Airbnb not helping hosts during COVID-19 emergency

March 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the toll the virus has taken on small business has been substantial. As a real estate agent and property owner of several vacation rentals, Janice Overbeck has experienced the effects on her business first hand. The financial crisis that Airbnb has left their 650,000 hosts in is getting attention all over the world thanks to Janice’s petition on Change.org. The petition is gaining traction and quickly making the rounds on social media groups and pages for Airbnb hosts. Unfortunately, the story is the same from host to host where Airbnb is overriding the host cancellation policy and refunding travelers 100% of the reservation with no support to the host whatsoever.

The petition points out the issues and is asking Airbnb to help small businesses during this crisis. “Airbnb is pulling rank and using their “extenuating circumstances” policy under the Coronavirus and refunding guests 100% of what they paid. This is a good thing and what they should be doing! What is not good, is that regardless of the Airbnb hosts cancellation policies, the host is left without any income from this booking and many hosts on Airbnb all over the world, (an estimated 650,000 small businesses) are being left in terrible situations right now, possibly unable to make mortgage payments come April 1st.
Brian Chesky, CEO and Co-founder of Airbnb, has an estimated net worth of $3.8 billion. We are asking Airbnb to do the right thing and help take the hit to help hundreds of thousands of small businesses around the world and still pay out 50% of what the host would be receiving on the booking,” Overbeck writes. This has been detrimental to hundreds of thousands of hosts and small business owners who rely on rental income to pay their mortgages and support their families. Airbnb has not responded to this petition or offered any financial relief to hosts on their platform. For more information, visit https://www.change.org/AirbnbDoTheRightThing

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Entertaining the Kids During the COVID-19 Lockdown

March 26, 2020 by Leave a Comment

Those stay-at-home parents with little ones already know how stressful it can be to be stuck in the house all day with kids that need your attention all the time, it seems. Then again, before you would be able to take them to the movies, the park, the zoo, or to visit a friend to entertain them. Now, you are all quarantined to the house together. Those who have school-age children or who usually leave the kids at a sitter while they work outside the home are suddenly realizing how hard stay-at-home parents really have it. But we can help them keep the kids entertained with some simple tips that do not include going anywhere or seeing other people.  

  • Treasure Hunt: Write a list with items that kids can find outside. Some of these items can include things that are already there like four twigs, three white flowers, five small rocks, etc. You can also hide items outside for them to find like small toys, clothespins, a plastic cup, a penny, etc. For kids too young to read, draw pictures. You get the picture, right?
  • Crafts: Use those items the kids found to make things. Color the rocks with markers or paint, tape the flowers to the sticks to make a bouquet, color the clothespins and add the small toys to them to make a decorative chip bag holder. Use your imagination and theirs.
  • Television Time: Although you don’t want to just park your kids in front of the TV all day, some television time is fine. In fact, a lot of the shows on children’s channels are learning shows. There are still the old favorites kids tv show such as Sesame Street, the Magic School Bus, and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. But they also have new ones like Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues, Doc Mc Stuffins, and Sid the Science Kid. Give the kids an hour or two of TV time during the day when you just need some peace and quiet. 
  • Projects for Older Kids: Older kids can be harder to entertain because they are way too “cool” to watch Dora or find rocks in the garden. Give them some harder projects like building or fixing something. Or find a website that they can get on where they can actually learn something while playing games or talking to others.
  • Online Therapy: Believe it or not, many kids can benefit from online therapy, which they can get from a mental health site like BetterHelp.com. Of course, they will need parental permission and supervision, but BetterHelp.com has pediatric counselors on staff who can help your child deal with the thoughts and emotions that they may be struggling with during these worrisome times. 

Do Some Redecorating

These are just a few things that you can do with the kids to keep them busy. And to keep yourself busy too. Stay up to date on the facts but don’t sit and watch the news all day. Get up and play with the kids. Redecorate their rooms with them, however they want it decorated. Let them be creative and choose where the bed or dresser goes. You may be surprised how creative they really are. And, as always, if you are feeling overly anxious, depressed, or angry, reach out. There are people who can help. Betterhelp.com also has online therapy for adults, so go ahead and check them out.

Marie Miguel Biography

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.

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LEARN TO DRAW THE MIGHTY T-REX AT FREE ONLINE CLASS WITH PALEOARTIST

March 24, 2020 by Leave a Comment

This Wed., March 25th at 4 p.m., log onto Field Station: Dinosaurs’ Facebook page @Jerseysaurus for a free online lesson on how to draw The T-Rex with Paleoartist Chris DiPiazza.  Parents can supplement their children’s science and art assignments live or anytime later in March to supplement their children’s science and art assignments.

