How to Take Your Own Passport Photo

Courtesy: Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

After paying $15 to have an awkward photoshoot in the aisle of a CVS, only to have my passport photos rejected twice (once for being too dark and once for being too bright), I decided there had to be a better way to take your own passport photo. Turns out, snapping your own passport photo is easier, cheaper, and much more convenient than going to a “professional” (a.k.a., the cashier at your local drugstore). Here’s a few tips:

MORE

How to Stay Safe While Traveling

With travel set to resume as coronavirus restrictions ease, travelers should inform themselves about the cleaning procedures at hotels and Airbnb properties before choosing the best option for them. Ask about cleaning protocols, be on the lookout for red flags such as accumulations of dirt and grime, and inspect surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, recommends Brian Sansoni of the American Cleaning Institute.

MORE

Americans Are Willing to Give Up Love and Chocolate for Travel

We’re catching flights, not feelings in 2021

Courtesy of Patrice J. Williams 

Would you do anything for love? According to a recent study, travel-starved Americans are willing to give up L-O-V-E if it means they can hear those beautiful words: “This is your captain speaking.”

A recent survey conducted by Booking.com found that Americans are ready to hit the road and are finally seeing some light at the end of this year-long tunnel. More than 70 percent said the success of COVID-19 vaccines have them feeling hopeful and “optimistic,” while just over 60 percent have realized travel is crucial to their emotional well-being. It’s clear they’re ready; we’re ready. But how ready?

MORE

MORE

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

JetBlue Passengers Will Be Able to Take an At-Home COVID-19 Test

No nasal swab required

Written by Stefanie Waldek, Courtesy of JetBlue

With COVID-19 testing restrictions impeding both domestic and international travel, JetBlue is providing its passengers an option that might help them travel more freely. The airline has announced a partnership with Vault Health to provide its passengers with easy access to an at-home COVID-19 test that could be used to enter specific destinations with coronavirus testing policies in place.

9 Tips for Traveling With Kids During the Pandemic

First tip: take a deep breath.

Courtesy of Wendy Altschuler, tripsavvy.com

Traveling with kids is often challenging even when there’s isn’t a pandemic to contend with. Kids require extra gear, entertainment, snacks, downtime, and a careful eye to make sure they’re safe while out and about. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to practice social distancing, good hygiene, and to wear a mask when venturing through airports, getting food on the road, using public restrooms, or where there are groups of people present. Whether you’d like to plan for a road trip, a flight on a commercial airline, or a staycation in your own city, here are tips for traveling with kids during a pandemic.

MORE

Most Stressed States

It goes without saying that 2020 was a year like no other, from COVID-19, to a very tough election season, the US has seen one of its most stressful years on record. With this in mind CT Shirts have analyzed Google Search data and cross referenced it with population and average household income to reveal the most stressed states.

SEE KEY FINDINGS

Health Passports: The Future Of Travel?

Courtesy: Justin Hayward, Simple Flying

MORE

 

Americans Are Willing to Give Up Love and Chocolate for Travel

We’re catching flights, not feelings in 2021

Courtesy of Patrice J. Williams 

Would you do anything for love? According to a recent study, travel-starved Americans are willing to give up L-O-V-E if it means they can hear those beautiful words: “This is your captain speaking.”

A recent survey conducted by Booking.com found that Americans are ready to hit the road and are finally seeing some light at the end of this year-long tunnel. More than 70 percent said the success of COVID-19 vaccines have them feeling hopeful and “optimistic,” while just over 60 percent have realized travel is crucial to their emotional well-being. It’s clear they’re ready; we’re ready. But how ready?

MORE

Best Places to Go

Courtesy of Frommer’s

Frommer’s invited some of the most celebrated authors in the United States to tell us about their America, as part of their Best Places to Go series. These top-tier writers had free rein to select the destinations that they think define the United States and that shaped the nation they love. This year’s Best Places names the spots Americans should get to know — one day, once the pandemic is just a bad memory — to better understand their own heritage and legacy and, perhaps, to start the process of healing.

MORE

Iceland Opens to All Vaccinated Travelers — No Testing Required

Get your passport ready!

Courtesy: Stefanie Waldek

As the pandemic appears to be winding down, travel restrictions are finally being lifted, meaning your chance to travel the world once more is right around the corner.

MORE

Covid ‘Resort Bubbles’ — The Next Step For Safe Travel?

Courtesy: Ramsey Qubein

With many countries or states already requiring a negative test to travel, the concept of a resort bubble provides one more layer of assurance as more Americans demonstrate comfort in traveling to destinations that make visitors feel safe.

While Spring Break travel may earn the wrong kind of headlines, resort bubbles provide an alternative method of travel that can be effective.

MORE

Cruises Might Not Return to These Ports After COVID-19

Key West and the Cayman Islands might implement cruise capacity restrictions

Courtesy Stefanie Waldek

As cruising remains in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s only one thing for sure: the industry won’t look the same when it comes back. While cruise lines will unquestionably have to rethink onboard programming (buffets, for instance, are a no-go), it looks like they might have to rethink their itineraries as well.

MORE

TSA Explores Use of Ultraviolet Light to Disinfect Checkpoint Bins

Courtesy: Hazel King  

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is trialing the use of new technology that uses ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light to disinfect airport checkpoint bins in a bid to provide safer checkpoint experiences and prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses and bacteria.

MORE

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

MORE

New Geothermal Lagoon to Open near Reykjavik, Iceland Along the Ocean’s Edge in Spring 2021

Pursuit recently introduced The Ritual at Sky Lagoon, a seven-step experience inspired by the traditions of Icelandic bathing culture. Exclusive to the oceanfront, geothermal lagoon located minutes from downtown Reykjavik, The Ritual at Sky Lagoon will combine the healing powers of warm and cold waters, warm steam, dry heat and fresh air.

“The Ritual at Sky Lagoon will provide guests with an immersive and holistic approach to relaxation and wellbeing,” says Dagny Petursdottir, General Manager, Sky Lagoon. “The rejuvenating and transformative experience will enable guests to connect with mind, body and spirit through the radiant powers of geothermal waters.”

MORE

The 9 Most Anticipated New Cruise Ships of 2021

Courtesy Gene Sloan

Cruise lines may have canceled most of their sailings this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But, so far, they haven’t canceled orders for new ships.

More than 20 new oceangoing vessels still are scheduled to debut in 2021, including at least a dozen from lines that market to North Americans.

In some cases, the ships will be arriving months behind schedule due to pandemic-related construction delays at the shipyards that are building them. Thanks to such delays, the arrival of a few ships that had been scheduled for delivery in 2021 will be pushed to 2022.

But it’ll be a big year for new cruise ships nevertheless.

Among the most notable newcomers will be Mardi Gras, the biggest ship ever for Carnival Cruise Line. Originally due to debut this year, it’s now scheduled to begin sailing in April.

There also will be major new ships coming from Royal Caribbean, Holland America, MSC Cruises and start-up line Virgin Voyages.

The precise dates when some of these ships will begin sailing still is up in the air. It’ll depend, in part, on when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clears cruise ships to begin sailing again in U.S. waters. But, in all cases, these vessels already are available for booking.

Here is a list of the 9 most notable new cruise ships arriving in 2021.

MORE

JetBlue Passengers Will Be Able to Take an At-Home COVID-19 Test

No nasal swab required

Written by Stefanie Waldek, Courtesy of JetBlue

With COVID-19 testing restrictions impeding both domestic and international travel, JetBlue is providing its passengers an option that might help them travel more freely. The airline has announced a partnership with Vault Health to provide its passengers with easy access to an at-home COVID-19 test that could be used to enter specific destinations with coronavirus testing policies in place.

