Category: Business
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Proper Management Of Tech Debt Is Necessary For Successful Business
The word debt in the term technical debt may compel you to think that it is just like any other debt which has to be cleared at the earliest. Well, it is true that tech debts are just like any other debts and it is also true that a little bit of tech debt is also useful just like any other debts. Moreover, it is also true that just like any other debts you must manage it properly to enjoy the benefits and keep your business running. Therefore, you can cut the corners while designing software provided you do not let the debt accumulate and pay it off timely. Various Debt Issues You and your technical team may have various reasons to cut the corners while designing your projects like lacking proper skills, laziness or due to the time pressure and willingness to release code within a specific time frame. These reasons can lead to various debt issues as these debts can accumulate over time creating a huge backlog and cause technical inefficiency. The issues can also arise due to the faulty code base, environment of the development of the project, the operating platform, test coverage and automation programs, program designs and libraries and much more. Addressing The Debt As the issues of debt can result in defects which can reduce the velocity of the codes it must be maintained properly and regularly to increase the productivity of the codes. You must have a specific and positive attitude while you address the tech debt always. Be vigilant always towards your codes so that you can manage it whenever necessary. You must also use easy and simple designs in your codes so that anyone of your team can understand, identify and make the necessary changes in it. Avoid using shortcuts to achieve a design in time. Track the velocity of it regularly and ask your team to refactor it as soon as detected to increase the velocity. Service Your Debt Proper debt management means proper and regular servicing of it. You must also refactor your debt relentlessly and regularly to keep it in check. Once you give up it will start to pile up and the cost of paying off would increase as compared to the reimplementation. No matter what others think about code servicing, you must do it regularly to have a good return. Use various tracking tools and techniques for reworking on your defective codes as you will also come to know how much debt you have currently with the help of it. Identification and registering is the first step of proper management of debt. Evaluate And Prioritize Once identification is done you must start working on it by evaluating and prioritizing your debt so as to decide on which you want to work first. During this prioritization process, the factors which you must consider apart from the cost of the debt are the frequency, justification for rework and the economics behind. Check online to know more about prioritization. Consider paying those debts first which are about to expire and then those which have a higher rate of accumulation and keep your debt within manageable limits. Do not forget to check out for bill consolidation loans which are much popular these days and can be of great help. Read More: Top 5 Types Of Startup Business Loans
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Resolutions To Help The Small Business Owners To Avoid Being Bankrupt
Business is not something that can be started with a certain amount of cash. There are various factors how a developer starts creating a relationship between a borrower and a lender. This means that unless you are fully grown to start a business, you will have to undergo the requisite details of taking a loan from a formal financial institution. It is evident that the mode of this loan taking business is many but still it has a more or less similar process. However, in this process, there may be some that may lead to a misleading way of this entire process. With quite an effect misleading of this particular aspect leads the business to grow his debt. Read also: How Industry-Specific Loans Can Support Your Business Reasons to fall into the ditch The lenders tightening their interest rates on the borrowers or with the increased rate of interest the borrowers tend to suffer the most. Many such small businesses lead to some misleading happenings fro not dealing the debt well. There are reports claim that ten present of the ratio gets bankrupt due to this debt issue. Thus, there need to cater to some ways in dealing with this massive issue to help the firm from getting some critical strategy in leading the business. The methods are necessary to save your business from being among one of those ten percentages. Avoiding extra charges There is an essential requirement to curtail and control the payment structure and the useless expenditures when you are in debt. It is very normal to be in debt but in the same way it is equally important to file some resolution in catering to the relevant fact and figure about meeting the debt. Track the details and ensure that your priority is to meet up with the demand of the debt interest. Once you finish repaying it, you can easily fulfill all your luxuries. Have a record on your budget This is one of the prime aspects that have to be considered when you are one of the borrowers. You need to increase your turnover to ensure that you can create a balance. Implement any proper accounts of people who will be tracking your budget in details. Following your budget will also help you to keep up with the amount that you need to repay. You can also move to the visit here option of different software that has been developed for tracking your business records. This keeps you in the upfront to deal with any issue faster. List your prioritization There is an important way how you can make yourself and your business stand in a better position. It is important to take a note of some important details about your lenders. Figure out the details initially and update the list whenever you finish paying one. Initially, it is claimed to repay the smaller amounts. List them according to the date of the lease. In fact, keep a calculative note on the interest rates and make sure to repay the high-priced loans as fast as possible. Designate your turnover into sections and maintain a separate account for clearing your debts every month. Read also: Six Pointers to Starting a Successful Business
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Lawn Care Maintenance Services And Tips
