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Winter Emergency Preparedness – Here’s Comes Suzy Snowflake!

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It’s that time of year again!  Winter! It can be enjoyable with all the outdoor recreational opportunities it brings. It can also be dangerous when severe winter storms come roaring in bringing freezing temperatures, heavy snow, strong winds and poor visibility.

Snowstorms occur regularly every winter throughout the northern hemisphere. Although the first snowfall can cover the world in a beautiful blanket of sparkling white, as little as two inches (5 cm.) of snow is enough to create serious problems for traffic. (Of course children absolutely love it when a “snow day” occurs and they are forced to stay home.)

Blizzards, massive snowstorms with strong winds, make unplowed roads impassable and every winter many automobiles get stuck in the snow. Snowfalls exceeding 12 in. (30 cm.) can cave in roofs and cause the loss of power when lines are broken from the accumulation of snow. Trees can also be brought down by the weight of wet or very dense snow and winds can form drifts many feet high from only a few inches of falling snow.

A few minutes worth of preparation can go a long way toward keeping you and your loved ones safe and comfortable when winter rears its snowy head. Residents should keep emergency items on hand in their homes, including at least 3 – 4 weeks worth of drinking water and canned and/or dry food.

If there is a power outage:

  • Turn off appliances, tools and electronic equipment (protect sensitive electrical appliances with a surge-protected power bar)
  • Turn the thermostat(s) for the heating system down to minimum
  • Turn off lights (leave one on to indicate power is restored)
  • Only open the freezer or fridge when absolutely necessary
  • Never use barbecues, camping equipment, or home generators indoors – they give off carbon monoxide
  • Use proper candle holders, out of  reach of children. Never leave lit candles unattended – always extinguish candles before going to sleep
  • If power wires are damaged or on the ground, stay at least 10 meters away and call your electric company
  • Listen to your radio for information on the outage and advice from local authorities 
  • Have a carbon monoxide detector in your home – a hard-wired one should have a battery-powered back-up

Motorists should avoid unnecessary travel. A break down or accident can be disastrous during harsh winter weather. If travel is unavoidable, always leave with a full tank of gas and a good set of winter tires. Be sure to listen for weather updates on local radio stations.

There are a few things you can do to prepare your car for winter:

  • Check the coolant for the proper mix of water and antifreeze
  • Check the oil recommendations in your car’s owner manual
  • Check the battery electrolyte level
  • Replace your windshield wiper blades with snow blades
  • Keep a snowbrush/ice scraper in the car
  • Run the air to speed up window defogging (run AC at least once/month)
  • Stock up on windshield washer fluid and top off the washer tank regularly
  • Buy good snow tires

A few inexpensive items kept in your car during winter months can increase safety and reduce misery. Your emergency kit should include items that will assist you to get help, stay safe, and keep warm.

A well-stocked emergency winter supply kit should contain:

  • 72-hour emergency kit with water and high energy, non-perishable food (chocolate bars are good, especially with nuts)
  • First aid kit
  • Battery jumper cables
  • Methyl hydrate (fuel line de-icing)
  • Shovel and tow rope
  • Bag of sand and/or salt (kitty litter also works)
  • Basic tool kit (screwdriver, pliers, pocket knife, adjustable wrench)
  • Compass
  • Hatchet or axe
  • Signal aids (flares, reflective triangle, distress sign, bright colored cloth)
  • Windshield scraper with brush
  • Extra window washer fluid and a 5 gallon tank of gas
  • Flashlight and extra batteries, or candles and matches/lighter (in a waterproof bag)
  • Crank radio (no batteries required)
  • Sleeping bags and/or blankets
  • Extra winter clothing – hats that cover the ears (30 – 40% body heat is lost through the head), scarves, mittens (warmer than gloves), warm socks, boots
  • Money (including telephone change )
  • Fully charged cell phone to call for assistance – have a power adapter, extra charged battery and car charger

Store your emergency kit in the trunk if it is accessible from the inside of the car. If not, consider carrying your emergency kit in a small duffel bag and storing it in the passenger’s footwell. This is easily accessed by the driver and won’t become a projectile in a collision.

