From The Marketplace: Back-to-School small business gift guide

Can you believe summer is nearly over? School will be back in session before we know it, so take advantage of this opportunity to shop for some quality back-to-school products provided by some of the finest small businesses in America. Whether you’re homeschooling or getting your little ones ready for the school year, this gift guide will help you navigate academic achievement. All of these products are provided by hardworking entrepreneurs tirelessly working to earn your trust. Support them in The Marketplace by TheBlaze and help keep American ingenuity alive and well.

Vintage Family Game Set

game set

Price: $32.00 (Save 30%)

Photo courtesy Legends Library

Get those brain juices flowing ahead of the school year with these two mind-stretching games, designed to make you think on your feet. Take advantage of the short time you have left to spend together as a family before school starts up again. Invented in the early 1920s, these games have withstood the test of time, promising countless hours of brain-growing fun for groups of all ages.

History and Biography Pack for Kids

history book

Price: $31.35 (Save 40%)

Photo courtesy Library and Educational Services

Just because school is starting doesn’t mean you can’t still be part of your child’s education. With this pack of four inspiring books, you’ll be able to introduce kids to people who are worthy of emulation. Young people will learn the value of hard work, responsibility and integrity.

Solmate Mismatched Kids Cotton Socks

socks

Price: $20.00

Photo courtesy Mountain Laurel Mercantile

No kid wants to be late for school because they couldn’t find matching socks. Well now, they can put those worries aside. These cheerful socks are perfect for kids. With bright colors and funky patterns, each set come with three socks, a pair with a spare!

ABCs Around the World Gift Set

ABCs

Price: $64.95

Photo courtesy Kids Heritage

With this gift set, a child can take a trip around the world, while learning the alphabet! Complete with the book, poster, puzzle and coloring book all inside a beautiful tote, children (and parents) will get a peek into 26 different countries, while reinforcing the ABCs through fun, rich and colorful worldwide topics.

West End Hand Bag – Houndstooth

hand bag

Price: $69.00

Photo courtesy Kensington House

Send your scholar to school in style! With this handbag’s deep interior and three pockets, she’ll be able to carry all of her personal items wherever she goes. Beautifully made in America, you can be sure this quality handbag will be reliable the whole school year and beyond.

Red Apple Necklace

red apple

Price: $12.00 (Save 50%)

Photo courtesy Heritage Jewelry

This beautiful red apple necklace is the perfect gift for anyone who works at a school. Measuring 13 x 20 mm, the apple is hand-carved from cherry quartz gemstone and comes on a handmade 18″ silver chain.

Teacher’s Pet Educational Software Bundle

cd

Price: $19.99

Photo courtesy Textbooks Heaven

Give your child a head start on classes this year with this fun and interactive educational software. Made especially for kids between 8 and 12 years old, this bundle includes five different software titles on one DVD-Rom.

Bullet Pen – Nickel

pen

Price: $30.00

Photo courtesy Shallus Pens

Made in America from a genuine nickel 30.06 shell casing, this quality ball point pen is rugged and ready to be put to the test. A great pen makes all the difference when composing a handwritten letter or even just doodling. A terrific gift for students and teachers alike.

JackieTop

jackie

Price: $48.00

Photo courtesy Mary Helen Clothing

Everyone wants to look their best on the first day of school. Give her something that’s made in America with true American quality and style. This dual patterned green and navy top with a green bow makes a perfect outfit that’s cheerful, stylish and cute.

Figure 8 Stitched Belt

belt

Price: $41.95

Photo courtesy Buffalo Billfolds & Belts

Nothing beats a great belt, especially for school. Beautifully crafted in America, this quality cowhide leather belt is oiled and waxed for a supple feel, ready to provide years of service. This 1 1/2″ wide belt is stitched with a classic figure eight pattern with heavy nylon thread.

Love Milk Honey Gift Set

bath

Price: $23.00

Photo courtesy The Charleston Soap Chef

Smell sweet and feel great with these two great all-natural skin care products, made in the USA. The Hand & Body Wash and Moisturizing Lotion go together like two peas in a pod. The set makes a great hostess gift, teacher gift or surcee for someone special. While you’re at it, go ahead and treat yourself too!

To learn more about these and other incredible small-business products and shop owners, sign up for The Marketplace email newsletter.

COVID is back! Or that is what we’re being told anyway...

A recent spike in COVID cases has triggered the left's alarm bells, and the following institutions have begun to reinstate COVID-era mandates. You might want to avoid them if you enjoy breathing freely...

Do YOU think institutions should bring back COVID-era mandates if cases increase? Let us know your thoughts HERE.

