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Unless you've been living under a rock for the last month, you're quite familiar with the dumpster fire that is the Phillies' bullpen.They have the worst ERA in baseball, have directly led to several Phillies losses this season, and have been far and away the worst are of the roster for a team that had playoff aspirations heading into the season.

Well, it appears the Phillies, who were a half game out of the wild card before dropping three straight in the last two days, still have their sights set on making the playoffs in 2020. Despite theirstruggles and last-place position in the division, the Phillies actually have the second-best consensus odds in the NL East of winning the division (+368) and the World Series (+2880) according to TheLines.com.

On Friday, they took their lateststep toward trying to fix their much maligned bullpen by acquiring a trio of relievers in a pair of trades with two AL Eastrivals.

It all started on Friday afternoon, with the team acquiring David Hale from the Yankees in exchange for relief prospect Addison Russ. This move, perhaps more than the others, shows that the Phillies are still trying to contend in this pandemic-shortened season, as they shipped off a solid prospect with a high ceiling for 32-year-old with just two years of arbitration remaining.

And that's left some in New York under the impression that the Yankees got a steal by acquiring Russ, who is eight years younger and showed a strong ability to get swings and misses during his time in the minor leagues.

But that was only the preamble to a much bigger deal the Phillies would make on Friday night, while they were getting pummeled by Braves, acquiring Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree (plus some cash and a player to be named later) from the Red Sox in exchange for Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold.

Let's take a look at what they're saying about the newest Phillies relievers as well as the two pitchers the team shipped off in the deal...

Workman is the bigger name in this deal, but according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Corey Seidman, Hembree will be bringing something to the Phillies bullpen that they don't already have. And, no, we're not talking about general talent. We're talking about velocity.

Per Seidman, Hembree's fastball has averaged 94.4 mph over the last four seasons. That's harder than every Phillies pitcher except fellow newcomer Zack Wheeler.

Velocity has been absent from the Phillies' bullpen this year. Hector Neris is the closer because of his disappearing splitter. His fastball is average. Tommy Hunter's best pitch is his low-90s cutter. Adam Morgan's best pitch is his sweeping slider. There was a belief that Nick Pivetta's fastball could play up out of the bullpen but he was unable to seize any role and was part of the trade to Boston. Pivetta, in fact, leaves with the highest ERA (5.50) of any Phillie since 1930 who has pitched as many innings as he did.

The biggest fastball in the bullpen to this point in the season has belonged to Ramon Rosso at just a tick over 94. But Rosso's control has been erratic. The Phillies have, out of necessity, thrust him into a role he might not yet have been ready for. He could have been a candidate to claim some high-leverage innings with a strong start, but he's put 12 men on base in 5 innings.

Workman and Hembree could realistically come in here and be two of the Phillies' three most effective relievers, along with Neris. [nbcsports.com]

The Phillies, obviously, like what they're getting in these two Boston relievers. In addition to adding some talent to their bullpen, the Phillies will also be adding some serious postseason experience. And, should they need it, Workman also brings some past experience as a closer.

Moreover, adding some proven commodities to a bullpen in desperate need of stability should have a trickle down affect on the rest of the relievers. At least that's the plan.

We think that Workman and Hembree are going to come in and really give our group a boost, and thats what we need right now, Klentak said. I think its going to allow the rest of our group to all settle into their roles, take the pressure off the group. Now, all of a sudden, you look up and down that bullpen and youve got quite a few guys on any given night that [manager] Joe [Girardi] can turn to.

Workman and Hembree were part of the Red Sox bullpen during a World Series-winning 2018 season. Workman, in particular, has experience as a closer, posting a 1.88 ERA and 16 saves last season.

Im very excited, Girardi said after Friday nights game. Theyre experienced relievers that have pitched in a tough division, the American League East. I think it will add a lot to our bullpen. [inquirer.com]

It's also worth noting that Workman is familiar to the Phillies, and, like the decision to part ways with Russ, his acquisition comes as a sign that the Phillies aretrying to win now. He'll be a free agent at the end of the season...

Workman, 32, is familiar to the Phillies, who drafted him in the third round in 2007 but couldnt sign him because he chose to pitch for the University of Texas. He has a 2.65 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings over 159 1/3 innings for the Red Sox since the beginning of the 2017 season. A free agent at the end of this season, he has a 4.05 ERA in seven appearances this year. [inquirer.com]

We hinted above at Workman's path to the big leagues, but there's so much more to it than that. And his addition to the clubhouse might have just as big of an impact on the field as it does off the field, as Workman has been described as both the leader of the bullpen, and their joker-in-chief.

Here's more from Chad Jennings of The Athletic, who takes a look at how Workman helps keep his teammates loose, something they've needed this season in Boston more than ever and something the Phillies bullpen might benefit from once he arrives...

Having just turned 32 years old a week ago, with more big-league service time than anyone else in the Red Sox bullpen, Workman was both class clown and leader by example. In the lighter moments, Workman was the bullpen troublemaker, the clubhouse jokester, and teammates were loath to give him credit for anything. But in the meaningful moments on and off the field it was a different story. Workman watched video of other pitchers, scouring for ways he could help. He spotted and eliminated pitch tipping tendencies, alerting teammates to weaknesses theyd never identified. He helped less experienced relievers figure out their warmup routine, then spotted things in-game that his fellow relievers could take to the mound.

Hes got a fascinating way of always knowing exactly whats going on, what pitches theyre throwing, Barnes said. Hes always locked into the game. I think thats part of what makes him such a good pitcher. He has a really good baseball mind.

Some of that, Workman said, came from his own jagged path...[theathletic.com]

While Jennings pointed out thatWorkman had more MLB service time than anyone else in the Boston bullpen, you can see that that was earned over time. It's certainly not like he's been a staple of their 'pen for the past seven years since winning that ring in 2013. In fact, in the three seasons after winning that ring, he made just 15 MLB appearances (all of them in 2014), due in large part to Tommy John surgery in 2015. When he returned in 2017, he still had a ton of options remaining due to all that missed time, and was constantly moved back and forth between triple-A and the big leagues, despite posting a 3.22 ERA in 81 innings during the 2017-18 seasons.

