(Beni Ancheta, NewsUSA Reporter) - The Stapleton branch of the New York Library at 132 Canal St. will host a FREE Vocational and Trade Fair on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 12 PM to 3:30 PM EDT. 

This fair promises opportunities for everyone eager to have a career in vocation, trade, and civil service regardless of their competency level and educational background.

Attending this fair is a unique opportunity, a must-attend, for job-seekers and career-changers aiming to learn new skills. They have gathered employers who offer a myriad of job and training opportunities in relation to trade and vocation.

Moreover, this fair will allow attendees to engage with hiring managers and trade schools, giving them networking opportunities and on-the-spot interviews. 

There is no charge to join the fair. Attend, explore, and unlock your big break. Reserve your spot here. 

For employers, please call Kelly Yim, Library Manager at 718-727-0427.

(NewsUSA) - Weight loss drugs are proving to have serious side effects, and they are not a long-term solution.  When the injections stop, the weight loss stops. But who wants to go back to dieting?

Laurel Mellin, PhD, a health psychologist, nutritionist, and New York Times bestselling author, is the founder of Emotional Brain Training (EBT).   She has written a new book, 1-2-3 JOY! to show readers why the missing link in treating obesity is to switch off the stress causing the cascade of internal chemicals that increase appetite, causes cravings, and blocks weight loss. Using the skills of EBT, they can lose weight naturally.

Dr. Mellin says, “I wrote 1-2-3 JOY! because of the increased use of weight loss drugs, as they have serious side effects including nausea, muscle wasting, stomach paralysis, and increased risk of kidney, pancreas, and thyroid problems. I wanted more people to have a healthy alternative to these weight loss drugs and diets.”

“I developed EBT initially as a young faculty member at the University of California San Francisco, in part because I personally understood the frustration of being out of control of my eating and finding that the current methods didn’t help me. The tools I developed were effective, but it was not until two decades later that my collaborators and I realized why they worked: they were switching off the stress response, which controls the chemicals – cortisol, dopamine, and insulin – that cause overeating and weight gain.”

The effectiveness of EBT is backed by scientific research, with studies of the method’s effectiveness published in peer-reviewed journals showing improvements in weight, blood pressure, anxiety, and depression. Obesity researcher John Foreyt states, “EBT is the first method to show lasting weight loss after treatment ends.” Already, more than 500,000 people have used EBT.

Dr. Mellin states, "The silver lining of the weight loss drug frenzy is that it validated that chemicals drive overeating. EBT is a drug-free method for switching off those chemicals to make weight loss easier and more lasting without the negative side effects. For those who are using weight loss drugs,  the EBT skills can help them wean off the drugs.”

The EBT tools are easily integrated into daily life. Use them before eating or when stressed to switch off those chemicals.  Over time, they retrain the emotional brain's neural pathways to make peace with food and promote lasting weight loss.

Dr. Mellin states, "That freedom from eating and weight issues is life-changing, returning people to their natural state of joy so they can focus on living a life of joy and purpose.  That is why I want everyone to have these skills.”

Her new book, 1-2-3 Joy!, is now available on Amazon.

(NewsUSA) - “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.”

From closing multimillion-dollar licensing deals with IBM and Microsoft, to the Ironman World Championship, to ultramarathons and summit expeditions, serial entrepreneur Steven Pivnik knows how to go the distance.

To some, picking up endurance sports as you approach your 40th birthday with zero athletic background may seem like a cry for help. But for Steven, it was a transformative journey of self-discovery and pushing personal boundaries to uncover the untapped potential within all of us. He documents his story in the newly released book, Built to Finish (Greenleaf Book Group).

Steven’s inspiring journey as a successful tech entrepreneur and accomplished triathlete and marathon runner is a shining example that you are built to finish regardless of your starting point or previous experiences.

As an entrepreneur, you’ve poured everything into building your business from the ground up. Where others doubted your ability or vision, you persisted. You took risks, made sacrifices, and faced countless obstacles. But now you’ve made it.

Your business is thriving and reaching new heights. What’s next?

