(NewsUSA) - Despite the reinstatement of precautions related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, travel remains possible in most areas, especially for individuals who are vaccinated. The urge for escape has prompted a surge in interest in adventure travel to experience other places, cultures, and wildlife. A Galapagos Cruise with Quasar Expeditions offers an unparalleled experience in the legendary Galapagos Islands for families, photography/wildlife enthusiasts, honeymooners, and adventurers of all ages.

Travel to the Galapagos on a luxury yacht offers visitors a unique opportunity to avoid cruise ship crowds and experience a safari-style adventure in deluxe accommodations. Other benefits of small ship cruising include more attention from expert guides, and more opportunities to take advantage of life-changing close-up encounters with the Islands' unique wildlife. Watch a video of these amazing encounters here.

Quasar Expeditions, a leader in the small cruise ship industry for more than three decades, offers 8-day and 15-day Galapagos luxury cruises on one of two yachts. Their vintage Grace Yacht was once owned by Princess Grace Kelly in the 1950's and it served as the honeymoon yacht for the royal couple soon after they wed. It carries a maximum of 16 guests and is maintained to a modern and elegant standard. The Evolution Yacht, a larger but no less luxurious ship in Roaring 20s style, takes a maximum of 32 guests along the footsteps of the famous naturalist, Charles Darwin who explored and studied the Galapagos Islands.

"We do not sell to the tourist. We cater to the traveler," according to the company's website.

"We strive to make sure our guests connect on an emotional level with the destination and all it encompasses; it is a journey for transformation."

Although the Galapagos boasts moderate temperatures year-round, fall in particular offers several unique opportunities, including snorkeling encounters with sea lions and pups, exceptional lighting conditions for photography enthusiasts, glimpses of giant tortoises laying eggs, and a good chance of whale and dolphin sightings.

All Quasar cruises on both yachts offer additional features that appeal to today's travelers:

Sustainability: Quasar Expeditions' unique commitment to sustainability extends from a zero single-use plastic policy and carbon-neutral emissions to partnerships with organizations that combat over-tourism and the commercialization of indigenous cultures.

Flexibility: Quasar offers a risk-free booking and cancellation policy, and cruises also allow for flexibility to capitalize on unexpected peak wildlife encounters.

For more details, visit www.quasarex.com/galapagos.

(NewsUSA) - The idea to build giant LED screens is not a new concept.

Historically called "Megatrons or Jumbotrons," they have been used to generate buzz and a visual identity for properties and in some cases to generate the majority of the revenue for the buildings they are affixed to.

Nowhere has this been more evident than in Times Square. Like the neon signs and painted wallscapes before them, these LED signs were the beginning of a new era, a generational embrace of new technology affixed to hundred-year-old bricks, windows and recycled steel skeletons whose entire purpose has been to engage and elicit a response, a feeling and a call to action from the world around them.

The recent trend of working from home that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic clearly illustrates the need for fluidity in the way corporations, individuals and landlords have to work together to promote and ensure health, safety and satisfaction within commercial and retail real estate environments.

An example of a project that is currently under construction in New York that is embracing this concept, is 1568 Broadway, "TSX."

The project includes three digital and two static signs on the fa?ade, one of which is being built with an open-air stage overlooking Times Square, as well as full audio capabilities in order to make it the new epicenter of Times Square, where something equally iconic as the ball drop can occur year-round.

According to the development team, "TSX Broadway will provide a single brand with the most powerful marketing tool in the world, the most technologically advanced signage and lighting package in New York City. There will be an 18,000-square-foot LED sign wrapping the podium, and a full-building fa?ade lighting system that will activate the entire 46-story tower as a branded beacon."

Imagine a commercial tenant experience where you are able to wake up in one of several overnight suites, an iPad or other connected device enabling you to operate different functionalities in your room, book a time at the fitness center and order breakfast, all before heading to your office.

At lunch, you head out and are constantly engaged both consciously and subconsciously by lighting, sounds, smells, images, and digital messages in the elevators, lobbies and as you emerge outside on the building's fa?ade itself.

