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Local Car Dealer and Bloodworks Northwest Team Up To Address Urgent Winter Blood Shortages

Bloodworks Logo

Seattle, WA (January 15, 2020)– In an effort to maintain an adequate blood supply through the tough winter months, Bloodworks Northwest and the Haselwood Auto Group in Bremerton, WA are offering blood donors who come into any Bloodworks Northwest donor center or blood drive between now and March 17, 2020, a chance to win a new car! Every time you donate, you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win – and not just any car – but a choice among nine pre-selected new vehicles in the Haselwood Auto Group inventory.

“Bloodworks Northwest and the Haselwood Auto Group are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others,” says Curt Bailey, President and CEO, Bloodworks Northwest. “We’re both on a mission to better our community, especially now when bad weather makes it hard for donors to travel.”

“Your blood is an invaluable gift for local patients. Share it,” says Haselwood Auto Group’s COO Rob Colon. “We believe there is never a wrong time to do the right thing. Creating remarkable experiences for each other and our communities is the foundation and cornerstone of our shared values. This is foremost in everything we do, including our partnerships to help drive support for great causes. We’re urging our customers to share in our values by donating with Bloodworks Northwest.”

Donating blood only takes one hour from registration to cookie. Most people in good health, at least 18 years old, and weighing at least 110 pounds, may donate whole blood every 56 days as long as they meet other donor criteria. Every pint donated has the potential to help three people at hospitals across the Pacific Northwest, including Harrison Medical Center in Silverdale and Naval Hospital Bremerton. Patient being treated for cancer, surgery or trauma rely on donated blood. Donors can find locations of donor centers, blood drives or make appointments online at BloodworksNW.org/winacar, by calling 800-398-7888, or by texting ‘winacar’ to 91985 to learn more and download the Bloodworks App.

Ricky Gervais Will Host Golden Globes for the Fifth Time on Tonight – January 5, 2020

Source: Wikipedia

Ricky Gervais has been selected to host the 77th Golden Globes ceremony on January 5, 2020 at the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel. Gervais has agreed to host the Golden Globes for “the very last time” and has promised attendees and viewers alike an enjoyable experience. Long time client of the PR firm, 42West, Gervais is the perfect fit as the host of the Golden Globes.

Ricky’s History With the Golden Globes

The Golden Globes was a host-less affair for many years. In 2010, event organizers decided to try something new by asking a renowned comedian to take the reigns and bring a new kind of levity to the annual awards ceremony. For the next three years, Ricky Gervais was the host of the Golden Globes, delighting viewers and attendees with his trademark irreverent comedic flair and lampooning Hollywood with an inimitable stage presence.

After 2012, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey took over hosting duties for the Golden Globes for three years. Gervais, who had stated his 2012 hosting appearance would be his last, agreed to return for the 2016 Golden Globes. In 2017, Saturday Night Live actor Jimmy Fallon took over as the host, and Andy Samberg of Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Sandra Oh of Killing Eve assumed hosting duties for 2018. Ricky Gervais has agreed to return for his fifth and final appearance as the Golden Globes host for the 77th ceremony for the 2019 awards.

The chief of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Lorenzo Soria, has stated, “when Ricky Gervais is at the helm of the Golden Globes Awards, we can always expect the unexpected.”

Predictions for the 77th Golden Globes

Many incredible films and television shows have aired in 2019, and it’s anyone’s guess as to who will take the awards for the top categories at the next Golden Globes ceremonies. When it comes to the Motion Picture Drama category, the frontrunners include Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, Marriage Story, and 1917, but many consider the dark comic-influenced drama of Todd Phillips’ Joker to be a strong contender as well.

In the category of Lead Drama Actress, the contenders include:

  • Renée Zellweger, Judy
  • Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
  • Helen Mirren, The Good Liar
  • Charlize Theron, Bombshell
  • Saoirse Ronan, Little Women

For Lead Drama Actors, the nominees are: Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari
Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Robert De Niro, The Irishman
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

While many consider Joker to be a longshot for Best Motion Picture Drama, Joaquin Phoenix is perhaps the strongest contender for Lead Drama Actor due to his remarkable powerhouse performance as the titular character. Helen Mirren is a strong choice for Lead Drama Actress and a win would be her 15th award from the Golden Globes.

The other major film category includes Motion Picture Comedy/Musical with nominees including Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Dolemite Is My Name, Knives Out, and Jojo Rabbit. For Drama Series, the nominees are Succession, The Crown, Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, and The Morning Show. Comedy Series candidates are Fleabag, Barry, On Becoming a God in Central Florida, The Politician, and Russian Doll.

Many expect Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood to be the frontrunner for the best comedy film of the year. When it comes to Drama Series, the popularity of Game of Thrones makes it an undeniable contender, but the lackluster writing and even worse reception of the final season left many fans bitter about the ending of one of the most watched television series in history.

