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Yes, National Parks Prices are Going Up So Here are the Free Days!

So, you might have heard that the National Park Service is dramatically increasing the entrance fee to many parks by as much as 4-fold!

It is true! For example,

Fortunately, the NPS has kept the Free Days through the year, though they have even cut the amount of those days. Yikes!

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Oct. 24 call to dramatically raise entrance fees at 17 popular national parks — in some cases from $25 to $70 per car.

The National Park Service says the hike could raise $70 million a year to chip away at a $12 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on roads and buildings. Proponents claim it’s a necessary step toward ensuring the future of chronically underfunded public lands. But fee watchdogs and many conservation groups see it as simply another example of a dangerous trend: federal lands run less like a public resource and more like a commercial enterprise.

In 2018, there will only be to ur entrance fee-free days:

January 15 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

April 21 – First Day of National Park Week

September 22 – National Public Lands Day

November 11 – Veterans Day

“National parks connect all of us with our country’s amazing nature, culture and history,” National Park Service Deputy Director Michael T. Reynolds said in a press release. “The days that we designate as fee-free for national parks mark opportunities for the public to participate in service projects, enjoy ranger-led programs, or just spend time with family and friends exploring these diverse and special places. We hope that these fee-free days offer visitors an extra incentive to enjoy their national parks in 2018.”

There is the very credible argument that the fee hikes are needed to account for maintenance of less popular parks and to help alleviate a budget shortfall or to subsidize free parks.

Normally, 118 of the 417 national parks charge an entrance fee. The other 299 national parks do not have entrance fees.

The entrance fee waiver for the fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.

Some think the switch is to drive sales to the annual pass which is still available For $80!

The America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass which allows unlimited entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation areas, including all national parks that charge an entrance fee.

You also can take advantage of the free or discounted passes available for senior citizens, current members of the military, families of fourth grade students, and disabled citizens.

Other federal land management agencies offering their own fee-free days in 2018 include the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Forest Service, and Army Corps of Engineers.

Look out for those!!

The National Park System includes more than 84 million acres and is comprised of 417 sites, including national parks, national historical parks, national monuments, national recreation areas, national battlefields, and national seashores. There is at least one national park in every state.

U.S. Department of the Interior’s Oct. 24 call to dramatically raise entrance fees at 17 popular national parks — in some cases from $25 to $70 per car.

The National Park Service says the hike could raise $70 million a year to chip away at a $12 billion backlog of deferred maintenance on roads and buildings. Proponents claim it’s a necessary step toward ensuring the future of chronically underfunded public lands. But fee watchdogs and many conservation groups see it as simply another example of a dangerous trend: federal lands run less like a public resource and more like a commercial enterprise.

Last year, 331 million people visited national parks spending $18.4 billion which supported 318,000 jobs across the country and had a $35 billion impact on the U.S. economy.

Read more about the debate here

This 6-Year Old is Forbe’s Highest Paid YouTubers Earning $11M Annually

Forbes released its list of the highest paid YouTube stars and on it was a 6-year old!

The child behind the account Ryan’s Toy Reviews was ranked number 8 with $11 million in revenue between June 1, 2016, and June 1, 2017, before management fees and taxes.

He tied with the comedy channel Smosh, created by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox.

The Washington Post reports:

What has grown into a viral phenomenon began with a simple, unremarkable 15-minute video about a Lego Duplo train set. When his family started recording and posting the videos in March 2015, the 3-year-old barely had any views let alone reviews, according to a profile of Ryan in Verge. In his first video, he simply opened a Lego box, set up the blocks, and played with them.

“Ryan was watching a lot of toy review channels — some of his favorites are EvanTubeHD and Hulyan Maya — because they used to make a lot of videos about Thomas the Tank Engine, and Ryan was super into Thomas,” his mother, who declined to be named, told TubeFilter last year….

“Ryan ToysReview” took off. Views started doubling every month. In January of 2016, he hit 1 million subscribers. A year later, he had more than 5 million. Now, he’s at more than 10 million subscribers.

In June, TubeFilter ranked “Ryan ToysReview” as the most viewed YouTube channel in the U.S. for the 40th week in a row. In September, NBA player Kevin Durant was featured in one of Ryan’s videos performing a children’s science experiment.

Wow!

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Children of Divorce Among 5 Types of People Who Get Depressed During Holidays

With the holidays upon us it’s easy for us to get caught up in the rush of it all. While we may be cooking, shopping, enjoying holiday events there are others, many of whom are in our very own circles, having a tougher time. Dr. Sanam Hafeeza NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Servicesreveals who are most likely to have the holiday blues and how we can help them make it through.