Getting trapped in a blizzard on county roads seems plausible, but why do city drivers need an emergency kit? In a large metropolis a big snowstorm can block freeways and trap drivers. It could take several hours to get traffic flowing again. Having an emergency kit can make the difference between potentially fatal hypothermia and a long, boring but relatively comfortable wait.

Play it smart this winter. Be Prepared – Before Disaster Strikes!

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Source by Lorrie Streeter

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Parenting Tip – Take Care of Your Child’s Health

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Take care of your child’s health: –

“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child” -Forest Witcraft.

Most of us believe that we are healthy if we don’t fall sick often. Sorry to say it is not true. World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. So for living a ‘healthy lifestyle’ we need an ideal combination of:-

A. Physical well-being:- includes nutritious food, physical exercises, appropriate weight, adequate sleep and rest.

B. Mental well-being: – consist of having a #optimistic sense of worth, upbeat stance/thoughts and actions, self-possession #can realize their potential, live and work productively #can manage their daily stress #can socialize, maintain good relationships with others and contribute to society.

C. Spiritual well-being: – encourages inner peace, resourcefulness and provides a sense of satisfaction.

These few suggestions will help you and your child develops healthy eating habits:

# Make sure to eat breakfast every day even if it’s just fruit and a glass of milk. It provides energy for the day.

# Eat slow, take time eating and chewing food as it takes approximately 20 minutes for the brain to tell the body that you are full.

# An ideal diet should aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

# An ideal meal should comprise more of whole grains like Dalia, brown rice, barley, corn, quinoa, millet, popcorn, and rye.

# Reward them with praise, not with sugary snacks, chocolates or ice-creams.

# Childhood obesity isn’t always genetic or uncontrollable, healthy weight can be maintained by correct diet and exercise.

# Processed foods are full of sugar, sodium, calories and unhealthy fat as it hampers the healthy brain development and immune system of the child.

# Exercise regularly. Persuade outdoor sports to promote a healthy lifestyle. Sixty minutes daily physical activity is advisable for children even for you. Plan more of indoor and outdoor activities for your child.

# Switch off the television, iPad, Xbox, computer, mobile phone, surfing online and motivate them to spend more time playing outdoor games. Play with your child, dance together, go for a walk together after dinner rather than watching television.

# Instead of going to the mall or theater go for hiking or climbing.

# Stay away from tobacco, alcohol and other drugs.

Substitute – Biscuits/chips/cookies/ cakes/ pastries

With – Fresh fruits/nuts/ salads/ sprouts

Substitute- Soda/ sugar-sweetened drinks/ packaged juices/ instant soups

With – Fresh juices without sugar/ fresh soups/ whole fruit

Substitute- White pasta/ white bread

With – Wheat pasta/ wheat-multigrain bread

Substitute- High calories fast food/ junk food/ frozen food/ processed foods

With -Healthy homemade food which includes more green and leafy vegetables and whole grains.

Substitute- Cheese, tinned vegetables, ready to cook meals

With – Healthy protein foods like lean meat, poultry, fish, egg, seeds, nuts, beans, legumes, soy products, and dairy products like milk, yogurt, paneer.

Substitute- Butter

with – Olive oil/ ghee.

# Don’t insist on ‘clean plate’, they will never learn when to stop and overeat just to finish the food even when they feel full.

# Instead of ‘don’t eat too much of chocolates/ biscuits’ say eat healthy fruits/ salad. This won’t make them feel deprived.

# Drink plenty of water. At least 8-10 glasses a day.

Finally, positive role-modeling is crucial. Practice what you preach.

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Source by Rupal Jain

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Low-Carb and Keto Diet Fast Food Menu Choices: How to Eat Successfully at Restaurants

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For those who eat low-carb or keto diets, there is almost always something you can eat in every fast food place or restaurant. Plan ahead. Before entering a restaurant, check out their menu and nutrition information online at home or using your smart phone. It’s always good to know the safe options before being tempted by menu items you shouldn’t have on a low-carb diet.

In order to make it easier to find a quick keto-friendly option, I’ve compiled a list of several restaurants and fast food places and those items that I’ve found to be the lowest carb (and most emotionally satisfying) choices. These are not all perfect options, but when you’re stuck with no other choices due to time or location constraints, they’ll do in a pinch.

It’s a huge help that fast-food places are required to post nutritional content. It gets easier to follow the keto plan every day. The carb count I’m listing is approximate and is NET grams.