What to Expect at the 77th Golden Globes

No matter who takes the awards for all the categories at this year’s Golden Globes, the audience can rest assured knowing that host Ricky Gervais is sure to please with his stage presence, remarkable wit, and uncanny ability to roast the major players of Hollywood in the most imaginative and unexpected ways. Gervais is sure to delight the audience with his witty and acerbic sense of humor. Gervais is a long time client of 42west co-CEO Leslee Dart.

Letter To Mayor – Tiny House Village in Georgetown

Source: Wikipedia

The article about the Tiny House Village in Georgetown asked if we would like to express our views to the Mayor. I certainly do and have a question or two. It quotes “the Mayor has budgeted $1,260,000 To move the Georgetown and Northlake Village. That is a lot of money to spend  MOVING the tiny house villages. If the villages do not work in these spots they will not work where ever they might move them too. Way cheaper to get rid of the TENANTS. If there are problems, it’s the tenants that should be moved to JAIL. Why would a mayor spend any money on Tiny Houses if she/he knows they will be there just a short time? Money seems to be no object. I could be wrong here but I don’t think spending this $1,260,000 will help one homeless person. At first I was thinking geez the Mayor has to be really bad in math or really dumb. I don’t think the mayor is that dumb. No one could be. But after seeing Mayor Durkan  on the news this morning saying she will not let the car tab measure be put into use. She says the voters had no right to vote like that. Too late mayor. it was on the ballot even tho you played crooked and tried to mess that up. Tim Iman should sue you. This country has ballots for a reason. The majority of Washington voters are sick of the price of car tabs and see nothing happening to our streets and bridges to show where that money is going. They finally got fed up. Even the ones who can easily afford the tabs have had it with the Governor and Mayor thinking they are Kings/Queens or dictators. No YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY SAY OVER HOW WE VOTE AT THE BALLOT BOX.  You should have kept it off the ballot or tried to if you had a legal challenge to it.

As to the Tiny Houses, my suggestion instead of spending $1,260,000 to move some tiny houses that cost $10,000 to build new you could either toss a match over your shoulder and let the fireman practice putting out the fire, OR advertise free Tiny houses, you move. OR call 1-800 Got Junk and let them haul them away.

Seattle has gone to the dumps completely and I think some housecleaning will start. Property tax on a house in Seattle just keeps going up. The homeless can break every law and you say its OK. When it it OK for a human to lower his pants and crap on the sidewalk, but a dog owner can get fined if his little dog poops and he doesn’t pick it up? Voters do have a say Mayor. Time to wake up and represent the people who pay your wages, not the rich guys that  that fund your election.

– Lilly (Georgetown Seattle)

Pete Carroll Biography

Pete Carroll Biography

Pete Carroll started his football career in the small town of Redwood City, California where he was born in September 1951. From there, he went on to play defensive back at one of the most famous college football programs of all time, the University of Southern California.

After an extremely successful collegiate career where he helped create the West Coast offense with head coach John McKay, Carroll went on to be drafted by the New England Patriots in 1976, but later on that year he found himself traded to the San Francisco 49ers where he would spend the next decade playing some of his best seasons in the NFL.

Growing Up

Pete Carroll was born in San Francisco and attended Redwood High School in Larkspur, California. He graduated from College of Marin in Kentfield, California where he played running back on a team that won a junior college national championship.

He then transferred to the University of Pacific where he received his Bachelor’s degree in 1966 and his Master’s degree in 1967.

In 1968, Pete married Glenna Lynn Behm from nearby San Rafael, CA. They have two daughters: Jennifer (Cowell) and Laura (from a previous marriage). They live in Seattle, WA.

Playing College Football

In 1965, when he was 22 years old, Pete Carroll played linebacker for two seasons with Bill Walsh’s University of California Golden Bears football team.

He then became a graduate assistant coach for six months until he accepted a position at his alma mater to teach physical education and coach football. That year (1967), Walsh became head coach of the Oakland Raiders professional football team.

The following year, Walsh asked Pete Carroll to become an assistant on his staff; eventually becoming defensive backfield coach in 1971.

After one more season working with Walsh in Oakland, he left for Stanford University where he spent four years as an assistant to Stanford’s head coach; Denny Green (1972-1975). In 1976, he returned to Arkansas as defensive coordinator under Lou Holtz.

Finding His Niche

Though he says he had a few scholarship offers out of high school, football wasn’t exactly Pete Carroll’s lifelong passion. He went to college at Pacific University, a small liberal arts school in Oregon, and realized his true passion: education.

After getting his Master’s in Education from Colorado University and then working for three years as an assistant football coach at one of Colorado University’s rivals (the Colorado School of Mines), Pete decided to get back into sports by moving to USC and applying for a position coaching the defensive backs there.

