At least once a week for the past four months, my inbox has gotten some variation of this press release:X Brewery is partnering with Y athlete to launch Z low-calorie (or low-alcohol)beer.Its gone from a trend to a movement at this point.And the volume of pitches for these brewsis so remarkable, I couldnt ignore it.

On January 2just in time for resolutionsDelaware-based Dogfish Head announced it was starting a virtual running club led by none other than four-time Olympian Shalane Flanagan. Dogfish has competition, though. That same month, San FranciscobasedSufferfest BeerCompany partnered with ClassPass to do studio takeovers in tencities across the country. In March, Michigans New Holland is launching its Lightpoint Functional White Alewith a 5K at its brewpub. Meanwhile, Devils Backbone is pitching a keto-friendly option, and Breckenridge Brewery has an isotonic offering. Platform Beer Companyjust went straight to the point and named its beer Gymday.

According to Market Watch, people throughout the world are spending$4.2 trilliona year on nutrition, personal-care products, fitness, and other sectors of the health and wellness industry. Brewers want a piece of it.But thats just one part of the puzzle. There are three other factors to consider, too. First, things are slowing in the beer industry. Total sales by volume are down, says Bart Watson, economist for the Brewers Association, but the numbers look much better in dollar sales terms, i.e., Americans are drinking less beer, but when they do drink it, theyre generally drinking the more expensive stuff.Next, their most loyal patrons, millennials,are getting older. And finally, the athletic set has proven to be incredibly devoted to post-workout beer.

While craft-beer sales arestill very much kicking ass, brewers are also starting to realize that the growth trend wont be up, up, and away forever.

Which brings us to the genius of low-calorie brews. Heres a stat that will blow your mind: the fastest-growing beer brand in America is Michelob Ultra. Its also the second-best-selling beer in sales by dollar. The company has produceda smash hit by making a beer thats under 100 calories and tastes better than other popular light beers, thenmarketing it toconsumers within the health and wellness space. If youve participated in a big-city marathon in the past five years, chances are the races beer sponsor was Michelob Ultra. In August 2019, the brand unveiled partnerships with Newton Running and Alchemy Bicycles, and its most recent Super Bowl commercial showcasedanextremely relatable Jimmy Fallontrying to get back in shape.

All over the country, craft and independent brewers are wondering: Could this formula work for us?

This is tricky, because craft brewings hallmark has been big flavorsand, often, as a result, big calorie countsfor years and years. Theres a danger of creating the McDonalds salad effect: where the company offers a healthy option but itjust doesnt sell, because who goes there for a salad?Sam Calagione, founder ofDogfish Head, says thathas not been a problem for his company, which recently released two low-cal options that maintain the characteristics customers expect from microbrews.

While I love seeing more beers offering low-cal and low-ABV options, this feels like the time to remind everyone that alcohol will never be a health food. And dont think that wellness can come from doing a few 12-ounce curls. However, if yourelooking for the perfect post-run slightly alcoholic beverage, here are our six favorite lighter-beer offerings.

(Photo: Courtesy New Holland Brewing)

Itsshocking that this only has 86 calories per can. Id drink this as a regular beer on a hot day. The hints of honey and orange peel are just rightmostly on the nose and not at all too sweet. At 3.7 ABV, its perfect for a weeknight or after a run when you dont want to get accidentally tanked off a single beer.

(Photo: Courtesy Platform Beer Co.)

Gonna be honest: the word gym does not bring to mind the best flavors. Butthis IPA tastes nothing like the gym smells. Its surprisingly hoppy for a 98-caloriebeer, but not in that obnoxious we dry-hopped the shit out of this because we dont know any other way to make beerway. Its balanced and easy to drink,with a perfect 3.8 percent ABV.

(Photo: Courtesy Dogfish Head)

This is another shockingly good low-cal IPA. Brewers used monk fruit to build flavor in thisbeer without adding a ton of calories. Ittherefore feels surprisingly heftybut still comes in at under 100 calories. Its 4 percent ABV, a fact you would not believe if the brewers hadnt printed it on the can.

(Photo: Courtesy Sufferfest)

There is no beer style I like more after a workout than a Klsch. Its just so crisp and clean. Sufferfests version has added bee pollen. This one is95 calories and has a 3.5 percent ABV.

(Photo: Courtesy Devils Backbone)

For gluten-free gym rats, this sparkling (as in bubbly) alehits the dry notes well, though its definitely on the lighter side of the flavor spectrum. Hints of tangerine make this a great choice for anyone who loves fruity or tart beers. It has just 90 calories and a 4 percent ABV.

(Photo: Courtesy Deschutes)

A lot of light pale ales taste, well, light. But this one never lets you forget its Northwest roots. It has plenty of hoppy bite from Simcoe, Citra, Cashmere, and Callistahopsand body from the addition of chicory root, of all things. It works. With just 100 calories and a 4 percent ABV, it feels like honest-to-goodness craft beer.

Read the rest here:
Beer Wants to Be a Wellness Trend, Too - Outside

Mar 7, 2020 (Thomson StreetEvents) -- Edited Transcript of OneSpaWorld Holdings Ltd earnings conference call or presentation Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at 3:00:00pm GMT

* Leonard I. Fluxman

* Stephen B. Lazarus

Nomura Securities Co. Ltd., Research Division - MD and Senior Analyst of Gaming, Leisure & Lodging

William Blair & Company L.L.C., Research Division - Partner & Group Head of Consumer

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Research Division - MD of Equity Research and Gaming & Leisure Research Analyst

Thank you for standing by. This is the conference operator. Welcome to the OneSpaWorld Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2019 Earnings Conference Call. (Operator Instructions)

I would now like to turn the conference over to Jessica Schmidt with ICR. Please go ahead.

Thank you. Good morning, and welcome to OneSpaWorld's Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2019 Earnings Call and Webcast. Before we begin, I'd like to remind you that certain statements and information made available on today's call and webcast may be deemed to constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our judgment and analysis only as of today, and actual results may differ materially from current expectations based on a number of factors affecting our business.

Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. For a more thorough discussion of the risks and uncertainties associated with the forward-looking statements to be made in this conference call and webcast, we refer you to the disclaimer regarding forward-looking statements that is included in our fourth quarter 2019 earnings release, which was furnished to the SEC today on Form 8-K.

We do not undertake any obligation to update or alter any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition, the company may refer to certain adjusted non-GAAP metrics on this call. Explanation of these metrics can be found in the earnings release filed earlier today.

Joining me today are Leonard Fluxman, Executive Chairman; Glenn Fusfield, Chief Executive Officer and President; and Stephen Lazarus, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Leonard will begin with his highlights of our fourth quarter and fiscal year and then discuss the key priorities we are focused on in fiscal 2020. Then Glenn will discuss our service offering innovation, followed by Stephen, who will provide more details on the financials and share our outlook as well as the impact on our business from the coronavirus.

And I'd now like to turn the call over to Leonard.

Leonard I. Fluxman, OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited - Executive Chairman [3]

Thank you, Jessica. Good morning, and welcome to OneSpaWorld's Fourth Quarter Fiscal 2019 Earnings Conference Call. The year was a milestone for the company. We successfully entered the public markets. We grew sales and after-tax free cash flow conversion. We initiated our first-ever quarterly dividend. And importantly, we increased training our staff by 20% to prepare for a record number of new vessels in 2020.

Indeed, the year saw several accomplishments towards our strategy to leverage our robust operating platform to grow our market share at sea. We are pleased to deliver financial results in line with our updated guidance despite absorbing increased public company costs and an unprecedented number of ships temporarily taken out of service.

In total, for the fiscal year, net revenues increased 4% to $562.2 million; adjusted net income grew by 4% to $32.5 million; adjusted EBITDA of $58.2 million increased from 4% from 2018 adjusted EBITDA of $55.8 million, inclusive of comparable public company costs; and unlevered after-tax free cash flow increased 2% to $54.1 million compared to $52.9 million in the prior year.

Highlighting some of our accomplishments made during the year. We commenced cruise ship contracts and extended existing agreements for health and wellness at sea, including extending agreements with Norwegian Cruise Line, P&O Cruises, Saga Cruises, Windstar Cruises and Crystal Cruises; commencing services on Costa Venezia, Spectrum of the Seas, Sky Princess, Norwegian Encore, Carnival Panorama and Costa Smeralda; being named Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises' official partners to operate spa and wellness centers on their entire fleet; being named Virgin Voyages' official partner to operate health and wellness centers on their first-ever cruise offering; and being named Celebrity Cruises' official partner to operate health and wellness centers on their entire fleet, increasing the Celebrity vessels operated on in 2020 by 9.

We introduced new services in medi-spa and fitness while making it easier and more efficient to schedule spa visits with expanded online and pre-booking options. This field increases in average weekly revenue per ship and in average weekly revenue per staff -- shipboard staff per day for the fourth quarter and fiscal year.

I would like to thank our entire team and attentive staff for their dedication, commitment and contributions to the year. We are entering fiscal 2020 with the highest market share, highest vessel count and largest vessel additions in our history. This, along with strong free cash flow and a robust operating platform, will continue to drive the company's successful expansion in the years ahead.

For fiscal 2020, we are focused on the following priorities for the business. First, to efficiently and effectively introduce our health and wellness programs across 27 new vessels, have already begun service on 4 Oceania and 1 Regent vessels in late December 2019. At the same time, we remain focused on maintaining excellent service levels across our entire fleet.

