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The $500 million Obama Presidential Center is on thin ice now that federal judge John Robert Blakey has allowed the lawsuit against the City of Chicago to continue.

The advocacy group Protect Our Parks first sued Chicago in May of 2018. This came after the Obama Foundation and the University of Chicago unveiled plans to build a library and museum in honor of the former president.

Protect Our Parks and other environmental advocates were appalled that the plan would carve out more than 20 acres of land from Jackson Park, thereby violating the public trust doctrine.

The public trust doctrine governs a variety of environmental concerns, including anything from beach access to wildlife conservation. The main argument posited by Protect Our Parks is that this construction would inhibit the public’s claim over Jackson Park.

“For environmentalists and preservationists who view private ownership as a source of the degradation of our natural and historical resources, the public trust doctrine holds out the hope of salvation through what amounts to a judicially enforced inalienability rule that locks resources into public ownership,” notes an article hashing out the dispute in The University of Chicago Law Review.

Supporters for the Obama Presidential Center had hoped that the judge would dismiss the legal battle between the two parties. However, Blakey only dismissed some of the claims within the plaintiff’s argument, instead allowing the lawsuit to continue.

Among those claims dismissed included allegations of environmental damage to the park. Claims that the taxpayers would take the brunt of burden regarding construction were also dismissed. After all, the Obama Foundation bought the land for only $10 for its use over the next 99 years.

“They are essentially giving [property] to Obama […] for 10 cents a year for 99 years,” claims park advocacy lawyer Mark Roth.

Income taxes account for almost 50% of federal revenue, but city lawyers agreed that the City of Chicago would front the $175 million needed to change roads around the center.

As of now, the center accommodates the museum, along with a number of surrounding buildings, including a 300-seat auditorium. It’s essential that they build with care; for example, if they opt for pier and beam foundation, the beams need to measure 12 feet apart at most.

On the other side of the battle, city lawyers and supporters for the project claim that it could bring much-needed revenue into the city.

Not only would it create more than 5,000 temporary jobs in construction, but it would also create 2,500 permanent jobs and bring in an estimated 760,000 visitors each year after it opens.

Though the building is scheduled to open in 2021, the setbacks offered by the advocacy group has halted the project from breaking ground.

Judge Blakey has expedited the process, putting an expiration date on the lawsuit.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced plans on Thursday, February 14, to start regulating harmful chemicals that have been found in U.S. drinking water. According to USA Today, in the next few months, the EPA will set a maximum contaminant level for polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water systems that serve millions of Americans for drinking water.

PFAS are artificial substances found in commercial household items including cleaning products, food packaging, and water-repellent fabrics. They have also been found in firefighting foams.

The chemical substances are known to cause developmental problems, contribute to low infant birth weights, and health issues with the liver, kidneys, thyroid, reproductive system, and immune system.

PFAS can also cause different cancers including vocal cord cancer, which effects 10,000 people every year. And although these chemicals are harmful on their own, they’re especially harmful in water, which influences 100% of the processes in the human body.

“The action plan commits to take important steps that will improve how we research, monitor, detect and address PFAS,” said Andrew Wheeler, the EPA’s acting administrator.

The EPA will propose a regulatory determination to establish a maximum contaminant level for chemicals under the Safe Drinking Water Act by the end of the year. The PFAS will be listed as contaminants under the EPA’s Superfund program.

Environmental advocates criticized the EPA’s slow move to reduce PFAS in drinking water, calling the agency’s stalling as a way to protect industry interests. Many states have already taken steps to ban PFAS because of their risk to public health. Considering that only 1% of water on Earth is viable to drink, ensuring its cleanliness is paramount.

“This so-called plan is actually a recipe for more PFAS contamination, not less,” said Scott Faber, the senior vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Working Group. “It’s shameful that the EPA has taken two decades to produce a plan that allows increased exposure to compounds whose makers have used the American people as guinea pigs and, with the EPA’s complicity, covered it up.”

The Environmental Working Group estimates that over 1,500 drinking water systems may be contaminated with some level of PFAS. These water systems serve up to 110 million Americans.

At a news conference, Wheeler was asked whether the Environmental Protection Agency standard ought to be more aggressive with the PFAS after scientific research moved several states to reduce PFAS levels in their drinking water.

“We feel right now that 70 parts per trillion [of PFAS] is a safe level for drinking water,” said Wheeler. “As we go forward with the regulation, we’ll be looking to see whether or not lower levels are required, according to where the science directs us.”

