(NewsUSA)

"The Light of Ishtar"
by Said Elias Dawlabani

An ancient goddess in the light of a contemporary love story . . .

This poignant memoir draws parallels between the ancient goddess Ishtar and the author's wife and soulmate, Elza Maalouf, recognizing inner energies that are universal.

For over a decade, Maalouf spearheaded the resurrection of feminine power in the Middle East. Said became an eminent speaker and author. Brilliant and dynamic, this Lebanese-American couple seemed destined for greatness -- until disaster struck.

 With rare courage he explores the dark side of the psyche when, at age 49, Elza begins descending into speechless dementia. Ishtar's journey to the Underworld mirrors them both. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3y17nfj.

"You Might Feel a Little Prick"
by Reuben Leder

A screaming snowman plummets from the top floor of Cleveland Mercy Hospital and disappears into the snow drifts. By the time his thawed corpse is discovered, a body count of incompetents, frauds, and crooks who call this chamber of horrors home has snowballed.

Could these "disappearances" have anything to do with the bogus spine operation on ex-ballplayer Nick Glass or the wrongful termination of idealistic intern Dr. Julie Toffoli?

 Hysterically funny, troubling and finally moving, this book answers the question we've all been asked by someone in a white coat: Just what is your level of pain? Kirkus calls it "a scathing look at the medical industry ... The author delivers the story with comic panache." Purchase at https://amzn.to/3yCMU0C.

"This Distance We Call Love"
by Carol Dines

These stories explore the complexities of contemporary family life with humor and insight. The book focuses on our most intimate relationships: sisters battle issues of duty and obligation when one sister becomes homeless; a mother and daughter take a trip to Mexico, only to be followed by the daughter's stalker; a family living in Rome must contend with their daughter's rape; parents navigate raising their only child in the age of climate change; a bi-racial daughter whose mother is dying battles her own internet sex addiction.

 The stories delve deeply into the relationships that impact and inform our lives, creating a portrait of American family life today. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3yHX54l.

"Science and Beyond: Toward Greater Sanity through Science, Philosophy, Art, and Spirituality"
by Rolf Sattler

Science has become the dominant force in most parts of the world. Thus, it affects our lives and society in many ways. Yet, misconceptions about science are widespread in governments, the general public and even among many scientists. "Science and Beyond" explores these misconceptions that may have grave and even disastrous consequences for individuals and society as was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they led to much unnecessary suffering, sickness and death.

 The misconceptions also obscure the limitations of science, which prevents us from going beyond them and thus leads to an impoverished life. But reaching beyond the limitations of science, as outlined in this book, can open the doors to a more fulfilled, saner, healthier, happier and more peaceful life and society. Visit www.RolfSattler.com.

NOTE: BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com. 

(NewsUSA) - Stay glued to your TVs this October with Lifetime's all-new fall lineup, featuring gripping, emotional and informative new original movies featuring star-studded casts.

October begins with "The Good Father: The Martin MacNeill Story"(10/2). Based on a true story, the movie centers on the life of the Utah doctor, played by Tom Everett Scott, who seemed to have it all, with a beauty-queen wife, Michele (Charisma Carpenter), and adoring daughter, Alexis.

But this perfect picture becomes tainted when Michele dies from drowning while taking prescription medication following plastic surgery, and Dr. MacNeill brings home a "nanny" who is actually his mistress. Alexis, shocked by her father's behavior, starts to dig into his life, and discovers an individual capable of murder.

In "Dying to Belong" (10/9) journalism major Olivia (Favour Onwuka) meets shy freshman Riley (Jenika Rose), and the pair decide to participate in sorority rush to join Pi Gamma Beta, the sorority of Riley's popular mother, Katherine (Shannen Doherty).

In this suspenseful remake of the classic 1997 movie, Olivia plans an undercover story about sorority hazing, but uncovers deadly secrets involved in joining the Pi Gamma Beta "sisterhood."

Shannen Doherty appears again in "List of a Lifetime," (10/10) part of Lifetime's Broader Focus initiative that champions women in key production roles.

