(NewsUSA) - The holidays are right around the corner, and it’s time to think about stuffing those stockings. Check out this guide for details on this years can’t miss gifts from Spin Master.

-Bitzee. Bitzee is an interactive digital pet that you can actually touch! With 15 characters in each pod, Bitzee responds to swipes, tilts, shakes, and touch with sounds and reactions. Each pet starts as a baby, but like real pets, they need love and attention. Kids can feed their Bitzee, play with them, rock them to sleep, and watch them grow into adulthood and eventually a Super Bitzee! Once a Super Bitzee is unlocked kids can access outfits and games and attract their next pet. Proclaimed the next big holiday fad by Gizmodo Bitzee was also featured as a must-have item on the Today Show.

SRP $29.99

-Tech Deck. Pull off epic tricks with totally authentic fingerboards from Tech Deck. These fingerboards are engineered to replicate the feel of a real skateboard while featuring iconic graphics from the raddest skate companies in the world like Plan B, Santa Cruz, Blind and more.  Collect them all and become a pro fingerboarder.

SRP:$2.99

-Bakugan. The new Bakugan Special Attack line lets Bakugan fans brawl with new and recurring characters. Use the XL rip cord to spin or roll your Bakugan on the Gate Card and watch it transform with the iconic pop open transformations. The new collection includes Character & Special Attack Cards with new stats to level up battle play. In addition, each Bakugan features a special code to use in the Roblox game online for more ways to play and interact.

SRP: $9.99

-Hatchimals. Tiny collectibles are a perennial favorite with kids, and the Hatchimals Alive Hatchi-Nursery Playset lets kids bring these characters to life in a whole new way, with magical self-hatching eggs that are activated by water. Place the eggs in the pool, remove the pacifiers, fill the cloud with water and tilt it to pour down the rainbow slide. In seconds, four adorable Hatchimals crack through the eggs! Kids can stretch their imaginations and creativity by feeding the Hatchimals in the kitchen, playing with them in the playroom, and putting them down for naps in the bedroom.

SRP: $34.99

Rubik’s Cube. You can’t go wrong with a classic. There is a reason why the iconic Rubik’s Cube has been a top-selling toy for decades. The STEM-accredited puzzle is now available with some innovative updates, including the Rubik’s Phantom, with thermochromic tiles that temporarily reveal their colors by the heat of your touch! Players must solve the puzzle before the tiles fade back to black. Just learning how to solve the Rubik’s Cube? Try the all new Coach Cube with removable number stickers to guide novice soon to be solvers.

SRP: $12.99-$14.99

(NewsUSA) - A Winter by the Sea by Julie Klassen

Return to the Devonshire coast In this latest book in the On Devonshire Shores series with the Summers sisters, where loyalties are tested, secrets come to light, and new love emerges. When the Duke and Duchess of Kent rent neighboring Woolbrook Cottage for the winter, the Summers sisters host three of the royal couple's male staff in their seaside house. But they soon realize they've invited mysterious secrets and the possibility of romance.

Meanwhile, when a publisher turns down Emily Summers’ hope to be an author, his dashing competitor considers her novel if she will write a new Sidmouth guidebook for him. Emily enlists the help of the Duke of Kent's handsome private secretary. But a surprise visitor shows up, leaving Emily torn between her past desires and her budding dreams. Purchase at https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/516356.

The Killer’s Kid by Adelene Ellenberg

After terminating a teenager-lovechild-pregnancy, Darlene Bundt, at age 36, finds herself unexpectedly “expecting.” Her problem?  Her boss, the child’s father, is a Massachusetts mobster and known killer.  Nevertheless, Darlene chooses Life, being a person of Faith.

Ruthless, corrupt, yet charming, mobster Mickey Quinn decides he will take complete control of the kid, his only child. Darlene refuses to give up her child to him and flees with him into hiding.  Will Darlene and the killer’s kid ever escape to a life of freedom?