Though things didn’t work out on that front (his players only managed mediocre results), Pete Carroll did get noticed by Paul Hackett, another Colorado graduate who was USC’s head coach at that time.

Becoming a Champion

Before becoming a Super Bowl-winning coach with Seattle, Pete Carroll was fired from two NFL jobs.

But he didn’t let his failures define him; instead, he continued to push forward and find success in professional sports.

Conclusion

With his fun-loving attitude and motivational nature, Pete Carroll was destined to succeed as a head coach.

His unconventional life experiences have given him an intriguing story that has allowed him to connect with his players, turning them into winners. The former defensive back’s style is often imitated but never duplicated.

While his critics contend that he’s not doing anything special or different, those who know better insist that he’s proven himself as one of history’s greatest innovators.

Pete Carroll is married to Glena Goranson. They have 3 children together – Brennan, Jaime, and youngest Nate.

Hundreds of Cyclists Pedaled to Defeat Cancer at the Inaugural Tour de Pier Seattle, Raising $150,000

Photo: Pancreatic.org

Funds raised during the stationary cycling charity event benefit nonprofit organizations Virginia Mason Cancer Institute, the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research and the Uncle Kory Foundation

SEATTLE – Sept. 17, 2019 – On Sept. 14, 2019, Tour de Pier, the unique stationary cycling fundraising event completed its first-ever Tour de Pier Seattle at Lake Union Park raising nearly $150,000 to support cancer research at Virginia Mason Cancer Institute, the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research and the Uncle Kory Foundation.

More than 500 cyclists rode in the Tour de Pier to raise money for research, remember loved ones lost and support those who have been affected by cancer. Some of the West Coast’s best indoor cycling instructors, including Darsenio Hunter, Lindsey Ungar, Drew Shelton-Stewart, Alex Sweeney and PK Kessel, spun riders through a five-hour session with energizing music and entertainment.

“We were thrilled to see such a wonderful turnout for the inaugural Tour de Pier Seattle,” said Lisa Manheim, co-founder of Tour de Pier. “Our long-term goal is to expand this event across the country, and we’re proud that our first event held outside of Manhattan Beach had such a positive response.”

Seattle Seahawks sportscaster Jackie Montgomery emceed the event and country music recording artist Jessica Lynne sang the national anthem. Chaplain Tiji Murphy of Virginia Mason’s Bailey-Boushay House helped to guide a moment of silence and prayer at the start of the event. Ken Workman, a Duwamish Tribal Council member and direct descendant of Chief Seattle, gave an acknowledgement of the tribal land on which the event took place. Live entertainment during the Tour de Pier included a performance by the Seattle Seahawks Dancers, helicopter flyovers, a performance by the Seahawks’ Blue Thunder Drumline and a water show from the Seattle Police Harbor Patrol Unit. A free health and fitness expo during Tour de Pier included Vertra, Evergreens, Just Food for Dogs and Compfit Studios. Celebrity support from Miss Rainier Raechel Warren; Seattle Seawolves Mat Turner, Brad Tucker and Dion Crowder; and former NHL player Jamie Huscroft contributed to the fundraising success. Seahawks mascot Blitz and Seawolves mascot Rucky attended in support of the cause.

“It was truly awe-inspiring to see the number of people who came out to the event to support Virginia Mason Cancer Institute and others,” said Jeanne Jachim, president, Virginia Mason Foundation. “The funds raised through Tour de Pier will support vital efforts in our ongoing fight against cancer.”

Money raised from the Tour de Pier will be instrumental in facilitating research, in addition to developing better treatments and early detection methods and providing the latest resources for patients and families.

Since the first Tour de Pier was held in May 2013 in Manhattan Beach, California, the fitness fundraiser has raised more than $6.75 million for nonprofit cancer organizations and has grown to be one of the most popular outdoor charity events in Southern California.

About Tour de Pier
Jon Hirshberg, who started the first L.A. Cancer Challenge after the loss of his father Ron in 1997, came across the idea of doing a spin bike fundraiser after learning about an event that raised more than $3 million in one day at cycling studios across the country. He approached his friend and long-time cycling enthusiast, Heath Gregory, about the idea of putting on a one-day event in their hometown of Manhattan Beach, CA. Coincidentally, Gregory had participated in a similar event produced by Livestrong in Barcelona during the 2009 Tour de France and vividly remembered hundreds of riders moving in unison all for a common cause. With the Hirshberg Foundation on board to produce the event and a team of board members eager to participate, planning for the Tour de Pier began.

In March 2014, the City of Manhattan Beach Parks & Recreation Department won a prestigious award for Outstanding Special Event for the Tour De Pier, presented by the State of California Association of Parks and Recreation Commissioners. Competing against other cities throughout California, Tour de Pier was recognized as an event that significantly contributes to the overall betterment of the community. For more information, please visit www.seattletourdepier.com.