Sharing his remarkable story as a college dropout turned tech entrepreneur turned triathlete turned international keynote speaker and best-selling author, Steven guides attendees on an unforgettable exploration of what it means to be “built to finish.”

In Built to Finish, Steven outlines his entrepreneurial journey in the IT marketplace, from failed startups to multimillion-dollar success. He hilariously recounts the ups and downs, wins and losses, and personal breakthroughs experienced on the summits of some of the tallest mountains in the world.

With a blend of humor and vulnerability, Steven shares the valuable lessons he learned along the way and provides practical guidance for entrepreneurs who want to go the distance in business and in life.

“For entrepreneurs,” Steven says, “or anyone wanting to lead an epic life, the focus isn’t on just starting or finishing. It’s about finishing what you started.”

Through international speaking events, 1:1 advisory services, and his newly released book, Steven coaches entrepreneurs through the mindset and practical steps necessary to achieve a successful exit, one of the seven summits (yes he’s done several), compete in an Ironman championship, or any other challenge they set their sights on.

Regardless of the endeavor – planning, perseverance, execution, pivots, setbacks, and endurance are key milestones to reaching the finish line. Now grab your running shoes and gear up for a transformative journey with Steven Pivnik. He can speak at your next event.

Steven’s blend of practical business advice and inspirational storytelling leaves audiences energized and motivated to go the distance in business and in life.

“A lot of business books teach the why of improvement, but few get into the how,” says Shawn Rhodes, keynote speaker, and author of Bulletproof Selling. “Anyone who knows about elite athletes knows they must be focused on the how, and that’s what Built to Finish delivers.”

Built to Finish is available on Amazon - https://bit.ly/477H9ss --   and other popular retail outlets where books are sold.

To learn more, visit https://stevenpivnik.com.

(CHARLOTTE, N.C. (January 31, 2024)) - Helpful    Hint from Auto Glass Now: Pouring Hot Water on a Cold, Icy Windshield Is not a Good Solution

Wintry weather, gray skies, snow and sleet can limit visibility on the road, and a damaged or cracked windshield can make driving even more challenging.

When the temperature drops, the risks of damage to the windshield goes up. Can cold weather alone crack a windshield? Not exactly. However, while extreme cold alone might not crack a well-installed and maintained windshield, it can exacerbate existing issues or create conditions that may lead to cracks. Essentially, cold weather can cause a windshield to crack and break if it is already chipped, cracked, or fractured due to the acute weather change.

Auto Glass Now, one of the fastest growing glass repair and replacement companies, offers drivers tips to protect their vehicle against the set of unique challenges winter weather brings to the durability and maintenance of their windshield.

Common Causes of Windshield Cracks in Cold Weather

Knowing the factors that make the windshield more susceptible to damage and cracks in cold weather will help drivers protect and properly maintain it. If the windshield is already compromised by previous damage, poor installation or inadequate maintenance, these issues can worsen dramatically in cold conditions. Some of the most common causes of cracks during colder months include:

• Ice: Ice formation can apply undue pressure to small existing chips or imperfections, leading them to expand into full-blown cracks.
• Road Salt: While road salt is often necessary to keep roads safe, it can be kicked up into the windshield at high speeds. This causes small craters or pits that can worsen into cracks when not addressed quickly.
• Hail: Winter storms often bring hail, which may strike the windshield with enough force to cause immediate cracks or create weak spots that later transition into cracks.
• Frozen Wiper Fluid: Using a wiper fluid that freezes easily can cause localized stress on the windshield, which could turn into cracks over time.
• Temperature Fluctuations: Glass expands and contracts with temperature changes. Rapid swings from cold to hot (or vice versa) can cause a windshield to crack.

