr. Vaswani from Red Metric Law . A caption then appears on the video: “Depending on your job, your employer may have a policy that...

Screen Recorder helps you record things like your online class lecture or tutorials. Screen recording software can be an easy way to record the screen of your PC. There are many expensive screen recording tools on the market. But are you looking for the best free screen recorder? Do you want to know how to record screens using a free software known as the IObit Screen Recorder ? If yes, then you’re at the right place. 7 Steps to Record Screen with IObit Screen Recorder Here we jotted down three easy steps to record your screen with the free IObit screen recorder: Step 1 The first step for recording your screen is to set your preference. You can record the complete screen of your PC, or you can select your desired area. You can choose your desired option from the select region. You can opt for a full screen, a window, or fixed ratios. （ Download IObit Screen Recorder ） Step 2 From the upper right corner, you’ll see three vertical lines. By clicking the option, you can access t...