President Trump may tap a green-eyed superhero with a hair-trigger temper to whip Americans into shape, a new report said Thursday.

Brooklyn-born Lou Ferrigno, who played The Incredible Hulk in the 70s and early 80s CBS TV series of the same name, wants to head up the Presidents Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition to help get the US fit and healthy.

I have been corresponding with President Trump because I want to change America and make America healthy again. I am a top choice for them. I feel I am the best candidate for that, the bodybuilder and two-time Mr. Universe told the Daily Mail.

Nobody can surpass what I do, especially the life I have lived, what I have overcome and my passion with bodybuilding and fitness.

Ferrigno, 65, said he became pals with the exercise-averse Trump, 71, while appearing on Celebrity Apprentice and was as gung-ho taking on the role as his Marvel Comics character would be thrashing a bevy of bad guys.

The council is part of the Department of Health and Human Services and focuses primarily on public awareness campaigns a natural for the actor-turned-fitness guru.

Ferrigno, an avid Trumpster, said hes not worried that his lefty pals in Tinseltown will shun him for working for Trump.

Trump is a great president. America voted for him and I am a top choice for him. It is a shame because we have so many different problems. I feel safe with him when it comes to homeland security for our people, he told the website.

Trump, a solid athlete in military school, famously disdains exercise, contending it does more harm than good.

In the book Trump Revealed, Mike Kranisch and Marc Fisher of the Washington Post wrote about Trumps battery theory of energy.

After college, after Trump mostly gave up his personal athletic interests, he came to view time spent playing sports as time wasted. Trump believed the human body was like a battery, with a finite amount of energy, which exercise only depleted. So he didnt work out, they wrote.

Excerpt from:
Lou Ferrigno wants to head Trump's fitness council - New York Post

FAMILY

Lackawanna Community Fun Days. A pop-up park is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Lackawanna Public Library, 560 Ridge Road. Free event will feature bounce houses, pony rides, games, food trucks and music.

Family Fun Day. Last of season, noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Artpark, Lewiston.

Family Fun on Saturday Afternoon. Last of season, noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Middle Block, Old Falls Street, Niagara Falls. Arts and crafts, interactive childrens performers, Exercise Like the Animals fitness sessions and block party from noon to 2 p.m. Free.

Pampering event and open house. 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday, People Inc. Marigold Senior Living, 3026 Grand Island Blvd., Grand Island. Grand Island Chiropractic will give a health presentation. Event also includes chair massages, spinal screenings and Graston Technique information. Additionally, products will be available for sale. To register or for more info, call 773-0907. Free.

Outdoor library. Including storytelling and craft program, last of season, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Canalside. Free.

Storytime. Last of season, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Canalside. For families and young children up to age 8. Free.

INDOOR FITNESS

DANCE

Chris Titus, of Buffalo, is pictured performing at a Verve Dance Studio battle in 2012. (Buffalo News file photo)

Battle @ Buffalo Under the Lights 7. Noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, New Era Flagship Store, 160 Delaware Ave. Bboying and Hip Hop dance competitions throughout the day. Tickets available at the door but also in advance at brownpapertickets.com/event/3063308. $10 adults, $5 for children. First 100 through the door get a special New Era Cap made for the event.

OTHER CLASSES

Water in Motion aqua fitness class. 10 a.m. Saturday, next Saturday, Jewish Community Center of Greater Buffalo, 2640 N. Forest Road, Amherst. Nonmembers can purchase a 10-class pass for $59. For more info, contact Eric Poniatowski at eponiatowski@jccbuffalo.org or 886-3172, Ext. 411.

Barre Fitness for Beginners. 8:45 a.m. Sunday, Buffalo Barre, 5843 Transit Road, Amherst. For more info, visit buffalobarre.com. $5-$20.

BollyX with Henna and Madhu. 11 a.m. Sunday, Oasis Dance Center, 920 Niagara Falls Blvd., City of Tonawanda. $7.

BodyAttack. 10:15 a.m. Sunday, 7:15 p.m. Monday, 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jewish Community Center of Buffalo, 787 Delaware Ave.

Get Movin exercise program. 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Daemen College Academic and Wellness Center, 4433 Main St., Amherst. For individuals with or without disabilities ages 18 and older. For more info, visit daemen.edu. Free.

Chair exercise. 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, The Dale Center, 33 Ontario St., Lockport. For info, call 433-1886. $2.

Meditation and relaxation. 11 a.m. Wednesday, Karuna Yoga Buffalo, 5225 Sheridan Drive, Amherst. For info, visit karunayogabuffalo.com.

Back and hip strengthening fitness. 10 a.m. Thursday, Immanuel Lutheran Church, 107 Scott St., City of Tonawanda. For more info, email karen4zumba@gmail.com.

Introduction to Meditation. 6 p.m. Thursday, Buffalo Barre, 5843 Transit Road, Amherst. $20.

SENIOR FITNESS

Those looking to keep fit have chances at exercise classes across the region, including Zumba Gold at the Independent Health Family Branch YMCA in Amherst. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News file photo)

Senior Yoga Fit. 10 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, Jewish Community Center Benderson Family Building, 2640 N. Forest Road, Amherst. For info, call 204-2070.

