Health, Fitness and Style
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, Speaking to Kids About the COVID19 Virus; Statement About Small Businesses
Announcing its intent to introduce the Canada Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance (CECRA) for small businesses. The program will seek to provide loans, including forgivable loans, to commercial property owners who in turn will lower or forgo the rent of small businesses for the months of April (retroactive), May, and June. Implementation of the program will require a partnership between the federal government and provincial and territorial governments, which are responsible for property owner-tenant relationships. We are working with the provinces and territories to increase rent support for businesses that are most impacted by the pandemic and we will have more details to share soon. “Canadians have been there for each other. When we get into difficult situations, we lean on each other,” he said. “We’re in one of the best countries in the world and we’re going to make sure no one goes through this alone.” more »
Julia Sneden Writes: Old Dogs/New Tricks: The Sciences of Lap Swimming and Correct Pencil Grip
By Julia Sneden ... Teaching is a profession that keeps you humble because it's perfectly possible to learn as much from your students as they learn from you (even if they are only five years old). But it's life itself that is the great teacher, for old dogs as well as for the young. Just ask anyone who has had to unravel the intricacies of Medicare or retirement plans: if that's not learning new tricks, I don't know what is. For that matter, ask anyone who has had to learn how to be a good mother-in-law (dicey, but worth it); a grandmother (different from parenting, but also thrilling); or the spouse of a recently retired male who wants only to sit in the house and sulk (not a fun learn, I'm told). Or ask a single person who has had to take on the financial, physical, and emotional planning for retirement years, solo. You learn to cope with these challenging new tricks, the joyous as well as the depressing, because life has handed them to you and refusal isn't an option. more »
An Interview With Mikaela Bernhardt, A Maker of Challah Loaves for CoronaVirus Hospital Workers
"Challah for Hunger's mission is to fight hunger globally and locally. There are chapters all across the world who bake bread every week. Each chapter sells the bread and donates half of their proceeds to a globally based organization called Mazon, a Jewish response to hunger and a local organization of their choice. When this global pandemic started ramping up I was happy to donate money to causes and stay at home but I truly wanted to do something more. These health care workers need to have a moment of acknowledgment and being honored; what better way to do this than through a delicious and filling snack made with love?" more »
US Department of Justice, Combatting CoronaVirus Fraud: Phishing Emails Posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
From the US Department of Justice: Be aware that criminals are attempting to exploit COVID-19 worldwide through a variety of scams. There have been reports of: • Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud. • Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. • Malicious websites and apps that appear to share virus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received. • Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations. If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home though a number of platforms. more »