(NewsUSA) - Daft Mejora’s Infinite Madness by Karl Dehmelt

America, 2021: an alien known as the Daft One washes ashore in Florida, arriving on a particular planet undergoing strange times. The only knowledge the Daft One has of earth comes from the Internet, where daily life and technology mix in startling, violent ways. However, rather than finding existence “on the ground” to be more serene and logical, the Daft One befriends the son of a Q-Anon supporting State Representative and finds himself in a country torn along political lines amidst conflicting realities.

 When the Daft One saves the State Representative from a shooter, his launch to American stardom through his quick trigger finger and acerbic tongue catapults him and his friends through a world where the Internet and daily life merge, resulting in a terrifyingly real odyssey based in satire, celebrity, and connection, with consequences both shockingly absurd and stunningly human. Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold. Purchase at https://bit.ly/4bT9yVS.

Crash Course by Ricardo Jimenez

Nine times out of ten, the passionate, well-educated, semi-cocky entrepreneur with dreams of taking the market by storm . . . fails. But don’t we have as much or more to learn from entrepreneurs who have failed as we do the lucky few who actually make it?

Entrepreneur Ricardo Jimenez crawls out from under the wreckage of his failed startup and explores how his best-laid plans went so terribly wrong. With surgical precision, Jiménez studies every decision, meeting, step, and misstep that turned his international toy company into an expensive lesson in how not to succeed.

Jiménez puts his whole story on display—the good, the bad, and the terrible—with the hope that the next generation of startup entrepreneurs can learn from his mistakes and take a pain-free shortcut to the important lessons he had to learn the hard way. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3wJEw3y.

The Golden Warrior by Soraya Rose

In The Golden Warrior, Cassius, a slave and gladiator of much renown, receives a visit from his long-departed father.  After his father's visit, Cassius begins to realize that he has gifts given from the gods that are beyond his skills as a gladiator.

The more that Cassius develops his gifts, the more he begins to undertake a journey of not only self-reflection, but also a journey to see the world and people around him in a new light.  With each step he takes, he learns who he can trust to help him, who seeks to do him harm, and learns what it is that he stands for. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3Ko8Eov.

Kaboomer by David Emerson Frost

Does poor physical fitness, flagging sexual health, fatigue, brain fog, or a life-sapping disease make you feel like you’ve lost it? Embrace proven and practical steps for your anti-aging journey from Master Fitness Trainer, Life Coach, and Rowing Champion David Frost in KABOOMER: Thriving and Striving into Your Nineties.

 Filled with lasting lessons for longevity, this science-driven and sweat-proven manual will coach readers toward a happy, healthy lifestyle. With this guide, readers will discover and establish their:

• Personalized healthy habits for good-to-great stamina, strength, stability, and stretching.
• Live-to-100 diet plan to lose weight, improve gut health and body composition, and boost immunity while fighting inflammation and illness.
• “Motion as medicine” with effective exercises and strength training to diminish pain and limit cognitive decline.
• Enhanced libido and sexual performance for better pleasure without a prescription.
• Restorative sleep and de-stress power practices to cheat death, and much more.

Purchase at https://bit.ly/3xYI4zE.

(NewsUSA) - America’s business owners are facing increasingly complex challenges, not only tracking the nuts and bolts of the daily tasks that come with owning a business, but keeping up with things like technology and managing healthcare costs for employees. However, many business owners have not made plans for the future of their business, based on a survey from financial services firm Edward Jones in partnership with Morning Consult and NEXT360 Partners.

Approximately half of American business owners are currently over the age of 55, and many of them may be considering retirement, but more than a third say they have no succession plan in place, according to the survey, which was conducted in April 2024 and included 400 business owners who responded to online questions and unstructured interviews.

Among business owners with no succession plan, 38% reported their business is not at a point at which succession planning is a priority. Both uncertainty about the future of the business and how to start making a succession plan were the top reasons for not having one (32% for both), according to the survey. 

“For many business owners, short-term priorities associated with running a business might feel more urgent than planning for future succession,” said Katherine Roy, Principal, Retirement Products at Edward Jones, in a press release announcing the survey findings. “However, business owners should consider what will happen once they leave the business, whether by selling, retiring or becoming unable to manage the business due to health or age. A well-conceived succession plan allows the owner to identify what their ideal exit looks like and address tax, business, estate and liquidity considerations that reflect both business goals and family dynamics.”

