Beyonce has pledged to help those affected by Hurricane Harvey.
“My heart goes out to my hometown, Houston, and I remain in constant prayer for those affected and for the rescuers who have been so brave and determined to do so much to help,” she said. “I am working closely with my team at BeyGOOD as well as my pastor (Rudy Rasmus at St. John’s in downtown Houston) to implement a plan to help as many as we can.”
Meanwhile, Jack Antonoff – record producer and member of the band fun. – tweeted that he is donating to the LGBTQ Disaster Relief Fund.
“I’m going to match donations up to 10k to the Montrose LGBT Center in Houston for Harvey relief. Please donate!” he tweeted. “Send me your receipts! Many people are hit hard by Harvey. I’m choosing to support the LGBTQ community.”
We are headed to Houston to give relief to municipal shelters. We will help transport any animals currently in shelters so that there is room for displaced animals from Hurricane Harvey! Plus any other support we can offer!!!”
Aug 29, 2017 01:30 pm
Martial arts superstar and wildlife champion Jackie Chan is calling for an end to consuming pangolin products in a new public service announcement for WildAid and The Nature Conservancy.
Jackie Chan Fights To Save Pangolins
The 47 second video spot was released last week to support a ban on all international trade in pangolins that was approved last year under the UN CITEStreaty. The video, entitled “Kung Fu Pangolin,” and accompanying billboards will be distributed widely in China and Vietnam, which are the main pangolin consuming nations. It features Chan training the scaly anteaters to protect themselves from poachers using kung fu, but he finds that curling up is the only thing they are able to do. Behind Chan’s back the pangolins develop ninja-like skills to defend against a would-be poacher.
While many people may have never heard of pangolins, they are the most heavily trafficked mammals on the planet. An estimated one million have been poached from the wild over the past decade.
In some countries, pangolin meat is consumed as a delicacy, and the animals’ scales are used in traditional Asian medicine. These shy, nocturnal creatures are seldom seen, but are often hunted down using dogs. When threatened, pangolins instinctively curl into a ball rather than try to escape, making them especially vulnerable to poaching.
“It’s crazy in this day and age that people are still eating these wild animals and threatening them with extinction. I hope we can persuade people that it’s the wrong thing to do,” Chan said.
“The priority for pangolin conservation is reducing consumer demand and improving enforcement,” said WildAid CEO Peter Knights. “Jackie reaches a vast audience across Asia and there are clear signs these campaigns have had an impact and attitudes are changing. Shark fin imports to China went down 81% in three years. Ivory seizures there were down 80% last year, and ivory and rhino horn prices have fallen by more than 50%.”
However, pangolins are heavily smuggled from Africa and Asia. Central African forests alone may be losing 400,000 pangolins per year to poachers, according to a recent estimate. As pangolins do not often survive in captivity, let alone reproduce, commercial breeding is not a viable option to supply the medicinal trade.
Pangolin scales are sometimes used in traditional Asian medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, skin disorders, wound infections and even cancer. Like rhino horn, pangolin scales are largely composed of keratin, the same protein found in human hair and fingernails. Pangolin meat is served as a delicacy in some exotic meat restaurants.
Earlier this month, officials in Malaysia seized 8 tons of pangolin scales. In June, Hong Kong customs officers seized 7.2 tons of scales, and late last year Shanghai authorities intercepted 3.1 tons, which represented up to 7,000 pangolins.
WildAid, along with partner organizations The Nature Conservancy and China Wildlife Conservation Association, premiered “Kung Fu Pangolin” at a Beijing press conference last week.
The Nature Conservancy China Chief Conservation Officer Zhao Peng said: “Pangolins are one of the oldest mammals on Earth. A pangolin weighing just 3kg can help protect roughly 16 hectares of forest from being overrun with ants. Protecting pangolins is not just about saving an endangered species, but also about healthy ecosystems.”
Also at the event, the China Wildlife Conservation Association awarded Chan the title of Wildlife Conservation Ambassador in recognition of his contribution to the protection of wildlife. Chan has worked with WildAid on projects since 1995.
The animated pangolins were created by the leading special effects house Tau/PHDFilms, which did the CGI work for the film “Life of Pi.”
Bruce Springsteen is making a much-anticipated return to Toronto on September 30 to perform at the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 Closing Ceremony, presented by Jaguar Land Rover and the Government of Canada.
Springsteen’s performance will honour the achievements of the 550-plus wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans from 17 nations during the third edition of the Invictus Games. Tickets for the Closing Ceremony start at $60 and are available through the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 website.
“At the Invictus Games, it’s not just about the hurdles that competitors experienced during competition, but about overcoming the obstacles that life has presented them,” said Springsteen. “The Games are a remarkable opportunity for brothers and sisters in arms to join forces and demonstrate the true strength of their spirit. It is an absolute honour and privilege to perform for them at the Closing Ceremony as a send-off to a week of competition in Toronto.”
The Grammy award-winning artist will join Bryan Adams, Bachman & Turner, Kelly Clarkson and Coeur de pirate on stage at the Closing Ceremony. On September 23, Canadian sensations Alessia Cara, Sarah McLachlan and The Tenors will perform at the Games Opening Ceremony.
