UNICEF Ramps Up Its Humanitarian Assistance To Children In Venezuela

A boy begs on the streets of Caracas. UNICEF is concerned that the current situation in Venezuela has reduced children’s access to essential services and increased their vulnerability, rolling back decades of progress. (© UNICEF/UN0318609/Velasquez)

Fifty-five tons of UNICEF health supplies have reached Venezuela since the beginning of the year, the United Nations children's organization said today. The items were distributed in 25 hospitals in the most affected states of Caracas, Miranda, Zulia, Bolivar and Táchira. They include midwifery kits, antibiotics and malaria treatment.

"One third of children in Venezuela need help accessing basic nutrition, health and education services, according to preliminary UN estimates," said Paloma Escudero, UNICEF Director of Communication, who has just finished a three-day trip to the country. "UNICEF has been working in Venezuela for almost 30 years. As the country grapples with the impact of a devastating economic and political crisis, we will continue to provide its most vulnerable children, wherever they are, with the humanitarian support they need. Children's needs must always remain above politics."

UNICEF is concerned that the current situation in Venezuela has reduced children's access to essential services and increased their vulnerability, rolling back decades of progress. 

According to United Nations estimates based on official and other sources:

• Some 3.2 million children – or 1 in 3 – need humanitarian assistance;
• Under-five child mortality increased by more than half between 2014 and 2017;
• 190 suspected cases of diphtheria and 558 suspected cases of measles have been recorded since the beginning of the year.

At a health care center in the outskirts of Caracas, Escudero met with health workers and mothers who spoke of the daily challenges of giving, and receiving, medical care.

"People I spoke to painted a very grim picture of the health situation in the country," Escudero said. "Many doctors and nurses have left the country. Medical centers are functioning at minimum capacity due to the shortage of medicine. Lack of spare parts has grounded mobile health units and ambulances. Pregnant women, many of them too young and anemic, are struggling to get the care they need. With worsening fuel shortages, they are sometimes not even able to get to the health centers. Women in labour need to bring their own midwifery supplies when they check into the hospital. For a country that made remarkable progress for decades on the quality of its health care, this is quite dramatic."

The recent shipments of heath supplies raise to nearly 200 tons UNICEF's humanitarian assistance in the country in the past year. Working with partners on both sides of the political spectrum, UNICEF has, so far this year, provided:

• Over 400,000 people with access to safe drinking water and an additional 25,300 people with water, sanitation and hygiene services in health centers, schools and other learning and child-friendly spaces.
• Nearly 75,000 children under 5 with micronutrient supplementation and an extra 3,500 with outpatient treatment for acute malnutrition.
• Deworming tablets for 4.3 million children and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
• Nearly 9 million doses of the diphtheria vaccine, 176,000 doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, and 260,000 doses of the yellow fever vaccine for a national immunization campaign.
• More than 260 education kits for 150,000 children in public schools.
• Psychosocial support for nearly 10,000 children and young people.

"We are barely scratching the surface," Escudero said. "Millions of children need to be immunized, go to school, drink safe water and feel protected. We have plans in place to further scale up our response, but we need increased flexible funding that would allow us to reach the children in need with the services they need."

UNICEF has strengthened its presence on the ground, with offices close to the borders with Colombia and Brazil, making it one of the agencies with the biggest operational footprint in the country.

UNICEF's funding requirements have increased, with plans to provide more vaccines, rehabilitate the water and sanitation system, provide malnutrition treatment and medical supplies, and make sure that children have the education and protection support that are essential to their future and well-being.

"We are committed to making sure that we reach children in need with quality support in a timely manner and we rely on our donors' support while we continue to increase our response and strengthen our monitoring mechanisms on the ground," Escudero said.

A health center in las Minas de Baruta, a neighborhood in the outskirts of Caracas, Venezuela. (© UNICEF/UN0318587/Velasquez)

SOURCE: UNICEF Canada

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World Oceans Day is a Reason to Celebrate and Reflect

Ghost gear is killing our marine life and contributing greatly to the ocean's plastic problem, with more than 70% of microplastics by weight being fishing related. Pictured: a sea lion tangled in a gill net off the coast of California. (CNW Group/World Animal Protection)

The oceans. They link us together, provide most of the oxygen that we breathe and regulate our climate. They are also home to many marine animals like seals, whales, turtles and fish. But their home and survival are increasingly under assault from ocean acidification, over-fishing and marine debris.