Business owners said that barriers to making a succession plan are emotional as well as logistical; 26% said they were unable to identify a successor, but 88% believed that their businesses will grow over the next decade.

The survey results showed that four main factors drive the need for a business transition. The first is the legacy of the business and the future of employees and stakeholders. The second consideration is the market, in which the sale or exit of an owner is needed to maintain business operations and part of the proceeds will fund the owner’s retirement. The third factor is a health event or other change in priorities or circumstances for owner and the owner’s family. Lastly, the sale of the business also must align with the owner’s vision and the organization’s commitment to the integrity of the business.

Financial advisors can help business owners build a successful plan to help ensure a smooth transition of the business, but only 37% of those surveyed reported using a financial advisor to help with transition issues and decision-making.

“Even if a business owner already knows the succession plan that they want put in place, a financial advisor can guide them through all of the complexities and challenges owners face when determining and implementing the future of their business,” said Zachary Gildehaus, Business Owner Strategist, Client Needs Research at Edward Jones.

For more information about the survey visit: www.edwardjones.com/NextInLine.

(NewsUSA) - As Fourth of July approaches, so do summer celebrations. Festive occasions indoors or outdoors, call for great food and summer favorites like hot dogs and barbeque. No matter where the party or what menu you choose, a signature drink is sure to enhance any summer get together!

Make your Fourth of July or any summer occasion sparkle brighter with Star-Spangled Punch. Featuring the sweet and tangy pineapple flavor of Seagram’s Escapes new Jamaican Me Sunny, the punch recipe combines just a few ingredients and fresh fruit to make a delicious, creative summer sipper to enhance any event.  

Star-Spangled Punch

1/4 cup blueberries

1/4 cup sliced strawberries

1 lemon, sliced

Watermelon

2 7.5 oz cans Seagram’s Escapes Jamaican Me Sunny

1/2 cup whiskey

1 1/2 cups lemonade

Mint leaves, as desired

½ cup of club soda

To prepare the punch, cut a thin slice of watermelon and use a cookie cutter to cut watermelon into star shapes. Prepare and slice other fruit.

Fill a pitcher with ice and add all the prepared fruit to the pitcher. Then, add Seagram’s Escapes Jamaican Me Sunny, club soda, whiskey, lemonade and mint. Stir to combine.

To save time on party day, slice the fruit and make your watermelon shapes in advance and keep refrigerated until it’s time to assemble the punch. If serving a crowd, multiply the above recipe as needed, get out your favorite festive punch bowl and ladle, and float the watermelon shapes in the bowl.

Divide into glasses and enjoy at a Fourth of July cookout, graduation party, birthday, wedding, or any other summer celebration.        

As with any recipes in the Seagram’s Escapes collection, you can make this one your own. Create a unique drink for a particular event, customize with extra spirits or your favorite fruits. Have other cookie cutters? Try mixing up the stars with sun shapes, hearts, or flowers.

As warmer weather kicks in, try freezing any Seagram’s Escapes flavor or even mix with lemonade then blend for the ultimate adult slushy.

Visit seagramsescapes.com for more information and other summer recipe ideas.

(NewsUSA) - If you plan to add an elevated deck to your home, there’s one element that will greatly increase its value and function: an under-deck drainage system. These systems, which divert water to keep the space beneath a deck dry, are easy to install for both professional builders and DIYers, and virtually doubles an outdoor living space.

Why Install a Drainage System?

An under-deck drainage system creates dry space below the surface of a deck that can be used as a patio, outdoor kitchen, private spa area, bonus storage and more. These systems also protect the wooden joinery of the substructure from moisture that can lead to decay, adding years onto the life of a deck.

Choosing the Right System.

There are two main types of deck drainage systems – those that install above the joists before the deck boards are laid and those that are retrofitted beneath the joists of an existing deck. The latter systems leave deck joists exposed to the elements while an above-the-joist system, like Trex® RainEscape®, protects the entirety of a deck’s foundation from moisture penetration. It also allows homeowners to discreetly run gas and electrical lines between the drainage system and a soffit ceiling to power lights, ceiling fans, appliances and electronic components.

Installing as Simple as 1-2-3.