All children in the NYC-metro area who participate in the live or replay lesson can post a drawing in the comments of the video to be entered in a drawing for a family four pack of tickets valid on July 11th where you can meet the artist in person at the Field Station: Dinosaurs outdoor science expedition.  All children in the Derby, KS area will be entered to win a family four-pack of one-day passes to the Derby, KS location.

WHO: 

Chris DiPiazza, Paleoartist, Science Teacher, ZooKeeper, and creator of Prehistoric Beast of the Week will be hosting a live art class on how to draw The Mighty T-Rex.

All children who take the class can upload their T-Rex artwork into the video comments for a chance to win a family four pack of tickets to Field Station: Dinosaurs in Leonia for July 11th.

For those who enter the contest who live in Kansas, you can win a family four-pack of one-day pass admission to the Derby, KS location.

Deadline to enter is Sun. March 29, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

WHERE:

Sign up for the free class on Field Station: Dinosaurs’ Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/events/s/live-video-learn-to-draw-the-m/1090155828019577/

WHEN:

Chris DiPiazza’s virtual art class will begin at 4 p.m. on Wed., March 25th.

WHAT ELSE:           

Chris DiPiazza will be kicking off Field Station: Dinosaurs’ Super Stars of Science series at the park in Leonia, NJ on Sun. July 11th.  He was recently chosen by the Academy of Natural Sciences to produce a life-sized reconstruction of the Hadrosaurus foulkii, the New Jersey state dinosaur, to accompany their mounted skeleton.

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Coronavirus price gouging complaints for 900 businesses. Here’s how to file a report

March 24, 2020 by Leave a Comment

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New Jersey’s top law enforcement official announced the state is taking aggressive steps to crack down on such measures with more than 1,400 price gouging complaints.

“We know that this is a concern to many people,” state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said Monday at a daily coronavirus briefing.

“To date, our Division of Consumer Affairs has received over 1,400 COVID-19 related complaints concerning some 900 distinct business locations across New Jersey,” Grewal said. “Let me tell you that our investigators have been on top of this. They’re working with our county partners to complete about 350 inspections to date.”

“We’ve issued about 160 cease-and-desist letters and served nearly 30 subpoenas,” he added. “The complaints that we received included allegations that details are unfairly raising prices on surgical masks, on hand sanitizers, on disinfecting sprays and wipes, food, bottled water and similar items.”

Grewal said many of the investigations have determined that prices at New Jersey stores have increased appropriately after suppliers hiked prices for retailers.

“We have to remain vigilant,” he said. “I will guarantee you, absolutely guarantee you, that additional fraud cases are going to come.”

Grewal’s statement came the same day Murphy announced Monday that New Jersey now has at least 2,844 known coronavirus cases with 27 deaths as officials announced 935 new positive tests on the same day the second state-run testing site opened in Monmouth County and quickly hit capacity due to overwhelming demand.

“There is a special place in hell for people who take advantage of this health crisis,” Murphy said. “There sure is heck no time for it in the war that we’re under.”

Residents are able to file a complaint about price gouging on the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs website.

The governor also said people should expect New Jersey schools to be closed for an “extended period of time” as the state continues to respond to the pandemic.

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ADVENTURE AQUARIUM ANNOUNCES TEMPORARY CLOSURE

March 24, 2020 by 1 Comment

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While there have been no reported cases of COVID-19 at Adventure Aquarium, we are committed to putting the health and safety of our team members, animals, and guests first. Doing our part to help prevent further spread of the illness in our community is important to us, and therefore we will be temporarily closing to the public effective Monday, March 16, 2020 as a precautionary measure and are planning on reopening on Saturday, March 28, 2020.

Our devoted animal husbandry teams and essential personnel will continue to maintain the vital systems and processes that ensure the highest level of care for the animals and aquatic life here at Adventure Aquarium. These team members have been trained on hygiene policies, social distancing methods, and have access to personal protective gear. Additional team members, who cannot work remotely, will receive paid leave.

During this time, we will continue to follow recommendations of public health officials and monitor the situation with regular updates posted to our website, adventureaquarium.com, and on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages. We will work with guests to reschedule their visit or refund tickets as needed.