Is caring less about your job the key to feeling better? One new book claims that it is.

Authors of the book “No Hard Feelings: The Secret Power of Embracing Emotions at Work” spent countless hours talking to gurus, reading self-help books, and performing healthy activities to lower perceived levels of stress. But few methods worked better than stepping back and stepping away from some of the stressors of the job.

Authors Liz Fosslien and Mollie West Duffy don’t want you to stop caring about your work, they simply want you to be less distracted by it throughout the day. They even identified the seven top stressors that can lead to feelings of burnout and stress, including:

• Unpredictable schedules
• Social isolation
• The information firehouse
• Sleep deprivation
• The information firehouse
• Obsessing about work on vacation
• And meeting unrealistic deadlines

These stressors cause us to obsess over work, whether we’re there or not. In fact, a recent study by Harvard psychologists revealed that most of us only spend half our time in the present.

This leads to further feelings of unhappiness, stress, guilt, anxiety, and depression. While this is hard to cope with outside of work, it also impacts our work life.

Nearly 51% of employees claim that their productivity suffers at work because of stress, but it’s very often the stress about work that creates this issue in the first place.

This creates a positive feedback loop of negative energy from which we simply can’t escape.

According to Fosslien, Duffy, and these Harvard psychologists, we need to stop letting work consume us. One method is breaking down your day into manageable tasks. Even setting aside a day for emails or writing can help ease the daily stresses of countless problems that come your way. Unless something is urgent, it can always be blocked off to complete at another time, like answering that social email or setting aside time in the morning to answer all emails at once.

Navigating stressors will look different for every person, but it’s also essential that you come up with ways to separate yourself from work when you’re not on the clock. Whether that takes the form of an after-work ritual or an adventure out of town, whatever creates a healthier work-life balance is worth pursuing.

After all, almost 70% of Millennials claim to be adventurous. Looking beyond your cubicle and embracing other aspects of life can really change your perspective.

Divorce is becoming increasingly common in the United States. In fact, between 40 and 50% of all U.S. marriages end in divorce. As a result, thousands of individuals face emotional stress and confusion every year as they go through the difficult process of ending a marriage.

After the decision to divorce has been made, many want the situation to be over as quickly as possible so that the healing process can begin. Unfortunately, divorces rarely happen overnight. The court process of separating assets and determining child custody can continue for several months. With such a long and complicated process, it’s no wonder that so many find divorce to be extremely stressful.

Though a stress-free divorce may not be possible, you can practice healthy coping mechanisms to make the process a little bit easier. If you’re going through a divorce, try any of these three stress-management tips to feel better and start healing:

1. Identify Where Your Stress is Rooted

Divorce can lead to a complete upheaval of your daily life. Take time to determine what aspect of the divorce process is causing you the most worry. Are you worried about not seeing your children, or afraid that you’ll have to relocate? By figuring out what upsets you most, you’ll be able to create an action plan for coping with your emotions and improving the situation however possible.

Often, new financial burdens heighten divorce stress. Since data from 2016 shows that the cost of living went up 30% in the previous 13 years, learning to manage a household on one income can be particularly challenging. If you determine that your stress is rooted in financial instability, start reconstructing your budget as soon as possible to feel more stable and in control.

2. Care For Your Health

In happy times, exercise and healthy eating habits are important. During stressful times like divorce, however, maintaining such habits is absolutely essential. Though exercise may be the last thing you feel like doing, taking time for even a short walk can boost your mood. Eating a balanced diet will also help you resist illness, sleep better, maintain a healthy weight, and in general feel more in control of your situation.

3. Focus On Other Kinds of Relationships

When grieving the loss of a marriage, take time to embrace other loving relationships in your life. Connecting with family and friends can help you combat loneliness and establish a support network. You can discuss the divorce if you feel like talking about it, or use your friendships to have a little fun and take your mind off the separation. Even adopting a pet can help– studies show that 74% of individuals who keep animals as companions report mental health improvements.

Divorce is never easy, but with these tips, you can find a path to healing. By taking time for self reflection, caring for your overall health, and reconnecting with others you love, you can better cope with divorce stress. Though your marriage may be at an end, your happiness doesn’t have to be.

There’s a meme out there that pictures a person riding a bicycle, jamming their own spokes with a stick, then lying on the ground after the fall, blaming anything and anyone else but themselves. That’s what Facebook has been doing to themselves over the last year. We’re starting to get to the point where user data and privacy issues go together with Facebook better than caviar and crostinis.