Tai chi for seniors. 10:15 a.m. Monday, Friday, West Seneca Senior Center, 4620 Seneca St., West Seneca. Free.

Yoga for seniors. 10:45 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, West Side Community Services, 161 Vermont St. $2.

Zumba. 11 a.m. Monday, Richmond-Summer Senior Building, 337 Summer St. $2.

Zumba Gold. 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Independent Health Family Branch YMCA, 150 Tech Drive. Included in YMCA membership or as part of the SilverSneakers program. For more info, call 839-2543.

Zumba Gold with Jaime. 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, St. Georges Church, 2 Nottingham Terrace. For more info, call 574-9303. $5.

Chair yoga. 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday. Living Breathing Yoga, 7703 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls. $10.

Zumba Gold. 1 p.m. Tuesday, Schofields Mondello Wellness & Family Center, 3333 Elmwood Ave., Town of Tonawanda. First class is free; each subsequent class is $2.

Preventing Falls with At-Home Exercises Seminar. 10 a.m. Wednesday, Hamburg Senior Center, 4540 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg. Learn about exercises and equipment that can help individuals live safe, independent lives. Free.

Zumba. 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Town of Tonawanda Senior Center, 291 Ensminger Road, Tonawanda. Preregister at 874-3266. $3.

SilverSneakers Cardio Circuit. Noon Friday, Jewish Community Center, 2640 N. Forest Road, Amherst.

TAI CHI

Kathy Morrisey, right, is among those who practices tai chi on Saturday at Taoist Tai Chi Society of USA, 968 Kenmore Ave. (Sharon Cantillon/Buffalo News file photo)

Tai Chi Chih. 9 a.m. Saturday, next Saturday, Clarence Hollow Wellness Center, 10946 Main St., Clarence. Eight classes for $80.

Taijiquan (tai chi). 10 a.m. Saturday, next Saturday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday, 9:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, Peaceful Water Health and Fitness, 1914 Colvin Blvd., Town of Tonawanda. Try two classes for $20.

Taoist tai chi. Free open house 10 a.m. Saturday, next Saturday, 7 p.m. Wednesday, Taoist Tai Chi Society of USA, 968 Kenmore Ave. For info, visit buffalo.taoist.org.

Tai chi. 9:30 a.m. Monday, Jewish Community Center of Buffalo, 787 Delaware Ave.

Tai chi. 11 a.m. Monday, DeGraff Community Center, 139 Division St., North Tonawanda. $5.

Tai chi. 11:30 a.m. Monday, 11:15 a.m. Tuesday, 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jewish Community Center Benderson Family Building, 2640 N. Forest Road, Amherst.

Tai Chi for Better Balance. 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Tosh Collins Senior Center, 35 Cazenovia St. $3.

YOGA AND PILATES

Hatha yoga. Drop-in class at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, next Saturday, Himalayan Institute of Buffalo, 841 Delaware Ave. $12.

Yoga Reset. 10 a.m. Saturday, next Saturday, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Karuna Yoga Buffalo, 5225 Sheridan Drive, Amherst.

Yoga. 10 a.m. Monday, the Dale Center, 33 Ontario St., Lockport. $5.

Pilates. 10 a.m. Monday, Clarence Hollow Wellness, 10946 Main St., Clarence. $8.

As the Spirit Moves you yoga. 5 p.m. Monday, Winery at Marjim Manor, 7171 E. Lake Road, Newfane. Bring your own yoga mat. $10.

Vinyasa yoga. 6 p.m. Monday, Shakti Yoga, 133 Grant St. $12.

Gentle yoga. 7 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. Thursday, Body of Wealth Fitness, 3053 Main St. $10.

Pilates. 9 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday. Karyn Kelly Dance, 4223 Transit Road, Amherst. $6.

Chair yoga. 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, Thursday, Living Breath Yoga, 7703 Niagara Falls Blvd, Niagara Falls. $10.

Gentle yoga. 4:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, Shakti Yoga, 133 Grant St. For more info, visit shaktibuffalo.com or call 884-9642. $12.

Elmwood Village Yoga. 5 p.m. Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Lafayette Lofts, 598 Lafayette Ave. $10.

Gentle yoga. 9:15 a.m. Wednesday, West Side Community Services, 161 Vermont St. $10.

Yoga Relax. 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Karuna Yoga Buffalo, 5225 Sheridan Drive, Amherst. $17.

Gentle Restorative Yoga. 6 p.m. Wednesday, Body Glyphix Studio, 12377 Big Tree Road, Wales. Free for cancer patients. $12.

Yoga Reset. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Clarence Hollow Wellness, 10946 Main St., Clarence. $15.

Beginner Yoga. Drop-in class, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Himalayan Institute of Buffalo, 841 Delaware Ave. $10.

Baptiste Power Yoga. 6 p.m. Thursday, Buffalo Barre, 5843 Transit Road, Amherst. Call 880-7049 to register. $5-$20.

Gentle Yoga. 10 a.m. Thursday, Body of Wealth Fitness, 3053 Main St. $10.

Laughter Yoga. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Many Hahas Laughter Yoga Club, 546 Eggert Road. Free.