The lawn is one of the best assets that make a home look attractive outside. Lawns make a house look more lively and refreshing. Moreover, they can also serve as a place for different family activities. Maintaining one’s lawn at home may require some specific steps or processes as well as a set of equipment that will help one do the job with ease and efficiency. Lawn care may require a huge amount of effort, but every drop of sweat that you’ll be dropping on the ground from this will surely be worth it when you see the fruits of your labor. However, if you want to save yourself time and effort, you can easily choose to hire lawn care professionals like mosquito minus franchise, but nothing beats doing things you. This will not only allow you to learn new things about your lawn but will also give you a feel for how it is to grow grass. To get that great-looking lawn that you want, it is essential that you care for your lawn properly. There are some ways in which you can care for your lawn, and some of the tips and tricks of the trade seem to work better than others. Lawn care these days is a serious game and has also turned into a serious business. You may be happy with your lawn's current state of affairs but then again perhaps you are just a bit jealous of your neighbor's lush green patch of Heaven. What is he doing differently than you? Essential lawn care tips must be utilized to have the greatest-looking lawn possible. Here's how the tips break down: • Watering • Fertilizing • Cutting Some Handy Tips to Hire a Good Lawn Care Service Hiring a lawn care service who can assure that your lawn will be lush throughout the year is a wonderful feeling. Nevertheless, this is a task that should be given some extra time and effort. Numerous people contact various lawn care service providing companies and choose the one who is low-priced, but I think in this way people won't get the excellent work. Here Are Some Handy Tips That Will Assist You In Hiring A Good Lawn Care Service: Ask Your Friends and Family Members I think you should ask your friends and family members if they have used any lawn care service. If you like someone's lawn, then you should meet the owner of that lawn, and ask him which lawn care service he uses. Word of mouth is another best way to find out about a good lawn care service. Check Their License Before selecting any lawn care service, you should ensure that they are totally licensed. Certainly, you can save a few bucks by hiring the one who is not licensed, but what you will do if something goes wrong while the lawn care company is at your home. View Portfolios Every lawn care company will have a portfolio of their most excellent work for you to view. When you are talking with numerous lawn care companies, don't forget to view their portfolios. If someone says that they don't have a portfolio, then you should carry on your research because they might be new in the industry, or they are not good at what they do. Obtain References When you are talking to different lawn, care companies. You should always ask them to provide you with a list of references. If they are a professional lawn care service provider, they will provide you a list of references. If they say they are unable to provide you the list of references, then you should stop the conversation, and go to meet other lawn care service providers. Inspect Other's Work A helpful way to decide which lawn care service is best for you is to ask them for a list of their latest projects both small and large. This will be different from viewing their portfolios and reference lists, and this might not be prepared, but if you ask them they can provide you. When you have this list in your hand, go and visit those places, this will give you a good idea of how good they are at their work. We recommend GrowGardener for your lawn care needs. Read lawn service reviews to find the best lawn maintenance company in your area.
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How Real Estate Factors into Business Decisions
People tend to think of real estate in a very direct, narrow sense. We factor our rent into our monthly budgets and see property taxes as only a small slice of the larger bill we pay every year. We rarely think about the fact that real estate and housing costs have incredible ripple effects that dictate the success and failure of several industries. Consider the housing bubble in the United States and how it eventually prompted the greatest economic setback since the Great Depression. The woes of the housing market permeated into virtually every other facet of the American economy, and they had a gigantic impact on the lives of so many people who felt the pinch in ways that seemingly had little to do with housing. For business owners, real estate is a much bigger piece of the economic pie than they might initially assume. Though there is little we can do to influence the policies of banks who give out loans or the real estate prices in our markets, we can look at how real estate factors into our bottom lines. Factoring Real Estate Costs into Your Budget The first consideration you should make is how property costs will directly impact your budget. A business owner might decide that they are best served to own the property they’re using, or they might find that perhaps their interests are best met by a rental space. Whatever solution you’ve decided is best for your business, don’t forget to factor in the costs of property tax, insurance requirements or legal expenses that you might encounter and how those costs could add to your initial estimates. Remember that buying a property, especially if you’re building or renovating a commercial space, comes with many costs. You will carry the responsibility for repairs and maintenance, for example. You’ll need to determine whether your business can sustain these costs, and you’ll need to leave room in your budget for unforeseen circumstances. Your Location Will Also Affect Employees If you are poised to hire workers, you will also need to consider how your real estate choices might impact them. If you are relocating, will you be able to offer your employees compensation for relocating with you? If you are hiring new employees, will they have to travel to reach your business? The size of your workforce will also dictate the size of your workplace. Remember that if your business will be adding more employees in the near future, you will need to accommodate those workers. Using Real Estate as a Barometer If you’re starting, expanding or relocating a business, you might be able to determine what location is most advantageous by looking at real estate prices in your new location. There are many things to consider. Is the area you’re looking at booming, or is it stagnant? If an area is showing signs of growth, can you afford the costs of a property in a competitive real estate market? How much does your business really depend on being located in a prime area of your community? Being Realistic in Your Expectations Just like any other decision you’ll be making as a business owner, you’ll need a healthy dose of realism when you are factoring in how real estate will impact your bottom line. Is it reasonable to buy a big, plush location in the most booming part of a city, or is your business model best served by renting a space and keeping costs down until you know how much income you will be generating? In the beginning stages in the life of a business, it is best to cut any expenses that are not absolutely essential to the operation of your company. Find out how many expenses you’ll be facing that you might not currently be factored into the equation, and look at all of your options before making a decision. Real estate impacts our lives in many ways, some of which might be out of our control. But so many of the decisions that business owners make can be based on predictable costs that we might fail to overlook in the excitement of beginning or expanding a business. Be cautious, realistic and thorough when determining the role property will play in your operations. Rebekah Damen Lusk a partner at the Maryland law firm Thienel & Lusk, LLC Attorneys at Law. Her practice includes civil litigation, business, employment, landlord/tenant, real estate, family, equine and animal law. Read More: DC Metro Area Real Estate Update What Makes A Strong Foundation For Your Home Buying Your First Home In St. Louis Why You Must Embrace Green Home Technologies?