Adelene Ellenberg’s newest suspense novel continues the story begun in Eminent Crimes: A Legal Thriller.  As an attorney, she learned that “The Law” can be either a shield or a weapon, and the weak need protection from the strong. Purchase at AdeleneEllenberg.com.

A Reaction to Messianic Missionaries by Cheryl Simani

A fresh, exciting perspective on the missionary/counter-missionary controversy. Appalled by the nefarious tactics of Christian missionaries disguised as Jews, Rabbanit Simani pens a personal letter to those misled by their wiles. She addresses the “Jews for Jesus” organization head-on and dives deep into the characters and sources for Jewish and Christian Messianic claims.

The book addresses the development of the “Messianic Jewish” movement and the “Isaiah 53 Campaign” – an aggressive effort targeting Jews with misinformation to convert them to their disguised form of Christianity. It also outlines the conflicting historical paths of Judaism and Christianity.  This is a dynamic perspective of the origins of Early Christianity, a must-read for anyone interested in who was or will be the Messiah. A perfect gift for the “truth-seekers” among family and friends, and that special rabbi. Purchase at https://bit.ly/45OLZue.

The Unexplained Benefits of Being Run Over by Naseem Rochette

Breaking doesn’t mean you’re broken.

In a pedestrian crosswalk on a quiet street, Naseem is hit and then run over three times. She hears her fate in her husband’s screams. Is he watching the mother of his children die?

Miraculously, she survives, yet she is no longer the person she was. Her “cracks”—the changes to her body and mind—initially feel impossible to accept. In learning to embrace this new, unrecognizable self, Naseem decides to celebrate the day she almost lost her life as the day she discovered her true strength—her Unbreakable Day.

In this unique memoir, equal parts heart wrenching and inspiring, Naseem lays bare the reality of personal trauma—and how we each have the power to reimagine our lives and find beauty in being both broken and unbreakable. Named Book of the Year in the Best Indie Book Award. Purchase at https://amzn.to/49nCzZh.

(NewsUSA) - Holidays are fickle things — often good, but sometimes not so good. It’s December in the quirky town of Cardigan, MD, and Rosalie Hart has been thrown several curve balls.

For one, her ex-husband has booked a semester break vacation to Dubai with their only daughter, leaving Rosalie without Annie for Christmas for the first time. And, following a renovation, Rosalie’s restaurant, the Day Lily Café, is back open for business with an expanded dining room and a chef with an inflated ego. To make matters worse, when her head waiter and best friend Glenn Breckinridge is concerned about a neighbor who hasn’t returned home, they learn he has been murdered while riding his bike on River Road. In the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle, Rosalie and Glenn pair up once again to uncover who killed Bill Rutherford on that raw wintry night.

In Killer in a Winter Wonderland, the fourth installment in bestselling author Wendy Sand Eckel’s cozy mystery series, recurring protagonist Rosalie Hart is someone you would love to meet over a signature holiday coffee in the charming fictional town of Cardigan. Yet rest assured she would soon have you telling her your personal story. Rosalie has that charm -- and instinct.  One of the great pleasures in this compelling and much-anticipated holiday-themed story is Rosalie’s passion for coaxing stories from friends, suspects, and bystanders alike.

In fact, her astute listening skills prove critical to solving the mystery as characters endearingly and terrifyingly reveal themselves. And that’s just part of Killer in a Winter Wonderland’s “can’t-put-it-down” appeal. As in the three preceding books, Eckel sprinkles the suspense with more than a dash of humor and mouth-watering menus.

Wendy Sand Eckel is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series. Degrees in criminology and social work, followed by years of clinical practice, helped her to explore a fascination with how relationships impact motivation, desire and inhibition. Combined with her passion for words and meaning, writing mystery is her dream realized.

Amazon reviewer Robert L. Roth writes, “Each page seems to contain a stocking stuffer, whether a piece of clever dialogue, a quip, or an insight about the human condition, all leading to a satisfying ending.”

Another advance copy reviewer calls the work “delightfully devious…. coolly crafted, set in a fictional town brilliantly brought to life.”