Second, to expand our treatment, products and services to our customers as we seek to grow onboard revenue. Glenn will discuss this activity in greater detail, but let me share some of the highlights. We are introducing new recovery treatments beyond acupuncture and exclusive fitness programs, while adding medi-spa services to new vessels. This year, we will introduce medi-spa on 14 new ships as well as enhance our product offering on new and existing vessels with additional body contouring and the advanced Thermage FLX amongst other new services. Overall, we will continue to build on our capabilities to reinforce our market position and -- as the preeminent health and wellness provider by redefining these experiences.

Let me now turn the discussion on the coronavirus and its impact on our business. The outbreak of the coronavirus continues to dominate headlines, and we are closely monitoring the situation to, first and foremost, ensure the safety of our employees as well as plan for business continuity. Currently, we can confirm there are no suspected or confirmed coronavirus cases for any of OneSpaWorld employees.

Our guidance includes only the known impact from this health crisis to our first quarter performance as the situation remains fluid and continues to evolve. Therefore, we are unable to determine the full impact on guidance to fiscal 2020 beyond the first quarter. The coronavirus has also negatively impacted and increased the volatility of our stock price, and as such, the underlying trading value of our warrants. Our significant progress had been made on our warrant retirement plan. The Board of Directors determined it was prudent to put this program temporarily on hold.

And now I'll turn the call over to Glenn to provide details regarding other operational highlights, including an update on our medi-spa initiatives, fee book and dynamic pricing initiatives. Glenn?

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Glenn J. Fusfield, OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited - President, CEO & Director [4]

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Thank you, Leonard. As Leonard mentioned, we remain committed to enhancing and expanding our services and product offerings that deliver superior experiences and choices to our guests. We are increasing investment in our medi-spa business this year to accelerate growth by expanding medi-spa to new vessels as well as offering a whole new breadth of treatment options. We will also continue to experience prepaid and prebook initiatives, which drive incremental sales to OneSpaWorld as well as our cruise partners.

I would like to provide a few operational highlights to demonstrate the progress we are achieving. In medi-spa, we have seen an average spend increase to $1,400, helping to drive year-over-year growth in our business. On average, prebooked and prepaid guests average spend within the OneSpaWorld platform is over 30% more than a walk-in guest.

Across cruise ships with prebooking platform, 16% to 24% of service revenue is prebooked, and over 80% of our fleet continues to offer prebooking, of which 65% is through the dynamic OneSpaWorld platform.

I would also like to highlight a few financial metrics that demonstrate the success we are delivering with our service enhancements. Average weekly revenue per ship count increased 4% in Q4 compared to the prior year, and average revenue per shipboard staff per day increased 2% in Q4 compared to the prior year.

We continue to roll out the following initiatives across the majority of our fleet as well as accelerate our investments to expand our offering to new products, services and vessels. In 2020, we will launch our medi-spa on 14 new ships, add body-contouring capabilities to 13 new vessels, expand our Thermage by 20 vessels. We will test IV therapy with a new cruise line partner. We will add micro-needling to our menu of medi-spa services.

We will test an expansion of our detoxifying and recovery capabilities with a state-of-the-art specialty treatment table and add stable in-cabin wellness programs to one of our cruise lines. Selectively enhance our fitness offering with the world-renowned F45 training program that provides an exclusive fitness experience.

We're going to launch our CBD product line in the first half of 2020, which will initially be limited to selected patients in the United States as well as e-commerce platform. And we are excited to update you on our Celebrity Cruises and ambassador-led women and wellness program, leveraging industry-leading influencers to highlight key areas of wellness and fitness.

We are also beginning to test a number of other exciting initiatives and programs within health and wellness, which we'll update you on in future quarters. This year, we will launch an unprecedented number of new ships for OneSpaWorld, and we will remain acutely focused on appropriately training our staff by leveraging our robust platform to ensure we deliver exceptional services to cruise line guests.

With that, I will turn the call over to Stephen, who will provide additional information on our fourth quarter financials and guidance.

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Stephen B. Lazarus, OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited - COO & CFO [5]

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Thank you, Glenn. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'll begin with a review of the fourth quarter and full year and then update you on our 2020 guidance.

Total revenue for the quarter were $139 million, which was right at the midpoint of our Q4 guidance and a 4% increase compared to the fourth quarter last year. The increase from last year was driven primarily by 7 incremental net new shipboard health and wellness centers added to the fleet of cruise line partners, a continued trend towards larger and enhanced shipboard health and wellness centers and increasing collaboration with cruise line partners.

The split of revenue growth between service and product revenue was as follows: service revenue increased 5% to $107 million and product revenue expanded 1% to $32 million compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018.

Average weekly revenue per ship was $60,965, up 4% from $58,636 in the fourth quarter of the prior year. Average revenue per shipboard staff per day increased 2% year-over-year to $461. Average weekly revenue per land-based resort decreased 11%, which was expected due to the larger number of managed spas in our mix during the quarter, which generate less revenue per location.

Cost of service increased $5.2 million or 6% compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to the increase in service revenue and the noncash impact of purchase accounting adjustments related to the fair value step-up of fixed assets in connection with the business combination. Cost of products increased $2.1 million or 8% compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. The increase was primarily attributable to the noncash impact of purchase accounting adjustments related to the inventory step-up in connection with the business combination.

Administrative expenses increased $1.6 million to $4 million compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, driven primarily by expenses incurred in connection with the business combination and costs associated to support our operations as a newly publicly traded, stand-alone company. Salary and payroll taxes decreased $200,000 to $3.9 million compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, as lower incentive compensation expense was offset by an increased headcount to support our operations as a newly publicly traded, stand-alone company.

Adjusted net income was $6.3 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $12.5 million in the fourth quarter, slightly below the midpoint of our guidance due to higher training costs incurred in preparation for the large number of vessels that we will serve in 2020. Adjusted net income per diluted share totaled $0.08 on 75.1 million diluted shares. Cash at December 31 was $14 million, and total debt net of deferred financing costs at the end of the quarter was $221 million. We had repaid $5 million of debt during the fourth quarter. Unlevered after-tax free cash flow for Q4 was $54.1 million.

Turning briefly to the full year. Total revenue for the year was $562 million, a 4% increase compared to prior year. The increase from last year was primarily driven by 7 incremental net new shipboard health and wellness centers added to the fleet of cruise line partners, the continued trend towards larger and enhanced shipboard health and wellness centers and the ongoing collaboration and improvement with cruise line partners. The growth was partially offset by the negative impact of an unprecedented number of ships temporarily taken out of service in 2019.

The split of revenue growth between service and product revenue was as follows. Service revenue increased 5% to $431 million and product revenue expanded 1% to $131 million compared to fiscal 2018. Adjusted net income increased 2% to $32 million, and adjusted EBITDA rose 4% to $58.2 million when including public company costs in fiscal 2018. Adjusted net income per diluted share totaled $0.44 on 74 million diluted shares for the year.

Moving then on to the guidance. As it is related to guidance, Leonard mentioned, we have included the known impact of the coronavirus in our first quarter fiscal 2020 guidance. However, given that there are still too many variables and uncertainties to reasonably forecast the full fiscal year for 2020, we are not yet able to determine the impact on guidance for the first -- full fiscal year beyond the first quarter.

For the Q1 we have experienced thus far, the known impact related to the coronavirus, including 141 canceled and modified itineraries, lower resort revenue associated with our land-based destination resort spas across Asia and associated expenses. Combined, these measures have an estimated impact on Q1 revenue of approximately $5 million and adjusted EBITDA of approximately $2 million.

This known impact is included for our full year 2020 guidance, which is as follows. We expect revenue for the full year in the range of 100 -- sorry, for the first quarter, I apologize. For Q1 of 2020, we expect revenue of $142 million to $147 million. Adjusted EBITDA is expected between $11 million and $13 million. This obviously includes the negative impact of the aforementioned $2 million from the coronavirus and compares to last year's first quarter adjusted EBITDA of $15.3 million, which did not include expenses associated with being a stand-alone and public company. As you recall, we went public in the latter part of March.

Adjusted net income is expected between $5 million and $7 million or between $0.07 and $0.10 per diluted share based on 75.1 million shares outstanding as of December 31, 2019. CapEx is expected in the range of $1 million to $3 million, and our forecast assumes 176 ships at the end of the period with an average ship count of 163. Average ship count reflects the ships that are expected to be in and out of service during the quarter. It also assumes 68 resorts at the end of the quarter with an average resort count for the period of 68.

For fiscal 2020, we expect revenue between $620 million and $630 million, with adjusted EBITDA expected between $58 million and $64 million. This compares to 2019 adjusted EBITDA of $58.2 million or $53.8 million, including comparable public company costs and excluding the $2.8 million reversal of incentive compensation expense in 2019.

Adjusted net income is expected between $31 million and $36 million, and adjusted net income per share is expected between $0.43 and $0.48 per diluted share based on 75.1 million diluted shares outstanding as of December 31, 2019. For the full year, we expect CapEx to be between $5 million and $10 million.

Our forecast assumes 191 ships and 69 resorts at the end of the year, with an average ship count of 175 and an average resort count of 68. Excluding the impact of coronavirus on our 2020 guidance, it is in line with the guidance that we previously indicated for 2020.

And finally and importantly, as we noted in our press release this morning, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.04 per share payable to shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 10, 2020, which is payable on May 29, 2020.

And with that, we'll open up the call to questions. Claudia, if you could take the questions and pass them on, please.

