(NewsUSA) - According to a recent Houzz report, kitchens remain the most renovated interior room (29%), followed closely by guest and primary bathrooms (27% and 25%, respectively). In 2023, the median spend for kitchen renovations climbed by 20% to $24,000, while primary bath projects saw an 11% increase, reaching $15,000. With home improvement investments rising, here are five transformative kitchen and bath upgrades to elevate your space without breaking the bank:

1. Create a Spa-inspired Bathroom –The Wetwall™ Waterproof Wall Panel System is an affordable and easy way to create spa-worthy retreats that deliver high-end style without the need for disruptive demolitions. Thanks to grout-free, tongue-and-groove panels that can be installed over virtually any existing material including tile, this upgrade can be completed in as little as 2.5 hours. Available in high-end designs, the panels are perfect for shower walls, bath surrounds, accent walls, and cladding and can instantly transform your bathroom into a spa-worthy retreat buyers will love. 

2. Update Your Countertops – Countertops are a key focal point in kitchens and bathrooms, and upgrading your tops can instantly refresh any space. Quartz delivers the elegance of natural stone with superior durability, offering a luxurious yet practical surface. For homeowners who love the look of Taj Mahal quartzite, Wilsonart® Quartz Glencoe and Marathi Marble designs provide stunning alternatives that capture the same timeless beauty with enhanced durability. For seamless, low-maintenance integration, Wilsonart® Solid Surface is perfect, providing a sleek look for countertops, backsplashes, and even integrated sinks in both kitchens and baths.

3. Refresh Your Flooring – Flooring is an often-overlooked element in kitchen and bathroom makeovers, but it’s crucial for both function and style. Consider water-resistant flooring for kitchens, such as luxury vinyl planks or tiles that offer the warmth of wood without the maintenance. For bathrooms, opt for durable, moisture-proof options like porcelain tile or vinyl. These materials add elegance while standing up to the demands of high-traffic areas.

4. Upgrade Your Cabinets – Updating your cabinets can help elevate your living environment to a new level of luxuriousness. The LUJO® Collection inspires with a sense of reassurance and comfort that can transform any space into a sanctuary. The collection allows you to choose luxurious wood species for cabinets/case goods, cabinet interiors and closet systems and is stain and moisture resistant, allowing for simple cleaning and disinfection. It can also be easily combined with other engineered surfaces, allowing you to create a cohesive and sophisticated aesthetic for your living spaces.

5. Transform with Paint – Never underestimate the power of a fresh coat of paint. In 2024, expect to see a continued focus on nature-inspired shades like soft greens, warm taupes, and muted blues in kitchens and bathrooms alike. Accent walls in bolder hues, such as deep blues or rich terracottas, are also trending for those looking to add a pop of personality without overwhelming the space.

For more information and ideas to help inspire your next home remodel project, visit www.wilsonart.com.  

(NewsUSA) - Have you ever thought about how you can buy most fresh fruits year-round?  Think hemispheres: The U.S. is located in the Northern Hemisphere, so when certain fruits are out of season here, they are being grown, harvested, and shipped to your local grocery store by countries in the Southern Hemisphere. 

This fall, when you see fresh citrus fruits such as mandarins and navel oranges, they are likely coming from the South American country of Chile, which ships citrus to the U.S. from late spring through fall.

You can enjoy Chilean mandarins from June through November and navels from July into early November.  From June through October, the U.S. also receives fresh lemons from Chile to complement our domestic supply.

As we "fall" into the cooler months of autumn, take advantage of fresh, delicious Chilean citrus fruits for some frightfully delicious treats for your Halloween party!

Bubbling Witches Brew:

3 1/2 cups fresh Chilean mandarin orange juice

1/2 cup fresh Chilean lemon juice

1 cup chilled sweet sparkling soda

Chill freshly squeezed mandarin orange juice and lemon juice.  Before serving, pour the orange juice and lemon juice mix into a punch bowl or pitcher. Stir in 1 cup chilled sweet sparkling soda and ice cubes. Taste for sweetness, and add a bit of sugar if needed. To garnish, peel and slice mandarin oranges and arrange them in glasses or a punchbowl.  Serves 5.

Spook-tacular Fruit Cups:

1 orange for each Fruit Cup
Orange pieces
Melon balls
Grapes
Blueberries

Use one orange for each fruit cup. Cut off the top 1/5 of the orange and use a paring knife to separate the fruit from the inside of the orange, being careful not to cut through the peel. You don’t need to get all the flesh out, just enough to fill with the fruit. If necessary, shave a small amount of peel off the bottom so the cups sit level, being careful not to create an opening in the base. Use a paring knife to carve faces and fill each cup with your choice of orange pieces, melon balls, grapes, and blueberries.