A deck drainage system uses a network of troughs and funnels that can be installed using tools you likely already have on hand at home. A pair of scissors or a utility knife, a staple gun, and a caulk gun are typically all that’s needed.

Installation can be done in three simple steps:  

1. Position the downspouts and troughs. Cut the funnels to match the joist spacing and position them along a rim joist and/or leger board. Lay the trough material, ensuring proper placement to guide water into the downspouts. Be careful not to seam or overlap the troughs.
2. Staple all components into place. Repeat the installation of funnels and troughs across all joists.
3. Tape all joists and seams. Use butyl tape to seal all seams and any spots where screws may penetrate the system. This creates a watertight installation.

Finishing Touches

With a drainage system in place, you can finish your under-deck space with furniture, lighting, accessories and anything else you might want to create your dream outdoor oasis.

For more information, visit TrexRainEscape.com.

(NewsUSA) - Most children in the United States look forward to their summer break from school as a chance to have fun with friends, spend time with family, and have new adventures and experiences that are so crucial to stimulate and nurture young and inquisitive minds.

However, far too many disadvantaged children across the Nation experience summer vacation as a period of loneliness and isolation, with little support and few resources or opportunities for physical and mental stimulation.

According to the National Institutes of Health, school holidays can be especially stressful periods for children from low-income families, with lack of appropriate child care, limited access to enrichment activities, and food insecurity. These challenges can cause children’s physical and emotional health, as well as academic progress from the previous school year, to stagnate or decline.

Marine Toys for Tots, the Nation's flagship children’s Christmastime charity, has evolved into a year-round force for good, and the organization’s new initiative seeks to provide support for children in need over the summer months.

“We want to help bridge the summer learning-loss gap that children in underserved communities may face. That is why we have enlisted the help from our distribution partners to provide educational toys, books, games, and other gifts through our spring and summertime initiative, ‘School Is Out – Play Is In’ to at-risk children across the country,” says LtGen Jim Laster, USMC (Retired), President & CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

“Needs aren’t seasonal, and neither is Toys for Tots,” says LtGen Laster. “With the rising cost of living and other economic challenges, parents are finding it increasingly difficult to pay bills and put food on their family’s table.  Buying toys, books, or games for their children seems completely out of reach,” he adds. “With the support from our generous donors, we can make sure every child’s summer is filled with opportunities for fun and continued learning.”

The Program’s year-round distributions reassure families who face adversity and exceptional circumstances that Marine Toys for Tots is committed to delivering messages of hope, restoring and building self-esteem, and inspiring youngsters to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. Every contribution will ensure that our Nation’s most vulnerable children have the educational tools they need to thrive this summer and beyond.

For more information on Marine Toys for Tots’ year-round charitable programs and how you can help, please visit: https://www.toysfortots.org/support-us/.

(NewsUSA) - With summer break upon us, families are gearing up to spend more time at home together, leading to increased demand on their internet connections to support various devices. On average, internet users ages 16-64 already spend 47 hours per week online, but as the heat sets in, families are likely to find themselves retreating indoors and relying even more heavily on robust Wi-Fi for everything from streaming movies to staying connected with loved ones.

This heightened need makes a mesh Wi-Fi system crucial for maintaining consistent coverage within your household, eradicating dead zones, and ensuring a stable, reliable internet connection. High-speed routers, mesh Wi-Fi systems, and smart home hubs have facilitated an improved internet experience. By strategically distributing multiple access points throughout your home, mesh networks guarantee seamless connectivity in every room, including notoriously hard-to-reach areas like basements or backyards.

A mesh network’s adaptable design allows you to add nodes—small radio transmitters that act as wireless routers and endpoints in a mesh network—effortlessly within all corners of your house, accommodating guests or even extending the network for outdoor activities. These mesh networks, like those found in whole-home Wi-Fi systems, revolutionize home connectivity with their unmatched flexibility and reliability. As opposed to a single central router, these systems connect devices through multiple nodes, creating a resilient web of connections.

This design means your internet service isn’t tied to one point. Through self-healing capabilities, if one node fails, the data seamlessly reroutes through alternative paths, maintaining uninterrupted connectivity. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi extenders, mesh Wi-Fi systems deliver faster speeds because the mesh router and nodes collaborate as a unified network. This setup provides dependable connectivity that smart home systems and interconnected devices, like thermostats, security systems, and smart appliances, need to run.

