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Risky business: The trade war and American farmers

Seth Sandronsky Food & Beverage

Chinese authorities recently announced an end to U.S. agricultural imports following President Trump’s threat to hike tariffs by 10% on $300 billion on Chinese imports, effective Sept. 1. That is bad news for U.S. farmers. What follows is a look at what some industry groups and politicians are doing and saying in response to the situation. "This trade war with China needs to come to an end. It is doing a lot of damage now and we are concerned about the long term," said Gary Wertish, the elected president of the Minnesota Farmers Union.

New Hampshire’s North Woods provide rare relaxation

Steve and Diane Owens Recreation & Leisure

The North Woods area of New Hampshire is such a distinctively relaxing American region. It reminded us of our travels through British Columbia. At the Moose River RV Park in Saint Johnsbury, Vermont, locals told us to be extra careful driving on New Hampshire Highway 3. "Be very watchful of moose on the highway," they said. The countryside with the meadows and wetlands is ideal for moose yet the only animal we saw was a squirrel crossing the road. Hardly a cause for an accident!

Vanilla Ice is back with a brand-new invention

Jason Zimmerman Construction & Building Materials

Vanilla Ice built a legacy as an iconic hip-hop music artist. Now he’s building dreams. World-famous rapper, actor and TV reality show personality Robert Van Winkle — professionally known as Vanilla Ice — served as the opening keynote speaker Aug. 7 for the 2019 Sunbelt Builders Show™, hosted by the Texas Association of Builders, at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine. Best known for his No. 1 hit song, "Ice Ice Baby," Vanilla Ice has become a successful real-estate entrepreneur and remodeling expert with more than 15 years of hands-on home improvement experience.

5 easy ways to protect your patients from superbugs

Lisa Mulcahy Healthcare Administration

Antibiotic-resistant infections create massive challenges for hospitals. There’s no doubt you strive to practice scrupulous infection control procedures at your facility — but did you know that sometimes the easiest fixes may be among the most effective ways to protect your patients? Research backs this up — implement these tips immediately to potentially cut your hospital's infection numbers.

The frightening security risks and potential dangers of IoT

Joseph Zulick Science & Technology

Imagine you are running late one morning, speeding to the airport to catch a flight. You suddenly realize that you forgot to turn off the heat back at home. If your thermostat is networked, then you can remotely shut down the heater using your smartphone. Sounds great, right? What could possibly go wrong? A lot, it turns out. To better illustrate the security issues that "internet of things" devices have and continue to suffer, l will share some of my personal experiences with IoT operational security.

Green buildings can make employees more productive

Terri Williams Business Management, Services & Risk Management

There are a lot of things that you can do to increase employee productivity, but there’s one thing you probably haven’t considered: the physical workplace. According to a new report, creating a "green" environment isn’t just good for the environment; it’s good for your company’s bottom line. The World Green Building Council's (WorldGBC) report, "Doing Right by Planet and People," demonstrates the additional benefits that green buildings can offer besides decreased energy use.

Smaller and new are the prevailing trends in luxury homes

Michael J. Berens Construction & Building Materials

Changing customer lifestyles and preferences are realigning the market for luxury homes. Sales are declining in some areas long considered to be havens for the wealthy and are rising in desirable suburbs and city centers. As younger, affluent buyers and relocating baby boomers opt for simplicity and convenience over opulence, the demand for smaller and new, move-in-ready homes is growing.

How Milan’s airports are handling the temporary closure of Linate

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

Closing one of a country's busiest airports for three months in the summer period might sound like a recipe for disaster, but that's exactly what's happening in Milan as Linate Airport has ceased flights to undertake essential upgrades. Linate closed on July 27 following the final departure to Palermo late the previous evening. Work has now commenced on a string of upgrades to the airport — the most notable of which is the complete resurfacing of main runway 18/36. It is expected to reopen on Oct. 27.

Native Alaskan tribe’s lawsuit fights ANWR drilling

Michelle R. Matisons Natural Resources

July 31 was a fateful day in the climate change struggle. Just as the Gwich’in tribe of Alaska and Canada launched an important anti-drilling lawsuit, Greenland’s ice sheet lost 12.5 billion tons of ice in one day. Although an offshore drilling ban was recently upheld by Alaska federal court for some Arctic areas, the Trump administration seems set on drilling the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's (ANWR) 1002 Area, with speculated returns of up to 9 billion gallons of oil. The Gwich’in tribe, along with the Wilderness Society, Alaska Wilderness League, and Defenders of Wildlife, want to keep the oil in the ground.

Interesting notes from recent TPWD law enforcement reports

John McAdams Recreation & Leisure

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department publishes some of its more interesting events compiled from TPWD law enforcement reports each month or so. These reports are usually good for a laugh and sometimes even provide a good lesson or two. As I noted in a previous article, usually those lessons contain good advice on what not to do, though. Interestingly enough, neither of these episodes involve any social media mishaps or alcohol use, which makes them somewhat unique among noteworthy game warden encounters.

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