For recipes and more information, visit fruitsfromchile.com/recipes.

(NewsUSA) - A majority of American women view themselves as the “Chief Financial Officer” of their family, but less than half report taking an active role in investment decisions, based on a survey from financial services firm Edward Jones in partnership with Morning Consult and NEXT360 Partners.

The survey included nearly 6,000 people between the ages of 25 and 71 years. This group is often referred to as the “sandwich generation,” to reflect many who are caring not only for children, but also caring for elderly parents or other relatives. Approximately half (48%) of the survey respondents said that they feel financial strain.

The goal of the survey was to examine women’s roles in their families and their finances, and the challenges that come from balancing both, according to a press release announcing the survey findings.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of the respondents said that caregiving duties have negatively impacted their ability to save for their financial goals, and 57% reported taking on fewer professional responsibilities due to caregiving, resulting in a loss of potential income.

“While many women want the choice and ability to have careers, be caregivers and be the CFO of their families, balancing the responsibilities of health, family, purpose, and finances have significant trade-offs,” said Vanessa Okwuraiwe, Principal at Edward Jones, in the press release.

Many of the women surveyed are the sole caregivers their households; 46% reported being the sole caregiver for their children, and 54% said they were the sole caregiver for parents or relatives. Additionally, 56% reported feeling that they do not have enough money to support their children and/or older relatives. A majority put a priority on saving for long-term expenses, notably caregiving (75%), child education (72%) and healthcare (81%). However, only 42% reported having sole responsibility for investment decisions, and 26% reported sharing this role with another member of the household.

Two-thirds of the respondents (65%) said that more time and fewer caregiving responsibilities would boost their confidence in planning for their financial future, and 51% said that a financial advisor would be helpful.

"Women want a financial professional who gets them, guides them, and can make things easier,” said Mona Mahajan, Principal and Senior Investment Strategist at Edward Jones.

“Working with a financial professional can help women set their short- and long-term financial goals with a clear path to achieve them," she added.

For more information, visit: www.edwardjones.com/womeninvestors.

(Mark Gibbons, President/CEO of RetireSafe) - With the start of Medicare’s open enrollment period, it’s important that older Americans explore their healthcare options to make the best choice for their unique needs.

Seniors eligible for Medicare benefits have the choice of enrolling in traditional Medicare (also known as fee-for-service) or selecting a plan from Medicare Advantage (MA), which provides coverage through private health plans approved by Medicare. In recent years MA plans—or Medicare Part C—have become increasingly preferred among beneficiaries.

“We’ve seen Medicare Advantage become a popular alternative to traditional Medicare among older Americans over the last several years. The flexibility and cost savings associated with MA make these plans an attractive choice,” notes Mark Gibbons, President and CEO of RetireSafe, a non-profit dedicated to educating and advocating on behalf of older Americans.

Compared to traditional Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans are typically associated with:

• Lower costs and greater predictability. Most MA plans offer lower out-of-pocket (OOP) costs, and all MA plans are required to cap the amount you spend on healthcare annually. On average, beneficiaries enrolled in MA plans save $2,500 per year on premiums and OOP costs.
• More coordinated and consistent access to care. Unlike traditional Medicare, where individuals pay separate monthly premiums for hospital visits, outpatient services, and prescription drugs, Medicare Advantage bundles these services into a single monthly premium. It’s why MA plans are better suited to offer coordinated care to patients, which is particularly important for those living with chronic conditions or seniors who see multiple healthcare providers.
• Coverage of supplemental benefits and prescription drugs. MA plans offer supplemental benefits such as vision, dental, hearing, telehealth, transportation, nutrition and wellness services. Additionally, while traditional Medicare requires beneficiaries to purchase a separate plan for prescription drug coverage, MA plans often cover prescriptions under the same plan.

Due to the cost, coverage, care, and accessibility benefits associated with Medicare Advantage, beneficiaries enrolled in MA plans report better health outcomes, on average, across a range of metrics. Those enrolled in MA are more likely to have a usual source of care and to report receiving routine healthcare screenings and preventive services,

Seniors should take the time to review their current coverage and consider whether Medicare Advantage might be right for their unique needs.

(NewsUSA) - As artificial intelligence technology grows stronger, what we known about the complexity of the human brain provides perspective to its development, according to experts at experts at the 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.

 “Like the journey of understanding our minds, it is essential to the human experience to step back and imagine how a more powerful form of artificial intelligence (AI) will arrive in leaps, including the next 12-18 months,” said Ylli Bajraktari, CEO of the Special Competitive Studies Project, in a recent blog post.