All of this coupled with beacon technology, geo-fencing and rapidly progressing programmatic media capabilities ensure that tenant engagement will be even more consistently and intuitively woven into the fabric of our daily lives as we return to the new post-COVID normal.

With all these layers of technology working synchronously with brick and mortar, brands and sponsors will be better able to monitor, track, modify and manage media campaigns.

This immersive and experiential centered approach to real estate can be used in all types of real estate environments, utilizing technologies that prompt a shift away from the "look at me" effect and towards engagement, that is, "how does it make me feel?"

The time is now to begin integrating the various technologies at our disposal simultaneously.

By operating this type of real estate model, implementing and innovating rapidly across vertical technology sectors, we can collapse the time table from conceptual to the new normal and write the narrative for how real estate, media, and technology cohabit in the world of our future.

Matthew A Knee is president of GCG Media Services.

(NewsUSA)

"The Musician"
by Mike Shaw

"True, endearing, joyful, and at times disheartening "The Musician" is an unvarnished look at what most musicians encounter when they choose to follow their dreams," says Huffington Post's Ralph Miriello.

Becoming an accomplished musician and recognized for it will become the driving force in Tom Cliffe's life. He will give up all the accommodations of the conventional life. Even when he is nearly destitute, he cannot, will not, abandon music.

"The Musician" captures the character and circumstance of life as shared by musicians everywhere, from immersion in their craft to the joy of playing music well to the frustrations associated with committing a lifetime to such an unstructured and unrewarded career. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3qDAgvt.

"Brielle's Birthday Ball"
by Ballerina Konora

A delightful birthday adventure packed with movement concepts and subtle life lessons. Each book in the "Dance-It-Out!" series is an independent story, and Brielle's Birthday Ball is the perfect series introduction, ideal for kids 4-7.

Ballerina Konora inspires kids to get up and get moving on the imagination stage. Kids bring out their own inner storyteller or follow Konora's suggested moves, designed by an award-winning dance instructor to develop body coordination, focus breath, and explore dance fundamentals.

Says Reedsy, "Another wonderful journey into the imagination with Ballerina Konora, perfect for young dancers everywhere!" Purchase at https://amzn.to/2TcbrdH.

"Why Her? Why Not Me?"
by Roland J. Bain

This life story traces a major segment of the author's adult life riddled with devastating personal events. It is a roller coaster of emotions as he tries to dig out of a parade of unique and scarring events that have beset his two sets of children and himself.

First, he has to raise his fiave children alone after his wife of 17 years abandons him. Remember this is only the first in a series of events that the author has to overcome. Those events include a number of serious health issues. Follow him as he somehow finds the resolve to push through these incredible hardships. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3cBr5WC.

"We Can Save the World…But There's No Money in It "
by Peri Scott

Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to make ends meet? Stretching your paycheck to the end of the month seems to always be a struggle. Why do so many people feel this way?

Is the system rigged? Is it broken? Explore the reasons why poverty and strife are so common and financial abundance is so rare. Let's get the discussion going on how to fix this and allow everyone to prosper. Says one reviewer, "Peri Scott changes the game when it comes to talking about money and how it affects society. Insightful ideas lead you to question your participation in capitalism. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3fbYvMy.

 NOTE: BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(Silver Screen Capture)

By Stephen Michael Brown
Chief Film Critic, Silver Screen Capture

Real-life stories of Hollywood royalty, chronicles of singing poets and lovers, displays of supernatural super heroics and much more will vie for your attention across multiplex and media as the fall film season gets fully underway.

Filmmakers continue to showcase the movies they've been safely creating during the pandemic, and you'll get a variety of new fare to enjoy on both big screens and home streaming in the months ahead.

Anticipated sequels and franchises include "No Time to Die," the latest Daniel Craig 007 film; "Dune," which covers half of the dense sci-fi novel about outer- space wars; "Halloween Kills" with further mayhem between Michael Myers and scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis; and "Maverick," Tom Cruise's long-awaited follow-up to "Top Gun."