It wasnt until last season, when he was 30 years old, that Workman spent a full year in the big leagues. He was so unimpressive in spring training, a team source said, that president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski considered releasing him, but Workman pitched his way into the closer role and excelled with a 1.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and the third-highest WAR of any American League relief pitcher. He had a save in four of the Red Soxs first eight wins this season.

Definitely developed some mental toughness through (the years), Workman said. Ive definitely had to do my share of wearing it throughout this process. [theathletic.com]

He seems like just the sort of guy Philly fans would embrace. But given their current (earned) disdain for the bullpen, he can win them over by simply performing when he's on the mound.

So, what roles will the Phillies' new bullpen additions take on once they arrive (likely over the weekend)? According to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jim Salisbury, Workman could supplant Hector Neris as the team's closer if Neris (6.75 ERA, 2/5 on save opportunities) can't get it together.

At the very least, there's another pitcher with closing experience to potentially push him.

Hale projects to be a middle man. Hembree is a power arm in a bullpen that lacks power. He will get innings late in games.

Workman has closer experience with the Red Sox. He had 16 saves last season and struck out 13.1 batters per nine innings while going 10-1 with a 1.88 ERA in 73 games.

Ultimately, Joe Girardi will decide Workman's role, but for now, you can bet he will pitch high-leverage innings near the end of games. He could even end up closing if Hector Neris continues his high-wire acts.

"It's never a bad thing to have two guys with closer experience," Klentak said. "It serves us well to have multiple guys who can close out games." [nbcsports.com]

What about the players the Phillies are trading away, namely Nick Pivetta? The 27-year-old righty, who was acquired in the Jonathan Papelbon trade, was a member of the Phillies starting rotation in his first two big-league seasons before bouncing between the rotation and bullpen last year and ultimately landing in the bullpen this season before being sent down to the taxi squad after yet another rough outing less than two weeks ago.

Now, it appears, he'll have a chance to re-invent himself with the Red Sox.

Trading Pivetta ends a frustrating Phillies career for the right-hander with a plus fastball and 12-to-6 curveball. He started the second game of the 2019 season and later in the year was taking down big outs in the bullpen, but he lacked consistency.

After losing out on the fifth starter battle, Pivetta started this year in the bullpen but was sent down to the alternate site when he gave up six runs in the ninth inning while trying to protect a 13-1 lead against the Braves. He finished his Phillies career with a 19-30 record and 5.50 ERA.

Why didnt it work out for the player the Phillies acquired for enigmatic closer Jonathan Papelbon?

A lot of people have tried to answer that very question, said Klentak. Hes enormously talented. He was never quite able to see consistency in our uniform. Sometimes it just doesnt work out. [nj.com]

Oh, and about that 5.50 ERA...

When the Red Sox and Phillies completed their trade, there were still 10 days left until the 2020 MLB Trade Deadline. So, why did Boston pull the trigger now and not wait to see if he could get anything better than Nick Pivetta and Connor Seabold?

Apparently, the Phillies were the driving force here, which shows just how desperate they were to upgrade their bullpen.

The timing of trades is not always something that you can foresee, Bloom said over Zoom. Philly came hard after these two pitchers and they really wanted to complete something. And anytime you have a situation where you know youve got some time before the trade deadline, youre not just looking at the trade in a vacuum. Youre also trying to think about whatre the options that you could have between now and the deadline. And obviously thats something we have to weigh.

But we felt that this return was a really good fit for us, that we got two pitchers that not only fit an area of a need but are also players we like that can be part of this thing for many years. I thought that was worth doing right now. [nesn.com]

With Pivetta seemingly done in Philly before the trade even went down, it's hard to argue that the Phillies didn't get decent value here, even if they don't re-sign Workman after the season. And, interestingly enough, they $815,000 the Sox sent along in the deal accounts for nearly 80% of the addition cost of adding Workman and Hembree ($1.05 million), which will keep the Phillies under the luxury tax threshold.

This content and the links provided are sponsored by thelines.com and playpennsylvania.com, PhillyVoice.coms Official 2020/2021 Betting Odds Partner, independently created by PhillyVoice.

Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin

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Welcome to your comprehensive look at whats set to hit Netflix in the United States throughout the month of September 2020. There are some excellent titles including huge Originals such as The Devil All the Time, Im Thinking of Ending Things and Ratched already lined up so lets dive in!

If you want to see a more in-depth preview of the Netflix Originals due out in September 2020, you can find that preview being updated continuously right here on Whats on Netflix. If you missed out on any of the August 2020 additions, were still updating that preview here.

As always, keep an eye out on whats leaving too with the main removal set to be Christopher Robin thus far.

Dont forget, Netflix has picked up and spaced out a bunch of licensed comedy shows between August and October. Two of these shows will be arriving in September.

Note: this list only applies to Netflix in the United States.

What will you be watching on Netflix in September 2020? Let us know in the comments.

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Whats Coming to Netflix in September 2020 - What's on Netflix

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PHILADELPHIA Multiple times this season, the Mets have seemingly built momentum, only to see it wiped away in the coming days.

It happened again.

They won two in a row against the Nationals and looked to build on that against the Phillies, who had just been swept by the Orioles. Instead, the Phillies swept the Mets.

Why can't the Mets find their footing?

Its hard to say," Rick Porcello said. "Idont think its for a lack of effort. I think everyones going out there playing hard and everyones going out there to win games, but were just not coming out with them.One night its the pitching, one night its hitting or whatever. We havent been able to get everything firing on all cylinders consistently.

We have a couple games where we look like were rolling, then we have a couple tough ones and were right back in that position again. Its hard to point to exactly what it is."

Here are three thoughts on thesweep in Philadelphia.

The Mets, who have completed 38 percent of the season, are 9-14. They know that's not good, but they're confident they can quickly turn it around.

The reason: They still have a lot of games remaining against division rivals.