Hughes, a leader in home Wi-Fi technology, recently introduced new Hughesnet® service plans that are transforming connectivity and accessibility in rural America. These plans come equipped with a Wi-Fi modem featuring Wi-Fi 6 technology, delivering improved speed, enhanced security, and better performance for multiple devices. To further extend the range and assist with factors that can influence the reach of your Wi-Fi signal, including a home’s square footage, number of floors, or wall construction, Mesh Wi-Fi Nodes are also available as add-ons. The new Hughesnet plans enhance the internet experience with unlimited data and decreased latency, ensuring even the most remote locations can enjoy the benefits of a robust and reliable internet connection.

A stable and dependable Wi-Fi network is the key to a blissful, connected home life, allowing families to enjoy their favorite activities without the nagging worry of signal strength or dead zones. This summer, as everyone gathers under one roof, a high-quality and secure Wi-Fi connection becomes indispensable. On those sweltering days when venturing outside is out of the question, kids can dive into their computer games, mom can break a sweat with Peloton, and dad can master new recipes on YouTube—all simultaneously. Embracing mesh networks for seamless wall-to-wall Wi-Fi coverage eliminates the frustration of limited connectivity, ensuring every family member remains effortlessly connected and entertained.

(NewsUSA) - Not long ago, small cell lung cancer was considered the forgotten cancer, and treatment was generally chemotherapy and radiation. But now, there is a new treatment that is showing great promise for patients with small-cell lung cancer. Some doctors say that when it works, it is like hitting a home run in treating small-cell lung cancer.

This exciting new treatment uses the patient's immune system to fight cancer. The treatment, called T-cell engager technology, uses the immune system's T-cells to attack and kill the cancer cell. The FDA approved a new T-cell engager therapy last month. 

Dr. Jacob Sands, Thoracic Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, says utilizing T-cell engager technology is like hitting a home run in treating small-cell lung cancer. 

Dr. Jacob Sands, Thoracic Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

"Chemotherapy can be like swinging the bat for a single or a double. You're more likely to get a hit, but it doesn't necessarily win the game. What we've seen from the T-cell engagers is particularly exciting because the numbers suggest a more frequent hit. The question is, are those home runs? We don't yet know. Are they triples? We'll have to see," said Dr. Jacob Sands, Thoracic Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. 

LCFA encourages people living with small-cell lung cancer to ask their doctor about the latest treatment options.

For more information on T-cell engager technology and small-cell lung cancer at LCFAmerica.org  

(NewsUSA) - I almost died shortly before Father’s Day in 2012, saved, ultimately, by my father. You might say I found him the night I almost lost my life.

He had died nearly thirty years before, but he was with me in the darkest moments of a harrowing, night-long ordeal being stranded at sea off the Bahamas in the midst of a violent storm. Through those endless rain-swept and wind-ravaged hours, my thoughts turned to him.

My father was a veteran of World War II, a product of the Greatest Generation who came home from Europe to build the America of today. He never once said “I love you.” It just wasn’t his way. His way was defined by work at the dry-cleaning business the family had founded.

My father was fond of saying, “No morning sun shines all day.” He said that to make the point that you should save your money. Today, I realize my father might just as easily have been talking about life in general. Life is full of clouds, storms, and darkness that serve to make us appreciate the light all the more. You don’t come out ahead in every bargain you make, but you must strive to honor the terms.

I learned that principle from my father and revisited it, along with so many other lessons he imparted, in that long night at sea when I didn’t think I’d live to see the dawn. Every time I started to slip away, feeling my eyes start to close for maybe the last time, I saw his face.

That night at sea, I started talking to my father as if he were there. I told him I had spent my life trying to do good things and I felt mine was a life well lived. I told my father that before I made a serious decision, I would ask myself, what would Dad do? I knew he loved me even though he never expressed it the way the fathers of my friends did and assured him I had grown into a man who was a lot like him, though inwardly I wondered if I’d be joining him soon.

I think about life as encapsulated in that long night stranded at sea with my father by my side. It’s simple to push down the throttle and pass the channel markers beyond the harbor. It’s easy to leave everything behind in the wake of white water and be free, easy to make a hard bargain with the calm sea. The hard bargain you make with rougher waters is altogether different because you’re at their mercy, a prisoner of their whims.