For further details, please call us at 844-474-FISH (3474) and visit adventureaquarium.com for FAQs pertaining to the temporary closure.

Adventure Aquarium continues to watch the conditions within the area, consult with its medical experts, and follow CDC guidelines. The aquarium will communicate any additional changes should they occur.

ABOUT ADVENTURE AQUARIUM

Adventure Aquarium is just minutes from downtown Philadelphia on the Camden Waterfront and features one-of-a-kind exhibits with more than 15,000 aquatic species throughout two million gallons of water. The Aquarium is home to the largest collection of sharks on the East Coast, including the only great hammerhead shark on exhibit in the United States, the only aquarium in the world to exhibit hippos, one of only six facilities in the US to have Little Blue penguins as permanent residents and exhibits the longest Shark Bridge in the world, a unique V-shaped rope suspension bridge just inches over Shark Realm. Adventure Aquarium is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and is held to the absolute highest standards in animal care and exhibition. Open daily.  For more information, visit AdventureAquarium.com.

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Coronavirus, The Olympics, and At Home Testing

March 23, 2020 by 1 Comment

Sharing this information with you via the NYTimes, hope it helps. Stay safe!

What it will take to stop the coronavirus
If the U.S. is to repeat the success of countries like China and South Korea in containing the epidemic, health experts say it will require extraordinary coordination and money from leaders as well as near-total cooperation from the public.
Our health reporter Donald McNeil writes: “If it were possible to wave a magic wand and make all Americans freeze in place for 14 days while sitting six feet apart, epidemiologists say, the whole epidemic would sputter to a halt.”
Here are the latest updates and maps of the pandemic.
In other developments:
■ President Trump said major disaster declarations were underway for California, New York and Washington, the three states hardest hit by the virus. With more than 15,000 confirmed cases, New York State now accounts for roughly 5 percent of the world’s total tally.
■ Senate Democrats blocked action on a nearly $2 trillion government rescue package, which they said failed to adequately protect workers or impose strict enough restrictions on bailed-out businesses. Another vote is scheduled for this morning.
■ In a partial reaction to the political stalemate, global markets fell again today. Here are the latest updates.
■ Mr. Trump has declined to use his authority to commandeer private industry to produce medical supplies, counting instead on a market-driven response. Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York appealed on Sunday for the federal government to take over distribution of critical goods.
■ Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan suggested today that the Summer Olympics in Tokyo might need to be postponed, hours after Canada and Australia threatened to boycott the Games. The International Olympic Committee has said it will decide within four weeks whether to delay or scale down the event.
■ Nearly 70 drugs may be effective in treating the virus, researchers reported. Some medications are already used to treat other diseases, and repurposing them may be faster than trying to invent a new drug, the scientists said.
■ A lost or reduced sense of smell and taste has emerged as a telltale sign of Covid-19, the disease caused by the virus.
■ Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, became the first senator to test positive for the virus. He went about his routine for days after being tested.
■ Germany barred public gatherings of more than two people, except for families, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said she was going into isolation because her doctor had tested positive for the virus.
“The Daily”: Today’s episode is about the pandemic’s effects on the Democratic presidential primary.
The Times is providing free access to much of our coronavirus coverage, and our Coronavirus Briefing newsletter — like all of our newsletters — is free. Please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription.
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Coronavirus Updates: Have You Heard About The New Symptoms To Be Aware Of?

March 23, 2020 by Leave a Comment

• A potential sign of coronavirus: Doctors caution that sensory loss may be a sign of COVID-19. “There have been a rapidly growing number of reports of a significant increase in the number of patients presenting with anosmia in the absence of other symptoms,” the president of the British Rhinological Society wrote. If you experience sensory loss, you should call your doctor and self-isolate. 

• New York becomes center of U.S. outbreak: New York has more than 20,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus, the majority of U.S. cases. New York now accounts for 5% of cases worldwide. The spike in cases is 

• Congress stalls on economic relief: Almost $2 trillion in economic relief is stalled in the Senate due to disagreements between republicans and democrats. Democrats say the bill does not allocate enough to households, hospitals and health professionals.

• Buyer beware: The FDA warns against at-home COVID-19 testing kits as three companies prepare to sell mail-order testing kits. None of the kits are FDA-approved.

• Around the world: India expands its lockdown to cover almost all 1.3 billion of its residents. German chancellor Angela Merkel tests negative after coming in contact with a doctor who tested positive. The chancellor will be tested again in a few days. Spain plans to extend its state of emergency 15 days as the country’s death toll rises.