When Brenda Lee (Kelly Hu) is diagnosed with breast cancer, she seeks out the daughter she gave up for adoption at birth. She finds Talia (Sylvia Kwan) living with her adoptive parents, Diana (Shannen Doherty) and Marty (Jamie Kahler). Talia keeps her newfound relationship with her birth mother a secret and bonds with Brenda by helping her create a bucket list of everything she wants to do.

Other fall features include "Switched Before Birth,"(10/23) a heart-wrenching drama involving an IVF mixup that leaves one couple with twin babies, only one of whom is biologically theirs.

Olivia Crawford (Skyler Samuels) and her husband Brian (Bo Yokely) find themselves pitted against former friends Anna Ramirez (Justina Machado) and her husband Gabe (Yancey Arias).

In "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff: The Kristine Carlson Story," (10/16), Heather Locklear stars as Kristine, the wife of Dr. Richard Carlson, psychotherapist, motivational speaker, and author of the popular "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" books. The movie chronicles Kristine's journey to self-discovery and self-confidence in the wake of her husband's untimely death and amid the pressure to become the new voice of the brand he created.

Finally, "Torn from Her Arms," premiering on October 30, is based on a true story from the ongoing crisis at the U.S. border, in which a mother struggles to find her six-year-old daughter after being separated on arrival from El Salvador.

The cast includes Fátima Molina as Cindy Madrid and Camila Nuñez as her daughter, Ximena, along with Judy Reyes as immigration lawyer Thelma Garcia and Gloria Reuben as journalist Ginger Thompson, whose publicizing of their story brought national attention to the plight of undocumented immigrant families.

Visit mylifetime.com for more information about Lifetime's fall lineup and other programming.

(NewsUSA)

(NewsUSA) - A growing body of research shows that throughout the next decade women will control significantly more financial assets. Today, they control a third of total U.S. household financial assets (about $10 trillion), but by 2030 women are expected to control most of the $30 trillion in financial assets currently held by baby boomers.

McKinsey & Company reports that the biggest reason for this shift is demographics. Younger women are making more financial and investment decisions than they were 5 years ago. Additionally, older women are set to inherit the assets of joint households (households where a woman is present but hasn't been actively involved in financial decisions).

Meanwhile, American Express estimates there are nearly 13 million women-owned businesses in the United States. They state that "the potential of women entrepreneurs for spurring economic growth has not been fully realized."

As women take charge over a greater share of financial assets, it's important that they seek out financial professionals that best meet their needs.

If you are one of these women, your financial responsibilities probably are or will become significant, and you may have wondered if you need some help. Working with a trustworthy financial advisor -- such as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional -- can help you navigate financial challenges related to life's transitions, family responsibilities and earnings potential.

Here are 4 examples of why it is important for women to work with a financial planner:

1. During the pandemic, many women have been laid off, furloughed or reduced their working hours. Unfortunately, time away from your career can have negative financial implications -- both for short-term cash flow and long-term goals, such as saving for retirement. A CFP® professional can help you stay focused on the future after a career transition or other earnings gap.

2. If you own a business (or plan to start one), a CFP® professional can collaborate with you to create a financial plan that incorporates different stages of the entrepreneurial journey, including the start-up phase, growth, expansion and succession planning.

3. A CFP® professional can help couples merge, reset or adjust their finances. Whether you are getting married or have made another long-term commitment to each other, a CFP® professional can help you evaluate Social Security maximization strategies, tax implications, and options for retirement planning and estate planning. In these cases, it is important that women have a relationship with their advisor, regardless of who serves as the primary financial decisionmaker for their family.

4. A CFP® professional can help manage estate planning. When you lose a loved one, your financial planner can help you handle insurance claims and policies, review Social Security and retirement benefits, and understand where investment accounts are located. They can also help you manage any inheritance you receive.

If you decide to work with a financial planner, you'll want to conduct due diligence before entrusting someone with your most important decisions. Visit LetsMakeAPlan.org to find CFP® professionals, then interview several of them -- asking questions about their service model and experience, among other areas -- to find the right fit.

