Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Operation Cheer
Mario Landeros is walking across the U.S. to raise money for St. Jude
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Tue, Dec 18, 2012 at 11:55 AM
Landeros is meeting the public and press at noon on Thursday at Fleet Feet (4530 Poplar Avenue), to further raise awareness for his fund-raising quest and share some of his experiences.
For more information — and lots of great photos — check out the Facebook page for Operation Cheer.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Donation Account Set Up for Officer Lang's Family
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Sat, Dec 15, 2012 at 8:55 AM
To Our Friends in the Media from Harold Byrd, President Bank of Bartlett
I was called today by a friend, Loren Smith, who is a teacher at Bon Lin Elementary School. One of Loren's prize pupils is Ms. Darian Lang, daughter of Policewoman Lang, who was senselessly slain today during a drug investigation.
Loren asked that we (Bank of Bartlett) set up an account in memory of Policewoman Lang in honor of her service and to benefit her family. And we gladly have complied with his request. Donations can be made at any of Bank of Bartlett's 8 locations and online at www.bankofbartlett.com
Darian's grandmother, Mrs. Taylor, just called me to thank Loren who comforted Darian today.
May God be with this family an give comfort.
Amen to that. And may we all be generous and thoughtful during this horrific time for our city and nation. BV
Thursday, December 13, 2012
GIVE 365 Memphis
How a dollar a day can go a long way.
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Thu, Dec 13, 2012 at 1:48 PM
The idea is simple. You give $365 – a dollar a day – to make our community better. Those daily dollars are pooled with others' donations. Each year the members choose a theme for the grants and then invite nonprofits to submit applications about a program that fits the theme. That’s GiVE 365 in a nutshell.
Through the end of December, you’ve got a chance to triple your gift because of two matching gift challenges. The group is more than halfway to its goal of getting 100 members needed to get the maximum match.
Here’s a link to a video from one nonprofit that received a grant in 2011.
In GIVE 365's first year, grants went to organizations working to build community – in whatever way the organization members defined it. One grant went to a group building skateboard ramps for inner-city kids (Splinter Youth, Inc.). Another helped pay for free concerts at Overton Park. Another helped low-income women trying to re-enter the workforce (Dress for Success).
The next year, the focus was self-sufficiency. This past year, the grants went to organizations helping to improve high school and college graduation rates.
GIVE 365 now has 261 members, and growing. The organization has given $135,000 in grants to 23 organizations in its first three years.
Monday, December 10, 2012
2012: The Hottest Year on Record for the U.S.
It was also the most extreme for temperature, precipitation, and drought.
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Mon, Dec 10, 2012 at 2:21 PM
Barring a near-impossible artic freeze dropping in for the rest of December, the year 2012 will officially be the hottest on record in the U.S.
It has also been ranked by the NOAA as the "most extreme," on record. This means: "... the percentage area of the contiguous U.S. experiencing top-10 percent and bottom-10 percent extremes in temperature, precipitation, and drought.”
Climatologist Jeff Masters says: "…the U.S. heated up considerably in November, notching its 20th warmest November since 1895, said NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) in their latest State of the Climate report. The warm November virtually assures that 2012 will be the warmest year on record in the U.S. The year-to-date period of January – November has been by far the warmest such period on record for the contiguous U.S. – a remarkable 1.0°F above the previous record. During the 11-month period, 18 states were record warm and an additional 24 states were top ten warm. The December 2011 – November 2012 period was the warmest such 12-month period on record for the contiguous U.S., and the eight warmest 12-month periods since record keeping began in 1895 have all ended during 2012."
Ahh, but it's just weather. Nothing to worry about, right? Apparently, there's not much we can do about it, anyway.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
FedEx's Fred Smith: Tax Me.
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Thu, Dec 6, 2012 at 10:04 AM
Speaking on CNN, Smith called the idea that raising the tax rate for the nation's top earners will hurt the economy "mythology." Huffington Post has the video.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Coach Hollins' Whistle
Grizzlies coach's whistle now available as a ring-tone.
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Mon, Dec 3, 2012 at 10:49 AM
Hollins has teamed up with a few Memphis musicians to create three whistle ringtones you can download. Proceeds go to charity. Check it out at coachhollins.com
There's even a video where Hollins talks about his unique whistle stylings. And, of course, you can follow Coach Hollins' Whistle on Twitter.
Saturday, December 1, 2012
Louisiana School Voucher Program Ruled Unconstitutional
May foreshadow Tennessee's possible voucher proposals.
Posted by Bruce VanWyngarden on Sat, Dec 1, 2012 at 10:18 AM
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