ZUMBA

Zumba by Samira. 9:15 a.m. Saturday, next Saturday, North Buffalo Community Center, 203 Sanders Road; 9:15 a.m. Monday and 5:15 p.m. Zumba. Monday and Wednesday, St. Georges Church, 2 Nottingham Terrace. $5.

Zumba. 6:45 p.m. Monday, 9 a.m. Tuesday. St. Johns Lutheran Church, 3512 Clinton St., West Seneca. $5.

Zumba. Noon Tuesday, Friday, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Immanuel Lutheran Church Hall, 107 Scott St., City of Tonawanda. $5 walk-ins; seniors and veterans pay $3.

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

HOLISTIC HEALTH

Experience Heartfulness Meditation: a Journey Within. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Audubon Library, 350 John James Audubon Parkway, Amherst. Learn about turning to our heart to be centered in our highest self and expand our consciousness.

SUPPORT

Recovery International support. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Trinity United Methodist Church, 2100 Whitehaven Road, Grand Island; 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Clarence Public Library, 3 Town Place, Clarence. For adults needing help with depression, panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder or anger management. Visit recoveryinternational.org for more info.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers. Weekly, six-week caregiver education course will start 4:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Catholic Charities, 128 Wilson St. Advanced registration is required by calling 896-6388, Ext. 205. Free.

Parkinsons support. 11 a.m. Friday, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, 621 10th St., Niagara Falls. Help and support for patients and caregivers.

NUTRITION

Food Truck Tuesday. 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Larkin Square, 745 Seneca St., and Flying Bison Brewing Co., 840 Seneca St. For more info, visit larkinsquare.com.

FARMERS MARKETS

Elmwood Village Farmers Market. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, next Saturday, Elmwood Avenue at Bidwell Parkway. For more info, visit elmwoodmarket.org.

Williamsville Farmers Market. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and next Saturday Spring Street, Williamsville. For more info, visit williamsvillefarmersmarket.com.

Kenmore Farmers Market. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday,Village Green, 2919 Delaware Ave., at Delaware Road, Kenmore. For more info, visit facebook.com/KenmoreFarmersMarket.

Market at the Park. 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Kaminski Park, Elm and Carlton streets.

Veggie Mobile Van. Last of the season, 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center, 621 10th St., Niagara Falls. Fresh produce, health info.

email: refresh@buffnews.com

Twitter: @BNrefresh

Continued here:
WNY health, fitness, family and nutrition-based events, Aug. 26-Sept. 5 - Buffalo News

Fitness Blender

One of the best online workouts around. Period. It rivals even the priciest apps and workout programs with tons of options that include everything from High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) to Pilates, yoga and strength training. If you're short on time there are 10-minute ab workouts and if you're super advanced, and if you want to be pushed, their 60 minute "insane cardio workout challenge" is killer and promises to burn roughly 1,000 calories.

There are over 500 free workouts on the site and the no-frills videos feature cute husband and wife team Kelli and Daniel Segars. The website is easily customized so you can pick workouts based on difficulty level, what body parts you want to target and whether you want to use weights or if you prefer a no-equipment option.

Get started: fitnessblender.com

Jessica Smith's motto is exercise should be fun otherwise you won't stick with it. She's the queen of walk and talks online workouts where she marches in places for a mile or two while you chit chat. Her six-week Walk Strong program was so popular that she just released the 2.0 version. Smith's workouts are especially great for beginners, those who need extra motivation or want to feel like they're working out with a friend, not an unrelatable, six-pack ab guru.

Her YouTube channel has more than 250 free workouts that includes Pilates, yoga, strength training and cardio plus workouts specifically targeted for beginners. And since many of her workouts are filmed in her living room, there's usually a few fun shots that include her dog Peanut who likes to get in the way because, hey, that's life.

Get started: youtube.com/user/jessicasmithtv

The UK brand has some of the most coveted workout clothes around but they're also really committed to giving their tribe access to free, fun workouts even if they don't have a gym membership. Workouts in the #GetFit4Free campaign feature everything from HIIT to Pilates.

We really like the 30-minute ultimate bum workout, beach body workout and ballet bootcamp encore. There are even videos taught by celeb teachers like yoga star Cat Meffan.

Get started: sweatybetty.com/us/free-online-workout-videos

Don't be fooled by this pint-sized blonde. Her workouts pack a serious punch. We love her convenient weekly workout schedules that show you the equipment you'll need and gives you three videos to choose from: advanced, no equipment and beginner/low-impact.

This is your best bet when you are short on time since her 15 minute workouts will definitely get your heart pumping. You can pick a six to 12 week program or, if you're advanced, you can follow Light's daily workout schedule which she posts weekly.

Get started:zuzkalight.com

These versatile workouts are especially helpful if you want to use them while traveling or even at the gym. They work well at home too, since the workouts are photo slideshows that breakdown the moves with very specific written instructions and not videos, which means you don't have to worry about audio or the circle of death while your internet is recalibrating.

There's something for all levels here including convenient quickies like their 30-day ab challenge with some videos under 5 minutes. Advanced folks can try the Navy Seal workout, train with Mr. Universe or try the 41 hardest ab exercises routine. And if you're not looking for an entirely new workout program but maybe just a few new moves to add to your routine there's plenty of inspiration, including 10 free weight moves you can try if you're looking to swap out machines or 15 burpee variations.

