(NewsUSA) - New Year's Day is a popular time for making resolutions to save more and spend less, but you don't have to wait until January 1 to commit to financial well-being. This October 6, World Financial Planning Day provides the perfect opportunity to refresh your financial plan and set goals for your future.

World Financial Planning Day is dedicated to increasing financial literacy worldwide and helping people understand the value of financial planning, as well as the role a competent and ethical financial planner can play in making sense of your finances.

Experts agree that it's important to periodically review your financial plan to determine if adjustments are needed, particularly given the economic and personal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. If your circumstances have changed, your financial plan may need to change, too.

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional is a highly trained and trusted advisor who can help you get a holistic view of your finances, identify the short- and long-term goals most important to you, and determine if you need a financial refresh to get there.

A CFP® professional can help you set and achieve goals, such as these:

* Afford a comfortable retirement. A CFP® professional can help you take advantage of saving and investing opportunities as you age, estimate your expenses in retirement, and prepare to have enough money to cover those costs for your lifetime.

* Buy a home. CFP® professionals can recommend key insurance, saving and budgeting strategies for buying a home and protecting what you own. They can also advise you on special programs to help reduce housing costs.

* Pay for a child's education. Understanding the tax breaks, savings plans and financial aid options that can make the cost of college more affordable are some of the ways that CFP® professionals can help you reach this goal, in addition to recommending strategies for paying off student loans.

* Start or grow a business. A CFP® professional can provide guidance on retirement savings plans for yourself and your employees, debt financing, succession planning, and adapting your personal financial plan to suit the risks and realities of owning a business.

* Get out of debt. CFP® professionals work with you to determine which debts to focus on repaying first and how to reduce what you pay in interest.

Visit LetsMakeAPlan.org to find a CFP® professional and learn more about how they can help you reach your goals by bringing all the pieces of your financial life together. Then you can mark this World Financial Planning Day as the kickoff to working with a competent, ethical financial planner to map out your financial future.

(NewsUSA) -Imagine this. You are driving through a dark tunnel on a stormy night with the glare from rain and headlights making it difficult to see. What if your car could see for you and detect a motorcyclist who's waiting out the rain on the side of the road in the tunnel? Well, the good news is that the mobility tech company, Magna, is the first company to design a digital radar technology that can do just that.

ICON Radar offers drivers an added layer of safety and security on the road. Your car might already have sensors that flash in your rearview mirror when a car is in your blind spot, or that beep when someone passes behind you in a parking lot. ICON Radar takes this kind of vehicle-sensing technology to a whole new level. It can scan a car's environment 50 times faster than the blink of a human eye. And because it's digital, the signal is sure to be strong and reliable -- such as cell phones when they shifted from using analog signals to digital ones.

A vehicle with ICON Radar can actually scan the environment around your vehicle in four dimensions: distance, height, depth and speed. That helps it see objects such as a shredded tire on the road ahead of you, or that motorcyclist hiding from the rain in that dark tunnel. When obstacles are detected, drivers get an alert so they can take evasive action and safely steer clear of the danger.

This technology can detect an object just 12 inches high from 164 feet away, a pedestrian more than a football field length down the road and another car ahead of you from more than three football fields away.

It can also separate objects and detect if a person or bicyclist is next to a guardrail or a motorcycle in between two semi-trucks.

We can all use some help staying safe on the roads. Magna is bringing new technology to the road to do just that as we head down the path toward full autonomy.

(MS) - Located in eastern China, Jiangxi Province is a place with abundant resources, rich cultural background, and outstanding people. Jingdezhen, the world's capital of ceramics, is a small city in the mountains of Jiangxi.

More than 1,000 years before the Europeans mastered porcelain manufacturing techniques, the ancient Chinese people in Changnan (The ancient name of Jingdezhen) had already shown their talents in making exquisite ceramics. Over time, through trade and interaction with outsiders, Changnan, or a corrupted pronunciation of the name, came to be used by outsiders to refer to porcelain -- or "china."