Theres still plenty of season left, plenty of games left," J.D. Davis said. "Were facing our division a lot, so we can bounce back pretty quick within a week, week and a half. All of the sudden, were sitting here saying: What happened? We just turned it around in a week, week and a half.

Davis also recalled last season's second half in which the Mets made a fierce run toward postseason contention. They fell short, but showed that their season was not "over" when many believed it to be.

Instant analysis: Rick Porcello unravels, Zack Wheeler beats former team as Mets swept by Phillies

The Mets have four games in Miami. The Mets then play a series against the Yankees before the Marlins are at Citi Field for three more games.

The Mets and Braves have played more games than the rest of the National League East because their schedules have not been affected by COVID-19 outbreaks. So, based on winning percentage, the Mets are last place in the division. Sunday's loss dropped them to four games back.

There's time to make up ground, though.

For right now, the only thing we can do is keep our head up, keep grinding, keep working," Davis said. "I know its 60 games and everybody likes to have this sense of urgency, but at the end of the day, were facing our division a lot. Our future, our destiny is in our hands. We can change it real quick."

The Mets made a few baserunning mistakes over the weekend. The poor defense a major issue early in the season returned on Sunday.

First, the baserunning.

In a one-run game on Friday, Billy Hamilton stole second base ... then bolted for third as the ball squirted away from second baseman Jean Segura.Shortstop Didi Gregorius sprinted, picked up the ball and threw it to third to nab Hamilton. Hamilton acted far too aggressively for the situation.

Aug 14, 2020; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Jean Segura (2) is unable to make the tag on New York Mets center fielder Billy Hamilton (21) during a steal attempt in the eighth inning at Citizens Bank Park.(Photo: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports)

On Sunday, after an errant throw, Andrs Gimnez raced around the bases and the Mets sent him home. He was thrown out. You could argue if it was the correct move to send him.

The Mets trailed by one why not get it back when gifted with a poor throw?

Then again, Luis Guillorme who is batting .458 was due up next.

Later on Sunday, Guillorme sliced a two-run double down the left-field line. The Mets took the lead, but Ramos was thrown out trying to take third.

"Its definitely something weve definitely got to minimize if we want to keep those innings going," manager Luis Rojas said. "Those will haunt us."

Now, to the defense.

To begin Sunday's bottom of the seventh, Davis who has been reliable at third base committed a throwing error that allowed Segura to reach. In that same inning, these also occurred: Ramos allowed a passed ball, and when Davis fielded a ball and slung it to first base, it went off Dominic Smith's glove and a run scored.

Outs are big against any of these teams," Rojas said. "They can build up. Trying to get an extra out, they can make a big inning."

The baserunning and defense must improve.

"Those are the things that we need to correct immediately in a season like this," Rojas said, "just to make sure were playing the baseball at our best."

Before summer camp, the Mets maintained their player pool would only be made up of players they felt could help them at the big-league level in 2020.

Their pool received a couple interesting additions on Saturday.

The Mets put catcher Francisco Alvarez and right-hander Matthew Allan in the player pool. Both will be at the Brooklyn alternate site.

Reader our columnists travel the country to break pro sports news and provide insightful analysis. Support our team by subscribing today ="left"> see our special offers.

Per MLB.com, Alvarez is the team's No. 2 prospect, while Allan is its fifth-ranked prospect.

Adding those two guys, it kind of gives us that balance in our depth," Rojas said. "Theres more depth to it adding the arm, adding the catcher, two of our biggest prospects. For them to come in and be in an environment where theres competition at a great level. We have some guys with experience at that site and they can have that competition created there for their development. Theyre going to take advantage.

"And at the same time, these guys are also going to be exposed to that and we can see if they can come in and help us as well. Its great depth for us. I think knowing the depth that we created and the guys that we put on the site that have MLB experience, it balances well with these two additions to that."

The 18-year-old Alvarez has not played above rookie ball. Allan, 19, has not pitched above Class A short-season (and there, he only pitched two innings).

"Were looking for them to just to go ahead and keep getting their reps at that site," Rojas said. "If we feel they can come and help the team win some time, then definitely they can come do it. ...Well see them take advantage of that situation over there and we can see if we can use them in the future here.

Justin Toscanois theMetsbeat writer for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to allMetsanalysis, news, trades and more, pleasesubscribe todayanddownload our app.

Email:toscanoj@northjersey.comTwitter:@justinctoscano

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3 thoughts on the NY Mets after they were swept by the Philadelphia Phillies - NorthJersey.com

Some details in Titanic were married to fiction, but there's no doubt the movie remains one of the best interpretations of the catastrophe ever made.

The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic remains one of the worst disasters in maritime history, and one of the most tragic losses of human life in the 20th century. Its harrowing circumstances provided the source material for James Cameron's 1997 epicTitanicwhich, like its namesake, madehistory worldwide. Its sweeping story and state-of-the-art special effects helped it gross $2.2 billion, and it launched the careers of both Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.

RELATED:James Cameron's Movies, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes

Over the last several decades, historians have debated the authenticity of Cameron's masterpiece. While he took many creative liberties to create a more dramatic story, the vast majority of the actual tragedy he recreated was true to life. Some details were married to fiction, but there's no doubt the film remains one of the best interpretations of the catastrophe ever made.

Perfectionist James Cameron recreated the R.M.S. Titanic exactly as it appeared on its maiden voyage on April 11th,1912, after 15,000 Irishman completed construction on the largest man-made moving object on Earth. Cameron's ship was 744 feet long (about a hundred feet shy of the real Titanic), and its internal sets boasted all of the splendor seen in the film.

Cameron recreated Titanic's indoor swimming pools, gymnasiums, and two libraries (one for the first-class passengers and one for everyone else), as well the resplendent dining halls and staterooms offered to its most elite passengers. Every attention to detail was made, right down to the china in Rose's suite.

Quite frequently there are scenes involving the fraternizing of passengers from different classes. They're both allowed to walk areas of the promenade that would ordinarily have been segregated, which wouldn't have been possible on the real ship.

