Retirement Home For The Queer At Heart

We all try to delay aging in as much as we can. We try different skin care regimens, take anti-aging supplements or eat healthily to make sure we can put off aging for as long as we could. Unfortunately, aging is but a normal process and that’s where all of us are headed later in life.

The trend nowadays is for the elderly to stay in retirement homes when they can no longer manage to live independently by themselves, often because they have harsh medical problems.. But what happens if you are a member of the LGBT group? The same thing applies, actually, and you can stay in most retirement homes along with the straight male and female elderly but wouldn’t it be more fun to stay in an LGBT-friendly retirement home/ community that understand pretty well what it’s like to live the life of the queer.

A senior living facility in development aimed at providing a place for LGBTQ Houstonians is a one-of-a-kind project for Texas and any red other state.

Kent Loftin, chief development officer for the Montrose Center, said There's No Place Like Home is a nearly $24 million project that could break ground as early as 2018.

"It will be the only center in Houston that is LGBTQ culturally competent. What that means is that seniors of the same sex can retire and age together," he said.

The Montrose Center, an LGBTQ resource organization, is leading the project. The planned 112-unit retirement facility will include traditional retirement home amenities and an activity center.

"In the LGBTQ community, our seniors are particularly vulnerable. They are twice as likely as their heterosexual peers to not have any surviving social connections," Loftin said.

Loftin said gay seniors have challenges; many were not able to develop open relationships and families in their younger years and they struggle once they reach retirement. That coupled with rising rent in the Montrose neighborhood, an historic hub for gay culture in Houston, has placed a burden on many reaching retirement age in the local LGBTQ community.

(Via: http://abc13.com/society/houston-to-get-first-lgbt-oriented-retirement-center/1990113/)

The LGBT population is growing. Wherever you go, there are open gays and lesbians who enjoy the freedom of being able to express their sexual identity without fear or shame. But because they almost always fail to build their own family, they grow old alone and without loved ones to care for them.

San Diego's first affordable housing development geared toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender seniors has seen a flood of interest, with a sign-up list filling up in less than two weeks.

Nonprofit developer Community Housing Works broke ground on the project in North Park last summer. When it is completed, the project will offer 75 studios, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments to people 55 years or older who earn 60 percent or less of the area median income. That means an income of less than $36,000 for a one-person household.

Project manager Sylvia Martinez said 250 people signed up for the interest list when it opened on May 1, and that the list reached its cap of 500 on Wednesday. Selection will be through a randomized lottery.

"There was a lot of pent up demand in this community, and people have been waiting for this kind of project for a long time," Martinez said. "North Park is one of the historic hearts of the gay and lesbian community in San Diego, and many folks are getting priced out of this neighborhood now as it gentrifies."

(Via: http://www.kpbs.org/news/2017/may/12/san-diego-gay-affordable-housing-lgbt-seniors/)

We love gays, right? They liven up every event we are in and they don’t run out of jokes to brighten up our days. Gays and lesbians don’t usually have offspring of their own. They may have relationships with the same sex but they don’t always last and they often end up without a family or a home in their old age.

They can stay in retirement homes like everyone else but they will feel more at home living in facilities specifically for the LGBT community that understands what they went through in life and can provide the comfort and support they need in their old age. Their lives weren’t easy as well in their younger years as they battle the stigma of their sexual orientation and face the mockery of other people. So, living in a retirement home that is free of retirement discrimination is a welcome reprieve for the aging LGBT people who only want to live as normally and comfortable as the others in the twilight of their years.

The blog article Retirement Home For The Queer At Heart is courtesy of BrandInfiltration.com Blog

source https://www.brandinfiltration.com/retirement-home-for-the-queer-at-heart/

Social Media Use In Times Of War

Even though man has achieved so much over the years, conflict still reigns all over the globe. There is even the threat of an impending World War 3 as tension rises in various countries. And it is not just any war but a nuclear one at that. It’s as if we don’t have enough problems on our plate already when it comes to the environment and climate change. Chemical and nuclear warfare also causes a lot of damage to many of the world’s natural ecosystems.

In our everyday lives, we also witness first hand the wrath of regional political conflicts on hateful speech and videos we see on the web. Unlike in the past when the public isn't really privy to war details, the advent of social media allowed us a blow-by-blow account of what’s happening in war-torn countries whether from news outlets or random posts from equally random people with Internet access that happens to be in the midst of all the action.

German Justice Minister Heiko Maas has watered down plans to impose fines of up to 50 million euros ($53 million) if social networks such as Facebook do not remove slanderous or abusive online postings quickly, Der Spiegel said on Tuesday.