In general, there is usually some salad option anywhere you are. At Burger joints, just remove the bun, and many places offer lettuce wraps instead. Chicken shouldn’t have breading.

As a side note, it helps to have a knife and fork handy in your car or purse. Big, juicy burgers in tiny pieces of lettuce end up on the table – or in your lap. Small, flimsy fastfood plasticware also makes for difficult eating. Pull out your own sturdy utensils and enjoy!

Now for the food choices… here are some pretty obvious general rules to follow:

  • Skip the bun or wrap
  • Skip the pasta, potato, or rice
  • Salads – no croutons. Stick with low sugar dressing options – Caesar, Blue Cheese, Ranch, Chipotle. Look at the name which may give you a clue, things like “honey” in the honey dijon or “sweet” in the dressing name – these are usually not a good choice. Check the ingredient for items that are higher in carb content.
  • Chicken – Choose grilled or sauteed. Stay away from any chicken that is breaded.

McDonald’s – opt for any burger (zero g) or grilled chicken (2 g) without the bun and topped with cheese, mayo, mustard, onions, etc. No ketchup. Add a side salad (3g). The Caesar salad with grilled chicken or the bacon ranch salad with grilled chicken are 9g.

Burger King – same burger info as McDonald’s: burger (zero g) without the bun and topped with cheese, mayo, mustard, onions, etc. No ketchup. The tendergrill chicken sandwich without the bun is 3g. BEWARE – you might think the veggie burger is low, but it is 19g of carbs, so that’s about a full day of carbs on keto. Add a side salad (3g). The tendergrill chicken garden salad is 8g without dressing or croutons. The tendercrisp chicken salad is not an option. Do not attempt.

BONUS – dessert!?! – the fresh apple fries are not fried and are 5g net carbs WITHOUT caramel sauce.

Subway – Probably should skip Subway if you can. The buns and wraps are all high in carbs. I guess you could just have them throw the ingredients in a wrapper sans bun, but that doesn’t sound appealing. I have no info on what the carb count would be for each bunless sub, but you can probably figure it out – chicken or pepperoni is fine, but is “sweet onion” chicken okay? No idea. Stick to the salads, but realize you’ll only get iceberg lettuce (4g).

Carl’s Junior and Hardees – This chain offers “lettuce wraps” – your burger wrapped in a large piece of lettuce for easy low carb eating. (As I’ve said, I tried it and don’t love it. I like to carry my own fork instead.) Bunless options – Six dollar burger (7g), 1/2 thick-burger (5g), charbroiled chicken club sandwich (7g/10g at Hardees). Grilled chicken salad without croutons is 10g. Side salad is 3g.

Jimmy John’s – The unwich – a sandwich wrapped in lettuce – fits the bill here. Meats are fine, just make sure the ingredients are not carb-rich.

Wendy’s – Again, you can get your burger in a lettuce wrap or a box. Any burger with toppings. Mayo has corn syrup, and is 1g. The chicken grill fillet is 1 g. It can be ordered in the chicken club sandwich or the ultimate chicken grill sandwich. Best salads: chicken caesar (7g), blt chicken salad with grilled chicken. Side salads aer 6g or 2g for Caesar.

Pizza Hut and other pizza places – It is possible to get used to eating pizza with no crust. You need to eat twice as much, but if there’s a party or dinner out that you can’t avoid at a pizza place, just slide the cheesy toppings off and eat the big messy pile of cheese and toppings. A side salad is a nice addition. Otherwise, just opt for making pizza at home with a low-carb crust.

Mongolian Barbecue – YES! Load up your bowl with chicken, shrimp, onion slices, and mushrooms, then top with the Asian black bean sauce. I know beans have carbs, but this sauce label says 1 gram of carbs per ounce (each sauce is plainly labeled). Add a bit of garlic and wait for the griller to do his work. It goes without saying that you skip the appetizers, tortillas, and rice. Ask the wait staff not to bring them to the table.

Italian Restaurants – These take a little cunning, but they can be conqurerd! Ideas: how about chicken Marsala in an Italian place? Make sure it doesn’t come with pasta. Substitute broccoli or some other keto-friendly side dish – or a big salad. Chicken piccata is also a possibility.