RELATED:Leonardo DiCaprio: His 5 Best & 5 Worst Roles (According To IMDB)

Rose strolling with Jack Dawson, each in garments that telegraphed their class, wouldn't have been probable because they wouldn't have ever encountered one another. Jack wouldn't have been sketching in an area of the ship anywhere Rose could have seen him.

Right down to the fact that no one had binoculars in the crow's nest (because no one had a key to the locker), every aspect of the ship's collision with the iceberg was correct. From the time the real Mr. Fleet saw the shape rising from the water, "blacker than black", there was only 37 seconds before Titanic made contact.

Had Titanic hit the berg straight-on, its reinforced bulkheads would have prevented as great a catastrophe. However, since it sliced its side,it took on more water than it was designed for. Eye-witness accounts from passengers who survived said it was "incredibly calm" before the event plunged all aboard into chaos.

Jack and Rose might be praised as one of the most romantic couples of all time, but in all likelihood, they would never have become one during the real Titanic's voyage. Based on the tickets they held, they wouldn't have been permitted on the same parts of the ship, so they would have never "bumped" into each other on the stern or on the promenade.

The concept of a carefree steerage passenger and a stifled aristocrat meeting and falling in love days before a historic tragedy is certainly something out of a modern fairytale, but there were enough real emotional moments in the catastrophe to not need any additions.

Cameron set out to capture the terror inherent in a sinking as dramatic as Titanic's, but it wasn't all dependent on actors performing hysteria. His crew built a ship to split in two, reflecting the real moment when Titanic broke in half. Though the ship did split in half, Cameron took some liberties with its stern splashing back into the water (in all likelihood it would have been pulled down with the rest of the ship).

RELATED:10 Best 90s Disaster Movies, Ranked

The iceberg's large gashes in the side of the hullled to significant water making its way onto Titanic's bulkheads. The ship's hull began to take on too much water and the front end was pulled down first, causing a catastrophic weight imbalance.

While it made for harrowing cinema to watch first-class passengers weasel their way onto lifeboats while third-class passengers were left to die,the reality was no such lifeboat discrimination happened. When it was apparent all hope was lost, White Star Line personnel immediately began helping all souls they could get to safety.

60% of first-class passengers were rescued, which is more than half of the second and third-class passengers combined, but this has more to do with their inability to get from below decks, thanks to gates that were placed around the ship to prevent them from going into areas reserved for first-class and to slow the spread of diseases.

When Rose takes Jack for a tour of Titanic's glittering assembly after saving her life, she points out many famous historical figures. Such augustnames included John Jacob Astor, one of the wealthiest men in the world, and Benjamin Guggenheim, who really did dress in his finest waistcoat and quip, "We've dressed up in our best and are prepared to go down like gentlemen."

Isidor Strauss, the co-owner of Macy's department store perished in the sinking along with his wife, shown as the elderly couple holding each other as water rushed in their cabin. The ship's designer Thomas Andrews also joined them in their plunge to the depths, but not before making sure hundreds of people had life jackets.

Though the R.M.S.Carpathia was the ship that eventually reached the stranded passengers at 4:05 AM on April 15th, it wasn't the only ship that Titanic sent a distress missive to, and not nearly the closest.

RELATED: 10 Things That Make No Sense About The Titanic Movie

The SS Californian was quite close when Titanic sank, and would have been able to see the signal rockets that were fired by its anxious crewmen. The SS Californian wasn't depicted in Cameron's film, perhaps because they didn't answer the calls. However, historians debate whether the distress calls really signaled the ship sinking, or were in fact erroneously fired in a sequence that meant "navigational errors, stay clear".

Titanic had room for 64 lifeboats in the event of a disaster that required abandoning ship, but financiers thought so many ships made the decks looked "too cluttered" in the words of shipbuilder Thomas Andrews, and so only 20 were left for use when Titanic hit the iceberg.

Of the 20, only 18 were used, and some only filled with 17 passengers when they were built to hold 40. Second Officer Lightoller, the only senior officer to survive the sinking, was pulled under the waves two separate times before managing to grab hold of one lifeboat with a sail, Collapsible Boat B.

Recent evidence from an original inquiry into the actions of Mr. William Murdoch, theFirst Officer aboard Titanic under Captain Edward Smith, revealed that had he acted just thirty seconds faster the ship might have averted disaster. This contradicts the previous verdict that the ship immediately altered course but couldn't prevent the catastrophe because the iceberg was seen too late.

Regardless of Mr. Murdoch's actions or feelings of subsequent guilt, he didn't put a pistol to his head as depicted in the film. William Murdoch perished going down with the ship, and his family's estate took umbrage with Cameron for depicting him as anything less than heroic.

NEXT:My Heart Will Go On: 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Titanic

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Kayleena has been raised on Star Wars and Indiana Jones from the crib. A film buff, she has a Western collection of 250+ titles and counting that she's particularly proud of. When she isn't writing for ScreenRant, CBR, or The Gamer, she's working on her fiction novel, lifting weights, going to synthwave concerts, or cosplaying. With degrees in anthropology and archaeology, she plans to continue pretending to be Lara Croft as long as she can.

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Titanic: 5 Things The James Cameron Movie Got Right (& 5 It Got Wrong) - Screen Rant

Q&A

Might want to read this before splurging on that ergonomic home-office chair you've been eyeing.

Power Home Remodeling co-CEO Asher Raphael thinks the office is irreplaceable. Hes right: You cant play ping pong from your home office! Photos courtesy of Power Home Remodeling.

When you think of stereotypically utopian workplaces, your mind likely heads straight to Silicon Valley startups, flush with juice bars, mini-golf putting greens, gigantic slides, you get the idea. Where your mind almost certainly doesntgo is to a home remodeling company. And yet, Power Home Remodeling, based in Chester, is routinely ranked as one of the top workplaces in the country. Do they have a slide? No. But there are ping pong tables! Perhaps even more impressively, they take their employees (some 1,800 people) on an annual trip to Mexico.

