While there are too many scenarios to chronicle the inconveniences of manual car doors, there is an unsung hero working behind the scenes with automakers to resolve these issues for good.

Magna is one of the world's largest suppliers in the mobility space, and chances are, you probably have never heard of them, but likely experienced their technologies in one form or another. The power liftgate technology Chrysler debuted on the minivan 20 years ago, for instance.

Most people don't think about the auto supply chain, yet Magna designs and manufactures these systems, plus a lot more. And, as we look to the future, the company is sitting at the helm of mobility technology -- the intersection of Silicon Valley tech, automotive and smart manufacturing sectors.

Referring back to the everyday "door struggles," the innovative supplier has a solution for those too -- with SmartAccessTM, an advanced powered door system.

Compared to a traditional manual door, advanced powered doors are customizable and easier to use. Engineers at Magna explored door applications with their HaptronikTM technology -- which is a revolutionary motion control software that enhances user experience and ensures that the door will feel the same way all the time in any condition -- to expand the use cases of the manual door.

So, those slammed fingers or dinged cars? Magna's SmartAccessTM doors can dictate the speed at which doors open and close -- thankfully, helping prevent a gust of wind from deciding the fate of little fingers or the car next door. Magna is even developing an "ice breaker" feature for frozen doors.

While automakers and suppliers develop futuristic ways for people to get from point A to point B over the next 50 years, there are everyday, simpler problems that are being resolved with ingenuity in the present. SmartAccessTM was designed to create an intuitive experience for a variety of car owners. From helping an elderly person or individual with disabilities open a heavy door, to a single parent herding kids into the back seat with the convenience of a hands-free option, SmartAccessTM propels the average driver into the future today, using technology with a human touch.

For those just getting started, an Arizona-based real estate rewards and referral network company, RBN (Real Buyer Network), offers homebuyers added value to their purchase through its relationship with American Express.

Here's how it works: Homebuyers use an RBN participating agent for their home purchase and they can earn American Express Membership Rewards® points up to the purchase price of the home.

Larry and Myra of North Carolina recently earned more than 500,000 reward points with RBN. "We enrolled with RBN and were put in touch with Thomas Wohl, Broker, Realtor and it's probably the best decision we ever made. Thomas was not just interested in us buying a house, but rather we bought the RIGHT house for us." The home purchase itself follows the traditional real estate process of cash or mortgage financing.

Founder Kipp Lassetter says, before prospective homebuyers get started, before touring any homes, before interviewing any other agents or doing anything in the home buying process, they need to visit RBN's site.

"Choose from the most qualified participating agents, buy their home through the traditional real estate process and earn rewards. Using an RBN participating agent is a no-brainer."

Lassetter was inspired to found RBN after his own home buying experience, in which he struggled to find a real estate agent with expertise in local neighborhoods and a willingness to go the extra mile on service and support.

RBN fills this niche by partnering with the best local agents and rewarding homebuyers for selecting these agents.

"Each participating agent endures a rigorous vetting process that includes a one-on-one interview and review of sales performance," Lassetter says.

Home purchasers have already earned millions of rewards points using RBN participating real estate agents. If you don't have an existing American Express account, don't worry. The RBN virtual wallet tracks and maintains your points until you connect to an eligible account.

Visit joinrbn.com for more information and to connect with an RBN participating real estate agent in your area.

Gold and silver have a history as safe-haven investments, trusted units of account, and affordable media of exchange, according to the LODE Project, a company constructing a blockchain-powered gold and silver payments platform.

"LODE has utilized the innovative application of blockchain technology to give these metals a role in the digital economy," says Nick Prouten, an Ambassador at the LODE Project.

Both precious metals and cryptocurrencies have increased in popularity in recent times, as global uncertainty rose in the face of the pandemic. To hedge against the devaluation of the U.S. dollar, investors have sought these alternative assets to diversify their holdings and protect their wealth. Now, a solution has emerged that combines the two worlds.

