Things To Do In SW Florida

By KELVIN CHAN (AP Business Writer)

Tens of millions of people have quickly signed up to Meta’s new app, Threads, as it aims to compete with Twitter — a sign that users are looking for an alternative to the social media platform that has undergone a series of unpopular changes since Elon Musk bought it.

Meta Platforms’ CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday that 30 million people had registered for the app, including 10 million in the first seven hours of its launch Wednesday in the U.S. and over 100 other countries, including Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan.

Threads is billed as a text-based version of Meta’s photo-sharing app Instagram that the company says provides “a new, separate space for real-time updates and public conversations.”

Instagram users can log in with their existing usernames and follow the same accounts on the new app, giving Threads users a ready-made audience and an edge over other Twitter challengers like Bluesky and Mastodon.

“I think I’ll just see — I’ll keep Twitter for a while and then if everyone moves over there (to Threads), then I’ll probably move,” said Javi de Andreas, a 24-year-old researcher in London. read more

Legoland Florida has unwrapped some facts about its 2023 Brick or Treat Halloween event, which will again have a Monster Party theme.

Visitors to the Winter Haven theme park can expect an all-new fireworks show for the event, which will be held on Saturdays from Sept. 16 through Oct. 29, and then Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 7 through Oct. 29.

Live entertainment will include the V.I.M Dance Party, which is hosted by Lord Vampyre; the Jammin’ Jacks trio with “spooky kooky tunes;” and “The UnbeLEAFable Halloween Night,” which features singing, dancing, a mystery and the Lego Plant Monster character.”

Big Disney auction: Joel Magee collection features ride vehicles, rare theme-park items

The event also includes a 4D movie called “The Great Monster Chase,” a disco overlay of the Dragon coaster, character meet-and-greets and trick-or-treating across the attraction.

Brick or Treat activities are included with regular admission to Legoland Florida.

More Halloween events

Other Halloween-related activities at Central Florida theme parks include Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which begins Aug. 12 at Magic Kingdom, Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios on Sept. 1, Howl-O-Scream events at both SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Sept. 8, followed by that SeaWorld’s Halloween Spooktacular on Sept. 16. read more

With climate change and pollution continuing to impact weather and atmospheric conditions around the globe and the pandemic highlighting just how vulnerable humans are to invisible pathogens, many people are thinking harder about the air they breathe and how it could affect their health. Unfortunately, almost 36% of Americans – or 119.6 million people – are living in areas with unhealthy air, according to the American Lung Association’s State of the Air report for 2023.

While you can’t do much about the environment around you, one way to breathe easier is by measuring your home’s air quality — and improving it if needed. Here’s how you can test on your own, and what to know about getting professional help.

How is air quality measured?

You may be familiar with air quality warnings if you follow the local news or weather reports. The standard measurement for air quality is known as Air Quality Index, or AQI. On a large scale, ground and satellite instruments measure particles in the air, which are then scored from 0 (safest) to 500 (most dangerous). AQI primarily measures: read more