About Virginia Mason Health System 
Virginia Mason, founded in 1920, is a nonprofit regional health care system based in Seattle that serves the Pacific Northwest. In the Puget Sound region, the system includes 336-bed Virginia Mason Hospital; a primary and specialty care group practice of more than 500 physicians; outpatient medical facilities and services in Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Edmonds, Federal Way, Kirkland, Issaquah and Lynnwood; Bailey-Boushay House, the first skilled-nursing and outpatient chronic care management program in the United States designed specifically to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS; Benaroya Research Institute, which is internationally recognized for autoimmune disease research; Virginia Mason Foundation; and Virginia Mason Institute, which trains health care professionals and others around the world in the Virginia Mason Production System, an innovative management method for improving quality and safety.

Virginia Mason Health System also includes Virginia Mason Memorial, a 226-bed hospital serving Yakima Valley in central Washington since 1950. Virginia Mason Memorial includes primary care practices and specialty care services, including high-quality cardiac care; cancer care through North Star Lodge; breast health at `Ohana Mammography Center; acute hospice and respite care at Cottage in the Meadow; pain management at Water’s Edge; an advanced NICU unit that offers specialty care for at-risk infants; advanced services for children with special health care needs at Children’s Village; and The Memorial Foundation.

Writers Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts and Their Latest Project, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist – 2019/2020 Television Season

As far as the upcoming television season goes, there is nothing that is garnering more buzz than the musical dramedy, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist. Since the ending of the popular musical comedy-drama show, Glee, there has been a hole for viewers that love musicals. Glee was a standout show amongst the formulaic shows that dominated the television screens. Since it went off the air in 2015, viewers have been asking for something to fill that gap and Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts are set to deliver a brand new spin on the musical show.  

Popular shows like Law and Order, The Office, and Survivor had been capturing viewers for years but this was a time when shows where either comedies or dramas and there were no musical shows in existence. Glee was not only a comedy and a drama, otherwise know as a dramedy, but also it was also musical show. A musical show, outside of the reality television competition shows, was nonexistent at the time. Glee set the stage for future shows like Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist and there was no better writing team than Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts to help bring this extraordinary show to life.

The show, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, is a musical light drama starring Jane Levy, Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, Mary Steenburgen and Peter Gallagher. Jane Levy plays the character of Zoey, an incredibly intelligent computer coder living in San Francisco. Without spoiling the show, Zoey experiences an unusual event that grants her the ability to hear the innermost thoughts and desires of those around her. The twist? Zoey hears these desires through song. When she first hears people singing songs about what they want and desire, she questions whether she is losing her mind. Soon she realizes that instead of viewing this as a burden, she begins to see it as a gift that she can use to help others.

This show marks the first broadcast series for Lionsgate since Nashville. The series, directed by Richard Shepard, was picked up by NBC and each episode will be an hour long. The show is set to premier mid-season 2019/2020. Jane Levy is an actress who has played a wide variety of characters in everything from comedy show to horror films. Coming off of her current role of Jackie Torrance in Hulu’s Castle Rock, this new show will be another opportunity for Levy to flex her incredible acting skills. During an interview with Dailyactor.com, Levy said, “This is obviously a career that’s in a visual medium. It’s all about the human face, but I am not interested in roles that are going to necessarily make me look good. I also have a kind of a perverted sensibility, so that’s why I’ve veered towards horror films and comedies and things that push boundaries.”

Berg and Harberts are two veterans of the entertainment industry. As writers and producers, they have worked on multiple popular shows since their rare break into the industry.  The two have known each other since college but their working relationship came later. Since reconnecting in 1995, they have become one of the most sought after teams in the entertainment industry. They have worked on a wide variety of shows and have had the opportunity to write a wide variety of themes, characters, and topics.

When Berg and Harberts met in college at Northwestern University, little did they know that this chance meeting would lead to a successful career in the entertainment industry. They were both enrolled in the Creative Writing for Media Course at the college and they worked together on a student film. She was the director and he was her PA. Although they worked together on projects in college, it wasn’t until a few years later did their relationship really blossom into a fruitful career for both of them.

After she graduated, Gretchen Berg moved west like all young creative types looking to break into the industry. She landed in Los Angeles and hit the ground running but it was uphill battle. She was working hard but had a difficult time finding her groove. It was not until Aaron Harberts appeared back in her life that these two joined forces to create a writing team that would propel them into the industry. [Gretchen Berg official Website]

Aaron Harberts was a few years younger and once he graduated, he also came out to LA. He had a living situation fall through and was put in contact with Berg who offered Harberts a place to stay. When he first arrived, Berg was in the middle of working on a sitcom spec but was facing some issues with revisions before she presented it to studio executives. She asked Harberts for help, he jumped right in and they realized that their creative flow combined worked well with their individual writing styles. [Aaron Harberts official Website]

As they finished the revisions, they realized that they had a really good creative chemistry. Six months later they had their first script but neither of them loved it so it got tossed. At that point they knew they had something good going on, so they worked hard to get their big break. They hustled in Hollywood, working to get their screenplays in front of the right people. All their efforts paid off and they got their first break writing for the popular teen drama, Beverly Hills 90201. The rest as they say, is history.