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Will Self-Driving Cars Replace Human Error?
The public is understandably skeptical when it comes to the introduction of new technologies. This has been a constant in virtually every innovation since the dawn of civilization. People were skeptical about the railroads when they first became a staple of American life in the 1830s. People were skeptical about aviation when it became a major part of travel in the early part of the 20th century. The automobile itself was viewed with a healthy dose of scorn and hesitation when it first drove onto the scene. Today, we find ourselves in a similar situation with regard to the emergence of self-driving vehicles. Just like with these other technologies, some of our skepticism is caused by the novelty of the technology and our unfamiliarity with it. However, just as it was with the transportation modes listed above, many of our reservations are well-founded and stem from shortcomings that the technology has yet to overcome. Still, the bigger question that we find ourselves asking is: Will we be safer in self-driving vehicles than we would be in vehicles that have a human driver? Human Error Causes Vehicle Crashes The vast majority of crashes on our roads are caused by human error. Some estimates put this figure at around 90 percent. We experience this firsthand every single day on our roads. Consider how many crashes are caused by reckless driving, distraction, fatigue, and intoxication. In each of these cases, it is a person’s mistake that leads to a vehicle crash. People are far from perfect, and we make mistakes regularly. When these mistakes occur on our roads, the consequences can be devastating. One mistake made at 55 miles per hour can cause fatalities, serious injuries and incredible amounts of property damage. In that sense, the less we can be subject to lapses in judgment or negligent driving, the safer we will be. How Do Self-Driving Cars Stack Up Against People? Thus far, there is not enough information available to make a completely accurate comparison of automated vehicles and human drivers. Think about how many miles people have driven since the launch of the automobile and how many miles have been traveled by self-driving vehicles. This disparity leaves us with an incomplete picture. However, self-driving automobiles have been around long enough for us to get a clearer idea of how safe these vehicles could be and what dangers they could present if manufacturers don’t do their due diligence. Last year, Google touted the fact that its self-driving vehicles had traveled well over a million miles and been involved in only 17 crashes, all but one of which were found to be caused by another driver’s error. Meanwhile, Tesla, another company that has a big stake in the self-driving automobile industry, has come under fire from critics about its aggressive implementation of automated technology after the death of a driver in Florida in May of 2016. In September, the New York Times reported a similar incident involving a Tesla automobile that occurred in China earlier this year. The criticism from safety advocates is largely over the company’s willingness to make available technology that has not been thoroughly tested. While these were reportedly the first driver deaths in over 130 million miles of travel, it still raises a debate about the degree to which automation will be deemed safe for drivers. Concerns About Semi-Autonomous Vehicles Part of the skepticism about automated technology stems from automobiles that will be only partially operated by a vehicle and handed over to a human driver in case of emergency. In certain types of automated vehicles, such as vehicles equipped with Tesla’s Autopilot function, drivers must still be aware enough to take over driving duties in certain situations. This might prove to be a difficult task for drivers, and it could even require a certain level of proficiency or training on the part of a vehicle's operator. It should also be noted that we already have some forms of automation in many of our vehicles. Automated braking has been used in vehicles for several years and has likely helped reduce the occurrence of many crashes. There is great promise for more automation, but there are still many unanswered questions. Accountability Will Always Be a Central Issue Just as it is in today’s human-operated vehicles, crashes in tomorrow’s self-driving cars will stem from some sort of error. Today, it is usually the drivers who are held accountable for their mistakes, but as self-driving automobiles become a bigger presence on our roads, that accountability will be shifted to other entities. Rather than human error is to blame, it might be the case that a particular crash will be deemed to be the fault of a vehicle manufacturer, or a software manufacturer. For the safety of all drivers, accountability will be a very important issue, one that will need to be fought for and pursued by the institutions providing oversight and regulation, and by drivers and citizens themselves. The Self-Driving Revolution is Beginning People might be reluctant to embrace self-driving technology, but it will be thrust upon them whether they are ready for it or not. In Pittsburgh, for example, Uber has launched self-driving vehicles in a pilot program. Uber’s chief rival in the ridesharing world, Lyft, has said that our roads will be filled with automated vehicles in five years, and the company is taking its own steps toward releasing self-driving cars. Read also: How To Shop For A Car With Your Teen Driver? Several companies are locked in a fight to be first when it comes to self-driving vehicles. This competition will no doubt lead to the rapid advancement of the technology. As consumers, we have to hope that the release of the technology is not hasty and that road safety is the top priority. The Future of Our Roads People are debating when, and not if, self-driving vehicles will become the norm. It’s only a matter of time before more vehicles will be completely or at least mostly operated by automated systems. We know from the history of transportation technology that we can expect certain things. We can expect resistance, adoption, innovation, and missteps in the implementation of the technology. We can also expect that one day soon we will be riding in, or sharing our roads with, self-driving cars. The Law Offices of James C. DeZao is a personal injury law firm in New Jersey. Contact them by visiting their website or calling them at (973) 808-8900. Read More: 5 Ways To Avoid The Rip Off While Buying A Used Car Invest In A New Car, Without A Financial Liabilit Turn The Tables For Helpless Children With Car Donation In New Jersey Fred Loya Insurance Company