It is estimated that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050, according to the World Economic Forum. Consumer and single-use plastics are often identified as the culprit but lost and abandoned fishing gear ('ghost gear') is also a major contributor to the plastic pollution engulfing our oceans. Like consumer plastic waste, ghost gear can also degrade into microplastics that end up being consumed by fish and other marine life, making its way into the food chain and onto our plate.

In fact, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), estimates that 640,000 tons of ghost gear ends up in our oceans each year. Marine animals can suffer a slow and painful death when caught in lines and nets, sometimes drowning, other times succumbing to painful injuries.

This is why World Oceans Day, acknowledged every year on June 8th, is so important. It's an opportunity to remind people about the critical role of our oceans and encourage everyone worldwide to take action to protect them.

And there is hope. In 2014, World Animal Protection founded the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI), an international platform to address the causes of ghost gear and develop solutions. To date, the GGGI has over 100 participants including NGOs, private sector and governments. Last fall, Canada became a signatory to the GGGI, committing to the GGGI's aims of protecting marine animals from harm and safeguarding human health and livelihoods. Canada is acting on its promise.

"Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) continues to show leadership in managing lost, abandoned or otherwise discarded fishing gear. We are expanding mandatory reporting requirements for lost gear to additional commercial fisheries and added a new requirement to report any found gear that was previously reported lost. Compiling and mapping this information will allow for targeted efforts to retrieve gear and more robust analysis of ghost gear in Canada," says Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

Lynn Kavanagh, Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection, says, "World Oceans Day is a time to acknowledge how vital our oceans are to our survival and the life of countless animals. We can all play our part in protecting this essential lifeforce, whether it's curbing our own personal plastic consumption, or the fishing industry adopting best practices for fishing gear management."

• World Oceans Day was first proposed by the Canadian government in 1992 and has since been proclaimed by the United Nations.

SOURCE: World Animal Protection

Holy 80th Anniversary, Batman! YuMe to Celebrate the Dark Knight's Birthday with Launch of Exclusive Batman DZNR Series

Batman (DZNR) chibi plush (Image via Batman News)

YuMe Toys is thrilled to announce the launch of their new Batman DZNR Series (pronounced 'Designer'), an exclusive line of specialty Batman chibi plush. 

As the 80th anniversary of the famed Caped Crusader draws near, the new Batman DZNR Series features artwork meant to highlight and celebrate the rich history of this world-renowned hero.

Batman has taken on many variations over time that have kept fans in suspense. YuMe has selected some of Batman's most iconic iterations to design and curate a collection worthy of the hero's devoted fandom. 

• The seven designs that make up the core of the Batman DZNR Series will be released weekly on Walmart.com beginning July 1, 2019.

Offering a fresh take on traditional plush, the Batman DZNR Series provides core Batman fans a high-quality, collectible line that pays tribute to the iconic Batman comic legacy, while also showcasing and celebrating more modern Batman designs that both classic and new fans will appreciate. 

• The line also includes a special Walmart.com exclusive inspired by the Batman Golden Age comics.

"Batman is one of the most beloved and recognizable superheroes of all time and we took great care to meticulously design and create the Batman DZNR Series to ensure that the line truly honors Batman's legacy," says Michael Kwan, CEO, Maxx Marketing. "We believe that the unique designs and quality of the chibis capture the essence of Batman and will make excellent additions to any collection. We look forward to launching more high-end, licensed chibi plush lines for fans around the world to enjoy."

• The Batman DZNR Series will be available in 7" chibi plush gift boxes starting at $14.99 at Walmart.com/Batmans80th.

The Wheels of Gotham (Image via Batman News)

About YuMe

YuMe Toys, is an award-winning global toy brand that dreams of bringing people together through imagination, fun, and entertainment. YuMe, inspired by the word meaning "to dream" in Japanese, is recognized for its highly stylized plush and toy lines which have gained strong momentum in North America, Europe and Asia since 2018. 