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Questions and Answers

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Operator [1]

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(Operator Instructions) Our first question is from Sharon Zackfia with William Blair.

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Sharon Zackfia, William Blair & Company L.L.C., Research Division - Partner & Group Head of Consumer [2]

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I was hoping to get some more clarity on kind of current trends in your business outside of the voyage cancellations. I guess, first, could you remind us for the contractual minimums that you have to pay the cruise lines, how that might work? I assume you would not be on the hook for voyages that are canceled, but if you could kind of clarify that. And then secondarily, is there any -- are you sensing or seeing any reluctance of passengers to utilize the spa? Are you having to do any kind of incremental discounting? And the sourcing of staff, any kind of issue at this point?

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Leonard I. Fluxman, OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited - Executive Chairman [3]

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Sharon, it's Leonard. I'm trying to remember all your questions here. Firstly, from the perspective of have we seen any impact with regard to spending in the spa, the U.S. consumer still remains very robust. And globally, there might be some weak pockets. Obviously, Asia has dropped off relatively to the coronavirus and the fact that most cruises and activities have been canceled in that region. We have not seen a reluctance to come into spa in any of the ships that are cruising here in the United States, Caribbean, et cetera. And quite frankly, it's too soon to even tell that, and I don't think we're presently under a threat and we don't have the visibility to determine what, if any, impact is happening with the cruise lines. Only to the extent that they've reported perhaps any softness in bookings, which some of them have come out and said there is some of that already.

But remember, the most important thing about the way OneSpaWorld platform and our ability to penetrate, we don't need full ships. We just need great passengers. And as long as we can still continue to penetrate at 11%, we're still going to continue to generate decent weekly revenues.

From a staffing perspective, which I think was the last part of your question, clearly, staff in Asia, we're sending home if the ships are out of service. That obviously -- if ships are canceled for voyages for longer than 3 weeks, we'll send them home, and we'll get them back as soon as we can reactivate and the threat of the coronavirus has passed. With respect to sourcing from any other parts of the world, obviously, we're focused on areas where there may be potential risks not to hire from that region. But we have sufficient capacity and bandwidth to hire in other regions, such that it will not put imminent pressure on our ability to staff the number of ships that we're taking on this year.

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Sharon Zackfia, William Blair & Company L.L.C., Research Division - Partner & Group Head of Consumer [4]

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I think the other part of the question that maybe wasn't addressed was on your contractual minimums with the cruise companies, and how that -- the market...

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Leonard I. Fluxman, OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited - Executive Chairman [5]

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Yes. That clearly should not be a factor because our minimums are not on a weekly basis or a quarterly basis. They're based on the prior year's actual, and they've set -- we went into a whole new construct after the financial crisis in 2007, 2009. And I do not expect any of those guarantees to be an issue for us, even with lower passenger count potentially through the year.

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Operator [6]

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Our next question is from Steve Wieczynski with Stifel.

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Steven Moyer Wieczynski, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Research Division - MD of Equity Research and Gaming & Leisure Research Analyst [7]

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You've obviously quantified the impact around COVID for the first quarter. But hypothetically, let's say things don't get better, we see more cancellations. I mean we just saw that last night at Royal Caribbean. I guess the question is, how should we think about the impact moving forward? I guess what I'm getting at here is most of the cancellations I think you've seen so far for the first quarter have been mostly Asian-based sailings, which there really should probably have less of an impact on your business. And I guess if we start to see more European or North American cancellations, wouldn't the impact be more than what's embedded in your first quarter guidance? I guess I just don't want people to take that number and kind of just push it through the entire year. I assume there might be more of an impact.

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Stephen B. Lazarus, OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited - COO & CFO [8]

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Yes. Steve, it's Stephen here. So that's exactly right. Remember, our guidance only includes cancellations through March 31. So as you mentioned, even as recently as last night, there were additional cancellations. Because of the fluidity of the situation, we don't know yet. Obviously, nobody knows how many cruises could be canceled before the end of the year. So there will be additional downside to our 2020 numbers as cruises continue to be canceled. And obviously, we'll do whatever we can in terms of driving revenue elsewhere. But the number so far is through March, and cruises canceled subsequent to that will have additional downside to our 2020 number.

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Steven Moyer Wieczynski, Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Research Division - MD of Equity Research and Gaming & Leisure Research Analyst [9]

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Okay. Got you. And then I don't know, this might be for Glenn. But wanted to ask about the prebook, prepaid options. And maybe some of the conversations or lack of conversations you've had with other ship partners that don't have that capability, maybe why has that been so slow to adapt? And I guess when you showed on the stats that you mentioned earlier in the call, what's their response to that?

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Glenn J. Fusfield, OneSpaWorld Holdings Limited - President, CEO & Director [10]

Read more:
Edited Transcript of OSW.OQ earnings conference call or presentation 26-Feb-20 3:00pm GMT - Yahoo Finance

Where did you spend your last birthday? At a club? On a beach, pia colada in hand? Perhaps you were in a bar, doing the Macarena? Or maybe you celebrated turning another year older in a gym or boutique fitness studio, which is how, it turns out, a growing number of us are choosing to spend the one day of the year that is all about us.

Yes, the new way to give good birthday is by boosting your and your guests ailing endorphin supply. While swapping pub crawls for bear crawls might not sound like a sufficiently debauched way to celebrate, it will mean you feel infinitely better the morning after. And really, a good blast of cardio is not so far removed from dancing the night away at the Box is it?

A quick survey of the British Vogue office (and team members extended social circles), revealed just how many people are putting a wellness spin on once alcohol-fuelled events. One colleague described a recent hen weekend that included a group exercise class first thing in the morning (yes, first thing), while another marked their last birthday by running a half marathon and notching up a personal best. Perhaps most notably, British Vogues editor-in-chief, Edward Enninful, recently enjoyed a star-studded birthday party at BXR, a boutique boxing gym that offers all the exclusivity of a members club, but with an emphasis on exercising.

Read more: 9 Great Mud Masks For A Spa Day Like Mileys

Enninful and his guests took on a VersaClimber session a tough cardio workout that is not for the faint-hearted. When I first started Versa climbing, I was terrible, he says. I just found it fun like dancing. But now Im really into it. I go at 6.45am, six or seven days a week. I thought it would be fun to do before my birthday dinner, and it was I loved looking around and seeing all my friends. We all felt good! Karen Elson was great, and Emma Weymouth, too. I was very impressed.

The evidence for this shift is not just anecdotal. Stats show that more and more young people are choosing to be teetotal (a quarter of 16 to 24 year olds in the UK dont drink alcohol), and opting for exercise and clean living activities over partying. Meanwhile, a report by Mintel shows that membership to private health and fitness gyms has leapt by 15 per cent in the last five years, with 6.1 million of us now fully fledged gym buffs, compared with 5.3 million in 2014.

Millennials and Generation Z are growing up in a world where healthy living is at the forefront of their minds, says Alex Nicholl, managing director and trainer at BXR. They no longer want to be spending their evenings drinking and weekends nursing a hangover. Their priorities are different, and theyre more willing to spend their income on gym classes that make them feel good, than on drinking, which has the opposite effect.

Theres truth in the old adage: healthy body, healthy mind; and limiting the risk of hangxiety in the wake of a birthday celebration is certainly in the interests of our mental wellbeing. Youre also more likely to have a proper conversation with your birthday guests in the gym than when it means shouting over a DJ to be heard. So the benefits to a 45-minute class go beyond simply getting fit. Socially, Sweat by BXR [the non-members only side of the gym] is a great place to meet a friend, or make new ones, or enjoy healthy food and juices in the cafe, Nicholl says. Most of our clients stay at BXR far longer than just their class.

Read more: The New Skincare Products Rivalling Injectables For Effectiveness

Fitness studios and clubs do have certain things in common these days, too. Boutique gyms also have mood lighting, bass-heavy music, energetic instructors that can get a crowd going as well as any DJ, and a group of people in tight-fitting clothing (Lululemon leggings or clinging jeans we know which wed prefer), all moving to the same beat. The refreshments might be different, but the rush is the same.

More from British Vogue:

See the article here:
How Hitting The Gym Became The New Night Out - British Vogue

Written by Jayashree Narayanan | Pune | Published: March 7, 2020 5:30:39 pm Join the fitness bandwagon starting this Womens Day. (Source: File Photo)

A little glance over social media would explain how celebrity fitness is a big draw with names like Katrina Kaif, Deepika Padukone, Anushka Sharma, Disha Patani and the likes trying out different fitness activities every once in a while.From yoga to Pilates, boxing to strength and conditioning, celebrities, especially women, have shown how to pull off challenging fitness activities and in the process are continuing to inspire millions of other women to take their health, including physical and mental one, on priority. However, it isnt just limited to the crme de la crme.

Urban educated women are taking up various fitness activities and, in the process, creating a change in the mindset around womens health and fitness. This International Womens Day, indianexpress.com spoke to a few women on what made them fitness seriously and what keeps them ticking.

Parul Pushkarna with her trainer at the gym. (Source: Parul Pushkarna)

For 27-year-old Parul Pushkarna who works in the corporate sector, strength and conditioning training was a natural progression once she understood how poignant is muscle strength. I started with aerobics in the first year of college because I wanted to lose weight. I managed to bring down my weight from 75 kgs to 54 kgs within six months. I gradually realised that toning the muscles is also equally important and I then started to lift weights, said Parul, who initially began with lifting 10 kilos and now can lift a mighty 120 kilos with ease.