“Talk about closing the Games with a bang! We couldn’t be more thrilled that the iconic Bruce Springsteen is joining an already outstanding lineup of Closing Ceremony talent,” said Michael Burns, CEO, Invictus Games Toronto 2017 Organizing Committee. “We wanted to deliver memories from these Games in Toronto, and this represents the culmination of two years of planning and work.”
The Closing Ceremony will mark the Games’ conclusion after seven days of inspirational competition. The 2017 Invictus Games will feature a dozen adaptive sports in state-of-the-art venues throughout Toronto. Toronto is playing host to more than 550 competitors from 17 nations, including 90 competitors from Canada.
“I invite everyone to attend the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Invictus Games Toronto 2017, which are sure to be spectacular,” said the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities. “The celebrations surrounding the competitions will be just as memorable for the spectators as the athletes, as they are a golden opportunity to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have shown exceptional determination and perseverance. Let’s support these admirable athletes and their families!”
Both the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be a rare opportunity for spectators to experience how passion for sport, the lustre of ceremony and national pride intersect, while demonstrating their support for those who are currently serving or have served their country.
“The fact that such an incredible performer like Bruce Springsteen will be here in Toronto to support our wounded warriors shows the impact these Games have,” said Wolfgang Hoffmann, President, Jaguar Land Rover Canada. “It underlines even further our great pride to be involved as the presenting partner.”
“Ontario is delighted to play host to the Invictus Games and the Closing Ceremonies are sure to be an unforgettable experience,” said Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario. “This lineup of incredible talent is sure to give the athletes and volunteers the celebration they deserve after an exciting week of competition. Across Ontario, we are gearing up to welcome guests from around the world for this event. We are immensely proud to showcase our beautiful province to these heroes and their supporters. I look forward to honouring the courage and sacrifice of the servicemen and women at the 2017 Invictus Games!”
“This is a great opportunity for the City of Toronto and the country. The much-anticipated return to Toronto by Bruce Springsteen at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games is a wonderful tribute to the military families who we are hosting in Toronto next month,” said John Tory, Mayor, City of Toronto. “The Closing Ceremony is going to be a great way to wrap up an exciting week of the Invictus Games in the city.”
Aug 29, 2017 09:30 am
Here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Beatles fan in your life – not only can you win VIP tickets to see Paul McCartney at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Centre, the megastar will also invite you up on stage to join him in singing Get Back.
Paul McCartney – Be My VIP
You ready to Get Back? Yes sir. The one and only Paul McCartney is performing a huge arena show at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and while there’ll be tens of thousands of loyal fans, Paul’s bringing just one on stage with him: YOU. Not only will you and your guest score VIP tickets to the show, you’ll also get exclusive access to the sound check earlier in the day. That’s where you’ll see the master at work, getting everything perfect for the main event. That’s ALSO where you’ll join Paul — one of the world’s most legendary musicians ever in the history of the world — ON STAGE and sing “Get Back” with him! You can freak out now. Flights and hotel included.
The more you donate to the David Lynch Foundation through omaze.com, the more chances you will get to win this awesome prize.
The David Lynch Foundation, founded in 2005, targets the epidemic of trauma and toxic stress among under-resourced populations through the implementation of the evidence-based Transcendental Meditation technique. DLF has served more than 500,000 children and adults worldwide, with a focus on urban youth in underserved schools, veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress and their families, and women and children who are survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. DLF also works with the homeless, prison populations, people living with HIV/AIDS, and others.
For just a $1 donation, you can enter to win two tickets to the Diamond Ball, airfares and one night in a hotel. The more you donate, the more chances you have to win.
The Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF) was founded in 2012 by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty in honor of her grandparents, Clara and Lionel Braithwaite. CLF is is dedicated to breaking down barriers and transforming the lives of young people globally and is a revolutionary philanthropic space where supporters can join Rihanna’s journey as a global ambassador for education. Current programs include the Clara Lionel Foundation Global Scholarship Program, the Clara Braithwaite Center for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados and the Barbados Micro Grants Program.
Here’s where your money will go:
• $1 – could provide 1 brick to a school in Malawi
• $5 – could provide 5 bricks to a school in Malawi
• $10 – could provide 10 books
• $15 – could provide a girl with essential school supplies
• $20 – could provide a month of schooling for a girl
The Miami Heat All-Star center frequently donates time and money to charitable causes, including $1 million to the Boys and Girls Club of America to create technology centers in Clubs nationwide, in partnership with Microsoft Corporation.
Charities & foundations supported
Shaquille O’Neal has supported the following charities:
Aug 29, 2017 06:00 am
Protecting the world’s oceans.
Oceana campaigns to protect and restore the world’s oceans. Its teams of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates win specific and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and to prevent the irreversible collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life. Global in scope and dedicated to conservation, Oceana’s campaigners are based in North America (Washington, DC; New York, NY; Boston, MA; St. Petersburg, FL; Juneau and Anchorage, AK; Monterey, CA; and Portland, OR), Europe (Madrid, Spain; Brussels, Belgium) and South America (Santiago, Chile). Recently, the US Government — after campaigning by Oceana — adopted the Oceana approach and closed 1.8 million square kilometers of Pacific ocean to destructive trawling, an area more than four times the size of California. Oceana was prominently featured in the 2008 Green Issue of Vanity Fair, and was also named last year by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine as a “charity that deserves your dollars.”
In 2001, Oceana merged with the American Ocean’s Campaign (AOC), which was founded in 1987 by Ted Danson.
