Valasys Media: Named Most Innovative Company of the Year with Up to 100 Employees

A cruise vacation didn't go exactly as planned for Jason and Tammy Merritt when their luggage never showed up at their cabin on Carnival Magic. According to news reports, the incident resulted in a lifetime ban for another passenger and a complex legal situation.

Tech billionaire and advisor to President Donald Trump, Elon Musk said that he “Will check with the President” on a $5,000 Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) dividend for every American taxpayer.

My wife and I are struggling to agree on tithing. She’s been attending church regularly for years, and while I respect her faith, I don’t participate. Recently, she asked to start giving 10% of our joint income to her church, which is a significant amount for us financially. I told her I’m uncomfortable donating that much to an institution I’m not involved with, and it turned into a heated argument. She says tithing is non-negotiable for her faith, and my refusal feels like a rejection of her values.

Social Security payments in March 2025 will see slight changes due to calendar shifts. For those receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI), checks typically arrive on the 1st of the month, but since March 1 falls on a Saturday, payments will be issued on February 28, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration.

Disclosure: State of Alabama-based writer. This article is a work from cited sources for informational purposes and is used with permission. No affiliate links are included. A federal grand jury has indicted two individuals on charges related to a massive bank fraud scheme involving stolen U.S. Treasury checks. According to the Office of Inspector General, authorities revealed that the suspects, Franchesca Calagui, 25, and Dondre Gray, 27, engaged in a fraudulent operation that spanned nearly a year, from May 2022 to March 2023, resulting in the illegal cashing of 339 Treasury checks totaling more than $850,000.

Disclosure: State of Alabama-based writer. This article is a work from cited sources for informational purposes and is used with permission. No affiliate links are included. Recently, Floyd Mayweather appeared on Fox Business News' Making Money, where he voiced strong support for President Trump.

Disclosure: State of Alabama-based writer. This article is a work from cited sources for informational purposes and is used with permission. No affiliate links are included. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Nathaniel Hopkins Jr., 48, of Louisiana, was sentenced on February 18, 2025, to three years of probation after pleading guilty to Theft of Government Funds.

Disclosure: State of Alabama-based writer. This article is a work from cited sources for informational purposes and is used with permission. No affiliate links are included. Steve Bannon, former adviser to President Donald Trump, has cautioned the Trump administration against implementing cuts to Medicaid, emphasizing that a significant portion of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) base relies on this program. In a recent episode of his "War Room" podcast, Bannon stated, "Get into Medicaid. Medicaid, you got to be here because a lot of MAGAs on Medicaid. I’m telling you, if you don’t think so, you are dead wrong. Medicaid is going to be a complicated one. Just can't take a meat axe to it, although I would love to."

I recently dove into some updates about the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program, and let me tell you, there’s a lot going on. First of all, don’t worry – Section 8 isn’t affected by any temporary federal funding freezes, so if you're relying on this program, you're still covered. The Trump administration never had a valid reason to cancel it, and it’s still going strong.

Regional offices assisting U.S. citizens with Social Security benefits are being closed by the Trump administration. The Department of Government Efficiency has terminated leases for five of Georgia’s 34 Social Security offices.

When Tension Took Control… During a Pap Smear … 🤣. I went in for a routine pap smear, nervous as hell. The room was cold, the speculum felt like a foreign object, and my mind was racing with worst-case scenarios. Then, mid-exam, I felt this sudden urge to fart—nothing I could control. My face turned tomato red, the tech froze mid-procedure, and I heard her whisper to the nurse, “Did she eat beans for breakfast?”

Sandy Paws Rescue Inc., a foster-based rescue in Massachusetts, recently introduced a young dog named Coco who is searching for her forever family. This adorable 3-month-old puppy may be small in size, weighing in at approximately 4.5 pounds, but she makes up for it with her endless energy and loving personality. Despite her tiny stature, even smaller than the resident cats in her foster home, Coco approaches life with curiosity and enthusiasm. "She has bounds of energy, loves playing with all types of toys, and then ultimately adores snuggling up on her foster mom's lap to get lots of pets," explains Sandy Paws Rescue.

Single dad here. I’ve always promised my kids I’d fund their education if they went straight into college, trade school, or a structured gap year (internship, work, etc.). My daughter (21) is killing it in nursing school, and my older son (23) chose a mechanic apprenticeship—both fully supported.

The 101st Airborne Division sent an unspecified number of soldiers to the U.S. southern border in January, and a Thursday press release said about 300 more soldiers are being sent.

CALIFORNIA – A team from the Air Force and Space Force worked together to test-launch an unarmed Minuteman III missile, early February 19, at Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara County.

