Looking for content for your website or blog? Consider the USPA as your source to provide rich, industry specific writing, photos, video and other content for your company, website or blog.

With thousands of members globally, you are sure to find the perfect match for your specific niche!

Simply click the link below to answer a few simple questions that will help us find the right matches for you. 

Are press passes free?

This is actually a very good question. It can also bring to light other details regarding various definitions and details about (press passes, press credentials, media passes) and the like. 

Press passes can be both free or have some sort of fee associated with them either directly or indirectly.

If you are speaking about a press pass or press credential that is issued by the possessors employer, this type of press pass would be issued to the holder in all probability at no charge as they would be using such a credential/identification in the course of their job function(s).

A press pass and or press credential can also be issued by an organization or association (trade group/website). This type of press pass would likely be issued as part of their association membership which usually has a professional fee or membership cost associated with joining. 

If you are referring to a press pass, media pass, VIP Pass, venue pass, backstage pass, this type of credential is typically issued for free by (venue management, managers, artist management, PR) or other individual or group that is in charge of the venue or event. This issuance of this type of media pass is usually dependent upon the individual requesting the pass having a pre-existing press pass or media credential. It is the possession of a press pass, media pass that lets the individual or group that issues event type passes know that the inquiring individual has some establishment of a role in media/new media.

The US Press Association "USPA" issues a press pass to it's members as part of it's proprietary industry membership packet. USPA credentials and press pass are issued to a member regardless of the membership packet an individual chooses.

With the recent run on TP, we decided to review and make some recommendations for what could become a new household item for a lot of US homes. We're talking about "The Bidet". 

While just a few short weeks ago many people would have dismissed this idea, today it is being given much consideration. We decided to test out a few and make some recommendations. We won't bother with names or descriptions of failures we found, after all they are just C**p!

If you are trying to watch your budget, we recommend the Bio Bidet SlimEdge

At under $40 it's hard to go wrong with an item that costs less than 2 24 packs of commercial brand TP!

We found the installation to be simple and the product itself to be of decent quality. While it isn't something that will last decades, it appears like it will be able to tough it out for a few years making it worth the under $40 investment. The spray is ample and the hydro clean will surely cut down on TP usage. Get yours here

If you have a bit more in the budget we recommend the Tibbers Home Bidet

Much like the previously mentioned option, the Tibbers Home Bidet offers easy enough installation. There is better pressure and longer spray duration with this model. The material and construction are good and you should get many years of use.

You can get yours here

We urge everyone to follow the directives of your local authorities whatever they may be (self quarantine, shelter in place, social distancing). And now, more than ever it is extremely important to have your press credentials and be able to present them to allow the access you need to be able to cover newsworthy stories and events. Be safe! Maintain social distancing recommendations and do not create a situation or become involved in a situation that puts yourself or others at risk.

