Power for change

We must become bigger than we have been: more courageous, greater in spirit, larger in outlook. We must become members of a new race, overcoming petty prejudice, owing our ultimate allegiance not to nations but to our fellow men within the human community.

Adopt responsibility for your own well-being, try to put your family together, try to serve your community, try to seek for eternal truth… That’s the sort of thing that can ground you in your life, enough so that you can withstand the difficulty of life.

The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.

Learn about three pillars of SUCCESS

The three of the most important things are Learning, Reflection and Execution.

Learning

Learning new things not only makes us competitive but it also puts us in a good state of mind. When we are in a positive state of mind we are more capable of creating the reality that we want.

Reflection

Reflection fuels you with motivation and inspiration. Inspiration will come from spending time in solitude and reflecting on things you learned in life, through experience and books.

Execution

The learning and reflection in your life will not be of any use if you do not apply what you have learned and act on what you’ve realized, to achieve successful career you need execution. 

We should judge by talent and work not by community or caste. 

Putting forward your positive energy connects you back to basic human values which we all share. Good Deeds Day shows that no matter the size of the gesture, a smile that brightens someone else’s day or volunteering in your community, we can all take active part in making a difference.

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How to Pick the Right Car Insurance

A car insurance policy is one of those things you don’t necessarily want to purchase but you have to if you want to legally drive on our nation’s roads and highways. As a result, many drivers will seek out a cheap car insurance company to help them save as much money as possible on their policies.

That could prove to be problematic because cheap isn’t always best and when your policy is insufficient to cover the costs associated with an automobile accident in which you are determined to be at fault you could be paying for those expenditures out of your own pocket. So what good is your insurance policy? Your coverage is supposed to pay those costs but you chose a cheap policy with bare minimums.

This is not how you are supposed to pick the right car insurance. Before you go shopping around for coverage, you need to know what you are doing as it can be somewhat confusing to choose a policy with so many options for coverage available. One that not only protects you, your vehicle, and other drivers on the road, but also keeps you in compliance with all federal and state laws.

Finding the Right Policy

Every driver is different. Different driving habits, different vehicles, different residence addresses, and different driving records. The policy that you purchase will be dependent on all of these things and as you consider the various coverages that are included in that policy you will need to make decisions based on these factors, as well as the limits you wish to impose for each type of coverage.

All of these things will affect your premiums which is the amount of money you will be paying annually or monthly for your insurance policy. Since most drivers don’t want to pay a lot for their coverage, they will try to strike a balance between having enough coverage while keeping their policy affordable.

The goal is to have enough coverage to ensure that your policy limits are not too low so as to cover all the costs of an accident without paying exorbitant premiums. But while your coverage options will have an effect on what you pay, so will all of the facets of your situation when it comes to operating a motor vehicle.

The Factors That Affect Premiums

Your driving record is a major factor on the costs of your coverage or if you can get coverage at all from a reputable insurance provider. A driving record tells insurance companies a whole lot about you and if you are worth the risk. The insurers take risk into account in their decision to give you a policy. The greater the risk that it is to insure you, the more likely they are to raise your rates or deny you a policy altogether.

If your driving record is rife with previous accidents, speeding tickets, and other moving violations, then you are a much higher risk than if you were a driver with a spotless record.

But hold on a second, just because you have a spotless driving record does not always mean you will get the lowest rates on your insurance. The type of car you drive is also a big contributing factor in determining your premium. Are you driving a mid-size sedan or luxury sports car? The more expensive your car, the more it will cost to insure. That’s because parts and labor for expensive cars are typically more costly.

Sports cars are also at a higher risk of getting pulled over by the police since you have all of that power and speed at your disposal. Insurance companies believe you are less likely to go 90mph in a Prius than you are in an Audi TT.

Your zip code will also play a part in your premiums. The insurance companies have a whole lot of statistics and data on crime rates in every city and borough in the United States. If you live in a zip code that has a higher crime rate or is known for being a hot-bed of car theft, you can be sure you will be paying more for your premiums. Do you garage the car or park it on the street? The answer to that question will play a role.

With all of these things in mind, you can then pick the car insurance that’s right for you. You will want liability coverage, of course. That coverage pays all of the costs for other drivers if you cause an accident. Comprehensive will cover your costs and that may be something you wish to include or avoid. Rental car coverage and uninsured driver coverage are both popular, but may not be worth paying for on a monthly basis.

Determine your situation and choose wisely. But be sure you are fully covered at all times.