Mexican and Chinese restaurants are the most difficult, because any low carb option is not the reason to go to the restaurant in the first place. At a Mexican restaurant, I tend to get a large burrito with no beans and spread the soft tortilla out like a plate. Eat the inner ingredients and toss the tortilla.

If you MUST go to a Chinese buffet (I attended a funeral dinner at one), you can find options, but they probably aren’t going to be your favorite General Tso’s. How about the salad bar choices? eggs? the insides of eggrolls, and I even ate the insides only of crab rangoons. Unfortunately, these ideas leave quite a pile of discarded shells and deep fried exterior pieces on your plate and makes it look like you really waste food.

Wings anywhere – Standard buffalo sauce is usually OK as well as garlic Parmesan

Convenience stores can be a good option, too! 7-11 has packs of hard boiled eggs, cheese slabs, slim jims, almonds, and pork rinds. Pork rinds come in a barbecue flavor and they’re ZERO carbs.

Remember, whatever you choose, hold the bread, potatoes, rice, noodles, fries, and tortillas. And watch out for the possibility of corn starch, bread crumbs, and other fillers. With proper planning and a good attitude, you can find healthy keto and low-carb options when dining out, and stick to your successful keto diet plan.

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Source by Katherine Palmer

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New Food Safety Device Invention – Feather Spiked Pass-Through Food Borne Bacteria Eliminator

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One of the most challenging things throughout the history of mankind has been food borne bacteria. In the United States due to refrigeration, freezing, and additives in our food we have prevented the bulk of these challenges. However we are not without at least some problems. In considering all this the other night, I came up with a new device or invention idea that I’d like to share with the world, you first, since you are reading this article. Okay so, let me describe this new innovation and concept.

Picture a very thin device with a very strong wire center. Moving out from the wire on a vertical plane would be flexible ribs which were also very thin. Consider a fish skeleton for a moment, where the head would actually be an elongated thin spike. Since the wires coming off of the center are flexible they bend and would allow someone to push this device through meat, cheese, fish, fruit, and other food products. The feathered protrusions which are flexible would be coated with anti-bacterial substances which would interact and kill certain types of bacteria.

One would merely push this spike through the food prior to eating. Then they would lay it on a tray which would be charged electrically and also have various rainbow spectrums of light in the UV and LED range, which would finish off the bacteria making the small device ready to be used once more. Several of these little devices could be different sizes, and it would be yet another kitchen utensil used in cooking. It wouldn’t cost very much to make these, and we might even consider making them in bulk, and selling them at the grocery store, or even giving them away. Why would we give them away you ask?

Simple, imagine how much we would save on emergency visits to the hospital if no one ever showed up for a food borne illness anymore? Since these little devices could be made, perhaps a set for as little as $10-$20 for, they would more than offset the cost considering the number of Americans which are sickened or killed each year. And realize, in the United States our food is very safe, actually it is extremely safe, at least compared to the rest of the world.

If we could get the price to manufacture these down to five dollars, which I believe we could, what a wonderful gift to the world, and a great new start-up corporation to make a ton of money and solve a problem which has perplexed mankind throughout human history. Please consider all this and think on it.

Additional Reading and Case In Point:

As an update of the preparing of this article there was a great article in Homeland Security News in the “Food Safety Department” which was titled; “E-beam technology to keep food supply safe,” published on April 9, 2012, which stated; ” More than two million people a year, most of them children, die from food-borne or water-borne illness; more than one-third, or 1.3 billion tons, of the food produced for human consumption every year is wasted or lost because of spoilage.”

Yes, I’d say that makes my point of why we need the latest technology to solve this challenge, not just in the US but globally.

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Source by Lance Winslow

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Indian Dessert Recipes – Milk Cake

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In this particular article, I will tell you how to make different kinds of Indian sweet cakes.

1) Gram Flour Cake

Instructions:

  • Heat the little oil in a non stick pan on medium flame, add gram flour and roast it till a nice aroma starts coming.
  • In a big bowl, add 1 cup of oil with roasted gram flour, mix well and keep aside for 15-20 minutes.
  • Heat the water in a pan on low flame, add sugar and boil it.
  • Keep it boiling till it remains 1/3rd of the original quantity.
  • Now add the gram flour and oil mixture to this sugar syrup.
  • Now add one cup of oil in intervals to avoid the drying of mixture and mix it properly.
  • Keep stirring continuously.
  • Remove mixture from flame and pour in a well greased dish.
  • Press the top cover lightly.
  • Garnish with cashew nut.
  • Keep in a freezer for 1-2 hours and allow this to cool.
  • Cut this into square or diamond shaped pieces.