In the past months several News Media outlets have posted articles concerning what is called the separation of government powers and the check and balances that are suppose to exist for the protection of citizens.  Wikipedia defines this as: The separation of powers is a representation for the governance of a state. Under this model, a state's government is divided into branches, each with separate, independent powers and responsibilities so that powers of one branch are not in conflict with those of the other branches.  
As we all learned this in school this was to ensure that a government was not allowed to use their powers against the people, it was a check and balance system each branch overseeing the other.  But does this really exist in the South Carolina State Government?  This being an election year one truly has to ask this question: Have the branches been taken over by Attorney/Legislators for profit?
In the South Carolina State Senate there are 18 Attorney/Legislators and 27 Non-Attorney Legislators.  At first glance this seems alright to the average citizen, but as we began to take a closer look things didn't seem so straight forward.  Most of these 18 Attorney/Legislators held key positions on the 15 Committees within the State Senate.  Such as Senator Luke Rankin who sits on 5 of the 15 Committees including the Judiciary Committee and Ethics Committee.  Senator Rankin's participation in questionable Judge Elections, and alleged cover ups of ethical violations has been reported on by several News Media outlets.  We know of one Judicial election that Senator Rankin failed to inform the General Assembly about, concerning the highly questionable and possibly illegal actions of, Judge Monet Pincus, a Family Court Judge At Large, back in 2018.
It seems that Attorney/Legislators hold many of the seats on the 15 Committees governing the Senate side of the South Carolina State Government.  As practicing attorneys these legislators have a conflict of interest, because that is where they earn their bread and butter.  So, it's not a leap to imagine that these Attorney/Legislators would sway the laws in their favor to benefit them financially in their chosen carrier paths.  On the Judiciary Committee alone 13 seats are held by practicing Attorney/Legislators out of the 23 seat committee.  In fact nearly half of all the 15 Committees seats are held by Attorney/Legislators.
In the House of Representative side of the State Government the numbers look like this; there are 34 Attorney/Legislators and 90 Non-Attorney Legislators.  Again they seem fair with a few exceptions such as the Judiciary Committee that consists of 23 seats and 19 are held by practicing Attorney/Legislators such as Rep. Beth Bernstein and Peter McCoy, who is the Chairman.  And again it's not a leap to imagine these practicing Attorney/Legislators to manipulate the system for profit.   Even in the Ethics Committee on the House side of the State Government 7 of the 10 seats are held by Attorney/Legislators.
Now it can be argued that Attorney's are ideal for these positions due to their knowledge of the law.  And certainly not all of these Attorney/Legislators use their position for their personal bottom line.  But how many of these Attorney/Legislators actually vote or even truly listen to their constituents?  How many of them vote their personal believe instead of that of the people who but them in office?
Rep. Bernstein openly is against a Shared Parenting Bill (H3295) which is sponsored by another Attorney/Legislator Jason Elliott.  Rep. Bernstein's Firm practices Family Law, and H3295 would change the Family Court system from a money maker, to even ground for children simply by guaranteeing a child's right to both loving and fit parents in their lives equally.  It would also remove the long standing preponderance of the evidence standard, which is the lowest standard possible in Judiciary and only used in Family Courts, with a Clear and Convincing Standard.  Not to mention 21 other States have already passed similar bills for the Best Interest of the Children.
There are Attorney/Legislators who do listen to the people they represent and even to South Carolina Citizen not within their Districts.  Rep. Jason Elliott who took the time to listen to the hundreds of Parents (Custodial and Non-Custodial) demanding Shared Parenting for their Children.  He was joined by other Attorney/Legislators such as Rep. Adam Morgan
Has the State Government forgotten "For the People, By the People" and replaced it with "For Attorneys, by Attorneys"?  This election year we have noticed more common people running for State Government, such as John Gallman.  Gallman, is running against Sen. Luke Rankin in Horry County's Seat 33.  Gallman, among others running for positions throughout the State have stated they want Government to listen to the people once again.  As South Carolina ranks among one of the most corrupt governmental states in the Country only time will tell if this election year changes anything.
 
[Submitted by Nicolas Knight]

South Carolina is known as the Palmetto State. The state is known for the University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, Clemson University and other institutions of higher learning. Myrtle Beach, Charleston, and Beaufort are all tourist destinations for travelers from around the globe.
South Carolina is known for something else.
South Carolina is known for its many potholes and bad road conditions.
A 2019 report from TRIP, a nonprofit transportation research foundation, provides a look into the conditions of South Carolina roads. TRIP researches all roads in all 50 states and U.S. territories. The report about South Carolina road conditions and hazards paints a bleak picture.
Read More: Click here
Many in the Palmetto State were upset with the South Carolina Department of Transportation (SC DOT) for various reasons.
On Valentine's Day, multiple state agencies put out messages that upset many South Carolinians. SC DOT put out a Valentine's Day message that caused outrage among South Carolina citizens. Does such pictures how that the SC DOT is out of touch and doesn't understand the current pothole situation in the state?
As the screenshot to your left shows, some in South Carolina found it strange how a state that is notorious for having potholes would have the same state agency charged with fixing those potholes making Valentine's Day jokes. While some may find this to be funny or cute many in the Palmetto State were outraged by this message.
How committed is SC DOT to fixing potholes if the very potholes the SC citizens are complaining about are the subject of jokes on holidays?
When The Daily Counter saw this Facebook picture we decided to take a deeper look into the road condition situation in the state based on the 2019 TRIP report.
The findings from that report and other sources of information were disturbing.
Damion Lee Covington, a South Carolina truck driver, provided a statement to The Daily Counter.
"My question is will they get all this money from the state what do they really do with that money. A lot of cities (in South Carolina) do not take care of the roads this is the reason why it is in horrible condition," said Covington.

S.C. Rural Road & Bridge Conditions
According to the report, South Carolina ranked #1 in the nation for the most rural road fatalities:
"The rate of traffic fatalities on South Carolina’s non-Interstate, rural roads is the highest in the nation and is nearly four times higher than the fatality rate on all other roads in the state – 3.6 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel vs. 0.98. The report finds that 40 percent of South Carolina’s rural roads are rated in poor or mediocre condition. Nine percent of South Carolina’s rural bridges are rated as poor/structurally deficient. Bridges that are poor/structurally deficient have significant deterioration to the major components of the bridge and are often posted for lower weight or closed to traffic, restricting or redirecting large vehicles, including agricultural equipment, commercial trucks, school buses and emergency services vehicles." Read More: Click here
 
As the report stated, rural bridge conditions are in horrible shape in the Palmetto State.
This isn't good news for South Carolina farmers who rely on rural roads for transportation of goods. Many South Carolina truckers have a hard time navigating crumbling and broken roadways. When the roads are already in bad shape the added weight of 18-wheelers transporting farm-grown goods can make matters worse.
When the roads begin to break down in rural South Carolina that means that drivers, especially truckers, will find themselves having to purchase new tires more often. Those rural communities, like most U.S. rural communities, are not going to be as affluent as the urban areas. If there is a break down in road conditions that rural South Carolinians utilize daily then there is lost money on tire maintenance, time lost from replacing a busted tire and this hurts truck drivers.