9 Tips for Traveling With Kids During the Pandemic

First tip: take a deep breath.

Courtesy of Wendy Altschuler, tripsavvy.com

Traveling with kids is often challenging even when there’s isn’t a pandemic to contend with. Kids require extra gear, entertainment, snacks, downtime, and a careful eye to make sure they’re safe while out and about. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to practice social distancing, good hygiene, and to wear a mask when venturing through airports, getting food on the road, using public restrooms, or where there are groups of people present. Whether you’d like to plan for a road trip, a flight on a commercial airline, or a staycation in your own city, here are tips for traveling with kids during a pandemic.

MORE

Exploring Japan’s Wellbeing Traditions to Inspire Post-Lockdown Restorative Travel

Recreate Japan’s onsens, find mindfulness through zen meditation and shakyo, and practice the technique of kintsugi from home

For would-be travelers dreaming of an escape to Japan post-lockdown, there are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. The below methods and products highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

MORE

5 Ways to Support Small Businesses from Home During the Pandemic

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

Small businesses are really hurting during this time of isolation. Here are five simple and safe ways you can help support them so that they’ll still be there for you when the pandemic is over. (And remember — the best way you can help small business is by staying home, so that we can end this isolation period faster.)

MORE

 

Iceland Opens to All Vaccinated Travelers — No Testing Required

Get your passport ready!

Courtesy: Stefanie Waldek

As the pandemic appears to be winding down, travel restrictions are finally being lifted, meaning your chance to travel the world once more is right around the corner.

MORE

Covid ‘Resort Bubbles’ — The Next Step For Safe Travel?

Courtesy: Ramsey Qubein

With many countries or states already requiring a negative test to travel, the concept of a resort bubble provides one more layer of assurance as more Americans demonstrate comfort in traveling to destinations that make visitors feel safe.

While Spring Break travel may earn the wrong kind of headlines, resort bubbles provide an alternative method of travel that can be effective.

MORE

Cruises Might Not Return to These Ports After COVID-19

Key West and the Cayman Islands might implement cruise capacity restrictions

Courtesy Stefanie Waldek

As cruising remains in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s only one thing for sure: the industry won’t look the same when it comes back. While cruise lines will unquestionably have to rethink onboard programming (buffets, for instance, are a no-go), it looks like they might have to rethink their itineraries as well.

MORE

TSA Explores Use of Ultraviolet Light to Disinfect Checkpoint Bins

Courtesy: Hazel King  

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is trialing the use of new technology that uses ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light to disinfect airport checkpoint bins in a bid to provide safer checkpoint experiences and prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses and bacteria.

MORE

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

MORE

New Geothermal Lagoon to Open near Reykjavik, Iceland Along the Ocean’s Edge in Spring 2021

Pursuit recently introduced The Ritual at Sky Lagoon, a seven-step experience inspired by the traditions of Icelandic bathing culture. Exclusive to the oceanfront, geothermal lagoon located minutes from downtown Reykjavik, The Ritual at Sky Lagoon will combine the healing powers of warm and cold waters, warm steam, dry heat and fresh air.

“The Ritual at Sky Lagoon will provide guests with an immersive and holistic approach to relaxation and wellbeing,” says Dagny Petursdottir, General Manager, Sky Lagoon. “The rejuvenating and transformative experience will enable guests to connect with mind, body and spirit through the radiant powers of geothermal waters.”

MORE

The 9 Most Anticipated New Cruise Ships of 2021

Courtesy Gene Sloan

Cruise lines may have canceled most of their sailings this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But, so far, they haven’t canceled orders for new ships.

More than 20 new oceangoing vessels still are scheduled to debut in 2021, including at least a dozen from lines that market to North Americans.

In some cases, the ships will be arriving months behind schedule due to pandemic-related construction delays at the shipyards that are building them. Thanks to such delays, the arrival of a few ships that had been scheduled for delivery in 2021 will be pushed to 2022.

But it’ll be a big year for new cruise ships nevertheless.

Among the most notable newcomers will be Mardi Gras, the biggest ship ever for Carnival Cruise Line. Originally due to debut this year, it’s now scheduled to begin sailing in April.

There also will be major new ships coming from Royal Caribbean, Holland America, MSC Cruises and start-up line Virgin Voyages.

The precise dates when some of these ships will begin sailing still is up in the air. It’ll depend, in part, on when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clears cruise ships to begin sailing again in U.S. waters. But, in all cases, these vessels already are available for booking.

Here is a list of the 9 most notable new cruise ships arriving in 2021.

MORE

JetBlue Passengers Will Be Able to Take an At-Home COVID-19 Test

No nasal swab required

Written by Stefanie Waldek, Courtesy of JetBlue

With COVID-19 testing restrictions impeding both domestic and international travel, JetBlue is providing its passengers an option that might help them travel more freely. The airline has announced a partnership with Vault Health to provide its passengers with easy access to an at-home COVID-19 test that could be used to enter specific destinations with coronavirus testing policies in place.

9 Tips for Traveling With Kids During the Pandemic

First tip: take a deep breath.

Courtesy of Wendy Altschuler, tripsavvy.com

Traveling with kids is often challenging even when there’s isn’t a pandemic to contend with. Kids require extra gear, entertainment, snacks, downtime, and a careful eye to make sure they’re safe while out and about. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to practice social distancing, good hygiene, and to wear a mask when venturing through airports, getting food on the road, using public restrooms, or where there are groups of people present. Whether you’d like to plan for a road trip, a flight on a commercial airline, or a staycation in your own city, here are tips for traveling with kids during a pandemic.

MORE

Exploring Japan’s Wellbeing Traditions to Inspire Post-Lockdown Restorative Travel

Recreate Japan’s onsens, find mindfulness through zen meditation and shakyo, and practice the technique of kintsugi from home

For would-be travelers dreaming of an escape to Japan post-lockdown, there are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. The below methods and products highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

MORE

5 Ways to Support Small Businesses from Home During the Pandemic

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

Small businesses are really hurting during this time of isolation. Here are five simple and safe ways you can help support them so that they’ll still be there for you when the pandemic is over. (And remember — the best way you can help small business is by staying home, so that we can end this isolation period faster.)

MORE

 

Earth’s Mountains May Have Mysteriously Stopped Growing for a Billion Years

Courtesy MAYA WEI-HAA, National Geographic

Starting about 1.8 billion years ago, the planet’s continental crust thinned, slowing the flow of nutrients into the sea and possibly stalling the evolution of life.

MORE

DNA From the Bible’s Canaanites Lives on in Modern Arabs and Jews

A new study of ancient DNA traces the surprising heritage of these mysterious Bronze Age people.

Courtesy Andrew Lawler, National Geographic

They are best known as the people who lived “in a land flowing with milk and honey” until they were vanquished by the ancient Israelites. But a recent scientific report reveals that the genetic heritage of the Canaanites survives

MORE

Trapped in Museums for Centuries, Maori Ancestors Are Coming Home

Courtesy Ye Charlotte Ming

New Zealand’s repatriation program brings human remains back and lays them to rest.

To the Maori people of New Zealand, the practice of preserving one’s head after death was an act of love and respect. Beginning in 1770, Europeans began trading the mummified and tattooed Maori heads, also called toi moko, spurring enemy tribal groups to collect the heads of enemies for sale. Now, European museums are sending the toi moko home. Since 2003, the remains of more than 600 ancestors, including toi moko, have been returned to New Zealand.