  1. The newly divorced or widowed.

Loss is a sad, life-changing event at any time of the year.  However, it tends to be harder when everyone around you is joyful celebrating the holiday’s and you feel it’s an effort to get out of bed.  If someone in your circles is going through a major loss and life transition be supportive and understanding. “They are grieving and mourning and are especially sensitive around the holidays. It’s important that they feel included but don’t be offended if they choose to opt out of certain events,” advises Dr. Hafeez. She suggests checking in and offering them the option to participate in whatever they want, when they want. Love them through it.

  1. The busy entrepreneur.

The holidays could be stressful for small business owners because so much rides on the end of year. They may be fretting over their profits (or lack thereof), the goals they didn’t reach, and the many things still to do. They feel overwhelmed and when they are expected to shop, entertain and be present for their families, they may be short tempered and anxious. “The best way to help the busy entrepreneur is to make their life easier in any way possible. If they can’t make it to a family dinner, tell them your door is open for dessert. Oftentimes they feel guilty and obligated which only adds to their frustration,” explains Dr. Hafeez. Also consider that these worker-bees are conflicted. When they are working they miss their families and when they are with family they are thinking of work.

  1. The caretaker of an elder parent or relative.

Adults who are now caretakers to their elderly parents are incredibly overwhelmed and often overlooked. As a caretaker, they always have to consider the well-being of their parent. They can’t just get up and go,” explains Dr. Hafeez.  Caretakers may feel resentful, isolated and stuck during the holidays which leads to conflicted feelings of resentment and guilt. They also believe they have to be hands on managing everything. It’s important to lighten the caretakers load by offering support even if it means asking them how they are doing. Be patient and ask the caretaker what they need. It could be something as simple as having food delivered to their home to free up time for other tasks, Dr. Hafeez recommends.

  1. The recovering substance abuser.

Recovering from addiction is hard.  Period.  But it’s harder when holiday festivities are filled with friends and family drinking everything from eggnog to champagne.  “Understand that those in recovery from substance abuse are hyper-sensitive about being judged. They feel as if all eyes are on them and that pressure may trigger the desire to use drugs or alcohol to soothe their anxiety. When they aren’t fully recovered, they may anticipate possible “landmines” and avoid them. They may choose to stay to themselves and observe more and participate less. They might opt out of larger family gatherings that are too overwhelming,” cautions Dr. Hafeez. Offer an open invitation and remind them they are welcomed when they are ready. A balance of love, support and acceptance is what they are in most need of, suggests Dr. Hafeez.

  1. The children of divorce.

Divorce means two separate holidays at two different places and kids feel overwhelmed having to double up. It’s incredibly important for parents to agree on where the kids are going during the holidays and all logistical details. “Kids want to feel safe and secure. They don’t want to feel as if they are the expected to be rushed here and there because their parents chose to divorce,” says Dr. Hafeez. It could be unsettling to younger kids and teens may isolate and rebel against any family events as they are sorting out their own emotions as they get used to a new normal. You really want to establish a game plan for the holidays and if possible, stick to it every year, advises Dr. Hafeez.

About the Doctor:

Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD, a NYC based licensed clinical psychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, P.C. a neuropsychological, developmental and educational center in Manhattan and Queens. 

 Dr. Hafeez masterfully applies her years of experience connecting psychological implications to address some of today’s common issues such as body image, social media addiction, relationships, workplace stress, parenting and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…). In addition, Dr. Hafeez works with individuals who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, attention and memory problems, and abuse. Dr. Hafeez often shares her credible expertise to various news outlets in New York City and frequently appears on CNN and Dr.Oz.

Connect with her via twitter @comprehendMind or www.comprehendthemind.com

Viral: Lifelike Silicon Dolls That Help Couples Cope with Infertility

Real life like Silicon Babies that cost as high as $8,000 a pop are taking off and being used to help couples cope with infertility, prepare for the arrival of a new baby and help people cope with anxiety, depression, dementia, and many other health conditions, an In the Now video of the dolls recently shared on Facebook.

The video, as of this posting, has been viewed over 15M times since September 28th when it was posted.

The response to the babies, also called “Reborn Dolls”  has been mixed. A lot of people called them creepy and alluded to an opinion that sexual deviants would abuse the dolls. Others pointed to the fact that there are orphans that are available for adoption.

One user, who herself creates lifelike dolls,  addressed these concerns in a poignant way:

“To all of you who clearly don’t understand, these dolls do more than help people with fertility issues, they have also helped others with anxiety, depression, dementia, and many other health conditions,” she started. “They are also cheaper than a real baby, and are easier to adopt than a real child. These dolls also provide an income for SO many artists around the globe among many other things.”

She defended the community of people who enjoy the dolls:

“Also, we are NOT a community of perverts/pedophiles. We are just a community of men and women who share an artistic hobby that we love!

And though, I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing/holding a silicone baby in person. I do plan on owning one in the future. However, until that day comes, I will stick to making/collecting reborn dolls who are also very realistic but, are less expensive than silicone dolls. ”

Well said. Share your thoughts with us in Social Media! Everywhere @Bellyitch!