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Influencer Marketing Tool to Move from Local to Global Market
Influencer marketing is having a high card nowadays as people are indulging more into the Virtual World. As per a survey, there are more than 2.3 Billion active users online and on average active internet users have at least 5 Social Media accounts. So just imagine how much time people actually spend Online. And if the statistics are to be believed an average US citizen spends 1 hour and 18 minutes watching a video online on the Social Media Daily! And other statistics are like this, the Snapchat users watch over 6 Billion videos in a day and the figure on Facebook is around 8 Billion. It is enough stats for any marketer to understand that no matter what niche their Product falls in, their potential buyers are waiting for them online. So the question that remains is How and When to make the approach for the purchase? The best answer for a local brand who wishes to expand their business globally is Influencer Marketing. It is the fastest and most effective way to promote business amongst the Brand’s Global leads. But there are certain things and options that are to be kept in mind for a successful promotion of a brand via Influencer Marketing. Influencer marketing is an important activity of Digital marketing, and here are some statistics of who the most famous Influencers of Social Media were and how much they earned. Selena Gomez ($550,000 per post) Kendall Jenner ($300,000 per post) Kylie Jenner Rihanna Beyoncé Knowles Taylor Swift Selena Gomez tops the chart where each social media post can be worth around $5,50,000. Isn’t that huge? But think of the business people who are paying her would be making from the marketing she does. That’s out of my mind at least. These were enough proof for how effective influencer marketing is, let’s see how a local brand can expand their business via Influencer marketing: There are three options for Influencer Marketing Approach a local brand can make to take the leap from Local to Global: 1. Work as per the Target area and make a progressive approach: This option is for those who don’t want to take a big risk and are a little less willing to spend much in Digital Marketing in the Initial level and then increase once they start getting returns on their investment. It is completely normal for any brand to think like that and for them, the approach towards Influencer can be like this, first make a target area where you want to expand your business. After that find a local Influencer of that area and approach with a mutual win-win situation for both. You make a proposal that they will develop a special scheme and Discounts only for their followers and in return, they do the marketing with a fair compensation paid of course. Once that is done and a brand starts getting a response, move out to other areas with the same strategy and spread the market. This is a long term approach but it has minimal risk and you ought to spend less. The best benefit is the brand won’t be dependent only on one Influencer and if they think the influencer of one specific region is not worth the investment, they can stop doing marketing for that area. So the only loss of business you suffer is from one area and others are still productive. 2. Difficult and Creative Approach to hit a nation or globe: This approach is unique and is totally based on how well you execute the strategy of marketing the approach. The thing is all a brand needs to do is come up with a cause that is sweeping the nation or the globe and start to think creatively in that area. Develop a challenge and form a campaign for the same, now hire a single influencer and ask them to pitch the challenge to other influencers and all you got to do is somehow link your brand with the challenge. This way the influencer will promote your challenge and then all you got to do is sit and enjoy the word spreading across the nation or across the world. The cherry on the cake could be if you are able to profit from the campaign. That can be done by making an announcement that if people who support the cause buy their product, the company will donate some part of the profit to the Government for the eradication or betterment of the cause. The best example is the Ice Bucket challenge, think of one viral challenge and you are done. 3. Third is traditional approach: This is the option where a brand does the traditional approach and contacts an influencer to do the marketing, but there are certain things that need to be taken care of in the campaign. Make sure the campaign is backed with a unique and relative hashtag and the influencer specifically pitches the brand, not just a few tags and messages. Nowadays in platforms, like Instagram people are not concerned about who the Influencer tags but, the effect will be prominent if the Influencer is seen with the product or the person associated with the brand and pitches the brand for sales purpose. Another thing that needs to be kept in mind is the approach to an Influencer is much different than that of a normal sales and promotion approach. Many influencers don't care about the money much but about fame and image more. Make sure to present with something that is beneficial for both the parties. And it is not the sole responsibility of the Influencer to do the marketing of the product. Brand marketers also must put in some efforts and share information on their own social media accounts both personal and professional. Make sure Influencer knows these efforts as it will give a positive boost to the campaign and Influencer’s moral. Thus, above were some statistics and options that are available for a brand to take a leap from Local to Global market with the help of Influencer Marketing. Read More: Improve Your Local SEO Via Content Marketing The New Wave: Conquer Gen Z With Effective Marketing 5 Marketing Tips To Help Grow Your Business On Instagram
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9 Magical Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet
No matter whether you don’t include meat into your diet because of ethics or you just don’t tolerate it, you follow a vegetarian diet. It’s highly beneficial if handled properly – with enough protein, healthy fats, carbs, and vital vitamins. If all the rules are followed, you’ll gain at least 9 benefits. Mood Improvement A vegetarian diet is usually not rich with arachidonic acid, which is found in animal products. It was discovered that this acid and mood swings are deeply connected, so the less of it you include into your diet, the better your mood becomes. Psoriasis Treatment Psoriasis is a serious problem for many people, as it affects the skin, making it red and irritated. It was noticed that the symptoms of psoriasis improved greatly in people who gave up on meat. Diabetes Symptoms Reduction Most vegetarian diets improve the health condition of people who have been affected by diabetes. Moreover, this kind of diets reduces the possibility of being affected by the condition. Eating legumes, like black beans , will greatly help in this case. Cataract Risk Reduction There’s a strong connection between what you eat and different diseases, including cataracts. It was noticed that people who don’t include meat in their diet have a lower risk of being affected by the disease in old age. Cholesterol Level Lowering A vegetarian diet helps lower cholesterol levels, mostly because of the absence of saturated fats. However, it’s important to include unsaturated fats that are stored in nuts, seeds, and legumes. To be sure you eat organic sources of unsaturated fat, but them at organic shops like FoodToLive.com. You’ll find many products you need in your diet, along with detailed descriptions of the contents of each product. You won’t have troubles with cholesterol in case you eat organic sources of fats and vitamins. Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Vegetarians eat lots of products high in vitamins and antioxidants. It means their bodies are cleaner, and most diseases don’t affect them. Cardiovascular disease is one of those, so if you follow a vegetarian diet, you won’t get atherosclerosis and your heart will be healthier. Obesity Prevention Vegetarians not only eat better food, but they also choose it more thoroughly, which eliminates the possibility of binge eating. It most often leads to rapid weight gain and obesity. Besides, plant-based foods are usually low in calories and high in nutrients, which contributes to your slim and healthy body. Read also: Tips to Lose Weight Naturally Kidney Stones Prevention Giving up on meat and switching to fresh plant-based foods will help you maintain a healthy urine pH. This is one of the main points of kidney stones prevention, as low pH leads to their formation. Nutritional Norms Following It was proved many times that a healthy vegetarian diet meets all nutritional requirements for any person of any age or way of life. Athletes get necessary proteins, infants get vital vitamins, and elderly get all nutrients necessary to support their bodies for longer. If you still think that vegetarians have a poor diet and they are always hungry only because they excluded meat from their meals, consider this question once more after looking at all the benefits of a vegetarian diet! References: globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/9-health-benefits-of-a-vegetarian-diet/
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How To Shop For A Car With Your Teen Driver?
For most parents, buying a car for their teenager is a necessity to encourage independence and free up your schedule from having to drive them everywhere. Guess what? Your child feels the same. Upon receiving their driving license, they cannot wait to put those skills to good use. If your teen is not persistently nagging you for a set of wheels, count yourself lucky! Pondering what type of car to buy can become an arduous task and may often lead to frustration. Selecting the perfect car model to gift your teenager is further complicated with varying tastes. You, being the parent, wish to find an economical car that is safe to drive. If you are planning to buy a car for your teen, you have probably encountered different opinions that left you a tad confused. In this article, we aim to share insights on how to shop for a car with your teen driver. 1. Prepare A Budget While buying a car for your teen is an adventure, do not get carried away by expensive models at your local dealership. Start by deciding how much money is available to spend. Think about other pressing needs in the future while allocating the family budget. Remember, college tuition is right around the corner. Discuss the final budget with your teen and explain the argument behind it. Talk about the various options that can fit your budget. Old cars are cheaper, while new vehicles may not need much maintenance. Understandably, your teen may be upset if they expected a fancy ride only to have the budget slashed by half. Reason with them and reach a compromise. 2. Safety Features When choosing between different car models, safety should be the top of the list of concerns. You want your child to be safe as they drive to school or their summer job at the local fast-food joint. Inspect the car to ensure it has updated safety features such as electronic stability control and front and side airbags. Even the best-trained drivers can get into a fender bender in traffic or worse, a car wreck on the highway. Naturally, you fear more for your teen as they are new to driving and you want to be sure they are safe while on the road. Request the dealer to give you the car safety report that indicates what happens in the event of an accident. Do not forget to purchase sound insurance over. Compare different options and select wisely. 3. Other Features Once you have the handle on safety, you can get down to the fun part. Your teen is likely to suggest a car with modern interiors and high-quality sound. If you are buying an old car, they may not have advanced features that your child desires such as door speakers for bass. No worries, you can install quality door speakers at an affordable price. This upgrade is bound to make your teen happy! 4. Establish Ground Rules As you may have observed, teenagers are prone to distractions even while doing mundane tasks like watering the plants, washing the family dog or even putting cereal in a bowl. Do not fault them; their frontal lobes are still developing. Driving a car is not a mundane task. Each time you get behind the wheel, you stand the risk of getting involved in minor or major accidents. Your newly minted teen driver needs to understand that owning and operating an automobile calls for a high sense of responsibility at all times. Make it crystal clear that they are not allowed to take calls, read or respond to messages or any social media. All this can wait till they get to their destination safely. Agree on what time they need to get home by and the consequences of failing to adhere to stipulated curfews. As difficult as it may sound, your teen could easily be drinking behind your back. Add this to the column of DONT'S! Drunken driving will not only earn them a DUI and probably ruin their chances of getting into a good college; it can cause permanent damage or worse. Conclusion Buying a car for your teen can be difficult with the different choices available. Make a list of possible models they are interested in and investigate each model. Bring your teen to the dealership, so that they can get firsthand information from a car expert. Be open to making a few adjustments like installing door speakers for bass, so your teen can enjoy his favorite jams. Read More: Invest In A New Car, Without A Financial Liability Will Self-Driving Cars Replace Human Error? Tips To Keep Your Kids Safe In A Car Turn The Tables For Helpless Children With Car Donation In New Jersey