Once you establish a relationship with your financial planner, keep in touch with them and stay involved in your finances. Together, you and your financial planner can work toward and reach your financial goals.

(NewsUSA)

From John W. Warner IV, author, historian, son of U.S. Senator John W. Warner and grandson of philanthropist Paul Mellon, OSS, KBE, comes this smart new historical thriller "Lion, Tiger, Bear," sequel to his acclaimed debut novel, "Little Anton," about the shocking hidden history of super-advanced technology and covert schemes of the German military during WWII's North African campaign and beyond.

Warner's four decades of research and extensive conversations with his father, high-ranking military personnel, and his grandfather, Paul Mellon, inform the story, which cleverly combines primary-source material and archival military reports with fictional and satirical elements to create a riveting narrative. Psychologist Carl Jung, Mellon's friend and OSS fellow, has a concept of "synchronicity" that is evident in the book, making it a feast of wartime indelicacies and potent metaphysical concepts.

RASH AND BRASH LADY BEA IS AT IT AGAIN

 Rash and brash Lady Bea, introduced in "Little Anton," is back as pilot and MI6 operative (British Secret Intelligence Service). Her team's mission: locate a secret German mining operation, airbase and Ahnenerbe SS archaeology dig in Iraq that is supplying the German "Wunderwaffe's" atomic ordinance with free energy and antigravity programs. The program relies on mysterious ancient knowledge and materials.

A dedicated military historian and conspiracy researcher, Warner divulges occult (above Top Secret) WWII activity including Germany's placement of bunkers and radio towers above underground telluric energy "Ley Lines." These boosted power and hidden war weaponry projects including chemical lasers, atomic weapons, antigravity experiments and rocket works for Himmler's SS under the auspices of SS General Kammler.

 Warner cites evidence about the 1942 "Battle of Los Angeles" and the intelligence-gathering plasma drone "Foo-Fighters" documented in official U.S., British, Russian and German military files, which caused electrical malfunctions among all combatants' aircraft and ships embroiled in the conflict.

The book begins in 1942: Bea has survived a crash-landing in Egypt with two Allied soldiers. After fighting Rommel's vaunted "Afrika Korps," she reluctantly reconnects with her overbearing granduncle, Prime Minister Churchill, in Cairo, and then dives back onto front lines with a motley crew including a wise African soldier named Gwafa.

Next come near-death adventures with real-life characters: German physicist Walter Gerlach, Bea's "frenemy" the brilliant Professor Porsche, and "Ahnenerbe SS" scientists Ernst Sch?fer and Edmond Geer.

HISTORICAL DETAILS AND BOUNDLESS IMAGINATION

Readers will relish the mix of Warner's historical details and boundless imagination as he describes scenes such as the actual 1942 Oval Office meeting between Churchill, General George Marshall, and President Roosevelt, where they devise a global strategy to defeat the Axis forces and discuss the UFO-like "Celestial Devices" and "Foo-Fighters" on many battlefronts, their cosmic agendas unknown.

Women readers will appreciate the powerful duo of Bea and Alice: Bea is at the helm of both a German Tiger Tank and a super-powered airship while Alice advises, taunts and navigates. Just as WWII saw women in new roles as mechanics, ferry pilots, intelligence operatives, code-breakers, doctors, nurses and scientists, Warner's books are a celebration of these women and the "Divine Feminine" -- the ascendance of women's natural, spiritual and inclusive leadership.

All author profits go to wounded veteran charities. Purchase at https://amzn.to/2V8CxCU.

(NewsUSA)Now-perhaps more than ever before-creating a relaxing outdoor space has been at the top of homeowners' to-do lists. Basic porches and patios are out, and families are investing in extravagant exterior areas with high-quality furnishings and amenities. And they're doing so with natural and durable materials like cypress. Here are five ways homeowners are decking out their outdoor space.

Photo courtesy of J Paul Moore Photography

Beautiful Flooring

If you're building an outdoor room, one of the first considerations is what's underfoot. Nancy Moore of The Porch Company in Nashville, Tennessee, says she loves utilizing the softness and beauty of wood in above-grade applications.