The pandemic has laid bare plenty of hypocrisy in our society. Heres one minor example: Many of the companies who used to grandstand about their office perks are now grandstanding about their flexible work-from-home policies that allow workers to avoid the office. So has the pandemic killed the office? At least in some industries, the answer looks to be trending toward yes. A study from the Harvard Business School recently predicted that after the pandemic is over, one in six workers will work from home at least 40 percent of the time. Then again, predicting the post-COVID future has often proven to be a futile endeavor. But Power Home CEO Asher Raphael at least knows this: In his opinion, the perma-WFH trend is terrible. So we caught up with him (yes, virtually) to discuss why the in-person office still matters.

Whats the current work from home policy at Power? Have you returned to the office?

Weve not. We shut down the offices in mid-March. And then we also shut down all major business operations. Technically we fall into an essential business, but we decided that we needed to prioritize our peoples health and safety. As of right now, were going to continue to have our offices closed. But the reality is that were not in a rush. Weve proven we can perform virtually. But the long-term plan is that every office completely reopens. So when does that happen, everybody coming back in full again? My guess is it wouldnt be until the end of Q1 or Q2 of next year.

It seems like you style Power Home as a sort of new-age company, in terms of the relationship with the workforce and the perks that you provide, like taking all of your employees on a trip to Mexico every year. Other companies that share the reputation as a forward-looking, visionary type of employer places like Facebook or Twitter are telling workers they can stay home for the foreseeable future, or in Twitters case, forever. Do you think thats a mistake?

Respectfully, I do think that its a mistake. Its an overreaction to a situation that is a moment in time. Im responsible for our employees well-being, and I want them not only, first and foremost, to be healthy, which is why our offices are closed right now, but I want more than healthy. I want people to be happy. And I want even more than happy. What I really look for is fulfillment. And I think a big part of living a fulfilling life is having deep, meaningful relationships with people. Being physically present is an important part of that.

It strikes me as a somewhat cynical move for a company to permanently move everything from the office to home. In a sense its just transferring costs that are normally borne by the employer onto the employee. An employee working at home might now need better quality internet, or a printer, or what have you. Do you see that decision as simply a strategic, bottom-line thing?

Im the least cynical person I know, but I absolutely think that the decision to keep employees at home permanently is a financially based decision, where employers are seeing an opportunity to cut out huge line items from their overhead, and I also think its a knee-jerk reaction to what people are hearing from their employees. Meaning, a lot of employees or prospective employees say, I want to work from home. I dont want to deal with a commute, I want to be able to work from anywhere. But you used the word visionary before. The leader of a business really needs to be a chief visionary officer. You have to see things that other people dont, and not just try to make everyone happy and say yes to everything, but to know what is actually in the best interest of your people.

Im intrigued by that. Youve been ranked a top workplace many times, and I assume that has something to do with the fact that you listen to your employees. A Gallup poll from April found that more than 60 percent of U.S. workers were working from home, and 60 percent of that group would prefer to keep working from home as much as possible. You said earlier that your goal is to make workers happy. If workers say they want to be working from home, does that change the calculus? Or do you think you know whats best?

The thing is, I dont want to stop at happy. I want to go beyond happy and get to fulfilled. And the job of a leader is to listen to your people as one of your information sources, but youre supposed to make decisions that are in their best interest. And to have a vision of something that they might not have yet. And if we just said yes to everything that a prospective employee said they wanted, not only do I think that wouldnt be a way to run a business, but I dont think that people would end up being happy, fulfilled or successful. Our job is to push people out of their comfort zones and to find ways to get more out of them than they even knew existed to begin with.

Furthermore, when you look at those polls that say that employees would rather work from home than come into the office, I think one of the reasons is because employers arent creating a dynamic, enjoyable work environment. If your work environment is not conducive to work, its not conducive to relationship building, if your work environment doesnt allow you to bring your honest true self to work, if your work environment isnt fun, if it isnt inspirational, then of course Id rather work from home. So the real challenge is creating an environment that people want to come to. And that is a very achievable goal.

One of the ironies to me of this work from home push is that, pre-pandemic, all people ever talked about when it came to the workplace was the need for open offices and collaboration. And now employers are saying, Never mind, you dont even need to be in the office. Does that not seem like a pretty massive contradiction?

I think its a total contradiction. Were primarily a millennial organization. And I think millennials are the ones that are actually missing the office more than anyone. Our employees, like I think so many others throughout the country, are feeling real issues of loneliness and anxiety. Specifically those that have been part of a community I think theyre struggling with it. And the overwhelming feedback were getting from our people, who we poll weekly, is that they miss the culture and they miss their colleagues that are more than just colleagues theyre friends and theyre family.

The open office is probably the most notable office reform of recent years, but theres also been talk lately, among some employers, about instituting a four-day work week. Is that something that makes sense to you?

Im the wrong guy to talk about a four-day workweek [laughs]. My organization operates seven days a week, and my goal is to create a work environment and work that people thoroughly enjoy. I dont want Sundays to be a hard day for people because they dread Mondays. I want people to be excited to get back to work. Instead of focusing on work-life balance, I really want to focus on work-life integration that for all the things our employees are passionate about, we offer them avenues within the space for them to dive into.

Do you think theres something self-serving from the business owner who says, I want people to be integrating work and life together? To frame work not just as work but as something so fundamental that youre always kind of working a little bit convince me thats not just you being sneaky and strategic.

I like you challenging me like this. My response to it would be: If Im not aligned with the employees, then that would create a crack in the structure and foundation of the business. I want to be aligned with our people. So that means that the things that I would want from them, or for them, should be in the interests of the business as well. And when thats not the case, theres a problem. The real question is, what is the motivation for the organization? Is it to enrich the life of the owners of the business, or of the employees? My view is that I work for the employees, not the other way around.