With delectable menus, high-stakes sleuthing, and the rich atmospheric scenes only the holiday season can provide, Killer in a Winter Wonderland is a cornucopia of delicious fare, compelling new and returning characters, and a fast-paced tale that will keep readers riveted to the last page.

No need to read the first three books to thoroughly enjoy this latest addition to the Rosalie Hart Mystery Series, but you will be happy to devour every page in the series after reading this one.

To learn more, visit www.wendysandeckelauthor.com or purchase the book at: https://bit.ly/3T231lK.

(NewsUSA) - trest bodu

(NewsUSA) - With Safety Being the Number 1 Priority, the NFL Has Made Changes Even In Recent Years 

What Will the Future Bring? 

utgers on November 6, 1869, has undergone an astonishing evolution. What started as their version of Frisbee golf around 1974 has transformed into a colossal phenomenon, shaping not only the sport but also the equipment. Explore the intricate journey of football, tracing its roots to humble beginnings and witnessing its remarkable growth through the years. From Princeton and Rutgers to the modern-day spectacle, the pointspreads of this journey tell a captivating tale of football's incredible progression.

From Rudimentary Gear to Top-of-the-Line Technology

The first iteration of a football game occurred between college kids in 1869 and there were reportedly 25 players per team on the field at the same time. They wore no protective gear and the rules were a hybrid of soccer, rugby, and whatever else was agreed upon.

That was then and this is now but what we’re here to discuss is the plenty of in-between. So much has happened, and due to the unfortunate injuries that can occur in NFL matchups and elsewhere when elite athletes, equipped with monstrous power, clash in a symphony of spellbinding violence, it is incumbent upon the leagues that govern the rules and safety protocols to make every effort that the athletes are protected.

https://twitter.com/KevG163/status/1657167783073914880?s=20 

It’s not often we think of the progress that has been made, especially when we are scouring the NFL schedule to figure out which game we want to watch. However, with the advent of technology and the research done on lasting injuries, it’s as good a time as any to draw a timeline and point out when changes were made and how the sport has adapted to them.

1890s — A Navy Midshipman named Joe Reeves created the first “head harness”. It was more cosmetic than utilitarian as the soft leather did little to protect. But it was a first step, a baby step, but a step nonetheless in player equipment.

1910 — Shoulder pads up until this point were merely bags of cotton jerry-rigged on the shoulders. This was replaced by thin pads that had a more comfortable fit, albeit the protection provided was not substantially better. 

https://youtu.be/oeLooR3Xlyg?si=XgAsJD_sueA3BFLD 

1920s & 1930s — The game was still in its infancy when a more durable leather helmet was introduced with a teardrop shape that allowed a snugger fit. We also saw the first cantilever shoulder pads designed off the shoulder to absorb shock.

We should also note that the round rubber ball initially used had been slowly streamlined into the oval pigskin we see today.

https://twitter.com/LIConnection/status/1698728501384216927?s=20 

1939 — The biggest NFL news swirling during that year was that the league would make the new plastic helmets mandatory and would introduce a single-face bar.

H3: Player’s Safety Is the No. 1 Priority

Naturally, the evolution of football equipment didn’t come to a screeching halt in 1939. Advances in safety and protection continued throughout the decades. But what is the state of equipment today?

As we all know, some of the most devastating NFL injuries are the ones we can’t see. Concussions are still far too frequent as the strength and speed of the athletes have evolved to the point where a 300-pound edge rusher today has the speed of a 180-pound defensive back from yesteryear.

https://twitter.com/sigg20/status/1667331554454929409?s=20 

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, is a progressive and fatal brain disease associated with repeated head trauma. Former players with CTE have led lives of misery and, in some cases, even led to suicide.

Space age design in the creation of everything from cleats to helmets has improved safety but there is always bigger and better on the horizon such as smart helmets that track and monitor the quantity and severity of head blows. This will alert team doctors and staff when an injury either has occurred or may have already occurred.

https://youtu.be/_uee-QHgmmc?si=ZmwqtT_kSfGaCz5x 

Even state-of-the-art censored mouthguards can track a player's heart rate, body temperature, and even hydration levels to make sure health risks are minimized.

