The 10 Most-Watched TV Shows on Netflix in March 2021

The Netflix top 10 for March shows how the company has been affected by the COVID shutdowns that hit film and TV production last year. While the streamer’s most-watched lists are usually dominated by originals, fewer Netflix series made the list in March 2021. Alongside shows such as The One and Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which were released this month, there are a number of Netflix co-productions that air on different channels in the U.S.

Lali Esposito, Verónica Sánchez are posing for a picture: Yany Prado, Lali Espósito and Verónica Sánchez in 'Sky Rojo.'

© Netflix Yany Prado, Lali Espósito and Verónica Sánchez in ‘Sky Rojo.’

10. Sky Rojo

Although the title of the first episode—”Red Leatherette Sofa”—makes Sky Rojo sound a little softcore, the Netflix show is a fairly brutal look at sex work as three Spanish prostitutes escape from their pimp.

9. Riverdale

Although the show streams on the CW in the U.S., international viewers have to subscribe to Netflix to get their weekly dose of murder, intrigue and gratuitous male toplessness from the teens (who have recently been time-jumped into adults) of Riverdale.

8. Vincenzo

Korean dramas are often among the most-watched movies and TV shows on Netflix. The latest hit is Vincenzo, in which a Korean man becomes a consigliere for the Italian mafia.

7. Formula 1: Drive to Survive

As the 2021 Formula 1 season begins, this documentary series offers car lovers an-depth look at the 2020 championship—providing plenty of escapism for viewers who have been unable to experience high-octane thrills in the real world for months.

6. The Bold Type

This Freeform show about the lives of three millennials who work on a magazine has recently been canceled by its U.S. network, but viewers around the world still cannot get enough of its frothy high-fashion adventures.

5. Snowpiercer

Episodes of this movie spin-off, which airs on TNT in the United States, come to Netflix around the world every week. Global viewers have been hooked by the goings-on aboard the train traveling around a post-apocalyptic Earth—and the question of whether Melanie (Jennifer Connelly) will survive in the frozen wastes.

4. The One

Black Mirror meets Tinder in this British sci-fi series about a dating site that uses DNA samples to match people with their ideal genetic mate. As you might expect, this does not go well.

3. Behind Her Eyes

Many shows streaming on Netflix have surprise twists, but few have one as deranged, unexpected (and arguably homophobic) as this British thriller.

2. New Amsterdam

Season 3 of the medical drama is streaming now on Peacock in the U.S. but international viewers have been binging the first two seasons all month—and no doubt dreaming of a time when doctors could spend their time on romantic squabbles rather than a global pandemic.

1. Ginny & Georgia

a woman sitting in a car: Still from 'Ginny & Georgia' on Netflix. Netflix

© Netflix Still from ‘Ginny & Georgia’ on Netflix. Netflix

Taylor Swift may be no fan of the Netflix comedy-drama but millions around the world seem to disagree, lapping up this Gilmore Girls-like story of a single mother trying to find a fresh start for her two kids.

There you have it, Netflixers. Until next month, enjoy !

Article by Samuel Spencer for Newsweek©

Source: The 10 Most-Watched TV Shows on Netflix in March 2021 (msn.com)

7 Foods That’ll Fix Your Upset Stomach ASAP

Slide 1 of 7: Yup, straight up Saltines.The Mayo Clinic recommends these (and the rest of the foods that follow) because they are bland and easy-to-digest.Simple, but that's the point.

© Magdalena Niemczyk – ElanArt

1) Soda Crackers

Yup, straight up Saltines.

The Mayo Clinic recommends these (and the rest of the foods that follow) because they are bland and easy-to-digest.

Simple, but that’s the point.

2) Toast

Make it dry and white, if you can. Now is not the time for fancy butter or spreads. Nor is it the place for whole-wheat or seeded bread. Fiber is your friend, but not when your stomach needs a rest.

3) Gelatin

There’s a reason why hospitals serve Jell-O (or whatever the generic hospital equivalent is). Gelatin is an tasty vessel for easily-digestible carbohydrates that can help you put down a foundation of calories for recovery.

4) A Banana

More easily digestible carbohydrates here too. Remember: Go easy at first. Try half a banana, pop the other half in the fridge, give it a beat, and then return to the banana as needed.

5) Applesauce

If you’re figuring out that eating like a toddler can help your stomach feel better, you’re on to something.

6) White Rice

Not brown rice. Not wild rice. Not black rice. Not red rice.

What about forbidden rice?

Also forbidden.

Just stick with white rice, which is very low in stomach-taxing fiber.