Road Congestion
 
The study reveals that South Carolina roads experience congestion that many states don't match.
Nobody needs to read the 2019 TRIP report to get a good grasp of how bad congestion is on S.C. roads. All someone would have to do to review the bad road conditions is to review the 2017 TRIP report from 3 years ago:
"Mounting congestion robs drivers of time and fuel. Annual time wasted in congestion for drivers in the state’s largest urban areas is Charleston – 41 hours; Columbia – 38 hours; Florence – 11 hours; GSA Metro Area – 20 hours; Myrtle Beach – 30 hours."
Many South Carolinians have suspected that this is because the state has never really taken the right precautions for certain events.
For example, on August 20, 2017, The State Newspaper reported that the S.C. government and law enforcement officials couldn't seem to handle an influx of visitors. These visitors came to S.C. to view a solar eclipse. There were lane closures, major accidents, and warnings issued by the state's Department of Transportation.
Read More: Click here
The problem with congestion got so bad that S.C. Senate formed the Interstate Cooperation Subcommittee. This subcommittee is supposed to address the issues with interstate road conditions and issues such as congestion, maintenance, and construction. The committee is comprised of Sen. Mark Willis Jr. (Chair), Sen. JA Moore (1st Vice-Chair), Sen. Leon Gilliam (2nd Vice-Chair), Sen. William Bailey, and Sen. Kambrell Garvin.
Interstates 20 and 26 are well known for having high levels of congestion. Traffic jams can occur even outside of what many South Carolinians refer to as, "the witching hour of 5 PM." Due to the single-lane roads in areas such as Saint Andrews and Two Notch Road, a single traffic accident can cause a 3 to 4-hour delay. This may not seem like a long time but first responders have to navigate through a parade of vehicles on roads that aren't wide enough or are single-lane.

Crumbling S.C. Bridges
The report stated that 10% of all South Carolina bridges are "structurally deficient".
More troubling, the report also stated that S.C. bridges are deteriorating or have deteriorated in major components. This part of the report may not shock many who live in S.C. Bad bridge conditions are a fact of life in the state. The bridges in South Carolina are so bad that bridge collapses have claimed the lives of innocent people.
 
For example, in 2018 46-year-old truck driver Travis Hall lost his life. Hall was driving across 4 Holes Road overpass in Orangeburg. S.C. Highway Patrol admitted that the bridge was severely damaged and contributed to Hall's death. This overpass is located on Interstate 26. That Interstate highway is one of the most used in the state. If a bridge collapses or is significantly damaged this could pose a threat to the safety of South Carolina drivers.
Read More: https://abcnews4.com/news/local/overpass-on-i-26-partially-collapses-in-fatal-orangeburg-tractor-trailer-wreck
Orangeburg, S.C. is mostly a rural city. This matches what the TRIP report said about rural roads and bridges and much of the roads in S.C. SC
SC DOT and others ignored the warnings given by the 2018 TRIP report.
SC DOT closed down the overpass for repairs. Is it possible that if SC DOT fixed the overpass which has long been an issue that Travis Hall, described as a hard-working truck driver, would still be alive? How could a bridge collapse, someone dies due to negligence of road maintenance and yet everyone keeps their job?

The Cost to South Carolina Drivers
The Trip report revealed something troubling for SC Drivers who drive in a state where income levels don't match most other states. The report stated that almost half (45%) of all major roads in the state were in poor or mediocre conditions. Keep in mind that TRIP conducts reports for all 50 US states and didn't give this report for every state. Here is a quote from the report:
"Forty-five percent of South Carolina’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition. Driving on roadsin need of repair costs South Carolina motorists $2.1 billion a year in extra vehicle repairs andoperating costs – $557 per motorist." - 2019 Trip Report
Imagine for a second that there is a situation where someone is paying taxes for road conditions. Now, imagine that person having to pay for repairs to their vehicle while also being in a relatively poor state like South Carolina. This cannot be good for a taxi driver, rideshare driver (Lyft, Uber, etc.), truck drivers and other professions who rely on good roads to make a living. This isn't just costing SC taxpayers billions of dollars but also costing professional drivers.
A rideshare driver who uses companies like Uber and Lyft has to pay for their vehicle maintenance. What would be the point in trying to drive to make money as an Uber driver if someone has to pay for vehicle maintenance plus gas (congestion) in a state where rideshare rates are lower than average?