Get started:livestrong.com/cat/sports-and-fitness

BeFit's YouTube channel has hundreds of videos to choose from. Pick from basics like strength training, ab routines, HIIT, Pilates, beach body or barre workouts. Or try something new like belly dance cardio, surfer girl workout, Krav Maga defense, Ballet Beautiful or channel your inner aerialist at Cirque School.

There are tons of different options if you've only got 10 or 15 minutes or want a full-hour sweat session. BeFit also gives you access to big name trainers like Denise Austin, Jillian Michaels and yoga guru Kino MacGregor.

Get started: youtube.com/user/BeFit/videos

See the original post here:
Your guide to the best free online workouts | Health and Fitness ... - Lincoln Journal Star

Eating well and being physically active are two of the most important things you can do to promote good health, but knowing you should do these things does not always mean it is easy to actually do them. Despite the simplicity of the message eat healthy and exercise, many people struggle with knowing exactly what to do and how to do it. This is largely due to the complicated and ever-changing nature of nutrition and exercise science and the fact that most people receive no education in these areas.

You may even feel like the information you read and hear is designed to confuse you. That may be true, considering that much of the nutrition information we get comes from food companies that are trying to convince us to buy their products. Even scientific research can yield conflicting results, challenging even the most knowledgeable professionals, myself included, to make sense of it, and even if you do decide to make eating or activity changes, the best diet or exercise program claims may make you wonder if you made the right choice.

Given these points, its not your fault if you struggle to understand basic health information and recommendations. However, it is your responsibility to learn as much as you can to make the best choices for you and your family.

This wont be easy, of course. The popular media, as well as social media, promote confusion and false promises about nutrition by making claims that some foods are toxic while others are super foods. The old "good carb," "bad carb" or "good fat," "bad fat" arguments have been given a new life as "eat this," "not that" lists. The problem is that many of these claims are not supported by science. The research that is done often yields complicated or conflicting results that arent explained in a way that actually helps people make good decisions.

The same is true for exercise. No one doubts that exercise and physical activity are essential for good health, but there are conflicting claims about specific benefits of exercise and what the best form of exercise really is. This can lead to the idea that if you arent doing the right exercise, it doesnt count. Nothing could be further from the truth! While there are reasons why some athletes might want specific types of training, the majority of people can benefit from simply spending less time sitting and participating in some activity each day.

So, what can you do? Given the confusing and changing nutrition recommendations, its best to focus on what hasnt changed. That is, eat real food rather than processed, prepackaged foods. Planning meals and snacks to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, meat, eggs, and dairy should give you plenty of healthy fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.

Instead of worrying about the perfect exercise, make it your goal to do something active for at least 30 minutes every day. Beyond that, dedicating time for aerobic, strength, and flexibility training will bring greater benefits. Remember, the best exercise for you is the one you will do! Seek advice from people you trust and credible professionals, but remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Your responsibility isnt to understand all the nutrition, exercise, and health information you hear. Its to try to make a few simple, healthy choices despite that confusing information: Sit less, move more, and eat real food.

Dr. Brian Parr is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at USC Aiken, where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition and health behavior. You can learn more about this and other health and fitness topics at http://drparrsays.com or on Twitter @drparrsays.

View original post here:
HEALTH AND FITNESS: Becoming healthier not as complicated as it seems - Aiken Standard

photo: liezelzpineda (CC0)

For decades, recordings of nature sounds have been packaged and sold at a handsome profit. And its the same rotating list: crashing waves, birds chirping in a forest, rain outside your window. That marketplace has been worth millions, especially in the heyday of CDs, with companies like Somerset Entertainment smartly expanding the market.

Arguably, its just as much part of the music industry as piano music designed to help you sleep. Its designed to play in the background, and make you not listen (at least actively). But both types of music have producers, content owners, and other familiar players.

The artist for Somerset was actually a team of people (including the founder) who went out on rugged adventures and recorded this stuff. And if youve ever hiked in a jungle with someone recording the ambient noises, you know this isnt an easy endeavor. Indeed, those artists are just like the producers putting together relaxing piano music for insomniacs and grad students.

Heres what happens when you look for nature recordings on Amazon.

A recurring artist on Amazon Music is Skate Creek Sounds, which produces everything from Rain for Relaxing to Campfire Sounds. Its good stuff, and its been done before lots and lots of times before. Which means its the musical equivalent of a commodity, and the entire reason why Amazon created Skate Creek Sounds in the first place.

That right: Skate Creek Sounds is an Amazon-created brand, designed to control every aspect of the production and dissemination of nature sound recordings. And capture a lot more revenue in the process.

A quick Google search reveals that Skate Creek is only available on Amazon. Just like its difficult to find any of Spotifys alleged fake artists outside of Spotify.

If that question sounds ludicrous, then consider this: just last month, people were screaming bloody murder at Spotify for allegedly creating fake artists who played relaxing piano music. And just like nature sounds, this piano (or other relaxing music) is difficult to differentiate. But great if you need to tune out.