Looking back at her fitness journey, Parul mentioned, When I started off, I wasnt that confident in my skin. But prioritising my health and fitness has surely improved my confidence levels, has had a calm effect on me. I naturally feel better, more energised, post my one and a half to two hour workout every morning, Delhi-based Parul said.

At all times, women are expected to live for others. I feel fitness is the only thing that we can do for our own selves. Also, here we are talking just not about physical fitness but mental health and happiness too.

I used to hate burpees initially but now they are an essential part of my routine. They help sculpt like none other. Squats and push-ups too.

While 35-year-old Mathangi Badrinathan was always inclined towards a fitness-oriented lifestyle owing to her food and nutrition degree, it was marathon running that the mother to a nine-year-old child longed to take up. It has been five years since I have been participating in marathons. I have liked sports always so going for marathons now a days gives me a sort of happiness as it rekindles my childhood memories of running around with that free spirit, explained an elated Mathangi, who has completed 5K diatnces and now plans to scale up.

While people say that age doesnt matter when it comes to taking up fitness, Mathangi urges women to try and make an early start. Its not just about weight loss, it is about keeping yourself fit. As we reach 35 years of age, by nature our body tends to become weak and lethargic. And since we are living a sedentary lifestyle, it is important for us to involve in some activity or the other, said the Bengaluru-based.

Women have always proved themselves in all fields. Till now, I have not seen or heard of anything that women cant achieve. It applies to fitness as a lifestyle too.

I cycle, do zumba or aerobics alternate days. I have also included yoga for flexibility and daily one hour of badminton.

When photographer Priyamvada Mangal experienced severe levels of stress which caused her immunity to drop down and her productivity took a hit, she decided to join a yoga class once a week. However very soon, she decided to enroll herself for a seven-month Teacher Training Course (TTC) of 900 hours to understand the yogic philosophy in a much nuanced way. Yoga has changed me completely. I am now more mentally sorted and fit which has automatically improved my schedule. There were certain things we learnt in our course like reflection, gratitude and journalling which have really helped me change my perspective about a lot of things, said Priyamvada.

Mumbai-based Priyamvada is currently teaching yoga after her TTC and also goes to learn twice a week at an advanced class. Emphasising that fitness is not only about the physical aspect, Priyamvada said, Your diet, sleep and even how calmly and productively you do things that are important to you is also as important if not more. If you are mentally fit, then youd like to sleep well and even choose the right kinds of foods that show on your overall health.

Everyone does everything for themselves. What is important is to make the right choice, be it a man or awoman. If you are eating a fruit vs eating a chocolate, both are your choices to make. The question is which is better. The same principle applies for spending money to go to a late-night show versus spending money for anearly morning yoga class.

I do at least an hour of yoga, few minutes of meditation and try to eat the right kind of food. For example, fruits, coconut water and home-cooked food.

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Womens Day Special: Why urban women are choosing fitness as a lifestyle - The Indian Express

Elizabeth Little will be the featured guest at this special Friends of the Coronado Library fundraising luncheon on March 11, 2020 at 12:30 pm. For $50, attendees will get a delicious lunch, an intimate event with the author, and receive a personally signed copy of her new book, Pretty as a Picture. The book is listed as one of the most anticipated releases of 2020 by Crimereads. Little will take questions and discuss her work. The luncheon will be held in the Winn Room at the Library.

Members of the Friends group will receive a $5 discount on tickets, but non-members are encouraged to join the Friends and apply the discount straight away. All proceeds support programming at the library. Join the Friends of the Library online at http://coronadofol.org/

Elizabeth Little is the Los Angeles Timesbestselling author ofDear Daughter, and two works of nonfiction, Biting the Wax Tadpole: Confessions of a Language FanaticandTrip of the Tongue: Cross-Country Travels in Search of Americas Languages.

Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Review of Books, among other publications.

Dear Daughter, her debut thriller, was nominated for the Barry and Macavity Awards for Best First Novel, longlisted for the CWA John Creasey Dagger, and won the Strand Critics Award for Best First Novel.Pretty as a Picture was published by Viking on February 25, 2020.

This event is held in partnership with Warwicks. Register and pay on Eventbright: https://tinyurl.com/r9qp27u or stop by the Library Reference Desk.

See the article here:
Author Luncheon at the Library with Elizabeth Little - Coronado Times Newspaper

Saturday, March 07, 2020

GoLocal LIVE

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Julie Holden (left) appeared on LIVE with GoLocal News Editor Kate Nagle.

On November 1st, Macmillan Publishing decided to limit all library systems to only one copy of a new ebook for the first eight weeks of publication after the eight weeks we could purchase more copies but we just thought that this was unsustainable, said Holden. We want to be able to provide as many copies as we want, we want to be able to buy as many copies as we want.

So the Rhode Island Library Association and the American Library Association started a campaign to build awareness, to try to fight this embargo, said Holden.

Taking Action

In Rhode Island, legislation has been introduced to address the move by Macmillan and Holden said the libraries are in talks with Congressman David Cicilline at the federal level to look at the issue from an anti-trust standpoint.

We want to provide information to the public. We dont want to be restricted, said Holden, who noted that other publishers are taking a wait and see approach with the current battle taking place.

Rhode Island libraries are part of the Constitution in Rhode Island. Access to everything that the libraries provide is supposed to be upheld in the Constitution, she said.

Holden noted that there will be more information for the public shortly, including a website and call to action.

We have a lot of library users in Rhode Island, theyre fired up about this they cant stand the long waiting list, they dont understand why they have to wait months and months and months to get an e-book. It seems ridiculous," she said.

Read the rest here:
Rhode Islanders Are Fired Up About This - Libraries Battle Publisher's Effort to Limit E-Books - GoLocalProv

Free Family Movie: Cinemagic Theatres in the Washington Square Mall will host a free 10 a.m. screening of the family movie "How to Train Your Dragon 3: The Hidden World." Call 218-844-5220 for more information.

Polar Pile-Up Winter Demolition Derby: The Detroit Lakes Jaycees will be hosting a winter demolition derby at the Becker County Fairgrounds, starting at 1 p.m. Gates open at noon. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids age 5 and up, and free to all kids age 4 and under. Derby entry fee is $40 per vehicle. Contact chair Brian Anderson, by phone at 763-438-9745 or email at briana618@gmail.com.

Intro to Faux Calligraphy: Come to the Detroit Lakes Public Library at 1 p.m. for instructor Linnea Schroeder's class on the basics of faux calligraphy, from strokes to flourishes to the personal touches. Free and open to the public. Call 218-847-2168 for more information.

Cabin Fever Supper: The congregation of Grace Lutheran Church invites all lakes area residents to enjoy a Cabin Fever Supper from 4 to 7 p.m. in the church fellowship hall at 213 Roosevelt Ave., Detroit Lakes. Menu includes meatballs and gravy, mashed potatoes, lefse, corn, pickles, buns, coleslaw and a variety of desserts as well as choice of beverage. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids age 4-10; those age 3 and under are admitted free of charge. Call the church office at 218-847-4568 for more information.

Dollars & Collars: The Humane Society of the Lakes will host a "Dollars & Collars" fundraiser at the Spitfire Bar & Grill in Detroit Lakes from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be exciting games including Bargo, video races, a prize drop, bucket raffles, and the always popular meat raffle. Spitfire will have yummy appetizers to sample and a signature drink you do not want to miss. For more information contact the Humane Society at 218-847-0511.

Golden Gloves Boxing: Lakes Area Boxing (LAB) will host Golden Gloves Boxing at Ralph Anderson Gymnasium inside Detroit Lakes High School. Doors open at 5 p.m.; fights are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The card has at least 15 fights scheduled with a double main event consisting of the Region 4 Golden Gloves semifinals. The winners advance to the Region 4 finals Saturday, March 14 at the Maslowski Research Center in Wadena. Tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for students 18 and under.

American Legion Auxiliary Breakfast Fundraiser: John Bridges American Legion Auxiliary Unit 15 will host a breakfast fundraiser from 8 a.m. to noon at the Post 15 Legion Club, 810 West Lake Drive, Detroit Lakes. Menu includes a choice of biscuits & gravy, pancakes or French toast; bacon or sausage; scrambled eggs and coffee. Suggested donation is $7. Call 218-847-8533 for more information.

Wildlife Movie: Come to the Tamarac Refuge Visitor Center at 2 p.m. and celebrate St. Patrick's Day a little early as you enjoy the 55-minute wildlife movie, "Ireland's Wild River." Take a journey down the Shannon River, Ireland's greatest geographical landmark and the longest river. It is a silver ribbon holding back the rugged landscapes of the west from the gentler plains to the east. On its journey south, the Shannon passes through a huge palette of rural landscapes; where on little-known backwaters, Ireland's wild animals and plants still thrive as almost nowhere else. Free and open to the public. Call 218-847-2641 for more information.

Hands-Only CPR Course: The Detroit Lakes Public Library will host a free hands-only CPR course starting at 6 p.m. Call 218-847-2168 for more information.

Health Talk: Naturopathic physician Dr. Joan Waters of Practical Health Solutions will be giving a presentation on the "Naturopathic Approach to Acid Reflux at 6 p.m. in the Healing Hub, 115 Willow St. W., Detroit Lakes. Call 970-482-2010 or visit http://www.practicalhealthsolutions.com for more information.