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Why Times Are Tough For Truckers and Why It Concerns You
It wasn't all that long ago that truck drivers were paid competitive wages and offered benefits for doing their jobs. But in recent decades, a job that once provided stability and a comfortable paycheck has become much more trying for truckers. When the trucking industry was deregulated in the 1980s, there was a rise in the number of trucking companies, leading to an increased demand for drivers. That need for more drivers has been a pox upon the trucking industry virtually ever since, and it shows no signs of letting up anytime soon. The American Trucking Associations says that the industry is currently short about 48,000 drivers. By 2025, that number will rise to approximately 890,000 drivers. Ask a commercial driver who has been working a big rig for a long period of time and they will tell you how much times have changed. In many ways, drivers feel as though they are under siege, either through regulation or by the companies that find more and more ways to save the money they pay some of their hardest workers. The changes in the trucking industry are important to everyone who shares the road with tractor-trailers. The fact that the industry is in limbo is a big concern for all of us. Truck Driver Pay Isn't Keeping the Pace The trucking industry has been struggling to retain the number of drivers that they need in order to meet shipping demands. While the industry refers to this as a shortage of drivers, many labor experts also believe that it is really a shortage of truck driver pay. Workers that used to gravitate toward the role of a truck driver are finding other sectors that offer more pay, or at least similar pay for more optimal working conditions. Truck drivers spend long stretches of time away from their homes and families. Unless adequate pay entices those workers to get behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler, they will find other sources of income. This means that the current workforce is stretched thin. Truck drivers are increasingly being hired as independent contractors, which means they lack the benefits that they used to enjoy and end up footing the bill for downtime. Self-driving Trucks are on the Horizon Though not an immediate threat to those who choose truck driving as a profession, the possibility of self-driving trucks is an ever-present entity in the trucking industry. While many believe that the automated trucks of tomorrow will have a human being in the vehicle to oversee and intervene in case of an emergency, the possibility of self-driving trucks raises a number of questions that remain unanswered. Now that companies are throwing their hat into the automated truck ring, the recent fatal crash involving the Tesla Autopilot system has also raised major concerns about the effectiveness and safety of a human operator taking over from an automated system. Until this technology is truly road-ready, it will remain a big question mark in terms of its impact on road safety and trucking labor. Many Regulations Currently loom Over the Trucking Industry A number of regulations have been hanging over the trucking industry in recent years. Electronic logging devices are slated to be mandatory on all trucks. Speed limiters are expected soon. These devices are promoted as being a boost to road safety by slowing trucks down and holding drivers and companies more accountable for hours spent on the road and for traveling too fast. However, many in the industry, including drivers, are concerned that these devices could cause more problems than they fix. Some drivers feel as though logging devices are a way to shift blame for violations onto them, and there have been many concerns (and lawsuits) over how the information from these devices is used to harass and intimidate drivers behind the wheel. Likewise, many drivers are concerned about the implementation of speed-limiting devices, which inhibit the ability of a truck to exceed a predetermined speed. Some safety advocates say these devices will improve road safety, but others are concerned that speed limiters will limit the ability of a driver to be as flexible and adaptable as they need to be in order to avoid causing traffic congestion. Yet another concern with speed limiters is that they create large speed differentials with other vehicles on the road, which increases the likelihood of collisions. Trucker Health and Sleep Apnea One of the biggest challenges for truck drivers is maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Driving a truck means being sedentary for long periods of time. Eating healthy while on the road is difficult. It's easy to see why truck drivers, when compared to the average worker in the United States, have twice the rate of obesity and diabetes. Sadly, they are also twice as likely as all other workers to not be covered by an insurance plan. These less-than-optimal conditions set the stage for the high rate of sleep apnea among truck drivers. The FMCSA says that close to one-third of commercial truck drivers have obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that affects the quality of sleep and diminishes daytime alertness, among other health concerns. One report found that truck drivers with sleep apnea are five times more likely to be involved in vehicle crashes. These issues represent some of the greatest obstacles in the path of the trucking industry. As long as there is a demand for shipping, these companies will no doubt find a way to meet it, but the price is being paid by those who are behind the wheel. The fact that we all share the road with them means that we, too, have a vested interest in these struggles. There will be many changes to come for the trucking industry in the years ahead. Unless those in charge find a way to keep these drivers healthy, happy and better-taken care of, many of the problems mentioned above will only get worse. Read More: Important Things To Transport During A Relocation Finding The Right Moving Company How To Get A Loan On A Day With Bad Credit?
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Shouldn’t On-Demand Workers Get Workers’ Compensation?