Last weekend, my sister celebrated her birthday at a local winery. My husband was invited but couldn’t attend due to work. He encouraged me to go and “have a good time,” so I did. However, the entire outing turned sour because he obsessively questioned my location through messages. We share Snapchat locations, and even though the map clearly showed I was at the winery, he fixated on the app’s top-of-screen label, which listed a nearby brewery (likely a glitch or proximity tag). He bombarded me with accusatory texts, demanding explanations.

Your hospital chart is a treasure trove of secrets—and not the fun kind. After an ER visit or hospital stay, always request your full medical records, especially if you had imaging (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs). Here’s why:

Denver’s homeless hotels and clogged traffic on Pena Boulevard dominated the public comment period Monday during the City Council meeting. Homeless advocate Ana Miller told the council the conditions at the former Best Western homeless hotel on Quebec, one of many such hotels owned by the city, are “Absolutely grotesque … worse than most poorly run prisons ....(I’m) tired of hearing things are fixed. When you’re done using (a hotel) it will need to be completely gutted for habitation again. I want the council to look into these conditions and do something about it. Push for better oversight of how they’re running their shelters.”

A Florida woman pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to defraud the United States by concealing tens of millions in undeclared foreign accounts, filing false tax returns, and evading taxes, according to the Justice Department.

A 3–14–25 eclipse reading. If you are still here, following me and reading my stuff, I would like to say thank you. Peace be with you. ❤. In today’s reading, I decided to do a “what is going on” communal reading with a focus on America at the national level, while attempting to account for my own liberal bias.

Avoid condos, townhouses, or any property with an HOA—unless you enjoy micromanagement. Our HOA fined us 275 for leaving our trash 、can out overnight and 450 for planting a "non-approved" shrub. They dictated everything: grass height, mailbox color, even our Christmas lights’ timing.

The Trump administration has indicated it may target the food stamp program, also known as SNAP, for deep budget cuts. It also may strengthen the work requirement for SNAP. Many SNAP recipients are already required to work, especially those who are able bodied and under the age of 54. “If you are age 16 to 54 and able to work, you will probably need to meet the general work requirements to get SNAP benefits,” according to the SNAP website. “The general work requirements include registering for work, participating in SNAP Employment and Training or workfare if assigned by your state SNAP agency, taking a suitable job if offered, and not voluntarily quitting a job or reducing your work hours below 30 a week without a good reason.”

A few months ago, I made the mistake of venting to my sister about an argument I had with my partner. It wasn’t even a big deal—just one of those petty fights that happen when you’re both tired and stressed. The next day, we made up and moved on. But my sister? She did not move on.

Just when you think dealing with student loans couldn’t get any worse, here we are. They’re talking about ending certain repayment and forgiveness plans, and there’s even talk of loans getting privatized. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. I already told my daughter to save every single payment record and track exactly what she owes, but I can’t shake the feeling that even that might not be enough. If records start disappearing or get "lost," what happens then? Are people just stuck owing money they already paid? It’s beyond frustrating that families have to stress about this on top of already ridiculous tuition costs. Has anyone actually had repayment records vanish before? Is this a real risk, or are they just trying to scare us?

Sandy Paws Rescue, a dedicated foster-based dog rescue in Massachusetts, recently introduced a small approximately one to two year old dog named Cactus who is searching for his forever family. Originally found as a stray and brought to a high-kill shelter in Texas, this brave pup faced a dire situation when he developed a simple cold that nearly cost him his life. "Cactus had a rough start, found as a stray and brought to a high-kill shelter, he ended up on the euthanasia list simply because he caught a common doggy cold. Thankfully, he made it out just in time and is now looking for a forever home that will give him the love he deserves," explains Sandy Paws Rescue. Luckily for Cactus, the nonprofit rescue stepped in to save him and is now helping him find a loving home.

Folks, check out this epic fail from my landlord: Rent shot up by $275 in January, and their “repairs” are straight-up crayon-level disasters. Instead of fixing the rotting wooden columns, they just hammered tons of nails into the base like they’re building a Pinterest project. Then, to cover up the white paint nightmare on our lawn, they rinsed paint buckets directly on the grass and… ​

Cruise lines aren't playing around with their banned items list. We're not talking about a forgotten Swiss Army knife here. Trying to smuggle something you shouldn't? That's a recipe for serious trouble, potentially including legal headaches in foreign ports.

While National Invasive Species Awareness Week ends on Feb. 28, Georgia wildlife officials continue struggling to raise awareness and stop the spread of invasive animal species year-round. Georgia’s “Most Unwanted Animals” list includes several water species plus one land animal found in virtually every county.

As employees at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sit anxious in anticipation of losing their jobs, they were visibly absent from a conference held in Los Angeles this week by the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

I’m in a tough spot. My partner was somehow signed up for Medicaid without us applying for it. Now his psychiatrist just called to say that they can’t give him his medication because they can’t work with Medicaid clients, even if we pay out of pocket. Apparently, he could even be fined for prescribing to him. My partner really needs his meds, and this has become urgent.