Mindfulness 101-Bringing It All Together: Get together to combine everything you have learned about a mindful life in this final part of the Mindfulness 101 series, set for 7 p.m. at the Detroit Lakes Public Library, 1000 Washington Ave. Feel free to join us even if you havent made it to others. Kelsey Juhnke, a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, will be reviewing previous sessions and showing how to fully integrate these techniques into your daily life. Free and open to the public. Call 218-847-2168 for more information.

Building Brand in Detroit Lakes: The Small Business Development Center of Moorhead will lead this discussion of how brand defines identity and shapes how the public perceives your business. Join SBDC consultant Deb McGregor as she walks you through the steps of building your brand. Cost is $10 per person. Call Amy Anderson at 218-299-3037 for more information.

Library Knitting Group: The Detroit Lakes Public Library's monthly knitting Group meets at 4 p.m. in the main meeting room of the library at 1000 Washington Ave. Knitters of all experience levels are invited to join in by bringing new and ongoing projects and sharing experience and inspiration with fellow knitters. Call 218-847-2168 for more information.

Social Security & Medicare Seminar: Join presenter Nick Christenson for this seminar on "Social Security & Medicare: How to, When to, and How it Works," at 6:30 p.m. in the Holiday Inn, Detroit Lakes. There will be refreshments & desserts included. RSVP by calling Nick Christenson at State Farm Insurance, 218-847-1353.

Becker County Republicans: The March meeting of the Becker County Republicans will be at HUB 41 restaurant, 104 West Lake Drive, Detroit Lakes, in the upper level. There will be a "strategy" get-together at 6 p.m., with menu options available for purchase, followed by the official meeting at 7 p.m.

Baby Bounce: The Detroit Lakes Public Library has scheduled a Baby Bounce session at 10:30 a.m. in the main meeting room of the library at 1000 Washington Ave. A half-hour program of songs, stories, flannel board, action poems for infants and toddlers plus their caregivers will be followed by playtime and chatting with other caregivers. Call the library at 218-847-2168 for more information.

DL Book Bike Spin-A-Thon: Help raise money for the DL Book Bike, coming this summer to the Detroit Lakes Public Library. To participate, sign up for a 15 minute time slot between 10 a.m.-4 p.m. to pedal the stationary bike that will be in the library's reading lounge area call 218-847-2168 or stop in at the library (1000 Washington Ave.) to register. You can sign up by yourself, or challenge a friend to join you; there will be two bikes for each available time slot. Participants are asked to gather pledges, either by the minute or the mile. The top fundraiser will win a Little Free Library filled with books! Pledges must be collected and turned in by April 1. All funds raised will go towards the DL Book Bike project.

Tubing After Dark: The Tubing Hill at Detroit Mountain Recreation Area will host a special "Tubing After Dark" event from 7:30 p.m. to midnight, with Friends & Family Tubing until 9:30 p.m., followed by tubing for those age 21 and up until midnight. This adventure-driven experience has participants slide down a snowy run through a series of flashing, colorful lights and lasers. Cost is $22 per person. Some restrictions apply. Call 218-844-7669 or visit detroitmountain.com for more information.

FireHouse at Shooting Star: Get ready for a night of GLAMtastic hair metal rock and roll with award winning band, FireHouse! This 1990s band reached stardom with hit singles like, Dont Treat Me Bad, All She Wrote and signature ballads, I Live My Life For You and When I Look Into Your Eyes." Show starts at 8 p.m.; tickets are $12-$28. Call 800-313-7469 or visit http://www.starcasino.com for more information.

Read to a Dog: Kids in the lakes area can come to the Detroit Lakes Public Library from 11 a.m. to noon for a chance to practice reading aloud to a furry friend from Pet Partners. Sign your child up to read with Norman, a certified therapy animal, by calling the library 218-847-2168 or stopping in at 1000 Washington Ave. Each session is 15 minutes long; participation is on a first signed up, first served basis.

Eagles Charity Auction: The Detroit Lakes Eagles Aerie 2342 will present their annual charity auction from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Eagles Club, 112 W. Holmes St., Detroit Lakes. Call 218-847-5267 for more information.

Bridge Over Troubled Water: St. Cloud-based band Collective Unconscious will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Simon and Garfunkel's iconic album, "Bridge Over Trouble Water," by performing the album's songs from start to finish in a 7:30 p.m. show at Detroit Lakes' Historic Holmes Theatre. Complete with strings and horns, it's a true sonic representation of the original arrangements. down to the last meticulous detail. Tickets are $28 for adults, $14 for students, and may be purchased online at http://www.dlccc.org/holmes-theatre.html, in person at 806 Summit Ave., Detroit Lakes, or by phone at 218-844-7469.

October Road at the Holiday Inn: Country rock band October Road will perform at the Holiday Inn Beach Bar starting at 9 p.m.

Color Guard Breakfast: The Lake Region Veterans Color Guard is hosting a fundraiser breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon at the Detroit Lakes American Legion Club. Breakfast will feature scrambled eggs, pancakes or French toast, and sausage or bacon, all for a suggested donation of $7.

Turkey Dinner: St. Andrews Catholic Church of Hawley will be hosting a turkey dinner with all the trimmings from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Assorted salads and desserts are also included; admission is $12 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-12 and free for all preschoolers (age 5 and under). Fifteen percent of the proceeds from the event will go to support local charities.

Library Book Club: This month's book club discussion will focus on ""Mrs. Everything" by Jennifer Weiner. It promises to provide an interesting discussion regarding "how should a woman be in the world." All are welcome to attend, even if you haven't read the book. Call 218-847-2168 for more information.

Crochet Group: Calling all crocheters! People of all experience levels are welcome to bring new and ongoing projects to the librarys crochet group meeting in the main meeting room at 4 p.m. Share experience, inspiration and the love of crocheting. Call 218-847-2168 for more information.

Lake Region Veterans Color Guard: The Lake Region Veterans Color Guard will hold its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the home of VFW Post 1676, 500 N. Washington Ave., Detroit Lakes. For more information send an email to daveindl@arvig.net.

These Happenings section items or events do not have a specific date, or take place on more than one day.

Winter Games at Detroit Mountain: Detroit Mountain Recreation Area will host several Winter Games events on Saturday and Sunday, March 7-8, including an Amazing Race-style scavenger hunt at 9 a.m. Saturday; a Rail Jam at 11 a.m. Saturday; and Learn to Ski & Snowshoe demonstrations on Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon. The Cardboard Box Derby event that was set to take place Sunday afternoon has been cancelled, however. Visit detroitmountain.com for details.

Naytahwaush Nightriders Snodeo: Pinehurst Resort on North Twin Lake in rural Naytahwaush is the setting for the 50th annual Snodeo, hosted by the Naytahwaush Nightriders Snowmobile Club. This years milestone event is set for March 7-8, and will include 18 different categories of USXC snowmobile racing on the lake as well as a vintage snowmobile show, old timers' run and other commemorative festivities. Gate fee is $10. Call 218-849-6363 for more information, or visit http://www.naytahwaushnightriders.com/snodeo.html.

Lakes Area Photography Show: The 8th Annual Lakes Area Photography Show continues from now through Sunday, March 8 in the main corridor of the Washington Square Mall, Detroit Lakes. Come vote for your favorites; the Peoples Choice 1st and 2nd place winners in both the adult and youth categories will be announced during a small ceremony at the conclusion of the show. There will also be a pop-up photo booth at the mall on Saturday, March 8 from 10 a.m. to noon. Call Dawn Olson, 218-847-1679, or send an email to wsm@arvig.net for more information.

Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference: The 17th Annual Great Lakes Indigenous Farming Conference is set to take place from March 6-8 at Maplelag Resort near Callaway. Over 25 native herbalists, gardeners, horticulturists, community leaders, professors, students, and farmers from all four directions will share their knowledge. Come learn how native people are restoring traditional foods, implementing sustainable practices, and collaborating with native nations. Visit http://www.welrp.org or call 218-375-2600 for registration information.

Detroit Lakes Lenten Fish Fry: The Detroit Lakes Knights of Columbus, Council 3166, will host a Lenten fish fry on two Friday nights during the Lenten season March 13 and March 27. Serving will be from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Holy Rosary Parish Center, 1043 Lake Ave., Detroit Lakes. Cost is $10 for adults and $5 for students under age 12. All proceeds will be returned to the community.

Frazee Lenten Fish Fry: The Knights of Columbus Council 12581 of Frazee will host a Lenten fish fry fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, March 20 and Friday, April 3 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Frazee. The meal will include fried fish, scalloped potatoes or French fries, green beans, cole slaw, bread and ice cream. Cost is $12 for adults, $6 for kids age 7-12, and free for kids age 6 and under.

STEAM Club at the Becker County Museum: The Becker County Museum will be hosting a weekly Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) Club every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., now through March 31. Students have the option to choose between the Art track or the STEM track, or can or move back and forth between projects. Each two-hour session includes a daily snack and supplies. Cost is $130 for the 13-week program ($10 per session); appropriate for kids ages 8-14. Call the museum at 218-847-2938 to reserve your spot.

Peoples Park Skating Rink & Warming House: The outdoor skating rink and warming house at Peoples Park are now open. Warming house regular hours through Feb. 29 will be 3-5:30 p.m. and 6-8:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; as well as 12-5 p.m. and 6-8:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays. Schedule is weather dependent; changes and/or cancellations will be announced on both KDLM and KRCQ Radio as well as the City of Detroit Lakes Facebook page.