LODE is mining the value of gold and silver by offering gold-backed stablecoin (AUX) and silver-backed stablecoin (AGX). Both products will make their debut on the Hotbit exchange in the second quarter of 2021, adding a new type of liquidity option to the precious metals market. Hotbit is a leading exchange with more than $46,800,000 in trading volume, according to Coin Market Cap.

Each AGX Coin represents one gram weight and measure of verifiable silver bullion, and each AUX Coin represents one milligram weight and measure of verifiable gold bullion, both securely held and independently audited in the LODE reserves.

The AGX and AUX Coins are developed and minted on the Syscoin blockchain platform, and their listing on the Hotbit exchange will facilitate gold and silver digital trading on a global scale. This development comes at an opportune time, as investor interest in metals and concerns of supply shortages are on the rise.

LODEpay also offers an app, the LODEpayWallet, to make digital transactions of gold and silver more accessible. The app allows users to send, spend, and store funds backed by digital silver and gold. In addition, users of the LODEpayWallet can obtain virtual credit cards that they can use to spend AGX and AUX anywhere that credit and debit cards are accepted.

Visit lodepay.com to learn more about metals-backed digital assets, and to test digital gold and silver by downloading the LODEpay Wallet via Google Play or the App Store.

Opening Day (complete with fans in the stadium) finally happened after a year off, and a stunning desktop replica of a favorite stadium brings team spirit and energy into your home, whether or not you -- or your favorite sports fan -- attends a game in person this year

Many sports stadiums, both old and new, are works of architectural elegance. The exquisite replicas from Westbrook Sports Classics present these iconic structures from a new perspective that lets fans enjoy the beauty of their favorite ballparks at home. The stadium reproductions measure approximately 7 by 7 inches, weigh approximately 10- 12 pounds, perfect for a desk, table, or bookshelf, and come with a protective acrylic case.

The models are designed and created by John Kimball Westbrook, an award-winning artist whose background includes both architecture and commercial art.

Westbrook also spent time in Washington, DC, on a scholarship to study with Italian stone carvers during the completion of the National Cathedral, where he developed his passion for sculpture. "Over the past 30 years, I have worked with different fine art mediums, including carving marble, granite, various semi-precious stones, bronze, wood, ivory, silversmithing, drawing and painting," Westbrook explains on his website.

The limited-edition ballparks are cast in a bronze composite and mounted on a natural black marble base.

Westbrook creates each mold by hand over a period of approximately two months. Fans will appreciate the attention to details, such as hand-painted seats and the use of tiny crystals inserted into light poles that refract light to give the appearance of the stadium at night.

The Westbrook Sports collection to date features 17 Major League Baseball stadiums, historic and current, including Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox; Candlestick Park, the former home of the San Francisco Giants; the Chicago Cubs' Wrigley Field; and both old and new versions of Yankee Stadium.

All Major League Baseball trademark copyrights are used with the permission of Major League Baseball. Westbrook plans to expand the collection to National Football League stadiums, NCAA college stadiums, and British football (soccer) stadiums as well.

For more information and to view photos of stadium models, visit westbrooksportsclassics.com.

In "Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia," which debuts on April 3, viewers are treated to the story of gospel singing legend and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson.

Jackson began singing in church at an early age and went on to achieve worldwide fame. Her popularity and fame soared with the recording of "Move on Up a Little Higher." Jackson performed in diverse settings for integrated audiences, and supported the Civil Rights Movement with performances at rallies and at the 1963 March on Washington with Martin Luther King, Jr. The film is directed by Tony® Award-winner Kenny Leon and stars Tony Award nominee, SAG and Grammy® Award winning actress Danielle Brooks as the gospel legend and civil rights trailblazer.

Lifetime's April offerings then turn to the darker side with a pair of features, created in partnership with T.D. Jakes, and based on the popular "Seven Deadly Sins" book series by Victoria Christopher Murray. "Lust: A Seven Deadly Sins Story" premieres on April 10 and spins the tale of Tiffanie Cooper (Keri Hilson), a young woman planning her dream wedding to her soulmate, Damon (Tobias Truvillion). The plot thickens when Tiffanie develops intense feelings for Damon's old friend Trey (Durrell 'Tank' Babbs), who appears on the scene to serve as best man. However, Trey is fresh out of prison, with a checkered past and unsavory motives that threaten to sabotage the happy couple.