Things have changed significantly for American workers in recent years. More and more Americans are working not as employees, but as independent contractors. Some people call it contracting or freelancing, but the implications are always the same - a worker is hired for a particular service and is paid a rate (hourly or per job) for that service. While working as an independent contractor might be the preferred choice of some workers, it is more often than not an arrangement born out of necessity, facilitated by a growing sea change in the relationship between labor and business. Contractors might have a bit more freedom in the way they do their jobs but, as many freelancers have discovered, there are plenty of drawbacks to working as an independent contractor. They pay their own taxes, lack many of the benefits associated with full-time employment and - perhaps most concerning - they aren’t protected when it comes to injuries suffered on-the-job. It’s this lack of compensation for workplace injuries that brings us to a growing discontentment for a large subset of independent contractors - on-demand workers. What is an On-Demand Worker? On-demand workers are the people who pick us up when we hail a ride with Uber. They are the workers who come clean our house or fix a leaky pipe when we book someone on our Handy app. In short, on-demand workers are those that spring into action when we request a service from a company that relies on freelance labor. The “Ride-Share” Economy’s Impact on Workers Every few weeks or so, you’ll find a news story or press release about another company that wants to become the Uber of something. Handy wanted to become the Uber of household cleaning. Cargo wanted to become the Uber of shipping. The list goes on and on. The financial success and the immense popularity of ride-share services have prompted companies to look for ways to incorporate the ride-share business model into other services, and many of them have been successful in doing so. These “on-demand” services are not just popular in the business community, they are popular with consumers, too. In many cases, the services offered by the new breed of businesses are more affordable and, in some cases, more responsive to a customer’s needs. It might be tempting for consumers to think of these services as a much more direct way to communicate with someone who is providing the service they need. The truth, however, is a little more complicated than that. The driver who picks us up, or the handyman who comes to fix our sink, is working on contract through the business who runs the app we use to summon them. The money that we pay that worker is divided between the worker and the business they work for. Many of these businesses have requirements that their workers must meet before they can do their job. Workers don’t have the level of control over their jobs that one would typically associate with an independent contractor, yet they are provided at the same level of benefits. In other words, they are provided with no benefits. Read also: Making Your Office Safer for Workers No Security for On-Demand Workers On-demand workers can suffer injuries just like any other subset of workers. A high percentage of workplace injuries are transportation-related. Many workers suffer injuries while moving goods or traveling for work. When you consider the fact that on-demand workers spend a good deal of their time in transit from one job to another (or, as is the case with drivers for ride-share services, all of their time in transit), it’s no surprise that these workers face just as many, if not more, hazards while on the job as those who are considered to be employees. To zero in even more on just how dangerous some of these jobs can be, let’s look at taxi drivers and chauffeurs, whose jobs are virtually identical to Uber and Lyft drivers. Taxi drivers and chauffeurs have fatality rates five times those of the average worker. On-demand drivers face the same risks - vehicle accidents, violent attacks - yet they aren’t given the financial security that other workers receive. If an on-demand worker is injured on the job, the company that they work for will not be held accountable for the injuries of their workers. That worker will be left without the security that so many of us enjoy as a fundamental right. They work just as hard. They observe the requirements set out by the company that employs their services, yet they are guaranteed nothing when something goes wrong. Contractors “In-Name Only” Understandably, many on-demand workers are growing increasingly dissatisfied with their classification as independent contractors. This is evidenced in a number of lawsuits in which workers are seeking to be treated with the same rights and benefits as other types of workers. This has been happening in the trucking industry for some time, an industry that has shifted from one heavily reliant on employed drivers (who used to be more likely to be union members) to one of the independent workers, and this industry suffered major labor shortage as a result. In one high-profile lawsuit, an appeals court found that FedEx incorrectly classified their drivers as contractors, despite the fact that FedEx required workers to wear FedEx uniforms, drive FedEx vehicles, and groom themselves according to the standards of FedEx. While on-demand workers face slightly different requirements from their companies, the principle is very much the same. The question is: How much can a company ask of you before they should give you the same rights as their “employees” are afforded? The answer is that you can ask only so much from a worker before they are essentially a contractor "in-name-only.” It’s becoming clear that companies are taking all of the advantages they can out of the “contract” relationship they have with workers while providing none of the benefits that they would give their employees. Unfortunately, this means a lack of workers’ compensation benefits for on-demand workers. The Implications for Consumers On-demand services might seem like a great thing for consumers, for now, but there are many ways in which the relationship between workers and their companies will begin to seep into the quality of the services consumers are currently enjoying. If companies providing on-demand services fail to provide workers with adequate benefits, they will face the same challenges as the transportation industry, which is struggling to keep high-quality workers who will find more benefits and security in other labor markets. In other words, on-demand suppliers will eventually get what they pay for and, by extension, so will consumers. In that respect, the lack of protection for on-demand workers is bad for business, not just for the workers themselves, but for consumers as well.
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Promotion Position For Your Ex-panding SEM Business
Growing an SEO consulting business is not easy, it is not uncommon to run into issues. If you follow some elementary guidelines for expansion and professional tips, you will be headed on the right path. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind. A positive attitude has a very positive effect on the people who do SEO consulting business with you. If they see that you are happy to give them the goods and services that you sell, it will make them happy to keep purchasing those products and services from you, which means more business. Let your customers be your most important spokespeople. Ask for testimonials from your best customers, and incorporate them into your marketing materials. People often consider the advice of others when looking for an SEO consulting business or service they need. Apart from the difficult work you put into your SEO consulting business, you also have to have ample financial resources up your sleeves. It is imperative for you to keep sufficient business funds with you all the time. If you are seeking to enjoy a reputable business without any hindrance, then you need to work on this aspect. At the affair, take pictures of your consumer and then post them on your Facebook page or website. Get their acquiescence first, and then tell them the URL that they will be on. People love to see pictures of them, especially if it’s a huge SEO consulting business that is posting it. It may make them feel a bit like a celebrity Sign in to all the social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and the like and try providing unique and interesting information on all of them. Also, remember to connect all your social networking sites and make sure that you are continuously visible everywhere. Put the merchandise on display outside of your store. Clearance items are ideal for demonstrating outside. In most instances, products sell like hotcakes when placed in the public eye. Curiosity about other items you carry will bring more traffic to your SEO consulting business. Have a jingle written by a songwriter. Jingles directly focus attention on your SEO consulting business. Make it catchy and irresistible. Just sit back and watch the call flow increase. There are wonderful examples at Jingle dot net. Using a short song to promote your SEO company can be an excellent way to grow your business. It’s important to make sure you are running your SEO consulting business within the confines of the law. If you’re uncertain about something from a legal standpoint, be sure to enlist the help of a professional to avoid facing serious unintended consequences later. Legal issues can be the death of the business. Curious about the topic of video SEO consulting? Don’t forget to go to my SEO Blog and you’ll be able to find quite a bit of helpful tips.