He identified three megatrends that could contribute to artificial general intelligence (AGI) in the future.

Better generative AI. Large generative AI models such as GPT-4 continue to scale up their performance and become bigger, faster, and stronger. The upward vector will increase until it reaches a plateau, and many experts predict that the LLM (learned language model) may plateau at some useful cost point and continue to serve as the user interface (UI) between people and AI systems-of-systems because LLMs “speak our language.” 

Combined AI Activity. New approaches to specific AI functions will allow AI to perform more human-like tasks by combining functions as well as improving in scale. A combination of today’s AI with capabilities such as better reasoning, planning, creativity, memory, and sensing, as well as the ability to orchestrate the inputs from over 700 specialized GPT models, would yield something much more general.

This megatrend has economic consequences, as it opens a dynamic space in which small and medium-sized companies can flourish. Some of the key advancements in the global AI community include the ability to fuse data from different sources (multimodality), chain of thought reasoning, and planning/scaffolding/framing, which allow AI to progress towards human-like strategizing and problem-solving.

Transformation of technology. The arrival of AGI also will occur by transforming the fundamental technologies upon which AI depends, such as computing, data, microelectronics, networks, and energy. Quantum computing will likely serve as a source for modeling the real world. Ongoing improvements in microelectronics will continue to support human-like memory capabilities in AI, and advanced networks will allow AI systems to react and make decisions almost instantly, like a self-driving car avoiding an accident before you even see the danger.

Although it is likely that these three megatrends will develop, interact, intertwine and combine to create the fourth way to AGI, questions remain about how the megatrends will combine, when it will happen, who will do it, and which drivers will matter most. “Getting positioned and organized for the arrival of this general-purpose technology is a defining challenge of our era,” according to the experts at SCSP.

Visit scsp.ai to learn more.

(NewsUSA) - Again and Again Back to You by Andrea Ezerins

If you had the chance to revisit your past to change your present, what moment would you choose? In this enchanting novel, an encounter with a mystical channeler allows two soulmates to experience the road not taken and explores the profound impact first love can have on one’s life.

Marta and Kevin discover each other while coming of age in the ’70s only to be separated when they are about to realize the power of their young love. As Marta moves on to college and career, she remains haunted by what might have been if she had been brave enough to seize it.

A chance encounter with a channeler who can transport people back to a juncture in their lives to reveal their road not taken has Marta jumping at the opportunity. But will she be brave enough to channel back to Kevin? Purchase at https://amzn.to/3W1G8QB.

Legends of Astraea by Sophia Alessandrini

Can the power of love save the world?

Ailie, a gutsy girl who possesses a sharp wit and a playful, irreverent voice, seeks revenge with the help of her psychotic, warmongering, and good-hearted legal guardian. She alone can open the gates of hell just like Pandora did when she opened the jar that contained all evils. And evil wants those doors open.

Fallen Angels conspire to help her with Cupid’s Golden Arrow.

She finds herself in a whimsical world of myths, legends, glittering gowns, priceless jewels, life-threatening enemies, and eccentric immortals that call themselves Strzyga. However, there are side effects to the arrow. What’s not to like about a gorgeous, 200-year-old Strzyga prince who is completely head over heels for her? But things never go as planned. Will Ailie manage to save the world, or will she accidentally open the gates of hell?  Purchase at https://bit.ly/3JXK5Pg.

Our Life, Our Work, Our Humanness by Vincent Dodd

It seems we are more divided than ever in many aspects of life, and we too often still feel empty while pushing ourselves to keep up. This book explores many facets of our relationships with ourselves and others and provides tools to help ease this division and bring a clearer level of understanding and grace.

When you consider what makes up our life -- emotions, relationships, concerns, expectations, harsh realities, and even politics -- how can there not be some suffering? Though these subjects are wide and deep, the author breaks them down and shares from his 34 years of front-line public service experiences and his personal life observations. He then follows with solution-based concepts and easy daily applicable tools to tame these daily life stressors. Purchase at https://bit.ly/4dCJT5i.

Touch Time by R.E. Mason

A million years ago, Verdan’s moon is struck by an immense asteroid, forcing the planet to exist in two dimensions.

A handful of pilgrims, scientists and technicians, come out from Adrian for work and adventure and choose to remain on Verdan, despite the difficulties imposed by that planet’s challenging environment.

But a new danger threatens those colonists. Adrian suddenly reverses a prior decision to shut down the base there. Instead, they intend to take control of that world and prepare it to receive the influx of migrants soon to come there. Adrian sends a military unit to secure the base and quell any resistance from the original colonists.

