(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.  

(NewsUSA) - The Bucharest Dossier by William Maz

“The Bourne Identity” meets John le Carre’s “The Spy Who Came In from the Cold.”

Bill Hefflin is a man apart—apart from life, apart from his homeland, apart from love. And he is about to learn that in the world of cold war espionage, life is cheap.

At the start of the 1989 uprising in Romania, CIA analyst Hefflin—a disillusioned Romanian expat—arrives in Bucharest at the insistence of his KGB asset, code-named Boris. As Hefflin becomes embroiled in an uprising that turns into a brutal revolution, nothing is as it seems, including the search for his childhood love, which has taken on mythical proportions.

With the bloody events unfolding at blinding speed, Hefflin realizes the revolution is manipulated by outside forces, including his own CIA and Boris—the puppeteer who seems to be pulling all the strings of Hefflin’s life. Purchase at https://bit.ly/4aBv0yz.

Looking for Legends by Scott and Tarantino

Would you rather have dreams, or memories?

Whether you're an armchair traveler, an occasional tourist, a seasoned globetrotter, a daring adventurer, or an intrepid explorer, there's something for everyone in Looking for Legends.

Part travelogue and part good old-fashioned action story, this witty commentary recreates the magic and excitement of adventure. The married authors span the globe over 25 years and discover that travel is more than the journey and the sights. It's about the people, the incredible individuals they befriend along the way--the towering legends who lived life out loud.

Complete with original, hand-drawn maps and more than 150 images, Looking for Legends delivers you to destinations from your wildest dreams: walk through the desert sands; dance the tango; drink ouzo on Stavros Beach; discover a mountain higher than Everest; unlock the secrets of the Rosetta Stone, and much more. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3TpRtXS.

Klara’s Truth by Susan Weissbach Friedman

May 2014. Dr. Klara Lieberman—49, single, an archaeology professor and a contained person living a contained life—receives a letter from her estranged mother, Bessie, that will dramatically change her life. Her father—who has been absent from her life for 43 years—is dead. Has been for many years.  But now the Polish government is giving financial reparations for land it stole from its Jewish citizens during WWII, and Bessie wants the money. Klara wants answers about her father – so she flies to Warsaw.

Klara begins to piece together her father’s, and her own, story. She also connects with extended family, begins a romantic relationship, and discovers her calling: repairing the hundreds of pre-War Jewish cemeteries in Poland. Along the way, she makes peace with her past and builds purposefully toward a bigger future. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3rT0tuY.

The Guide - Survival, Warfighting, Peacemaking by Gregory Munck

Life with a drug-addicted father meant sleeping with one eye open, nervously anticipating but not knowing what chaotic event would happen next. Whether it was having a shotgun placed against his head or snorting cocaine at 13 with his dad, the unpredictable and unwanted were Greg Munck’s normal. Just when his anxiety and anger were starting to rumble, the Marines and a long boat ride to Kuwait to fight in the Gulf War changed the trajectory—and eternity—of a 20-year-old warfighter gifted by God to lead men.

Simple, emotional, and visceral, this story is about earth’s brokenness, God’s presence, and the true significance that resonates in the soul of every man. To do great things is embedded in the heart of every man, but the process demands courage, perseverance, and faith. Discover the bravery to win your own biggest emotional and spiritual battles. Purchase at https://bit.ly/3PxUDb2.

BookBites is presented by BookTrib.com.

(NewsUSA) - One lucky winner will score big when participating in Rockstar Energy's “Fuel Your Drive” promotion

PURCHASE, N.Y., June 7, 2024 – With people looking to get out and travel more this summer, Rockstar Energy Drink wants to come along for the ride and “Fuel Your Drive” to help summer road-trippers across the country get cash back and stay energized to get to their next destination.

Beginning with Memorial Day weekend, nearly 85% of Americans are anticipated to have travel plans throughout the summer season. In fact, 75% of Americans intend to take at least one road trip this summer, most driving somewhere within 100 miles of their home¹.

“With summer travel on the rise, we know consumers will need that little bit of energy and mental boost to make it through long car rides, so we’re thrilled to be able to bring back the ‘Fuel Your Drive’ program,” said Sean Bonthuys, PepsiCo Senior Director of Brand Marketing, Energy Portfolio. “Meeting our consumers’ needs has always been one of our main priorities as a brand, and we’re happy to be able to provide new offerings and fan favorites, while putting cash back in their wallets at the same time.”

Now through the end of the year, customers who purchase any two Rockstar Energy products at participating convenience stores and gas stations nationwide, and text ‘ROCKSTAR’ and a photo of their receipt to 73774, will receive $5 cash back – all courtesy of Rockstar Energy.

That’s not all. Rockstar Energy will also be giving away a Rockstar custom-wrapped 2024 Jeep Wrangler, as well as $20,000, to one grand prize winner for the ultimate summer road trip. Participants can enter HERE for a chance to win the grand prize and earn bonus entries by redeeming the cash back offer.

No road trip is ever successful without a road trip companion – which is where the latest Rockstar Energy product line, Focus, comes in. Available in three zero sugar flavors (Lemon Lime, White Peach, and Orange Pineapple), Rockstar Focus contains a unique blend of ingredients including Lion's Mane, a mushroom used in traditional eastern cultures. The zero sugar, calorie free beverage delivers functional energy and a mental boost to help get you through your road trip adventures.   Additional offerings from Rockstar Energy include Rockstar Original and Rockstar Pure Zero, which provide sustained mind-body energy for up to five hours and are fully charged with B-vitamins and formulated with guarana, taurine, and caffeine. 

No matter where your summer plans will take you, Rockstar Energy has your back to take you on your next epic adventure. For more information on Rockstar Energy’s “Fuel Your Drive” promotion, visit https://www.rockstarenergy.com/pepsico-fuel-your-drive-offer-terms.