7) Plain Chicken Breast

Okay now this is more advanced. Unlike the other foods on this list, chicken breast is protein instead of an easily digestible carb. That means that your stomach is going to process it a little differently, a little more slowly than the others.

So if you’ve tried a few other items on this list and things are going okay, maybe it’s time to try a little chicken.

One easy test if you’re ready: If you can look at the accompanying picture of chicken and think that it looks like something you might want to eat, then you can probably eat it without issue.

Article for Men’s Health by Paul Kita

Source: 7 Foods That’ll Fix Your Upset Stomach ASAP (msn.com)

Don’t laminate your COVID vaccination card before doing these 5 things

text, letter
© MarketWatch photo illustration/iStockphoto|, CDC

More than a dozen states are opening COVID-19 vaccinations to all adults this week, which means more Americans could soon be getting some form of a vaccination card — and wondering where they should keep it.  

You see, the three-by-four-inch paper vaccination card designed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is too big for most wallets, let alone the standard credit card pockets sewn into wallets and purses. So questions about how to keep your vaccination card safe, and whether you should laminate it, have been popping up online.

Enterprising vendors on Etsy and Amazon are already selling vaccine card holders and sleeves, some of which are looped to decorative lanyards. And retailers including OfficeMax and Office Depot, as well as Staples, are offering free lamination services without purchase for those who want to protect their vaccine cards. (What’s more, “I’m vaccinated” merch is also giving Etsy sellers another shot at profits. )

“I’m getting asked about this a lot more as more people get vaccinated, and they’re starting to see vaccination requirements to go to a sporting event or to travel,” Dr. Arthur Caplan, director of NYU Langone’s Division of Medical Ethics, told MarketWatch.

The U.S. has no central database for immunizations, The Wall Street Journal reports, and there is no one standard proof for COVID-19 vaccinations. In fact, the COVID vaccination cards are not necessarily uniform, since some states and local authorities are handing out their own cards rather than using the CDC’s version. So this means your vaccination card is the only physical proof that you’ve received your shot or shots at the moment, and you’ll want to take good care of it. 

Caplan said that he started telling people to laminate their cards two months ago. “Knowing who has been vaccinated against COVID-19 is going to be crucial in the months to come,” he said, “and it’s going to be absolutely crucial for getting into events, traveling, maybe even getting into work.”

And while some people have expressed concern that laminating vaccine cards now could create issues if you need a COVID shot booster down the road, Caplan waved those concerns away. “If you get a booster, you’ll probably get a new card anyway,” he said. 

But health experts told MarketWatch that there are some things you should do before you rush to get your vaccination card laminated, if you choose to go that route versus buying a sleeve or a lanyard. 

Make sure the information on your vaccination card is accurate

Make sure that your name and birthdate are correct, and that the card includes which vaccine you received, and the right date and location. “At your first appointment, if anything looks wrong, make sure they write down the right information before you leave,” Caplan said. If you are getting a two-dose vaccine, you also want to make sure that you are being given the correct vaccine at your second appointment.

If you are not given a vaccine card, the CDC suggests that you contact the vaccination provider’s site where you got vaccinated, or your state health department, to find out how you can get a card. 

Ask where your vaccination record is being kept

“You want to know where this information is being recorded digitally, in case you lose your card,” Caplan explained. Ask someone at your vaccination location, and if for some reason they cannot tell you, you can also try checking your state health department’s immunization information system (ISS). The CDC notes that some places may also enroll you in online tools like V-safe or VaxText after your first dose, where you can also access your vaccination information. 

Photograph both sides of your vaccination card, and email the photos to yourself

If you have a camera phone, Dr. Leanne Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University, recommends taking a picture of both sides of your vaccine card ASAP, and marking it as a “favorite” in your phone’s photo album in some way, or perhaps storing the images in a mobile wallet. “I would email the pictures to myself, too,” she said, “just to make sure that there’s another copy of it.” 

If you don’t have a camera phone, then take a photograph of the card with a camera when you get home. Store those images in a safe place, including emailing them to yourself.

Make a paper photocopy of both sides of your vaccination card

In the same vein, make a hard copy of your vaccination card — perhaps at one of the retailers where you’re getting the card laminated, if you choose to go that route. “When it comes to something like your COVID vaccination, you want to have this documentation at your fingertips,” said Wen. “That’s why having multiple copies of it available in different ways is a wise choice.” 

