(NewsUSA) - During the pandemic, Geraldine Bradshaw, a school principal in Durham, North Carolina, volunteered for a clinical trial that tested one of the COVID-19 vaccines. She says her students inspired her to do so and she in turn wanted to inspire African Americans like herself. "It gave me the power to help pave a way for these children to have a better future," Bradshaw says, "and show them how important it is that people who look like them aid in the progression of science."

Now, Bradshaw can see how her participation paid off, as half of adults are fully vaccinated.

"Science is part of the solution to ending this pandemic," says Gary H. Gibbons, M.D., director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

And at every step on the pathway to scientific discovery, safety leads the way. Safety always guides the scientific pathway toward vaccines and treatments. Safety steers scientific leaders like Gibbons, who review and fund research. Safety, and science also inform recruitment of volunteers like Bradshaw, who partners with researchers and participate in clinical trials, frames the rigorous and continuous oversight of studies, determines regulatory approval, guides engagement efforts in communities, and directs doctors and nurses who bring these discoveries to patients.

Yet myths and misleading information have generated questions, confusion, and mistrust. This has spurred an effort for many communities, especially those hit hardest by COVID-19, to talk about why they should trust the science behind new vaccines and treatments.

"It is my passion to communicate the safety and efficacy of these vaccines, and how they work, to people in the community," says Ian Moore, Ph.D., a chief of infectious disease pathology at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also part of the NIH, who oversaw safety at the earliest stages of vaccine research in the lab.

Moore's in good company. "I can say with the utmost confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective," says Lisa A. Cooper, M.D., M.P.H., a professor of medicine and public health at Johns Hopkins University, who reviewed and monitored Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine trial, which proved safe and 94% effective at preventing severe illness. "My role allows me to ease any concerns raised by family and friends and make sure they continue to trust the science."

And for many others on the scientific pathway, it's personal.

"Part of my role as an infectious disease physician is developing certain clinical protocols," says Katya Corado, M.D., a researcher at the Lundquist Institute. "I am able to confidently provide details to our communities which have been devastated by COVID. I no longer want to see my parents, my grandparents, or my cousins dying of COVID."

This type of outreach only seems to help. According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in February, nearly 70% of all adults and 61% of Black adults planned to get vaccinated compared to 60% of all adults and 42% of Black adults polled in November.

And according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among the more than 123 million adults who were fully vaccinated in May, approximately 1,949, less than .001%, reported severe COVID-19 illness.

As a trusted messenger within his community, Olveen Carrasquillo, M.D., M.P.H., a chief of general internal medicine at the University of Miami, shares this type of news through community-engaged outreach. "As a Latino physician, with more than 20 years of experience, it is very important to me that our hardest-hit communities receive the care and education they need and deserve," he says. "To ensure my community survives COVID-19, I educate my patients, family, and friends on the science surrounding COVID-19 and vaccine development."

And Chyke Doubeni, M.D., a family physician at the Mayo Clinic and a vaccine trial participant, shares, "I now tell everybody with confidence, that getting the vaccine is safe. I know, because I was involved."

To learn more about COVID-19 science and resources in your community, visit https://covid19community.nih.gov.

Even as the pandemic wanes and more workers return to in-person settings, employers and employees recognize that the workplace model has changed, and the demand for internet service will likely remain high.

However, reliable, affordable internet service remains a challenge in many parts of the country, notably in rural areas.

Companies such as Viasat have stepped up to connect unserved and underserved areas, and they have optimized their network based on customer needs and overall increased demand. Satellite internet service helps bridge the "digital divide" by providing service in remote areas that fall outside the zones where terrestrial providers are unable to serve.

Leading global consumer-technology media brand, CNET, recently named Viasat "best satellite provider" of 2021 for U.S. rural internet service because of its high speed, high data volume, and reasonable prices for Wi-Fi equipment rental costs. Many people living in remote regions before the pandemic, as well as those who moved from urban to rural areas seeking more space in the midst of the pandemic, discovered they can perform their jobs effectively without commuting when connected to reliable and quality internet.

In a recent survey conducted by Viasat, users in these remote regions responded that email was the most important internet service they needed to work from home, followed by the ability to make video calls, and satellite internet supports these functions.

In addition, many older residents in remote areas have discovered that reliable internet access brings safety and connection with family, friends, and medical care.

Moreover, 66% of respondents in these remote regions said that they plan to work from home in the future if given a choice. Satellite internet service makes it possible for residents in remote areas to work and remain productive from home.

For more information, visit https://www.viasat.com/home-internet/.

(NewsUSA)

"A Pastor's Pit"
by Judge Roy Sparkman

Religious liberty is under attack in the United States. Faced with legal challenges for the mere action of preaching from the Bible, Pastor Preston and his supporters confront a terrifying truth: the U.S. Constitution is no defense against a biased district attorney obsessed with sending him to prison.

A "Pastor's Pit" exposes the threat to the religious liberty that people of all faiths take for granted, as well as the crucial role that U.S. Supreme Court appointments and presidential elections play in maintaining the rights of all citizens. How can a pastor be indicted and tried for the "crime" of preaching from the Bible? Will the courts send him to prison or uphold his constitutional freedoms? Purchase at https://amzn.to/2NHapnh.