How to Choose the Best Outdoor Lighting to Complement Your Home

When it comes to your Residential Outdoor Lighting, leave nothing to chance. The lighting around the home has many purposes and benefits and installing the wrong lights or creating an insufficient design scheme can have a significant impact on the ability of your lights to do their job properly.

So we’re going to go over some of the most important outdoor lighting tips that you need to remember so you can make the best choices to complement the home and help keep you and your family safe at all times.

Whether you plan to install the lighting yourself or hire a professional installer to come in and do the work for you, this is a job you should only have to do once. You don’t want to put together an outdoor lighting scheme and have all of the fixtures placed only to realize you have left some dark spots or need to replace some of your initial choices because they are insufficient to properly illuminate the exterior of the home and all of the most important elements in your yard.

So, let’s look at the factors that play a role to help you choose the best outdoor lighting to complement your home and everything surrounding it.

Walk Around

You might think you know the exterior of your property well enough, but take a good long look at the home and the landscaping all around it before you decide on any lighting options. You need to do this for two reasons: find the areas that are potentially dangerous to navigate in the dark and pinpoint any features that you want to spotlight after the sun goes down to boost your home’s curb appeal.

Safety

For the first of those factors we’ve named above, safety should be of the utmost importance when you are designing the right outdoor lighting for the home. You don’t want yourself or any member of your family or invited guests taking a bad fall simply because there was little to no visibility around the house.

This could occur along walkways, driveways, front or back steps, even your patio or deck. So, it’s critical to find all of the areas where someone could trip and hurt themselves in the dark. Make a note of these locations and decide on the best types of fixtures to reduce those risks through sufficient lighting.

Curb Appeal

Next, make a list of the features around the outside that you want to spotlight in the dark. You might have a particularly large tree that can look even more grandiose and dramatic with the right lighting, maybe some landscaping that could benefit from a few additional fixtures. Perhaps the home itself has certain architectural flourishes that you desperately want to show off to passersby.

Make a note of all these things as you will want to illuminate them for the best possible exposure when it gets dark out. Just be careful you don’t bathe the home and your yard in too much light. That could defeat the purpose of spotlighting your favorite features and it could bother your neighbors next door.

What Type of Front Door Is Best for Security?

When it comes to the safety of you and your family you can never underestimate how important it is to choose a front door that offers complete and total home security. But while you have a wide range of entry doors Raleigh NC that you may find very appealing, the truth is you have a smaller selection at your disposal for ensuring that your front door offers maximum security.

Therefore, you are going to want to avoid installing a door that comes with vulnerabilities in the form of glass inserts or sidelights and choose solid materials instead. Anything that is very difficult to kick in or smash through with some kind of tool. Keeping that in mind, your options are narrowed down to three possibilities, all of which provide your home with an additional layer of security to prevent intruders from getting into your home.

Wood Doors

Wood is a good option that comes with a set of pros and cons. For the former, wood is thick and comes in a variety of choices and when you equip it with a deadbolt lock and a reinforced jamb, a solid wood door can provide plenty of security. The downsides, however, are that wood is less energy efficient than alternative options and you may need to re-stain the door repeatedly due to wear and tear.

So, your maintenance requirements are considerably higher than other materials because the wood can warp and degrade over time. This won’t just mar the appearance of the home but make the door less secure and easier to bust down.

Steel Doors

If it’s security you want, a steel door is the way to go. They aren’t the prettiest option out there but they will keep out anyone and everyone you don’t want inside of your house. In the event someone does try to break in, the door might dent a little but that’s about all. Wear and tear and warping are non-existent and the energy efficiency in this material is excellent. That’s because steel doors are infused with polyurethane core layered with a galvanized exterior.

You can even purchase steel doors that have a similar appearance to the traditional wood entry door, although it will certainly look like a steel door. That embossed texture won’t be fooling anyone into believing your steel door is actually wood. It’s really a matter of personal taste on your part.

But at the end of the day, your steel door is going to be the most effective at keeping you, your family, and your home safe from harm.

Fiberglass Doors

The choice that is more affordable than either wood or steel because this material requires almost no maintenance so you won’t be spending any additional resources on repairs, upkeep, or repainting. All you pay for is the door and the installation.

Even better for your wallet, fiberglass doors are significantly more energy efficient than wood due to their polyurethane core and fiberglass is incredibly difficult to break or smash. So, you need not concern yourself with wear and tear reducing the strength of your door either.