And, a way for Amazon to recapture billions by becoming the generic brand for a range of products. Quartz did a great review of this, and listed dozens of Amazon-owned brands that are faking people out. Theres Franklin & Freeman for mens shoes, NuPro for tech accessories, and Single Cow Burger for frozen foods. And every single one of these brands is based on mountains of purchasing data.

This definitely isnt an experiment. The list of Amazons covert brands is impressively long, and enough to cause real brands to freak out. Just like real artists and labels in the music industry.

All of which raises the question of whether Spotify will push to control more of its own content. If only to create a business model that actually works.

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Looks Like Amazon Music Has Its Own 'Fake Artists' - Digital Music News

Vacations can be expensive theres the cost of travel itself, as well as lodging expenses and all the money you drop once you get where youre going. When its all said and done, you could potentially spend thousands of dollars on a getaway.

But aside from emptying our wallets, vacations can help us decompress and cut back on stress. But theres a way to enjoy the same result without having to overspend on a vacation. Heres how you can save money by achieving epic relaxation without ever leaving your hometown.

Read more:This one song can reduce stress by up to 65%

Modern technology keeps us continuously plugged in, something many people tie to causing highstress levels. Think about it: Your boss can nowemailyou when yourehome, and social media can constantly bombard us with information.

It can be beneficial to step away from digital communications once in a while.To help you relax, considerturning off the TV, smartphones and computer at least a few evenings a week, if you can.At the very least, you can try to remove tech from your bedroom so that you can wind down before going to sleep, as research has shown that the light from screens throws off our sleep cycles and melatonin production.

Theres a reason we go on vacations to relax. Perhaps we find it easier to unwind in a place we dont associate with work or home responsibilities. But you can establish a place at home thats used just for relaxing and in time your mind can start to associate that place with a calm, tranquil mindset.

The exact nature of your relaxation space depends on your resources and preferences. You may have a backyard or room to devote to relaxing, or you may only have extra floor space. But whether its a garden patio, relaxation room or beanbag chair next to your bookshelf, you can designate a certain space at home for relaxation.

To help boost the relaxation vibe in that space, consider repaintingcalming colors on the walls, listening to tranquil sounds (relaxing music) or addingaccessories such as plants or Zen sand gardens. You can also try to remove anything from that space that stresses you out like phones, mail and other stressors.

Read more:Time for a change? Here are the 30 least stressful jobs

Massages, spa days and yoga classes are just a few examples of services that can help you relax. Sure, a trip to the spa may be a seen as an unnecessary extravagance, but it is likely lessexpensive than a vacation and could be worth the investment. After all, relaxation professionals can help you recharge and refresh. If this is outside of your budget, there are less expensive alternatives you could consider, too, like finding free yoga instruction videos online or soaking in your tub at home instead of at the spa.

Relaxation doesnt all have to take place within your home. In fact, you can reacquaint yourself with your own neighborhood. Whether youre in the city, country or somewhere in between, your region should have some great attractions you may not have checked out before (or perhaps its just been a while). Try approaching your area from the perspective of a tourist: What would you recommend they try if they were visiting your area?

Whether its hiking, museums or fine dining, you can get avacation-level experience by discovering (or rediscovering) the best your town has to offer. You could develop a new appreciation for your region and find new places to explore and enjoy to boot.

No matter how you decide to relax, whether through yoga, a zen garden or something else, its a good idea you dont overspend after all, you dont want to find a good relaxation tool just to find out its landed you incredit card debt.

Read more:6 ways to maximize a staycation

This article originally appeared onCredit.com.

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4 easy ways to achieve vacation-level relaxation without traveling - WSB Radio

Hear the radio version of this story.

To fully appreciate this eclipse story, WPLN recommends the audio version (above).

An experimental musician brought his weather-controlled synthesizer to the roof of Jack Whites Third Man Records in Nashville for the total solar eclipse. The so-called Weather Warlock made a soundtrack based on the atmospheric conditions of wind, temperature and sunlight.

Before the eclipse, those factors created a peaceful droning hum, which echoed out from the record store while also being live broadcast online.

Its a beautiful, clear day. Perfect for an eclipse, came the first dispatch from the machines inventor, New Orleans-based musician Quintron.

He could turn a few dials to alter the sound, but the most obvious sign of what was really in control was visible and audible when the breeze would rise or fall. The whirring wind anemometers would slow, and the pulsing sounds with them.

Quintron said he has slowly improved the Weather Warlock, which operates as an F major chordal drone, over several years. He said he worked on it most diligently after a serious illness, during which time he studied the healing abilities of musical tones.

I got it to work right away, but it was just wretched awful noise. And working out those kinks in the circuitry, that was the biggest challenge, actually, he said. It became apparent early on that this needed to be relaxing music and randomized music from the skies that you could leave on in the background for hours and hours and hours.

With a raft of options for eclipse viewing, hundreds chose Third Man Records, congregating in good spirits in the street while Quintrons tones emanated from the rooftop above.

Synth fanatics like Matt Marcus, of Rockville, Md., quickly recognized the analog methods at play.

As soon as I heard this, Im like, Im going to be hearing filter sweeps all day, its gonna be lovely' you can hear it right now, you can hear the resonance!