True-life sagas range from director Ridley Scott's chronicle of a murderous fashion family with "House of Gucci," starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver to Aaron Sorkin's "Being the Ricardos," with Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as television idols Lucy and Desi Arnaz. Two tragic legends also get the big-screen treatment as Kristen Stewart plays Princess Diana in "Spencer" and Ana de Armas embodies Marilyn Monroe in "Blonde." And "King Richard" stars Will Smith as the father and coach of the Williams tennis sisters.

After the recent successes of Marvel on television, an emboldened box office run should continue with recent Oscar winner Chloé Zhao's"Eternals," featuring an ensemble of immortal gods such as Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek plus the third in the latest "Spider-Man" trilogy," "No Way Home," injecting a bit of twisty multiverse time travel into the teen webslinger's adventures.

"Dear Evan Hansen" with Ben Platt as a troubled teenager opposite Amy Adams and Julianne Moore, ushers in a season of musicals, followed by Peter Dinklage in an acclaimed crooning performance as "Cyrano"; Andrew Garfield as an artist on the brink of hitting it big as he faces an early mid-life crisis in "Tick Tick Boom"; the Colombia-set Disney animated family feature "Encanto," about a magical family and Steven Spielberg's version of "West Side Story," starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as star-crossed lovers in the ganglands of New York.

Awards season will heat up when Martin Scorsese presents "Killers of the Flower Moon," starring Leo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, Jane Campion showcases "Power of the Dog" with Kirsten Dunst and Benedict Cumberbatch, and Guillermo del Toro delivers "Nightmare Alley" with Bradley Cooper and Cate Blanchett. The next movie by the droll Wes Anderson, "The French Dispatch," features talent such as Timothée Chalamet and Bill Murray.

Some other anticipated fare includes "Don't Look Up," a comet comedy with DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence; Kenneth Branagh's personal black-and- white historical drama "Belfast" with Jamie Dornan and Judi Dench; and the artsy "Last Night in Soho" with eccentric leading lady Anya Taylor-Joy. Plus there's some unexpected casting including Denzel Washington as the title character in "Tragedy of Macbeth" and Brendan Fraser as a 600-pound man in "The Whale."

There's something for everyone, and expect these and many more to receive their bite-sized reviews weekly at www.SilverScreenCapture.com.

(NewsUSA) - The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to live most of their lives, including work, entertainment, and personal interactions, online. All this screen time has taken a toll, as more people of all ages are reporting symptoms of "cybersickness."

Cybersickness was a phenomenon before the pandemic, but had been studied mostly in the context of up-and-coming virtual reality games. Cybersickness is a form of motion sickness, characterized by nausea, disorientation, and oculomotor disturbances, according to a study of the problem by Kay Stanney and colleagues, published in 2020 in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction.

A recent article in National Geographic explains how cybersickness is seasickness in reverse. Instead of your body moving while your perception thinks you should be still, such as the experience of being on a boat while looking at a fixed horizon. In a virtual world your body is still, but your senses are perceiving motion, whether through video games, zoom meetings, or just endless scrolling.

Fortunately, the dizziness and discomfort of too much screen time can be eased by some of the same strategies that work on other types of motion sickness.

For example, the Sea-Band wristband is designed to relieve the symptoms of motion and travel sickness naturally through the use of acupressure. Specifically, the Sea-Bands include studs sewn inside that put gentle, steady pressure on the P6 (Nei-Kuan) acupressure point. Studies have shown that applying pressure to this point relieves the nausea associated with motion sickness.

"Because the bands do not use drugs, they do not cause any of the side effects associated with anti-nausea drugs and can be worn on each wrist whenever you feel nauseous," according to the company website.

Sea-Band wristbands can be used by anyone, adults or children, and usually have an effect on symptoms within five minutes of putting one on, according to the company. Sea-Bands are latex-free, washable, and reusable, and they can be used in combination with other anti-nausea medications.

Sea-Bands can help relieve not only the nausea and dizziness associated with motion sickness and cybersickness, but also post-surgery nausea, nausea associated with chemotherapy, and nausea associated with pregnancy. And Sea-Band products are HSA- and FSA-approved, so they are covered by many health insurance plans.