The pilgrims know they’d be no match for the number of invaders. Unless they have someplace to go, they’d have no future. But there might be such a place -- if they have the courage to get there.  Purchase at https://bit.ly/3TpeyLh.

(NewsUSA) - The challenges of military life don't always end when the mission does. For many in our military community – both active duty and veterans alike – there's an ongoing, often silent struggle with mental health. This fall, as we observe Mental Health Awareness Month in October and honor our service members in November, Blue Star Families is bringing this critical issue to the forefront.

As the nation's largest Chapter-based support organization for military and Veteran families, Blue Star Families has launched the Combat the Silence campaign. This initiative goes beyond raising awareness – it provides real, tangible support to those serving, those who have served, and the families standing beside them. Recognizing that mental health challenges can arise at any point in a military career or beyond, Blue Star Families offers crucial support for every stage of military life, from the stresses of active duty to the complexities of civilian reintegration.

"Our military families face unique challenges that often go unseen, reaching far beyond the battlefield," says Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. "Through Combat the Silence, we're creating a network of support that catches our heroes before they fall. It's not just about awareness – it's about action, connection, and saving lives."

At the heart of the Combat Silence campaign are the innovative Blue Star Support Circles. These non-clinical, peer-oriented groups empower family members and friends to recognize potential mental health issues and provide crucial support to veterans and service members before crises occur. By fostering these supportive networks, BSF aims to significantly reduce suicide rates within the military community.

Complementing these efforts, the Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting "Check On Your Buddy Week" from October 21-25. This initiative dovetails perfectly with Combat the Silence, reinforcing the vital role of peer support in addressing mental health challenges among veterans and active-duty personnel.

Blue Star Families extends a heartfelt invitation to all members of the military community to engage with an upcoming Support Circle cohort and actively participate in “Check On Your Buddy Week.”  By taking these simple yet powerful steps, we can collectively break the silence surrounding mental health and ensure that no one in our military family feels alone in their struggles.

Join the movement to Combat the Silence. Together, we can build a stronger, more resilient military community.
Immediate Help and Support Resources

For those in immediate crisis, support is always available through the Veterans Crisis Line: Call or text 988 (press 1 for Veterans) or visit 988lifeline.org. For ongoing community support and resources, individuals can register at www.combatthesilence.org.

(NewsUSA) - The ScanEase OneSense device is a screening tool for diagnosing breast cancer. The device facilitates an examination that is accessible to patients of any age and body type, allowing for self-examination due to its user-friendly design in the privacy of their home. The results help assess the risk of new tissue formations in the breast. The higher the risk factor on the BI-RADS scale, the greater the likelihood of malignant tissue degeneration. In light of this, the OneSense scanning device is recommended for the primary diagnosis of breast tumors in outpatient settings and for at-home self-examinations. The scan results are visible through an app on your smartphone, which will advise whether you should consult with a physician.

Measurement method: 

The device measures the distribution of conductivity between the electrodes on the surface of the breast, which is influenced by the distribution of blood flow in the breast tissue.  The device utilizes the well-known principle of bioimpedance, measuring the difference in electrical conductivity between healthy and cancerous tissues, as tumor growth significantly increases blood flow. This allows the device to demonstrate a high specificity in breast cancer diagnostics. The results obtained from using the device will enable physicians to enhance the diagnostic quality of fibroepithelial and non-epithelial breast formations, as diagnostic errors occur in 20% to 60% of cases during routine patient examinations. The widespread use of ScanEase scanning technology will reduce the reliance on X-ray mammography and MRI examinations as routine methods for assessing breast health, thereby decreasing radiation exposure.

A unique software with a proprietary AI-based algorithm has been developed, enabling users to determine the risk factor for the presence of neoplasms in breast tissue immediately after screening, with an accuracy of up to 85%. The bioimpedance method identifies areas of increased electrical conductivity in a woman's mammary gland, that are formed due to increased blood flow, which is characteristic of tumor development.

The interpretation of the obtained data is performed by an AI-based system using the international BI-RADS scale, which indicates a complex 'risk factor' parameter on a specialized point scale. This approach standardizes and digitizes the data description using original algorithms, allowing for an assessment of the patient's risk according to the BI-RADS scale. The method makes it possible to reliably divide patients into 3 groups of threats based on the magnitude of the risk factor: low, medium and high risk.

The user of the scanning device can immediately view the results through an app on their smartphone. If a medium or high-risk result is indicated, the person should promptly contact their physician for further diagnosis.