Proposed legislation to be considered by German Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet on Wednesday omits a line that had been included in the draft legislation which said such a fine could be imposed after just one incident, the German magazine said, citing a copy of the proposal.

Instead, the legislation now says a single infraction does not mean a company lacks an effective means to deal with complaints about hate speech, and calls for "careful actions by the fining authority to protect freedom of speech," it said.

Various groups had rejected Maas's initial proposal, warning social media companies could over-react and remove too many postings, thereby limiting free speech on the internet.

(Via: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/world/1227012/germany-retreats-in-social-media-war-on-hate-speech)

As more and more hate speech and posts fill the web, even the government intervenes and urges social media companies to censor these posts to prevent it from inflicting further conflict in our modern divisive world. However, some are against this kind of censorship since it violates our freedom to free speech.

A social media post threatening a race war was first posted to social media approximately a month ago. A student recirculated the post on social media this week, according to a DeSoto County Schools spokesperson. 

The post includes phrases like "hail Hitler" and "KKK life."

On Tuesday, DeSoto County Schools responded saying the post caused them to contact local law enforcement and increase security at Hernando High School.

(Via: http://www.wmcactionnews5.com/story/35125727/race-war-social-media-post-forces-desoto-county-to-remove-2-students-from-class)

While we all have inherent rights, our rights end when the right of others begin. Compromising the safety and security of the majority is enough grounds to consider you an enemy of the state or be taken by the police for further questioning like what happened to these two students who went too far in exercising their freedom of expression.

Social media has completely transformed the way we consume news. We’re living in a world revolving around a new kind of journalism, peppered with the frequently unedited coverage of an ongoing humanitarian crisis – the Syrian Civil War.

In 2016, the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism reported that 51% of people with online access use social media, particularly Facebook, as a news source. Through a shiny 5-inch screen we’ve watched this war unfolding, including the good (JK Rowling sent eBooks to 7-year-old refugee and Harry Potter fan Bana Alabed) and the totally horrifying (toddler Alan Kurdi became an enduring image of the crisis when a photograph of his tiny body washed up on the beach hit global headlines). People in the First World are far enough away from the war not to feel its devastation directly, but we are close enough – through the availability of new technologies – to help.

The UK government this year committed £2.3 billion to help the 13.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria, but on an individual level it’s difficult to see just how much we are doing through the smoke and mirrors of “likes” and social media shares.

(Via: http://www.irishnews.com/magazine/daily/2017/04/03/news/does-social-media-make-us-more-likely-to-help-those-affected-by-the-syrian-war--986346/)

Wars have somehow changed because of technology. While the rest of the world watch the events of war take place on their screens and see the extent of the damage in its aftermath, we also witness how people have suffered and died along the way. Even innocent children in Syria die without a fight from chemical attacks launched by the government and we all watched in horror at this mass murder.

While we have a lot of complaints against social media, it does serve its purpose at times. We are up-to-date on important events in history and can even proactively take our part in it through our social media use. We can launch fundraising for victims of war or raise awareness on the challenges faced by Syrian refugees who aren’t welcome in many countries throughout the world. Social media shows us the reality of our modern life and what the world has become with the advent of technology. But honestly, primary issues remain the same. It’s just the tools that we now have that have changed.

Social Media Use In Times Of War Find more on: https://www.brandinfiltration.com

source https://www.brandinfiltration.com/social-media-use-in-times-of-war/

It’s All About The Money, Money, Money

Money makes the world go round. We hear it time and again and it is true in every sense of the word. We live in an increasingly capitalist world that relies on money to support our needs and fuel the global economy. Almost everywhere you go, there is a tag price for everything and the quality of your life also depends on how much money you have in your bank account.

As you grow, your capacity to earn likewise grows but inflation also increased your cost of living, thereby decreasing your money’s value. It is why our elders always told us to save some money in the bank for the rainy days. And as such, our money grows over time and we can be sure of getting a bigger amount than we initially deposited. And for years, we have thought highly of these financial institutions wherever in the world you may be.

Due to increased competition from non-traditional banking competitors such as Financial Technology (FinTech), increased specialization to serve specific customer s’ needs with speed, reduced need for face-to-face interactions between bank customers and the banks as well as availability of digital currencies   like Blockchain, Ripple, Ethereum, the future of banking is uncertain.

However, modern advancements threaten the stability and the future of most banking institutions. The people’s lifestyle and habits have changed and they have adapted a more digital approach to doing things.

According to him, as technology is disrupting the nature of work at an unprecedented rate, there is the need for a new and inclusive approach to learning on the job. He added that while several researches has alluded to the positive correlation between income levels and educational attainment, it has been realiSed recently that, a college degree at the start of a working career does not answer the need for the continuous acquisition of new skills, especially as career spans are lengthening.