"A wood floor is much more attractive than a masonry one in my opinion-and less expensive," Moore says. "Cypress is our go-to wood for covered porch floors because it's naturally resistant to decay and readily available in tongue-and-groove boards, which gives a more finished look. And due to its light color, unlike cedar, we can use stains to develop a wide range of color choices."

Moore also offers some important advice. "If you're installing a tongue-and-groove floor, make sure there's an appropriate gap and you slope it to allow for water drainage," she explains.

© 2021 Nickolas Sargent of DBA Sargent Photography

Decorative Ceilings

"A lot goes into designing an outdoor space," says Tom Kirchhoff of Kirchhoff & Associates Architects in Jupiter, Florida. "The ceiling must relate to the furniture layout, decorative accents, and lighting. We tend to make the ceiling the focal point of our design creativity, and really love using natural cypress because of the warmth it provides, as opposed to other materials, such as stucco."

Photo courtesy of M&M Millworks of Louisiana

High-End Cabinetry

Whether indoors or out, homeowners can never have too much storage, says Robert N. Holley of M&M Millworks of Louisiana, a custom cabinet shop in West Monroe, Louisiana.

"We produce top-notch cabinets, regardless of if they'll be installed indoors or out," Holley says. "We prefer working with cypress because it's local, easy to sand, offers a rustic appearance, and holds up well to the elements in all seasons-especially in our hot and humid climate.

"Cypress also accepts a variety of finishes to meet any style. But if it were up to me, we'd use a clear sealer instead of a pigmented stain. I like to show the wood's natural beauty."

Photo courtesy of Benjamin Deshotels, Backwards Anvil LLC

Showpiece Tables

When it comes to outdoor furniture that's built to last, Benjamin Deshotels, a blacksmith and owner of Backwards Anvil LLC in Port Island, Louisiana, chooses cypress.

"In our neck of the woods, cypress has a rich history and that's a big motivator to incorporate it into our projects," Deshotels says. "Cypress also performs well in outdoor environments; not to mention it's a beautiful wood with lots of character.

"I recently used cypress to build an outdoor table with matching benches. It's finished in an oil-based stain to enhance the wood's color and a few coats of spar varnish to provide protection from direct sunlight and UV rays."

Photo courtesy of Lake Cypress Outdoor Products

Real Seating

There are a lot of factors to consider when buying outdoor furniture-including quality, durability, and price. And Steve Peugh of Lake Cypress Outdoor Products in Sulphur Springs, Texas, says cypress checks all the boxes.

"We've been crafting high-quality, Adirondack-style furniture with cypress for more than 30 years," Peugh says. "Cypress is a naturally durable wood and it won't decay like pine and some other common species. It's also stronger and denser than cedar."

And when compared to wood alternatives, like polywood and plastic, Peugh says people choose cypress for three reasons. "First, it won't heat up like alternative materials. Second, it'll last for many years. People think polywood will last forever, but it gets brittle and will break. And lastly, cypress is less expensive than wood substitutes-which is surprising to many customers.

"Homeowners are tired of replacing their outdoor furniture every few years. And at the end of the day, people don't want to sit on plastic, they want the real thing."

For more creative ideas on decking out your outdoor space, visit CypressInfo.org.

(NewsUSA) - In the northern hemisphere, the sun's lower winter angle in the sky peers straight into your windows, causing glare, more fading from its UV rays and unwanted hotspots. The usual remedy is to block out the natural daylight with curtains or blinds. However, this may darken the interior and create the need to turn lights on.

Then there's the appearance of the home. From the exterior a home's windows may appear disheveled with a drape partially open, a blind a bit crooked and next to it, a curtain pulled tight.

Then there's the cost of curtains, drapes, blinds and shades, that can add up quickly. Can you go "curtainless" and still reduce the sun's glare?