Their combined impressive resume includes working on some of the most popular television shows of the last two decades. Starting with Beverly Hills 90201, they later went on to work on Roswell, Wonderfalls, Pepper Dennis, Pushing Daisies, Mercy, Revenge, Reign and Star Trek Discovery. They worked as producers for some of these shows as well. With this type of experience, they were posed and ready to start writing for the upcoming show Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.

This much anticipated upcoming show is already being hailed as a must see in the 2019/2020 viewing season.  As the buzz surrounding the show continues to grow, more people are getting excited to watch Jane Levy bring her A game to her latest show.  Her talent combined with the writing skill set of Berg and Haberts is a recipe for a surefire hit.

The Key to Getting Sleep: Tips to Help You Fall Asleep Faster

I have lived in Seattle all my life. My issues include allergies, asthma, and the inability to fall asleep easily. I’m sure living downtown doesn’t help with all the noise and air quality but I do eventually fall asleep. My issues with insomnia is something I have to deal with every night. I hope the information below is helpful for you.

For some people, sleep can be very elusive. In fact, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine about 30 to 35% of adults have brief symptoms of insomnia, 15 to 20% of adults suffer from short-term insomnia and 10% have what is considered a chronic insomnia disorder. It affects far more people than previously suspected and insomnia can be devastating on the mind and body. Lack of sleep can cause poor memory, sleepiness, fatigue, low energy, lack of motivation, mood swings, and the inability to focus. In fact, due to insomnia it is estimated that adults who work and suffer from insomnia lose on average about 8 days of work a year. This adds up to an estimated $63 billion a year in lost production.

Insomnia can be devastating but there are a few tips and tricks that can help people get a better night’s sleep. There are many causes of insomnia. For some people sometimes medication is not an option. There are some natural methods that one can utilize to help alleviate the debilitating side effects of insomnia. Anywhere from changing the temperature of your room to listening to an ambient album by Moby can help people to achieve a successful night of sleep.

One tip that people swear by and science backs up is that in order to fall asleep and stay asleep is to either lower or raise the temperature of the room that one is sleeping in. In general, the suggested bedroom temperature should be set at 60-67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleeping conditions. If the thermostat is set too low, then the body becomes restless. Sometimes wearing socks can also help dilate blood vessels faster and push the internal thermostat to an ideal body temperature for sleeping.

Popular musician and DJ Moby is known for his electronica dance music albums but one thing that most people don’t know about Moby is that he also struggles to fall and stay asleep. He has recently released an album named Long Ambients 2, a follow up to his Long Ambients 1:Calm. Sleep, and both albums are designed to help an individual reach a deeper level of calm. Ambient sounds have been known to help people fall into a deeper sleep. Moby’s Long Ambients 2 has 6 extremely soothing tracks that run about 37 minutes each. Relaxing music can be a key component to a successful night of sleep and Moby’s latest album is specifically designed to be a sleep aid. The album is also free to download.

Staying on schedule is key to a good night’s sleep. The body has it’s own regulatory system called the circadian rhythm.  This is the internal clock of the body that gives it the proper cues to fall asleep at night and to stay awake during the day. If you go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every day, then the body begins to get used to that schedule. The body then naturally starts to become relaxed around the same time every night hence leading to sleep.

The ancient art of yoga and meditation are relaxing practices that help clear the mind and relax the body. Both practices have been shown to improve sleep by helping the body to release stress and tension. Both Yoga and meditation merge breathing patterns with body movement into the practice, which enhances melatonin levels in an individual. Playing music like Long Ambients 2 during the practice will help increase mindfulness and help to bring the focus to breathing patterns that promote relaxation.  

One good way to help a person fall asleep is to avoid taking a nap during the day. People with insomnia don’t get enough sleep at night so they have a tendency to sleep during the day to make up for the lack of sleep at night. These naps become a vicious cycle. The naps during the day make it difficult to fall asleep at night. Cutting out naps at first will be difficult but once that cycle is broken, it will be easier to fall asleep at night. Studies have shown that daily, long naps upwards to two hours or more can severely impact a person’s ability to fall asleep at night.

