Florida’s Finest: Visiting Florida’s National Parks

Florida is known for its beautiful beaches, but it is also home to stunning national parks. Here’s what travelers can expect when going on a day trip to Florida’s finest.

Biscayne National Park

Heading south of Miami? Biscayne is just less than an hour away from the beach. A lot of people skip Biscayne because they think it’s just another long coast, but the place is 95 percent underwater. For visitors to get a beautiful glimpse of the place, they’ll need to do water activities like snorkeling and scuba diving. The park is rich in flora and fauna like spiny lobsters, manatees, and coral reefs.

Image source: miamiandbeaches.com

Everglades National Park

Everglades is undeniably Florida’s most famous park. This 1.5 million-acre park is located 50 miles southwest of Miami. The park boasts of wildlife like the alligator, white ibis, spoonbill, and the Florida panther. Hikers will enjoy trails such as the Shark Valley boardwalk and the Anhinga Trail. There are also about more than 700 plant species to be seen in Everglades. First-timers must not miss the boat tours for a better view of the park.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Dry Tortugas, just like Biscayne, is rich in underwater life. Located 70 miles from Key West, the park is dominated by the historical Fort Jefferson, which used to be a prison during the Civil War. Not only will visitors enjoy Fort Jefferson tours, but they will also have fun swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing in the area.

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Dwyer and Associates advocates the preservation of U.S. National Parks. Follow this Twitter account for more updates.

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park: Where Beauty And Danger Collide

For those who truly crave adventure and the outdoors, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park is a must-visit. Home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes -- Kīlauea and Mauna Loa – the park offers thrill seekers and nature enthusiasts the one-of-a-kind experience of witnessing volcanic eruption up-close. From the viewing area near the Halema‘uma‘u Crater, the closest active eruption site that visitors can approach – volcanic gas, steam, and particulates rise from the Kīlauea Volcano’s summit during the day. At night, visitors will be treated to a glowing lava lake. (Mauna Loa last erupted in 1984.)

Image source: nationalgeographic.com

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park has seen massive changes in its landscape since its establishment in 1916. Not surprising since volcanoes are known land builders – they have, in fact, created the island chain of Hawaii, and continue to do so. It is therefore fitting that the park’s primary natural theme is geological dynamism. Apart from the mesmerizing volcanic landscape that envelops the 330,000-acre “Big Island” of Hawai'i, hundreds of species of plants and animals have survived, adapted, and prospered on the park. Moreover, several cultural sites abound in the park, reminders of the Polynesian pioneers who settled in the island 1,500 years ago. For these reasons, the United Nations has designated Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park as both an international biosphere reserve and a World Heritage site.

Image source: nps.gov

Those who are intrigued by both the beauty and danger for which the park is globally renowned can start planning their visit here.

Dwyer and Associates supports activities directed toward the preservation and protection of U.S. national parks, such as the Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Learn more about efforts to take care of these natural wonders here.

Miami Hurricanes: Football Traditions

The Hurricanes have a storied history, with many glorious eras throughout the years. Part of the team’s history are the traditions that have been passed down from generation to generation. Here are three of the traditions that are most beloved.

Touchdown Tommy

When people hear a loud “boom” whenever something important happens in the game in favor of the Hurricanes, that’s Touchdown Tommy. Touchdown Tommy isn’t a person. It’s more of a cannon that is entrusted to the Sigma Chi Fraternity’s Cannon Master. It’s one of the oldest traditions in the U.

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The Smoke

One of most popular traditions of the Hurricanes is simply called “The Smoke.” It is part of the team’s entrance from the tunnel. Aside from the smoke blowing, there is an audio of a hurricane screaming through the speakers of the stadium. It has been copied by many other teams, and has since become one of the most beloved traditions.

Ring of Honor

The Ring of Honor is a relatively new tradition at only 20 years. It was started as a way to pay homage to the greats who have given their all to Miami Hurricane football. They are chosen by an anonymous group of experts and their names and jerseys were shown on the upper deck of the Orange Bowl, before it was torn down.

Image source: welcome.miami.edu

For more on the Miami Hurricanes and football news in general, follow this Twitter account for Patrick Dwyer, seasoned financial advisor and philanthropist .

Double Crown: Famous Athletes Who Have Won The Ncaa And Nba Championships

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Winning a championship is an athlete’s dream. They train, work, and play hard for it. So winning it at different levels of competition -- the NBA and college -- is a rare distinction. Here are some of the famous NBA players who have a knack for winning championships:

Bill Russel

If being the G.O.A.T is determined by the number of rings you have, then Bill will easily take that spot. He led San Francisco to back-to-back NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, then won 11 titles with the Boston Celtics.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem is arguably the best center of all time. Having led the UCLA to three championships – 1967, 1968, and 1969 -- he then brought the cup to the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson

Magic Johnson not only has NCAA and NBA rings, he has won titles at every level: high school, college, the NBA, and the Olympics. He won an NCAA championship in 1979 with Michigan State and is a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers.