And as darkness fell, the soundtrack became deep, halting pulses. Quintron had said he was unsure how the UV sky sensor would react.

As the moon fully blocked the sun, the synth thumped to a halt.

We have reached totality, Quintron declared as cheers rose.

Pigeons circled. A streetlight flickered on. And a moment later, the space-tinged tone resumed.

It was one of those rare moments where this was not about taking a picture. It was about being there. That was definitely worth a 12-hour drive, said Matthew Moseley, 31, of Dallas. The fact that it was obscured at the end was beautiful. I wouldnt have that any other way.

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A Man, A Synth, An Eclipse Hear How The Atmosphere Made Music During Totality - WPLN

WOODSTOCK The Woodstock Jazz Festival, celebrating its 10th year, offered a plethora of opportunities for community members to enjoy the music, including an outdoor concert Saturday morning.

Every time we do the free portion during the morning with the farmers market, its just a sea of people sitting, jazzing up with their neighbors and listening to some great music, Jazz on the Square President Bryan Kyrouac said before the event.

Jazz on the Square hosts the festival along with regular jazz jams in Woodstock. The weekend-long festival sought to celebrate music that captures the spirit of humanity, along with the people who first brought it to town a decade ago. Events took place Friday and Saturday in and around the Woodstock Square.

The jazzing up was not only limited to Woodstock residents, either. People from across McHenry County took advantage of the free concert on a sunny Saturday morning. Jazz listeners young and old relaxed around the Square and shopped the weekly farmers market, which had everything from pet treats to handmade jewelry.

Woodstock resident Ally Tessler comes to the farmers market weekly to buy fresh produce, but she said she was enjoying the live music, too.

The fest attracted loyal attendees and first-time visitors. Sarah Schroeder of Harvard said she had never been to the event before Saturday, and she heard about it online.

It sounded like something fun to do on a Saturday, Schroeder said. We brought some lunch, and were looking forward to relaxing.

McHenry residents Sherry and Melanie Henning, on the other hand, have come to the fest four or five times. They said there always is a wide variety of artists and music, but they enjoy the people and atmosphere the festival brings the most.

Music and nature does the soul great, Melanie Henning said. It keeps you grounded.

Sherry Henning said she liked that the gathering was not too far from her McHenry home.

Its so nice you can have it locally and not have to travel into the city, she said.

Janet Viverito was selling blueberries with Roedger Bros. Blueberries just off the Square, and she said jazz festival weekend is one of her favorite weekends of the outdoor farmers market season. She said it brings new and different customers and breaks up her workday.

Its been busy, Viverito said. I look forward to this every year. Its nice to work and hear the music.

Kyrouac said Jazz on the Square wanted to make this years festival bigger and grander to honor the events founders. Through the years, the festival, jams and other events hosted by Jazz on the Square not only have provided a venue for entertainment, but an outlet for young musicians as well.

Through suggested donations at the door of Stage Left Caf jams, the group has been able to give scholarships to aspiring young jazz musicians to attend summer jazz education camps at leading Illinois universities.

We really encourage middle and high school students to get the experience of jamming in front of a live audience, Jazz on the Square board member Bruce Lane said. Its been really rewarding to watch them grow and move forward.

A group of those young musicians even opened for the festivals headliner Jamey Aebersold, a world-renown jazz educator and saxophonist Saturday night.

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10th annual Woodstock Jazz Festival offers soundtrack to weekly farmers market - Northwest Herald

by: Brian Acton | Credit.comUpdated: Aug 23, 2017 - 1:58 PM

Vacations can be expensive theres the cost of travel itself, as well as lodging expenses and all the money you drop once you get where youre going. When its all said and done, you could potentially spend thousands of dollars on a getaway.

But aside from emptying our wallets, vacations can help us decompress and cut back on stress. But theres a way to enjoy the same result without having to overspend on a vacation. Heres how you can save money by achieving epic relaxation without ever leaving your hometown.

Read more:This one song can reduce stress by up to 65%

Modern technology keeps us continuously plugged in, something many people tie to causing highstress levels. Think about it: Your boss can nowemailyou when yourehome, and social media can constantly bombard us with information.

It can be beneficial to step away from digital communications once in a while.To help you relax, considerturning off the TV, smartphones and computer at least a few evenings a week, if you can.At the very least, you can try to remove tech from your bedroom so that you can wind down before going to sleep, as research has shown that the light from screens throws off our sleep cycles and melatonin production.

Theres a reason we go on vacations to relax. Perhaps we find it easier to unwind in a place we dont associate with work or home responsibilities. But you can establish a place at home thats used just for relaxing and in time your mind can start to associate that place with a calm, tranquil mindset.

The exact nature of your relaxation space depends on your resources and preferences. You may have a backyard or room to devote to relaxing, or you may only have extra floor space. But whether its a garden patio, relaxation room or beanbag chair next to your bookshelf, you can designate a certain space at home for relaxation.

To help boost the relaxation vibe in that space, consider repaintingcalming colors on the walls, listening to tranquil sounds (relaxing music) or addingaccessories such as plants or Zen sand gardens. You can also try to remove anything from that space that stresses you out like phones, mail and other stressors.

