Via Leslie Neilan Great shots of Melanie!





Written and directed by ensemble member Bruce Norris and featuring ensemble member Tom Irwin. For tix and info: https://www.steppenwolf.org/Plays-Eve...


Outstanding Photographs

A single photograph can sometimes evoke a storm of feelings. 

On other occasions, it gives a fascinating glimpse of someone or something’s life story. 

A whole number of things can have this effect. It might be that the photographer took the photo at exactly the right moment, or from exactly the right angle. It might be that the landscape or phenomenon in view is simply breathtaking in itself, no matter how you capture it. More often than not, though, a photograph takes on an astounding quality just by reminding us of all the wonderful and incredible things which are occurring every second around our world.



A riverside church shrouded in morning mist



A rabbit sleeping



Zakynthos Island, Greece



An elderly lady observes the arrival of Johnny Depp at a film premier



Well-disciplined seagulls form ranks at the start of the day...



An arctic fox



Three degrees of curiosity



No need for a DNA test



Heavenly mountains



In this special case, you can wash black and white together



Early riser



Some things are better done together



Sunset


Friendship



Sky window



A baby kangaroo


Mount Assiniboine, Canada


The crystal clear shores of Papua province, Indonesia



The striking colours of a forest in autumn


A little fluffy ball of happiness

Saturated Fats Have No Link to Heart Disease [via Nina Reznick]




 



In a surprise twist, the DGAC not only suggested eliminating warnings about dietary cholesterol, it also reversed nearly four decades of nutrition policy by concluding that dietary fats have no impact on cardiovascular disease risk.

Unfortunately, the DGAC didn’t set the record straight with regards to saturated fats, as it makes no firm distinction between healthy saturated fats and decidedly unhealthy trans fats.

For decades, healthy fat and cholesterol have been wrongfully blamed for causing heart disease, but over 70 published studies overwhelmingly dispute this.4

Trans Fat, Not Saturated Fat, Raises Your Heart Disease Risk

Now we can add yet another large study to this ever-growing list. The meta-analysis5,6,7,8 published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), found no association between high levels of saturated fat in the diet and heart disease.

Nor could they find an association between saturated fat consumption and other life-threatening diseases like stroke or type 2 diabetes.

However, the study DID find a disease link to trans fat consumption. As reported by Newsweek:9“[C]onsumption of trans unsaturated fats found in everyday supermarket goods such as margarine, processed cakes, and microwave popcorn can increase the risk of death from coronary heart disease (CHD) by 28 percent.”

Trans fats also increased all-cause mortality by 34 percent. This is important because many “experts” frequently confuse trans fat with saturated fat intake.

Moreover, a pooled analysis of 11 studies10,11 showed that replacing saturated fat (found in foods like meat, egg yolks, dairy products, salmon, nuts, avocados, coconut oil, and olive oil) with monounsaturated fat (vegetable cooking oils12), or carbohydrates (sugars and grains) raised the risk of non-fatal heart attacks.

This prompted the authors to comment that dietary guidelines for saturated fats and trans fats “must carefully consider the effect of replacement nutrients.” This too is in line with previous findings.

Read more


Popsicle Furniture [via Nina Reznick]


Extra Credit: Learning from the Popsicle Stick Master


David Hrobowski seated in a chair he made from popsicle sticks (Steven Tassopoulos)
David Hrobowski is a master crafter. His medium of choice? The humble popsicle stick. David has pushed the limits of this craft store staple, using it to build tables, sculptural chairs, and even an elaborate Christmas tree. Take David’s lead and craft your own entry for Nick Offerman’s Ultimate Popsicle Stick Throwdown. A few prompts for inspiration: bratwurst, puzzles, masonry, fishing, Wilco, the Hoover Dam, and America. Go forth and glue!

Kurt Andersen: So what’s the first thing you ever made out of popsicle sticks?

David Hrobowski: Well actually the thing that led to all of this was that I made a lamp and shade when I was nine. I was home in bed with the flu or chicken pox or something and my neighbor brought over some popsicle sticks and glue to occupy my time. Fast forward to 2006. I bought some popsicle sticks and tried to recreate the lamp that I remembered when I was nine but another lamp came out of me, one that was more ambitious.

 I understand that your dream, your goal, is to now literally replace all the furniture in your house with popsicle stick furniture?
Yeah, I think that would be rather novel.





Hrobowsk

Yoga Gives Back December Newsletter


Yoga Gives Back
For the cost of one yoga class, you can change a life.