Conclusion
The 2019 TRIP report revealed other major issues. For example, the report stated that traffic will increase on SC roads.
If the SC DOT, SC General Assembly, and the SC Governor Henry McMacmaster haven't solved the problem of crumbling roads in the Palmetto State then one would be forgiven if they believed the road situation will claim more lives, cost SC drivers more money and make the state a laughing stock.
Perhaps the SC General Assembly and SC DOT should realize that they have to use these roads as well. If nothing else, fixing the roads should be a priority due to self-preservation. 
[Submitted by Dion McNeil]

---

https://thedailycounter.com/s-c-roads-are-dangerous-decrepit-2019-study-says/

https://thedailycounter.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Untitled-15.png

Kim So Ra performing at the 58th Annual Philadelphia Folk Festival

Kim So Ra is the first Korean ever to perform at the Folk Fest. The crowd really appreciated the performance today and will have an opportunity to see another amazing set tomorrow at Noon in the Culture Tent at the Folk Fest #PFF58

Mr. Charley Pride Still Delivers The Goods…After Five Decades.

What can I say about Charley Pride that hasn’t already been said before by countless musical artists over an astonishing 53-year recording career? One thing is certain though: Pride still enjoys performing on stage for his legions of fans worldwide…. at 85 years young, mind you!

Still touring behind his 2017 album Music In My Heart, Pride and his tight-as-nails band have their work cut out for them as far as creating a set list at this point. To their credit, they manage to pull it off with a majority of the audience in attendance.

Kicking off their 90-minute, 25-song set with an instrumental Big Mamou, Pride takes the stage for the night’s second song The Snakes Crawl At Night (from Pride’s debut album Country, 1966) to roaring applause from the Chandler, AZ. crowd on June 14th at Wild Horse Pass Casino.

And the classics kept rolling: songs like The Happiness of Having You, A Whole Lotta Things To Sing About, and Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone? are just as viable today as they were upon their initial release.

Next, Pride took a minute to welcome and thank the audience for “spending your Friday evening with us.” As the show progressed, you get the sense that Pride comes off as authentic and appreciative for what he’s achieved.

Combine that with a great (and dry) sense of humor, it’s no wonder why he’s been able to sustain the career he has for so long.

Musically, Pride also proved that he doesn’t have to write every song himself in order to make them his own. Throughout the night, several covers found their way into the set such as Kris Kristofferson’s Me and Bobby McGee and Dolly Parton’s God’s Coloring Book.

Two of the covers played were in medley form, unfortunately. Still, he did justice to the late Merle Haggard (I’m A Lonesome Fugitive) and Johnny Cash (Folsom Prison Blues). I’m sure both were grinning from ear-to-ear.

Interestingly, only one song was played from his latest release, Music To My Heart, that being New Patches. Still, it’s good to see that he feels strongly on recording new music when the opportunity arises. Word has it that he’s working on another album this year, which hopefully we’ll hear sometime in 2020.

If there was a “moving” moment in the show, it would have to be when Pride introduced Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town (from Pride of America, 1974) as “a song about slaves.” It shows that, while we’ve come a long way in history, there’s still plenty of work that needs to be done yet.

The night concluded with Pride’s biggest pop hit Kiss An Angel Good Mornin’, followed by Hank Williams’ Kaw-Liga, and Cotton Fields. I was surprised that I’m Just Me wasn’t played. However, he still found a happy medium of various material that pleased longtime fans.

The significance of Charley Pride’s music can never be overstated. Do yourself a favor and go see him while you still can. I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed.

Four out of five stars.

Charley Pride Set List:

Big Mamou

The Snakes Crawl At Night

The Happiness of Having You

A Whole Lotta Things To Sing About

Is Anybody Goin’ To San Antone?

Just Between You and Me

Crystal Chandelier

Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger?

All I Have To Offer You (Is Me)

Me and Bobby McGee

Wonder Could I Live There Anymore

Mississippi Cotton Picking Delta Town

Wings of a Dove

Burgers and Fries

You’re My Jamaica

Medley: Your Cheatin’ Heart, Love Sick Blues, Roll on Mississippi

Mountain of Love

Medley: Together Again, I’m a Lonesome Fugitive, Folsom Prison Blues, He Stopped Loving Her, Good Hearted Woman

God’s Coloring Book

Gospel Medley: I’ll Fly Away, Church In The Wildwood, I Saw The Light, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, I’ll Fly Away (reprise)

New Patches

America The Great

Kiss an Angel Good Mornin’

Kaw-Liga

Cotton Fields

Val Tapia is a self-appointed critic and fan of music commentary and criticism. He’s a contributing music writer for online media site US Press Association.

You can also find his work in print and broadcasting on his blog, Music According To…ME! (https://musicaccordingtomeblog.wordpress.com).