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

What’s New in Berlin: House of One – Three Religions in One House

Berlin is soon to become home to something truly unique. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are planning to build a house of worship here – one that brings a synagogue, a church, and a mosque together under one roof. The three separate sections will be linked by a communal room in the center of the building. This will serve as a meeting place, where worshipers and members of the public can come together and learn more about the religions and each other. The House of One is a contemporary expression of religious life, expressed in an equally modern architectural language.

The Future of History in the Pandemic Age

By Michael Creswell

Historians need to consider and prepare for changes to the profession that will follow the COVID-19 pandemic.

Attempting to predict the future is always perilous, and events frequently humble those who dare to try. Making predictions is especially hazardous for historians, who often struggle to explain the past. Peering into the future is not part of their professional training, and their efforts to do so are likely to fail.

MORE

WNPA Recently Announced the Recipients of its Annual Awards

Western National Parks Association (WNPA), a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service (NPS) since 1938, recently announced the recipients of its annual awards. For over 30 years, WNPA has recognized individuals and organizations who make exceptional contributions to national parks and increase awareness of WNPA’s mission.

MORE

What Americans Abroad Should Not Expect

Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage. Australian-style pancakes are too eggy and have sugar in the dough.

MORE

 

Trapped in Museums for Centuries, Maori Ancestors Are Coming Home

Courtesy Ye Charlotte Ming

New Zealand’s repatriation program brings human remains back and lays them to rest.

To the Maori people of New Zealand, the practice of preserving one’s head after death was an act of love and respect. Beginning in 1770, Europeans began trading the mummified and tattooed Maori heads, also called toi moko, spurring enemy tribal groups to collect the heads of enemies for sale. Now, European museums are sending the toi moko home. Since 2003, the remains of more than 600 ancestors, including toi moko, have been returned to New Zealand.

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

What’s New in Berlin: House of One – Three Religions in One House

Berlin is soon to become home to something truly unique. Jews, Christians, and Muslims are planning to build a house of worship here – one that brings a synagogue, a church, and a mosque together under one roof. The three separate sections will be linked by a communal room in the center of the building. This will serve as a meeting place, where worshipers and members of the public can come together and learn more about the religions and each other. The House of One is a contemporary expression of religious life, expressed in an equally modern architectural language.

Start the Year Off Right with a Journey to Well-Being

Enroll Now

Limited Space Available — Act Soon!

Hawaii Offers Tourists Free Hotel Stays in Exchange for Volunteer Work

The program’s goal is to inspire mindful travel

Written by Stefanie Waldek

If gorgeous beaches, an incredible cultural history, and active volcanoes aren’t enough to convince you to visit Hawaii, perhaps the state’s voluntourism deal for tourists will nudge you across the line.

As of Oct. 15, Hawaii has eliminated the 14-day quarantine requirement for visitors who partake in the official pre-travel testing program, which now means that the state is able to promote the Mālama Hawai‘i initiative to tourists.

MORE

WNPA Recently Announced the Recipients of its Annual Awards

Western National Parks Association (WNPA), a nonprofit education partner of the National Park Service (NPS) since 1938, recently announced the recipients of its annual awards. For over 30 years, WNPA has recognized individuals and organizations who make exceptional contributions to national parks and increase awareness of WNPA’s mission.

MORE

5 Things Science Says Will Make You Happier

Research-backed habits that will improve your outlook and positive attitude

By Nataly Kogan
Medically reviewed by Daniel B. Block, MD

It’s easy to assume that things like money and a luxurious lifestyle lead to happiness, but research shows that it’s the more simple experiences — like practicing gratitude or spending time with friends — that promote a sunny outlook.

Whether you need to shift from negative thoughts or want to continue a streak of positivity, here are five ways to boost happiness every day.

MORE

What Americans Abroad Should Not Expect

Pancakes

The fluffy flour-based pancakes that American’s have come to love at breakfast time (or for brinner) just aren’t found abroad. French crêpes are too thin. The Japanese version (okonomiyaki) is too thick and most often topped with savory things like meat, seafood, and cabbage. Australian-style pancakes are too eggy and have sugar in the dough.

MORE

The Radical History of Corporate Sensitivity Training

By Beth Blum

During these turbulent months, American corporations have responded to demands for racial justice by straining to showcase their sensitive sides. They’ve pledged, like Quaker Oats, to change offensive product names; they’ve scrambled, like Prada, nascar, and Delta, to implement emergency sensitivity workshops; and they’ve opted, like most of the major publishing houses, to hire sensitivity readers to vet new manuscripts for racist representations. Not so at the Donald Trump White House.

MORE

The Pentagon is Missing the Big Picture on “Stars and Stripes”

By Mark T. Hauser

The Pentagon’s plan to scrap funding for the Stars and Stripes newspaper isn’t just an attack on a historic military institution. It’s ignoring the lessons the paper’s history offers for efficient operation and integrating military operations with the economic life of the nation.

MORE

 

American Airlines Ramps Up Domestic Summer Schedule

American Airlines plans to operate more than 90% of the domestic schedule and 80% of the international capacity it flew in 2019 this summer, and it’s adding 150 new routes for the summer vacation season. “Throughout the pandemic, our trademark has been to build a schedule based on what customers tell us they want and need,” said Brian Znotins, vice president of network planning.

Travel to Europe: A Reopening Timeline, Country by Country

Courtesy Jamie Ditaranto, Trip Savvy

Europe was one of the regions hardest hit by the novel coronavirus at the beginning of the pandemic, but after strict lockdowns, many countries saw steep declines in death and infection rates in the summer of 2020. However, many European countries struggled to bring down the second wave in December, which was followed by a third wave in March 2021.

MORE

Americans Are Willing to Give Up Love and Chocolate for Travel

We’re catching flights, not feelings in 2021

Courtesy of Patrice J. Williams 

Would you do anything for love? According to a recent study, travel-starved Americans are willing to give up L-O-V-E if it means they can hear those beautiful words: “This is your captain speaking.”

A recent survey conducted by Booking.com found that Americans are ready to hit the road and are finally seeing some light at the end of this year-long tunnel. More than 70 percent said the success of COVID-19 vaccines have them feeling hopeful and “optimistic,” while just over 60 percent have realized travel is crucial to their emotional well-being. It’s clear they’re ready; we’re ready. But how ready?

MORE

Best Places to Go

Courtesy of Frommer’s

Frommer’s invited some of the most celebrated authors in the United States to tell us about their America, as part of their Best Places to Go series. These top-tier writers had free rein to select the destinations that they think define the United States and that shaped the nation they love. This year’s Best Places names the spots Americans should get to know — one day, once the pandemic is just a bad memory — to better understand their own heritage and legacy and, perhaps, to start the process of healing.

MORE

Iceland Opens to All Vaccinated Travelers — No Testing Required

Get your passport ready!

Courtesy: Stefanie Waldek

As the pandemic appears to be winding down, travel restrictions are finally being lifted, meaning your chance to travel the world once more is right around the corner.

MORE

Covid ‘Resort Bubbles’ — The Next Step For Safe Travel?

Courtesy: Ramsey Qubein

With many countries or states already requiring a negative test to travel, the concept of a resort bubble provides one more layer of assurance as more Americans demonstrate comfort in traveling to destinations that make visitors feel safe.

While Spring Break travel may earn the wrong kind of headlines, resort bubbles provide an alternative method of travel that can be effective.