How to Prevent Windshield Damage during Colder Weather

While a windshield can crack from cold weather due to other factors, drivers can take a proactive approach to prevent damage during colder temperatures, including:

• Keeping Windshield Wipers in Good Condition: Worn-out and dirty wiper blades can scratch the windshield, making it more susceptible to cracking. Therefore, it's essential to routinely clean the windshield wipers - and replace them at least once every 12 months to keep them in good condition.
• Never Using Hot Water to Clear Ice/Snow Off the Windshield: While it may seem convenient at the time, using hot water to clear ice and snow from the windshield causes rapid temperature changes, leading to cracks.
• Utilizing the Car's Defrost System: Defrost systems are designed to gradually increase the glass temperature, reducing the risk of cracks.
• Parking under Cover If Possible: A simple solution for protecting the windshield from the elements is parking in a garage or under a carport.
• Closing Doors Gently: Slamming car doors can cause vibrations that may lead to windshield cracks, especially if the windshield is already damaged.
• Using a Windshield Protector: Windshield covers can keep ice and snow off the glass, reducing the risk of cracks and making it easier to prep the vehicle for the drive ahead.
• Using a Proper Ice Scraper: Choose an ice scraper specifically designed for car windshields to minimize the risk of scratching or cracking the glass.

"Winter weather presents challenging times for windshields. But proper preventative care and maintenance can make a world of difference," said Nick Ouimet, President of Auto Glass Now. "Our local Auto Glass Now teams are trusted experts in caring for auto glass. We are here to help ensure drivers are safe on the road with quality glass repair and replacement. We have hundreds of locations and mobile vehicles across the country to service all our customer's needs."

Read more about how your windshield can be affected by weather here! Auto Glass Now teams cover the United States from California to Florida with the best value combination of fast, reliable, convenient service, technologically advanced repairs and ADAS calibration. These new and remodeled facilities feature bright, welcoming customer service lobbies, the latest tools and equipment, and each Auto Glass Now location has a team of highly trained experts in repair, replacement and ADAS calibration. For service, call 1-888.4.FIX.GLASS.

Visit AutoGlassNow.com to learn more.

Or perhaps you were camping or at a tailgate party and all they served was beer and wine.

The dream of on-the-go cocktails is now a reality and you no longer have to buy and carry multiple ingredients, or have a bartender handy, to be able to create your favorite cocktail at a moment's notice.

Minute Mixology, a Venice, Calif.-based company, believes in making cocktails conveniently, using high-quality, low-sugar non-GMO, and gluten-free ingredients.

In this way, the company says it has found a way to bridge the gap in the single-serve cocktail mixer industry and made it possible to bring the bar to you - wherever you are.

"It's a convenient, high quality, stick-pack cocktail mixer, a perfect item for the cocktail connoisseur in your life to use anytime, anyplace," says BJ, McCaslin, a co-founder of Minute Mixology.

"This product provides you with great-tasting craft cocktails made simple."

In a time, when you see the spirit of entrepreneurship flailing, two friends decided there was a need for such a creation.

McCaslin and Drew Whited already had tried their hand in other businesses in the space and were successful.

For instance, McCaslin created a coconut water coffee that was acquired by Vita Coco out of New York and Whited found success in the online marketing business.

Couple McCaslin and Whited's success with the company's other partner, Jason Trawick, a former WME Talent agent who worked with clients such as Taylor Swift and Britney Spears, and this trio is looking to revolutionize the cocktail industry.

"It's not just about becoming the best cocktail mixer in this space, it's about innovation," says Whited, co founder of the company.

"We are already selling out and planning to expand our brand and [are] designing new products."

The team of Minute Mixology has been in the liquor space for the last two years while launching the cocktail mix in September of last year.

Currently, the product is available online, and in stores in the Midwest and the South.

The Spring 2018 Minute Mixology will be available in Target, Meijer, Raley's and World Market.

Flavors include: Margarita, Moscow Mule, Spiced Old Fashion, Spicy Margarita, Coconut Mojito, and Michelada.

For more information, visit https://minutemixology.com/

The series, "Our Wedding Story," takes viewers inside the relationships between the brides and grooms. With exceptional and cinematic storytelling, viewers will get to live each couple's love story - from the moment they met to the walk down the aisle.

In "Crazy Beautiful Weddings," viewers go behind the scenes with busy wedding planner Lynzie Kent. Wedding planning is an art and a science, and Ms. Kent brings her style and people skills as she navigates diverse tastes, the couples' visions and various venues, to create one-of-a-kind celebrations for her clients that will make the big day something to remember.