“Although the future of banking remains speculative, there are clear indications and a general consensus that a number of factors would continue to disrupt some already established banking models,” he said.

(Via: http://tribuneonlineng.com/future-banking-remains-speculative-cibn/)

There would still be a need for banking among people although the need will significantly decrease as we probably are already witnessing now. For instance, payment systems and financial technology companies influenced the way people do banking these days, or perhaps, the lesser need for traditional banking.

For a brief moment, Wall Street stopped on Monday, as if time was suspended in an alternative reality.

President Trump, for the first time as resident of the White House, said aloud that he was considering breaking up the nation’s biggest banks. Of course, he had said it on the campaign trail, but this seemed different.

“I’m looking at that right now,” Mr. Trump told Bloomberg News during an interview in the Oval Office. “There’s some people that want to go back to the old system, right? So we’re going to look at that.”

The headline ricocheted around the email boxes of senior bank executives across the industry. At the Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles, where Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had just finished speaking — and didn’t mention breaking up the banks — the hallways quickly buzzed about the comment, according to participants, as their phones lit up. Shares of bank stocks dived lower within seconds of the headline, only to recover quickly.

(Via: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/business/sorkin-trump-breaking-up-banks.html?_r=0)

President Trump is known to issue controversial statements even as a private citizen. However, what he says now are of more significance considering he is occupying the highest office in the land but it might also be possible that whatever comments he issues have some merit and came from trusted advisers on his cabinet.

When it comes to banking, some form of stability builds trust and credibility. It is what the people are looking for in banking institutions. They not only put their money in it but their trust as well, and possibly their family’s future. Unfortunately, advances in technology also influenced customer expectations, making additional demands on how banks adapt to these changes and improve their services. And as such, it’s the reason banks are not making enough money and return on investments required by stakeholders. While the banks try to cope, it is not always easy as technology advances rapidly and there are likewise different facets in banking in finance that need to be considered before major changes can be made.

The blog article It’s All About The Money, Money, Money Read more on: BI

source https://www.brandinfiltration.com/its-all-about-the-money-money-money/

The Business Of Eating

Wisdom comes with age. And while it’s just a saying old people loves telling the younger ones, it actually has some merit as you learn a lot of things over the years from your own personal experience. After all, experience happens to be the best teacher, right? Since we all know that nobody gets rich by being an employee, you’re all probably wondering what the best business to put up that make lots of money.

The answer is simple. Go into the business of eating simply because everyone needs to eat to survive. A food business in the right location is sure to bring in the bucks every single day. Whether you sell groceries or actual cooked food, people will definitely support your business especially if the food is delicious. Restaurants have been sprouting everywhere but not everyone clicks, though. Where have they gone wrong and how they can boost their business in a globally-competitive world of picky eaters are among the typical questions these entrepreneurs ask themselves? Meanwhile, there are other businesses that have made money from food even though it wasn’t the main product they are selling, to begin with.

For many, a visit to IKEA is not complete until you’ve eaten a dish of Swedish meatballs. But who would have thought that IKEA would come to consider spinning off a food chain in its own right?

One of three customers now visit IKEA just for the food. And for those that actually shop furniture, a full stomach also means a well-filled IKEA bag.

“We’ve always called the meatballs ‘the best sofa-seller,’” Gerd Diewald, chied of IKEA US’ food operations, tells Fast Company, who have investigated IKEA Food’s plans for the future. “Because it’s hard to do business with hungry customers,” he goes on.

Almost unnoticeably, IKEA’s canteens have become so lucrative that there is now talk of plans to expand with independent restaurants in city centers (beyond the plans already in motion to open more downtown stores), Fast Company writes.

(Via: http://nordic.businessinsider.com/ikea-could-be-heading-towards-opening-an-independent-food-chain-2017-4/)

Who would’ve though this furniture company will now be able to make a name in the food business? Probably something many of us has not anticipated but they sure got something right and people can’t resist but coming back to their store not only for their fine home decors but for the food too. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone and Ikea still gets to take all your money.

The chain restaurant industry hasn't experienced same-store sales growth in more than a year — and it doesn't look like things are going to change any time soon. 

In the first quarter of 2017, same-store sales fell 1.1% across the chain restaurant industry, with same-store traffic dropping 3.4%, according to data from TDn2K's Restaurant Industry Snapshot.

In the last year, the companies operating chains such as Logan's Roadhouse and Souplantation have filed for bankruptcy. Bloomberg reported last week that Ignite Restaurant Group — which runs Joe’s Crab Shack and Brick House Tavern — is considering doing the same.