How to Calculate What Your Company Is Worth

If you want to put up a business for sale az you need to be sure you are putting the proper price tag on it. There are a lot of things to consider when you sell your business, but the most important is knowing how to calculate what your company is actually worth. Otherwise, you either run the risk of undervaluing the business and taking too little in the way of compensation for all your hard work or you scare away potential buyers who don’t want to pay for a business that has been considerably overvalued.

Don’t make these mistakes. You worked hard to get your business to where it is today and you should be able to reap the benefits of all that blood, sweat, and tears. It doesn’t matter what kind of business you are trying to sell; you need to have an accurate depiction of what it’s worth before you can attempt to close any transaction where ownership changes hands.

Here are the factors you must take into account to calculate what your company is worth:

Preliminary Considerations

Determining what your company is worth requires a whole lot more than just crunching numbers. You need to consider other criteria such as your competition and how much of it is out there, how your business is positioned to meet the challenges of that competitive marketplace, as well as factoring in the rate of growth of the company, sales and revenue, profits, and industry trends looming on the horizon that could affect all of those things.

Risk is also a significant factor in your calculations. What kind of risks are associated with the operation of your company and what should a potential buyer do to ensure that your business continues to operate smoothly when he or she takes over.

Asset Value

This is where you need to do some math. Start to organize all of your assets and add all of them up, be sure to include everything. We’re talking about everything the company owns, inventory, equipment, and so on. Once you have all of that tallied up, you must then subtract all of the debt and liability you have on the books at this moment in time.

From there, think about your revenue and the earnings you expect. Look at your annual sales and base some of these calculations from there. Look to the other businesses in your field and consider value based on the level of sales those companies can claim.

Discounted Cash Flow Analysis

Another important component to determine your company’s worth is to perform a discounted cash flow analysis. This is the formula you use to incorporate your annual cash into the company’s future, but discounted by the value of the cash flow from today through a “net present value” calculation. If that sounds somewhat confusing, not to worry, you can find plenty of net present value calculators online. You just input numbers into the calculator and it will give hard figures that will help you better portray your discounted cash flow analysis.

Factors to Consider When Hiring A Consumer Fraud Attorney

When you are seeking out a good consumer fraud attorney you want to find the right team with the expertise, experience, and resources to handle your case with the care and attention to detail that it deserves. Due to the highly complex nature of the consumer laws in the United States, it never pays to negotiate your own claim. Since you are not a consumer fraud attorney and you do not have the knowledge necessary for understanding the law, you must always have a good legal team on your side.

You should be working with a lawyer who has the skills for helping you get the justice you deserve and all of the compensation for your losses that you incurred due to fraudulent and deceptive business practices. There are many bad actors out there who make a business out of preying on unsuspecting consumers and you want the right legal team in your corner to win the fight against these predators.

But how do you know if you have the right attorney working on your behalf to get you the maximum compensation to which you are entitled? What guarantees do you have that the lawyer you have hired is ready to protect your rights in court? Here are some of the factors that you must take into account when the time comes to hire a good consumer fraud attorney:

Experience

The laws governing consumer fraud cases in the United States are very complicated. It’s one thing to understand the letter of the law, it’s another to know how to interpret and apply it in a courtroom or at a negotiating table with success. The more experience your attorney has in litigating a consumer fraud case, the better off you will be in winning your case in getting the maximum compensation that you deserve.

So, ask your prospective attorney how long he or she has been fighting cases like yours. This is different than asking how long that attorney has been practicing law. You might also inquire as to the types of consumer fraud cases he or she has handled, did the attorney represent plaintiffs and defendants in these examples?

Relevant Expertise

Your case is unique and could require specific expertise in order to win. The consumer fraud laws are wide-ranging and cover many types of fraudulent activities and deceptive practices. You want an attorney who is equipped to handle the certainties of your situation in a manner that demonstrates his or her expertise in the area relevant to your case.

There are many attorneys who say they can take on your case but don’t have the relevant knowledge and expertise to litigate your claim successfully.

Comfort

Simply put, if you don’t feel comfortable with the attorney you have chosen to represent you then chances are you have chosen the wrong attorney. That’s why the consultation process is so critical, it’s during this time when you can ask all of the right questions and get the answers that will put you at ease.

How to stop tenants smoking in your property

Although the dangers of smoking are well recognised, many people in the UK continue to smoke. In addition to the increased risks of lung cancer and other diseases, smoking can also have an impact on the health of your property, so it is in your best interests to prevent tenants from smoking inside.

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The impact of smoking

According to research reported in the Independent, potentially harmful chemicals from smoking can become trapped in carpets and furniture and can later become airborne, causing indirect exposure even when nobody is smoking in the property.