Another natural way to help aid sleep at night is to exercise during the day. Studies show that exercise, especially done early in the morning is an effective method to help people to fall asleep. Exercise can help with the duration and quality of sleep by increasing the production of serotonin in the brain and by decreasing the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. A moderate intensity workout is recommended for optimal sleep. Sometimes, an excessive and heavy training can actually disrupt sleep patterns. These are just a few ways to help kick start a good night’s sleep. Certain techniques when utilized properly can help bring about a more restful and relaxing night of sleep. Bottom line, sleep is a necessity and not everyone is lucky enough to fall asleep without help. Improving the quality and duration of sleep will greatly improve the overall quality of life and health in a person.

The Emerald City Journal is a Seattle Newspaper for the people. If you have something you would like to share, please contact us. If it is valuable to our readers we may just publish it.

Seattle Housing Authority Residents Bringing Digital Inclusion to South Seattle

On Tuesday, September 3rd, 2019 Senator Patty Murray convened a round table discussion at the Seattle Housing Authority in support of her Digital Equity Act of 2019. At the table was the SHA resident-led initiative Building Our Bridge, funded by the City of Seattle’s Technology Matching Fund, which brings multilingual technology instruction to SHA’s Rainier Vista community.

Developed by SHA residents for SHA residents, this digital inclusion program uniquely understands the challenges poverty, disability and disenfranchisement bring. Laughter rang out in SHA’s Rainier Vista classroom on July 5th, 2019 as six Vietnamese elders and one grandchild gathered to learn technology in their own language. An 84 year old student says she didn’t get an opportunity to go to school and now she goes everywhere she can. She overheard someone talking about the Building Our Bridge classes and she asked them, “Please, take me where you are going.” With JAWS and NVDA assistive technology installed on our machines we were proud to welcome Joseph and Hoa Dinh to our Vietnamese program.

Building Our Bridge Vietnamese Instructor Xuan-Nhi Cao

Joseph has a degree in computer science and both he and Hoa are blind and are active on the Resident Planning Committee which includes the hiring of staff. Bilingual Instructor Xuan-Nhi Cao is a Primary Teacher at Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary who went door to door to Vietnamese households in Rainier Vista to promote the classes, and bilingual Assistant Thu Van Tran is an SHA Temporary Assistant Property Manager Trainer for HOPE VI who knows the community’s needs well and is acquainted with several of the students.

The Oromo program was taught by bilingual Instructor Mohamed Mohamed and bilingual Assistant Fekadu Tuli. Mohamed Mohamed is the Assistant Systems Admin / IT Technician at Refugee Women’s Alliance and Fekadu Tuli is an educator with the Seattle Public Schools who is spending his summer volunteering with the Horn of Africa. During the Oromo program students were excited to create resumes and access The Source, a Seattle Public Schools portal through which parents can monitor their children’s academic progress on-line.

English program Instructor Anjana Ravi is a computer literacy instructor at the community college level who hosted the program in June using our curriculum donated by the Seattle Public Library, which includes moussing, keyboard, email, internet, MS Word & resume, social media, parent engagement and The Source.

On Friday, August 16th, 2019 Building Our Bridge hosted a tri-lingual Tech Clinic in which volunteers from Full Life Care came to the site to help residents troubleshoot issues with their devices. In two hours participants were able to change their computers to write in their native language; install LibreOffice as a free alternative to MS Word; increase the font size on a tablet; address a malfunctioning CD drive; and learn from their peers where to buy low-cost refurbished computers. We’re delighted to welcome program assistant Sakina Hussain, herself a Rainier Vista resident who has worked with SHA Community Builder, Jennifer Calleja on numerous projects in the neighborhood. She has a background in journalism and has worked for MSNBC, MSN and Microsoft. We’re excited to have been recommended for funding by the City of Seattle Technology Matching Fund in 2019-20 and to include a Somali program next summer. We’re reaching out to East African and Southeast Asian organizations to build a network of local technology resources for our students which we will translate into their languages and share with community partners.

Individuals and organizations interested in partnering with us to achieve our goal of hosting multilingual computer classes year round at a permanent computer lab, please contact Elizabeth Kennedy at ekbuildingourbridge@gmail.com, (206) 495-3974 for more information.

Building Our Bridge Vietnamese Basic Computer Skills class graduates, July, 2019

Rachel Chandler Biography

Rachel Chandler is a fashion photographer, model, and American DJ. Her work history is as eclectic as her personal style and the way she spins tunes: when you spend time with Chandler, you never know exactly what you are going to get.  She is currently a partner in Midland Management and Casting, having founded the agency in 2016 with Walter Pearce.

Career At Midland Casting

Based in New York, Midland Agency is renown as one of the freshest and most revolutionary voices in the modern fashion industry. Chandler and her business partner, Pearce, work to burst through the traditional industry standards of beauty by engaging with diverse clientele and breaking down the walls of common fashion mores. This unique approach allows Midland’s clientele to move organically beyond the confines of traditional fashion modeling and into unique fashion concepts and casting opportunities. The prime goal of Midland Management is to give people a new way of looking at fashion, and critics agree that Chandler and Pearce have been successful.