Giving Tuesday: These are The Most Charitable States In America

Today is GivingTuesday!

Did you know that a third of all annual giving takes place during the month of December and the U.S. ranking No. 5 overall in the 2017 World Giving Index?

Personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2017’s Most Charitable States, along with its Charity Calculator to help donors decide whether to give time or money for maximum philanthropic impact.

To determine where the most generous Americans are inspiring others to be more selfless, WalletHub compared the 50 states based on 14 key indicators of charitable behavior. The data set ranges from volunteer rate to share of income donated to share of sheltered homeless.

Here are some Key Stats to consider:

Vermont has the most charities per capita, 27.14, which is 4.6 times more than in Nevada, the state with the fewest at 5.95.

Utah has the highest volunteer rate, 39.29 percent, which is 2.1 times higher than in Florida, the state with the lowest at 18.31 percent.

Utah has the most volunteer hours per capita, 75.6, which is 3.7 times more than in Kentucky, the state with the fewest at 20.7.

Utah has the highest share of aggregate income donated to charity, 3.17 percent, which is 4.2 times higher than in West Virginia, the state with the lowest at 0.75 percent.

Utah has the highest share of the population who claim to have donated time, 56 percent, which is 1.9 times higher than in Kentucky, the state with the lowest at 30 percent.

Maryland has the highest share of taxpayers who donated money to charity, 38.48 percent, which is 3.1 times higher than in West Virginia, the state with the lowest at 12.26 percent.

To view the full report and your state’s rank, please visit WalletHub Here!

Study: Educated Women Freeze Eggs Because Not Enough Equally Educated Men

New research debunks the myth that women choose to freeze their eggs in order to prioritise their careers. Instead, the increasing disparity between men and women’s education levels is making the option is increasingly attractive for the “oversupply” of highly educated women, according to the latest research.

A new anthropological study borrows the term “leftover women” used in China, to describe the highly educated women who decide to freeze their eggs because they are unable to find equivalently educated men.

The generation of “missing men”, is primarily due to the fact that fewer men are entering higher education, according to researchers at Yale University. The study examined 150 women in the US and Israel undergoing egg freezing at eight clinics. More than 90 per cent said they were “preserving” their eggs because they were single or unmarried. 81% of women interviewed in the study had a college degree.

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Major Network Reality TV Casting: Show About Searching for Your Child’s Dad

If you are a solo parent who has lost track of your child’s father and aren’t shy about expanding your search before the public, you can consider auditioning for a new show by Squeaky Wheel Casting, an agency which has cast for reality TV shows on HGTV, BravoTV, TLC, Spike, Food Network, Oxgyen, Lifetime channels and more.

The new lifestyle series which is being cast on behalf of a “big time network” will take viewers through the process of a single mom or mom-to-be who is trying to track down her child’s dad.

Now this would apply for those who had a one-night stand that resulted in a pregnancy, or someone who got pregnant for a former lover or partner and for one reason or another failed to inform him of his fatherhood. Or maybe, the dad was aware but dipped out of the picture to avoid responsibility.

If this fits your situation and you’re cool about being on TV, you can contact casting agent at [email protected] or fill out this FORM HERE!!

Do let us know on our socials Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram if you get cast! We would love to follow your story and root you on your journey!

 

Egypt Jailed This TV Host For Polling Audience on Out-Of-Wedlock Pregnancy, Sperm Donorship

An Egyptian court has sentenced a female television presenter to three years in jail after she spoke on her show about pregnancy outside marriage, a judicial source has said.

Doaa Salah was convicted of “outraging public decency”, the source said on Friday.

The court also ordered her to pay a bond of 10,000 Egyptian pounds (£433) so she can remain at liberty ahead of a possible appeal.

Salah went on trial after a lawyer filed a complaint against her following a show on the private television channel An-Nahar in July.

During the broadcast, Salah discussed the possibility of a woman becoming a single mother, suggesting that a woman could marry only to conceive and then divorce.

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Another Study Links This Popular Pain Medicine to ADHD in Children

acetaminophen
A large study recently published in the journal Pediatrics finds further evidence of a link between prenatal acetaminophen usage and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

According to some studies, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is becoming increasingly common. Why this is the case is not known; the causes and risk factors beneath ADHD are only slowly being unraveled.

ome of the increase is due to improvements in diagnosis and changes in how the condition is assessed, but it seems that these factors alone cannot explain the size of the growth.

Recently, some scientists have focused on acetaminophen use during pregnancy as a potential factor. This over-the-counter medication is deemed relatively safe to use during pregnancy and is recommended to ease fever and pain.

Acetaminophen is used by up to 70 percent of women during pregnancy in the United States, and between 50 and 60 percent of pregnant women across Western and Northern Europe. Potential links between this common OTC drug and ADHD have faced increasing scrutiny in recent years.

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