Don’t laminate your card until you get your second dose, if it’s a two-shot vaccine

The health care workers at your vaccination site are going to be writing down the details of your second dose on this card, if you’re getting the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, so you’ll want to wait until you’ve received both shots and confirmed the information for both is correct on your card before you get it laminated. If you are getting the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine, you can go ahead and laminate it if you’d like after your one-and-done dose — although you should run through the above list first. 

Neither of the health professionals MarketWatch spoke with, nor the CDC, expressed concern about laminating the cards. It should be noted, however, that medical guidance is always subject to change as we get more information or new policies are put into place. Both Caplan and Wen said that you would probably get another card if you needed to get a booster shot, however. 

These health professionals and the CDC also offered some tips on where to keep your card, as well as what to do if your vaccine card is lost or damaged.

What if my vaccine card is lost or damaged?

Contact the place where you received your vaccine to access your vaccination record and get another card. 

If you cannot contact your vaccination provider for some reason, then reach out to your state health department’s immunization information system (IIS). You can find state IIS information on the CDC website. The CDC notes that vaccination providers are required to report COVID-19 vaccinations to their IIS and related systems, so the state should have a record of your vaccination. 

And if you enrolled in V-safe or VaxText after your first vaccine dose, if you are getting one of the two-shot vaccines, you can access your vaccination information using those tools.

Should I keep my vaccine card in my wallet or carry it with me at all times?

Neither Wen nor Caplan believe you need to keep your COVID vaccination card on you at this time, since so many people still remain unvaccinated. “Put it in the same place as all of your other important documents — your passport, your birth certificate,” Wen suggested. “There’s no reason for you to be carrying it around with you everywhere, especially if you have a digital copy on your phone. There are still really not enough people who have been vaccinated, that establishments have been setting up requirements for proof of vaccination yet.” 

“Right now, you don’t have to carry it when you’re out,” Caplan agreed. “I think in the future, if you are going to a Broadway show or a sporting event, you’ll need it.” So similar to something like a passport or birth certificate, you’ll just want to bring your card with you for special occasions. 

Keep in mind that this guidance could be subject to change, however. And it’s also possible that you’ll be able to prove that you’ve been vaccinated via an app, such as the digital Excelsior Pass being rolled out in New York. The state likens it to a mobile airline boarding pass, but for proving that you received a COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID test.

Article by Nicole Lyn Pesce for Market Watch

Source: Don’t laminate your COVID vaccination card before doing these 5 things (msn.com)

Landscaping Mistakes That Make Home Buyers Walk the Other Way

Slide 1 of 12: If you’re selling your home or planning to sell, you know you need to make sure everything is in order. Your paint may need touch-ups, carpets should be cleaned, and all those knick-knacks need to be put away. But what about your landscaping? Since first impressions can make or break a sale, steer clear of these 11 landscaping mistakes that can make home buyers walk—or even run—the other way. Related: Landscaping: A Good Investment

 © istockphoto.com

Your Landscaping Can Help Sell Your Home

If you’re selling your home or planning to sell, you know you need to make sure everything is in order. Your paint may need touch-ups, carpets should be cleaned, and all those knick-knacks need to be put away. But what about your landscaping? Since first impressions can make or break a sale, steer clear of these landscaping mistakes that can make home buyers walk—or even run—the other way.

Slide 2 of 12: Sure, man-made ponds and water features can help create a relaxing outdoor space, but they can also attract insects, such as mosquitoes. Plus, it takes work to keep them clean and well-maintained—work potential buyers might not be up for. Morgan Knull, a broker with Re/Max Gateway, told the Washington Post that buyers are often intimidated when it comes to a water feature’s maintenance, such as dealing with clogged filters and leaky liners.

 © istockphoto.com

Large Water Features

Sure, man-made ponds and water features can help create a relaxing outdoor space, but they can also attract insects, such as mosquitoes. Plus, it takes work to keep them clean and well-maintained—work potential buyers might not be up for. Morgan Knull, a broker with Re/Max Gateway, told the Washington Post that buyers are often intimidated when it comes to a water feature’s maintenance, such as dealing with clogged filters and leaky liners.

Slide 4 of 12: While the right tree may offer shade or some textural contrast in your landscaping, big trees too close to the house can be a red flag. Depending on the size and age of the tree, large trees may cause buyers to worry about damage due to falling limbs. Plus, tree removal can be pricey with extreme projects costing as much as $2,000, according to HomeAdvisor.

 © istockphoto.com

Large Trees

While the right tree may offer shade or some textural contrast in your landscaping, big trees too close to the house can be a red flag. Depending on the size and age of the tree, large trees may cause buyers to worry about damage due to falling limbs. Plus, tree removal can be pricey with extreme projects costing as much as $2,000, according to HomeAdvisor.