The industry's slumping sales at first seems befuddling. Consumer confidence has generally increased in recent months, which typically means people are willing to spend more. So, why are restaurants struggling to attract customers? 

(Via: http://www.businessinsider.com/too-many-restaurants-sparks-industry-slump-2017-5)

While some food businesses are faring well and making so much money, others are experiencing a major slump that hurts business really bad. Most of them are fast food franchises and cafes that are losing customers as the people become more conscious of their health and doing their best in eating right. Numerous food franchise businesses have since been closed over the past few years because there are just too many options for people to eat from that only a few stay loyal to a certain business for long. Intense competition along with the changing preferences of people such as food deliveries are also factors to be considered whether your food business will do good or not in our increasingly unstable global economy.

Food chain businesses may be suffering but independent restaurants are doing better in terms of sales than more popular fast food chains. Aside from eating healthy, people aren’t scared of trying novelty food options that aren’t just beautiful to look at and delicious to eat but have a cozy and unique ambiance as well. The popularity of social media drove people crazy, so they now take pictures of their food first and post it on their SNS accounts, so you can expect those unique food destinations are always frequented by people who want to make their photos more gram-worthy whenever possible. To ensure success, what’s important is that your food business should deliver the very essence of their presence in this world, which is providing good food in a good enough place to share with loved ones for you to flourish in the food business for years to come.

The blog post The Business Of Eating See more on: https://www.brandinfiltration.com

source https://www.brandinfiltration.com/the-business-of-eating/

Giving Back To The Less Fortunate

The world has never been fair. Some people live in wealth while the majority suffer in poverty. Even with natural resources, some country has it all while food scarcity is a common issue in other impoverished places. And for that reason too, more powerful nations try to occupy territories to exploit their natural resources. However, that’s on a larger scale. When you look around you, you can see for yourself how unfair the world is. Many people die of thirst and hunger in their day-to-day. Is there anything you can do to make a difference in this world even in your own little way?

Individuals support fundraising and other charitable activities or as a part of a bigger organization. But businesses have more to contribute to society because they make more money and have bigger resources to tap into. We should not only give back out of guilt but more so because of our genuine interest in the welfare of others and uplift their lives through our help. After all, most famous philanthropists are owners of successful corporations that operate all over the globe.

Over time, as businesses made more profits there arose a greater awareness and need for the boards and shareholders to be “good corporate citizens”, they donated a portion of their earnings to charities. This is not too dissimilar to the personal experience that Dan talks about in his TED talk. We all know and can picture the CEO of an organisation handing over a big cheque and having their photo taken so that it can sit at the reception of the company, or now on the internet, so that the world can see how good the company is because it gave money to charity.

Meanwhile, charity leaders are people who have been personally moved by circumstance to give their life’s work to a cause that has become their life’s purpose, or they have made enough money from the business world and then stop and want to “give back”. Those that fall into the former group may have limited funds themselves, have families to support, but their “calling” to pursue their cause means that they will do so for little or no pay because their belief in the need to do the work is so great. The latter, who have already made the money, have worked so hard that they may want to give money to a cause, but they then become more selective and guarded with their time.

(Via: https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2017/04/business-needs-contribute-not-simply-give-back/)

The term giving back connotes that we have taken so much that we eventually feel guilty about it, hence we give back. However, it should actually be aptly called as contributing forward because you truly are making a contribution to the betterment of others because of your desire to make a difference in the life of others.

Almost everyone knows that charitable gifts are usually 100 percent deductible for the nearly one-third of taxpayers who itemize their deductions. However, 68.5 percent of taxpayers in 2013 did not itemize, choosing instead to take the standard deduction that in 2016 was $6,300 for singles and $12,600 for couples. Therefore, they received no tax deductions for their charitable gifts.

(Via: http://www.journalnow.com/business/columnists/hungerford-tax-efficient-charitable-giving/article_6a223be5-45b6-5289-87cb-9011bfb8a155.html)

Aside from being able to help those in need, charitable individuals and institutions also enjoy tax breaks that benefit them too. So, you not only get to help others but likewise help your finances by lowering your tax deductions.

Small business owners are no different. In fact, you could argue that small business owners may be exceedingly generous when it comes to donating to charity.

New data from Funding Circle shows just how selfless small business owners really are.

Turns out, just about every other small business owner donates to charity regularly. And they plan to do so this year just as they did last year.

Funding Circle conducted a survey of about 1,400 small business owners recently on the topic of charity. Namely, the survey sought to find out how much and how many small business owners are giving to charity.

