Author: admin

2024-12-10T09:01:00

(BPT) – Chilly temperatures and winter weather aren’t the only burden that comes with this time of year — it’s also the peak of cold and flu season. Cold and flu germs can lurk on hundreds of common surfaces we encounter daily, and according to the CDC, the flu virus can live and potentially infect a person for up to 48 hours after being deposited on a surface.

“Respiratory illnesses like common colds and the flu can stop families in their tracks, leading to sick days and missed school or work,” said Dr. Mona Amin, Board Certified Pediatrician, IBCLC and Clorox spokesperson. “A holistic germ prevention strategy is one of the most effective ways to help stop the spread of illness-causing germs.”

Here are a few simple steps:

Disinfect high-touch and high-traffic surfaces

You likely come into contact with certain high-touch and high-traffic areas in your home multiple times daily that can harbor germs. Think of countertops, doorknobs, light switches and toilet handles, for example. Disinfect these areas regularly with a disinfectant like Clorox^® Disinfecting Wipes to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses when used as directed on hard, non-porous surfaces. With any disinfecting product, make sure you follow the product label instructions to ensure you’re using it correctly and effectively.

Establish a “drop zone”

Along with high-touch surfaces, germs can be brought home from work and school on items like lunchboxes, reusable water bottles and work bags traveling back and forth. To help mitigate bringing germs home, establish a “drop zone” or a designated place to leave shoes, backpacks and other outside items so that germs don’t get tracked through the house.

Practice good hand hygiene

Washing your hands is a simple and effective way to help stay healthy. Make sure to wash your hands often, especially when you are likely to get and spread germs after being in a public place, before or after preparing or eating food, going to the bathroom or coughing and sneezing into your hands. To make sure you’re washing your hands thoroughly, lather your hands including your fingers and under your nails with soap and scrub with warm water for at least 20 seconds — or the amount of time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice.

Take care of your holistic health

Maintaining a balanced diet, staying hydrated and exercising regularly all contribute to your overall immune system. Prioritizing sleep is also an important part of maintaining your immune system, especially when you feel under the weather, because it helps the immune system to repair and rest.

Reset after someone in your household is sick

If you or someone in your household is sick, stay home from work or school to help reduce the chance of others getting sick and prioritize rest and fluids to recuperate. “When someone in your household gets sick, it can feel inevitable that your home will get caught in a ‘sick cycle’ or a seemingly never-ending loop of getting one another sick,” Dr. Amin said. “As a parent with a sick kid, try your best to get a good night’s sleep as much as you’re able, wash your hands after providing care and disinfect communal surfaces that can harbor germs.”

Once your household has recovered, reset your home. Disinfect hot spots in shared spaces and in the infected individual’s room such as doorknobs, light switches and faucet handles. Wash dirty clothing and linens, and to sanitize — or reduce bacteria in laundry — you can add bleach to your wash load of bleach-safe clothing, towels and linens. You can also sanitize dishes after washing them with a bleach and water solution.

Follow CDC guidance

Lastly, the CDC provides up-to-date guidance on vaccines like the flu shot, prevention tactics and different virus trends in your area. Check the CDC’s website to stay up to date on the latest information and guidance.

Maintaining a holistic strategy can help you and your household navigate cold and flu season with ease. To find more tips and product recommendations like these, visit Clorox.com.

2024-12-10T10:05:00

(BPT) – In 1987, President Ronald Reagan boldly stood before one of the iconic symbols of the Cold War and, in words that shape his legacy, demanded from the Soviet leader, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.”

Two years later the Berlin Wall came down. Then, in 1991, the Cold War ended with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Lasting nearly a half-century, the war profoundly changed and, perhaps, saved the world.

During that time, the United States and Russia engaged in a global contest over different ways of life; threatened and deterred each other with vast arsenals of nuclear weapons; tested one another’s resolve in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis; raced to become the first country to put a human in space; and sought allies and influence throughout the world.

A key component of the U.S. military strategy during the Cold War was the Blytheville Air Force Base in northeastern Arkansas. It closed in 1992, but throughout the post-World War II conflict, the base — and especially its alert center — formed a vital part of the U.S. Strategic Air Command, which controlled most of the U.S. nuclear weapons and the aircraft and missiles that delivered those weapons.