Morris Brown College

Both of Upstate Medical's hospitals in Syracuse, New York

Corey Henry / Senior Staff Photographer | The Daily Orange

Auburn Community Hospital, New York

Kevin Rivoli / The Citizen | Auburn Pub

Lionsgate Studio

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin / Contributor | GETTY IMAGES

United Health Services in New York

Kaiser Permanente in California

Justin Sullivan / Staff | GETTY IMAGES

There was a time when both the Left and the Right agreed that parents have the final say in raising their children... Not anymore.

In the People's Republic of California, the STATE, not parents, will determine whether children should undergo transgender treatments. The California state legislature just passed a law that will require judges in child custody cases to consider whether parents support a child’s gender transition. According to the law, the state now thinks total affirmation is an integral part of a child’s “health, safety, and welfare.”

We are inching closer to a dystopia where the state, not the parents, have ultimate rights over their children, a history that people from former Soviet nations would feign repeating.

Glenn dove into the law AND MORE in this episode titled, "Parental Advisory: The EXPLICIT plot to control YOUR kids." To get all the research that went into this episode AND information on how YOU can fight back, enter your email address below:

If you didn't catch Wednesday night's Glenn TV special, be sure to check it out HERE!

The Biden admin has let in MORE illegal aliens than the populations of THESE 15 states

GUILLERMO ARIAS / Contributor | Getty Images

There are currently an estimated 16.8 MILLION illegal aliens residing in the United States as of June 2023, according to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). This number is already 1.3 million higher than FAIR's January 2022 estimate of 15.5 million and a 2.3 million increase from its end-of-2020 estimate. Even Democrats like New York City's Mayor Adams Mayor Adams are waking up to what Conservatives have been warning for years: we are in a border CRISIS.

However, this isn't the same border crisis that Republicans were warning about back in 2010. In the first two years of the Biden administration alone, the illegal alien population increased by 16 PERCENT nationwide, imposing a whopping net cost of $150.6 BILLION PER YEAR on American taxpayers. That is nearly DOUBLE the total amount that the Biden administration has sent to Ukraine.

This isn't the same border crisis that Republicans were warning about back in 2010.

These large numbers often make it difficult to conceptualize the sheer impact of illegal immigration on the United States. To put it in perspective, we have listed ALL 15 states and the District of Colombia that have smaller populations than the 2.3 MILLION illegal immigrants, who have entered the U.S. under the Biden administration. That is more than the entire populations of Wyoming, Vermont, and South Dakota COMBINED—and the American taxpayers have to pay the price.

Here are all 16 states/districts that have FEWER people than the illegal immigrants who have entered the U.S. under the Biden administration.

1. New Mexico

Population: 2,110,011

2. Idaho

Population: 1,973,752

3. Nebraska

Population: 1,972,292

4. West Virginia

Population: 1,764,786

5. Hawaii

Population: 1,433,238

6. New Hampshire

Population: 1,402,957

7. Maine

Population: 1,393,442

8. Montana

Population: 1,139,507

9. Rhode Island

Population: 1,090,483

10. Delaware

Population: 1,031,985

11. South Dakota

Population: 923,484

12. North Dakota

Population: 780,588

13. Alaska

Population: 732,984

14. Washington DC

Population: 674,815

15. Vermont

Population: 647,156

16. Wyoming

Population: 583,279

POLL: Should the Government control the future of AI?

The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

Earlier this week, tech titans, lawmakers, and union leaders met on Capitol Hill to discuss the future of AI regulation. The three-hour meeting boasted an impressive roster of tech leaders including, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and others, along with more than 60 US Senators.

Tech Titans and Senators gathered in the Kennedy Caucus Room.The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

The meeting was closed to the public, so what was exactly discussed is unknown. However, what we do know is that a majority of the CEOs support AI regulation, the most vocal of which is Elon Musk. During the meeting, Musk called AI "a double-edged sword" and strongly pushed for regulation in the interest of public safety.

A majority of the CEOs support AI regulation.

Many other related issues were discussed, including the disruption AI has caused to the job market. As Glenn has discussed on his program, the potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real, and many have already felt the effects. From taxi drivers to Hollywood actors and writers, AI's presence can be felt everywhere and lawmakers are unsure how to respond.

The potential for AI to alter or destroy jobs is very real.

Ultimately, the meeting's conclusion was less than decisive, with several Senators making comments to the tune of "we need more time before we act." The White House is expected to release an executive order regarding AI regulation by the end of the year. But now it's YOUR turn to tell us what YOU think needs to be done!

Should A.I. be regulated?

Can the government be trusted with the power to regulate A.I.? 

Can Silicon Valley be trusted to regulate AI? 

Should AI development be slowed for safety, despite its potential advantages?

If a job can be done cheaper and better by AI, should it be taken away from a human?

Do you feel that your job is threatened by AI?