Toddler & Family Storytime: Children ages 3 through kindergarten, and their families, are invited to the Detroit Lakes Library on Thursday and Saturday mornings at 10:30 a.m. for exciting stories and activities that are more fun than a barrel of monkeys. For more information, call 218-847-2168 or visit your library at 1000 Washington Ave. Information is also available online at http://www.larl.org.

Becker County Food Pantry: The Becker County Food Pantry at 1308 Rossman Ave, Detroit Lakes, is open from 4 to 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month, by appointment. Call 218-846-0142 on that day to schedule your slot. No appointment is necessary during the Pantry's regular operating hours, which are every Tuesday and Thursday (national holidays excepted) from noon to 3 p.m.

ServSafe Food Manager Classes: Detroit Lakes Adult Basic Education is offering ServSafe Food Manager classes on Wednesdays and Fridays, Feb. 19-March 6. Participants will learn best practices and regulations for safe food management, and those successfully completing the course and exam will be able to register with the Minnesota Department of Health as a certified ServSafe Food Manager. Classes will be held from 8 a.m. to noon. There will also be a re-certification course for previously certified food managers held on March 13. Call 218-844-5760 or email afish@detlakes.k12.mn.us for more information.

Free English as a Second Language Classes: Adult Basic Education in Detroit Lakes offers free English language instruction for adults every Monday-Thursday. The schedule is flexible and individualized. Call 218-844-5760 or stop by the ABE offices at M State to register or for more information.

Driver's License Exam Prep Classes: Detroit Lakes Adult Basic Education is now offering classes designed to help unlicensed adult drivers become familiar with vocabulary, signs, and rules of the road so they can successfully pass the written portion of the Minnesota Driver's License Exam. Call 218-844-5760 or email afish@detlakes.k12.mn.us for more information.

Local Al-Anon and Alateen Meetings: Several weekly meetings of Al-Anon Family Groups (AFGs) and Alateen support groups take place in the lakes area. The Lakes Fellowship AFG meets at 5 p.m. every Monday at First Lutheran Church, 912 Lake Ave., Detroit Lakes; the Perham Al-Anon group meets at 7 p.m. on Mondays in the Perham Alano Club, 43452 County Highway 34; The Detroit Lakes AFG meets at 7 p.m. every Tuesday in the Detroit Lakes Alano Club, 827 Summit Ave.; the Keep It Simple AFG meets every Thursday at noon in Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 1025 Lake Ave. (enter south door), Detroit Lakes; and the Detroit Lakes Alateen group meets every Thursday at 8 p.m. in the DL Alano Club. For more information visit http://www.minnesotanorth-al-anon.org.

Memory Cafe of the Lakes: Memory Cafe of the Lakes is a free place to gather, open to those with mild to moderate memory problems and their care partners. It is a place to come together to share social experiences in a supportive environment. You will have a chance to develop new friendships over coffee, treats, music, art, fellowship and guest speakers. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Detroit Lakes' Community Alliance Church. For more information call Kathy Kallis, 218-849-0631; Jenna Miller, 218-844-8376; Sue Sorensen, 218-841-0371; or Brenda Labine, 218-844-7157.

Volunteer Respite Care: Become a respite care volunteer! For those 17 years and older interested in providing basic companion and supervision to older adults to relieve their primary caregivers. AmeriCorps volunteers receive a $200 per month stipend and after completing 450 hours in a year, receive a $1,600 educational grant. Community volunteers, individuals willing to help on a minimal basis, also welcome! Please contact Laura Rasmussen at 218-220-7517 or laura.rasmussen@lssmn.org if you are interested in learning more.

Detroit Lakes Area Pickleball: Detroit Lakes Area Pickleball hosts organized play from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Monday through Friday at the Detroit Lakes Community & Cultural Center. Two to four courts are available depending on program scheduling; check the gym door for details. All skill levels are welcome; all equipment provided. Wear good quality court shoes. To get more information about lessons, events and socials email DLpickleball@gmail.com or like the DL Pickleball page on Facebook.

Lakes Area Adoption Support: Lakes Area Adoption Support is an adoption support group for anyone who has adopted or who is in the process of adoption. Meetings are the last Tuesday of each month at Audubon Elementary School from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Child care available.

Overeaters Anonymous: Two local chapters of Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step food addiction recovery program, meet weekly in Detroit Lakes: One group meets on Sundays at 6 p.m. in Community Alliance Church, while the other meets on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. at First Lutheran Church. No diets, weigh-ins, or fees. All are welcome! For more information on the Community Alliance group, call 701-388-7585. For more information on the First Lutheran group, contact Donna at 218-329-5335.

Eagles Bingo: Bingo is back at the Detroit Lakes Eagles Club, 112 W. Holmes St., every Tuesday at 6 p.m. Call 218-847-5267 for more information.

Moms Morning Out: A Moms Morning Out meeting is held every Thursday morning, 10:30-11:30 a.m. at La Barista in the Washington Square Mall. You and your little one are invited to come visit with other breastfeeding moms and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee or tea. A breastfeeding and infant care expert will be present to answer questions. For more information or to sign up call 218-314-7051.

Birthing class: Essentia Health St. Marys hosts childbirth preparation classes for expectant mothers in their sixth to seventh month of pregnancy. Topics include Labor & Delivery, Cesarean Birth, Role of the Labor Companion, Newborn Care, Unexpected Outcomes, Breast & Bottle Feeding, Postpartum Period, Breathing Patterns & Relaxation Techniques. Suggested donation is $40 for all five classes. Classes are Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more information, call 218-314-7051.

Eagles Pinochle: Every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. there will be pinochle at the Eagles Club at 112 W. Holmes St. in Detroit Lakes. Members, guests and friends welcome. For questions call Gordy Martinson at 218-841-2940.

Caregiver discussion group: A caregiver discussion group is held the first Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m. in Trinity Lutheran Church, Detroit Lakes. Are you caring for a friend or family member age 60 or older? Join other caregivers for education, sharing, problem-solving and refreshments. Facilitated by Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota. All are welcome. Contact Laura Rasmussen at 218-220-7517 with questions.

Adult Children of Alcoholics: The Alano Club of Detroit Lakes (827 Summit Ave.) will host a weekly meeting of Adult Children of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families (ACoA) every Sunday at 8 p.m. For more information contact Gina B at 218-849-3649.

TOPS meetings: Take Off Pounds Sensibly members help each other stay on track to their weight loss goal. No diets, no food to buy and no workouts to follow. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Minnesota TOPS Chapter 30 meets Mondays in Trinity Lutheran Church choir room in Detroit Lakes. Weigh in is at 4:15 p.m., followed by meeting at 4:30. TOPS Chapter 940 meets on Thursdays at 9 a.m., also at Trinity Lutheran. TOPS 1251 of Lake Park meets every Tuesday at the Lake Park Lutheran Church, with weigh-in starting at 12 noon, followed by the meeting at 12:30. Come and join us as we help each other reach our weight goals as we improve our health. New members welcome. For more information call 218-532-2883, or 218-532-5882.

L.A. Moms group: Lakes Area (L.A.) Moms is designed to nurture every mother. At our L.A. Moms group, you will have a chance to socialize with other moms, hear some great teaching, have discussion time and participate in creative activities. L.A. Moms is held the first and third Wednesday of each month throughout the school year from 9-11 a.m. at the Lakes Area Vineyard Church in Detroit Lakes. For more info, call 218-846-1199.

Senior Social: A Senior Social is held the first and third Thursday of the month at the Neighbor to Neighbor office in Frazee. The address is 501 W. Juniper Suite B. (the blue building on old Hwy. 10). Call 218-334-3559 for more information.

Community Alliance Church programs: Community Alliance Church, Detroit Lakes, hosts Quilting for Missions Mondays at 9:30 a.m.; The first Tuesday of every month is High Mileage (suggested ages 55 and up), which meets for pot-blessing meal at noon, followed by special music and a Bible nugget.

Foster homes needed: Foster homes are needed. If you or someone you know can help, call Becker County Children and Family Services 218-847-5628 and ask for Intake.

Bone Builders: An exercise class for seniors called Bone Builders is being held at 405 W. Maple Ave. in Frazee, Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m.; the Lake Park City Center every Tuesday and Friday at 10:15 a.m.; and also at the Vergas Event Center, Thursdays at 9:30.a.m. The group focuses on low-impact and balance exercises.

Alzheimers Support Group: Meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 2 p.m. in the Yoga Studio at Ecumen Detroit Lakes.

Dunvilla Lions Club: The Dunvilla Lions Club will meet the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Dunn Township Hall.

Be a foster grandparent: For those 55 and older interested in being a foster grandparent through the Tri-Valley Opportunity Council program, call 800-584-7020 or visit http://www.tvoc.org.

The Caring Cup: Every second and last Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., community members who are dealing with the loss of a loved one meet at the David-Donehower Funeral Home for friendship, support and encouragement. The free program is open to the public, no registration necessary.

Womens Domestic Violence Education Support Group: Lakes Crisis & Resource Center hosts a Womens Domestic Violence Education Support Group every Wednesday from 5:306:30 p.m. in the crisis center. Call to pre-register at 218-847-8572 or 218-847-7446. child care is available upon request.

Rummikub, more games: Tuesday afternoons from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., come to Holy Rosary fireplace room for coffee, desserts and a game of cards, board games or Rummikub. Everyone is welcome.

Parkinsons Support Group: Emmanuel Nursing Homes Forest Conference Center, 2 p.m. on the last Thursday of each month.

