Posted by Elena del Valle on May 24, 2023
Joey Santore and Al Scorch, hosts, Kill Your Lawn
Photo: Empty Quarter Studios
Kill Your Lawn, a new half-hour reality-TV series that began airing last month, seeks to inspire viewers to rid themselves of their home lawns. Based on two screeners provided by an Empty Quarters representative via email, the guys next door style program showcases examples of yard transformations and lawn-less projects. In Episode Two the program’s two hosts and a dog travel to Miami, Florida where they share their opinions on lawns, interview a homeowner keen to replace his lawn with native plants as well as a nursery owner and others. With the owner’s approval the hosts kill the lawn using a pressure washer. In a similar episode they redo the yard of a Fort Lauderdale, Florida couple. They remove the lawn using a portable fire device.
According to a press release Kill Your Lawn “is a rejection of the lawn industrial complex, celebrating the courage and inspiring messages of first-time lawn killers.” It consists of eight half hour makeover episodes. The goal is to replace homeowner lawns with pollinator-friendly, native plant gardens, according to promotional materials.
Joey Santore and Al Scorch are the hosts. Santore is described in promotional materials as “a blue-collar schmuck from Chicago who left a career at the railroad to pursue a lifetime studying botany and educating others via his cult-hit YouTube channel Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t.” Schorch is said to be his best friend from Chicago, “a bicycle mechanic and punk rock banjoist.”
According to a spokesperson EarthxTV, is available on Charter’s Spectrum TV, FuboTV, the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) in the United States, Sky, and Freeview in the United Kingdom, M7 in Europe, Claro video and TotalPlay in Mexico. EarthxTV may be available on Directv for satellite and internet customers and Directv Streat.
Empty Quarter Studios (EQS) specializes in “unique, uplifting, and edgy entertainment, telling stories of human experience shaped by adventure, natural history, culture, and ingenuity.”
Posted by Elena del Valle on May 1, 2023
Photo: Citronella Stories
Citronella Stories will release Bug Therapy, a seven minute animated short film about mental health, via YouTube.com on May 1, 2023. According to a press release the short film will have a limited release in North America online and at select theaters, at no cost, for the month of May, to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month. The film strives to highlight the importance of therapy and mental health. It should be available today at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6n7aMfxKec
It features the voices of Phil McGraw, Meghan Trainor, Jay Leno, Sterlin K. Brown, Tom Green, Emily Goglia and Jason Reisig. It is due to have a wide release in June, with plans for a global release this fall, according to a press release received by email.
Bug Therapy was directed by Jason Reisig. It was written and created by Michael Jann and Michele Jourdan, of Citronella Stories, and animated by 88 Pictures. Randy Mills was producer. Eric Bergman was co-producer. Jann and Jourdan were executive producers, along with Jason Reisig, Randy Mills, and 88 Pictures’ Milind D. Shinde.
In Citronella (Trainor), a mosquito who faints at the sight of blood, tries to muster the courage to attend group therapy to overcome her phobia. She learns that “everyone faces mental health struggles.” Stick Bug (Brown) battles depression over never feeling seen, Fly (Leno) is “OCD and germaphobic and can’t stop washing his hands,” Grasshopper (Green) suffers from addiction to coffee, Praying Mantis (Goglia) is narcissistic and delusional and believes she’s God. A Dragonfly couple (Jann and Jourdan) are co-dependent, and Spider (Reisig) tries to overcome his phobia of spiders. Dr. Pill (McGraw) leads the therapy.
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 17, 2023
Miriam Schulman, author, Artpreneur
Photo: Miriam Schulman
A podcast interview with Miriam Schulman, author, Artpreneur The Step-by-Step Guide to Making a Sustainable Living from Your Creativity, is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, she discusses Marketing Lessons from Artpreneur with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Miriam is a New York artist, and founder of The Inspiration Place and The Artists Incubator Coaching Program. She seeks to help artists (from emerging to professional) develop their skills, tap into their creativity, and grow thriving art businesses. The author left a lucrative Wall Street career in the wake of 9/11 to pursue art full-time. Her art and story have been featured in Forbes, What Women Create, The New York Times, Art of Man, Art Journaling magazine as well as on NBC’s Parenthood and the Amazon series Hunters with Al Pacino. According to promotional materials her podcast, The Inspiration Place, graces the top one percent of podcasts globally and is listened to in over 100 countries.
