SPACE talks

    – An annual road trip is a staple for many American families.Whether plans for visiting relatives, exploring a new destination, or revisiting a favorite vacation spot, loading the car and getting behind the wheel is second nature. But, upgrading a road trip with an RV may be just the ticket to making the next adventure the best one yet.According to Phocuswright’s US Consumer Travel research, almost half of Millennials are interested in renting an RV for a leisure trip within the next 12 months. It may be because hitting the road in an RV is an exciting way to spend time traveling with friends or family on a nature-filled adventure. Don’t have an RV? Thanks to sites such as RVshare, RV rentals are easier to find and book than ever. With more than 100,000 RVs to choose from across the country, the peer-to-peer marketplace has a variety of vehicles with options ranging from a luxury motor home to a confined camper, there is something for everyone at any price point. There is ...

   – Toys for Tots is more than a Christmastime charity – thanks to a new partnership between the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and Good360.Toys for Tots, the 74-year national charitable program run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, is launching a DoGoodNow campaign to bring toys, books, and games to families in need throughout the year.The charitable campaign is a partnership with Good360, a global leader in product philanthropy and purposeful giving."With so many families struggling during the pandemic, Good360 is proud to continue the great work of our Marine Toys for Tots partnership," says Matt Connelly, CEO of Good360."We’ve seen firsthand how toys, books, and games bring joy to children and their loved ones served by our nonprofit partners, and expanding our efforts will significantly increase the impact of our program."The goal of the current campaign is to distribute one million more toys, books and games to families in need through the philanthropic orga...

  Payday for Instagram Users ( NewsUSA )  – Most of us can’t imagine life without Internet service at home. We use it every day for news and entertainment, as well as to research healthcare options for our families; to connect with friends and family; to search and apply for jobs, scholarships, or schools; or to shop and save time.Unfortunately, many low-income households in this country aren’t connected and they’re missing out on the life-changing resources the Internet has to offer.According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey, 81 percent of U.S. households have broadband Internet access, but only 63 percent of those with annual incomes of less than $35,000 do.For the past seven years, Comcast has been on a mission to do something about this so-called "digital divide" through its acclaimed Internet Essentials program, which has become the largest broadband adoption program for low-income families across the U.S.The program has had an enormous impact on families and...

  Outdoor Spaces Offer Style And Comfort ( NewsUSA )  – If you enjoy relaxing and entertaining on your porch or patio, you are not alone.Today’s homeowners love being outdoors, and design professionals are being tasked with creating extravagant outdoor living areas with all the creature comforts that are typically found indoors – a task they’re accomplishing with natural building materials such as cypress.Mark Tuck of the Southern Cypress Manufacturers Association,  www.CypressInfo.org , says, "Cypress is a beautiful wood that looks exotic. More importantly, it is a durable wood that – when properly installed and maintained – provides long-lasting performance. It’s perfect for outdoor use!"Unlike other species that need to be pressure-treated with chemicals for outdoor use, cypress comes by its durability naturally. When growing, cypress trees produce cypressene in their heartwood. This preservative oil protects the wood from the elements, and it repels insects such as te...

  Yes, Homeowners, It’s Time to Prepare for Storm Season ( NewsUSA )  – Sponsored by GAF – Here we go again?Five to nine hurricanes – with as many as four "major" ones boasting sustained winds of 111-plus mph – is what the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration just predicted for this year’s storm season. In other words, they’re calling for an "active" six months or so through the end of November.And while no one’s saying we’re in for a repeat of last season’s devastating triple whammy – yes, we do mean Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria – ask anyone still dealing with the havoc of having had their house battered in one of those storms if they don’t still wonder what more they could’ve done to be better prepared."It only takes one storm to devastate a community," said Acting FEMA Deputy Administrator Daniel Kaniewski.Read on for some of the best advice on readying for the next (inevitable) storm.* Check your insurance. The coups de grace for many o...

    Tips (Including Virtual Reality) For Avoiding Home Improvement Blunders ( NewsUSA )   Sponsored by GAF – Want proof of how carefully you need to weigh the alternatives before making upgrades to your home?Look no further than the Florida couple who last year decided to have their house painted to look like artist Vincent Van Gogh’s famous canvas "The Starry Night." It wasn’t just that it was such an odd choice for an exterior that it attracted tourists – sort of the local answer to New York’s Madame Tussauds – it was that the city of Mount Dora took them to court over it."Graffiti," the city called it."First Amendment!" countered homeowner Lubek Jastrzebski, an immigrant from Communist-era Poland, who argued that the city code didn’t address house colors and aesthetics.Yes, that’s an extreme example of unintended consequences. But even though legally the homeowners wound up off the hook, anyone now contemplating shelling out significant bucks on home im...

Facebook drew flak from the international community for allegedly censoring posts on its social media platform calling for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s resignation over the spiraling crisis of the coronavirus pandemic in India Facebook told users that posts that included #ResignModi were “temporarily hidden” because “some content in those posts goes against our Community Standards.” According to BuzzFeed News, the people in India could not view these posts even as  those in the US, Canada or the UK could see them  with a simple search. The posts remained hidden for about three hours, but after the first report on this was out, Facebook allowed these posts to be seen in India, backtracking its previous decision related to community guideline violations. “Because the posts were hidden, it’s unclear what content violated the rules of a company whose executives have often expressed a commitment to open expression,” the report read. According to reports, soon after the BuzzFeed s...