BC Senior Meals: Meals for persons 60 and older are served several times each week at nutrition sites in Detroit Lakes, Lake Park, Osage and Wolf Lake or can be delivered directly to homes in these communities, Frazee and Callaway, via the Meals on Wheels program. One-day advance notice of attendance is required at many sites. For more information, call Lake Park at 238-5336, Detroit Lakes at 847-5823, Osage/Wolf Lake at 573-3663, Frazee at 847-5823, Ogema at 877-498-2865, and Callaway (Meals on Wheels only) at 847-5823.

Lakes Area Quilt Guild: The Lakes Area Quilt Guild meets every fourth Thursday at 7 p.m. at Ecumen in Detroit Lakes, Emmanuel Nursing Home in the Forest Conference Center. All levels of quilters, new and experienced are welcome to attend.

Preschool screening: Preschool screening for 3-5 year olds for the Frazee-Vergas district is provided through Becker County Community Health Services. Call Annie at 218-847-5628 ext. 5419 to make an appointment. This one screening will provide your child the requirements for Early Childhood Screening. Minnesota law requires each child attend a health and developmental screening before kindergarten.

Senior Center Activities: The DL Senior Citizens Center has activities all month long. Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. is Pinochle; at 1 p.m. there will be 500 and other games. Whist is played on Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. The third Wednesday of each month will be a celebration of birthdays for the month. The second Monday of each month there will be a Site Council meeting at 11 a.m. For more information, call 847-5823.

Bingo for DL Hockey: The DL Youth Hockey organization holds bingo every Sunday at Zorbaz in support of youth hockey in Detroit Lakes. All are welcome; bingo starts at 6 p.m.

Mens lunch, bridge club: Men's lunch and bridge club meets every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Holiday Inn. Call 701-388-4329 if you are interested in playing.

eReader help: Schedule a one-on-one appointment to address your eReader questions every Tuesday (10:30-11:30 a.m.) and Wednesday (4:30-5:30 p.m.) at Detroit Lakes Public Library, or call for an appointment that better fits your schedule. For more information, call Detroit Lakes Public Library at 218-847-2168.

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Happenings around the lakes area - Detroit Lakes Tribune

A yearlong analysis of Facebooks Ad Library has revealed significant systemic flaws in the way the platform monitors and enforces its political ad rules, according to researchers at New York University.

The issues were uncovered as part of the NYU teams audit of the Ad Library between May 2018 and June 2019, which found some $37 million worth of ads did not accurately disclose who was paying for them.

Researchers Laura Edelson, Tobias Lauringer, and Damon McCoy found more than 86,000 Facebook Pages that ran political ads with the misleading disclosures, the report states. More than 19,000 ads appeared to be paid for by likely inauthentic communities, with groups of Pages promoting near-identical images or messages targeted at swing state voters.

The inauthentic ads used disinformation tactics similar to those employed by the Russian-backed Internet Research Agency, including targeting readers by race, gender, union membership or veteran status, the report states. The Internet Research Agency is believed to be behind efforts in 2016 to hack emails from the Democratic National Committee.

A Facebook spokesperson told The Verge in an email that our authorization and transparency measures have meaningfully changed since the research was conducted, adding that the social media platform offers more transparency into political and issue advertising than TV, radio or any other digital ad platform.

The vulnerabilities in Facebooks ad system could have allowed a malicious advertiser to avoid accurate disclosure of their political ads, the researchers found.

Facebook relaunched its Ad Library last March, saying it was committed to creating a new standard of transparency and authenticity for advertising. The update to the online repository, first introduced in May 2018, made all Facebooks active ads publicly available for review for seven years, including information about who paid for the ad and how much. Researchers and journalists were given access that allowed them to analyze information about ads in the library.

But that system was criticized for being difficult to navigate, making it an unreliable tool for tracking political advertising, the New York Times reported in July.

For its part, Facebook says its reviewing the Pages mentioned in the NYU researchers report. When a Page hides its ownership to mislead people, Facebook requires additional information and a verification process for the page to remain active. Fewer than 10 percent of ads its current Ad Library ran without the required disclaimers, but all were eventually labeled, the company says.

Facebook has tightened its requirements for political ads since the research was conducted as well; any political or social issue-ads require a Federal Election Commission or tax ID number as well as other identifying information. And additional updates to the Ad Library, including allowing people to see fewer political ads, are slated to roll out later this year.

The NYU researchers recommended Facebook take on a more active role in improving its Ad Library security, but praised the platform for taking steps toward better transparency, calling it the only [ad library] that provided enough data to meaningfully study. Google doesnt include issue advertising, and Twitters transparency center lists only a few hundred advertisers, compared to 126,000 pages with transparent political ads provided by Facebook.

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Thousands of political ads on Facebook were unclear about who paid for them - The Verge

There are currently 342 potential borrowers waiting for 197 digital copies of Ronan Farrows investigative thriller Catch and Kill at the Los Angeles Public Library.

Itll take months for that ebook to become available, I mutter to myself as I do my usual dance: searching the LAPLs ebook shelves for titles on my reading list. I place a hold anyway. Then I search for a book thats no longer the topic of watercooler conversations: Sally Rooneys Conversations with Friends. Only four borrowers in line for 93 copies. This book was major back in 2017, with dozens of digital copies to prove it, but Im reaping the benefits of being three years late. Ill be able to download this book to my Kindle in less than a week, I bet.

But why can only one person borrow one copy of an ebook at a time? Why are the waits so damn interminable? Well, it might not surprise you at all to learn that ebook lending is controversial in certain circles: circles of people who like to make money selling ebooks. Publishers impose rules on libraries that limit how many people can check out an ebook, and for how long a library can even offer that ebook on its shelves, because free, easily available ebooks could potentially damage their bottom lines. Libraries are handcuffed by two-year ebook licenses that cost way more than you and I pay to own an ebook outright forever.

Ebooks could theoretically circulate throughout public library systems forever, preserving books that could otherwise disappear when they go out of printafter all, ebooks cant get damaged or lost. And multiple library-goers could technically check out one ebook simultaneously if publishers allowed. But the Big Five have contracts in place that limit ebook availability with high pricesmuch higher than regular folks pay per ebookand short-term licenses. The publishers dont walk in and demand librarians hand over the ebooks or pay up, but they do just...disappear.

You think about Harvard Library or New York Public Librarythese big systems that, in addition to lending out stuff for people to use, are also the places where we look to preserve our heritage forever, said Alan Inouye, the American Library Associations senior director of public policy and government relations. You cant do that if its a two-year license.

My annoyance at having to wait months for the Catch and Kill ebook to appear on my virtual bookshelf suddenly seems like small potatoes compared to the loss of knowledge that could occur with limited ebook licenses.

Last summer, one of the book worlds Big Five publishers announced a change that will make ebook lines even longer. Macmillan, publisher of recent bestsellers like James Comeys A Higher Loyalty, decided to embargo new ebooks for eight weeks, preventing libraries from buying more than one copy until two months after a books release. The reason behind the embargo, CEO John Sargent said at the time, was that library lending has become so popular that ebook sales are taking a nosedive.

The embargo officially took effect Nov. 1, and now libraries are waiting to see if Macmillan will reverse its decision or if the companys data will support the move and prompt other publishers to follow suit.

The other top four U.S. publishersPenguin Random House, Hachette Livre, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schusterhavent instituted their own embargoes in the wake of Macmillans move. But Amazons growing in-house publishing imprint doesnt allow libraries to lend its ebooks at all, in what Inouye calls a permanent embargo, setting the stage for what could become an increasingly tense relationship between publishers and libraries.

As the year continues, it will become more contentious, regardless of what Macmillan does, Inouye said. Its a smaller part of a larger problem. Amazon has a rapidly growing marketshare in everything it does. Looking toward the future, thats the real concern.

To understand why the embargo is such a big deal, you have to understand that checking out an ebook from a library is dramatically different from borrowing a physical book in basically every way. Libraries work with intermediary companies, such as OverDrive (the biggest player), Hoopla, and others, to negotiate ebook licensing contracts with publishers. Instead of buying copies of a book to put into circulation, as libraries do with physical books, they procure licenses through a company like OverDrive. Those licenses last about two years, on average, and cost $50-$60 per ebook, according to the ALA. Thats approximately five times the cost of the average ebook on Amazon. Physical books dont require licenses; libraries buy them outright at volume, so the cost is much lower than $50 per book.

We think the library pricing is egregious, Inouye said. Its unjustified and awful. You as a consumer would pay $12 or $14 for a bestseller ebook that you would have for the rest of your life. The library buys the same ebook, one user at a timeits not like you can copy it indefinitely and hundreds of people can use it. Publishers say because of friction its a lot easier to borrow an ebook than a print book because you dont have the turnover of checking it out and returning it for the next person. We dont see it that way. Ebooks might be worth a little bit more, but not five times more. Thats crazynot to mention the two-year limitation.

Ebook pricing has a fraught history. Amazon once sold most ebooks for $9.99, usually taking a loss in order to sell more Kindle ereaders. In 2010, Apple introduced a rival ereader of sorts in the iPad, with a corresponding bookstore, iBooks. Apple convinced publishers to start setting ebook prices at $14.99, and asked them to withhold ebooks from Amazon unless the company also raised its prices. The U.S. Department of Justice sued both Apple and the Big Fivethen six, until Penguin and Random House mergedfor antitrust violations. The tech company and publishers lost in court, but the $14.99 list price has remained de rigueur today.