They’re quick to become a quotable statistic synonymous with distrust if they keep up their current trajectory. For instance, the CDC reports that one in six Americans gets sick from contaminated food every year. Soon enough, we might see similar reports that give alarming statistics detailing the amount of data Facebook mishandles in a year. Heck, even in a given month. Now they’re ensconced in drama, yet again.

It was recently discovered that, since 2016, Facebook has been paying users $20 per month to install software on their iPhones that would allow the company to have extensive access to the data on their personal devices. The extent of that access is unclear, but they’re not in a good spot because the audience this data mining tactic targeted happened to include teenagers.

Between 75% and 80% of malicious attacks happen within an organization rather than from external hacking. Organizations are questioning who dreamed up this mess within the social media giant. With targeting users between ages 13 and 35 a main feature of this tactic, how it got through conception to full deployment without someone questioning how wrong it could go is mind-boggling.

Now Facebook is against the ropes, yet again. Apple pulled that software from the App Store for breaching policy. Moreover, Facebook is exposed in what people are seeing as a low-budget bribe for user’s personal information. Even worse is that the near trillion dollar company couldn’t find it in themselves to offer more than $20, hence targeting a user audience more likely to grant access for such a modest fee. Teens. Around 95.4% of Americans participate in some manner of charitable giving every year, but those donations often include access to our most private information.

“Despite early reports, there was nothing ‘secret’ about this; it was literally called the Facebook Research App. It wasn’t ‘spying’ as all of the people who signed up to participate went through a clear on-boarding process asking for their permission and were paid to participate. Finally, less than 5 percent of the people who chose to participate in this market research program were teens. All of them with signed parental consent forms,” remarked a Facebook spokesperson.

Still, the damage is done. And given Facebook’s track record over the last year, the last thing they need is any more questionable data-handling scandals.

One astonished reply that reflects the comparative severity of Facebook’s data disaster epidemic was the tongue-in-cheek remark from SoFi’s VP of Communication, Jim Prosser:

“Only way this looks worse is if they had compensated the teens with Juul pods.”

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To some, homeownership is more a list of chores than a collection of pleasurable activities. Everything that goes into making sure a home lasts a long time takes a reasonable amount of thought, planning, and preparation before execution. However you might see homeownership, the details that make a home last a long time should never be approached nor executed haphazardly.

If you have a pool or spa, you might consider that you’ll save money on composite surfaces that may only last five to 25 years, while more expensive glass tile surfaces can last indefinitely. You might also consider the work it would take to finish your basement to extend the comfortable usefulness and gathering spaces in your home.

One Canadian man — Joe Murray — brought a hobbyist’s approach to a basement project that attracted attention over time. He’s been recording progress on YouTube of him digging his basement since 2007, but his original project began in 2005 without being recorded. Rather than having professionals dig his basement in what would likely require the work of a day or two, he’s been doing it with mini remote-controlled construction equipment.

Yes, like miniature backhoes, dump trucks, bulldozers, and all the other traditional construction site machinery. Only smaller. While the U.S. home and garden market was slated to increase by $10 billion in 2018, Murray had different home project plans altogether. Very methodical plans that were certainly in no rush.

Obviously, the man is knowledgeable of construction and is doing this because he enjoys it. It’s therapeutic. While the global wellness industry swells to a net worth of $3.7 trillion and sells the benefits of milk thistle, maybe the world needs more basement digging RC construction tinkerers than fad diets and juice cleanses. Some food for thought.

“What better place to have an all-weather playground than under your house? It’s just a few steps away when I have time for it, it’s a comfy place to be when it’s -30C outside. I am in no hurry to finish,” Murray reported. He’s not wrong given the arctic temperatures this winter has thrown our way.

Since 2007, he’s been recording videos and streaming them on his YouTube channel LilGiantsConstrCo. He doesn’t really care about going viral or viewership, just having a place where the longitude of his hobby can be stored. People can watch if they want. He’s been an RC hobbyist since 1995 and the machinery he uses is both assembled and customized from kits and built by him from scratch.

His story popped up a while back in 2012, where he expressed interest in other bigger projects like digging a pond with channels. Again, true to his hobby rather than rushing into several ambitious tasks, he’s remained slowly working on his basement excavation to this day. No one knows when it’ll be finished except Joe Murray, but we’re willing to bet that after 14 years of working on it, finishing the project isn’t the point. It’s the joy of the journey — and the dig — along the way.