Today, this former Arkansas Air Force base is being transformed into the home of the National Cold War Center (NCWC), a museum and historic site dedicated to honoring Cold War veterans, preserving history, and advancing understanding and debate about the world’s most protracted and expensive war and its legacies for today.

To elevate its mission on a national and international level, the NCWC has partnered with the distinguished Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (Wilson Center) in Washington, D.C. Chartered by Congress as a public-private partnership and affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution, the Wilson Center is a premier research institute on Cold War history and its vast network of relationships and resources in the international policy research community will support and strengthen the NCWC’s goal to become America’s official museum of the Cold War.

The partnership is poised to enhance the NCWC’s unique mission “to comprehensively tell the story of the Cold War, informed by the experiences of those who fought, lived, and survived the conflict that has had such profound consequences for today’s world.”

Dr. Christian Ostermann, an award-winning historian and the longtime director of History and Public Policy at the Wilson Center, will direct the historic collaboration. A world-renowned scholar of the Cold War, he brings decades of experience and a strong vision for the future National Museum of the Cold War. Working with Blytheville community leaders, the NCWC’s National Advisory Board, and federal, state, and private-sector partners, Ostermann aims to help the NCWC turn its historic Ready Alert Facility into a state-of-the-art educational site that draws visitors from across the globe to learn about the Cold War.

“Understanding the history of the Cold War is critical to making sense of our world today,” Dr. Ostermann said. “The ideological and geopolitical rivalry between capitalism and communism defined global politics for nearly half a century, leading to a nuclear arms race, regional and proxy wars, as well as cultural, economic, and technological transformations that hold profound lessons still vital in the 21st century.”

Mary Gay Shipley, chairman of the National Cold War Center board of directors, has been at the forefront of its development efforts since they launched in late 2016.

“This partnership with the world-renowned Wilson Center gives our efforts even more credibility. We had a tremendous gain when the 118th U.S. Congress established the National Cold War Center as America’s federal museum of the Cold War, and this is another huge step forward,” Shipley said. “We look forward to welcoming thousands of people to our community annually to learn more about this important time in world history.”

While the grand opening of the NCWC is slated for 2027, the NCWC currently provides visitors the opportunity to experience the history of the Blytheville Air Force Base (BAFB) and its role in the Cold War via its BAFB Exhibition, which opened in November 2020. Once fully open, the Center expects to welcome more than 50,000 visitors in its first year, fueling education and providing a boon to the tourism economy of the Arkansas Delta.

As the NCWC expands its role to the global stage through its new partnership with the Wilson Center, the Center looks to develop an unparalleled experience providing visitors a window into a conflict that echoes throughout modern society and remains deeply relevant to geopolitics in 2024.

To learn more, visit the NCWC website at https://nationalcoldwarcenter.com/.

2024-12-10T07:01:00

(BPT) – If you had told me at 16 years old, a recent high school drop-out, that I would one day have a successful career with a C-suite title, I wouldn’t have believed you. I spent years struggling to figure out my path — completing my GED, serving in the Army and working as a police officer — until tragedy struck. Following the sudden death of my sister, I knew I wanted to do more with my life and needed a career that provided more opportunity, which is when I turned to nursing.

Despite my previous academic difficulties, I passed the nursing school entrance exam and gained admission, using the $10,000 from my sister’s life insurance to earn my associate degree. While becoming a registered nurse might have seemed like an unconventional pivot at the time, given that as recently as 2023 only 12% of registered nurses were male, I absolutely loved it. In my role today as the Chief Nursing Officer at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center in North Houston, I hope to serve as a role model to others, especially men, considering becoming nurses.

Careers in nursing are on the rise, and it remains a very stable and desirable profession, especially in states like Texas that are facing severe nursing shortages. Besides the flexibility and competitive pay, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for registered nurses in the U.S. will grow 6% between 2023 and 2033, faster than the average of other professions.

But we don’t just need more nurses; we need a more diverse nursing workforce. Because nurses have more touchpoints with patients than other caregivers, research shows how important it is to have nurses of all ages and identities, as it can narrow disparities and improve patient satisfaction and outcomes. Male nurses play a pivotal role in that diversification, as the gender of a healthcare provider can make a difference. For example, male patients may prefer a male nurse to perform more sensitive procedures or feel more comfortable disclosing personal information to them.