• The YuMe brand designates the highest quality soft toys featuring Warner Bros. Consumer Products' most popular entertainment brands including JK Rowling's Wizarding World/Harry Potter & Fantastic Beasts franchise, DC Universe, Scooby Doo, Looney Tunes, Tom & Jerry and the studio's most iconic horror movie titles.

SOURCE: YuMe Toys

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Quick & Easy Ways To Minimize Paper Use In Your Office

Paper work in office... (via pixnio)

Paper use is more important than you might initially assume. What’s wrong with using a lot of paper in your office? Well, there are a few primary concerns: 

• Too much paper use is terrible for the environment
• You end up creating a messy office space that becomes harder to work in
• It’s harder to keep track of important documents

These three things can lead to a damaged business reputation, lack of productivity, and a loss of vital information.

Thankfully, there are some quick and easy solutions to this; here’s how you can minimize paper use in your office:

Invest in a virtual mailbox

A lot of paper in your office comes from your mail. Clients may send documents to you, contractors may do the same, and so on. Eventually, it all piles up and you have lots of letters everywhere, creating loads of mess.

A virtual mailbox solves this issue by ensuring your mail is sent elsewhere. Companies like Physical Address offer virtual business addresses that come with a virtual mailbox. As such, your mail gets sent to a different location where it can be sorted and scanned into a digital folder. From here, you can access it whenever you want, and it’s all digital. So, your office doesn’t have to deal with all this paper anymore. 

Digitalize your documents

Whenever possible, you should avoid printing things out. To do this, you should consider digitalizing as many documents as possible. Instead of sending out contracts to clients, then having them sign them and post them back, you can send out digital contracts. These days, some services let you send contracts that can be signed online, completely obliterating a large portion of paper use in your office.

The same goes for things like payslips and any other documents you usually print. Of course, there may be instances where you have no choice but to print something out. For example, a client that doesn’t know how to sign digital contracts or requests a physical copy. 

Don’t worry, there’s another easy idea to combat this.

A printer (via pxhere)

Print on both sides of the paper

In instances where printing isn’t avoidable, you should print using both sides of the paper. This idea is one of the simplest ones out there, yet it cuts your paper use in half. Instead of printing out four sheets of paper, you can print out two. So, if clients demand physical documents or there’s no way of digitalizing something, then use this idea instead.
Make mail your last resort

Think about all the different ways you can contact clients or leads these days. Instead of sending them postal mail, you can email them, send a message on social media, text them - or give them a call. None of these options involves the use of paper! So, make mail the absolute last resort when contacting people; try all the other means first.

If you reduce paper use in your office, then you help decrease the carbon footprint of your business. Consumers see the efforts your making, and it helps build a positive reputation. Not only that, but a lack of paper in your office makes it a tidier place to work, and you can improve your organization too. So, try these quick & easy ideas to cut down the amount of paper your business uses.

Could You Take Your Interests To The Next Level With A Blog?

A laptop (image via Unsplash)

In life, we all have interests, that much is true. However, we don’t always get to take them that seriously or indulge in them as much as we perhaps might like. And that’s easily done. Because life is busy and we all have commitments that tend to take priority over some of the things that we love. When you love sports or books or baking or art, you may find that you don’t tend to have much time for it compared to when you were younger. Now that you have a job, a social life, a family, and financial commitments too – it can be hard for you to work out exactly how you’re going to enjoy your interests and get everything done that you need to. So you don’t. And you stop. Yet, this can then go on to affect your happiness in life.

So what can you do? Well, the first thing to think about is for you to actually make more time for your interests. Yet, with an already busy calendar, this can seem a little crazy. So the next thing for you to contemplate, is perhaps pursuing your interests as more of a career move. Now, moving into a new career field can seem a little impossible – so this is where blogging comes in. Years ago, people just started blogs for their own interests only – so you also get to tick two boxes off here. But you can also look to make it a full-time money-making job for you too. Let’s take a look at how.

Identify Your Passion

To start with, you need to make sure that you know what your passion is! This sounds a little silly, but it’s easy to think that you’re passionate about something that maybe you just like. Instead, you need to want to take this interest to the next level and really look to make something creative with it.