"Lust" is followed by "Envy: A Seven Deadly Sins Story" on April 17. Gabrielle Flores (Rose Rollins) has it all, with a devoted husband, and beautiful daughter, and one of the best PR firms in the country. However, when Gabrielle meets a half-sister she never knew she had, things get complicated. Gabrielle, who grew up an only child in privileged circumstances, is thrilled to welcome a sister, but Keisha (Serayah) grew up with nothing, and her envy of Gabrielle takes a sinister turn.

All three movies are part of the network's global Broader Focus initiative, dedicated to supporting and hiring female directors, writers, and producers, including women of color. Robin Roberts and Linda Berman are executive producers for "Mahalia", joined by first-time co-executive producer, Danielle Brooks. Shaun Robinson is an executive producer on "Lust" and "Envy" and Star Victoria makes her directorial debut in "Lust." Both "Envy" and "Lust" are based on books by author Victoria Christopher Murray.

Visit mylifetime.com for more information.

These children, who are not attending preschool, will enter kindergarten next year without the benefits of a formal education experience and lacking the foundational skills that promote success in school. In Texas, for example, data show that pre-kindergarten enrollment is down by 8 to 12 percent, according to an October 5, 2020, article in the Dallas Morning News. It's a trend in many school districts around the country. An Education Week Research Center survey of nearly 500 district leaders and principals found more than half are seeing a decline in kindergarten enrollment.

The changing school environment has led to a re-assessment of how to provide essential early childhood education.

Learning Without Tears, an EdTech company that has provided pre-K writing and educational materials to parents and teachers for more than 30 years, has developed "Get Set for School" (GSS), an award-winning complete pre-kindergarten curriculum, to meet the needs of preschoolers in home-based, hybrid, and in-school learning environments.

The dual language English-Spanish program is designed to help preschool-aged children reach their important early learning milestones, while keeping them engaged and having fun. The program combines purposeful play, multimodal-multisensory activities, and digital apps and teaching tools.

"Pre-K should be fun and joyful while full of learning that results in children feeling confident about themselves and their abilities," says Dr. Elizabeth DeWitt, an early childhood expert at the center of GSS.

Get Set for School stands out from other preschool programs in part because it is truly age-appropriate, says Dr. DeWitt. "GSS is unique because we go beyond other Pre-K curricula with our research-based focus on the fine motor development of young children," she explains.

"The children build and form letters based on the development of writing strokes and use a different manipulative daily while learning each letter as they progress from building to writing before they are expected or asked to write on paper." Readiness & Writing, an element of GSS, addresses any weakness in writing letters and numbers, alphabet knowledge, as well as connecting printed numbers to quantities.

In addition, the program's interactive Sound Around Letters app allows children to identify, match, and say capital and lowercase letters and receive instant feedback to promote progress and boost confidence. Multi-modality resources allow children with different learning styles to use an engaging animated touch screen to learn number and letter formations.

"We are more committed than ever to ensuring that children are learning whether they are in the classroom or at home," Dr. DeWitt emphasizes. "To equip and support parents and teachers, we have added more videos and distance learning resources to assist with using our unique and exclusive materials in any setting.

Visit LWTears.com for more information about Get Set for School and Readiness & Writing.

"Hollywood Heartbreaker"
by Alexa Aston

Meet the men of Hollywood and the women they fall for in internationally bestselling romance author Alexa Aston's new contemporary romance series, Hollywood Name Game -- five romances sprinkled with humor and a few laced with a bit of suspense -- but all guaranteeing a satisfying, happily-ever-after for these couples. After all, anything can happen in Hollywood.

Can friends become lovers -- and can their love survive -- in a tabloid-happy town that thrives on rumors and backstabbing? In book one, "Hollywood Heartbreaker," being late to an interview lands her the biggest job opportunity of her life. He may be rich and successful -- but he's just this side of miserable. Can a wannabe be The One for the biggest star in Hollywood? Purchase at https://amzn.to/3qvLZuh.