Read more:Time for a change? Here are the 30 least stressful jobs

Massages, spa days and yoga classes are just a few examples of services that can help you relax. Sure, a trip to the spa may be a seen as an unnecessary extravagance, but it is likely lessexpensive than a vacation and could be worth the investment. After all, relaxation professionals can help you recharge and refresh. If this is outside of your budget, there are less expensive alternatives you could consider, too, like finding free yoga instruction videos online or soaking in your tub at home instead of at the spa.

Relaxation doesnt all have to take place within your home. In fact, you can reacquaint yourself with your own neighborhood. Whether youre in the city, country or somewhere in between, your region should have some great attractions you may not have checked out before (or perhaps its just been a while). Try approaching your area from the perspective of a tourist: What would you recommend they try if they were visiting your area?

Whether its hiking, museums or fine dining, you can get avacation-level experience by discovering (or rediscovering) the best your town has to offer. You could develop a new appreciation for your region and find new places to explore and enjoy to boot.

No matter how you decide to relax, whether through yoga, a zen garden or something else, its a good idea you dont overspend after all, you dont want to find a good relaxation tool just to find out its landed you incredit card debt.

Read more:6 ways to maximize a staycation

This article originally appeared onCredit.com.

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4 easy ways to achieve vacation-level relaxation without traveling ... - ActionNewsJax.com

Sex has always been an awkward and uneasy subject to broach in normal American conversation. And yet music, on both a physical and emotional level, has served as an effective art form in expressing sexuality and eroticism. Since the dawn of the rock & roll era, popular music and sex have been and continue to be inextricably linked, accompanied by varying degrees of sensationalism and shock.

But according to Good Booty, a new book by NPR music critic Ann Powers, America's erotic musical history actually dates more than 200 years ago, to the slave era. From there, the book traverses the different historical periods in American history, explaining the evolution of sexually-tinged music from the 1950s male rockers' relationships with their female fans, to the groupie culture during the 1970s and punk rock's conflicting attitudes toward sex.

"I've always been interested in how gender relates to music," Powers, who had the idea for the book a decade ago, tells Rolling Stone. "I've written a lot about women in music. But I've also always been interested in sexuality and eroticism and how that expresses itself through music and how our various debates about that express themselves through music."

While there's no denying the titillation factor in the music and its stars, Good Booty raises larger and important issues, including race, gender, sexism and cultural appropriation. "Historically, music has become this vessel for hidden realities and for expressions of pride and dignity for the most wrongly oppressed in our culture and society," says Powers. "That's how, tragically, we treat eroticism as well. We marginalize it, we try to repress it, we pretend it doesn't exist and we treat it like an evil force. Music has been the place where people who had been treated in that same way can speak."

From the origins of sex in American music to Beyonc's charismatic and confident performances, here are 10 things we learned from Good Booty.

1. The relationship between eroticism and music began in New Orleans in the 1800s.Powers traces the sensual nature of American music and dance back to the lively culture of Nineteenth-century New Orleans, especially in Congo Square. It was an open field where slaves were allowed to dance, a sight that attracted the attention of white spectators. "The heart, soul and libido of American music is New Orleans," says Powers, who describes the city as historically a place of great pleasure and a capital of nightlife. "There was this mix of enslaved people and free people of color. We always have to think about that through the lens of oppression of inequality and slavery, but the joy of it is the mix and the expressions that came through in spite of hardships."

2. Jazz Age-era singer Florence Mills symbolized the new modern womanSlender with a distinct and boyish-looking appearance the African-American singer and actress Florence Mills, who died in 1927 at the age of 31, was a different kind of star. According to Powers, she represented the transformative possibilities of the Twenties, a period when sexuality in American culture was blossoming. The author writes that Mills, who was famous for her role in the Broadway musical Shuffle Along, had a quality of irresistible naturalness that expressed "overt sexual longing," which made her relatable to audiences. "She represents the new era," explains Powers. "She was not vocally the same as previous stars. She had a kind of different physicality, she's youthful and modern. She was a huge star and she's almost completely forgotten."

3. Gospel music conveyed erotic as well as spiritual joyIn their voices and performances, gospel artists during the first half of the Twentieth century reconciled spiritual and personal longing, or the sacred and the profane. Power cites various examples of this "spiritualized eroticism": from composer Thomas Dorsey's gospel standard "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"; the powerful singing of Dorothy Love Coates; the charismatic, even sexy, performances of male gospel vocal groups. "Gospel music was a secret line of communication not only for erotic expression but crucially for expressions of freedom," Powers says, "which in the African-American community stemmed from spirituals and carried on the sounds and customs of the African diaspora. It wasn't shocking to learn that many fundamental expressions of what we'd call sexy like the way Elvis moved or the way rock bands interacted with their female audiences could be found in gospel music in that golden age."

4. Despite their sexual charisma, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison faced resistance within the 1960s counterculture"The erotic breakthroughs of these cultural appointed savior-fools were doubled from the beginning by humiliation, censure, and defeat," Powers writes of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and the Doors' Jim Morrison, three major rock stars of the late 1960s known for their incendiary live performances. Powers looks at how Hendrix struggled to transcend the racial and sexual stereotypes as he played to mostly white audiences; how Joplin's excessive personality and lifestyle was too much for people to handle; and how Morrison bought into his own myth as a sex symbol but also deflated it. ("Wielding his penis as a weapon...he always realized how flabby that sword inevitably became," the author writes of the Doors singer.)