Find One Hour A Day

Now if you’re worried about finding the time to do this, just commit an hour for yourself. You should be able to get up earlier in the morning to secure that precious hour, or stay up one hour later if you’re a night owl. If you are serious about making this work, then you need to dedicate this time for yourself, so you can actually make it happen!

Choose Your Niche

Now, you need to decide on your niche for your blog. The first exercise should help you here. So decide what of your interests you want to turn into a career, or at least enjoy blogging about. Maybe it’s health and fitness? Maybe it’s a career choice? Maybe it’s a hobby? Pick your niche or general niche, and get ready to begin.

Invest In It

This won’t always be the case, but when it comes to making this work out, you need to make sure that you’re in the best possible position. So, ask yourself – do you need to invest a bit more in your niche to feel ready to write about it? Should you take a writing course or train to become a personal trainer or get your master’s in finance? If you feel like you need to brush up on your skills or knowledge in order to showcase yourself as an expert on the matter.

Get Hosting

Now it’s time for you to get everything set up. The start of that is always with hosting. Because in order for you to build a blog, it’s needs to be hosted somewhere. Take a look at the platforms available and choose a provider and plan that suits you.

Choose Your Domain

And now, you need a domain to go along with it. For this, you’re going to want to think strategically about the right name. And it’s hard for you to choose the best domain name – but not impossible. Think of catchy names to go along with your branding or your niche. Maybe even your own name? See what’s available and register the domain.

Get Writing

Then you just need to write. Even if you’re waiting for a design to be made for you, or you’re still making tweaks to a template, you need to make sure that you have some posts ready to go. And not only that – it’s good to get into the habit of writing regularly, so that you can get a content schedule up.

Build Your List

At the same time, you should also be thinking about how you can grow your marketing list. Because when it comes to engaging your audience and being able to grow your presence online, you really do need to have an email database. This is a great way to directly market to your audience. And the sooner you can start the better. So aim to build your list right off the bat, as your first subscribers are often the most loyal.

Market More

The next thing that you need to do is continue to push your marketing. And while you’ll definitely want to be strategic here, you don’t overly need to put too much time and attention into the what and why. Yes, align your tactics with your goals and audience, but then, just make sure that you are pushing on with content and actually getting it out into the world – as this will help you to grow.

Grow As You Go

Finally, you’re then going to want to make sure that you’re able to grow as you’re going along. Don’t overthink it or look too far ahead, just aim to put the work in everyday, to consistently grow what you’ve got, and then aim to monetize are you’re doing so. If you start to use affiliate marketing from the start, or even advertising if that’s what you want, you know that this will work out for you. Because when it’s there from the beginning, you can start to earn a little money, and it will all become easy for you to take your interest to a full-time paying gig!

Lexus Helps Save the Universe in "Men in Black: International"

The 2020 Lexus RC F to star as the Men in Black agents’ vehicle of choice in Sony Pictures’ Men in Black: International

To complete their missions, the Men in Black need vehicles with the horsepower for high speed pursuits, the most advanced alien-fighting technology, and sophisticated styling befitting the most exclusive group of secret agents in the galaxy. Lexus is pleased to fill that role as the official vehicle of Sony Pictures' "Men in Black: International," slated to open in U.S. theaters June 14, 2019.

• The Men in Black have always protected the Earth from the scum of the universe. In this new adventure, they tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole in the Men in Black organization.

Lexus vehicles are the official fleet of Men in Black agents globally in the film. The 2020 Lexus RC F stars as the Men in Black agents' vehicle of choice for their high velocity pursuits. The luxury sport coupe recently underwent an exciting change, making it faster, lighter and even more ready to transport the Men in Black as they save the universe. 

The Lexus RC F offers the best power-to-weight ratio in its class and the most powerful Lexus V8 to date, generating 472-horsepower – plus in the film it boasts some pretty amazing alien tech. The Lexus RX Hybrid and Lexus LX SUVs are also featured in film scenes with alien encounters.

"We've added some advanced capabilities to the RC F to assist the Men in Black agents, creating a truly one-of-a-kind alien-fighting machine," said Lisa Materazzo, vice president of Lexus marketing. "We can't wait for moviegoers to see the RC F as they've never seen it before."