Your property can also be devalued by smokers, as nicotine and other chemicals can accumulate in floors and floor coverings, walls, furniture and on other surfaces. In addition to the aforementioned health hazards, smoke can cause unpleasant lingering smells and can also affect the appearance of surfaces and furnishings. Smoking can also be a fire hazard.

Preventing smoking

If you can, choose tenants who are non-smokers. State clearly in your adverts that you are looking for a non-smoker, but even if applicants claim not to smoke, it is difficult to be certain whether this is actually the case or not. More than half of the UK’s smokers rent properties either privately or through social housing. Your tenancy agreement can include a clause that states that smoking is not allowed and you can refuse consent if a tenant asks for permission to smoke. If you have an HMO (house in multiple occupation), any shared areas will be covered by the 2017 Smoke Free Law that makes it illegal to smoke there.

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Tenants who smoke

If your tenant smokes in the property, you can warn them that this is unacceptable. If this fails to make any difference, you can request a higher deposit that will be sufficient to cover refurbishing costs when they have left. Your property inventory software will help to ascertain likely costs.

Another option is to increase the rent once any fixed term has finished. Again, your property inventory software will give you a good idea of how much the increase needs to be in order to compensate for the damage caused by smoking.

If a rent increase causes a smoking tenant to leave, you will be able to advertise for a non-smoker in their place. Complete redecoration may be required before re-letting the property.

Benefits of a Forest School

The idea behind Forest Schools has a long history. Scouts founder, Baden Powell, and educational theorist AS Neill both proposed the concept a century ago, to use the natural environment as part of the educational process. This is not the nature walks of most parent’s childhood, but a structured learning experience, with performance indicators and attainment targets. If you are repurposing an area of school land you may want to consider consulting with a Land Remediation Services company such as ash remediation to ensure there are not compounds in the soil that could be harmful if released into the environment.

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The Scandinavian model which is becoming widespread today is based on real pedagogical research in education systems which are the envy of the world. Finland, for example, has regularly been in the top three in the Pisa rankings for the last decade, and all of the Scandinavian countries’ education systems have outperformed the British since the rankings were introduced. So, there are real benefits to the concept, and the idea is growing in popularity in the UK.

Building confidence

The idea is to build a child’s confidence and allow them to develop independently as learners. This improves both communication and social skills. Group activities, sharing tools, and sharing knowledge in a natural environment all build up pupils’ learning skills.

Engagement

Boredom is the bane of educational development. By engaging children in a natural environment, Forest Schools stimulate natural curiosity, and, because they are enjoyable experiences, they keep interest levels high. This makes the children active participants in the lessons, and active learners make better learners. This is particularly good for children with special educational needs, or those who struggle in the traditional classroom environment.
Of course, lessons need structure and learning outcomes, which are overseen by trained practitioners.

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Positive outcomes

There are measurable longer term outcomes from Forest Schools. These include improvements in physical skills, fitness and ability, the development of gross and fine motor skills, a development of environmental awareness, and improved knowledge and understanding of the natural world. It also allows teachers and educators to provide different learning experiences to pupils and to gain a better understanding of their class’s educational needs.

Perhaps the most positive outcome is the impact that Forest Schools can have with children’s wider educational engagement. As pupils share their experiences with family and friends, it not only reinforces their own learning, but also encourages environmental engagement in the wider population.

Software Development Mistakes You Can Make that are the biggest

Software development can be a complex and lengthy process involving many skills, professionals and businesses from programmers to a software testing company. A lot of businesses and independent developers are tempted to cut corners, especially those who are new to the field or who are going it alone for the first time.

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However, there are a few corners you should not cut, as doing so could prove to be a big mistake. Some of the biggest software development mistakes you should avoid include:

A Poor Interface

The interface isn’t the most important thing when it comes to creating a piece of software, right? It’s nice to have a shiny, impressive interface but if you create a useful, solid piece of software with unique selling points people will buy it even if it’s not the prettiest, won’t they?

Unfortunately, a lot of consumers are more shallow and easily-led than that, and will certainly judge a piece of software by its interface. Besides, creating an interface is about more than just making things look good – how your interface is designed and laid out plays a big role in its usability.

Skimping on Testing

Do you really need to submit your software for professional testing? Surely as long as you are, or your developer is, careful and thorough with coding then everything will be good to go, or at least good enough. Testing just represents an extra expense.

Actually, some companies can be invaluable.  Bugs don’t go down well with users, as many companies have discovered the hard way. Coding is complex, and often the developer’s own eyes may not be enough to spot all the bugs. Software testing will often prove to be a worthwhile investment.

