(NAPSI)—If you’re like many people, the idea of a “smart home” is both enticing and a bit intimidating. There’s the promise of an ideal in which simple voice commands and automation can set the lighting, activate the air conditioning, and play music on demand. In reality, setting up all the many devices to make this possible can be daunting due to one primary underlying reason: “Standards,” according to DigiCert VP of Digital Trust, Mike Nelson. “Or, rather, lack thereof.” According to Nelson, the answer is establishing a catch-all standard in device-making for all available vendors. Now, there’s Matter, which can be this long-awaited standard.

The Problem

Despite roughly a billion smart home devices shipped yearly, Nelson claims there is still a need for a device interaction protocol. Competing platforms, such as Google Nest, Apple Home, and Amazon Alexa, contend in a chaotic market. This is without including the countless other companies producing all manner of products that are compatible with all of these smart home systems. The varying degrees of interoperability are further complicated by the sheer number of control apps coming to market. Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Ah, Spring: Flowers in bloom, birds on the wing, fun in the sun—and itchy eyes, runny noses, sneezing, coughing, hives, wheezing, fatigue and difficulty breathing for the more than 60 million Americans the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America say suffer from asthma or allergies. But there can be a solution.

The Problem

Even the cleanest home can harbor all sorts of indoor allergens. Unseen contaminants and air pollutants including dirt, dust, pet dander, cigarette smoke, mold, mildew and chemicals. They get pulled into your home’s HVAC system and recirculated throughout the house several times a day.

An Answer

A few simple steps can reduce and remove allergens.  Continue reading →

Michele Long (right) reviews a GeneSight test report with her patient, Beth. Genetic information helps providers find effective mental health medications and may reduce the frustrating trial-and-error process that is common when treating mental illness.

(NAPSI)—Nurse practitioner Michele Long has been Beth’s primary care provider for years. So, when Beth started experiencing symptoms of depression, she scheduled an appointment with Michele.

It was the right decision. According to Beth, “Michele made me feel very comfortable talking to her about my mental health.”

Talking about mental health with primary care providers is something doctors and nurse practitioners want more people to do. According to the GeneSight Mental Health Monitor national survey from Myriad Genetics, more than 83 percent of primary care providers (PCPs) wish more of their patients would tell them about their mental health concerns.

Yet, more than half of surveyed clinicians don’t think patients are aware that PCPs and nurse practitioners are fully trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions.  Continue reading →

Theatrical essence, we know, relies upon a shared experience of space and time. How else does one describe the crescendo between the stage and stalls during a curtain call?

In Presence, the Play, William E. Jefferson’s protagonist puts it like this: “So many years, scripts scripted, performers performing, music scored, songs sung — it’s live, it’s real, it’s present. The theatre — what can be better, tell me? You can’t.”

Presence, the Play is an allegorical tale woven across multiple levels: Christian theology, media critique, the hero’s journey, poetic reimagining of classic works, and sheer entertainment. The work vigorously explores the concept of presence and its many manifestations, both divine and mundane. Continue reading →

Self-Care for Heartburn

 (NewsUSA) – After a year like no other, we are beginning to see glimpses of a return to our pre-pandemic lives. Public health guidance and scientific advances mean we are trickling back into our favorite restaurants, joining together to share meals, and toasting to a year of missing family and friends.

But these celebrations come with their fair share of greasy foods and bubbly beverages. And unfortunately, our favorite indulgences often bring an all-too-familiar side effect: heartburn.

Also known as acid reflux, heartburn can be a miserable experience: the burning sensation in your chest or throat may start after finishing a meal and last for hours afterwards. Other symptoms can include a hot, sour, or acidic fluid feeling in the back of your throat, as well as a lingering cough, sore throat, or hoarse voice. May is Digestive Disease Awareness Month so it’s a great time to learn about self-care for heartburn. Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Spring is coming, and as we get out our lawn mowers and other outdoor power equipment from storage to work in our yards, businesses and other green spaces, it’s important to put safe practices in place.

“Think safety first,” says Kris Kiser, President and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI), an international trade association representing outdoor power equipment, small engine, utility vehicle, golf car and personal transport vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. “We’re all eager to get back outside in the spring weather but I can’t stress enough to read your owner’s manuals before starting up any equipment—especially your lawn mower.”

OPEI offers these tips to get your outdoor power equipment ready, especially mowers: Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—Do you contribute to racial unity or disunity? That’s the focus of a new book, which offers a surprising perspective on race relations in America today, and offers suggestions to improve racial conditions.

One Man’s Story

Young white man experiences beatings received from black men in his community. The trauma associated with the beatings had the potential to destroy any favorable constructs of Black people in his life. But the author, Gene Heil, now an ordained minister, refused to allow racial hatred to control him.

Instead, inspired by God, he gained a different perspective of racial disunity, which, according to Heil, is rooted in understanding the impact the dominant white culture has had on the Black culture through generations of cultural abuse and systemic racism. God taught him to forgive his oppressors, and led him to blend into the black community to gain insight, and to prepare him to become an advocate for racial healing. Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—The IRS offers an incentive to lower your tax bill when you save for retirement. Many taxpayers may be eligible to claim the Saver’s Credit, but they may not know that it exists. Also referred to as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, the Saver’s Credit can reduce federal income taxes for eligible taxpayers who save for retirement through a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).

The 23rd Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey finds that fewer than half (49 percent) of workers are aware of the Saver’s Credit.

“People who are saving for retirement may be able to claim the Saver’s Credit and reduce their federal taxes,” says Catherine Collinson, CEO and president of nonprofit Transamerica Institute® and its Center for Retirement Studies. “Some people may be confusing the tax credit with the tax-advantaged treatment of retirement accounts. The idea of a double tax benefit may sound too good to be true, but both are available to eligible savers.” Continue reading →

Chicago, Illinois, USA sightseeing cruise and skyline on the river.

Why it Matters to You

(NAPSI)—It’s raining hard. You need to get to an important appointment. You’re halfway to your destination when you hit a roadblock. The intersection is flooded, wind gusts have downed electrical wires and there’s no end in sight. You have no choice but to return home, where there’s no electricity.

Scenarios like this—and much worse—are playing out in communities around the country. Climate change is causing more destructive conditions nationwide, turning every street into a potential flood zone. From earthquakes to severe storms and flooding, Americans are increasingly seeing startling images of cars disappearing into sinkholes, widespread power outages and destroyed homes and neighborhoods. Everyday stressors and extreme weather are pushing local infrastructure to the brink.  Continue reading →