To listen to the interview, scroll down and click on the play button below. Or by look for “Podcast” then select “HMPR Miriam Schulman” and download the MP3 file to your audio player. You can also find it on the RSS feed. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will be listed in the April 2023 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on April 3, 2023
Timothy Baker, CFA, founder, Metric Financial
Photo: Metric Financial
A podcast interview with Timothy Baker, C.F.A., founder, Metric Financial, is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, he discusses banking and trends in the financial industry with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Tim is a chartered financial analyst and chief executive officer of Metric Financial. According to his bio he is a Registered Investment Advisor “dedicated to helping clients lower costs and improve results through factor investing.” Prior to starting Metric, he held product development and strategy roles at among others, BlackRock/iShares, where he was product strategist in the firm’s Smart Beta Exchange Traded Fund group.
To listen to the interview, scroll down and click on the play button below. It is also possible to listen by looking for “Podcast” then select “HMPR Tim Baker, CFA ” and download the MP3 file to your audio player. You can also find it on the RSS feed. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the April 2023 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 22, 2023
I’m Still Not Done
Photos: Patti Temple Rocks
Patti Temple Rocks, a communicator with four decades of experience, according to her biography, is troubled by corporate ageism. In the second edition of “I’m Still Not Done: It’s Time to Talk About Ageism In The Workplace (Lioncrest Publishing), a 237-page paperback nonfiction title published last year, she discusses her experiences with ageism and her views on combating it.
Patti Temple Rocks, author, I’m Still Not Done
“Ageism is the only form of workplace discrimination that all of us are susceptible to,” Temple Rocks said in a book related press release. “The sad truth is that organizations who don’t value their older workers are missing out on the unique wisdom and dedication that these employees bring to the table.”
As of this writing the author is unavailable for an interview according to a publicist who responded by email. She didn’t respond to questions submitted to her publicist.
The book is divided into nine chapters. According to promotional materials Temple Rocks has held senior leadership positions in three sectors of the communications industry: public relations, advertising, and client side; she served as chief communications officer for The Dow Chemical Company, and chief reputation officer for Leo Burnett Worldwide. She is a self-described public speaker and consultant.
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Filed Under: Books
Posted by Elena del Valle on March 6, 2023
Bárbara C. Cruz, Jeff Houck and Andrew Huse, authors, The Cuban Sandwich
Photos: University Press of Florida, Andrew Huse photo by Rion Sabean
A podcast interview with Bárbara C. Cruz, Jeff Houck and Andrew Huse, authors of The Cuban Sandwich: A History in Layers (University Press of Florida, $24,95) (see Three unite to explore Cuban sandwich history in new title), is available in the Podcast Section of Hispanic Marketing and Public Relations, HispanicMPR.com. During the podcast, they discuss the Cuban sandwich and their book with Elena del Valle, host of the HispanicMPR.com podcast.
Cruz is professor of Social Science Education at the University of South Florida (U.S.F.). She has been a faculty member since 1991, teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, conducting research on global and multicultural issues.
Houck is vice president of marketing for the 1905 Family of Restaurants in Tampa. He spent 25 years in newspaper and multimedia journalism, most recently as a features editor, food writer and podcaster at the Tampa Tribune. He has written for Thrillist, FoxSports.com, The Palm Beach Post, The Miami Herald and The Anchorage Times.
Huse is curator of Florida Studies at the University of South Florida Libraries. His other books include The Columbia Restaurant (2009) and From Saloons to Steak Houses: A History of Tampa (2020).
To listen to the interview, scroll down and click on the play button below. It is also possible to listen by looking for “Podcast” then select “HMPR Barbara Jeff Andrew” and download the MP3 file to your audio player. You can also find it on the RSS feed. To download it, click on the arrow of the recording you wish to copy and save it to disk. The podcast will remain listed in the March 2023 section of the podcast archive.
Posted by Elena del Valle on February 22, 2023
The Cuban Sandwich
Photos: University of Florida Press, Andrew Huse photo by Rion Sabean
Bárbara C. Cruz, Jeff Houck and Andrew Huse, three Florida Cuban sandwich aficionados, teamed up to research and write a book about the popular hand food. In The Cuban Sandwich (University Press of Florida, $24.95), a 167-page paperback book published last year, they explore the origins and evolution of the famed sandwich popular among many Floridians.
When asked how many months or years the book project required Andrew Huse replied by email: “I started with more than a year of sustained research, followed by the collaboration with my co-authors, which lasted another year, including peer review.”