You mentioned Mexico. The amount of times people have said, How much money would you save if you eliminated that line item? Thats small potatoes. We spend 2 percent of top-line revenue just on internal events. [Power Homes revenue last year was north of $790 million, according to the company.] Not for a customer or prospective customer just for employees. That investment, I believe, enriches their life. But I also think that it comes back, because theyre happier, more fulfilled, healthier employees. And I dont know a single employee that is more productive when theyre not happy.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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Power Home Remodeling CEO Asher Raphael on Why Perma-Work-From-Home Is a Big Mistake - Philadelphia magazine

Every home is an investment of some kind. For property flippers, its all about a quick and profitable turnaround. For investors, its about making the property as attractive as possible to prospective renters. And, finally, for homeowners, its about building sustainable, long-term valuethe traditional American nest egg. While these three types of property owners may have different goals and objectives, the common thread between them is the importance of adding value to the property and, whether now or in the far future, realizing a strong return on investment.

The best way to add both long- and short-term value to a home is through strategic, value-boosting upgrades. In this article, we review several projects that every type of ownershort-term flippers, property managers, and homeownerscan benefit from completing.

In many respects, a kitchen remodel is the quintessential home renovation project. Given the kitchens importance to American home life, its no surprise that renters and homebuyers have such a love affair with beautiful, upgraded kitchens. According to data from bankrate.com, property owners who invest in a minor kitchen remodel, on average, see a 77.6% ROI. However, its certainly possible to beat the curve and get more out of your project. It all comes down to limiting your upfront costs and maximizing the homes market value.

That 77.6% average is based off the average cost of a kitchen remodel (a little over $23,000). Many owners can complete their remodel for far less. Refacing or repainting existing cabinets, for example, is far less expensive than replacing them altogether. Theres no similar substitute for high-quality stone countertops, but you canand shouldtalk to your contractor about any special inventory or discounts you might be able to get. Then theres the stuff you can complete yourself, like laying flooring, painting walls, and installing lighting fixtures. By limiting your overhead, youll squeeze extra value out of your kitchen remodel.

Next to kitchens, bathroom remodels are one of the most popular pre-sale projects. Just as in that space, the average ROI here is solid: 70.1%, according to data from Zillow. But, you dont have to settle for that. On average, property managers, flippers, and homeowners spend just north of $19,000 on a mid-range master bathroom remodel.

However, bathroom remodels are relatively DIY-friendly projects, so long as you have the time and are not planning on moving walls, pipes, or electrical outlets. Most homeowners are capable of laying their own tile, replacing a toilet, adding new sink fixtures, and putting in a vanity. Doing all this will take a lot of elbow grease, but it also means you avoid thousands in labor costs. Of course, this is well within the wheelhouse of experienced fix-and-flip owners.

These projects should be considered on an as-needed basis. Statistically, a garage door replacement is one of the highest-ROI projects out there (94.5% ROI on average, per Zillow), but doesnt make much sense for the home unless your existing door is damaged or failing. Context is everything here. Generally speaking, if your home has a major defect, youll want to fix that first before moving onto projects purely categorized as upgrades. After all, these flaws may hold up the sale (or rental) of the home and, ultimately, even detract from its value.

Consider your homes cooling and heating systems. If yours are relatively new, regularly maintained, and providing efficient indoor comfort, you can move on to other projects ahead of sale. Conversely, if your HVAC systems are aging (10+ years old), have a track record of performance issues, and are more than likely to get flagged in a home inspection, youre probably better off pivoting and taking care of them first. Replacing an air conditioner or furnace may not be an exhilarating project, but it qualifies as an essential one that will save you a ton of time and headache down the road.

Samantha Johnson is a remodeling writer for Superior Stone & Cabinet, a cabinet and countertop superstore in sunny Phoenix, Arizona.

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Remodeling Projects with the Best ROI - Think Realty

CHARLOTTE Remodelmate, a home renovation technology company serving Charlotte and the surrounding areas, is changing the landscape of bathroom remodeling.

With an emphasis on transparency and efficiency, the companys revolutionary approach to remodeling consultation provides unrivaled convenience, along with the peace of mind, to homeowners and contractors alike.

The companys goal to eliminate in-home consultation is brought to life through their virtual options. By visiting Remodelmate.com, homeowners can engage in a live chat, receive estimates on standard projects, and set up a video consultation, if needed.

Logan Phillips, head of operations at Remodelmate, said that through their formal consultations can occur at practically any time on any day. Phillips described the many benefits that Remodelmate provides to both homeowners and contractors, including helping homeowners to file permits, decide on proper materials, and design renovations, in addition to the inherent convenience of a virtual consultation. Phillips said that Remodelmate helps contractors to save time and money on advertising, pursuing leads, and giving quotes, by acting as a connection between contractors and clients.

If a video consultation, or one of the standard projects offered by Remodelmate, doesnt meet your needs, the company has begun to roll out a 3D scanning mobile app, allowing for the most accurate representation of the specifications of your project. Despite the companys impressive technology, its most revolutionary implementation could be its pricing structure.

Traditionally, Phillips said, homeowners will pay roughly one-third of a project cost at the beginning of a project, one-third at the halfway point, and one-third upon completion. Remodelmate, instead, uses a payment structure referred to as Milestones, breaking down payments based on individual aspects of a project, such as a vanity installation, lighting installation, tile installation or anything else to be remodeled, and acquiring payment only upon completion of individual tasks.

Through this structure, Phillips said, a full remodel will consist of roughly 15 to 20 payments over the course of a project. Phillips said that the Milestones format provides more control with less risk for all parties involved, as either party can walk away without loss if satisfactory outcomes are unachievable. The Milestones format provides other inherent benefits as well, particularly in the realm of cost transparency, as a customer knows exactly how much and when they are paying for each piece of the project. Contractors, as well, know exactly how much money they will receive for each task that they perform. As Milestones are paid for upon completion, the only upfront cost for starting a project is a $100 booking fee.

The company, Phillips said, believes in brevity and clarity, and from their offerings, that is evident. For more information on Remodelmate, to receive a quote, or to book your consultation today, visit remodelmate.com.