Polymers and other space-age materials are constantly evolving and being introduced to not only bring increased safety to the players but comfort as well. Even the fields themselves continue to evolve to minimize injuries while maintaining a playable surface.

Fortunately, the NFL and lower levels of the sport are all unified in their search for increased player safety. And although we still see more injuries than we would like, at least they’re no longer wearing leather helmets.  

(NewsUSA) - BookTrib.com, a leading source of news, reviews and information about the book industry for more than 20 years, is excited to announce the launch of a new ebook showcasing excerpts from the first chapters of more than 50 of the hottest books -- past, present and future -- that readers can discover this holiday season.

BOOKTRIB LIT PICKS combines excerpts from bestselling authors and major publishers to chapters from celebrated emerging new voices with great stories to tell. The most popular genres are included: contemporary and historical fiction, thrillers, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, self-help, memoirs and much more.

One early reviewer noted, “There's a little bit of something for everyone in this wide-ranging sampler. The excerpts are of generous length, and will be rewarding for anyone who likes a casual browse.”

The books represent: #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, #1 Sunday Times Bestseller, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestseller, Booklist Starred Review, Kirkus Starred Review, Library Journal Starred Review, USA Today Bestselling Author, Silver Falchion Award Winner, Bram Stoker Award Winner, Edgar Award Nominated Author, and Goodreads Choice Award Nominated Author.

Among the books in the BOOKTRIB LIT PICKS ebook are: The Proof of the Pudding by Rhys Bowen; A Very Convenient Scandal by Jacqueline Mitchard; The Other Mothers by Katherine Faulkner; My Goodbye Girl by Nina Gomez; Flight of the Rondone by Patrick Girondi; The Bucharest Legacy by William Maz; Never Say Whatever by Richard Moran; The Sacrifice by Caroline Steiger; and The Girl from Wudang by PJ Caldas; and The Last Professional by Ed Davis.

Also: Daughters of Shandong by Eve J. Chung; Nosy Neighbors by Freya Sampson; Pandemonium by Bill Harvey; The Island of the Four Ps by Ed Hajim; She Who Rides Horses by Sarah Barnes; Saving Myles by Carl Vondereau; The File by Gary Born; The Empty Kayak by Jode Millman; Maribell’s Shadow by Susannah Marren.

Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel by Judith Keim; All We Buried by Elena Taylor; The Politzer Saga by Linda Broenniman; The Moon That Fell From Heaven by NL Holmes; A Little Rain by Bill VanPatten; Principles of Decision-Making and People by Warren Pennicooke; We Never Knew Darkness by Dennis Snyder; The Art of Time by Quinn Jamison; The Missing Diary by Tasmin Turner; Dangerous Blues by Stephen Policoff; Killer in a Winter Wonderland by Wendy Eckel; Osprey by M.L. Buckman.

In a nutshell, BOOKTRIB LIT PICKS provides readers of all tastes and preferences and hungry to discover their next read with excerpts from a wide range of books sure to enhance their holiday reading list.

Visit https://booktrib.com/litpicks to get your free copy of BOOKTRIB LIT PICKS.

(NewsUSA) - Imagine escaping your wheelchair and standing upright. Diveheart, a non-profit organization based in Downer’s Grove, Ill., has been helping individuals with disabilities do exactly that since 2001.

 Diveheart provides unique adaptive scuba and scuba therapy programs that allow individuals with physical and/or cognitive disabilities to expand their mobility through the experience of being underwater in zero gravity.

Diveheart’s programs have benefitted, children, veterans, and countless others and helped to revolutionized aquatic rehabilitation. Now, the charity that introduced and expanded adaptive scuba around the world is building the world’s deepest warm water therapy pool. This net-zero project is targeting a spot in Chicagolands’ northern suburbs.

After securing the second of two patents on the deep pool design earlier this year, the Diveheart management team decided to reveal the pool’s design and kick-off a major fundraising campaign in 2024.