For more information, visit sea-band.com.

(NewsUSA) - With school back in session, now is a good time for college students to consider their potential career options.

Unfortunately, many students know little about the financial planning profession. This includes being unfamiliar with what financial planners do, the variety of career opportunities available, the skillsets that are helpful in the profession and how the career can be personally rewarding.

What Financial Planners Do

Financial planning is much more than working with spreadsheets, budgets, sales and stock tickers.

Financial planners help individuals and families make sound financial and investment decisions to achieve life goals based on their priorities and fundamental values. They can help their clients save for college, pay off debt, purchase a home, start a business, preserve family wealth and plan for retirement. Financial planners can also help businesses design and manage retirement plans and other financial welfare programs for their employees.

Most people think all financial planners are "certified," but this isn't true. Just about anyone can use the title "financial planner," but a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional is a financial planner that has met rigorous qualifications. Most important, a CFP® professional made a commitment to CFP Board to act in the best interests of their client.

A CFP® professional establishes a one-on-one relationship with each of their clients. They also provide holistic advice to guide clients through all aspects of their finances and help them maximize their potential for meeting their financial goals.

Career Opportunity

The financial planning profession is in a period of significant growth.

For example, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 19,200 openings for personal financial advisors are projected each year throughout the next decade. Many of these openings are expected to result from the need to replace advisors who transfer to different occupations. What's more, part of this aging wave includes advisors themselves, many of whom -- about 37% -- are expected to retire over the next decade.

As for opportunity, financial advisor-related jobs are ranked fourth in "Best Business Jobs" by U.S. News and World Report. Additionally, those who obtain credentials, such as CFP® certification, will likely have the best job prospects.

Helpful Skills

To help clients reach their financial goals, financial planners need knowledge of budgeting, taxes, financial products, investments and investment markets.

They also need to possess analytical skills, as it is common for entry-level professionals to start their career supporting a financial planner. In this role they would gather and maintain client data, enter it into financial planning software, and then analyze and examine financial plans with the financial planner or the financial planning team.

As for interpersonal skills, students considering a career in financial planning should enjoy working on teams, helping and responding to people, and communicating with others. They should also enjoy listening to people's needs, asking questions and developing financial plans -- while possessing high integrity and a "coaching" mindset.

A Rewarding Career

A financial planner also enjoys the rewards that come with helping their clients bring all of the pieces of their financial lives together. For example, a career in financial planning can provide:

• Personal fulfillment of helping others. Financial planners help others enjoy secure and productive lives by guiding them through key financial decisions.
• Mental stimulation. A good financial planner knows more than just money, they understand the psychology of their clients and enjoy helping people achieve sound financial goals.
• Work-life balance. Financial planners have the freedom and flexibility to balance their personal and professional lives. The variety of career options enables them to build the work-life balance they want.
• Flexibility. Financial planning careers take many paths, from working at firms of all sizes to striking out on your own.

Students considering a career in financial planning should check to see if their college or university has a CFP Board Registered Program and read stories from CFP® professionals about their careers in financial planning and why they love what they do.

By Heidi Splete, Senior Writer 
For NewsUSA

(NewsUSA) - Cooling towers, a key component on large buildings, require special levels of cleaning to control biocontaminants including Legionella, heterotrophic bacteria, and others. However, poorly maintained towers, which are often treated with corrosive chemicals, can become 'super spreaders' of Legionnaires' Disease, an acute bacterial infection of the lower respiratory tract that is not rare and causes severe pneumonia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, potable water is the most frequent source of Legionella exposure, but cases have been linked to cooling towers. Because it is difficult to distinguish from other forms of pneumonia, unless specifically investigated, many cases of Legionnaires' Disease go undiagnosed and unreported.

In August 2019, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) reported that the real number of Legionnaires' disease cases may be as many as 70,000 cases per year in the United States.

Clean, efficient, and effective treatment of cooling towers can improve the air quality and reduce the spread of disease-causing bacteria into the atmosphere. A novel, chemical-free technology, the Plasma Disinfection System (PDS) uses a combination of high-temperature plasma streamers, ultraviolet rays, and ozone to reduce the impact of air- and water-borne bacteria and viruses that can spread in public spaces through cooling towers.