MORE

Cruises Might Not Return to These Ports After COVID-19

Key West and the Cayman Islands might implement cruise capacity restrictions

Courtesy Stefanie Waldek

As cruising remains in limbo due to the coronavirus pandemic, there’s only one thing for sure: the industry won’t look the same when it comes back. While cruise lines will unquestionably have to rethink onboard programming (buffets, for instance, are a no-go), it looks like they might have to rethink their itineraries as well.

MORE

TSA Explores Use of Ultraviolet Light to Disinfect Checkpoint Bins

Courtesy: Hazel King  

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is trialing the use of new technology that uses ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light to disinfect airport checkpoint bins in a bid to provide safer checkpoint experiences and prevent the spread of Covid-19 and other viruses and bacteria.

MORE

Less Will be More in Post-Pandemic Travel: Airbnb Chief

Smaller cities and more family time will gain favor over global tourism permanently in the wake of the pandemic, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky predicts. “They’re not yearning to see Times Square” after months of isolation from normal life, he observes.

MORE

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

MORE

New Geothermal Lagoon to Open near Reykjavik, Iceland Along the Ocean’s Edge in Spring 2021

Pursuit recently introduced The Ritual at Sky Lagoon, a seven-step experience inspired by the traditions of Icelandic bathing culture. Exclusive to the oceanfront, geothermal lagoon located minutes from downtown Reykjavik, The Ritual at Sky Lagoon will combine the healing powers of warm and cold waters, warm steam, dry heat and fresh air.

“The Ritual at Sky Lagoon will provide guests with an immersive and holistic approach to relaxation and wellbeing,” says Dagny Petursdottir, General Manager, Sky Lagoon. “The rejuvenating and transformative experience will enable guests to connect with mind, body and spirit through the radiant powers of geothermal waters.”

MORE

The 9 Most Anticipated New Cruise Ships of 2021

Courtesy Gene Sloan

Cruise lines may have canceled most of their sailings this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. But, so far, they haven’t canceled orders for new ships.

More than 20 new oceangoing vessels still are scheduled to debut in 2021, including at least a dozen from lines that market to North Americans.

In some cases, the ships will be arriving months behind schedule due to pandemic-related construction delays at the shipyards that are building them. Thanks to such delays, the arrival of a few ships that had been scheduled for delivery in 2021 will be pushed to 2022.

But it’ll be a big year for new cruise ships nevertheless.

Among the most notable newcomers will be Mardi Gras, the biggest ship ever for Carnival Cruise Line. Originally due to debut this year, it’s now scheduled to begin sailing in April.

There also will be major new ships coming from Royal Caribbean, Holland America, MSC Cruises and start-up line Virgin Voyages.

The precise dates when some of these ships will begin sailing still is up in the air. It’ll depend, in part, on when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clears cruise ships to begin sailing again in U.S. waters. But, in all cases, these vessels already are available for booking.

Here is a list of the 9 most notable new cruise ships arriving in 2021.

MORE

JetBlue Passengers Will Be Able to Take an At-Home COVID-19 Test

No nasal swab required

Written by Stefanie Waldek, Courtesy of JetBlue

With COVID-19 testing restrictions impeding both domestic and international travel, JetBlue is providing its passengers an option that might help them travel more freely. The airline has announced a partnership with Vault Health to provide its passengers with easy access to an at-home COVID-19 test that could be used to enter specific destinations with coronavirus testing policies in place.

9 Tips for Traveling With Kids During the Pandemic

First tip: take a deep breath.

Courtesy of Wendy Altschuler, tripsavvy.com

Traveling with kids is often challenging even when there’s isn’t a pandemic to contend with. Kids require extra gear, entertainment, snacks, downtime, and a careful eye to make sure they’re safe while out and about. Now, more than ever, it’s imperative to practice social distancing, good hygiene, and to wear a mask when venturing through airports, getting food on the road, using public restrooms, or where there are groups of people present. Whether you’d like to plan for a road trip, a flight on a commercial airline, or a staycation in your own city, here are tips for traveling with kids during a pandemic.

MORE

Exploring Japan’s Wellbeing Traditions to Inspire Post-Lockdown Restorative Travel

Recreate Japan’s onsens, find mindfulness through zen meditation and shakyo, and practice the technique of kintsugi from home

For would-be travelers dreaming of an escape to Japan post-lockdown, there are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. The below methods and products highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

MORE

Experience Berlin and Its Natural Side, When You Can Visit Again

New tourism campaign is putting the focus on Berlin’s “other, slower side”: Lakes and rivers, an abundance of parks, lesser-known districts and the city’s rural surroundings.

Berlin is nine times the size of Paris, with 60 percent of the city consisting of green spaces filled with 440,000 trees, and bodies of water that cover close to 37 square miles. The city‘s unique layout makes social distancing and responsible travel less challenging than in other world cities.

MORE

What are We Experimenting With?

By Dr. Kathleen Allen

Dr. Kathleen Allen recently hosted a call with three colleagues as part of their Leading Through Disruption series. The participants and hosts discussed the experiments many are launching as collectively we attempt to evolve and adapt to the massive disruptions that life is forcing upon us right now.  Dr. Allen’s blog  summarizes the themes from that call. From rebirth to change, and ultimate transformation, this group of leaders identified many ways we’re all trying to imagine something better through the dual lens of hope and intelligent optimism.

MORE

Covid-19 Direct Relief

And remember Covid-19 Direct Relief, who addresses the courage of health workers on the front lines, honoring them with meaningful support, and the people most at risk in this pandemic are cared for — regardless of politics, religion, or ability to pay.

DONATE to DIRECT RELIEF

Bruce Springsteen  to Donald Trump: Put on a F***ing Mask

Bruce Springsteen has criticized Donald Trump‘s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, telling the US president: Put on a f***ing mask.  With Americans dying over the last few months and the empty, shamed response from our leaders, I’ve been simply pissed off, he said. Those lives deserve better than being simply inconvenient statistics for our president’s re-election efforts. It’s a national disgrace.

He continued: Instead of celebrating the joys of summer today, we will be contemplating our current circumstances with the coronavirus and the cost it has drawn from our nation. We will be calculating what we’ve lost, sending prayers for the deceased and the families they have left behind.

Although the coronavirus has claimed the lives of over 140,000 people in the US, Trump has often refused to wear a protective face mask during public appearances, which sends a polarizing message to a nation, desperately in need of some cohesive form of leadership. Today our Executive Office boasts of saving millions of lives, but if the White House had not been so dismissive at the first outbreak of C-19, our statistics of those infected would have flattened like the E.U.

Springsteen dedicated a song to Trump on his radio broadcast, saying: If you are ready for a rock & roll requiem, stay tuned. I’m going to start out by sending one to the man sitting behind the resolute desk. With all respect, sir, show some consideration and care for your countrymen and your country, he added. Put on a f***ing mask.

United States Not on EU’s ‘Safe’ Travel list, Diplomats Say

Courtesy Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS, June 30 (Reuters) – The United States is not on a “safe list” of destinations for non-essential travel due to be unveiled by European Union governments later on Tuesday, three diplomats said.

The 27-member bloc is expected to give outline approval to leisure or business travel from Wednesday to 14 countries beyond its borders when they vote on the list by midday Brussels time (1000 GMT), the diplomats said.

The countries are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, they said.

Russia and Brazil, along with the United States, are among countries that do not make the initial “safe list.”

The Maya Ruins at Uxmal Still Have More Stories to Tell

By Elizabeth Landau; Courtesy smithsonianmag.com

The remains of a provincial capital on the Yucatan Peninsula attest to a people trying to fortify their place in the world

As the sun sets over the Yucatan jungle, its fading light falls on the western staircase of the Pyramid of the Magician, just as it has for more than a millennium. In pre-Hispanic times, on Maya religious holidays, a priest or ruler might ascend these stairs to pass through the gateway to a holy temple — or, as historian Jeff Kowalski writes in Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya, “a cave portal to a sacred creation mountain.”