Shared via “The Mighty”, hope this helps during these crazy times! Stay safe and PLEASE isolate.

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Tip-Top: 4 Ways to Stay Healthy and Strong

March 23, 2020 by Leave a Comment

It’s no secret to everyone that health is indeed wealth. If a person isn’t healthy at all, he or she begins to become sickly. People who have bad health can’t work or even have fun. What’s also terrifying is that people who have poor health are more likely to catch a disease. 

 

In fact, in today’s time, we are facing a global pandemic that often targets people who are immunocompromised or those who have weak immune systems. COVID-19 or Coronavirus Disease 2019, is an infectious disease that can cause life-threatening conditions. The virus mainly affects people who have immunity problems and poor general health. Not only that, other lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease are also at an all-time high. 

 

Even though people are faced with a lot of challenges to their health and well being, people shouldn’t worry too much. There are a lot of things they can do to become healthy and avoid such terrible conditions. 

 

As mentioned earlier, not being healthy can lead to a lot of problems. How can you enjoy life if you aren’t healthy? Enough of the negativity and get off the couch! Here are some things you can do to keep your mind and body in tip-top shape!

Eating Right

The energy we need to do almost everything, from breathing to playing your video games, comes from the food we eat. Without food, life, and everything in the world would cease to exist. Eating the right food such as green leafy vegetables, food rich in protein and other vitamins and minerals are essential for the body to become fit and healthy. 

 

Fish, meat, poultry, and eggs can provide us with protein to help build up muscle. Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, help give the body with essential vitamins. Vitamin C or citric acid, vitamin B6, and Vitamin E are potent minerals that help the body fight off infections.

 

Eating all the time may sound great, but too much of it can also harm the body. Take note, eating right also means that you eat everything in moderation. Too much meat may build up more protein in your body than your kidneys can handle. It’s also best that you avoid fast food, junk food, and high sugar food that can lead to diabetes and other problems.

Water

Forget the diet soda and high sugar energy drinks you see on the shelf. If you want to become healthy and fit, nothing beats the purest and cleanest drinking water. Again, we’ll say it loud and clear: There is no substitute for water. Aside from food, water is what keeps the human being alive. Here’s a fact: Human beings can live without food for almost three weeks. Without water, though, a human can’t make it past three days. 

 

Water is vital for a lot of functions in the human body, such as regulating temperature, waste disposal, converting food into usable energy, and it also helps in absorbing the nutrients we get from that food. Most people should drink water according to their weight.

 

The recommended amount to drink is around 2-3 liters. Do take note that some food such as fruits and vegetables also provide adequate amounts of water that our body needs. As with food and overeating, drinking excessive amounts of water can also be harmful. Too much water can lead to hyponatremia wherein the body gets rid of essential minerals that the body needs to function.

Living an Active Lifestyle

If you want to be fit, eating right and drinking water alone can’t help you achieve your goals. An active lifestyle helps your body spend the energy you get from eating and drinking. Aside from improving your physique and endurance, exercising can help strengthen your immune system.

 

If expensive gym equipment and unreasonable gym membership rates are reasons for you not to work out, then you have to think better. You don’t need these to exercise properly. All you need are simple daily items you can see lying around your house. A piece of rope can become a skipping rope, chairs, and even your stairs can also help you work out effectively.

 

Even jogging can also help you a lot when it comes to health. Do take note that the body reacts well to exercise when done in increments. You can check your pulse rate with a Nomos watch or any watch for that reason. You can do this by counting your pulse as you follow the second hand of the watch. With that, you can check your pulse rate per minute. It’s expected that your pulse rate is increased because of your current activity. Checking your pulse helps you monitor your condition as you increase the distance you jog in the months to come.

Sleeping

You work hard, and you play hard. It only fits that you let your body rest. Sleeping is one of the most important things a person can do to maintain their well-being. Having a lack of sleep can lead to a lot of conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. 

 

People who also lack sleep are more likely to develop infections due to a weak immune system. For most adults, 7-9 hours of quality sleep should be enough to keep them healthy. Whoever said that sleep is for the weak should seriously reconsider their health goals. 

Takeaway

Despite the threat of disease and other harmful factors that can affect life, people shouldn’t be worried. Eating right, drinking clean water, exercising, and having the right amount and quality of sleep should be enough to keep us in tip-top shape. Remember, health is wealth, and without it, people can’t enjoy life.

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