Slide 5 of 12: A healthy lawn can be a plus when selling your home, but there can be too much of a good thing. For some potential homeowners, a huge lawn may be overwhelming. Since not all home buyers enjoy doing yard work, big, open lawns may mean an investment in time and energy they just don’t have to offer. If you have a big open lawn, there are some things you can do: Consider installing a large patio, or creating some smaller native plant gardens to break it up, or setting up multiple outdoor living areas, depending on your space.

© istockphoto.com

A Huge Lawn

A healthy lawn can be a plus when selling your home, but there can be too much of a good thing. For some potential homeowners, a huge lawn may be overwhelming. Since not all home buyers enjoy doing yard work, big, open lawns may mean an investment in time and energy they just don’t have to offer. If you have a big open lawn, there are some things you can do: Consider installing a large patio, or creating some smaller native plant gardens to break it up, or setting up multiple outdoor living areas, depending on your space.

Slide 10 of 12: Cracks in your home’s concrete patio or walkways aren’t just unsightly, they can be dangerous. They can also be costly to fix, with HomeAdvisor estimating the cost of filling smaller holes or cracks at $100, if you do it yourself. Large repairs can set you back up to $20 per square foot.

 © istockphoto.com

Cracked Concrete

Cracks in your home’s concrete patio or walkways aren’t just unsightly, they can be dangerous. They can also be costly to fix, with HomeAdvisor estimating the cost of filling smaller holes or cracks at $100, if you do it yourself. Large repairs can set you back up to $20 per square foot.

Slide 12 of 12: For those thinking of selling their home, a messy or unkempt yard may give potential buyers a bad first impression. For sellers, be sure to mow regularly, weed flower beds, keep the yard clutter-free, and put away toys when not in use.

 © istockphoto.com

A Messy Yard

For those thinking of selling their home, a messy or unkempt yard may give potential buyers a bad first impression. For sellers, be sure to mow regularly, weed flower beds, keep the yard clutter-free, and put away toys when not in use.

Article by Rachel Brougham for bobvila.com

Source: 11 Landscaping Mistakes That Make Home Buyers Walk the Other Way (msn.com)

Grandma’s genius gardening secrets Pt 1

Slide 1 of 28: Whether you're a green-thumbed grower or stricken with black thumb, we can all use a little helping hand in the yard from time to time, and these age-old tips have been tried and tested across the decades. Handed down from our grandparents' generation, we've rounded up the best hacks for planting, pruning and pest control to help you create a beautiful, blooming outside space. Click or scroll for more...

Whether you’re a green-thumbed grower or stricken with black thumb, we can all use a little helping hand in the yard from time to time, and these age-old tips have been tried and tested across the decades. Handed down from our grandparents’ generation, we’ve rounded up the best hacks for planting, pruning and pest control to help you create a beautiful, blooming outside space.

Slide 2 of 28: To help space out produce throughout the year, the generations before us would sow seeds in intervals. Also known as succession planting, this is a simple method that’s been around for centuries. Sow seeds roughly 14 days apart to maximize garden space, optimize quality and guarantee yourself a constant stream of harvestable goods. Plus, everything won't be ready all at once, so they’ll be no need to freeze mountains of berries or give away bucket-loads of carrots!

 © JohnatAPW / Shutterstock

Plant vegetables in intervals

To help space out produce throughout the year, the generations before us would sow seeds in intervals. Also known as succession planting, this is a simple method that’s been around for centuries. Sow seeds roughly 14 days apart to maximize garden space, optimize quality and guarantee yourself a constant stream of harvestable goods. Plus, everything won’t be ready all at once, so they’ll be no need to freeze mountains of berries or give away bucket-loads of carrots!

Slide 3 of 28: If you remember your grandma laying straw beneath her berries, it was for a very practical reason. Delicate fruits can easily be damaged by soil and flooding, but by adding straw to the top layer of soil, you can stop them from dangling on the ground. Barley straw is ideal for this since it's soft and easy to work with. This mulch layer will also protect certain plants from frostbite in cold weather and will hinder any bugs that attempt to climb onto the fruit. What a nifty gardening hack!

Lay straw to protect delicate fruit

If you remember your grandma laying straw beneath her berries, it was for a very practical reason. Delicate fruits can easily be damaged by soil and flooding, but by adding straw to the top layer of soil, you can stop them from dangling on the ground. Barley straw is ideal for this since it’s soft and easy to work with. This mulch layer will also protect certain plants from frostbite in cold weather and will hinder any bugs that attempt to climb onto the fruit. What a nifty gardening hack!