"Cyberjutsu: Cybersecurity for the Modern Ninja"
by Ben McCarty

"Cyberjutsu" is an approachable and enlightening guide to modern cyber security and espionage, based on secret techniques shared in ancient Japanese ninja scrolls. Like Sun Tzu's "Art of War" for Modern Business, this book uses ancient ninja scrolls as the foundation for teaching readers about cyberwarfare, espionage and security.

"Cyberjutsu" brings the tactics, techniques and procedures ninjas used in feudal Japan into today's cyber-security battlefield, creating an essential handbook for cyber defenders. The book uses authentic Japanese scrolls to analyze how real ninjas thought about and practiced information assurance, security, infiltration and espionage that often required covert, unauthorized access to heavily fortified organizations -- many of the same concepts cyber-security professionals deal with every day. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3pmEuWK.

"Turning Points in the History of International Relations, 1908-2008 "
by Yoav J. Tenembaum

Turning points lend significance to historical events and enhance our understanding of historical processes. This book, written for academics and non-academics, defines what a turning point in the history of international relations is and then assesses, in a thought-provoking manner, some of the principal turning points from 1908 to 2008.

The turning points emerge in different forms, whether as international crises, diplomatic initiatives, speeches, telegrams or conferences. They can follow the appointment of a new leader or the staging of a revolution. The aim is to concentrate on the reasons for their being considered such crucial turning points. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3qwA0fW.

"The Cytherean Cycle"
by Josef Chytry

Set in the rich traditions of classical Greek literature, "The Cytherean Cycle" brings together three pathbreaking plays exploiting perennial themes of power, love, tragedy and comedy. "Rhea Silvia" -- "a Womanist Tragedy" -- depicts the fate of her progeny -- the twins Romulus and Rema. "Paris Alexandros" narrates the lasting impact of Paris, mythical judge of Beauty, lover of Helen of Troy and slayer of the great warrior Achilles. "Nausikaa," developing a suggestion that the Odyssey may have been composed by Nausikaa as a female acolyte of Homer, offers a rich and surprising comedy based on that premise.

"The Cytherean Cycle" cultivates an ongoing faculty of thought called Cytherics: the sighting of aesthetic-erotic, or aphrodisian, environments. Purchase at http://bit.ly/3bioWxf.

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Although there is cause for optimism, video meetings and face masks will likely be with us for some time. That means that all eyes are on our eyes and the wrinkles surrounding them, especially that stubborn spot between the brows, where vertical wrinkles known as "elevens" develop over time. These wrinkles can be some of the most challenging to address, and many eye-care products don't do the job.

"Wrinkles in the eye area are a concern for many of our patients, especially now that everyone is paying more attention to each other's eyes for communication while wearing masks and attending video meetings," says Dr. Melissa Kanchanapoomi Levin, board-certified New York dermatologist and founder of Entiere Dermatology.

"The eye area can be difficult to treat, but the right products and sun protection can make a difference," Dr. Levin says.

An upgraded eye-care product from StriVectin is specifically formulated not only to improve the appearance of stubborn elevens, but also crow's feet and under-eye- lines and puffiness.

The new Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles PLUS has demonstrated visible improvement in wrinkles and skin puffiness around the eye area, starting in just five days. The cream also includes ingredients to help reduce the appearance of dark circles.

Key ingredients include a patented form of niacin known as NIA-114 that has been shown to strengthen the skin barrier, plus horse chestnut flower extract to target skin collagen and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. The skin around the eye area is uniquely delicate compared to other parts of the face, so a cream designed specifically for this area can have a noticeable impact on appearance.

In addition, arctic marine ferment, sourced from the Arctic Ocean, promotes hydration and helps neutralize the visible effects of blue light exposure to skin -- a valid concern given how much time people are spending in front of their screens due to the pandemic.

The cream is fragrance-free, ophthalmologist-tested, and non-milia inducing, and is designed for use on clean skin in the morning and evening.