MORE

Take These Steps If You’re Renting a Vacation Home During the Pandemic

Courtesy of Consumer Reports

Traveling this summer has risks. Here’s how to vacation responsibly and minimize your exposure to the coronavirus. Summer is almost upon us. But while the heat and humidity will be familiar, “this is going to be a very different type of summer,” says Amira Roess, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of global health and epidemiology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The country may be reopening, but the risk of COVID-19 remains. Until a vaccine is developed, this is a reality Americans will “have to contend with every time they step outside,” says Amesh Adalja, M.D., an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Maintaining Tourist Sites During COVID-19

Courtesy of Smithsonian

READ HERE

How to Stay Safe While Traveling

With travel set to resume as coronavirus restrictions ease, travelers should inform themselves about the cleaning procedures at hotels and Airbnb properties before choosing the best option for them. Ask about cleaning protocols, be on the lookout for red flags such as accumulations of dirt and grime, and inspect surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, recommends Brian Sansoni of the American Cleaning Institute.

MORE

New TSA Rules

As travelers return to airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced new rules and precautions to reduce the spread of coronavirus or any kind of germs amongst travelers and employees.

MORE

Exploring Japan’s Wellbeing Traditions to Inspire Post-Lockdown Restorative Travel

Recreate Japan’s onsens, find mindfulness through zen meditation and shakyo, and practice the technique of kintsugi from home

For would-be travelers dreaming of an escape to Japan post-lockdown, there are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. The below methods and products highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

One of Japan’s most iconic wellness attractions, the onsen (or hot spring), is naturally enriched with vitamins and minerals from subterranean volcanic activity beneath the archipelago. There are a variety of products travelers can buy to enhance their own Japanese-style bath at home; the Japanese brand Kracie has created a variety of bath salts, allowing people to bring the magic of the onsen into their homes. These bath salts mimic the vitamin and mineral composition of some of Japan’s most popular onsens. Each packet of salts has a specific purpose…

MORE

Dream-Worthy Destinations to Start Planning For

The Royal Mansour Marrakech in Morocco is on travel writer Angelina Villa-Clarke’s list of places to stay soon after travel restrictions are lifted. She also has her sights on AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado, a 28-room townhouse hotel in Lisbon, Portugal, as well as a few other destinations.

MORE

Exploring These Lost Cities Is The Closest You’ll Get to Time Travel

Lost cities offer glimpses into ancient civilizations that, either suddenly or over time, collapsed, often leaving artifacts intact and architecture fully preserved. Machu Pichuu might be the most famous, and we have yet to discover Atlantis, but the cities below are rife for discovery. You’ll find accessible ruins to easily place on your bucket list and kingdoms so lost and isolated you never knew they existed. Some were decimated by disaster, others simply faded away. But all are worthy of exploring once our civilization’s gears turn back on.

MORE

Businesses Prepare to Reopen with New Methods of Liability Waiver Collection

Handshakes, hugs and sharing pens and pencils may become things of the past. Physical contact with anyone or anything can now set off alarm bells.

COVID-19 is changing the world of customer relations, from contactless point-of-sale purchases to online ordering. WaiverSign, a digital liability waiver application, is helping companies get liability waivers signed electronically, eliminating the need to pass pens, paper, clipboards and keypads back and forth.

As officials like to say, “statistics don’t lie.” New sales figures are up 121% in April 2020 compared to April 2019, say officials from WaiverSign.

“Utilizing WaiverSign is yet another tool for companies preparing to welcome patrons as virus-driven lockdowns begin to lift,” said Brandon Lake, CEO of Resmark Systems and WaiverSign. “In addition to getting waivers signed without the use of paper and pens, many companies are now seeing the myriad of other benefits that come with collecting and storing liability waivers online.”

WaiverSign, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, also anticipates signing on new clients who choose to augment and fine-tune their risk management plans by implementing waivers and related documents to ensure that participants understand and accept the inherent risks of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

MORE

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

MORE

Working Remotely? This Webinar is for You

Whether you work remotely 100% of the time or find yourself navigating this situation for the very first time, working at a physical distance can pose a unique set of challenges. Slack is here to help. This 30-minute webinar will provide tips and tactics within Slack that you can put into action right away.

MORE

How to Redesign Government Work for the Future

In this article, Deloitte explores the opportunity for government orgs to intentionally redesign work to both accommodate the role of technology and machines, and to design for new needs and activities, including those resulting from broader economic, workforce, and societal shifts.

MORE

The New York Times Will Pause Printing of Sports & Travel Sections

With no major sporting events and barely any travel happening due to the coronavirus, The New York Times plans to stop printing hard copies of those sections in the storied newspaper’s Sunday edition.

MORE

JetBlue CEO anticipates improvements to make travel safer

In an interview with CNBC, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said widespread testing will be essential to make passengers feel secure and allow air travel to recover from the coronavirus crisis. “We’ve got to make sure that they’re safe from a health standpoint,” he said, predicting that the epidemic will result in permanent changes in cleaning and screening procedures that will make aircraft and airports safer.

MORE

5 Ways to Support Small Businesses from Home During the Pandemic

Courtesy Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

Small businesses are really hurting during this time of isolation. Here are five simple and safe ways you can help support them so that they’ll still be there for you when the pandemic is over. (And remember — the best way you can help small business is by staying home, so that we can end this isolation period faster.)

MORE

Experience Berlin and Its Natural Side, When You Can Visit Again

New tourism campaign is putting the focus on Berlin’s “other, slower side”: Lakes and rivers, an abundance of parks, lesser-known districts and the city’s rural surroundings.

Berlin is nine times the size of Paris, with 60 percent of the city consisting of green spaces filled with 440,000 trees, and bodies of water that cover close to 37 square miles. The city‘s unique layout makes social distancing and responsible travel less challenging than in other world cities.

MORE

What are We Experimenting With?

By Dr. Kathleen Allen

Dr. Kathleen Allen recently hosted a call with three colleagues as part of their Leading Through Disruption series. The participants and hosts discussed the experiments many are launching as collectively we attempt to evolve and adapt to the massive disruptions that life is forcing upon us right now.  Dr. Allen’s blog  summarizes the themes from that call. From rebirth to change, and ultimate transformation, this group of leaders identified many ways we’re all trying to imagine something better through the dual lens of hope and intelligent optimism.

MORE

Covid-19 Direct Relief

And remember Covid-19 Direct Relief, who addresses the courage of health workers on the front lines, honoring them with meaningful support, and the people most at risk in this pandemic are cared for — regardless of politics, religion, or ability to pay.

DONATE to DIRECT RELIEF

Bruce Springsteen  to Donald Trump: Put on a F***ing Mask

Bruce Springsteen has criticized Donald Trump‘s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, telling the US president: Put on a f***ing mask.  With Americans dying over the last few months and the empty, shamed response from our leaders, I’ve been simply pissed off, he said. Those lives deserve better than being simply inconvenient statistics for our president’s re-election efforts. It’s a national disgrace.

He continued: Instead of celebrating the joys of summer today, we will be contemplating our current circumstances with the coronavirus and the cost it has drawn from our nation. We will be calculating what we’ve lost, sending prayers for the deceased and the families they have left behind.

Although the coronavirus has claimed the lives of over 140,000 people in the US, Trump has often refused to wear a protective face mask during public appearances, which sends a polarizing message to a nation, desperately in need of some cohesive form of leadership. Today our Executive Office boasts of saving millions of lives, but if the White House had not been so dismissive at the first outbreak of C-19, our statistics of those infected would have flattened like the E.U.