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Remodelmate: Eliminating In-Home Consultation for Bathroom Remodeling - The Weekly Post

In How to Remodel a Life, reality makeover shows become the innovative model for helping a person find a sustainable path to long-term recovery from both destructive drinking and mental illness. A graduate of Wellesley College (B.A) and Yale Divinity School (M.A.R.), Hope Andersen came back from the brink to publish her first novel at the age of 60. Moving beyond her struggles with alcoholism and bipolar disorder, she found a way to put her life back together and express her inner voice.

Wanting to help others struggling with the same challenges, Andersen constructs her new memoir as a how-to guide that looks at the recovery from a hopeless, three-fold disease as if a run-down house were being remodeled. The key is to return to the house's bones and find the beauty of the original build. After putting herself and her family through years of hell, Hope Andersen found the faith to put her life back together.

In the epilogue to How to Remodel a Life (PipeVine Press), Andersen expresses a vibrant sense of hope when she writes, Whatever your path, remember: you are never too young to start the journey; you are never too old to ask for help; it is never too late to start remodeling your life.

After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her early forties, Andersens life went off the rails. The chaos of the diagnosis sent her into a tailspin, and she began drinking hard and popping pills. Despite being in a loving marriage with grown children, she jumped into a maelstrom of sexual promiscuity and abusive relationships. Looking for anything to quiet the fear rising within, she came to the brink of suicide.

What brought Hope Andersen back from the brink? Strangely enough, it was her husbands brush with death that opened her eyes. Despite being given little chance to survive when he was diagnosed with stage four liver cancer, he received a new liver that came to them like a medical miracle. She was so grateful not to lose her beloved.

Realizing what she almost threw away and what she could still lose, she chose to ask for forgiveness and remodel her life in a loving fashion. Embracing recovery and sobriety, she realized that she needed to rebuild her life. Stripping everything down to the bare bones, she had to look at herself honestly. It was time to take the reins of moving forward away from fear and rely on hope and faith.

As Andersen writes in her new guide to recovery, When you remodel a home, you must reach the point where the old structure simply does not fit your needs anymore. In rehabbing a life, the same is true. The first step to changing your life is recognizing that your old way of being is seriously flawed, non-functioning; you need help from someone, somewhere to create this new version of yourself.

Although recovery memoirs have become a dime a dozen in the 21st century, Andersens book stands out for two essential reasons. First, it speaks to older people in recovery that are finding a new path after middle age in the second half of their lives. There are not enough resources out there for these people as they embrace the path of recovery that often comes with more responsibilities and more complex avenues of shame. Hope Andersens volume is valuable because it is such a resource.

Second, rather than being focused on just substance use disorder, including alcoholism, or just mental illness like bipolar disorder, How to Remodel a Life is a perfect example of the newfound memoir thats entrenched in co-occurring disorders. Once referred to as dual diagnosis, co-occurring disorders are as common as apple pie in the church basements of 12-step programs and rehabs across the country. Smoothly moving back and forth between her dual challenges, Andersen shows that recovery from both is possible at the same time. Its a crucial message that is needed.

And Hope Andersens challenges are only just beginning. After publishing this latest book, she found out that she has third-stage kidney disease. Most likely, her doctors believe it was caused by the lithium she takes daily to manage her bipolar disorder. She realizes the only outcomes for her moving forward are dialysis, a transplant, or death. Suddenly, she has to apply the lessons she offers in her book to her health crisis.

When the Coronavirus hit, she came to realize that her challenge was a reflection of the challenge being faced by the world. In the end, we all come together and remodel the microcosm of our individual lives and the macrocosm of the greater world, or we are doomed to perish sick and alone. Bravely, she moves forward, a spiritual warrior queen fighting for her life, family, and community. We wish her success and good health.

Read more:
New Memoir Explores How Recovery Is Like Remodeling a House - TheFix.com

WILMINGTON In 2009, popular cooking show host Rachael Ray brought her show and an HGTV remodel team to Wilmington and transformed the kitchen at Sugartree Ministries.

Now, 11 years later, the ministry is sending heartfelt thanks to the cooking show host after learning that Rays home was devastated by fire earlier this month.

The Associated Press reported that Ray and her husband and two dogs were safe after a fire engulfed her home. Flames could be seen shooting from the ceiling in photos of the blaze.

I was so sad when I heard the news. I couldnt believe it, said Al Willoughby, who was the ministrys director when Ray came to Wilmington. She is a wonderful person and she showed so much love and care for our community.

Willoughby recalled how in 2009, hed received a surprise phone call from Rays crew, telling him they would be at Sugartree the next morning.

I went in the next morning and camera crews followed me into our building. Then around 10 or 11 a.m., I had a live call with Rachel, and thats when she told me she wanted to remodel our kitchen so we could more easily take care of people and receive people, Willoughby said. I was totally surprised. It was really pretty cool.

For a few weeks, an HGTV team commissioned by Ray worked with Lowes to remodel the kitchen.

When they talked to us about our needs, they asked how many people we were serving and how they could set it up just for our needs, Willoughby said. The whole crew was just phenomenal. It was very encouraging.

Eleven years later, the ministry has used the kitchen to serve thousands of hot meals to those in need in the community. Since then, the ministry has expanded to include a food pantry, mens emergency shelter, 12-step program, blanket closet, coffee shop, warming and cooling shelter, grocery delivery program, community garden, counseling, and emergency services such as hotel rooms for domestic violence survivors and payment of bills for struggling families.

Current director Lee Sandlin said he was immediately saddened to see the news of Rays house fire.

It caused me to reflect on how much she did for our community and I started to think about her impact on Sugartree. In our greatest time of desperation, to have someone with that much influence take notice of us and choose us, it was so impactful, Sandlin said. Coming in and seeing that new kitchen, it was just beautiful.

After learning of the house fire, the staff at Sugartree commemorated Rays visit to Wilmington this week with a framed photo from her visit to hang in the kitchen. Each of the staff members were sending well wishes in a card for the cooking show host as well.

We love her and well never forget what she did for our community, Willoughby said. Eleven years later, its still quite a facility she set up for us.