StriVectin® Intensive Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles PLUS is available at department stores, specialty stores, Ulta, and StriVectin.com

For more information about the cream and other StriVectin products, visit strivectin.com.

In fact, driving is a significant source of exposure to UV rays, according to the International Window Film Association (IWFA), a nonprofit organization.

Automotive window films can provide an important layer of protection against harmful UVA rays, which do pass through unprotected window glass.

Medical research has shown that drivers in the United States have an increased risk of developing skin cancer on the left side of their faces and on their left arms as a result of exposure to UVA rays through car windows.

All quality window films block 99 percent of UVA rays and can help to reduce the risk of being exposed to the sun's harmful UVA rays. But the dark glass that is popular in many vehicles today may not provide sufficient UVA protection unless it has also been treated with a window film, according to the IWFA.

Some key benefits of automotive window films:

• Protecting yourself. Window films not only reduce your skin and eye exposure to UVA rays, they may also enhance visibility and reduce eye fatigue while driving, and many films reject more than 50 percent of the sun's heat to help you stay cool on hot summer drives.
• Protecting your car. The sun's rays that penetrate car windows can have a similar impact on your car's interior as on your skin. Window films help reduce the fading and cracking of upholstery. In addition, window films can enhance the ability of the side and rear window glasses to hold together in the event of an impact or accident, as well as frustrate a smash-and-grab burglar.

Protective automotive window films can be installed quickly and easily, usually in a few hours by a professional window film installer. To further assist consumers and professionals, the IWFA has developed a guideline to explain the visual quality that should be expected after installation of an automotive window film tint.

Visit www.iwfa.com for more information and to find a window film business in your area.

"Moments Like This"
by Nina Gomez and Kristoffer Polaha

After Andie Matthews chooses her career over a marriage proposal and then loses a promotion she worked so hard for, she jumps at the chance to take a break and help run a friend's coffee shop.

As luck would have it, she meets the mysterious Warren Yates. They share coffee and conversation, and even a moment, which leads to many more in the coming weeks. When Andie learns who Warren really is -- and what he actually wants -- she is torn between her feelings and his deception. But will Warren be able to win her heart back? Purchase at https://amzn.to/3dCbOnI.

"If Not You, Then Who?"
by David and Emberli Pridham

If you like fun, informative, and factual kids books such as The Magic School Bus, then you'll love the new STEM series If Not You, Then Who?

In The Inventor in the Pink Pajamas, 10-year-old Brooke Fairley learns about the inventions that contribute to her success. In Noah's Treehouse, Brooke's younger brother Noah is out to build the ultimate tree house and read about the inventions he uses along the way. In Let the Games Begin, Brooke and Noah create their own games and learn about the inventions that make sports safe and fun.

The series shows no dream is too big, and no dreamer is too small to succeed. Purchase at http://amzn.to/3hcbYE4.

 "Mompreneur"
by Tanisha Jamison

A lot of "mompreneurs" are failing at the task because they lack the proper mindset. If you're one of them, it's time to make some adjustments so you can make significant progress in your business and your household. To become a successful mompreneur, you need support. Running a family and your own business is not easy. This guide will help you get there in stride.

Mompreneur: Running a Family While Being a Boss will help you organize your thoughts and develop a new perspective for success. It will address a number of important issues such as optimism, leadership ability, capacity to initiate, resilience, ethics and the ability to listen. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3bm2rHM.

 "Restoring Trust in the Catholic Parish "
by Marijka Eeuwes Lampard

"We have to do something. We're going to lose the Church as we know it," writes Marijka Lampard.

The Catholic Church has existed for over 20 centuries. It still exists, although broken. It encountered the same problems and issues for decades, and then sex scandals have catapulted the crisis in more recent times.

This book is an honest, unflinching examination of the parishioner culture in the diocese of Buffalo, NY, which is indicative of many other dioceses. Well conceptualized and easy to read, it offers practical solutions and applications to restore hope and faith back to the church. It is a spiritual exploration of the Church pre-Vatican II and the 21st century church in the U.S. and abroad. Purchase at https://amzn.to/3u9bcOb.

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