Many people are interested in basement renovation, but they don’t always turn their basements into rooms that are comfortable and decorated. Some people see basements as spaces that are purely functional. People who have washing machines in their basements may always feel that way, especially if there is not a lot of room for anything else. Setting up a sitting area with a running washing machine nearby usually won’t work. 

However, in a lot of homes, a basement is just a space that is going unused for no reason. People in these homes might be interested in different basement interior ideas this year. Some basement redesign ideas are fairly simple, and yet they will have a huge effect on the appearance of these spaces. People might get basement inspiration when they see some pictures of finished basements that look like gorgeous living rooms.andnbsp;

A basement in residential house might be fairly large. People could comfortably spend a lot of time there. Basement windows don’t usually let in a lot of light, but this won’t be a problem for everyone. Some people like the cozy feel of underground rooms like basements. The location of basements can sometimes just add to their visual appeal.andnbsp;

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If you’re a parent, you may be wondering how to keep your child athlete healthy this year — without becoming an overbearing helicopter parent. Luckily, we’ve got you covered.

If your child has been showing a growing interest in participating in sports lately and getting healthy, they certainly won’t be alone. Over 36 million kids in the U.S. play organized sports each year, and that number keeps growing. Joining a sport as a kid can be a great way to stay healthy, but there are always some health and injury risks as well if you’re not careful. Here are a few ways you can make sure your child stays safe when participating in a sport, team or otherwise.

Try New Training Methods

One of the biggest reasons child athletes find themselves burning out or even getting injured is due to overuse of certain body parts. This happens more often in certain sports than others; this is why you see many little league pitchers suffering from elbow injuries, as they’ve overused the muscles and joints involved in repeated fast pitching.

To avoid overusing certain muscles and areas of the body, encourage your child to try new training methods that will still help them get in shape without causing further damage. For kids needing to build muscle while also working on cardiovascular fitness, HIIT can be helpful. High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, workouts generally last about 30 minutes and are designed as full-body exercises, so no one part of the body gets burned out too quickly.

Get Proper Gear

The right equipment for a workout can make a huge difference in your child’s safety. With the wrong safety gear or even workout equipment, your child might be risking injury due to improper form or just simple accidents during a training session. When your child joins a new sport, help them do research on what equipment is involved so they can find the best equipment possible. If buying new equipment is too expensive, see if your child can borrow properly fitting equipment from a friend or classmate.

Allow For Recovery Time

Sometimes, injuries do happen; unfortunately, that’s just a part of many sports, as accidents can happen. If your child does get hurt while training, make sure you give them plenty of time to recover before letting them start training again. This will keep them from worsening an existing injury through overuse or poor form.

The amount of time your child will need to take off from their sport will depend on the nature of the injury. Bone fractures, for example, usually heal in two to ten weeks, while some injuries only need a few days to heal. Follow your doctor’s instructions for specific care following an injury, and wait the full amount of time recommended before allowing your kid to start practicing again.

Stick To Routine Checkups

If your child is active in sports on a regular basis, they should make frequent checkups a normal part of their healthcare routine. Visiting medical professionals regularly can help spot health issues that would develop from sports over time and make sure your child gets treatment before an injury has a chance to worsen. Don’t forget your dentist visits as well, as some sports can pose a risk to your child’s jaw and teeth. The AAPD recommends that kids and teens see a pediatric dentist every six months, but if your child is at risk of jaw or tooth damage, you may want to visit even more frequently.

As a parent, it can be difficult to know how to keep your kid safe as they start a new sport. However, these tips can let you stay confident that your kid will be happy, healthy, and safe while discovering their new hobby. Sports can be a great way for children to stay active, so encourage them to get involved whenever you get the chance.

Home remodeling can be a challenge for many families attempting to fix up their houses, but taking the time and effort to do so has the potential to greatly improve your home’s overall value. While most people think of a home remodel as a major project that involves changing their home drastically, this isn’t always the case. According to the Census Bureau, 30% of remodeling activity is major additions and alterations, 40% is minor additions and alterations, and 30% maintenance and repair. If you’re thinking about starting to remodel your home sometime soon, use these tips to handle your project as best as possible.

Remember The Market

Be careful when remodeling your home about what you choose to add, especially if you plan to sell your home sometime in the future. What might be valuable to you might actually hurt your home’s resell value. When remodeling, many people want to add elements to the home that they personally like, such as a pool in the backyard. However, personal preferences vary, and some additions to your home might actually make it harder to sell. Some types of remodeling are safer than others; a bathroom remodel is generally a fairly safe way to improve your home’s resell value. Bathroom remodeling is the job most requested in the United States, accounting for 78% of renovations.

Don’t Skip On Maintenance

Just because you’re adding on a new room to your home doesn’t mean you should neglect the other areas of your home that need updating as well. Keeping everything in your home up to date can help improve your home’s overall value, making any more expensive updates worth the investment overall. Be sure to check any appliances that would stay in the home if you were to resell the house, like water heaters or air conditioners. Air conditioners today use about 50% less energy than they did in 1990; that difference in efficiency is something a potential buyer is sure to notice, and even if you don’t sell the home, the upgrade will help you save on utility bills.

Keep Efficiency In Mind

As you’re adding new areas to your home or updating existing ones, do what you can to increase your home’s overall energy efficiency. Adding high-tech energy-saving materials might seem excessive now, but over time, these updates will pay for themselves in the energy bill reduction. When constructing new walls, use insulation with an appropriate R-value for the weather and temperature throughout the year. R-value is the measure of resistance to heat flow which is thermal resistance; generally speaking, a higher value is better for homes in colder areas. This will ensure your heating system doesn’t have to work quite as hard during the winter.

Stick To Your Budget

Most importantly, when planning your remodeling and renovations, be sure to set and stick to a budget. It can be easy to get carried away when planning ideas for your home, but sticking to a budget is essential to avoiding financial issues later on. Always budget for a bit more than you’ll actually need; this keeps you from getting stuck if something goes wrong and you need to account for additional repairs. If you need to reduce costs to leave yourself a bit of extra room in your budget, try looking at second-hand and salvage stores. These items are usually comparable to new components but can help you save money.

Don’t forget about your future plans! If it’s just you in your spouse in your home, remodeling projects can be fairly simple. But if a baby is on the way, you’re going to need to do a whole lot more planning!

Remodeling a home can be an overwhelming process, but with enough advance planning and keeping track of budgets, it doesn’t have to be. Before you start your remodel, use these tips to help the process go as smoothly as possible.

Nowadays, most people who are concerned about the environment are at least recycling. Most areas and cities now have recycling programs that are easily accessible, making it easier than ever to take steps towards leading a greener lifestyle. However, recycling only goes so far, especially if it’s something you only do at home. Here are a few easy ways to keep moving forward on your path to a greener lifestyle.

• Go paperless: Even if you recycle papers at home, you might not keep track quite as closely at the office. If you haven’t gone paperless yet, you’d be surprised how much paper you might be wasting at the office regularly. Estimates show that the average office worker in the U.S. uses about 10,000 sheets of paper per year. Rather than printing out that next report, see if you can go paperless and email it instead.
• Watch your water use: One of the easiest forms of consumption to forget about is your water use. Most people don’t pay attention to this vital resource on a daily basis, but that can lead to significant waste. A typical family of four uses 400 gallons of water per day. Keep track of how much water you’re using for showers, laundry, washing dishes, and so on, and if you can, invest in low-flow water fixtures.
• Keep up with home maintenance: Having kids at home can keep your schedule full, meaning it’s likely been a while since you’ve taken care of routine home maintenance. However, this can have a large impact on your energy consumption, particularly when it comes to your heating and cooling bills. Consider the facts that 90% of homes have HVAC systems and as much as 25% to 40% of the energy used for heating or cooling a home is wasted. This is because contaminants build up in the HVAC system over time, forcing it to work harder. The more often you maintain this system, the more efficient it will be.
• Purchase reusable alternatives: Even when you’re recycling what you can, a good amount of your home waste probably can be avoided. Why? Many homes purchase disposable items for convenience but forget the impact it can have on your waste creation. Look for simple alternatives to common disposable items in your home: use reusable water bottles instead of plastic, use fabric towels instead of paper towels, and so on.
• Be mindful when shopping: If you’re looking to buy something new, whether it’s furniture or clothing, there are likely eco-friendly options you haven’t considered. Try shopping at a thrift or second-hand store instead of a department store. You’ll be surprised by the prices, and you’ll be keeping perfectly good items from going to a landfill. Just be sure to pay it forward by donating your gently used items when you’re done with them, rather than throwing them away.
• Share resources: If you have friends that are also making the effort to go green with their families, try working together for certain tasks. Arrange a carpool for group outings, or agree to share certain items between homes that you don’t use every day. This way, you’re cutting down on resources spent between families, with as little impact as possible on your own daily life.

These switches will have little impact on your daily life but will go far when it comes to saving the environment. Just a few small adjustments on a day to day basis can be huge when trying to go green. Which of these tips do you see yourself and your family using?