"I think it's important to challenge the mythologies that have arisen around these key figures of the 1960s," says Powers, "because there's a romantic view of the counterculture that it was truly liberating, that if only the Seventies never happened, the hippie flowering would have continued. It's very important to acknowledge that there was a lot of racism and sexism within the counterculture and there was a lot of machismo. So it was interesting when I looked at these figures at how those realities played out in their own lives or has manifested in their own music."

5. Robert Plant's performances mirrored the orgasmic sounds of '70s porn filmsIt is quite apparent that Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant's performances on a number of the band's songs "Whole Lotta Love," "Dazed and Confused," "The Lemon Song" had an erotic, even orgasmic, quality. "Plant engaged pleasure in ways that resembled porn performance," Powers writes. "Like a porn star, Plant was playing a role, but also genuinely feeling its effects; there was a sense he couldn't stop once he was swept up in a song." His musical "money shots" coincided with the emergence of porn chic when hardcore films like Deep Throat and Behind the Green Door entered the mainstream. "Already in the Sixties you had explicit [art] films," says Powers, "but the rise of the porn feature, in particular the sounds of pornography, really affected how average people viewed and heard sexuality in all things."

6. Soft rock served as a musical "how-to" sex manualThe mellow sounds of such soft rock artists as Elton John and James Taylor were the audio equivalent of sexual self-help books like the best-selling The Joy of Sex by employing a gentle and assuring hand in addressing relationships. "It was music made for that moment at the end of the day when you're relaxing with your lady or old man and you're getting into some intimate stuff," says Powers. "So here's music that is very relaxing and that has a soft tone to it but it also pretty much talking directly about having good sex. It's funny to me, since I grew up in the Seventies, that I was listening to all of these songs, like [Starland Vocal Band's] "Afternoon Delight," or [Bread's] "Make It With You," and, oh my goodness, the Captain and Tennille. Come on. That's very dirty stuff."

7. Against the specter of AIDS in the 1980s, pop stars created erotic fantasies through their music and videosThe AIDS epidemic, along with Reagan-era conservatism of the 1980s, "would greatly undermine the openness and sense of liberation that characterized the sexual revolution and its aftermath," Powers writes in Good Booty. Thus, the groundbreaking music and stylized videos by Madonna, Prince and Michael Jackson provided a space for erotic imagination. "They constructed fantasy worlds in their music that were very free while still acknowledging that it was not reality," explains Powers. "Madonna is a true embodiment of this. She is a gift of that imaginative freedom, at a time when it was hard to feel that freedom for a lot of people. The way [Prince] dealt with sexuality in every aspect of his music and performance not just his lyrics but the sound of his music, the way he dressed presented a vision that we all desperately needed."

8. Britney Spears was "the first American sweetheart of the Internet"Britney Spears arrived in the late 1990s as a super-human, machine-like version of a pop star a cyborg of sorts as the country prepared for the turn of the Millennium. With producer Max Martin pumping out catchy pop hits for her, Spears projected a public persona that was somewhere between a "teeny bopper queen and hardcore vixen," as she is described in Good Booty. "Britney's emergence and the emergence of the Internet as the central experience of young people's lives were simultaneous," Powers says. "On the one hand, you have this more mechanistic approach in creating pop music. On the other hand, you have young people interacting with pop culture in a way so that they could master this mechanistic realm and participate in it and they could become cyborgs themselves."

9. Auto-Tune helped T-Pain blur the lines between romantic reality and fantasyAuto-Tune, the controversial pitch correction software tool, played a role in T-Pain's 2005 hit, "I'm 'n Luv (Wit a Stripper)." According to Powers, by electronically manipulating his voice, T-Pain created "a giddy confusion between the flesh and mechanics, calculation and emotion," Powers writes. The song somewhat foreshadowed how we are able to distort our identities daily through technology, particularly on social media. Power says: ""I'm 'n Luv (Wit a Stripper)" [is] a pretty deep song: 'I'm never going to get this girl.' That's what [T-Pain's] voice became...the expression of the tragedy of our inability to transcend our physical and social realities, even when it we feels like we can, because we have so much control over our image."

10. Beyoncrepresents a perfect balance between her sexy public persona and stable private lifeUnlike stars such as Britney Spears and Rihanna, both of whom experienced personal scandal, Beyonc is a rare star who conveys sexuality in her performances, yet also maintains a tight rein on how much of her personal life is up for public consumption and, says Powers, a sense of dignity in the social media age. "Her performances are about setting limits and saying no to being violated," says Powers. "She can get up on the stage and do the same dance that hasn't been done in 200 years in the U.S., derived from the dances that enslaved people were doing in Congo Square. Those dances were originally about dignity and staying free in the face of your oppressors. And she's doing the same thing now. That's why she's the greatest artist of our era."

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'Good Booty': 10 Things We Learned About Sex and Music - RollingStone.com