Launch in 2016

In a piece by W magazine in 2016, Pearce and Chandler earned their reputation as an unlikely pair who would bring the practice known as street casting into the national spotlight. On paper, the two seemed like an unlikely pair; Chandler at the time was 29 and earning a living as a photographer; Pearce was 21 and a street-cast model best known for his work in Hood By Air. In the interview, Chandler noted that their agency’s goal was to thrust street-casting – and the cast of real-life characters that go with it – into the national spotlight. At the brand’s launch, the pair represented 16 clients that represented a wide variety of nontraditional fashion interests – there were local artists and musicians, and even a lawyer by training.

In an interview, Chandler noted that there is a trend in the industry toward less conventional modeling. It meshes well with her photography career – over the course of it, she has been naturally drawn to the icons living out their lives in the streets of New York. Her keen eye for seeking out beauty outside of the traditional standards speaks to a paradigm shift in the industry itself. Chandler and Pearce seized on the opportunity to celebrate the unexpected icons living among us. Indeed, brands like Calvin Klein and J.Crew have been turning to street-cast modeling, and Midland Management provides the opportunity for clients to have day jobs or other obligations, unlike other casting firms. [See Rachel Chandler on Models.com]

Chandler recalled a time when she was eating lunch with a friend and saw a person walk by outside. Abandoning her meal and her company, she ran after the man and convinced him to sign with Midland Management. Shortly thereafter, he was cast in a Helmut Lang Show.

Midland is also unique in that it is a hybrid organization that both manages and casts models. Though this dynamic is more popular in Europe, it is less so in the United States, and Midland is working to successfully fulfill a niche for those who may not fulfill traditional archetypes.

Photography Career

Chandler’s career in fashion photography matches her philosophy behind model representation and casting. Prior to creating Midland Management, Chandler worked with Eckhaus Latta year round. Eckhaus Latta, a fashion brand founded by Mike Eckhaus and Zoe Latta, is renown in fashion circles for using unexpected materials and exploring texture in their design. They are also known for their use of unconventional models, having worked with non-model models like chefs, artists, skateboarders, and writers. Eckhaus Latta’s photography, video, and fashion work has been displayed at the Whitney Museum, the Hammer Museum, and the MoMA.

Working with Eckhaus Latta turned out to be a career boon for Chandler, who ultimately signed two of her own models for Midland who she met through Eckhaus Latta’s casting calls. Chandler is widely regarded as having a sought-after eye for capturing beauty and discovering talent in unlikely places. Her unconventional methods have always been coveted in fashion circles; in 2012, Vogue covered a New York store opening that she photographed using only Polaroids.

Personal Life

Rachel Chandler was born and raised in Los Angeles. In her teens, she moved to New York to study the History of Art at the Gallatin School. While studying there, she also participated in a number of internships and art organizations and photographers, including the renowned Patrick Demarchelier. She would soon be known for her uncanny ability to capture the vibrant scene in which she works, which would translate into finding fashion talent in the most unlikely of places.

Chandler has been a regular photographer and contributor for Purple Diary, Vogue, and Industrie Online in addition to her work at Eckhaus Latta.

To earn extra money, Chandler also DJed at the Standard Hotel, Avenue, and Beatrice Inn. But don’t think of her as another “slash.” In a 2011 interview with Paper, she noted that there are a lot of model-slash-actresses-slash-DJs. She didn’t want any part of that. She never wanted to DJ, but she did always want to be a photographer. DJing was a means to an end – it allowed her to buy equipment, cultivate her talents, and ultimately shaped the successful photographer and entrepreneur she is today.

Future For Midland Management and Casting

Today, Midland Management and Casting continues to break through barriers and reform what it means to be an icon in the fashion industry. Their unique vision is resonating with some of fashion’s most popular labels: to date, Midland has worked with Gucci, Miu Miu, Zara, Marni, Mulger, Jason Wu, and Rag and Bone. When asked how they choose the talent they work with, Chandler’s answer is simple. In an interview with Vogue, she noted that instead of finding a person who looks like a girl, Chandler will find you an “Actual” girl who is less gendered, less traditional, less overtly pretty, but more real.

This is the kind of future you can expect from Midland Management and Casting – less adherence to the traditional archetypes of fashion and more representation through a diverse cast of individuals who make up their own unique form of beauty. In Chandler’s view, Midland Management represents a cultural shift in what it means to be beautiful.