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Making Your Office Safer for Workers
We naturally make certain mental connections when we hear particular phrases. For example, when we hear the phrase ‘workplace injury’. we would likely draw a connection to construction workers or assembly-line workers who get a herniated disc after lifting a heavy object. It’s a natural connection to make. After all, workers in construction and manufacturing do suffer many workplace injuries every year. But it might come as a surprise to some employers that a large number of workplace injuries and illnesses occur in more unassuming locations - namely, the everyday, average office building. Thousands of workers suffer injuries in an office environment every year, ranging from mild sprains that require no time off of work to catastrophic injuries that are debilitating and, in some cases, fatal. What are these dangers that lurk in our office buildings, and what can we do to ensure the safety of office employees? Read More: How To Choose The Best Printer For Your Office Common Dangers for Office Workers Falls - Did you know that workplace falls in offices occur at a rate two to two-and-a-half times greater than those in non-office work environments? Not only are falls the most common injury in the workplace -- they also have the potential for some of the greatest damage. Falls can result in broken bones, sprains, spinal cord damage and traumatic brain injuries, to name just a few. Tip: Keep floors free from clutter and look out for anything that might cause employees to slip or trip, such as loose, broken flooring or slick surfaces. Being Struck by or Against an Object - Yet another surprising form of injury suffered in office environments is being struck by an object. This could mean bumping into an object, being hit by a thrown object or any number of scenarios in which a person comes into contact with a moving or stationary object. Tip: Safely store equipment so it poses no threat to workers. Always make sure that drawers are closed, and be mindful of fingers and hands when closing drawers. Airborne Contaminants and Poor Air Quality - Indoor air quality control should be a top priority of any office space. Hazards can include asbestos, mold and chemical contaminants. Depending on the level of contamination and the sensitivity of each individual worker (especially if they are allergic to a particular substance), airborne hazards can cause serious illness. Tip: Regularly have your workplace inspected for air quality and immediately address any hazards that might be present. If there are toxins or other airborne hazards present in your office building, make sure your employees evacuate the building until it is safe to return. Read More: 10 Tips To Memorize All Necessary Information Before Exams Lifting Injuries - Workers in office buildings regularly move items around, whether lifting boxes full of printer paper, carrying packages from an inbox or simply moving commonplace desk items from one spot to another. These seemingly innocuous tasks can lead to strained muscles or herniated discs if done improperly or if a pre-existing condition is present. Tip: Never pick up an object unless you are sure of how heavy it will be, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from a co-worker if an object is heavy enough to pose a risk. Remember proper lifting techniques and always lift with your knees. Also, don’t lift anything while seated. This can cause serious strain on your body and lead to injury. Posturing and Ergonomic-Related Injuries - One of the most basic yet overlooked aspects of ensuring office workers are not injured on the job is optimizing the setup of a workspace. As simple as it might seem, the position of a chair, the height of a desk or the distance that a worker sits from their workstation can have a major impact on a worker’s health. If a worker is constantly in a state of poor posture or strains to do their jobs, they can quickly develop problems with their back, shoulders, wrists, and neck. Over time, a condition can worsen to become a serious injury that lingers with a worker for years to come. For example, an office worker who is repeatedly straining to reach their keyboard might be at a greater risk for developing carpal tunnel syndrome. Tip: Arrange a workspace so that it fits the person using it. Make sure that the chair is the proper height and that the worker never has to strain or reach very far to perform basic, repetitive functions. Eye Strain - Now more than ever before, workers endure a significant amount of strain to their eyes. While screens in and of themselves do not permanently damage the eye, eye strain can lead to other problems that might hinder a worker’s productivity. Eye strain can cause headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes and difficulty focusing, to name just a few problems. Much like ergonomic-related injuries, eye strain might also be addressed by a properly situated workspace. Read More: Free Student Guide To Help You Achieve Exam Success Tip: Remind workers to take breaks from the screen from time to time. Suggest lubricating eye drops (the kind without preservatives) for workers with dry eyes. Other ways to reduce the effects of computer screens on workers’ eyes is to make sure that the screen is level with their line of sight and adjusting the brightness of a screen to the liking and comfort of the person using it. Not only does reducing these hazards make for a safer workplace, but it also creates a more productive work environment. Happier and healthier employees are much more likely to be efficient and productive in their jobs. Consider an investment in maintaining and improving the safety of your office space as a way to improve worker morale in addition to improving the workflow of your business. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that businesses collectively spend $170 billion on workplace injuries and illnesses. OSHA goes on to say that by taking steps to address workplace health and safety, businesses can reduce these costs by up to 40 percent. As you can see, working in an office doesn’t come without risks. It is up to employers and supervisors to keep an eye out for these hazards and to regularly inspect and address anything that might pose risks to their employees. If you see something in your office that looks like it might be a work hazard, inform your employer of the problem immediately. You might just be saving your coworkers from a workplace injury. 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