The collaboration between Lexus and Sony Pictures' "Men in Black: International" includes integration in the film, a co-branded TV spot, a custom Men in Black RC F and sponsorship of the film premiere.

"We're excited to collaborate with Lexus on this multi-tiered campaign in support of 'Men in Black: International,'" said Jeffrey Godsick, EVP, Brand Management and Global Partnerships, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group. "The Lexus RC F sports coupe provides the perfect vehicle for our team of Men in Black agents, led by Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, as they protect the galaxy."

Men in Black International (2019)

About "Men in Black: International"

The film is directed by F. Gary Gray, and written by Art Marcum & Matt Holloway, based on the Malibu Comic by Lowell Cunningham. 

Produced by Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald. Executive produced by Steven Spielberg, E. Bennet Walsh, Riyoko Tanaka, David Beaubaire, Barry Sonnenfeld, Edward Cheng, and Howard Chen. 

The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Laurent Bourgeois & Larry Bourgeois, with Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson. 

The Trailers:

SOURCE: Lexus

Announcing "Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES" with Author Events Nationwide

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette

Chooseco, publisher of the world-famous Choose Your Own Adventure interactive book series announced the release of Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES, a new sub-series that lets readers experience life as an actual spy from history. 

The sub-series launches with two May 1st titles written by debut authors Kyandreia Jones and Katherine Factor. 

Each book explores the life of an iconic figure: the young Margaretha Zelle, best known as Mata Hari, and James Armistead Lafayette, a true hero and spy from the Revolutionary War whose amazing story is rarely included in history books.

Advance Praise For Choose Your Own Adventure Spies

"…bringing the life of an enslaved person within reach for modern young readers is a feat. For fans of Choose Your Own Adventure books, this historical drama is worth having on the shelf." 
Kirkus Reviews

"History gets a makeover in the new Choose Your Own Adventure Spies series, which plunks readers into exciting scenarios, based on real events, and lets them call the shots…This book will get kids excited about history, but it's imperative that they read the end note on James Armistead Lafayette's life to learn what choices he actually made." 
Booklist Reviews

• Debut authors Katherine Factor (Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari) and Kyandreia Jones (Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette) will be visiting bookstores, schools, and libraries nationwide.

See below for the current Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES event calendar:

May 1: Reading and Q&A with Kyandreia Jones at Hamilton College (Clinton, NY)
May 3: Reading and Q&A with Katherine Factor at NW Academy (Portland, OR)
May 9: Reading and writing workshop with Katherine Factor at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy (Chicago, IL)
May 18: Reading and Q&A with Katherine Factor at Powell's Books (Portland, OR)
May 19: Reading and Q&A with Katherine Factor at Rose City Book Pub (Portland, OR)
June 1: Reading and Q&A with Kyandreia Jones at Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL)
July 16: Reading and writing workshop with Katherine Factor at Traverse Area District Library (Traverse City, MI)
July & August: Readings and writing workshops with Katherine Factor at Saturday Academy (Portland, OR)

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari

About Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari

YOU are young Margaretha Zelle, a world-famous dancer from the Netherlands. You have just arrived in Bali with your dance troupe when your best friend Althea goes missing. As a master of tongues and disguises, who better to save her? But if you leave now, you will miss your chance to audition for the performance of a lifetime.

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette

About Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: James Armistead Lafayette

The year is 1781. YOU are James Armistead, a brave, literate enslaved person living in Virginia. General Lafayette approaches you with the most critical choice of your life: do you join the Revolutionary Army or find freedom on your own terms? As a spy for the revolution, you might change the course of history. But whose liberty will you really be fighting for?

• Chooseco is a purpose-built publishing house which brought the groundbreaking Choose Your Own Adventure series back to print. Since the series relaunch, Chooseco has sold over 15 million copies. Chooseco is based in Vermont. It boasts a creative team dedicated to promoting literacy through immersive interactive stories.

Choose Your Own Adventure SPIES: Mata Hari

SOURCE: Chooseco

The O'Jays Take On The Trump Administration And Social Injustice On New Studio Album 'The Last Word'

The Last Word - album cover

Multi-platinum selling Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees, The O'Jays (Eddie Levert Sr., Walter Williams Sr. and Eric Nolan Grant), take on the Trump administration and social injustice with a message of love on their new album, The Last Word, released across all streaming platforms via S-CURVE RECORDS/BMG. 