Not Marketing

Those who are releasing a product in any industry for the first time often assume all they need to do is make a good product and people will come flocking to buy it. This misconception seems to be particularly strong and widespread when it comes to software.

In reality, people will rarely just stumble upon something by accident. However good and useful your piece of software is, a solid marketing campaign will probably be needed. A Branding Agency will be able to help you with the design, photography and logos so just take a look at links such as http://www.reallyhelpfulmarketing.co.uk/services/brand-development-gloucester/ Otherwise, people won’t buy it, even if it’s exactly what they want, because they will simply never find out it exists.

Choices of office chairs for work and home

The best office chairs are solid, comfortable, offer great lumbar support and look equally attractive in any office. Here are nine of our favourites.

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Best in Class: Herman Miller Embody

The Herman Miller Aeron might be the gamechanger for the office chair, but the Embody has everything you need to get through a day in the office. The seat and back conform perfectly to your body shape, while the chair’s spine and ribs give perfect lumbar support.

Best for Your Back: Devon inflatable lumbar operator chairs

Years of research went into this chair and it shows. Giving you great flexibility for adjustability, back support and arm support.  It gives great comfort and support for you and your back. You can see a selection of Operator Chairs with links such as https://www.bestbuy-officechairs.co.uk/office-chairs/operator-chairs/.


Best for Budget Design: Ikea Markus

Ikea are the masters of the low budget solution and the Markus chair doesn’t disappoint. Sleek and contemporary with a mesh back for breathability and lumbar support, this chair has height and tilt.

Best for Sustainability: Knoll ReGeneration

Set aside the day long comfort, the self-adjusting support and the contemporary design. This chair is built using corn based and soy materials for the ultimate in sustainability.

Best for Cool: DXRacer Formula Series

OK, so this is actually a gaming chair, but gamers need lumbar support too. This chair is totally cool and will do double duty when you hit the PS4 after work.

Best for Features: Raynor Ergohuman

It might not be the prettiest chair out there, but the Ergohuman is packed with a range of features making it both user friendly and uber comfortable.

Best for Minimalists: Herman Miller Sayl

Taking its design cues from construction bridges, the intelligent mesh backing and optional lumbar support prevent slouching whilst the look of this chair is stunningly minimalist.

Best for the Home: ItalModern Bungie High Back Office Chair

With its bungie cord support system, this quirky and unusual chair would look more at home on the lawn than in the office. If this one isn’t for you and you’re wondering ‘where can I find office chairs online?’, there are plenty of more traditional chairs out there.

Best for Affordability: Office Star Air Grid

It has mesh, lumbar support and a 2 in 1 tilt function, proving you don’t need to spend a fortune to get a functional office chair.

 

The positives and negatives of pneumatic conveying

In many different manufacturing areas there is often a need to move items around during one process or another. This could be move liquids, foods, medicines and other items that are relevant to the specific manufacturing industry. In order to provide a speedy process that ensures that the occurrence of contamination is limited if not eradicated completely mechanical conveyancing process are often used. Included in this is Pneumatic conveying systems like those that are provided by companies like www.aptech.uk.com/pneumatic-conveying-systems/ and these systems have many different advantages over standard mechanical systems.

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A pneumatic system means that materials are moved about in an enclosed space. This is why it is a process that is often preferred by those businesses that are operating in the food, drink and medical sectors. The occurrence of contamination of these products can be greatly reduced and in some instances eliminated completely. The materials themselves are moved in the system either by air flow or vacuum and both these systems require there to be a difference in the pressure during different parts of the process. The pressure changes then cause the materials to then be moved along the conveyor line either via the airflow method or vacuum.

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Positives of these systems

Pneumatic systems are particularly useful for moving items such as grains and powders including items such as sugar, flour, medicinal powders and items for the building trades like cement and sand. As the systems used are enclosed it creates for a contained environment where none of the particles can escape and cause issues in the surrounding areas. This is incredibly useful when trying to move particles that could cause hazards to human health. The design of these systems also means that they take up less space and can be built into already established areas.

Negatives of these systems

Items that are created from large particles such as gravel and stone or liquid items are incredibly difficult to move via this method. This is due to the fact that the pressure needed to move them along the enclosed space would need to be very high. These types of items tend to be moved using alternative conveying systems.

If you are looking for a process by which to move items within your manufacturing plant, contacting a company like the one mentioned above will allow you to discuss your specific requirements and have a system that will work for your company’s needs.

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