(NewsUSA) – Marine Toys for Tots had another record-breaking year in 2023 thanks to the generous support of the American public, National Corporate Partners, volunteers, and our dedicated local Coordinators. Your generosity makes a lasting impact on children in need. During 2023, Toys for Tots distributed nearly 25 million toys, books, games, and other gifts to over 10 million economically disadvantaged children.

“You helped us deliver hope and comfort to children in need throughout the year, and for that, we are extremely humbled and proud. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to each and every one of you,” says LtGen James B. Laster, USMC (Retired), CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

“Now, with a new year comes new resolve to be an even stronger force for good, because children growing up in poverty deserve nothing less,” he adds.   Continue reading →

(NewsUSA) – What do parents really think about school choice in 2024? A new survey by the National School Choice Awareness Foundation sheds light on what they’re thinking, and looking for, as National School Choice Week spurs families to start the process of choosing new schools for the fall. Two truths, and one oft-repeated myth, offer insights into how they’ll shape the landscape of education with the choices they make.

Here’s truth number one. Parents are more interested in changing their children’s schools than they were during the pandemic. 72% considered new schools for their children last year compared to 52% in 2022. If you’re not the parent of a school age child, you’d be forgiven for assuming parents crave stability after the upheaval of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, but the data says something different. The high water mark of interest in choosing a new school during the pandemic came in the fall of 2020, when 63% of parents were considering it. Yet this month, January 2024, 72% said they have considered choosing a new school for their child in the last year. Continue reading →

(NewsUSA)  – The future of the intelligence community will hinge on how well intelligence services can adopt and leverage artificial intelligence (AI) tools to make the most of the constant flow of data from all parts of the world, according to experts at the Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), a bipartisan nonprofit organization.

The U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) should take immediate action to leverage emerging generative AI (GenAI) capabilities to protect the nation and maintain our competitive advantage over global rivals, according to a new report from SCSP. The IC has been at the cutting edge of adopting emerging technology for decades, but GenAI will have an exceptionally broad impact, and will further complicate the already complex world of intelligence.

“Intelligence services will eventually need to plan and account for AI-enabled machines acting as semi-independent actors, directing operations and making decisions, both for our adversaries and allies,” according to the SCSP report. Continue reading →

During this time of year many people are more apt to give to charities and that brings up the question “How will the FAIRtax affect charitable giving? Won’t I lose my tax benefit?” Charitable contributions depend on one factor more than any other: the health of the economy (not tax benefits). As a wide range of economists agree on the economic expansion the FAIRtax delivers, charitable contributions benefit also. For all the money that pours into churches and a broad range of charities every day, only 30% who itemize their income tax get any tax benefit. The other 70% have given and will continue to give with no tax benefit whatsoever. The FAIRtax allows people to make charitable contributions out of their pre-taxed dollars. Thus those less affluent taxpayers who do not itemize see their cost of charitable giving go down under the FAIRtax. Finally, the wealthy make decisions on charitable giving based on the cause. Once they have determined the cause is worthy, their contribution is structured to maximize the gift and minimize the tax. But the intention to give comes first; taxes simply determine the structure – rarely the amount – of the gift. For more information go to FAIRtax.org

What do a bouncy 14-month-old and a drunken sailor have in common? Sooner or later, they are going to fall… and so are you! It is inevitable; unless you curl up on the couch for the rest of your life, you are going to lose your balance and fall. Even if you possess the grace of a stork on one leg or the agility of a Wallenda walking the line, unforeseen hazards like slick floors, stealthy patches of ice, mischievous bumps in the sidewalk, or Fluffy’s chew can still pose a threat.

Given that the prospect of taking a fall is practically unavoidable, the question becomes: What can we do to improve our chances of remaining upright? Surprisingly, the answer lies in practicing falling. Now, before you lock me in a padded room, hear me out.

Our younger generation, God help them, loses their balance exponentially more than active seniors. However, they do not fall nearly as much, and when they do fall, the repercussions are significantly less damaging. What gives? Of course, we can always point the finger at too many revolutions around the sun, but what specifically? Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—“It is not for the faint of heart,” Erica Bridges said.

Bridges is a Welding Technology student at Texas State Technical College (TSTC). She was referring to her field of study and to welding in general.

“I encourage it, though,” she added. “This is a really good money-making (career). The people that you will meet, they’re just one-of-a-kind people.”

In the heavily male-dominated industry of welding, only 5.1% of the workers are female, according to a 2022 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report. In the fall 2023 semester, TSTC had a total of 94 women and 970 men enrolled in Welding Technology.

What To Know

To help others understand, some female welding students, instructors and alumni from TSTC recently spoke of their experiences in welding and their love for it. They also talked about some of its challenges.

TSTC welding instructor Samara Flener has seen positive changes in her 20-plus years of working in the industry, but said preconceived notions about female welders still remain. Continue reading →

Cataract concept. Senior woman’s eye, closeup

(NAPSI)—By age 80, most people either have cataracts or have had cataract surgery. That’s because most cataracts are the result of natural aging. You may not notice that you have a cataract at first. But over time, they can make your vision blurry or hazy, colors fade, you can’t see well at night, or you may see double images. The good news is that cataract surgery can restore your sight. With a high success rate of more than 90 percent, cataract surgery enables people to see better after their cataract is removed.

Here are the top six things ophthalmologists—physicians who specialize in medical and surgical eye care—want you to know about cataracts:  Continue reading →

(NAPSI)—There’s good news for a lot of people from what some might consider a surprising source.

Corporate Compassion

America’s businesses, large and small, are increasingly extending a hand to help others. In fact, according to Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, the average corporate volunteer participation rate is 33%.

What One Firm Is Doing

When most people hear the word “paella,” they imagine the wondrous Spanish rice dish cooking on an open flame. But the folks at H/L, a fiercely creative marketing and advertising agency that makes momentum for clients, have a whole different meaning for the word. In fact, they’ve started a movement, Project Paella, and it’s all about giving back to the communities in which they live and work.

Project Paella was established in memory of Josh Nichol, H/L’s former CEO. Josh loved getting the team together every year, over a huge pan of rich, simmering seafood and sausage. There was a lot of symbolism in his paella. It was made of many ingredients and flavored by many cultures, just like the company he led. And most of all, it was celebratory. His spirit lives on today, when the team comes together each year to mix in communities and celebrate them by doing good from coast to coast. The team bands together and volunteers in homeless shelters, animal shelters, food banks, roadside cleanups and wherever else they can make a difference. Continue reading →

Adult daughter caring for Aging Parent

(NAPSI)—A fast, reliable Internet connection is essential to many of our daily lives. However, many Americans still struggle to stay connected.

That’s where the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) can come in.

ACP extends the Internet subsidy for families in need that began under the Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. Falling under the $1.2T bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the ACP is part of a $65 billion broadband Internet initiative designed to bring affordable or even free Internet service to families who qualify.

Eligible households can save up to $30 a month, or up to $75 if they reside on tribal lands.

So, who qualifies? Here’s a glance at the different criteria from the FCC of which one or more is required: Continue reading →