• The Last Word is the group's final studio album and their first in almost 20 years.

The group will appear on the Today Show performing their new single Stand Up (Show Love) on Tuesday, April 23rd.

With a remarkable career that has spanned 60-years and included hits like "Love Train," "For the Love of Money," "Use ta Be My Girl," "Back Stabbers," and many more, The O'Jays are an indelible part of pop culture. 

With the release of The Last Word the group is showing that they have not lost a beat, emoting the same hunger and vocal craftsmanship they have become known for while delivering socially conscious message music that makes you think while you dance.

The Last Word was produced by the Grammy nominated producers Steve Greenberg, Mike Mangini and R&B legend Betty Wright (the trio behind Joss Stone's "Soul Sessions"), along with the songwriter and rock/pop mastermind Sam Hollander (Panic! at the Disco, Weezer, Neon Trees). The album includes standout tracks such as "Above the Law," "Stand Up (Show Love)," and the Bruno Mars and Patrick Monahan penned "Enjoy Yourself."

"I look at what is going on in the world and not much seems to have changed from when we first started doing this," said Eddie Levert. "We are still dealing with the same issues. On this album we addressed those issues as well as the intolerance we see coming out of the Trump Administration on a daily basis. We also offer a solution. That solution is to combat hatred with love and acceptance."

"I want to believe things will eventually change but we have a long way to go," said Walter Williams. "With this final album we are providing a soundtrack for those that are speaking truth to power and encouraging people to come together through love."

The 9-track album provides a critical look at the precarious state of social and criminal justice in America. As elder statesmen, the group has experienced much throughout their lives, from the civil rights movement to rising economic inequality and the erosion of democratic norms. On this album they are sharing their perspective on the state of the country as well as the world; offering up some words of wisdom for the next generation before exiting the stage.

In celebration of the release, the group will be performing a special show at the Apollo Theater on April 26th. Tickets can be purchased here.

• Buy/Stream The Last Word here

The Last Word tracklist:

1. I Got You
2. Stand Up
3. Enjoy Yourself
4. Do You Really Know How I Feel
5. Above The Law
6. '68 Summer Nights
7. Start Stoppin'
8. Pressure
9. I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow (Than I Was Today)

About The O'Jays:

With over 50 years of touring and some of music's most beloved hits under their belt, The O'Jays remain one of today's seminal music acts. The group scored their first number 1 in 1972 with "Backstabbers." Subsequently, they had other various chart-topping pop and R&B singles including "Love Train", "Put Your Hands Together", "For The Love of Money", "I Love Music", "Darlin' Darlin' Baby (Sweet, Tender, Love)", "Livin' For The Weekend" and "Use Ta Be My Girl." 

• This success propelled The O'Jays to be the first black vocal group to perform in arenas throughout America during the 70s and 80s.

Eddie Levert Sr. and Walter Williams Sr. as well as Eric Nolan Grant, who joined the group in 1995, continue to thrill fans today. Throughout their career The O'Jays have achieved 10 Gold albums, 9 Platinum albums and 10 #1 hits.

The O'Jays were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. They were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2005 and honored with BET's Life Time Achievement Award in 2009. In 2013, they were inducted into The Official R&B Music Hall of Fame.

The O'Jays (cr. Denise Truscello)

SOURCE The O’Jays

Adrienne Campbell-Holt to Helm 'Contested'; Timely Political Drama to be Feature Debut

Adrienne Campbell-Holt (lmage via adriennecampbellholt.com)

Adrienne Campbell-Holt, founding artistic director of New York's Colt Coeur theater, has been attached to the political drama "Contested," to be produced by Kettle Cove Productions. It will mark her feature film directing debut.

With Colt Coeur, Adrienne Campbell-Holt has directed eleven world premieres, including Stephen Belber's "Joan," Ana Nogueira's "Empathitrax" (now being developed for a feature), Steven Levenson's "Seven Days in Heaven," and "Dry Land" by Ruby Rae Spiegel. 