Because only one reader can check out an ebook at a time, and because the cost of licensing an ebook is prohibitively high for libraries to invest in hundreds of copies for every new title, library-goers have become accustomed to long waits to check out ebooks, particularly bestsellers. For publishers, thats the point. If you have to wait weeks to check out a new ebook, you might just cruise on over to Amazon and pay $14.99 to have it delivered immediately to your Kindle or the Kindle app on your phone.

It is true that in its digital form a book can circulate endlessly, but the friction around this has to do with the fact that in a world where an ebook circulates endlessly, the economics of that dont return to the publisher or the author, said NPD BookScan analyst Kristen McLean. I think theres a misperception generally that it takes no overhead to make an ebook, but of course there is. You dont have to print that edition, you dont have to print the physical book, but all of the overhead that goes into that book is still there. It costs the publisher to acquire it, it costs the author time to write it, all the editorial and all the processing to make that book, all of it is still there. The only thing that isnt there is the dollars that it takes to actually print the book. That to me is the fundamental friction in this model.

Ebook sales peaked in 2013 and have since declined, according to NPD data. At the same time, ebook lending through libraries has jumped. OverDrive reported a 15 percent increase in ebook lending last year, up to 211 million copies checked out across 43,000 schools and libraries worldwide. Los Angeles Public Library is the top library system in the U.S. for ebook lending, with 5.9 million ebooks borrowed in 2019.

But sales of print books have increased even as ebook sales have tapered off in recent years. McLean said the overall effect is a net zero.

I personally dont believe that circulating a book through the library, whether or digital or print, erodes sales for that book, McLean said. Even before ebooks, that was not the case. There are some people who choose to borrow and theres some people who choose to buy, but over time, when we look at all the numbers, it all always works out to be an almost zero-sum game. I think that there are benefits to people discovering books in the library and then choosing to buy those books or buy the next book by that author.

Checking out ebooks from your local library has only become easier in recent years, which has contributed to the rise in ebook lending. OverDrives Libby app for iOS and Android lets library-goers scour their library systems inventory for books, check them out, and download them directly to a smartphone or tablet when the books are available. You can also use Libby to sign up for a digital-only library card, or check to see if youre eligible to sign up for another library system, which makes ebooks more accessible. Basically, you never have to leave your house and still read books for free.

OverDrive CEO Steve Potash is an ebook evangelist, the kind of person who answers the phone by saying, Theres never a bad day in ebooks. He gave me a crash course in how to get the most out of Libby and instructions for navigating the ins and outs of my home library system, the Los Angeles Public Library. He even had kind words for publishers, who sometimes make new titles and bestsellers available for people to check out immediately through book club programs and on virtual library shelves labeled, Its Your Lucky Day. (The lucky-day loans last just seven days, but quick readers dont have to wait in line.)

Of the thousands of publishers and content creators and aggregators and distributors we work with, the significant majority value, appreciate, and embrace opportunities to promote the availability of their product under more fair and reasonable terms, Potash told me. Macmillan got a lot of ink, and its unfortunate that they made decisions based on what I think is bad data and legacy thinking.

Macmillan CEO Sargent told the Wall Street Journal last year that library reads comprised 45 percent of Macmillans overall digital reads in the U.S., effectively cannibalizing the publishers ebook sales. Libraries only make up about 15 percent of Macmillans annual ebook sales, according to the WSJ. Potash rejects that argument, citing OverDrive data from public libraries that shows that 79 percent of Macmillan ebook titles are removed from library shelves because the 2-year license expired before the ebook copy was checked out 52 times, as per Macmillans licensing agreement with OverDrive. (Its also difficult to determine whether someone who has checked out a book has actually read it.)

There are no third-party studies that support or reject Macmillans assertions that library ebook lending depresses ebook sales, though OverDrive is one of the funders of a group called the Panorama Project, which is in the process of studying library lendings effects on ebook sales. The American Library Association doesnt collect any data around ebook sales, and analysts like NPDs McLean only examine ebook sales trends, not ebook lending.

But if data doesnt inspire publishers to be more amenable to libraries, the law might.

Congress is currently investigating tech monopolies, and while the attention has largely been focused on companies like Facebook and Google, the inquiry extends to digital markets like ebook sales, too. Last fall, the ALA submitted comments to the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciarys Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial and Administrative Law about two separate issues: the Macmillan embargo and the high prices publishers charge libraries for restrictive ebook licenses. Inouye said the ALA expects the subcommittee to release a report toward the end of March or early April. He hopes the ebook library lending issue will be included in the report, and that legislative action will follow.

Our hope is that the library and ebook lending issue would be included as an example of abuse of market powerthat very large players in the marketplace go beyond what is really appropriate for our economy and society, Inouye said. Some kind of adjustment to the law needs to be made to prevent this kind of behavior. A company cant arbitrarily decide that theyll sell to you, the consumer, but they wont sell to a library at any price during the embargo price.

It might all come down to money, but libraries also have a responsibility to serve the public in what is perhaps one of the only widely acceptable bastions of socialism in the U.S. Libraries are cornerstones of their cities. They offer resources to underserved communities, provide programming for curious children and frazzled parents, and, perhaps most importantly, preserve knowledge for future generations. That will remain the case even without ebooks, but print is fragile and not as accessible as digital, freely available information.

Ebooks were supposed to change the world, and make information more affordable and accessible to people everywhere. Instead, people are buying hardcover books from Amazon, which are somehow cheaper than paying $15 for an ebook, or have to wait weeks on end for an ebook to become available for free through their local library. This is not the utopia we imagined. Perhaps legislation could change that.

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Libraries Could Preserve Ebooks Forever, But Greedy Publishers Wont Let Them - Gizmodo

(Watchara Piriyaputtanapun via Getty Images)

When it comes to where Americans place their trust as they gather information before making an important decision, a big majority (81%) say they rely a lot on their own research many more than say they rely a lot on friends and family (43%) or professional experts (31%), according to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey. Some 15% also say they rely on their own research a little as they make major decisions.

The 96% of those in the survey who said they rely on their own research a lot or a little were asked to explain in their own words what they mean by doing their own research. In answering this open-ended question, they cited a host of sources that often start but do not end with searching on the internet. Overall, 46% explained they turned to digital tools, while 25% said they turned to other people for advice. Less commonly cited strategies for self-conducted research included people relying on their prior education or life experiences (11%), reading print media (8%), and consulting religious wisdom (4%). For some, it meant letting their instincts and gut inform their decision. Many reported using multiple strategies when seeking advice, often depending on the type of decision they are trying to make.

Several themes stood out as Americans explained in writing the way they do their own research when they make big decisions (responses edited for punctuation, spelling and clarity).

This post draws on a survey of 10,618 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 27-Dec. 10, 2018, for a report on Trust and Distrust in America. Everyone who took part is a member of Pew Research Centers American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATPs methodology.

Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology.

I rely on information on the internet, e.g., a move to another city made me look up geographical information, cost of living, and also info from residents of the new area and also input from friends of long standing, using their experiences. Woman, 77

If I were to change jobs, enter college, etc., I would conduct research on the internet. I would search for news articles, seek out publications that evaluate the choices, and try to talk directly to experts or people with relevant experiences. Man, 54

First, I will do a fairly rigorous web search, comparing multiple sources of information for both content and reliability. Afterward, I will follow up with books and other resources from the library. Man, 45

All available: Web, reviews, leg work, asking questions, reviewing with my family, finding people who had the same decision to make and get their take on it. Man, 54

Internet, books, articles and others experiences. Whatever medium contains information that is relevant and deemed reliable by me. Male, age 45

My instincts. My wisdom. Google . My gut feelings. Woman, 60

I research and read up on everything and everyone involved. I use the internet and research what is available, but I trust my instincts when making decisions. Woman, 54

Authoritative sources on the internet written by experts on the subject, primarily. Man, 48

Talk to my parents and grandparents. I then talk to a friend whos a subject matter expert if available. I finally move to internet research and research heavily on the internet. If any questions remain I circle back to the beginning and loop through again. Man, 26

Discussions with people who have been in the same situation. Professional advice from doctors, pastors, counselors. Do research on my own via the internet. Woman, 72

[I do] online research; asking friends (or persons I respect) their advice. Prayer is a key factor in any decision I make. Also, what the Bible has to say that might apply to my situation. Woman, 53

Major decisions are always led with a conversation with husband. Talking with professional and going online to look at options mentioned by professional plus other alternatives. Is it in line with my faith or scripturally sound? Talking with a trusted friend. Woman, 65

Look for resources at the library and I love YouTube because it provides more a personal resource. Woman, 39

Google and library. Woman, 20

In a wrap-up comment, a 93-year-old woman respondent to the survey wrote, I have a few [major decisions] ahead of me. Internet and children assist.

The rise of digital resources on the web and apps has occurred at a time of decreasing trust in institutions like the government, news media and higher education. The move by people to do their own research online is also taking place as the internet is allowing crowds of people to post reviews, ratings and comments of the things they purchase and experience. This internet-enabled, crowd-based activity has been described as distributed trust.

The 2018 survey also asked questions about peoples use of online reviews and ratings. An overwhelming majority (93%) of Americans report reading customer reviews and ratings at least sometimes when buying a product or service for the first time.

By and large, Americans have confidence that reviews and ratings can be beneficial: Majorities say reviews have at least a somewhat positive effect on consumer confidence (88% think they help a lot or some), product safety (80%) and company accountability (78%).

Note: Here are the questions used for this report, along with responses, and its methodology.

Originally posted here:
Most Americans rely on their own research to make big decisions, and that often means online searches - Pew Research Center