"Irina"
by Philip Warren

A masterfully detailed historical novel of culture, religion, history and politics of the times intertwined with a deeply moving portrayal of tragedy, hope and perseverance. This is Irina's journey from Polish serving girl to French businesswoman. Her determination and curiosity will make you cheer, and her harrowing escape from those who would thwart her progress will have you holding your breath.

Poznan, Poland 1378. Irina is dying. Despite her storied life, one loss is not accounted for: her only son. In a world dominated by men, Irina finds that she can thrive, having everything she could want but the answer to one question. A rich, wonderful saga. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3hQ859Y.

"On the Way to Casa Lotus"
by Lorena Junco Margain

This is a memoir of family, art, injury and forgiveness. The author -- a passionate art collector and devoted wife and mother -- is already shaken after abruptly fleeing Mexico and relocating in the USA with her family. Then, she learns she has a tumor, which simple surgery can mend. But to err is human -- even for surgeons. Rather than improve after surgery, her condition worsens.

Deeply compassionate, wise and poetic, the memoir lays bare some of the most poignant contradictions of the human condition, blurring the distinctions between guilt and neglectfulness, anger and sorrow, humility and shame, gratitude and despair. The book plants a seed of hope that loss and pain can serve a higher purpose. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3vYcbRf.

"Indecent Exposure"
by Viola Trivette 

Meera and Aaron have been pitted against each other since law school in their fight for a higher class rank and their ever-growing gap in political views. Apart from constant class bickering, Meera avoids Aaron after an awkward moment in an empty classroom their first year. However, as graduation approaches, she starts to regret all those nights she spent alone in the library and finally agrees to go out with her roommate where she bumps into Aaron at a noisy club.

Although both characters are undeniably drawn to one another, they refuse to admit what's between them. What ensues is a game of back-and-forth as they each try to force the other to concede. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3he4Xok.

NOTE: BookTrib's Bites is presented by BookTrib.com

(NewsUSA)

Farmhouse-style interiors have been popular for the last few years and the look remains as sought after as ever. There are enough iterations of the style (modern, industrial, French, rustic, and more) to suit most tastes. Signature elements include open shelving, shiplap, apron sinks, and a preference for natural, honest materials-stone, metal, and above all wood, new and reclaimed. "When it comes to farm-style decor, most of us think of the kitchen first," says Linda Jovanovich, of the American Hardwood Information Center. "But it can work equally well in bedrooms, living areas, even bathrooms. Incorporating natural hardwood into the design is a great way to achieve the look without going overboard into kitsch." Here are six inspiring uses of the perennial style.

1. A warm contemporary farmhouse kitchen

Photograph by Caitlin Murray

A large apron sink in cream-color cast concrete sets up a warm and sophisticated country tone in this Portland, Oregon kitchen by Emerick Architects. The island's black-walnut-slab top is complemented by open shelving and undercounter cabinetry in honey-stained maple, gray quartz counters, stainless-steel appliances, and a handmade ceramic-tile backsplash.

2. Corral-inspired stair railings and balustrades

Photograph by Spacecrafting

Rift-sawn white oak with a custom whitewash stain forms the handrails and posts of the main staircase in a Stillwater, Minnesota house by Home Design by Annie. An elegant reinterpretation of the traditional wooden-rail fences found throughout rural America, the stair gets a high-tech twist in the form of stainless-steel guard wires.

3. A characterful rustic kitchen

Photograph by Scott DW Smith

Charming rusticity is the name of the game in this Hesperus, Colorado kitchen remodel by Veritas Fine Homes. Existing beams and columns and a new oak floor-all in a dark finish-are joined by knotty-alder cabinetry and floating shelves stained a similar color to the island's honey-tone maple butcher-block top.

4. A cool western ranch-style bedroom

Photograph by Rikki Snyder

As this bedroom in Sag Harbor, New York designed by Timothy Godbold shows, the classic look of Southwestern ranches-pared down and sun scorched-adapts well to a modern interior. The aesthetic is evoked with minimalist means: simple bone-white accessories set against an expanse of white-oak boards that clad the walls like barn siding. 

5. The industrial-farmhouse look in a loft

Photograph by Manolo Langis

Reclaimed hardwood is a beautiful, sustainable material that can be used in a farmhouse-style kitchen to create a sense of warmth, age, and texture. In this Santa Monica, California loft conversion, SUBU Design Architecture juxtaposes recycled wood with plumbing pipes and similar machine-age elements that nod to the building's industrial heritage.

6. Open-shelf wet bar with a rural-art vibe

Photograph by Rikki Snyder

Timothy Godbold conjures another variant of that farmhouse staple, open shelving, with this wet bar cunningly tucked under the open stairs in a North Haven, New York residence. Stocked neatly with interesting glassware and bottles, the floating slabs of white oak and the gray honed-granite countertop become an art installation in their own right. Visit www.hardwoodinfo.com for more about farmhouse style with American hardwoods.