She has also helmed numerous world premieres by Theresa Rebeck, including most recently, "Downstairs," starring Tyne Daly and Tim Daly. 

On Broadway, Adrienne Campbell-Holt has served as associate director of "Dear Evan Hansen." She is the recipient of the 2018 Lucille Lortel Visionary Director Award. 

• On screen, she has directed two short films and shadowed directors on several broadcast television series including "Madam Secretary" and "Grey's Anatomy."

About "Contested"

"Contested," written by former political operative Lynn Reed, is a timely political drama that examines political polarization through the lens of family rift. 

Kate Adams is the top advisor to the woman who would be the first female president of the United States, while her brother Mark serves in a similar capacity for the opponent. 

Although they have battled professionally for decades, the extreme tactics and high stakes of this campaign threaten to destroy any remaining familial bond, while also threatening to permanently (and literally) divide the country.

"Lynn Reed has a demonstrated commitment to telling emotionally impactful stories set against the backdrop of larger narratives about ambition and identity," Adrienne Campbell-Holt stated. "As a lifelong political junkie, I'm thrilled to join Lynn on this journey and bring this moving story to the screen."

SOURCE: Kettle Cove Productions

4/20 Anthem "Pot Salad" Released by Art Rock Band Das Funk Haus Rolls Marijuana Culture and Religion in a New Smokin' Video and Six Song EP

Still from the Das Funk Haus video for the new single

The South Florida band Das Funk Haus will be releasing the brand-new Pot Salad EP on Saturday, April 20th, 2019 at 12am. The new EP is following the music video for the single "Pot Salad" which is available on the YouTube channel Cortez Heights Records

The Pot Salad EP contains five new Das Funk Haus compositions that run the gamut of marijuana culture, self awareness, social house cats, and even Frank Sinatra. This is the sophomore release by the Florida based Art Rock project, and is released on the bands own imprint, Cortez Heights Records. 

The Pot Salad EP follows the music video which gives gracious nods to classic films, paintings, religion, and lots of weed. It's a tongue in cheek blend of visual and musical flavors you will want to sit back and enjoy. Pot Salad is a perfect mix of funk and Zappa-esqueness written specially for 4/20 fans.

The new Pot Salad EP is Das Funk Haus' follow up to their 2014 album Electric Garden Party, which the Marquette Wire called "a feel of late-night jam sessions filled with a hazy smog of instrumentals, think Jimi Hendrix meets Dave Matthews Band, plus a whole lot of intrigue." 

Electric Garden Party charted #12 Relix Magazine September 2014. The band is always evolving around founding members H.B. Russell, and Percival Frequency, and now has expanded into a six piece progressive rock band. 

The new recordings on the release show off some of the new members, especially new drummer James Hershey, and new back up vocalist Suzy Dazzle. All of the new songs were mixed and produced by H.B. Russell and Dave Pezza.

Das Funk Haus has a unique musical vision that was originally founded 1995. The art rock, psychedelic funk band combines a six piece rock band with modern lyrical concepts that seem to cater to all who search for something different.

SOURCE: Cortez Heights Records

The Video:

Stand Up To Cancer, Mastercard & Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame Unite To Help Take Down One Of The Biggest Villains Of All: Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer, Mastercard & Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame Unite To Help Take Down One Of The Biggest Villains Of All: Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), Mastercard and Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame announced today that they are teaming up to take down one of the biggest villains of all, cancer, with an impactful new Public Service Announcement scheduled to launch in April.

The PSA campaign features Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame Super Heroes alongside real-life heroes: cancer survivors. The two global brands are collaborating to raise awareness for SU2C to help all patients become long-term survivors. 

• The PSA will come to life across print, TV, radio, digital and out-of-home networks, aligning with the premiere of Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame in theaters April 26, 2019.

The new PSA is the latest collaboration between SU2C and Mastercard, marking Mastercard's 10th year as a supporter of SU2C. To date, Mastercard has donated more than $45 million to SU2C's collaborative cancer research programs, providing invaluable support for research leading to five FDA approvals for new cancer therapies. This marks the second collaboration between SU2C and Marvel Studios, who collaborated with American Airlines, a longstanding donor to SU2C, on a PSA campaign tied to Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War in 2018.