A total of 52 percent of small business owners told Funding Circle they did plan to donate to charity this year or they already have.

Forty-six percent say they will donate up to $1,000.

(Via: https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/12/small-business-donations.html)

Business owners can support charity works in different ways. They can directly donate money to fundraisings, donate their goods or offer their services for free or sell personal items to generate money for charity among many others. Not only does a business get to change and uplift the lives of others but they also deliver a positive message to the community about their brand and what their company stands for. Let us not forget how powerful word-of-mouth is, especially with the popularity of social media is unparalleled so far and can make something go trending over a short period of time.

Aside from tax breaks, your business has more to benefit from doing charitable acts and donations. So, make it a habit of contributing forward and helping people in need survive a bump in their lives until they become self-sufficient themselves and no longer require the help of others. Remember that doing random acts of kindness can return tenfold and initiate the endless cycle of sharing and giving in your community that the world so desperately needs now.

Giving Back To The Less Fortunate is courtesy of BI

source https://www.brandinfiltration.com/giving-back-to-the-less-fortunate/

Going Green Is The Way To Go

The environment is suffering considerably from technological advancements. Aside from exploiting all its natural resources, we have also caused so much damage from excessive pollution, population explosion and increasing global warming that consequently increases carbon footprint and hastens climate change. Even the wildlife also suffers the most even if they aren’t directly responsible for all these destructions throughout the world.

The damage has already been done but it does not mean there is nothing more we can do to salvage what is left of the world’s resources. Many sustainable development programs target conservation efforts, the protection of the wildlife and fauna as well as reducing trash through the use of eco-friendly materials. Even businesses advocate for green business because we need everyone to pitch in and do their part if we want to save the planet.

The late Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman once said the social responsibility of business is to make a profit. He contended that anything businesses do to invest their money elsewhere detracts from the purpose of making money.  In that vein, businesses have often focused exclusively on making a profit.

Now that Earth Day is passed and gimmicky connections are over, it is time to get real. Businesses in the 21st century have a moral and corporate social responsibility to heed the protection of the environment.

(Via: http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/energy-environment/330227-going-green-why-environmental-protection-is-both-a)

Businesses have more to lose if the world can no longer sustain the demands of society. Running a business require a lot of energy and physical resources that are growing scarce by the minute. The only way for our species to survive and flourish in the future is if we can curb our energy use and gradually undo the damage we have caused by changing our lifestyle.

A business doesn't have to produce earth-friendly products to be a green business. News 12 Long Island's Elizabeth Hashagen takes us to one Plainview business that is minimizing it's footprint on the environment in our Go Green series.

As Purity Products shows us, there are simple steps a business can take to make a difference. The Plainview company started in its kitchen by giving all employees mugs to cut down on paper cup usage. According to Earth911, the average American office worker goes through about 500 cups in just one year. Also in their kitchen, employees can use an ice maker with freshly filtered water or the Bevi machine, which has seltzer in a variety of flavors.

In 2013, Purity Products took on a green initiative project to change out all of the light bulbs in its warehouse and office to cut down on electric usage. As a result, the company saves about $15,000 a year in its electric bill.

(Via: http://longisland.news12.com/features/spring/go-green-environmental-friendly-business-1.13479914)

You’d be surprised at how some minor lifestyle changes can have a big impact on the world at large. Even cutting back on toilet flushing each day can save a lot of water or reducing TV hours or smartphone use can significantly reduce energy consumption.

“Everything has evolved, so there is not really an excuse to not help the environment,” he said. “At (D.O. Summers Dry Cleaners), we use an environmentally friendly cleaning system free of perchloroethylene. We’ve done this since the early 90s. It’s also gentler on the clothes.”

Matt Bursky, one of the owners of Cleveland Lighting, which is based in Northeast Ohio, said that for a company that focuses on light fixtures – going green with LED lighting has always made sense to him and has been valuable.

(Via: http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/features/business/going-green-can-save-environment-money/article_fdd8ccb2-2a96-11e7-9dff-8354b7f18693.html)

In this case, turning off lights in some parts of the house or building or making use of natural light in as much as you can both save you money from reduced electricity use and lower your energy consumption as well that benefits the environment over time. If individuals can make a difference in promoting a green and healthy environment, what more if a big business support this cause. Let us all be advocates of this positive change and make a conscious effort of changing our ways even when others are not looking. Nothing is impossible if we make a collective effort in achieving our goal, in this case, promoting all things green in everything we do.

Going Green Is The Way To Go was initially published on https://www.brandinfiltration.com

source https://www.brandinfiltration.com/going-green-is-the-way-to-go/