“I published previous work woith Univbersity Press of Florida before and I like to work with them,” Huse said when asked about finding a publisher. “Before that, I offered it to another academic press, but they didn’t seem to know what to do with it.”
Their primary target audience? Huse said, “Sandwich and history fans!”
“I measure our success by the end product, which I am happy with,” said Huse when asked how he will measure success.”All sales and attention are a bonus!” Houck’s reply to the same questions is “Adding a page to the history of this great sandwich and the people who created it and find new ways to make and celebrate its greatness is its own reward.”
When asked whether they received compensation of any kind from third parties to be included in the book Houck’s said, “No. As I said, I am Vice President of Marketing for the Columbia Restaurant and the 1905 Family of Restaurants, but at no time was I compensated by them for inclusion in this book.”
Cruz is professor of Social Science Education at the University of South Florida (U.S.F.). Houck is vice president of marketing for the 1905 Family of Restaurants in Tampa. Huse is curator of Florida Studies at the University of South Florida Libraries.
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Filed Under: Books
Posted by Elena del Valle on February 14, 2023
Photo: HispanicMPR.com
Many among approximately 6,000 people who responded to a self administered online survey (The American Trends Panel, ATP) in July of last year expressed concerns about the safety of online dating as a way to meet people, and “a majority support requiring background checks before someone can create a profile;” the survey was created by the Pew Research Center, according to the organization’s website.
While 42 percent of survey takers said they thought online dating had facilitated their search for a partner only 21 percent of survey respondents said they think that the types of computer programs and apps used by dating sites could “determine whether two people will eventually fall in love.” The rest of respondents didn’t think the software could accomplish the goal or were unsure.
The web survey was described as being taken among a nationally representative panel, managed by Ipsos, of randomly selected United States adults offered a financial incentive to participate. According to the Pew website incentive amounts ranged from $5 to $20. The survey takers provided a tablet with wireless internet connectivity to respondents with no access at home. Interviews were available in English and Spanish, according to the Pew website.
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 19, 2023
Alice Nevers
Photo: Mhz Choice
Starting this month Alice Nevers, a 2019 French television series in French with English subtitles, will become available on Mhz Choice, a subscription streaming platform popular among audiences with a taste for international episodic programs and films. A screener of the first episode was provided by the streaming service.
The six episodes star Marine Delterme as Alice Nevers, an investigating judge and single mother returning from maternity leave, and Jean-Michel Tinivelli as Fred Marquand, her policeman partner. A Mad World, the first episode, centered on a mental health case, hints at a possible romance between the two colleagues. It was directed by Rene Manzor and produced by Ego Productions “with the participation of TF1.”
Posted by Elena del Valle on January 11, 2023
Breaking the Age Code by Becca Levy, Ph.D.
Photo: William Morrow
Becca Levy, Ph.D., professor of Epidemiology, Yale University, is convinced ageism affects the health and longevity of many, particularly in the United States where ageism is pervasive and absorbed from an early age. In Breaking the Age Code How Your Beliefs About Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live (William Morrow, $28.99), a 294-page hardcover book published in 2022 she outlines her thoughts on the subject. The book is divided into 10 chapters and four appendices.
In her book she describes four ways ageist principles become entrenched into our beliefs and guide our self dialogue and behavior before we reach old age; she explains some of her research findings and the conclusions she and others have drawn about the elders among us, including ways in which they surpass younger individuals; and proposes steps to address and halt the harmful effects ageist beliefs produce.
In the United States ageist thoughts have been identified in children as young as three, according to her book. Adopting ageist beliefs as children makes them part of a person’s long term stereotypes, she says, pointing to a study of Canadian and American teenagers who already see old people as “slow and confused.” In Chapter 1 she identifies three pathways ageism follows: psychological, behavioral and biological. Negative age beliefs, she says, can increase stress and that in turn might lead to an earlier death than in the absence of such beliefs.
Ageism combined with other prejudices and related behaviors, such as sexism and racism, for example, can aggravate existing conditions, she says in Chapter 8. In Appendix 1 she addresses ways readers might boost positive age beliefs; the following appendix examines structural ageism such as the exclusion of older people in clinical trials even when the trials are for illnesses that afflict mainly older adults. The author declined to respond to multiple email requests via her publisher to answer questions or be interviewed.
According to her bio Levy is also professor of Psychology at Yale University; she has testified before the United States Senate on “the adverse effects of ageism;” and “serves as a scientific adviser to the World Health Organization’s Campaign to Combat Ageism.