"It's incredible to look back at the impact our donations have had on cancer research. We are so proud of what we have been able to accomplish with the help of our cardholders over the last ten years," said Cheryl Guerin, executive vice president, North America marketing and communications, Mastercard. "This new campaign gives us the extraordinary opportunity to spotlight the heroes of our community— those who have defeated cancer in their own lives. It further underscores the message that no one is alone standing up to this disease and that we are stronger when we join forces. We are so honored to collaborate with Stand Up To Cancer and Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame on this galvanizing PSA. Together, we want to create a future where everyone facing a cancer diagnosis becomes a long-term survivor."

"It's a privilege to team up with Stand Up To Cancer and its long-time supporter, Mastercard, to spotlight the true heroes of our world," said Mindy Hamilton, SVP of Marvel Partnerships. "On behalf of the entire studio, we deeply admire the courage, strength and empowering Super Hero examples that patients and survivors continue to set. We look forward to the day when there is an end to cancer."

"At Stand Up To Cancer, collaboration is the cornerstone of our mission," said Rusty Robertson, Stand Up To Cancer co-founder. "We are so grateful to Mastercard and Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame for standing with us, and to all the survivors who bravely share their personal journeys. This incredible collaboration illustrates how we can all be Super Heroes."

The print PSA features Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame cast members Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, along with Pearl, a pediatric cancer survivor, Arnold a Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) survivor and Lori, a breast cancer survivor. Arnold and Pearl are also included in the Spanish language print PSA.

The broadcast PSA, including TV and radio, also features Chris Evans (Captain America) and Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), as well as Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Karen Gillan (Nebula), and Danai Gurira (Okoye). Survivors featured include Arnold, Lori and Pearl, as well as Dave, an esophageal cancer survivor, Phuong, a colon cancer survivor, and Robyn, a breast cancer survivor. It is inspired by Stand Up To Cancer's UK colleagues' innovative PSA, "The Takedown," which was created and directed by Melissa Bolton-Klinger, a Stage 3 head and neck cancer survivor. The US adaptation and print campaign were produced by L Associates, an integrated creative agency located in Hollywood, Calif. that focuses on entertainment and brands.

Mastercard launched its support for SU2C with a "Priceless" PSA which aired during the 2009 MLB World Series. Since then, Mastercard has continued to collaborate with SU2C, most notably on their annual dine out campaign. Over the last 10 years, Mastercard's donations have significantly supported SU2C's research in immunotherapy, precision treatments, and the development of technologies using blood tests to identify cancers early, imaging cancers to understand tumor progression, and new laboratory tools to target drug discovery and precision medicine. Financial support from Mastercard currently is helping SU2C to advance the new fields of convergence, bringing mathematicians, physicists and oncologists together to investigate immunotherapy in difficult to treat cancers, as well as cancer interception, which seeks to diagnose cancer and pre-cancerous conditions as early as possible, and develop treatments to intervene in the formation or advancement of cancer.

• In 2019, over 1.7 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, with 1 in 3 Americans diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. This compelling PSA campaign will raise awareness for Stand Up To Cancer while also raising funds needed to continue critical ground-breaking research.

About Stand Up To Cancer

Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. A division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), SU2C was established in 2008 by media and entertainment leaders who utilize these communities' resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, to increase awareness about cancer prevention, and to highlight progress being made in the fight against the disease. As of April 2018, more than 1,500 scientists representing more than 180 institutions are involved in SU2C-funded research projects.

The SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., with support of the SU2C Science Strategy and Management Department and the American Association for Cancer Research, SU2C's Scientific Partner, implements rigorous competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration and ensure collaboration across research programs.

Current members of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Kathleen Lobb, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, and Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin and the late Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, Ph.D., R.N., serves as SU2C's president and CEO.

• For more information on Stand Up To Cancer, visit StandUpToCancer.org.

Avengers: Endgame

About Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame

The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios' grand conclusion to twenty-two films, Avengers: Endgame.

Kevin Feige produces Avengers: Endgame, and Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors. Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau, James Gunn and Stan Lee are the executive producers, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay.

SOURCE: StandUpToCancer.org/Mastercard

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