Springsteen dedicated a song to Trump on his radio broadcast, saying: If you are ready for a rock & roll requiem, stay tuned. I’m going to start out by sending one to the man sitting behind the resolute desk. With all respect, sir, show some consideration and care for your countrymen and your country, he added. Put on a f***ing mask.

United States Not on EU’s ‘Safe’ Travel list, Diplomats Say

Courtesy Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS, June 30 (Reuters) – The United States is not on a “safe list” of destinations for non-essential travel due to be unveiled by European Union governments later on Tuesday, three diplomats said.

The 27-member bloc is expected to give outline approval to leisure or business travel from Wednesday to 14 countries beyond its borders when they vote on the list by midday Brussels time (1000 GMT), the diplomats said.

The countries are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, they said.

Russia and Brazil, along with the United States, are among countries that do not make the initial “safe list.”

The Maya Ruins at Uxmal Still Have More Stories to Tell

By Elizabeth Landau; Courtesy smithsonianmag.com

The remains of a provincial capital on the Yucatan Peninsula attest to a people trying to fortify their place in the world

As the sun sets over the Yucatan jungle, its fading light falls on the western staircase of the Pyramid of the Magician, just as it has for more than a millennium. In pre-Hispanic times, on Maya religious holidays, a priest or ruler might ascend these stairs to pass through the gateway to a holy temple — or, as historian Jeff Kowalski writes in Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya, “a cave portal to a sacred creation mountain.”

MORE

Take These Steps If You’re Renting a Vacation Home During the Pandemic

Courtesy of Consumer Reports

Traveling this summer has risks. Here’s how to vacation responsibly and minimize your exposure to the coronavirus. Summer is almost upon us. But while the heat and humidity will be familiar, “this is going to be a very different type of summer,” says Amira Roess, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of global health and epidemiology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The country may be reopening, but the risk of COVID-19 remains. Until a vaccine is developed, this is a reality Americans will “have to contend with every time they step outside,” says Amesh Adalja, M.D., an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Maintaining Tourist Sites During COVID-19

Courtesy of Smithsonian

READ HERE

How to Stay Safe While Traveling

With travel set to resume as coronavirus restrictions ease, travelers should inform themselves about the cleaning procedures at hotels and Airbnb properties before choosing the best option for them. Ask about cleaning protocols, be on the lookout for red flags such as accumulations of dirt and grime, and inspect surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, recommends Brian Sansoni of the American Cleaning Institute.

MORE

New TSA Rules

As travelers return to airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced new rules and precautions to reduce the spread of coronavirus or any kind of germs amongst travelers and employees.

MORE

Exploring Japan’s Wellbeing Traditions to Inspire Post-Lockdown Restorative Travel

Recreate Japan’s onsens, find mindfulness through zen meditation and shakyo, and practice the technique of kintsugi from home

For would-be travelers dreaming of an escape to Japan post-lockdown, there are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. The below methods and products highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

One of Japan’s most iconic wellness attractions, the onsen (or hot spring), is naturally enriched with vitamins and minerals from subterranean volcanic activity beneath the archipelago. There are a variety of products travelers can buy to enhance their own Japanese-style bath at home; the Japanese brand Kracie has created a variety of bath salts, allowing people to bring the magic of the onsen into their homes. These bath salts mimic the vitamin and mineral composition of some of Japan’s most popular onsens. Each packet of salts has a specific purpose…

MORE

Dream-Worthy Destinations to Start Planning For

The Royal Mansour Marrakech in Morocco is on travel writer Angelina Villa-Clarke’s list of places to stay soon after travel restrictions are lifted. She also has her sights on AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado, a 28-room townhouse hotel in Lisbon, Portugal, as well as a few other destinations.

MORE

Exploring These Lost Cities Is The Closest You’ll Get to Time Travel

Lost cities offer glimpses into ancient civilizations that, either suddenly or over time, collapsed, often leaving artifacts intact and architecture fully preserved. Machu Pichuu might be the most famous, and we have yet to discover Atlantis, but the cities below are rife for discovery. You’ll find accessible ruins to easily place on your bucket list and kingdoms so lost and isolated you never knew they existed. Some were decimated by disaster, others simply faded away. But all are worthy of exploring once our civilization’s gears turn back on.

MORE

Businesses Prepare to Reopen with New Methods of Liability Waiver Collection

Handshakes, hugs and sharing pens and pencils may become things of the past. Physical contact with anyone or anything can now set off alarm bells.

COVID-19 is changing the world of customer relations, from contactless point-of-sale purchases to online ordering. WaiverSign, a digital liability waiver application, is helping companies get liability waivers signed electronically, eliminating the need to pass pens, paper, clipboards and keypads back and forth.

As officials like to say, “statistics don’t lie.” New sales figures are up 121% in April 2020 compared to April 2019, say officials from WaiverSign.

“Utilizing WaiverSign is yet another tool for companies preparing to welcome patrons as virus-driven lockdowns begin to lift,” said Brandon Lake, CEO of Resmark Systems and WaiverSign. “In addition to getting waivers signed without the use of paper and pens, many companies are now seeing the myriad of other benefits that come with collecting and storing liability waivers online.”

WaiverSign, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, also anticipates signing on new clients who choose to augment and fine-tune their risk management plans by implementing waivers and related documents to ensure that participants understand and accept the inherent risks of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

MORE

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

MORE

Working Remotely? This Webinar is for You

Whether you work remotely 100% of the time or find yourself navigating this situation for the very first time, working at a physical distance can pose a unique set of challenges. Slack is here to help. This 30-minute webinar will provide tips and tactics within Slack that you can put into action right away.

MORE

How to Redesign Government Work for the Future

In this article, Deloitte explores the opportunity for government orgs to intentionally redesign work to both accommodate the role of technology and machines, and to design for new needs and activities, including those resulting from broader economic, workforce, and societal shifts.

MORE

The New York Times Will Pause Printing of Sports & Travel Sections

With no major sporting events and barely any travel happening due to the coronavirus, The New York Times plans to stop printing hard copies of those sections in the storied newspaper’s Sunday edition.

MORE

JetBlue CEO anticipates improvements to make travel safer

In an interview with CNBC, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said widespread testing will be essential to make passengers feel secure and allow air travel to recover from the coronavirus crisis. “We’ve got to make sure that they’re safe from a health standpoint,” he said, predicting that the epidemic will result in permanent changes in cleaning and screening procedures that will make aircraft and airports safer.

MORE

How to Take Your Own Passport Photo

Courtesy, Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

After paying $15 to have an awkward photoshoot in the aisle of a CVS, only to have my passport photos rejected twice (once for being too dark and once for being too bright), I decided there had to be a better way to take your own passport photo. Turns out, snapping your own passport photo is easier, cheaper, and much more convenient than going to a “professional” (a.k.a., the cashier at your local drugstore). Here’s a few tips:

MORE

Covid-19 Direct Relief

And remember Covid-19 Direct Relief, who addresses the courage of health workers on the front lines, honoring them with meaningful support, and the people most at risk in this pandemic are cared for – regardless of politics, religion, or ability to pay.

DONATE to DIRECT RELIEF

Bruce Springsteen  to Donald Trump: Put on a F***ing Mask

Bruce Springsteen has criticized Donald Trump‘s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, telling the US president: Put on a f***ing mask.  With Americans dying over the last few months and the empty, shamed response from our leaders, I’ve been simply pissed off, he said. Those lives deserve better than being simply inconvenient statistics for our president’s re-election efforts. It’s a national disgrace.