Slide 5 of 28: A time-honored yard hack, there are endless benefits to homegrown fertilizer. By recycling your food scraps you'll reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and limit the money you need to spend on plant food and water. Homemade compost is completely free and feeds the soil with much-needed nutrients. Find a warm, dark spot for your compost bin, fill it with old leaves, lawn mowings and fruit and veg waste, then wait 12 to 18 months until it's ready to use.

© Alzbeta / Shutterstock

Create your own compost

A time-honored yard hack, there are endless benefits to homegrown fertilizer. By recycling your food scraps you’ll reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and limit the money you need to spend on plant food and water. Homemade compost is completely free and feeds the soil with much-needed nutrients. Find a warm, dark spot for your compost bin, fill it with old leaves, lawn mowings and fruit and veg waste, then wait 12 to 18 months until it’s ready to use.

Slide 6 of 28: Every seasoned gardener swears by this method. Adding a layer of mulch to your flower beds and pot plants has several benefits depending on the type you use. Biodegradable mulch, such as wood chippings or bark, can improve the nutrients in the soil, while other options, such as gravel and slate shards, aid with moisture retention and protect plants against extreme weather. Mulch can also prevent weeds from growing and gives your flower beds a neat finish.

 © ronstik / Shutterstock

Add mulch to your soil in summer

Every seasoned gardener swears by this method. Adding a layer of mulch to your flower beds and pot plants has several benefits depending on the type you use. Biodegradable mulch, such as wood chippings or bark, can improve the nutrients in the soil, while other options, such as gravel and slate shards, aid with moisture retention and protect plants against extreme weather. Mulch can also prevent weeds from growing and gives your flower beds a neat finish.

Watch for more of Grandma’s tips in coming posts.

Article by Jen Grimble for LoveMoney

Source: Grandma’s genius gardening secrets that never fail (msn.com)

National Vietnam War Veterans Day 3/29/2021

People touch the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, aka The Wall — etched with the names of more than 58,000 U.S. servicemen and -women who died in the war — as they visit the Washington landmark on Memorial Day weekend on Sunday. Photo: REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

By Athena Chan
03/29/21

KEY POINTS

  • National Vietnam War Veterans Day is celebrated every March 29
  • The Vietnam War veterans were initially treated poorly when they returned
  • There are simple ways to show appreciation for Vietnam War veterans

On National Vietnam War Veterans Day, we recognize the many men and women who served and fought during the difficult conflict, giving them the appreciation they deserve.

It was on March 29, 1973, after nearly two decades of conflict, when the U.S. withdrew military forces from South Vietnam. The Vietnam War was one of the longest wars in U.S. history, spanning several presidents and affecting many generations.

However, those who served in the war haven’t always gotten the support they deserve. Some of them, History noted, were even treated with disrespect and hostility when they returned. Some were spat on, heckled, given the middle finger, or threatened. This despite the horrible experiences and “unspeakable horrors” they lived through in Vietnam. 

In 2017, National Vietnam War Veterans Day was established to finally give those who served the honor they deserve. Since then, the day has been celebrated every March 29.

Let’s look at some facts about the Vietnam War, its veterans and the occasion meant to recognize them. Courtesy–National Today, History and National Day Calendar.

  • Vietnam War Veterans Day celebrates not just the soldiers who fought but everyone who was involved, including their families and other soldiers who served during that period. 
  • The average age of soldiers during the Vietnam War was 19.
  • More than 58,000 American service members were killed during the Vietnam War, while over 150,000 were wounded.
  • It is estimated that about 610,000 Vietnam War veterans are still alive today.
  • In Vietnam, the war is called the “American War.”
  • It is estimated that some 3 million people were killed during the Vietnam War.
  • U.S. Senators Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) introduced legislation to honor Vietnam War veterans with a day.
  • The Vietnam War is the second-longest war in American history after the Afghanistan War, which is still taking place.

Just another work day in South Vietnam.

Article credit: National Vietnam War Veterans Day 2021: Facts, Simple Ways To Celebrate (ibtimes.com)

Daily Language Practice

Hello ! After a brief timeout, I’m ready to continue with tutoring you for your enjoyment, entertainment and, most importantly, your education.

Today’s first lesson will begin our Daily Language Practice (DLP) journey. The lessons may seem to easy for some of you, but others will benefit from what is presented. Whatever your literacy level is, I hope you will find some value in the weekly lessons. Let’s begin.

Content credit: pearsonlongman.com

Answer Sheet

That’s all for today. Join me next week for more DLP.

%d bloggers like this: