(NAPSI)—The holidays are right around the corner and sending your mail and packages with the U.S. Postal Service has never been easier or more reliable. With a little planning and the right tools, you can ensure that the perfect gift reaches everyone on your list.

Here are seven tips to make your holiday shipping stress-free:

1. Visit USPS online:Visit the USPS website at usps.com. You’ll have access to tools like ZIP Code lookup, Find Your Local Post Office, Hold Mail, Click-N-Ship, Schedule a Pickup, and more. It’s open 24 hours a day.
2. Check the USPS Holiday Newsroom…often:Have you ever wished there was one place where you could get all the information about holiday shipping? Wish no more. From deadlines to the latest news, the Holiday Newsroom at usps.com/holidaynewsis your one-stop shop for all things holiday- and shipping-related.
3. Visit the Postal Store online:From stamps to supplies and even gift ideas, usps.com/storehas everything to make holiday gift shipping—and shopping—easier than ever. Need free boxes? They’ve got those too. It also never closes.
4. Check the U.S. Postal Inspection Service website: At uspis.govyou’ll find tips to protect packages and prevent fraud, along with information on items that are prohibited or restricted.
5. Get Informed Delivery: When you sign up at informeddelivery.usps.com, not only can you get a preview of your daily mail and packages, you can also customize your delivery before your carrier arrives. Want to leave instructions to deliver your package to a specific location on your property? Now you can! You’ll even get notified the moment your package is delivered.
6. Visit USPS Operation Santa online: Get all the news and information you need at uspsoperationsanta.com. Find information on adopting a letter, getting your ID verified, shipping your gift and more. Letters to Santa will be posted beginning Nov. 28.
7. Join the conversation on social media: Stay “in the know” with the latest USPS news via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. There’s also the official podcast of the United States Postal Service, “Mailin’ It,” taking you behind the scenes with USPS.

Continue reading →

Rain Barrels Benefits

Supplement irrigation and save money over time

Reduce stormwater runoff which can lead to reduced levels of pesticides and fertilizers in our water

Help reduce the amount of water that may settle around the foundation of your home

Uses for Collected Water

Connect to a soaker hose (with the pressure-reducing washer removed)

Fill a watering can and hand-water plants, flower beds and gardens

Keep your compost bin moist

Rinse off gardening tools

How Do I Get Started? 

Step 1. Start With a Drum

Many people make rain barrels out of inexpensive 50-gallon food-grade drums that were used to carry juices, olives, pickles, etc. Stay away from ones that were used to carry harsh chemicals. Often you can find barrels for around $10 from drum and barrel suppliers.

Be sure to get a heavy-grade plastic container that won’t let in light — clear or translucent barrels can speed the growth of algae, which can clog pipes.

Rinse the inside of the barrel with a mixture of 1/8 cup of bleach and 5 gallons of water to wash away food or juice remnants.  Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Passwords—they’re so ubiquitous, yet are the source of so many online hacks due to poor password hygiene. According to a recent Aware poll, more than 50 percent of people choose to use the same password across multiple accounts, which means that if a hacker has a password to one account, they can likely access several of that person’s accounts. In fact, almost 70 percent of people remember passwords by picking those that are easy-to-use, or writing them down on a stray piece of paper.

Currently, there are billions of passwords available on the Dark Web, all aggregated through various attack methods, from malware and phishing to brute force. Passwords are highly prone to being weak, stolen, or lost—which brings up the question: Why don’t people adopt more sophisticated techniques?  Continue reading →

New Study Shows Everyone Hates Using Passwords But Generational Differences Persist

(NAPSI)—Most people are well aware of the shortcomings of passwords. Generally, they just don’t deliver the level of security and convenience you expect. They can be weak, prone to theft and loss, and just a major source of frustration.

In fact, a recent Aware study suggests these levels of frustration have hit a whole new threshold. Uniformly across age demographics, research shows that around 30 percent of users are incredibly frustrated when they have to undergo a password reset process. And, while people of all ages are similarly irritated with the length and complexity requirements of passwords, those in the “rush hour of life,” generally considered to be 25-45, report higher levels of frustration than any other age group.  Continue reading →

Senior Couple in the Gym

(NAPSI)—Have you heard the saying, “Movement is medicine?” Countless studies have shown that physical activity can help reduce the risks of serious health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, back and neck pain, some types of cancer, and even falls. That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults aged 65 and older participate in 150 minutes of physical activity a week. This includes aerobic, strength, and balance activities.

If you’re already engaging in a vigorous walk each day, or playing golf or pickleball, good for you! But what else could you do to enhance your strength, balance, and cardiovascular health? Many health plans, including Medicare Advantage plans, offer exceptional fitness programs that provide low-cost or no-cost benefits to help you meet these physical activity recommendations and stay healthy. Here are three benefits that Medicare Advantage fitness programs may offer to help improve your fitness: Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Migraine can happen to anyone, even children and teens. About ten percent of kids aged 5 to 15 experience migraine.

Heredity plays an important role in measuring the risk for migraine as most people who suffer from it have a family history of the disorder.

If left unmanaged, migraine can interfere with school, activities and daily life. Migraine is also associated with other health problems: About 1 in 4 young people who experience it have depression and 1 in 2 have anxiety.

Fortunately, parents and caregivers can help kids understand and take control of their migraines by making a personalized migraine management plan.

What is a migraine? Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Whether your family has been on its A-game when it comes to dental health or you were subject to the summer slide, the start of the school year is a great chance to reset. While your kids get used to the earlier wakeup call, incorporating oral health techniques along the way will help them beyond their first day.

Summer break doesn’t usually include the same strict schedule as the school year and dental health can sometimes fall by the wayside. It’s important to implement positive brushing and flossing habits with your kids as they start the school year off, for happy smiles in those class photos.

“The routine gets disrupted when summer happens,” says Kim Trieu, DDS, a Delta Dental of Washington member dentist, who also teaches at the University of Washington School of Dentistry. “And when we get out of routines, we get out of habits.”  Continue reading →

(NAPS)­­—Chest pains. Ventilators. Collapsed lungs. Life support. Young people are warning each other about the dangerous and painful effects of vaping by doing what they do best – sharing their personal stories on TikTok.

One 23-year-old TikToker went viral in July 2022 after posting a video about her painful experience from lung surgery after her lung collapsed. Vaping contributed to her health problems which left her hospitalized and using inhalers for weeks post-surgery.

“When I woke up from the surgery I asked the nurse if this is what death is… it was one of the most horrific pains I have ever experienced.” – @gracejohanna

Social media is filled with examples of young people exposing the damage that vaping has done to their bodies. Many are sharing photos and videos from hospital beds, speaking up about the scary health crises they’ve faced from using vapes, and pledging to kick the habit for good. Continue reading →

The Spanish government of Socialist Pedro Sanchéz wants to do everything to “relieve the middle class and workers”, says the Prime Minister. From September 1st, rail travel in Spain will be free for local and medium-distance trains for three months. In Germany, 52 million 9-Euro tickets were sold in the summer, saving 1.8 million tonnes of CO2, according to the Association of German Transport Companies. 

A 0-Euro train ticket for commuters is available in Spain from 1 of September to 31 December. More than 300,000 people in Spain have already bought a free ticket for rail travel. The railways expect that there will be more than half a million travelers in total. The government of the socialist Pedro Sánchez wants to promote public transport and reduce energy consumption. Above all, however, the goal is to relieve people financially in view of high inflation in Spain.

The 0-Euro-Ticket is financed by the excess profits tax for energy suppliers and banks, which is supposed to bring in 3.5 billion euros per year. In addition to the commuter ticket, the money will flow into public housing and scholarships for students. Continue reading →

Ingredients
Cooking spray
2 cups coarsely chopped graham crackers (from 8 graham cracker sheets)
2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
¾ cup dried cranberries
½ cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup honey
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Stir together chopped graham crackers, oats, cranberries, peanuts, coconut, and salt in a large heatproof bowl.

Bring honey and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour over graham cracker mixture in bowl; stir until coated.

Press mixture into prepared baking dish; chill 30 minutes. Cut into squares.