He continued: Instead of celebrating the joys of summer today, we will be contemplating our current circumstances with the coronavirus and the cost it has drawn from our nation. We will be calculating what we’ve lost, sending prayers for the deceased and the families they have left behind.

Although the coronavirus has claimed the lives of over 140,000 people in the US, Trump has often refused to wear a protective face mask during public appearances, which sends a polarizing message to a nation, desperately in need of some cohesive form of leadership. Today our Executive Office boasts of saving millions of lives, but if the White House had not been so dismissive at the first outbreak of C-19, our statistics of those infected would have flattened like the E.U.

Springsteen dedicated a song to Trump on his radio broadcast, saying: If you are ready for a rock & roll requiem, stay tuned. I’m going to start out by sending one to the man sitting behind the resolute desk. With all respect, sir, show some consideration and care for your countrymen and your country, he added. Put on a f***ing mask.

United States Not on EU’s ‘Safe’ Travel list, Diplomats Say

Courtesy Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS, June 30 (Reuters) – The United States is not on a “safe list” of destinations for non-essential travel due to be unveiled by European Union governments later on Tuesday, three diplomats said.

The 27-member bloc is expected to give outline approval to leisure or business travel from Wednesday to 14 countries beyond its borders when they vote on the list by midday Brussels time (1000 GMT), the diplomats said.

The countries are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, they said.

Russia and Brazil, along with the United States, are among countries that do not make the initial “safe list.”

The Maya Ruins at Uxmal Still Have More Stories to Tell

By Elizabeth Landau; Courtesy smithsonianmag.com

The remains of a provincial capital on the Yucatan Peninsula attest to a people trying to fortify their place in the world

As the sun sets over the Yucatan jungle, its fading light falls on the western staircase of the Pyramid of the Magician, just as it has for more than a millennium. In pre-Hispanic times, on Maya religious holidays, a priest or ruler might ascend these stairs to pass through the gateway to a holy temple — or, as historian Jeff Kowalski writes in Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya, “a cave portal to a sacred creation mountain.” Watching from the plaza below, the commoners may have seen a leader emerging from this ornate doorway as a manifestation of the planet Venus, or as the sun itself.

MORE

Take These Steps If You’re Renting a Vacation Home During the Pandemic

Courtesy of Consumer Reports

Traveling this summer has risks. Here’s how to vacation responsibly and minimize your exposure to the coronavirus. Summer is almost upon us. But while the heat and humidity will be familiar, “this is going to be a very different type of summer,” says Amira Roess, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of global health and epidemiology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The country may be reopening, but the risk of COVID-19 remains. Until a vaccine is developed, this is a reality Americans will “have to contend with every time they step outside,” says Amesh Adalja, M.D., an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Maintaining Tourist Sites During COVID-19

Courtesy of Smithsonian

READ HERE

How to Stay Safe While Traveling

With travel set to resume as coronavirus restrictions ease, travelers should inform themselves about the cleaning procedures at hotels and Airbnb properties before choosing the best option for them. Ask about cleaning protocols, be on the lookout for red flags such as accumulations of dirt and grime, and inspect surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, recommends Brian Sansoni of the American Cleaning Institute.

MORE

New TSA Rules

As travelers return to airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced new rules and precautions to reduce the spread of coronavirus or any kind of germs amongst travelers and employees.

MORE

Exploring Japan’s Wellbeing Traditions to Inspire Post-Lockdown Restorative Travel

Recreate Japan’s onsens, find mindfulness through zen meditation and shakyo, and practice the technique of kintsugi from home

For would-be travelers dreaming of an escape to Japan post-lockdown, there are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. The below methods and products highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

One of Japan’s most iconic wellness attractions, the onsen (or hot spring), is naturally enriched with vitamins and minerals from subterranean volcanic activity beneath the archipelago. There are a variety of products travelers can buy to enhance their own Japanese-style bath at home; the Japanese brand Kracie has created a variety of bath salts, allowing people to bring the magic of the onsen into their homes. These bath salts mimic the vitamin and mineral composition of some of Japan’s most popular onsens. Each packet of salts has a specific purpose…

MORE

Dream-Worthy Destinations to Start Planning For

The Royal Mansour Marrakech in Morocco is on travel writer Angelina Villa-Clarke’s list of places to stay soon after travel restrictions are lifted. She also has her sights on AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado, a 28-room townhouse hotel in Lisbon, Portugal, as well as a few other destinations.

MORE

Exploring These Lost Cities Is The Closest You’ll Get to Time Travel

Lost cities offer glimpses into ancient civilizations that, either suddenly or over time, collapsed, often leaving artifacts intact and architecture fully preserved. Machu Pichuu might be the most famous, and we have yet to discover Atlantis, but the cities below are rife for discovery. You’ll find accessible ruins to easily place on your bucket list and kingdoms so lost and isolated you never knew they existed. Some were decimated by disaster, others simply faded away. But all are worthy of exploring once our civilization’s gears turn back on.

MORE

Businesses Prepare to Reopen with New Methods of Liability Waiver Collection

Handshakes, hugs and sharing pens and pencils may become things of the past. Physical contact with anyone or anything can now set off alarm bells.

COVID-19 is changing the world of customer relations, from contactless point-of-sale purchases to online ordering. WaiverSign, a digital liability waiver application, is helping companies get liability waivers signed electronically, eliminating the need to pass pens, paper, clipboards and keypads back and forth.

As officials like to say, “statistics don’t lie.” New sales figures are up 121% in April 2020 compared to April 2019, say officials from WaiverSign.

“Utilizing WaiverSign is yet another tool for companies preparing to welcome patrons as virus-driven lockdowns begin to lift,” said Brandon Lake, CEO of Resmark Systems and WaiverSign. “In addition to getting waivers signed without the use of paper and pens, many companies are now seeing the myriad of other benefits that come with collecting and storing liability waivers online.”

WaiverSign, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, also anticipates signing on new clients who choose to augment and fine-tune their risk management plans by implementing waivers and related documents to ensure that participants understand and accept the inherent risks of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

MORE

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

MORE

Working Remotely? This Webinar is for You

Whether you work remotely 100% of the time or find yourself navigating this situation for the very first time, working at a physical distance can pose a unique set of challenges. Slack is here to help. This 30-minute webinar will provide tips and tactics within Slack that you can put into action right away.

MORE

How to Redesign Government Work for the Future

In this article, Deloitte explores the opportunity for government orgs to intentionally redesign work to both accommodate the role of technology and machines, and to design for new needs and activities, including those resulting from broader economic, workforce, and societal shifts.

MORE

The New York Times Will Pause Printing of Sports & Travel Sections

MORE

JetBlue CEO anticipates improvements to make travel safer

In an interview with CNBC, JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes said widespread testing will be essential to make passengers feel secure and allow air travel to recover from the coronavirus crisis. “We’ve got to make sure that they’re safe from a health standpoint,” he said, predicting that the epidemic will result in permanent changes in cleaning and screening procedures that will make aircraft and airports safer.

MORE

How to Take Your Own Passport Photo

Courtesy, Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

After paying $15 to have an awkward photoshoot in the aisle of a CVS, only to have my passport photos rejected twice (once for being too dark and once for being too bright), I decided there had to be a better way to take your own passport photo. Turns out, snapping your own passport photo is easier, cheaper, and much more convenient than going to a “professional” (a.k.a., the cashier at your local drugstore). Here’s a few tips:

MORE

Being on the ground in over 180 countries means you get the full story.

