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Pictures of the day: 23 June 2015

  The days of most companies solely turning to print media and television ads to market their products and services are long gone. But some community banks have been slow to get the message and are missing out on instituting strong digital and social media strategies to draw and retain new customers. “In general, banks have a case of marketing myopia. They are fixed into the rhythm and routine of what they’ve done in the years past,” said Jacques Hart, CEO of Miami-based Roar Media. “However, the media and social media landscape has been turned upside down and a 'years-past mentality' doesn’t cut it.” Because of regulations in place to protect customer and bank information, a financial institution has to be very cautious with its marketing, and that can slow a bank’s social media strategy. That's particularly true of smaller banks that often lack the resources needed for a full-blown digital marketing team. ...

Jammin Country brings in country music stars to the main stage of the festive Moondance concert grounds. Festival seating allows fans to get close to their favorite stars. Onsite camping is available. Held annually in June.

 Lose yourself for four days of magic and music in the woods of Delaware. Firefly made a big splash onto the scene in 2012 with ambitions to be the biggest music festival on the East Coast—providing people with a festing destination on par with Coachella, produced by the Chicago-based company Red Frog Events , which also puts together Warrior Dash and American Beer Classic . Firefly aims to entertain music fans of all types and genres, although it definitely skews toward young and trendy; you’re not necessarily likely to see multi-generational crowds here. When organizers got together to imagine what a quintessential summer night of outdoor music would entail, fireflies (a.k.a. lightning bugs, depending on where you’re from) kept coming up as part of that experience. There’s something nostalgic about catching a bug in a jar, evokes carefree summer days. And thus, the name—and a festival—was born. To kill time in between sets, challenge your friend, or esca...

There really is strength in numbers, and private group training allows you to receive the benefits of personal training while exercising in a fun, social environment.  Private group training is an affordable alternative to one-on-one training and can also motivate you to perform at a higher level.  In this setting, a group of two to five people is instructed by a certified personal trainer on a systematic program of strength and cardio conditioning.  You do not have to be at the same fitness level as your peers, and each member of the group receives motivation and support from one another, while benefiting from the expert guidance of their trainer. Less Money, More Support In a small group setting, you are able to get individualized training and guidance for nearly half the rate of a private session, possibly eliminating the barrier of cost in hiring a personal trainer.  Not only are you able to reduce your financial burden, you also receive the benef...

How did one patient with the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) infect so many others? That is one of the mysteries at the heart of an explosive outbreak of the viral disease in Korea that has so far sickened 41 and killed four. Now, scientists have a hypothesis at last. According to JongKoo Lee, director of the Seoul National University Hospital and former head of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), bad ventilation in one of patient zero’s hospital rooms played an important role. The investigation is still ongoing, he cautions. “But that is our tentative conclusion.” The initial patient, a 68-year-old man who had just returned from a business trip to the Middle East, was treated at several clinics before being diagnosed with MERS on 20 May—9 days after he fell ill. He was treated at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pyeongtaek, a city about 1 hour south of Seoul, from 15 May to 17 May. Most of the people sickened have been tied to the...

Singapore has a firm grasp on the issues of economics, technology, and other topics one comes to expect from a developed nation. However, they face a serious issue with abandoned and stray dogs. Even though Singapore has animal shelters to help, like all organizations, animal shelters must also market their institution to attract potential customers. The issue is, many animal shelters already run on an extremely tight budget. While most animal shelters use social media (mainly Facebook) to their advantage, any changes to their advertising plans can limit their prospective outreach. Thankfully, many animal lovers have shown consistent loyalty in adopting pets from animal shelters, but most people buying pets still purchase them from puppy mills or large corporations. With most animal shelter loyalists already owning multiple pets and no means of a large scale advertising budget, animal shelter’s adoption rates had been steadily declinin...

Just a dog riding a three-wheeled ATV, NBD.   Ride Roscoe, ride!!!           Enjoy!!

Less than two weeks before the first annual International Yoga Day, controversy over the June 21 holiday is brewing. The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in December for an international day of recognition for the practice, which originated in India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has organized a 35-minute yoga session in New Delhi to mark the day. Organizers hope up to 45,000 people will participate in the event, which is expected to break records as the largest yoga gathering ever held. But some religious minorities in India have raised concerns about the event, saying that yoga is in conflict with their religious teachings because of its Hindu roots. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board, a non-governmental organization, is one group that has raised objections to the inclusion of surya namaskar, a set of poses commonly known as the “sun salutation.” The group argued that the exercise amounted to worship of the sun, which conflicts with its religious teachings...