“There are many great types of therapy, but in scuba diving we have the franchise on zero gravity,” said Diveheart Executive Director Tinamarie Hernandez. “It’s thrilling to help get someone out of their wheelchair and standing up underwater for the first time since their injury, or maybe for the first time in their lives,” she added.

Diveheart’s deep pool will provide a way to scale up and help many more people enjoy the benefits of underwater zero gravity in a confined and safe warm water environment. The pool will be a worldwide destination for research, rehabilitation, education, training, and will provide vocational opportunities as well. The depth of the pool is important because it allows Diveheart to replicate the benefits of deep open water diving without the unknowns of weather, water movement, and other factors that limit opportunities for research and rehabilitation. 

Currently, world’s deepest pool, at 200 feet, is located in Dubai, but no existing deep pool anywhere in the world is functional for adaptive scuba and scuba therapy, says Jim Elliott, Diveheart’s founder and president. However, the Diveheart pool will meet this important need if the organization meets its fundraising goals, he added.

The Diveheart team has focused on the medical and therapeutic benefits of scuba therapy since the organization’s founding, and its experts have conducted international adaptive scuba symposiums and presented to medical groups around the world. In 2023, Diveheart presented to physicians from the Mayo Clinic on the benefits of scuba therapy during their annual conference, and the team will return for an encore presentation at another Mayo Clinic conference this spring.

Scuba therapy has helped individuals with autism, chronic pain, PTSD, and more. Stay tuned as Diveheart prepares to go deeper!

For more information about the therapeutic value of scuba diving, visit diveheart.org.

(NewsUSA) - Carrie Fox takes to heart the role—and the responsibility—that leading communicators hold in shaping how stories are told, how narratives are shaped, and how decisions are made.

A nationally recognized leader in social impact communications and a champion for business as a force for good, Fox’s new book More Than Words: Communications Practices of Courageous Leaders is an invitation to join an emerging community of practice and become your own positive and powerful agent of change.

You see, communication is a powerful force for change. But the way we communicate dictates just how significant a change we can make: in our companies, our communities, and our world. This book is designed to help you realize your own power as a communicator through a more-than-words approach grounded in courage, care, and clarity.

“I’ve spent the last two decades guiding organizations and their leaders to be more authentic in their words, equitable in their strategies, and intentional about their impact,” says Fox, who is also founder and CEO of Mission Partners, a women-owned strategic communications firm and Certified B Corporation that guides high-potential nonprofits, foundations, and socially responsible corporations in realizing their greatest social impact.

With lessons and insights from some of the brightest minds in social impact communications and tools to help you practically apply these lessons to your work, More Than Words will meet you where you are in your quest to become a more authentic, inclusive, and connected communicator.

Readers will learn:

• The four key communications practices of courageous leaders.
• How to become a communicator for change.
• An inclusive and equitable approach to communication.
• How to build trust with your key constituents.
• How to communicate in a way that leads to lasting and long-term positive change.

“Carrie Fox advises the reader to be a ‘radical listener’ to go beyond surface elements into much deeper discovery to build a trusted relationship with stakeholders for effective engagement and impactful action,” says Carol Cone, CEO, Carole Cone ON PURPOSE, and author of Breakthrough Nonprofit Branding.

More Than Words is “a deeply thoughtful book, full of practical wisdom, for anyone who seeks to communicate effectively to share ideas, build trust and create a better world,” adds David Bornstein, Author of How to Change the World and award-winning journalist, co-founder, Solutions Journalism Network.

Carrie Fox is also host and chief curator of the Mission Forward podcast, which delivers thought-provoking and perspective-shifting conversations on the power of communication. The award-winning program has featured Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists, social impact leaders, and some of the nation’s most sought-after philanthropy leaders.

More Than Words is Fox’s second book. Her first book, Adventures in Kindness: 52 Awesome Kid Adventures for Building a Better World, was published in 2020.

To book Carrie as a speaker or to engage with her work, visit www.MissionForward.us and https://mission.partners. Purchase More Than Words at https://bit.ly/3EQUSbw.