"On UP, our viewers have seen the families in our beloved series exploring new relationships, planning weddings and having kids," Amy Winter, executive vice present and general manager of UP TV, says in a statement announcing the shows.

"By greenlighting new series that focus on those specific life moments, we invite our audience to experience all of the joy and excitement that many different couples are going through as they share their personal journeys of life's biggest moments," she says.

The pair of wedding programs complement new episodes of two existing shows that highlight another one of life's biggest moments - the journey to parenthood.

This spring, UP premieres new episodes of its groundbreaking series, "Expecting," which follows expectant parents as they prepare for a new addition to the family. With no producers or camera crews, it is the first show that asks couples to turn the lens on themselves, to give the audience a peek into one of life's most exciting and personal journeys - welcoming a child.

Also premiering in April is "One Born Every Minute." The series takes viewers inside a hospital maternity unit to experience the joy, excitement and drama as babies are delivered.

UP is available on DIRECTV, DISH, Verizon Fios, AT&T U-verse, Xfinity and local cable. For more information about the family-friendly programming and where you can find the channel, go to UPtv.com.

To find more details on social media, check out UP TV on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Uptv, on Twitter on @Uptv, and on Instagram at UP_TV.

Her first foray into publishing began, as many picture the life of an author, with a traditional publishing deal. But after releasing a few books, Michaels decided to turn down an additional deal and try self-publishing.

"I'd begun developing an audience for my books and wanted to try something different. Authors I respected had success and greater control over their work with self-publishing, so I was eager to try it for myself," says Michaels.

She mastered it quickly and decided to go "strictly indie" in 2015, using Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) service to publish in both eBook and print. Since her decision to self-publish, she has been on the USA bestseller list ten times. Her husband quit his job at a large technology company and now works with Michaels to run their publishing company.

"I wanted more control over not just the creative writing, but also the marketing strategy, cover art, and other business aspects of publishing. I grew frustrated being unable to make these decisions going the traditional publishing route," she says. "I'm both a writer and entrepreneur, and I'm enjoying more creative and financial rewards than I ever have."

For Michaels, who says the initial idea of going indie was "taking a leap off a cliff and hoping you can fly before you crash," the resulting benefits have exceeded her expectations.

For those authors wrestling with the idea of self-publishing, consider this:

- Creative control. Self-publishing a book allows authors to build characters and stories exactly the way they want and, ultimately, retain full rights to their original material. A book that has been nursed from inception to novel remains yours.

- Get to market fast. Once a book is ready, self-publishing services, such as KDP, guide authors through setting up their books and getting them in the hands of readers in just a matter of days.

- Make more money. Authors who opt to self-publish can set their own prices and take home a higher percentage of royalties.

While a self-published author serves as his or her own marketing department, indie publishers make marketing simple and effective. Self-publishing companies, such as Amazon, also offer authors additional promotional opportunities to make their work available to more readers.

Many authors find support through writers' groups online, such as Facebook groups, or in-person by attending workshops and writers' conferences. Most cities have local writing groups that meet regularly. These meetings can provide constructive criticism of your work and other resources.

"I fell into self-publishing by accident, and found that connecting with other authors and joining a local writers' organization helped me improve my technique and career tremendously," says self-published science fiction and fantasy author T.S. Paul. "When sales of my novels began to take off, I began working with freelancers and a virtual assistant, also, to grow the community around me."

Regardless of whether a writer is interested in romance, mystery, fantasy, or biographies, self-publishing with services such as KDP can empower them to pursue their dreams, especially if they're willing to study the business side of publishing as well as Jess Michaels did.

Who knows? Maybe the best seller list is closer than you think.

For more information, visit https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/.

The reality series makes its debut at 8 pm Eastern time (ET) on February 14, and features twin sisters, Heidi and Heather, who team up to start an interior design business aimed at providing families with creative, beautiful and functional spaces. To get the new venture off the ground, the twins move their families in together to save money and increase efficiency.

