One Brick Philadelphia

If you have a social media account, I'm sure you know by now that today is #givingtuesday. Started in 2012 and led by 92nd Street Y in Manhattan, Giving Tuesday was conceived as a way to channel the generous spirit of the season towards nonprofits that depend on donations to function.

It takes place on the Tuesday following Black Friday (and Small Business Saturday) (and Cyber Monday). Founding partner organizations included IAVA, Crowdrise, Groupon, Mashable, and Darden Restaurant Group. Thanks to the popularity of hashtag posting, #GivingTuesday quickly became a global movement.

@PhillyPhriday: Apple Festival at Peddler's Village

As you get ready for festivities on All Hallow's Eve, I wanted to bring your attention to a post-Halloween event this weekend. The Apple Festival is an annual tradition at Peddler's Village in Bucks County. Live music and entertainment are scheduled throughout the weekend, as well as a pie eating contests both days. Vendors will be selling apples, apple butter, apple fritters, apple pie, apple cider, and caramel apples, to name a small selection. Parking and admission are free, but VIP tickets are also available.

Get to know a One Bricker: Phil, Event Manager

Pictured here with One Brick National's executive director Clive and chapter director Tiffany, Phil is one of the Philadelphia chapter's first event managers. His first event was nearly 3 years ago for Holly Nights at Pennsbury Manor. He set a personal goal to volunteer at least once a month and found that One Brick's structure perfectly suited his needs.

#GoodNewsMonday: Cold Lake residence clean hate messages off mosque

Friday morning, residents of Cold Lake in north-east Alberta, Canada awoke to find a local mosque, the MAC Islamic Centre, vandalized; windows were broken and walls were spray-painted with messages reading "Go Home."

The perpetrators opinions were not shared by the community, however. Throughout the day, the mayor and other community members gathered to paint the walls, create signs of "Love your neighbour" and "You are home," and bring supplies.

As an "Amazon Affiliate," One Brick receives a donation of 7% of the merchandise total from any purchase made through our unique link: onebrick.org/amazon

This is done by Amazon.com at no cost to you. That means you use our link, buy from Amazon as normal, Amazon will just give One Brick money, and you know you've helped a great organization. Everyone wins!

PHILLY PHRIDAY: Philadelphia Sculpture Gym

There are many gyms throughout the area competing for your business, but, two years age, Darla Jackson opened a space that sets out to focus on your mind instead of your body.

The Philadelphia Sculpture Gym on Frankford Avenue caters to artists who have ideas but not access to large (and expensive) art equipment. There are areas for mold making and casting, metal work, wood work, welding, ceramics, and more. Memberships are available, as well as day passes. Private studios are also available for rent, and the storefront has open gallery space for artists to exhibit their creations.

Visit http://philadelphiasculpturegym.com for more information and a schedule of their classes/workshops.

Get to know a One Bricker: Jack, Founding Member

Pictured here with One Brick National’s executive director Clive, Jack is one of the founding members of One Brick Philadelphia. Jack learned about One Brick while trying to find a way to honor the memory of a friend. Until then, all chapters had been started by a One Brick leader who moved to a new city. Philadelphia did not have anyone with that experience, so Jack contacted a few people (including CD Tiffany) and started a new chapter, with the blessing of Clive. After a one-year trial run, the Philadelphia chapter became official.

Volunteers are needed this weekend, especially Sunday, 9/21.

We have a last minute request for volunteers for OutBeat: America's First Queer Jazz Festival, produced by the William Way LGBT Community Center. OutBeat will feature a vibrant and eclectic mix of world-renowned jazz musicians brought together to educate and entertain audiences with once-in-a-lifetime performances, panel discussions, and master classes.

Everything is set, but they still need help with day-of logistics. As a volunteer you will get to see parts of the concert and be "behind the scenes" with artists, media, and staff - all while supporting the Center and having a great time!

The festival runs Thursday, September 18 through Sunday, September 21st, 2014, but the most need is for the big festival finale day on Sunday. They need volunteers to do everything from VIP management, outreach, ticketing, set-up, guest services, and more!  If you are interested in knowing more about the specific volunteer opportunities available, please contact Karen Smith at [email protected] 

Get to Know a One Bricker: Tiffany, Chapter Director

#GODOGOOD: BeTheMatch - I have been donating blood since high school, when I was able to use it as an excuse to skip a class.  I have kept it up since then, donating as often as I can, usually 3-4 times a year.  I scheduled my last donation on redcross.org based on a day and time I was available.  I didn't realize the blood drive was for a special occasion.

Ryan Waters of Yardley, PA was diagnosed with Leukemia in 2012.  He had received a peripheral stem cell transplant in June 2013.  The blood drive in June 2014 was titled "Pay It Forward" and was celebrating his one year anniversary of being cancer-free.  After we got past the fact that I was basically crashing this kid's blood drive, I learned about his success against leukemia and signed up for Be The Match.

Leukemia is cancer of the blood cells.  Bone marrow produces red blood cells.  Therefore, the best way to treat leukemia is to treat the bone marrow.  A donor has healthy stem cells extracted from their bone marrow.  The stem cells are given to the patient and replace damaged or infected bone marrow.  New bone marrow = new blood.  While this used to involve a big needle removing marrow direct from the donor's hip bone, a new techniques uses injections to coax the stem cells from the donor's bones and into the blood stream.  The donor then undergoes a simple procedure not unlike a blood donation, and the stem cells are separated from the blood.