"A cost-effective solution is long-lasting, professionally installed window films, which can be permanently affixed to the glass by experts in a day or less to windows, doors and skylights. Many designs and features are available, such as privacy films that still allow in natural light, or clear, glare-reducing films that offer energy savings," says Darrell Smith, executive director of the International Window Film Association (IWFA).

Window films themselves are high-tech systems with multiple performance coatings produced to address specific problems in buildings. They may last 15 years or more and can be installed on single or dual pane windows in good condition, and they may also upgrade the glass to today's energy standards.

Window films with the IWFA logo are rated just like windows for their energy savings features. Window film manufacturers and businesses may offer a warranty that not only covers the window film, but may also cover the window glass.

"Window films are always 'on' and work when you need them so there is no need to pull drapes, shade or blinds," adds Smith.

Other benefits in addition to savings may include enhanced safety, the blocking of up to 99 percent of UV rays and privacy films. Window films may also help to keep heat in during winter and reduce the sun's solar heat by up to 80 percent in summer. Another plus is that a home may have a cleaner, modern look.

Get in touch with a local window film business at www.iwfa.com before the sun forces you to be in the dark.

(NewsUSA)

In his philosophical treatise, "The Human Condition," author Bob Yari offers a pathway to fulfillment and happiness based on a balanced lifestyle, a positive attitude, and gratitude for the world's abundance.

It is a self-help and self-realization book, meant to make people think and experiment with some of the concepts discussed. Ultimately, says the author, a better understanding of the human condition is the key ingredient to achieving happiness. If we can adjust our attitude and our perception of everything that happens to us in life, we can become much happier people.

 PHILOSOPHY FROM LIFE EXPERIENCE

 "My life experience has gotten me to develop a defined 'philosophy' of living that has enabled me to be a more content and happier person when faced with diversity, loss, and anxiety," says Yari. After refining this way of thinking over many years and seeing how it made his life more enjoyable, he wanted to share it with as many people as he could.

It is our ability to move past our own propensities and "natural programming" that will allow us to better enjoy our lives, says Yari, who offers intelligent observations and a roadmap to enhance our life's journey in this highly readable and intellectual work.

Yari takes us inside the human condition and the human mind, discussing all the conceptual drivers that influence one's quality of life -- attitude, gratitude, acceptance, balance and logic, to name a few. He presents a discourse on each, how they affect that human condition, and what readers should consider in order to optimize their connection with them.

Readers are so easily drawn to the dialogue and insights that they are just as likely to come away with a better "understanding" rather than a specific course of action that preaches "do this" or "do that." This technique positions Yari not so much as a mentor but rather as a colleague simply sharing his thoughts and ideas that have worked for him personally, providing a safe and comfortable connection to his readers.

 "STEP OUTSIDE OURSELVES"

 "To sit back and analyze how our mind handles information and thought and how we can improve our own mental functioning is an act that requires advanced and forced steps," he writes. "The first is to step outside ourselves and our immersion in our spectrum of life and to look upon life, ourselves, our functioning, and our purpose objectively."

Ultimately, says Yari, a better understanding of the human condition is the key ingredient to achieving happiness. In "The Human Condition," readers will be challenged to come to this better understanding, often having to contemplate a different awareness of and focus on concepts that have been embedded into their DNA and their thinking.

"If we can adjust our attitude and our perception of everything that happens to us in life, we can become much happier people. We need to start acknowledging what a great gift we hold."

"The Human Condition" is sure inspire readers to open their horizons and release the inherent, and often unused, powers of their own minds to better their lives. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3s0Dt96.

BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - Had you tried to devise a situation that would bring our public schools to the brink, you couldn't have done better than imagining what happened in the spring of 2020. It happened so fast. Suddenly schools had to figure out how to teach students from afar, without the aid of summer planning or extra training.

High schools navigated a doubly difficult challenge: balancing teaching teens in the moment while also ensuring they remained on track for the future amid rising anxiety, stress, and depression.

Experts warned that the pandemic would have a dire impact on generation COVID and early data suggests they may be right. Since the pandemic struck, more than a quarter-million fewer seniors completed financial aid forms that support affordable college enrollment. The greatest declines came from the students who likely need aid the most -- students of color and students from low-income backgrounds.