To our dear northern neighbors,
Happy Canada Day!
Keep doing what you are doing.
— Traveling Boy

Canada Day

Canada Day, observed on July 1st, is a national holiday marking the anniversary of Confederation in 1867, when the British North America Act came into effect. It was originally known as Dominion Day until it was renamed in 1982.

Celebrated overseas, Dominion Day was a way for Canadians to celebrate their national identity and assert their distinctiveness within the British Empire.

MORE

United States Not on EU’s ‘Safe’ Travel list, Diplomats Say

Courtesy Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS, June 30 (Reuters) – The United States is not on a “safe list” of destinations for non-essential travel due to be unveiled by European Union governments later on Tuesday, three diplomats said.

The 27-member bloc is expected to give outline approval to leisure or business travel from Wednesday to 14 countries beyond its borders when they vote on the list by midday Brussels time (1000 GMT), the diplomats said.

The countries are Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay, they said.

Russia and Brazil, along with the United States, are among countries that do not make the initial “safe list.”

The Maya Ruins at Uxmal Still Have More Stories to Tell

By Elizabeth Landau; Courtesy smithsonianmag.com

The remains of a provincial capital on the Yucatan Peninsula attest to a people trying to fortify their place in the world

As the sun sets over the Yucatan jungle, its fading light falls on the western staircase of the Pyramid of the Magician, just as it has for more than a millennium. In pre-Hispanic times, on Maya religious holidays, a priest or ruler might ascend these stairs to pass through the gateway to a holy temple — or, as historian Jeff Kowalski writes in Encyclopedia of the Ancient Maya, “a cave portal to a sacred creation mountain.” Watching from the plaza below, the commoners may have seen a leader emerging from this ornate doorway as a manifestation of the planet Venus, or as the sun itself.

MORE

Take These Steps If You’re Renting a Vacation Home During the Pandemic

Courtesy of Consumer Reports

Traveling this summer has risks. Here’s how to vacation responsibly and minimize your exposure to the coronavirus. Summer is almost upon us. But while the heat and humidity will be familiar, “this is going to be a very different type of summer,” says Amira Roess, Ph.D., M.P.H., a professor of global health and epidemiology at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. The country may be reopening, but the risk of COVID-19 remains. Until a vaccine is developed, this is a reality Americans will “have to contend with every time they step outside,” says Amesh Adalja, M.D., an infectious disease physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore.

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Maintaining Tourist Sites During COVID-19

Courtesy of Smithsonian

READ HERE

How to Stay Safe While Traveling

With travel set to resume as coronavirus restrictions ease, travelers should inform themselves about the cleaning procedures at hotels and Airbnb properties before choosing the best option for them. Ask about cleaning protocols, be on the lookout for red flags such as accumulations of dirt and grime, and inspect surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen, recommends Brian Sansoni of the American Cleaning Institute.

MORE

New TSA Rules

As travelers return to airports, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced new rules and precautions to reduce the spread of coronavirus or any kind of germs amongst travelers and employees.

MORE

Exploring Japan’s Wellbeing Traditions to Inspire Post-Lockdown Restorative Travel

Recreate Japan’s onsens, find mindfulness through zen meditation and shakyo, and practice the technique of kintsugi from home

For would-be travelers dreaming of an escape to Japan post-lockdown, there are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. The below methods and products highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

One of Japan’s most iconic wellness attractions, the onsen (or hot spring), is naturally enriched with vitamins and minerals from subterranean volcanic activity beneath the archipelago. There are a variety of products travelers can buy to enhance their own Japanese-style bath at home; the Japanese brand Kracie has created a variety of bath salts, allowing people to bring the magic of the onsen into their homes. These bath salts mimic the vitamin and mineral composition of some of Japan’s most popular onsens. Each packet of salts has a specific purpose…

MORE

Dream-Worthy Destinations to Start Planning For

The Royal Mansour Marrakech in Morocco is on travel writer Angelina Villa-Clarke’s list of places to stay soon after travel restrictions are lifted. She also has her sights on AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado, a 28-room townhouse hotel in Lisbon, Portugal, as well as a few other destinations.

MORE

Exploring These Lost Cities Is The Closest You’ll Get to Time Travel

Lost cities offer glimpses into ancient civilizations that, either suddenly or over time, collapsed, often leaving artifacts intact and architecture fully preserved. Machu Pichuu might be the most famous, and we have yet to discover Atlantis, but the cities below are rife for discovery. You’ll find accessible ruins to easily place on your bucket list and kingdoms so lost and isolated you never knew they existed. Some were decimated by disaster, others simply faded away. But all are worthy of exploring once our civilization’s gears turn back on.

MORE

Businesses Prepare to Reopen with New Methods of Liability Waiver Collection

Handshakes, hugs and sharing pens and pencils may become things of the past. Physical contact with anyone or anything can now set off alarm bells.

COVID-19 is changing the world of customer relations, from contactless point-of-sale purchases to online ordering. WaiverSign, a digital liability waiver application, is helping companies get liability waivers signed electronically, eliminating the need to pass pens, paper, clipboards and keypads back and forth.

As officials like to say, “statistics don’t lie.” New sales figures are up 121% in April 2020 compared to April 2019, say officials from WaiverSign.

“Utilizing WaiverSign is yet another tool for companies preparing to welcome patrons as virus-driven lockdowns begin to lift,” said Brandon Lake, CEO of Resmark Systems and WaiverSign. “In addition to getting waivers signed without the use of paper and pens, many companies are now seeing the myriad of other benefits that come with collecting and storing liability waivers online.”

WaiverSign, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, also anticipates signing on new clients who choose to augment and fine-tune their risk management plans by implementing waivers and related documents to ensure that participants understand and accept the inherent risks of COVID-19 and other illnesses.

MORE

Together in Spirit – The Best Friends Animal Society

At the core of Best Friends Animal Society’s work is the dream that one day animals will no longer be killed in America’s shelters.

MORE

Working Remotely? This Webinar is for You

Whether you work remotely 100% of the time or find yourself navigating this situation for the very first time, working at a physical distance can pose a unique set of challenges. Slack is here to help. This 30-minute webinar will provide tips and tactics within Slack that you can put into action right away.

MORE

How to Redesign Government Work for the Future

In this article, Deloitte explores the opportunity for government orgs to intentionally redesign work to both accommodate the role of technology and machines, and to design for new needs and activities, including those resulting from broader economic, workforce, and societal shifts.

MORE

The New York Times Will Pause Printing of Sports & Travel Sections

MORE

Coronavirus & the Generational Divide

The pandemic is revealing an unexpected, dangerous attitude among older Americans and their behavior during the outbreak. “Coronavirus & the Generational Divide” by Anna Christensen is now available.

Ms. Christensen is a wilderness first aid expert and author, explains that the demographic at the greatest statistical risk for death by the virus are precisely the people who are the least concerned, most apt to break voluntary quarantine, and unlikely to use telemedecine. See Ms.Christensen’s bio and books.

Contact Bill McIntyre for a copy of “Coronavirus & the Generational Divide” a 500-word column.  There is no fee to publish the column.

How to Take Your Own Passport Photo

Courtesy, Caroline Morse Teel, SmarterTravel

After paying $15 to have an awkward photoshoot in the aisle of a CVS, only to have my passport photos rejected twice (once for being too dark and once for being too bright), I decided there had to be a better way to take your own passport photo. Turns out, snapping your own passport photo is easier, cheaper, and much more convenient than going to a “professional” (a.k.a., the cashier at your local drugstore). Here’s a few tips:

MORE