(NewsUSA) - The 2023 Marine Toys for Tots campaign season is well underway as Marines and volunteers work tirelessly with local businesses, media, and community leaders to provide holiday hope and joy to children in need in their local communities.

As the Christmas holiday approaches, we are asking for support from the American public now more than ever. Families across the Nation continue to face increasing challenges with rising costs and other economic hardships. When families are struggling to make financial ends meet, providing their children with Christmas gifts can feel entirely out of their reach.

That is why we are encouraging our dedicated supporters to give as generously as they can on Giving Tuesday.

“Giving Tuesday — or as we like to call it, Giving TOYSday — is a chance for Toys for Tots supporters to come together and make miracles happen for children in need all across our Nation,” says Lieutenant General Jim Laster, USMC (Retired), President & CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

“These children need and deserve every advantage we can give them, starting with a simple gift to open on Christmas morning,” LtGen Laster continues.

Giving TOYSday also serves as a reminder that generosity is not limited to material possession alone. Your kindness helps instill empathy, compassion, and responsibility in children and future generations, shaping them into more caring and socially conscious individuals.

Toys for Tots has been a beacon of hope for over seven decades, striving to bring smiles to the faces of children who might otherwise go without during the holiday season. By donating on Giving TOYSday, you can help ensure that every child, regardless of their circumstances, has the opportunity to experience the magic and wonder of the holidays. Together, we can provide Christmas miracles and optimism to even more disadvantaged children across our Nation.

Visit toysfortots.org to donate on Giving TOYSday (or any day) or visit your local campaign website to find other ways to donate this giving season!

(NewsUSA) - For older Americans who smoke or have diabetes or high blood pressure, leg pain could signal a problem with blood flow and needs to be checked by a doctor.

Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, is a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart become narrow. The most common type of PAD affects the legs and feet.

Typical symptoms of PAD include sensations of burning, aching, numbness, fatigue, or pain in the leg or hip muscles while walking and occur when blocked arteries keep the legs from getting the blood flow they need.

Many people are unaware they have it, according to experts at the American Heart Association. Left untreated, PAD can increase your risk of heart attack and stroke. In extreme cases, limb amputation is needed. Peripheral artery disease affects about 8.5 million American adults, with Black people disproportionately facing diagnosis and greater likelihood of amputation.

Fortunately, early detection can reduce the risk of complications.

“It’s important for people who are risk for PAD to talk to their doctors about their concerns, and especially important to ask their doctor to check the pulses in their feet,” said Dr. Natalie Evans, an American Heart Association volunteer expert serving on the national PAD Collaborative.

Several strategies to manage PAD include:

- Stop smoking. Smoking is a risk factor for PAD and can lead to complications for people diagnosed with PAD. 

- Get moving. Physical activity is a way to potentially prevent and treat PAD. Even if you have been diagnosed with PAD, regular exercise should be part of your treatment plan. Follow your doctor’s advice and start slowly.

- Eat well. Good nutrition is important for health and weight management. Many people with PAD also have high cholesterol, and a diet low in saturated fat can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of PAD complications.

-- Manage blood sugar. People with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk for PAD, but consistent blood sugar management can help reduce their risk.

-- Take medication as prescribed.

“Medications and walking exercise are usually the first-line treatments for people with PAD, but some people may need to have more invasive procedures to restore blood flow, like a stent that’s put inside the blood vessel or a bypass surgery,” said Evans, a vascular medicine specialist at University Hospitals Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute in Cleveland, and assistant professor of medicine at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

“Unfortunately, sometimes people with severe PAD can lose a toe, foot, or leg due to amputation,” she said. “This is the thing my patients with PAD often worry about the most. The good news is that for most people, if we can catch PAD early we can prevent this worst-case scenario. That’s why it’s important to educate people about PAD. I also recommend that patients with PAD work with specialists who are trained in treating vascular disease.”

The bottom line: Take off your shoes and socks at a medical checkup and tell your doctor if you have any concerns about pain or discomfort in your legs and feet.

Visit heart.org/PAD for more information about the signs and symptoms of PAD.