Viewers can empathize with their challenges as the twins, together with their husbands and a total of seven children under the age of 6, work to nurture both their families and their growing business, aptly named "Joyful Living."

The Atlanta, Georgia-based UPtv makes it a full night of love for Valentine's Day this season by also airing the much-anticipated wedding of Josie Bates and Kelton Balka at 9 pm ET on the popular series, "Bringing Up Bates," following the premiere of "Design Twins."

The wedding features a picturesque outdoor country setting and plenty of family participation in the festivities.

"At UPtv, we celebrate family and life's biggest moments," says Amy Winter, general manager and evp. "We are excited to add 'Design Twins' to our Thursday night lineup as we continue to bring viewers uplifting and inspiring stories."

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate love and romance, but the network keeps heartwarming stories upfront year-round with new episodes of UPtv's hit series on Thursday nights, movie premieres on the weekend and fan-favorite acquired series throughout the week.

UPtv continues the themes of love and family in 2019 with UP Faith & Family. The streaming service offers a variety of commercial-free, faith- and family-friendly entertainment anytime, anywhere. UP Faith & Family offers endless hours of movies, drama series and kids' programming. It's also the exclusive home for past seasons of UPtv originals.

In February, UP Faith & Family will be adding the wedding-themed reality series, "Our Wedding Story," and "Crazy Beautiful Weddings," as well as other romance-themed programs, including the movies, "Bridal Bootcamp" and "Love's Last Resort." New titles are added monthly.

Prospective viewers can enjoy a 14-day free trial of the service by downloading the UP Faith & Family app or visiting Upfaithandfamily.com.

For more information about UPtv, go to UPtv.com or check for updates on Facebook at facebook.com/Uptv, Twitter on @Uptv and Instagram at UP_TV.

The Shen Yun Performing Arts company captures the imagination as it celebrates Chinese culture with a unique presentation of classical Chinese dance combined with original orchestral works and eye-popping special effects. 

Learn about the rigorous physical, mental and spiritual requirements for studying at the highest levels of classical Chinese dance and being a Shen Yun dancer in a video. This video is written and narrated by Shen Yun performers and illustrated through real practice footage. 

"Awe-Inspiring!" - ABC

"A Must See!" - Broadway World 

Watch the video here.

UP Faith and Family (UPFF), the streaming service developed by UPtv, offers commercial-free, family-friendly entertainment, including the popular series Heartland, which airs its 200th episode this season.

Heartland, a multi-generational family drama set on a horse ranch in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, is in its 12th season, and remains popular with viewers who value the family bonding time as much as the program itself.

"From day one, I've felt such a strong connection with all of the actors," says actress Amber Marshall, who plays lead character Amy Fleming.

"I think that makes our show special, because when people watch Heartland, they can see that we genuinely love one another, and I think that's important."

Heartland is filmed and produced in Alberta, Canada, and the stunning scenery adds to the show's appeal.

Viewers of all ages and demographics can relate to the family drama, love, and fun, not to mention the beautiful horses. Longtime fans have followed the characters and their stories for years. Storylines include the relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and brothers and sisters, as well as interactions between humans and horses that create moving and powerful plot twists.

Even after 12 seasons, Heartland remains consistent in its goal of providing programming that parents need not fear will be inappropriate for children.

"We need shows that have good wholesome values, and a show [where] people can sit down with their families and feel good about it," Ms. Marshall adds.

In honor of the 200th episode, UPFF will present Heartland: Through the Years, a special program featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the principal actors, producers, horse trainers, and other members of the crew.

UPFF is available anytime for uplifting entertainment suitable for all ages, including kids' programs, documentaries, and reality series. Families can download the app or visit Upfaithandfamily.com for more information about subscriptions and a 14-day free trial.

The SVOD service is available on all major mobile and streaming platforms, including iOS/iPadOS, Apple TV, Android, Android TV, Roku, Fire TV and Xbox. It is also distributed by many partners, including Amazon Prime Channels, Xfinity, Dish, Sling, Cox and The Roku Channel.