The PDS is a state-of-the-art, fully-automated, integrated treatment technology for liquids.

What makes PDS solution unique is its combination of three major treatment technologies: novel plasma (the 4th state of matter) plus two traditional technologies (biocidal ions and hypochlorite), that work together to provide continuous reduction and management of Legionella and bacterial growth in water systems. The PDS also reduces the use of corrosive chemicals, thereby vastly extending the life and warranty life of costly mechanical equipment.

Public health organizations in the United States and worldwide have expressed concerns over the risks for Legionnaire's Disease and other respiratory infections due to poor management of cooling towers. Private industry has responded by publishing guidance for water management programs.

In June 2017, the CDC published a toolkit for businesses on "Developing a Water Management Program to Reduce Legionella Growth & Spread in Buildings;" the toolkit stated that "legionella water management programs are now an industry standard for large buildings in the United States."

Visit www.reverseionizer.com for more information about how Reverse Ionizer's chemical-free technology can improve air quality in public spaces and reduce the spread of disease.

(NewsUSA) - Despite challenges over the past year, more than half of U.S. adults are optimistic about the next six to 18 months, according to two nationwide surveys commissioned by the Contact Lens Institute. That translates to people planning to socialize more and concentrate more on health -- including eyesight.

"America is once again focused on the future. Great vision and contact lens options play a huge role in turning plans into reality. That's why we launched See Tomorrow (SeeTomorrowNow.com) and our companion sweepstakes, pinpointing what U.S. residents want as the pandemic subsides and helping them get there," says Contact Lens Institute Executive Director Stan Rogaski.

The research uncovered five eye-opening trends taking place across the country:

Things are Looking Up. 59% of the more than 1,000 adults surveyed report they are optimistic about the next six months. The data is similar for 12-month and 18-month horizons, with 56% and 57% of people saying they are optimistic, respectively.

Plans to Do More. Presented with several options about what people wanted to do more of as restrictions are lifted, approximately one in two said they want to dine out (52%), gather with friends (48%), and travel (45%) more. At least one in three are craving more live entertainment (34%) and shopping (33%), and just under a quarter of U.S. adults (24%) are eager to take on more physical activities, such as personal fitness or sports.

More Spending Ahead. Consumers strongly affirmed they would spend on what matters most. Compared to before the pandemic, 35% are willing to spend more on things that improve their future, 38% are willing to spend more on things that improve their health, and 32% are willing to spend more on things that make them feel good about themselves.

Healthy Eyes Matter. An overwhelming 89% of respondents indicated their eyesight and eye health were important to the pursuit of a promising future. That tied mobility as the highest ranking health factor, with heart/cardiac health trailing closely at 88%. Roughly four in 10 U.S. adults are thinking more about their overall health than before the pandemic -- with 25% specifically thinking more about their vision.

Missing Out on Contact Lenses. 57% of adults who require vision correction know little about contacts or have no opinion. They're missing out on incredible advances in comfort and vision quality, plus innovations that extend everyday contact lens use from children to seniors.

"Considering how much people are linking good vision to their future prospects, there's no better time to ask your eye doctor about contact lenses," says Dr. Rick Weisbarth, an optometrist and immediate past chairperson for the Contact Lens Institute. "Many people who traditionally couldn't wear contact lenses are happy to find they now can, and quickly gain all the sight and lifestyle benefits that align with their post-pandemic plans."

The See Tomorrow Sweepstakes can make it easier for Americans to follow their dreams. The Contact Lens Institute is giving away $25,000 in prizes, including daily draws for Amazon.com gift cards and three grand prize membership packages provided by LA Fitness, Esporta Fitness, and City Sports Club. There is no purchase necessary. Legal residents of the 50 U.S. and D.C., 18+ can enter and view the Official Rules by visiting SeeTomorrowNow.com through September 24, 2021. Void where prohibited.

Contact Lens Institute members include Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, and Johnson & Johnson Vision.

See full-sized image here.