In times like those, keep your father close, in heart and mind, to guide you clear of the storm and into the light.

Donald G. Denihan, a real estate entrepreneur and waterman, is the author of HARD BARGAIN: What Life-Altering Experiences Taught Me About Faith, Friendship, and Family.

BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - Experts from industry and government, along with academic leaders and interested citizens from across the country, participated in a vibrant exchange of ideas about initiatives in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.  

The AI Expo for National Competitiveness and Ash Carter Exchange were held in Washington, D.C., on May 7-8, 2024, hosted by Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a nonprofit and nonpartisan initiative with a goal of making recommendations to strengthen America's long-term competitiveness in AI and other emerging technologies. 

The AI Expo saw strategic tech ideas shared, key collaborative relationships formed, and the gap between cutting-edge innovation and safeguarding our national security was bridged. Presentations and discussions addressed America’s long-term competitiveness in emerging technologies with regard to national security, the economy, and society.

The AI Expo and the co-located Ash Carter Exchange brought together over 10,000 attendees, 150 exhibitors, and 440 speakers. The two events featured insights from thought leaders on the future of technology and private-public relationships. Senior government officials including National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General C.Q. Brown, Jr., and United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke to attendees about the challenges facing our nation and outlined their visions for maintaining U.S. competitiveness. In addition, the Expo exhibitors included some of the largest companies in the United States as well as start-ups.

Multiple stages, special event rooms, and other venues included a Talent Marketplace and Bookstore. The Talent Marketplace attracted professionals at all career stages, offering opportunities to learn about new roles, network with peers, and learn about educational opportunities at leading universities. The Bookstore provided attendees and speakers a space to delve into new ideas at the forefront of technology and innovation by displaying over 100 books and hosting in-person conversations with some of the authors. 

SCSP is already looking ahead to hosting the next AI Expo for National Competitiveness in 2025, building on this year's success. Visit scsp.ai to learn more about SCSP and to sign up for information about next year’s expo. Meanwhile, look for videos coming soon the AI Expo on the SCSP YouTube Channel.

(NewsUSA) - Kids take the field in a big way this summer in Plano, Texas, as the town gears up to host a diverse mix of activities that attract the best young talent from across the United States.

A series of tournaments begins in June, and Plano’s top-notch youth athletic facilities and welcoming community spirit ensure that each kid feels like a winner, regardless of what happens on the field.

Summer kicks off with soccer on the weekend of June 14, as boys and girls 13U-19U teams compete in the U.S. Soccer Southern Presidents Cup for the chance to qualify for the U.S. Youth Soccer Regional Presidents Cup events. Winners of the regionals will compete in the U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup on July 12-16 in Wichita, Kansas.

The US Soccer Southern Presidents Cup event is expected to bring more than 40,000 visitors to Plano, and generate $6 million in economic impact.

"We are incredibly honored to host the prestigious U.S. Youth Sports Presidents Cup in Plano," says Mark Thompson, Executive Director of Visit Plano. "This event not only highlights our city's dedication to fostering youth athletic talent, but also showcases Plano as a premier destination for major sporting events,” he adds.

The same weekend, Plano plays host to two more youth sports events. The Aloha Texas Two-Step Lacrosse Tournament brings top teams from across Texas to Plano for a weekend of competitive lacrosse, and the Texas Glory Summer Shootout features 14U-18U girls’ softball.

Tennis fans will want to tune in from June 7-12, when the U.S. Tennis at Plano’s High Point Tennis Center, the U.S. Tennis Association hosts the Texas Slam tournament, featuring competition for both boys and girls from across Texas in four age divisions with both singles and doubles matches. 

Other youth sports events coming to Plano this summer include the Girls Texas Draw Lacrosse Tournament (June 1-2), the Elite Club National League (ECNL) Regional League South Playoffs for soccer (June 5-9), the Triple Crown Sports Texas State Championships for fast pitch softball (June 7-9), and the Texas 2 Finger ultimate frisbee championship (June 29-30).

As summer heats up, so does Plano, as talented young athletes and future stars from across the region are set to deliver unforgettable moments of skill, sportsmanship, and competition. For more information, check out visitplano.gov.