The tricky part is finding a suitable donor.  Less than 30% of patients have a matching donor in their family, so doctors need to cast as wide a net as possible to find a suitable tissue match.  Be The Match is the biggest net, with over 10.5 million people on their registry.  Even so, only 1 in 540 members get the call to donate.  Many more are called in as potential matches, but further tissue tests prove them incompatible.  

You can help continue to grow the registry by signing up to be a donor.  Initial testing is literally just a cheek swab.  If you're still uncomfortable with the procedure, monetary donations are also accepted.  You can get more information at their website: http://bethematch.org/Support-the-Cause/Donate-bone-marrow/Join-the-marrow-registry/

And while you wait for the call, don't forget that the Red Cross is always looking for blood donations.  I have donated over 20 times in my life.  It's really not that bad.  Here is the website for our local chapter: http://www.redcrossblood.org/pennjersey  Message me if you need a buddy to go with you!

Researchers at Temple University in Philadelphia have significantly improved on a technique in battling HIV involving gene editing.  It is far from human testing, but the results are encouraging.  (Disclaimer: I am not a scientist, so feel free to correct any of my errors in terminology)

One of the most damaging aspects of the HIV virus is its ability to modify and insert itself into the human genome, lying dormant and replicating at low levels.  Current medication pushes the virus into dormancy, but once the drugs stop (which is especially common with people who can't afford a lifetime of medication), the virus beings replicating again.

Using a technique called CRISPR, scientists are able to send a enzyme with scissor-like properties to a specific place along a genome using a "guide RNA."  The Kyoto University in Japan published a study where they successfully "cut out" parts of HIV genetic code from a lab-grown human cell.  

More recently, Temple researchers were able to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of CRISPR by precisely identifying the HIV attachment site and more accurately targeting the guide RNA.  In addition, by adding this scissor enzyme and guide RNA combination to a healthy cell, they were able to prevent the HIV from ever inserting itself into the genome, basically acting as a vaccine.  While not yet tested on human cells, Temple claimed a nearly 99% removal of HIV from their test cell.  The remaining 1% posed no risk to the cell.  

Interim president of Kentucky State University was not happy with his new job's salary of about $350,000.  Raymond Burse gave himself a nearly 25% reduction in pay in order to increase the minimum wage for university employees from $7.25/hr to $10.25/hr

Xcel Energy is a large utility holding company that dominates the energy market in Boulder, CO.  While it is one of the larger producers of renewable energy in the US, citizens of Boulder, CO did not feel they were progressing quickly enough.  In 2011, after several attempt to convince Xcel to convert to more renewable energy alternatives, the city began considering the option of municipalization, which is the opposite of privatization; the city would take control of the energy supply from the corporation and charge its citizens directly.  The proposal was put on the  2011 Boulder ballot and, while Xcel outspent grassroots group $10-to-$1 in campaigning against the measure, voters approved an exploration of the concept.

In the resulting studies, it was determined that Boulder could increase its renewable energy margin to 40% and reduce its carbon footprint by up to 60%. Two years later, Boulder was ready to move forward with their plan to municipalize the city's energy, but Xcel chose to push a bill on the 2013 election ballot that would have covertly ended the local energy utility process.  Again completely overpowered monetarily by the huge corporation, committed community activists and New Era Colorado, which engages young people in the politic process, raised awareness and the measure failed at the polls.

Following this success, the city sent a letter of intent to the CEO of Xcel Energy, outlining the assets the city wants to acquire, their willingness to pay for the appraisal of those assets, and requesting that Xcel designate a representative to participate in negotiations; all steps required by law to begin the process of municipalization.  Xcel has since sued the city council, claiming the city has overstepped its authority.  

Here is a link that addresses many concerns people might have about the concept of municipalization: http://www.renewablesyes.org/?page_id=2401

One of the main criticisms is that the city has spent a lot of money on studies and campaigns and no money towards creating renewable energy.  Opponents questions whether the city council has truly considered all the responsibilities, administratively and monetarily, that will be involved in managing the city's energy.

Have you noticed all the beer gardens popping-up through our lovely city?  Of course you have, because they are amazing!  In 2012, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board issued an amendment that would allow restaurants with a liquor license to cater at unlicensed locations by purchasing a single-page, $500 permit.  Via a loophole, bars owned by restaurateurs piggyback on license and, boom, beautiful beer gardens.  Now, there are many restrictions, such as the beer gardens can’t be open to the general public.  So, at the Oval for example, guests have to sign up for a free membership, making them part of a specific group (Fairmount Conservatory/The Oval), not the general public.

Started in 2009 in Wisconsin as a tribute to the founder's mother, Little Free Library has become a world-wide program that promotes literacy and connects communities.  A box is placed in a front lawn or central community location.  Anyone is free to borrow a book or add their own contribution to the mini-library.  As of January 2014, over 15,000 libraries had been registered world wide.  Locally, there are LFLs at 20th and Christian Streets, 142 North 2nd Street, and in Morrisville, PA and Trenton, NJ.