Tornado Recovery in Birmingham

First Lady Michelle Obama was in Birmingham, Alabama several weeks ago to see the progress of recovery after last year’s tornado that killed nearly 250 people.  The First Lady visited Birmingham and the surrounding areas two days after the storm and kept good on her word that she would return to see the improvements.  When the First Lady was there, last she saw images of devastation and knew many people would need help.

 

The First Lady met with the mayor of Birmingham, William Bell, to hear about the progress the area has made.  She then scheduled to take a tour of the areas she visited last year.  The people of Birmingham were excited for the First Lady to see the changes that have been made since her last visit.

 

Federal Help
Birmingham has received many grants from the government to improve conditions after the tornado.  They have used the money wisely and funneled most of the funds into Pratt City, which was the hardest hit.  Birmingham has used the money to start up Camp Noah, which helps elementary-aged children who were heavily impacted by the storm.  Camp Noah is a place where children can play and heal from the disaster that affected them and their families.

The city has also used government funds to support tornado victims by rebuilding schools, businesses, and homes in the area.  People living in Birmingham are beginning to see all the work paying off as things begin to pick up and continue in the area.

 

Fundraise
First Lady Michelle Obama’s trip ended with a fundraiser for the Obama Victory Fund 2012.  It was a great opportunity for her to check back in on Birmingham and see how much they’ve grown in a year’s time.

The people of Birmingham are confident that First Lady Obama was pleased with the progress the area had made.  Studies show that when an area that has been impacted by a natural disaster has received government funding and aid to clean up and rebuild, progress was made faster.  When this area was ruined by a horrific tornado, numerous people got together to establish a solid plan to rebuild, recover and bounce back. They found companies offering dumpster rental in Birmingham, they engaged Red Cross and other volunteers in cleaning up the city, and they started to find ways to recover. Cities everywhere should follow the examples Birmingham has showed us so they can be effective during a time of a disaster.

 

Jeana Olchowy is a member of an elite team of writers whose interests and specialties range across numerous fields and industries. From current events to tips and tricks for fashionable home décor, Olchowy is always available for further information on her stories. She can be reached on Twitter under the handle @jolchowy25.

Watching the Olympics Online…Or Not

For the first time ever, NBC is streaming the entire Olympics online to their cable subscribers. The announcement made waves for anxious viewers who don’t want to wait for the tape-delayed edit later in the evening. During previous Olympic Games, some select events were streamed online, but nothing like the estimated 5,000 plus hours that are expected by the end of the London games.

 

The caveat that wasn’t very well advertised was you must be a cable subscriber to enjoy the streaming service. You also won’t be watching the fancy NBC edit, but the global feed instead. It’s honestly a fairly high-quality production, but it’s not the slick version America normally watches.

 

Last week, the games kicked off with the much anticipated Opening Ceremony, directed by Danny Boyle of Slumdog Millionaire fame. NBC edited out the tribute to the victims of the 7/7 terrorist attacks for American audiences. Online viewers didn’t get to see the Opening Ceremonies at all. Strike two for the streaming service.

 

Day one of the Olympics was plagued by problems for users attempting to watch the games through a browser. Chrome, Safari, Firefox—none of them could make it through much more than a half hour before buffering through entire races and eventually crashing. The technical term is “data leaking,” caused by a flaw somewhere deep in the lines of code.

 

The streaming experience is better on the app, NBC Live Extra, created to watch the games via tablet and other mobile devices. NBC Live Extra doesn’t buffer through the races and has a far better chance of making it through a day without crashing. However, it means watching the events on a smaller screen, meant for individual entertainment and little harder to hide for those trying to watch at work.

 

If you’re one of the frustrated masses of people attempting to get in on the Olympic frenzy only to be stopped cold by the buffering lag, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, you probably won’t get much sympathy from NBC. Despite the fact that it’s 2012, the age of DVR and Netflix, the company sees online streaming as a way to generate buzz for their primetime broadcast. That’s why only cable subscribers have access to the streaming service. It’s no charity.

 

When streaming fails and you miss the primetime broadcast, never fear because Youtube is here. For those highly anticipated races, NBC created a Live from London Youtube channel. It may try to trick you into signing in with your cable provider to watch the live stream, which is a letdown, but it takes it easy on the ads for the actual clips. No need to sit through commercial after commercial to catch up on Olympic highlights.

 

It’s sad to report that watching online isn’t the best way to absorb the glory of the Olympic Games. In fact, viewers using a web browser are getting the worst experience of any of the various viewing methods. Maybe the online market will be treated to higher quality viewing options when the next Olympics roll around. Until then, find a friend with a big TV.

 

Michiko Fuller is a writer for the Marketing Department of Robert Koenig, of Accident Attorneys Group. She is extremely talented in walking her dog on the beach, drinking large cups of coffee, and writing in the third person.