Although the number of male nurses is ten times what it was in the 1970s, the percentage of male nurses and the number of male nursing students have remained stagnant over the past few years. When I speak to high school-age men about nursing, which Nursing.org says is one of the best ways to attract men to the field, I tell them nursing is not just a caring profession. Now, it’s a very technical job, particularly in specialties like emergency medicine and surgery.

There seems to be a common misconception that, as a nurse, your track is limited to the traditional clinical setting. While nurses can start practicing with an associate or bachelor’s degree, there are paths to go on to a career in education, leadership or advanced clinical practice. For example, I started in infectious diseases before I moved to emergency medicine, and now I’m a chief nursing officer at a Level II Trauma Center. It’s up to you to decide how far you want to go, and you can chart your own course. You can benefit from whatever pathway you choose whether you are already a registered nurse looking to move up the professional ladder or considering nursing as a second career.

However, going back to school can understandably seem scary or nearly impossible. I was sure that earning my associate degree would be the end of my formal education, but after managing two emergency departments, I realized creating budgets and hiring staff was difficult to learn on the fly. That led me to Walden University, a top conferrer of nursing master’s degrees in the U.S. The online curriculum made it easy to balance my studies with an already full schedule, and allowed me to gain valuable, real-life experience that immediately translated into my work.

Earning my degrees while juggling a full-time job certainly hasn’t been easy, but I’m so glad I did. I’m living proof that it’s never too late to pursue your passion and successfully make a difference, but I’m certainly not the only person to do so. In fact, the average American will change careers three to seven times over their lifetime. You can achieve great things once you take the first step, and I hope more people, especially men, will take that first step towards a rewarding career in nursing.

John Voight, MSN, RN, NEA-BC is Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center, where he leads a staff of 1,200 nurses. Previously, he served as CNO at HCA Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls. He is a graduate of Walden University’s College of Nursing.

2024-12-09T14:57:00

(BPT) – The holiday shopping season is here, with more gifts expected to be purchased than ever before. Packing and shipping those gifts may feel like one more item on the to-do list, but with the right help, it can be quick and simple — leaving more time for holiday celebrations. The UPS Store^® retail locations are a convenient, one-stop solution when it comes to holiday to-dos.

The UPS Store Certified Packing Experts^® can be found at every location and offer an exclusive Pack & Ship Guarantee,* which provides reimbursement if the package is lost or damaged before arriving at its destination. For a limited time, between December 1 through December 19, 2024, if you purchase shipping for your package at The UPS Store using UPS Next Day Air^®, UPS 2nd Day Air^®, or UPS 3 Day Select^® services and your package doesn’t arrive on time, get a refund.**

To ensure packages arrive by Christmas Eve, it’s a good idea to check shipping company websites. Recommended UPS shipping deadlines for 2024:

• December 19 via UPS 3 Day Select^® service
• December 20 via UPS 2nd Day Air^® service (not subject to UPS Service Guarantee)
• December 23 via UPS Next Day Air^® service (not subject to UPS Service Guarantee)

Many of The UPS Store locations offer extended holiday hours for last-minute shoppers running errands into the evenings and weekends.

If a gift didn’t quite work out as expected, the returns process is quick and convenient at any The UPS Store location. Many locations offer a self-serve kiosk for online returns with participating retailer QR code or pre-labeled drop-off packages.

As part of your trip to The UPS Store, you can make a difference in your community by contributing to The UPS Store Start Small, Grow Big program — which supports Junior Achievement nationwide. Junior Achievement, a nonprofit, describes itself as the nation’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for the future, and make smart academic and economic choices. Junior Achievement’s programs provide school-aged children with lessons in financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. Customer donations to Junior Achievement can be made in-store during transactions, by rounding up your purchase to the nearest dollar.

For more information on holiday packing and shipping, including a 20% off coupon for packing services, visit TheUPSStore.com.

*Available at participating locations. Restrictions and limitations apply. Visit theupsstore.com/guarantee for full details. Items shipped by UPS are subject to the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service.

**Offer Terms and Conditions: Limited time offer exclusive to The UPS Store locations. The UPS Service Guarantee (per the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, see ups.com/terms) shall apply to UPS Next Day Air^®, UPS 2nd Day Air^®, and UPS 3 Day Select^® shipments purchased from The UPS Store locations in the United States from December 1, 2024 – December 19, 2024 (“Eligible Shipments”). Shipments not purchased from The UPS Store locations (e.g., shipments billed to other UPS accounts) are not Eligible Shipments, even if tendered at a The UPS Store location. Eligible Shipments are guaranteed for attempted Delivery by date and (if applicable) time stated on the customer receipt and/or the Electronic Parcel Shipping Order issued by The UPS Store location. UPS Service Guarantee and Eligible Shipments subject to change without notice. See The UPS Store associates for details. Items shipped are subject to the UPS Holiday Schedule (including service modifications) and the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service, each available on UPS.com. Copyright © 2024. The UPS Store, Inc. is a UPS company. All rights reserved. The UPS Store^® locations are independently owned and operated by franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc. (although one or more may be company-owned) in the USA and by its master licensee and its franchisees in Canada.

Visit theupsstore.com/guarantee for full details. Copyright © 2024 The UPS Store, Inc. All rights reserved. Items shipped by UPS are subject to the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions of Service.

2024-12-09T12:33:00

(BPT) – It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and as family and friends gather to mark the festivities, more often than not, they’ll be doing so around the table. Each feast is an opportunity to create new memories, traditions and favorite go-to dishes. Just a few smart purchases can please guests with a wide variety of delicious, homemade-tasting meals that are ready in a fraction of the time.

Prepared tomato-based pasta sauces can open up a world of possibilities when seeking quick and healthy menu ideas for the holiday season, especially since these versatile pantry staples do more than pair with pasta — they’re also a perfect accompaniment to vegetables, seafood, meat, poultry and more.

Of course, not just any jar of pasta sauce will do. For garden-fresh, authentic flavor, the key is selecting tomato-based sauces with simple, clean and high-quality ingredients, such as 100% Italian-grown tomatoes picked at their peak and extra virgin olive oil. But the crowning ingredient? A hallmark of long-lasting tradition, which indicates that a brand has dedicated time and attention to producing a product that is always worthy of serving to those who are nearest and dearest.

With the variety of prepared sauces available, the right combination of uniquely authentic flavors and wholesome, fresh ingredients can elevate any number of dishes and make home cooks feel proud to serve them at a holiday gathering, including the five below. While each recipe is simple to make for two to four, it can easily be doubled (or tripled!) to feed a crowd.

1. Gnocchi and Tomato Basil Sauce

Fluffy pillows of gnocchi are nestled in classic tomato basil sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese before being baked in the oven, just long enough for the gnocchi to cook through and the cheese to brown. This simple dish accentuates the flavor and aroma of natural Ligurian basil and Italian tomatoes, bringing an authentic taste of Italy to the table.

2. Marinara Shakshuka

For a spontaneous get-together, no dish comes together faster than shakshuka, and this version reflects an Italian twist with its use of a classic marinara sauce that melds Italian tomatoes with onion, garlic and oregano. Shakshuka is easy to scale up or down, and it can be served with mixed olives and warmed pita breads — perfect for dipping in or scooping up extra sauce.

3. Eggplant Parmigiana

Winter months call for hearty, warming meals, and a vegetarian casserole of eggplant parmigiana does the trick. Thin slices of grilled eggplant are layered with an aromatic, mildly sweet roasted garlic sauce and mozzarella cheese, then baked in the oven until bubbly and golden. A loaf of crusty bread, a green salad and a favorite bottle of red round out the meal.

4. Penne Arrabbiata with Prawns

As the weather chills, hosts can crank up the heat with this Rome-inspired dish of penne arrabbiata with prawns. Fiery red chili peppers add a new dimension to the fresh, simple and natural ingredients that are the backbone of this sauce. Prawns contribute an unexpected and festive touch to level up the meal to holiday-worthy fare.

5. Grilled Vegetable Spaghetti Alla Norma

Packed with a medley of perfectly grilled eggplant, peppers and zucchini, a prepared vegetable sauce serves as a delicious and nutritious base for spaghetti alla Norma. Threads of pasta are dressed with the veggie-rich sauce and studded with meaty chunks of fresh-roasted eggplant for a nutritious meal that will leave everyone clamoring for seconds.

Filippo Berio’s premium homestyle Italian pasta sauces come in eight delicious flavors, including Tomato Basil, Marinara, Roasted Garlic, Arrabbiata and Grilled Vegetable, as well as Mushroom, Olive and Traditional Italian. These pantry staples are a time-saving miracle when entertaining loved ones during the holiday season and beyond. More recipe ideas can be found at https://filippoberio.com/recipes/.

2024-12-09T09:01:00

(BPT) – If you’re currently living in a smaller home, apartment or condo, you may be looking for smart, space-saving laundry solutions that can make your life easier — and actually turn doing your laundry into a pleasure. The good news is, there are new options available that can maximize your small space, improve energy efficiency and still deliver the great results you want, so you can enjoy caring for your clothes even better than before.

Here are a couple of choices that deliver an enhanced laundry experience from LG, ranked the number one appliance brand in the U.S. and one of America’s “most reliable lines of home appliances” by Consumer Reports.

Consider a space-saving stackable solution

When your footprint (space on the floor) is limited, one easy option is to go vertical. With the Single Unit Front Load LG WashTower™ with Center Control™ 4.5 cu. ft. Washer and 7.4 cu. ft. Electric Dryer (WKE100HWA), you’ll have the ideal vertical laundry solution that looks great and fits beautifully in more spaces. With the space saving from this model, you can reinvent how you do your laundry with room to add a sink, folding table or organized storage — all with a sleek, streamlined look in half the floor space, plus easy-to-reach controls, with no step stool needed.

This is why Forbes recently chose LG’s WashTower as its top pick for its sleek style, central control panel and generous capacity, saving on floorspace without sacrificing cleaning strength. Forbes cited its easily reachable and intuitive mid-level control panel, conveniently placed between the washer and dryer, as well as its quiet operation.

This unit offers an Ultra Large Capacity Washer and Dryer to let you clean larger loads, and uses built-in intelligence to take out the guesswork — with AI technology to select the optimal wash and dry settings. You’ll also enjoy advanced washing performance with its Allergiene™ Wash Cycle, and you can use the ThinQ^® app to access smart functions and ThinQ Care™ alerts.

Visit LG.com to explore all the combo options available to make your laundry life easier.

Discover the convenience of the all-in-one washer-dryer unit

Did you know you could have one machine that both washes and dries your clothes? LG is the only brand that offers a portfolio of single-unit laundry solutions like the WashCombo™ All-In-One (WM6998HBA). This space-saving 2-in-1 configuration offers a ventless design and standard 120v plug — which means it can be installed virtually anywhere. The WashCombo runs a complete wash and dry cycle in as little as two hours.*

Even better, you won’t have to interrupt your life to go and transfer clothes from one machine to another (or risk forgetting to move the wet laundry in the first place!), making this ordinary task more easy and seamless than ever before.

You can also forget about the endless sorting or toggling through various cycles, because its built-in sensors use AI technology to detect fabric texture, soil level and load size, then automatically selects the right wash/dry motions, temperatures and more for advanced fabric care.

You’ll also enjoy the energy savings with LG’s Inverter HeatPump™ technology, which means you’ll use up to 60% less energy compared to similarly-sized vented LG dryers.**

Hamper alternatives

An additional aspect of laundry that’s often problematic for small living spaces is the room you need in your bathroom or bedroom for a bulky clothes hamper. To save on valuable floor space, consider getting a hamper bag or basket that’s designed to simply hang over a door. Most varieties are easily collapsible and require little to no installation, depending on the type of hangable hamper you choose and where you want to hang it. Hamper bags are also easy to carry from your bedroom or bathroom to the laundry room, making laundry day a breeze.

With these options to help streamline and simplify your laundry, you’ll need a lot less time and space to get it done — and you’ll enjoy the process of taking care of your clothes and linens more than ever.

*Cycle time may vary depending on load type/weight. Based on independent testing in Wash+Dry cycle with Dryer on Energy Saver mode, 10 lb. DOE standard load, October 2023. Full capacity load approximately 20 lbs.

**The industry’s most energy-efficient combo based on http://EnergyStar.gov (November 2023).

2024-12-09T09:31:00

(BPT) – Are you into the growing “bleisure travel” trend, AKA going on a “workcation”? For business travelers everywhere, it makes sense to balance work and play during business trips, whether you’re headed to a high-stakes meeting or participating in an industry conference. When you’re in a bustling city like Toronto, Canada’s largest city, it’s easy to impress guests and business partners with top-notch meals and entertainment, rejuvenate your team with transformative bonding experiences or simply relax doing something you love, so you’re refreshed and ready to get back to business.

With 50% of the city’s population born outside Canada, Toronto is a cosmopolitan city with a diverse and lively vibe ideal for any kind of traveler looking for a place to play after their long and busy day. The economic heartbeat of Canada is home to the second-largest tech industry in North America, making it an attractive hub for entrepreneurs and innovators. According to the latest Brand Finance Global City Index, Toronto was Canada’s highest-ranked city brand, and HR Company Remote named Toronto one of the top cities for remote work. For these reasons and many more, Toronto is fast becoming a sought-after locale for business events and meetings.

Make plans for your workcation trip

If your event is in in downtown Toronto, at or near the Metro Toronto Convention Centre or Exhibition Place Toronto, you’re in luck, because the key to optimizing your schedule before heading to Toronto is scoping out the right accommodations, dining, and activities to suit your tastes — and there’s plenty to choose from. Alternatively, many businesses prefer unique meeting venues, like the options found at DestinationToronto.com/meetings.

Both convention centers are centrally located in the heart of Toronto and easily accessible to the city’s two major airports, Toronto Pearson International Airport or Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport — just steps from the city’s bustling waterfront.

How to get around

This walkable city offers safe public transportation, ride-share, and bike share companies, making it easy to get anywhere you want to go.

Where to stay

Both of Toronto’s largest event spaces are situated near downtown luxe hotels well suited to business travelers. But if you prefer accommodations off the beaten path, you can choose from several boutique properties or even stay close to the airport for convenience. You can search for the exact accommodations you want at DestinationToronto.com/places-to-stay.

Globally inspired eateries

Are 7,500 restaurants enough to choose from? You’ll find almost any kind of cuisine in venues ranging from Michelin Star restaurants to hip, casual bistros and everything in between. In fact, Toronto was the first city in Canada to boast Michelin Guide recognized restaurants.

Sample food considered traditionally Canadian at the famed 20 Victoria, which celebrates locally sourced ingredients like fresh seafood. Or stretch your palate at Chotto Matte, one of the city’s most popular fusion restaurants specializing in Nikkei cuisine, the marriage of Peruvian ingredients and Japanese techniques. You’ll also find a wide variety of flavors from Asia, Africa, South America, Europe and the Caribbean throughout the city. For example, check out local favorites like fresh pasta at Famiglia Baldessarre, sushi at Oroshi Fish Co., dumplings at Wonton Hut or Jamaican dishes at The Real Jerk. Or how about a meal with a view? Enjoy high-end dining at 360 The Restaurant atop CN Tower, which makes a complete rotation every 72 minutes.

Toronto nightlife has plenty to offer you and your guests — from craft beers and creative cocktails to award-winning Canadian wines, you’ll be able to wet your whistle at all kinds of lively nightspots. But this is just a small sampling — find your next favorite restaurant or after-hours hangout at DestinationToronto.com/food-and-nightlife.

Get in touch with nature

Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario and home to the largest system of urban ravines in the world, the Toronto area offers many opportunities to hike or bike your way through this unique landscape. The Beltline Trail offers a 3 1/2 mile hiking route, or you can visit Woodbine Beach for sunbathing when it’s warm or use a shared bike to traverse Tommy Thompson Park. Want to get your team out on the water? A harbor tour provides a whole different view of the city. You can also explore nature at the Toronto Zoo or indoors at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada.

Arts and culture galore

Visitors have plenty of opportunities to get artsy thanks to venues like the Art Gallery of Ontario and the striking Aga Khan Museum, plus a plethora of local art galleries. You and your guests can enjoy a night at the theater in Toronto’s Entertainment District, as well as year-round music events, festivals and international exhibitions, including the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival.

Sports venues

Sports fans will be interested to know that Toronto boasts eight sports leagues, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, plus the country’s only NBA and MLB teams, as well as being home to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

While you’re on your next business trip or conference, you’ll love exploring this diverse city that naturally inspires a sense of curiosity and excitement thanks to its culture that celebrates, melds and respects diverse people, cuisine, festivals and experiences. Discover the possibilities for your next business and leisure travel experience at DestinationToronto.com.

Please drink responsibly. Learn more at Responsibility.org.

Photos courtesy Destination Toronto.

2024-12-09T09:01:00

(BPT) – When Matthew and Michele Jones decided to renovate their disabled son’s basement so their adult grandson could move in to care for him, they didn’t expect a toilet nightmare.

To keep costs under control, they opted for a macerating toilet to avoid breaking through the concrete basement floor to install plumbing. The Jones family thought they chose a highly rated SFA Saniflo product. Unfortunately, they mistakenly purchased a knockoff brand with a similar-sounding name. Before long, the toilet started flushing randomly, only to completely fail weeks later.

Their plumber confirmed the problem: The knockoff product was a deficient, factory-sealed macerating unit — with no option to replace individual components. Worst of all, there was no customer service available to help them, which meant there was no way to return the faulty product or get their money back.

What you need to know before buying a macerating system

The company you purchase from makes a difference when it comes to safety and reliability. Before you buy, double check for:

• Certification: Plumbing products for your home need to be certified to the standards set in the U.S. For example, SFA Saniflo macerating toilets are certified by CSA and listed with IAPMO for nationwide compliance. Knockoff products (often with names that make them sound like Saniflo products) frequently lack the necessary certifications to be recognized or accepted by plumbing code in North America.

  Worse yet, if a pump from a disreputable brand fails and causes flooding or damage in your home, you could be liable because most insurance companies won’t cover the damage when the failed product doesn’t hold proper certifications.

• Warranties and customer service: It’s important to know the length of the product’s warranty and what kind of customer service the company offers. Saniflo offers a comprehensive 4-year limited warranty — the highest in the industry — underlining its confidence in its product reliability and durability. It also provides exceptional customer service.

  Compare that to the short warranties of many overseas knockoff products, which also offer zero customer service if something goes wrong. You can also search online reviews to see how previous customers have rated the products and service.

Quality matters

Quality makes all the difference for products you need to use every day in your home. You can rest assured that SFA Saniflo has been creating reliably high-quality, highly rated products since 1958.

Saniflo actually invented the macerator system, which is unlike other traditional designs on the market. No major construction is needed for installation: Instead of laying pipework under the floor, it attaches to the main drain line, and the Saniflo pump does all the work for you.

SFA Saniflo exerts a high level of quality control over all aspects of the manufacturing processes and production. While cheaper options may seem tempting, remember that they’ll end up costing you more if they break or damage your home. Many lesser-known imported brands are unreliable, which can lead to flooding or damage that insurance won’t cover.

Another homeowner shares his story

Unfortunately, the Jones family isn’t the only one to have a bad experience with a cheaper, less reliable product. Homeowner Michael Ranieri bought a newly flipped house with an “up-flush” macerating toilet in the basement that appeared to be new.

When the toilet suddenly stopped working and started making noises, he researched the knockoff brand. He discovered many online complaints and learned that there was no customer support. Ranieri quickly had to seek better options to replace this sub-par macerating toilet.

“My advice for anyone looking to buy plumbing products for their home: Find a good and reputable brand that has a warranty,” said Ranieri. “The warranty from Saniflo meant a lot to me, and it’s not just the number of years. It’s about the fact that they would cover most problems and stand by their product.”

A reliable option for your next home renovation: Saniflo’s Saniaccess 3

The Saniflo Saniaccess 3 is a half-horsepower macerator pump system used for installing a complete bathroom up to 15 feet below the sewer line, or even up to 150 feet away from a soil stack. In addition to toilet waste, the unit can discharge gray water from two other sanitary fixtures in a bathroom, including a sink, bathtub or shower.

This product incorporates a macerating system that can handle human waste and toilet paper in residential applications, and the unit flushes waste upward and away to a main line that could be more than 150 feet away.

If you’re renovating, there’s no need for the time, effort and cost of breaking through a floor to add traditional plumbing anywhere in your home. With a high-quality, reliable Saniflo macerating toilet, you can get a full bathroom renovation at a fraction of the cost of conventional plumbing. Just make sure you’re buying a reliable, trusted product with proper certification, extended warranty and tried-and-true customer service.

Learn more about Saniflo Macerators and Grinders for your next renovation at Saniflo.com.