There is no doubt that Jingdezhen is a must-visit when you travel to Jiangxi because it will guide you to a meaningful journey of historical culture and ancient art, presenting a unique cultural tourism experience for tourists.

Jingdezhen is a city renowned for its more than 1,700-year history of porcelain making. Every visitor will be amazed by its 1,000-year history of official-run kilns, and 600-year history of imperial kilns.

From the past few centuries to the present, countless porcelain makers have come to Jingdezhen to explore and pursue the ultimate in porcelain making. Ceramic culture permeates every corner of the old city, creating a unique, precious, and complete cultural heritage system of porcelain.

Artists who have come to Jingdezhen to learn porcelain making are known as "jingpiao", and foreigners as "yangjingpiao." To date, there are more than 30,000 jingpiao living in Jingdezhen, including 5,000 foreigners, who have found their dreams and realized their value of life in this precious city.

Camille Grandaty is a French artist. Her first visit to Jingdezhen was 10 years ago, bringing her unforgettable memories. She has moved between Amsterdam, London and Brussels before she settled down in Jingdezhen in 2015.

Camille says the vibrant and free artistic vibe of Jingdezhen made her stay.

"The ancient kiln imbues bricks with a unique touch and spirit, and the ancient ceramic heritage here fills me with creativity," notes Ryan Matthew Mitchell, an American ceramist.

Now, strolling around the alleyways of Jingdezhen to explore the local ceramic culture has become a regular activity in his spare time.

Ryan LaBar from the United States says coming to Jingdezhen is like "a son returning home."

The 43-year-old gentleman set up a studio in Taoxichuan, a renovated porcelain factory that unifies industrial heritage, ceramic and arts-crafts galleries and studios as well as restaurants, cafeterias and hotels.

Partnering with a young Chinese businessman, LaBar established Lab Artz, a 260-square-meter workshop where he plans to house more artists and offer ceramics classes.

With more than a 1,700-year history of porcelain making, Jingdezhen has now shouldered a new mission in the new era. The local government of Jiangxi, last year, issued a new plan of building Jingdezhen into a national ceramic culture inheritance and innovation pilot zone.

According to the plan, the ancient city will hereafter focus on the protection, inheritance and innovation of ceramic culture; innovation and development of the ceramic culture industry; development of ceramic culture tourism; fostering ceramic professionals, and ceramic culture exchange and cooperation.

Taking advantage of its ancient ceramic culture, the new plan aims to build Jingdezhen into a national ceramic culture protection, inheritance and innovation base, a world-famous ceramic culture tourism destination, and an international ceramic cultural exchange, cooperation and trading center.

After the implementation of the plan, Camille felt the great changes of the old city, saying "both the infrastructure and the ecological environment are improving and getting better and better."

"When I first came to Jingdezhen, the Luojia Airport here didn't have as many flights as it does today, and there was no high-speed railway station," says Camille, who has witnessed the fast development of the city.

Jingdezhen saw great improvements in local public facilities and services, as well as the vitalization of its tourism industry, and spots such as Taoxichuan and Sanbao Village, which are now known globally.

"People from all over the world exchange ideas in local cafes and hold exhibitions in the art space. Different ideas collide here, bringing artists with inspirations," Camille adds.

The ecological environment of this ancient city has also improved. Through endless efforts of the local government, Jingdezhen has become the city with the best air quality in Jiangxi province in 2020.

Camille likes to take photos of the blue sky. "Sometimes I go to nearby villages to paint, and villages such as those in Yaoli Ancient Town are mostly clean, neat and beautiful. Many city dwellers also head to the countryside on weekends to get close to nature," she says.

Having a dream of holding solo exhibitions in both France and China, Camille is passionate about sharing her artworks with the world. During the COVID-19 epidemic, she stayed in Jingdezhen and set her mind to work.

"For me, the artistic life in Jingdezhen is a great experience," she says.

(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.