Happy Holidays!!
Your Donation's Impact: Success Stories of Mothers and Daughters, West Bengal

NishthaNishtha

YGB receives bi annual reports from its partners in India. Here is a great update from NISHTHA, West Bengal where YGB's "Sister Aid" program is funding nearly 300 mothers with micro loans and their 300 daughters with education funds. NISHTHA reports that 91.18% of the micro loans are repaid now, and there is 90% increase of these women's monthly income on average in the last four years, shown in the graph below (in Rupees). Full Report can be read here

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Reboti and Daughter

The heartbreaking but inspiring story of Reboti Pal: 

 Reboti's husband died when she was only 19 and her daughter Debika was 6 months old, and had a physical disability. "Any young widow is hugely discriminated and socially excluded. Society blames her for her husband's death. Reboti had to face harsh behavior from in-laws' and their neighbors. She was thrown out of her in-laws house and started living in the outer periphery of her parents' poor home. She started working as labor for a pottery maker but the wages were small, not enough for two meals for herself and daughter. But they survived for nine years like this." When the group was formed for micro loan under YGB's Sister Aid program, Reboti was invited to join the group to improve her living standard. She was shy and had no self-confidence. The group leader and other members helped her use the loan to purchase special mud to make pots and fuel to burn the raw clay pots. Today, she owns a profitable business. Reboti makes enough money for food, education and clothing. She plans to live in a better house which, she plans to construct in a few years. 

Become YGB Member? 

Imagine-with just $15 a month, you can support an impoverished mother like Reboti build a sustainable livelihood and transform her life. Take part in our campaign by becoming a YGB member, with easy monthly membership: We will send you an original membership certificate.

If you shop Amazon, shop at Amazon Smile and choose Yoga Gives Back, which will donate 0.5 % of eligible sales.





Exciting News: 

Join our global campaign before January 31, 2016!

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Host just one event or become a sponsor before January 31, 2016 to support more mothers and children in India. Yoga communities in fifteen countries take part every year to generate most of YGB's funding in India! Register your event here today, which will be promoted globally by YGB's social media!! Check out many global events happening already here; Australia, Canada, China, India, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, UK, and USA.

event

Welcome New Ambassadors, Team Members and Partners!
Alessandra
Ambassadors Alessandra Pecorella,
London, UK 


David
 David Milliotis,
California, 

Steph
  Steph Charlwood,
Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK, 

Phelicia
Team Member 
Phelicia Goh,
Singapore


Partners

Holiday Gift Pick by Yoga Journal!!!
 
TankPicked as Yoga Gifts Under $75, get this super popular YGB Namaste Tank from Jala Clothing who donates 100% of proceeds from its sales! Get yours here.



BraceletYGB Partners collaborate for YGB!!! BeadRelief is donating 25% form it's special collection Stack Bracelets sold on Jala Clothing.
 
Ohmme LogoMen should practice yoga. Founded in London, Ohmme wants to encourage men to practice yoga through the medium of stylish clothing. Ohmme is now also in France, Denmark and Turkey. Ohmme donates £1 per purchase to Yoga Gives Back. Thank YOU!!! 

Bhakti Chai's "Gita Giving" grants $5000 to YGB!!
 
BhaktiDid you know @BhaktiChai does so much more than brew a delicious, spicy tea? They are also funding amazing projects around the world for via new #GITAGiving platform! We are thrilled to be included. Currently, they are promoting FB contest for Yoga Gives Back till December 9th with amazing prizes, check out here.


Great debut at Om Yoga Show in London!!

Om Yoga Show

Thanks for the most successful debut in London and we will return in 2016! Check out the E Blast here.




Upcoming "Thank You Mother India" Events

December

Om Yoga Show

3 - 9th: YGB Singapore TYMI "7 Day Challenge" Instagram with many local sponsors

13th 11am-2pm: Ashtanga Led Class and More @ Yogaplace Maastricht, The Netherlands

13th 2-4:00pm: Special Fundraiser Class @ Vida Yoga, New York. Zander Gladish and Will Schneider will teach a fun class!!

15th 5pm-9pm: Special Fundraiser Evening @ Kaia Yoga Old Greenwich, CT. YGB Ambassador Stan Woodman hosts an amazing evening with Beryl Bender Birch, Tricia Stevens and Gina Noram with wonderful sponsors!

18th 2pm: A Special Class @ Ashtanga Yoga Tel Avi. YGB Ambassador Maya Gross will host an event with Ashtanga Master Class and Tibetan Bowls Meditation

18th 5:30-6:30pm: Annual Special Fundraiser Class @ Central Coast School of Yoga, Terrigal, Australia. Peter Mulholland hosts annual yoga on the beach fundriaiser!

January

12th: Special Fundraiser Class @ Golden Bridge, Santa Monica, CA. Gurumukh Khalsa will teach a special 2 hour Kundanlini class

16th: Fundraiser Yoga Class @ Pranava Yoga, Strathmore, Canada.
Owner Becky Stone will host its first YGB event



Many more exciting events around the world will be added soon!! 


Thank you for all the past and future events,
which make a real difference one class at a time!! 
Yoga Gives Back

Amazing Photos [via David Adashek]


Autumn camouflage



Balloons in Cappadocia.




The border between Belgium and the Netherlands in a cafe