Even against this bleak backdrop, some high schools managed to shine. The College Success Award identifies high schools that support student college enrollment and success in 25 states.

This year GreatSchools reached out to the most exceptional of these winning schools to learn about how they had navigated pandemic education. Not only did they meet the moment head on, but they devised solutions that worked so well they made them permanent even after schools returned in the fall. Here's what they discovered:

Meeting families where they are. With buildings closed, schools had to get creative about engaging families. El Paso's Valle Verde Early College High School, for example, took its monthly parent forums online and discovered what happens when you remove barriers to family engagement. At the first meeting, instead of 50 parents, over 300 showed up and crashed the system. "[W]e see people making dinner, doing laundry, but listening and asking questions. They're taking care of life responsibilities," says recently-retired Principal Paul Covey. With the simple click of a button, hundreds of multitasking parents were given the opportunity to participate in school activities without having to find childcare, leave work early, or take public transportation.

Meeting alumni where they are. Florida's Mater Performing Arts Academy had always invited alumni to visit the school to share their experiences, but once school was online, they discovered that they could access alumni all over the country. "We're doing a lot of presentations with our alumni who… are in Boston, or in… San Francisco," says college counseling lead Silvino Macho. By leveraging the power of video conferencing, the school engaged its alumni community to share their college and career lessons and mentor students.

Meeting teens where they are. As schools went virtual, teacher Scott Frank took it as a chance to speak teens' language.

He created online videos of core topics in his history classes at IDEA Frontier College Prep in Brownsville, TX. Frank's YouTube channel became an evergreen bank students could reference while studying or doing homework. His biology counterpart made short videos on TikTok and awarded bonus points to students that watched.

For these teachers, the language of social media became a friend request they gladly accepted.

To explore more best practices and see the complete list of 2021 College Success Award-winners, visit www.greatschools.org/gk/csa-winners/.

Carol Lloyd is the vice president, editorial director at GreatSchools.

(NewsUSA) - For many people, the idea of creating and sticking to a budget is intimidating. The thought of investing, managing debt and saving for major purchases, such as a house or car, can leave anyone overwhelmed.

"A budget is a necessity for controlling spending and working toward financial goals," says CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional Ross Levin, CFP®. "But what people don't remember is that budgeting is actually about making choices."

One smart (but ironic) choice you can make is to budget for a financial planner -- who will help you better manage your budget. A skilled financial planning professional can help you build a workable budget and give you the tools and encouragement to stick with it.

How do you pay for a financial planner?

Although financial planners aren't free, their valuable expertise can help you plan for many parts of your life -- not just help you budget.

There are various ways a CFP® professional may get paid for their services, and some options might be friendlier to your budget than others. Common ways that financial planning services are paid for may include:

• Commissions on products you buy, or transactions you make,
• Fixed fees for particular services,
• Hourly rates,
• Monthly or quarterly retainer or subscription fees,
• A percentage of the assets they manage for you, or
• A combination of the above.

It is important to ask your financial planner a number of key questions, including how clients pay the advisor and what costs you should expect in working with them. Their answers should help you determine how much to include in your budget to pay for your financial planner's services.

What will you get for your money?

Financial planners provide a variety of services that more than offset their cost. A CFP® professional can advise you about the details of the tax code, how to best save for retirement or other goals, and how to manage the risks and rewards of your investments. A CFP® professional can also guide you on how to use your health savings account effectively, and how to maximize tax benefits from charitable donations.

CFP® professionals provide advice to guide financial decisions at all stages of life, including when or whether to buy or refinance a home, how much to put aside for a child's education, and how to invest for long-term wealth.

"A good financial planner will not only help you set your goals, but also track your progress toward achieving them. And when your objectives change [as they often do], your plan can change with it," says Levin.

Visit LetsMakeAPlan.org for more information about the benefits of financial planning, why it is worth fitting into your budget and how to find a CFP® professional who can help you manage your financial future.