Isiah Thomas

Before becoming the captain of the Detroit Pistons “Bad Boys” and winning two NBA Championships with them, Isiah Thomas brought the crown to Indiana in the 1988 NCAA championships.

Michael Jordan

Even as a freshman, Michael Jordan had it in him as he scored the game-winning basket which gave the North Carolina the 1982 NCAA trophy. As a professional basketball player, he led the Chicago Bulls to six championships.

Patrick Dwyer is a financial advisor who follows college basketball and other tournaments. Visit this blog for more interesting reads on college sports.

In Focus: Coach Mark Richt And Ending Miami Hurricanes' Decade-Long Bowl Drought

A year ago, when Coach Mark Richt moved to Miami to lead the Hurricanes, he and his crew had much ground to cover: from getting to know the players, to building relationships with topnotch recruitment prospects, and of course, giving the college team its first bowl in a long time. It had been a rough journey for the new coaching team. If the team's performance up until October had been any indication of what the future held, any feelings of renewed faith in the Hurricanes would have been extinguished.

Image source: hercampus.com

But it ain't over till it's over. Toward the end of the season, Coach Richt cleared any doubts about the revamped program. The Hurricanes finished the season strong with a 9-4 record, closing the year with five straight wins. It was the team's victory over West Virginia at 31-14 that finally awarded the Hurricanes a bowl after 10 long years. The promising outlook for the new program has landed the team one of the best recruiting positions leading to National Signing Day: Miami has already received 20 verbal pledges and had admitted ten early enrollees for 2017.

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Patrick Dwyer, a financial advisor from Florida, is also an avid follower of NCAA football and basketball. For more news about the league, visit this page.

Top Ncaa Basketball Title Contenders Of The 2016-17 Season

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In a few months, another iteration of the NCAA tournament will be played out by 68 qualified teams. And while practices have just begun for many college programs, there already are championship favorites expected to contend for the 2017 national title, some of which are the following:

Villanova Wildcats: Every other team is gunning to wrestle the national title away from the Wildcats, whose 2016 campaign was one of the most dominant tournament runs in NCAA history. The defending champion boasts an experienced roster as the team lost just two starters this past offseason. Villanova is out to prove that their success last year was no fluke.

Duke Blue Devils: Not listing Duke in the title favorites discussion would be a major mistake. Year after year, Duke continues to show that their program is top notch, and the upcoming season would be no different. Especially with coach Mike Krzyzewski patrolling the sidelines, key players returning for another championship run, and a couple of the best freshmen.

Kentucky Wildcats: Last season Kentucky was full of disappointment; and if there is something that legendary coach John Calipari has shown in the past, it is that his team does not stay out of the Final Four for long. With a handful of four- or five-star recruits, a national title would not be surprising for the team.

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Kansas Jayhawks: A potential top NBA draft pick, arguably the nation’s most elite backcourt, a solid frontcourt, and one of the best coaches in Bill Self – being equipped with all these will undoubtedly help the Jayhawks once again make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

Patrick Dwyer is a financial advisor who keeps track of college basketball teams and tournaments. Visit this website for more interesting read about college sports.

Caring for the Alzheimer’s patient

Alzheimer’s disease is a condition that poses a most peculiar set of challenges that unavoidably runs across the different aspects of human life. Not only is it a daunting challenge to the one who bears it, but it may even be a greater challenge to loved ones and close family members. 

                                              Image source: doc-advice.com

It is important to note that Alzheimer’s is a neurodegenerative disease. This means that it gets worse over time for the patient. In the same way, it gets incrementally challenging for the family member who takes on the role of caregiver. 

To most caregivers of Alzheimer’s patients, the reality is that the job can be overwhelming. Often, the caregiver is forced to make huge mental adjustments to the difficult tasks ahead. This is not to be taken lightly as those afflicted will exhibit changes that may include impaired language, disorientation, mood swings, loss of motivation, and even behavioral issues. 

However, there is one attribute that is especially straining to the caregiving kin, and this is dementia. This causes short-term memory loss, and the natural challenge is for the caregiver to manage what may be a lifetime of frustration. 

Alzheimer’s afflicted families are mostly in dire need of a support system from other such families as well. Caring for people who suffer from this disease could well find themselves in a selfless vocation that requires all the patience that they could muster, and, perhaps, having the support of like-minded individuals can make the undertaking easier to bear, even just a little. 

                                         Image source: medicalnewstoday.com

Patrick Dwyer, a financial advisor, is a supporter of the Neuroscience Clinics of Florida Foundation Inc. (NSCFF), an institution that is at the forefront of the effort to develop treatments for many neurodegenerative diseases that plague America and the rest of the world. For more information about Alzheimer’s, follow this Twitter account.