In early 2025, the device will enter FDA clinical trials on a fast-track basis for a non-invasive medical trial. Upon final FDA approval, the device will be available for purchase online, with a projected cost of $350. The device can be shared among friends and family, reducing the cost per person using it. View the Company’s website at www.scanease.co or send an email to [email protected] to request more detailed information.

(NewsUSA) - Life is uncertain, and there is no time like the present to be sure that you have life insurance in place. A life insurance plan provides affordable and lasting financial protection for you and your loved ones, and it does not have to be expensive.

Budget-friendly options make life insurance accessible to everyone and provide peace of mind for financial security in the event of an untimely loss of life.

"Whole life insurance is designed to offer peace of mind at a price that fits within most budgets," according to Christopher Flint, President of Kemper Life, the national life insurance brand specializing in providing life insurance coverage to budget-conscious individuals. "It’s a manageable way to protect your loved ones while also building cash value over time.”

A life insurance policy with a low initial face value (known as a low-face life insurance option) still offers many benefits often associated with larger or more expensive policies.

These benefits include affordable premiums that allow you to maintain a policy without breaking your budget. These premiums are fixed at the same amount each month and do not increase over time, which makes financial planning easier. As long as you pay your premiums, affordable policies will cover you for life.

Other benefits include cash value accumulation, meaning that a low-face policy still builds cash value over time, and may be accessed throughout your lifetime through loans or withdrawals.

When exploring whole life insurance, keep these tips in mind:

Evaluate Your Coverage Needs: Review your expenses, debts, and other obligations to help determine how much coverage you need.

Shop Around: Compare different life insurance policies to find one that offers the right balance of protection, cash value growth, and affordability.

Seek Professional Advice: If you are unsure, talk to an insurance agent who can help you select a life insurance policy that fits your needs.

Update and Adapt: Regularly review your policy to ensure that it continues to meet your needs as your life changes, and adjust as needed.

Don’t discount the value of whole life insurance to provide financial protection for your family.

Visit Kemper Life for more information.

(NewsUSA) - After Mining, Crafting, and Battling Through the In-Person, Immersive Minecraft Adventure, Each Guest Receives a Limited-Edition Half-Zombie, Half-Villager Cape World Premiere Set For Dallas October 18; Tickets On Sale Now

Stand out from the crowd! Experience MOD and Mojang Studios today announced that all guests who attend Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue, set to debut in Dallas on Friday, October 18, 2024, will receive a commemorative, half-zombie, half-villager cape that can be used to customize their in-game character in Minecraft: Bedrock Edition. This reward memorializes the player’s attendance at Minecraft’s first-ever, real-life, in-person experience in Dallas this fall. After completing their adventure, guests will receive a unique code via email with instructions to claim their cape.

Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue gives longtime Minecrafters, seasoned players and new-comers, and families of all ages their first chance to be heroes in the real-life, in-person Minecraft quest. Dallas is just the first stop; the touring experience will visit additional cities around the world, to be announced at a later date. Single ticket prices for Dallas start at $32, and friends and family multipack tickets start at $28 per person. Interested Minecrafters who want to be first to attend can visit www.minecraftexperience.com for more information.

Minecraft is one of the most popular video games of all time with over 300 million copies sold, with players from around the world adventuring and creating together in their Minecraft worlds. Now, with Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue spawning in cities around the world, they can take part in an epic rescue mission and story-based experience where iconic places and creatures from the game are brought to life before their eyes.

Attendees begin their one-hour journey by entering the forest, where they will learn the ropes, give tips to other players, or just bask in the blocky nature. Moving into the village, they will receive their quest and embark on a rescue mission with a team of fellow Minecrafters. On this interactive scavenger hunt, adventurers will journey through multiple Minecraft biomes while building structures and interacting with iconic mobs – some more friendly than others. Minecrafters can gush over pandas and dolphins as well as face skeletons, spiders, and – of course – creepers.

To further immerse participates in the experience, each guest uses an Orb of Interaction that engages and interacts with the world around them. With haptic feedback and lighting, the orb vibrates and change color depending on the action and context to guide guests and further immerse them in the vibrant Minecraft experience. Once they complete their quest, they can kick back and celebrate their heroic feat at the Minecraft Experience Trading Post with a crafty memento from the adventure.

No prior knowledge of Minecraft is required to enjoy Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue. New players, creators, and longtime Minecrafters will experience the game in an entirely new and unforgettable way. This October 18, Minecraft Experience: Villager Rescue will spawn for a limited time into 2712 N Central Expressway in Plano, just North of I-635 adjacent to DART’s Parker Road station. For more information, including tickets, and future tour city updates, please visit www.minecraftexperience.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter); #minecraftexperience.