Jim Henson Biography

Jim Henson's Muppet Vision Building

Jim Henson was an exceptional artist and visionary who created distinctive worlds and characters that still resonate with vibrancy, originality, and freshness today. As a trailblazer in television, a pioneer in puppetry, technology, and visual arts, and a talented performer who breathed life into some of the most iconic characters ever – including the beloved Kermit the frog – Jim Henson’s influence on entertainment, education, and culture endures to the present day.

Born on September 24, 1936, at King’s Daughters Hospital in Greenville, Mississippi, Jim was the second son of Paul and Betty Henson. As a child, he spent his early years in Leland, Mississippi, where his father worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Throughout his youth, Jim developed a strong interest in art and, later, television. He was particularly close to his maternal grandmother, an avid painter, quilter, and needleworker, and would often visit her. She was incredibly supportive of Jim’s artistic pursuits, encouraging him to use his imagination and find joy in the world around him.

In 1954, while still in high school, Jim began his television career performing puppets on a local Washington, D.C. Saturday morning program on WTOP-TV. The following year, as a freshman at the University of Maryland, he was given his own twice-daily, five-minute show, “Sam and Friends,” on the local NBC affiliate, WRC-TV.

On this program, Jim and his assistant, fellow University of Maryland student and future wife Jane Nebel, introduced many fun aspects that fans came to love about the Muppets, including music, snarky humor, and innovative technical tricks like eliminating the puppet stage and using the television itself as the proscenium. Most memorably, the show featured an early version of Kermit the Frog, who would go on to become the face of the Muppets.

After a series of projects, mostly national television appearances and humorous commercials, Henson was approached by public television producer Joan Ganz Cooney in 1966 to help with the creation of a groundbreaking new kid’s show called “Sesame Street.” Cooney recognized Henson’s amazingly, unique talent and enlisted Henson to help create a cast of beloved characters for this new show. Characters like Big Bird, Bert and Ernie and Oscar the Grouch all sprung from the wide and wonderful imagination of Jim Henson.

Working closely with the Children’s Television Workshop (now known as Sesame Workshop) on Sesame Street, Jim also had the chance to further experiment with various film techniques. Alongside his talented team, Jim produced more than two dozen live-action and animated shorts that still teach children essential skills like counting, the alphabet, and other educational concepts.

Sesame Street showed the world the undeniable appeal of Henson’s creations and Henson wanted to create a show that would appeal to the whole family. He tried for years to sell the concept of The Muppet Show but it wasn’t until 1975 that the show would start to become a reality.

In 1975, production began at Grade’s ATV Studios, introducing the world to an unforgettable family of Muppet characters. This included fan favorites like Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, and Animal (performed by Frank Oz), as well as The Great Gonzo (Dave Goelz), Scooter (Richard Hunt), Lew Zealand (Jerry Nelson), and Rizzo the Rat (Steve Whitmire).

Hosted by Kermit the Frog and accompanied by the musical talents of Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem Band, the Muppets welcomed a pantheon of great guest stars each week – from Gene Kelly to Steve Martin and John Cleese.

The Muppet Show’s immense success soon led to Hollywood, where the beloved characters starred in six feature films: The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets From Space.

His two other movies Dark Crystal and Labyrinth left an indelible mark on the world of fantasy cinema. In The Dark Crystal Henson and his team of skilled craftspeople constructed an intricate, visually stunning universe, populated by a diverse array of fantastical creatures. The film’s central narrative, which follows the journey of a young Gelfling named Jen as he seeks to restore the shattered Dark Crystal and restore balance to his world, is imbued with a sense of epic grandeur and mythic resonance.

Henson’s other landmark work, Labyrinth, showcased his ability to blend the whimsical and the profound. Featuring a memorable cast of fantastical characters, including the iconic Goblin King, portrayed with magnetic charisma by David Bowie, “Labyrinth” blended elements of fairy tale, coming-of-age drama, and musical fantasy to create a truly unique and captivating cinematic experience. Henson’s masterful puppetry and special effects work, combined with the film’s rich thematic underpinnings, have cemented “Labyrinth” as a beloved cult classic and a testament to the boundless creative vision of its legendary creator.

Henson went on to create other such memorable works as Fraggle Rock, Jim Henson’s Muppet Babies, Jim Henson’s The Storyteller, and Jim Henson’s Greek Myths. Before his death in 1990, he was able to complete his last project, MuppetVision 3*D. The film, which he directed, currently runs at custom-made theaters located within Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, as well as at Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim, California. Jim Henson is remembered as a cultural icon in the world of fantasy. His innovative vision and boundless creativity shaping the way audiences experienced whimsical storytelling for generations. Henson breathed life into a menagerie of vibrant, endearing characters that effortlessly transcended the traditional boundaries of puppetry. With his uncanny ability to imbue even the most fantastical creatures with genuine emotion and personality, Henson pioneered a new medium that seamlessly blended the handcrafted charm of puppetry with the cinematic magic of film and television. 

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