Even more than a decade after the remodel, the kitchen is still beautiful, Sandlin said.

This building is so much more than just a structure. Its so many of the people who have given their love and their time to make it what it is today, he said. Were still caring for and helping others and fighting for them because of people like Rachael Ray who created a beautiful place for us to serve out of.

Sugartree Ministries Director Lee Sandlin speaks to staff members and volunteers about Rachael Rays visit.

Lee Sandlin shows a commemorative news story to staff before hanging it in the kitchen.

Learned of TV hosts recent house fire

Originally posted here:
Sugartree reflects on Rachael Ray remodel; ministry commemorates visit after learning of TV host's house fire - Wilmington News Journal, OH

A Loveland man was trapped by the roaring fire in the Roosevelt National Forest until a helicopter whisked him away to safety. Fort Collins Coloradoan

Colton McDonald will be hard pressed to top his 30th birthday.

That's because it involved his first helicopter ride, being trapped in the Cameron Peak Fire and receiving a warm hug from his father when he returned to his Loveland home.

I was elated that I was out of there, for sure,'' McDonald said Thursday from his home. "But on the way home driving down the (Poudre) Canyon, I was processing the whole experience. I had set out to reconnect with nature. I had set out to catch a bunch of fish and have an adventure. And at the end I accomplished all that stuff.

Barely.

McDonald was the sole recreationist rescued via helicopter from the Cameron Peak Fire and is believed to be the last person in the fire that is raging in the Roosevelt National Forest west of Fort Collins.

He set out on a 10-day solo backpacking trip into the ruggedly beautiful Rawah Wilderness on Aug. 13, the day the fire started. He parked his vehicle at the Blue Lake Trailhead offColorado Highway 14 around sunrise and reached Blue Lake about noon.

He left the lake and was nearBlue Lake Pass around 1 p.m when he saidhe "distinctly heard a gunshot discharge.'' He said about a half hour later, he saw smoke from the area where the fire is believed to have started. He had not seen smoke before that time.

I initially thought the smoke was from another camper with a campfire,'' he said. "Then a half-hour later, that smoke got pretty significant and then I knew it wasnt just a campfire, that it was awildfire.

More: Cameron Peak Fire grows to nearly 16,500 acres; additional resources requested

Despite the fire, hecontinued heading north as planned, skirting the east face of the Medicine Bow Range to avoid the worst of the fire smoke,traveling about five or six miles a day, fishing lakes and camping. He said he had no idea how large the fire had gotten because he could only see one large plume of smoke.

Then the wildlife tipped him off.

After the first couple of days, I noticed an odd amount of deer, moose, bighorn sheep and lot ofbirds kind of following me,'' he said. "And so I kind of knew I was in the right area because all of the wildlife was fleeing to where I was, and wildlife knows where to go when there is a fire.''

"It was definitely on the back of my mind the whole time that it was probably developing, but I didn'texpect it to move as fast as it did, as wide as it did.''

On his fifth day, he figured his last camp was about 15 miles north of the fire. He thought if the fire made the Blue Lake Trail impassable that he would hike out the West Branch Trail to the Laramie River Road.

More: Wildfire map: Track smoke, fire from Cameron Peak Fire

At Blue Lake Pass, he was able to see he was in trouble the West Branch and Blue Lake trails wereboth blocked by fire.

"I could see flames coming from the trees, so I sat there thinking about my options,'' he said. "I had enough supplies to last another week or two, but I figuredthe fire was only going to get worse and that I was pretty much trapped.''

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So he reached for his Garmin Tracker GPS device, which he only started packing in December, and pushed the SOS button. An emergency team responded, and he explained his situation.

That definitely helped quench my fears,'' he said. "I was certainly a little anxious about the situation. But they had it under control and I knew I was in a good spot for the helicopter to land in an open field.''

He said on the second day of his trip, a helicopter flew over him at Island Lake, around 11,000 feet, likely searching for him after crews spotted his vehicle at the Blue Lake Trailheadparking lot.

"Im up there and this helicopter comes closer than Ive ever had a helicopter come to me,'' said McDonald, who saw planes and helicopters fighting the blaze almost daily."They do a couple of passes and Im like, 'I think they are checking me out.' The guy in the helicopter waves and I wave back. That was the only person I saw fromthen until they came and picked me up.

More: Fire investigators seek info on vehicle seen near small fire Friday near Cameron Peak Fire

But on Tuesday, the helicopter didn't fly away. It circled a couple of times before landing in anearby clearing.

They outfitted him with a helmet, ear plugs and maskand whisked him back to Colorado 14, where they landed so he could retrieve his vehicle, which had been towed a mile away because of the fire.

"I had never been in ahelicopter before, so it was pretty wild,'' he said. "The perspective of the fire up in the helicopter was incredible. It was both really terrifying and beautiful at the same time.''

He received an escort through the section of Colorado 14 that was blocked off because of the fire then made his way home where his father, CharlesMcDonald, was waiting.

"There was a big hug and then the humor kicks in,'' said Charles, who credited his son's Garmin Tracker for saving his life."I had confidence in Colton's skills and that he knew what he was doing. But it was a hell of a birthday present to have a helicopter bring him home.

Colton McDonald, who has lived in Lovelandfor three years and is a Colorado State University graduate,is an avid outdoorsman and has summited a dozen of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks. He said despite his recent anxious moments that he has plans to hike the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail from Mexico to Canada someday.

"I could tell that my situation could be dangerous,'' said Colton McDonald, who works as atattoo artist and at Biochar Now in Berthoud. "At the same time, it is so freeing and sobeautiful just being in tune withthe natural system. A lot of people never experience that feeling. But there is a lot in those experiences.''

Reporter Miles Blumhardt looks for stories that impact your life. Be it news, outdoors, sports you name it, he wants to report it. Have a story idea? Contact him at milesblumhardt@coloradoan.com or on Twitter @MilesBlumhardt. Support his work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

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Backpacker tells of harrowing rescue from Cameron Peak Fire - Coloradoan