Lynn Swan – Original dancing Wide Receiver

Anyone who was a Pittsburgh Steelers fan back in the 70s remembers the grace and height of WR Lynn Swan when he leaped for the ball. He studied ballet and other types of dance as a child, which many believe is the reason he could leap so easily to catch a Terry Bradshaw pass. He often said that his mother’s insistence on the dance training is what made him such a good athlete.

One could say that his being a good athlete is why Dancing with the Stars finalist Donald Driver has made it this far in the reality show competition. His endurance and strength are clearly apparent every time he is shown on television. Perhaps he can take some of those moves back to the Green Bay Packers field and use them well. We don’t forget the Steelers’ Hines Ward winning the dance competition not long ago.

Lynn Swan made it cool to dance and play football.

The Skylab I was a space station launched and operated by NASA in 1973 that fell to the earth and landed in the ocean in 1979, mostly around Australia. It cost about $2 billion dollars to build back then.

Skylab 1 before it turned into millionaire row in the ocean

Crabs in the ocean like to build their “homes” from items humans drop in the water like sunglasses and hats. Imagine the luxury “condos” the crabs made from the Skylab parts that fell into their claws.  That’s what we call a “G’day”. Let there be no more nay-saying about the bottom dwellers of the sea.

Energy efficiency is good for the environment and people's finances.

Seeking to capitalize on the desire of consumers to save money and become more environmentally-conscious, a number of companies have emerged that offer eco-friendly services and products. From car companies offering an ever-growing line of hybrid vehicles to manufacturers producing energy-efficient appliances and products, to contractors retro-fitting people’s homes for greater energy-efficiency, a trend has clearly taken hold of companies becoming more environmentally conscious and helping consumers lead more eco-friendly lives. High prices for oil and other traditional energy sources have spurred companies and people to alter their driving habits and energy usage patterns.  Hopefully, the trend of responsible energy use is here to stay, as people look to save money and live more sustainably, reducing their carbon footprints. The difficult economic environment has made people and businesses value energy-efficiency in both the workplace and their homes much more than they did before the Great Recession. At times like these, we’re all looking for ways to save a buck or two.

The Today in America TV show, a cable TV program starring football legend, Nutrisystem spokesperson, actor and long-time sportscaster Terry Bradshaw, showcases examples of energy-efficient services and products throughout the United States. It shines a light on ways that industries and companies have altered their practices to protect the environment, save money and become more efficient. It features interesting segments about business trends, medical subjects, environmental subjects, financial matters, technology subjects, and much more. Today in America also showcases breakthroughs and up-and-coming companies in the burgeoning green energy industry.

Today in America with Terry Bradshaw helps viewers across the United States stay on top of positive developments, innovations and positive stories in all parts of American culture. It reviews examples of achievement, progress, economic development, and economic success all across the United States and Canada. Check out its official website or YouTube channel to watch a Today in America sample of the program’s content.

Heinz Ketchup November 2011 Veterans Bottle Label

Ketchup is one of the most commonly used condiments in the America household. It is estimated that 97% of homes have a bottle in the refrigerator right now. The brand you use is very personal to your taste. Some like Heinz and others prefer the other brands. But ketchup began as more of a fish sauce.

Before your favorite brand there was katchop. The Chinese version was nothing more than shellfish brine. It contained a mixture of sea creatures soaked in pickling vinegar and spice and was the prelude to the French fries’ favorite dipping sauce. British explorers got a hold of it in the 1700s in Singapore and brought it back home. They created the first ketchup recipe which was a mixture of vinegar, shallots, spices, horseradish and anchovies. It wasn’t until the 1820s when tomatoes were added.

Heinz launched its first Tomato Ketchup in 1876 in Pittsburgh, PA.  Today in America TV host Terry Bradshaw was the starring quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. So you see, all good things from the city of Pittsburgh.

Have you heard this one before?

Apples are better at waking you up in the morning than caffeine.

In some ways they are.  They have carbs and natural sugars which boost energy and last longer than the caffeine in coffee, which is a mild stimulant and can wear off. They are crunchy and give you the feeling you are eating healthy.

But your morning cup o’joe contains 100 milligrams of caffeine that increases your heart rate and speeds your breathing. Caffeine also raises your blood pressure and stimulates your central nervous system. Caffeine makes you more alert and provides a feeling of well-being.  Make that a hot and frothy, fully sugared Cuban coffee and there is no doubt that coffee wakes you better than an apple. Did that answer the question once and for all?

What wakes you better than a cup of coffee?

An almost original B&O railroad card from Monopoly

Monopoly ® is the best-selling board game in the world. It is sold in 103 countries and produced in 41 languages including Croatian and a Braille edition.

In 1934, the height of the Great Depression, unemployed Charles B. Darrow of Germantown, Pennsylvania, showed what he called the Monopoly ® game to the executives at Parker Brothers. They rejected the game due to “52 design errors”!

How the game became such a hit is an American success story of classic proportions. Charles, undeterred by the big company’s rejects, kept at the game, making two sets at home and selling them to friends for $4.00. Word of mouth became so great that he and a friend in the printing business made more sets. However, a Philadelphia department stored ordered 5,000 sets of the game. At that time Charles went back to Parker Brothers and sold the game to them.

Cool facts from the game’s website:

Over 5,120,000,000 little green houses have been “constructed” since the Monopoly ® game was introduced in 1935.

World records are maintained for the longest game in a tree house (286) hours, underground (100 hours), in a bathtub (99 hours) and upside-down (36 hours).

Escape maps, compasses and files were inserted into Monopoly ® game boards smuggled into POW camps inside Germany during World War II. Real money for escapees was slipped into the packs of Monopoly ® money.

The imagination is a marvelous thing.

Yoga is a restorative exercise that all can enjoy

It seems as if most of the people we know are taking or teaching a regular yoga class. The benefits of this exercise that used to be for the flower power crowd are being enjoyed by some surprising people. Men are reaping its benefits in classes just for themselves. Combat veterans suffering from PTSD are learning how to reconnect and manage the often unmanageable symptoms through yoga.

Some facts:

• There are over 22 million yoga practitioners in the U.S. Some have taken to teaching yoga as a career switch when they lost their job during the economic downturn and others as a 2^nd job to make ends meet.
• The percentage of people that practice yoga increases on an average of 22-25% every year.
• One in 10 Americans now practice yoga.
• 72.2% are women; 27.8% are men.
• 71.4% are college educated; 27% have postgraduate degrees.
• Practitioners are more affluent than national income averages.
• 44% have household annual incomes greater than $75,000.
• 24% have household income greater than $100,000 annually.

Regardless of income, yoga is a positively addictive exercise with proven health benefits for almost everyone to takes it.

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We, at Today in America TV, have been saying it all along: connect with customers and clients over the internet and your business will boom. But do not take our work for it. Below are the top five E-Business trends.

1. Companies will learn to manage customers’ relationships by virtually serving their needs “24 × 7″-24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Social media has changed corporate policy decisions, brought down dictators and is now a priority for any business owner.
2. E-business that enables customers to personalize and customize products or services will flourish. For example, retailers LL Bean and Amazon. Using the Net to find new customers and to better target customer preferences will be a standard practice.
3. Producing, marketing, and distributing products or services online will be a cost-effective strategy for business.
4. Learning to develop and serve online communities with niche interests will be essential to building customer loyalty
5. Get connected with customers who are the bottom line in building revenue.

The world's business is in your hands via the Internet

Have a good weekend.

The lovable aardvark who teaches kids everything in way they get has been on television for 15 seasons and 180 episodes. Arthur is the longest running animated series originating in the US. The TV show is inspired by the book series written and illustrated by Marc Brown.

The show is unique for explaining social and health-related issues to children such as the death of a pet, dyslexia, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.

Although Arthur is directed primarily toward a child and preteen audience, it has gained a substantial cult following among older viewers.The show regularly uses parodies of adult-oriented topics and references to pop culture.

See? Kids of all ages like the ant eater. Oops. Aardvark.

Social media marketing is rapidly becoming the best way to reach everyone from customers to clients. One of the newest and most powerful is Pinterest. In order to get on it, you need to be invited by someone else.  Pinterest bills itself as a virtual pin board.

Companies as well as people are in the social media favorite. “Pin” photos, videos, press releases or other items you want others to see and “re-pin” elsewhere. This is where  customers and clients go and refer people to. Now is the time to get on the social media bandwagon and take advantage of all it can do for your business.

Visit the Today in America TV Pinterest page to get an idea how to get started.