2) Figs Cake

Instructions:

  • Drop 10 figs into the water for few hours.
  • Drain them and keep aside for 2-3 hour.
  • In a grinder, add soaked figs and make a smooth puree.
  • Heat the oil in a pan on low flame, add figs, condensed milk and sugar, stir continuously.
  • Fry it till to make it a soft lump.
  • Add cardamom powder and chopped pistachios, mix well.
  • Remove from the flame and pour it in a well greased dish.
  • Press the top cover lightly and garnish it with grated coconut and almond.
  • Keep in a freezer for 1-2 hours and allow it to cool.
  • Cut it into square or diamond shaped pieces.

3) Milk Cake

Instructions for making cottage cheese:

  • Boil the milk in a pan on medium flame, when it starts boiling, add lemon juice.
  • When curd starts separating from the water, turn off the gas.
  • Once the cottage cheese has separated from the water, drain the water using a strainer.
  • Wrap the cottage cheese in a muslin cloth and squeeze extra water.

For making milk cake:

  • Boil the milk in a frying pan on medium flame till it becomes just half of the original quantity.
  • Add the cottage cheese in the milk and mix well.
  • Cook this mixture until it becomes thick.
  • Make a soft dough out of this mixture.
  • Add some sugar to the dough and cook it until the mixture gets soft.
  • Remove from flame and pour it in a well greased dish.
  • Press the top cover lightly and garnish with almonds.
  • Keep in a freezer for 1-2 hour and allow to cool.
  • Cut this dove into square or diamond shaped pieces.

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Source by Ashish KS

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Workforce Development is More Than Just Training

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“Why should I train employees for my competitors? They’ll just leave after I invest in their training. I’m smarter than that: I focus on hiring people who are already trained for what we need!”

I am sure my jaw hit the table when I heard that executive’s view of training during a break at a Chamber of Commerce meeting. How could he NOT do everything possible to maintain his biggest asset (and expense) – his workforce and their payroll?

I will admit it was very tempting to ask, “What happens if you don’t train them and they stay? Then what will you have?”

But, before I could say anything, he went on to top himself when a manager sitting next to him asked, “But as fast as technology and knowledge is changing, how do they keep up if you don’t train them?”

“I don’t worry about it. I pay them to stay productive. If they want to keep their jobs by being productive, it’s their responsibility to stay current!”

Unfortunately, his attitude of ‘why-train-them-for-my-competitors’ is fairly common when training is viewed as a unique event that disrupts productivity.

That is why workforce development means so much more than just training. ‘Developing the employee’ means that you are going beyond teaching job skills. You are also developing character, emphasizing values, and shaping attitudes about how they view themselves, their employer, their peers, and their future.

If an employer wisely spends money on maintaining equipment, software, buildings, and customer base to protect their investment in those costly categories, why not also invest (not ‘spend’) in maintaining the expensive workforce that is the source of their corporate income?

The old Army recruiting slogan, “Be All You Can Be” was an earlier way of describing workforce development. It is all about encouraging employees to expand their career horizons. It is saying, “Now that we have taught you how to do the basic job, we want you to figure out how do it more efficiently and increase your value to the company.”

‘Workforce development’ in its best sense means:

  • We conduct needs assessments to develop our training curriculum so the employees always support the business mission.
  • We do not conduct a training class if there is not a clear and distinct link to a business reason to do it.
  • We do not conduct training classes without having specific, behavioral, or objective outcomes defined first.
  • We have low tolerance for supervisors who discourage employees from attending valuable training classes.
  • We have taught our leaders how to reinforce the skills taught in any of our courses.
  • We view our training function as a valued business partner, not as a cost center.
  • Before sending employees to a class, we require leaders to tell us first how they will work with the employee to reinforce the application of it AFTER the training event because we know that training without reinforcement is a waste of resources.
  • Before sending employees to a class, we require leaders to review the learning outcomes most associated with the employee’s job, meet with the employee to be sure they learn them, and schedule a post-class opportunity for the employee to share those learning points with other employees in a departmental learning moment. This provides added value to the supervisor for the training.
  • Every department has an orientation and training program that insures new hires (or transfers) become as productive as quickly as possible. It isn’t the same program for all departments but one that is tailored to their unique functions within the organization.
  • Each employee can explain the difference between being ‘productive’ and simply ‘busy.’
  • We have a program to develop leadership skills in our current supervisors and managers as well as a program to identify and develop future leaders.
  • We know how to measure and manage performance in all job function so employees are assured that their work products are measurable and they are fairly compensated.
  • We know how to develop and apply fair and measurable methods for determining “soft skills” performance such as communication, teamwork, and customer service.
  • We have skilled employees sharing their knowledge with peers so that every employee becomes a trainer to some extent.
  • We have a ‘measurement culture’ that is so focused on performance skills that diversity-related issues almost never come up.
  • We teach employees to examine their work processes for opportunities to reduce cycle time, waste, or inefficiency.
  • Each employee can explain how his/her job supports the mission of the employer.
  • We have a performance assessment process that managers use as a tool to manage performance and employees see as a means of managing their self-development.
  • Employees are self-directed because their leaders have done an excellent job of communicating expectations and there are processes to provide performance feedback.
  • Tardiness, absenteeism, and turnover are very low because employees fell they “get to go to work”, not “have to go to work.”.
  • Employees at all levels see real opportunities for self-fulfillment.
  • We teach fundamentals of project management to line employees to teach “big picture’ thinking, process improvement fundamentals, and begin the development of future work leaders.
  • Our employees would be pleased to tell friends about job openings in our organization they could fill.
  • We teach the lowest level of supervisors how to collect and use historic data for measuring production capacity and forecasting potentials for staffing and productivity.
  • We teach the lowest level of supervisors how to collect data to prepare a budget and monitor their group’s expenses.
  • We teach our leaders at all levels how to lead a multi-generational workforce
  • We help our workforce expand their range of skills to broaden their career opportunities instead of just focusing on “moving up”

There are probably many more activities we could add to what “workforce development” means but I am sure you get the sense of how it is so much more than just a training event.

I doubt that executive at the Chamber’s meeting will ever change and I also doubt whether he will be an executive much longer. That kind of thinking drives employees away and creates high (and expensive) turnover ratios. I can visualize him being shown the door muttering how you just can’t find good help any more!

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Source by Dick Grimes

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Solar Panel Installation – Materials Needed and Its Procedure

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We are all encouraged to conserve energy if we want to bestow a better future for the children of tomorrow. The risk of depleting resources has pushed humans to look for alternative energy resources that are both efficient and renewable. Probably one of the best sources of energy is the sun. Solar power is converted into usable energy through PV cells found in solar electric panels. There are different ways of solar panel installation depending on the type of roof and energy required by the user.

A household who wanted to use solar energy in all their electrical needs must purchase solar electric panels from a wide variety of producers or may research online. Solar panels are usually mounted in roof and building tops, or installed using stand alone facilities where it can get the best sun exposure. Solar panel installation may be done by homeowners using the installation tips found on the web or may be done by a professional solar panel installer. The PV cells are usually encased together in a metal frame, most of the time aluminum.

This will allow the panels to be screwed or clamped easily on roofs. The materials needed for installation are: roof anchors that are made of steel or aluminum, it is used as the base of the mount and where the mounting frame is attached; the mounting frame that is secured to the roof anchors using a special locking system and bolts to screw it tightly, it is where the panels are attached using clamps; and the last material you need is the clamp, used to secure the solar panels on the mounting frame. The clamps may be end-clamp and mid-clamp depending on the number of panels that need to be secured.

After you have all the components needed for solar panel installation, the process can now begin. Most of the installation team will survey the area most especially the location where it is mounted.

• Scaffolding. This is actually placed by the installation team before the installation process begins. It is usually erected to reach the roofs for easy mounting. Ladders are incorporated to ensure safety in accordance with the Health and Safety codes.

• Positioning the roof anchors. Before these are installed to the roof, it is first surveyed, properly measured and marked to indicate correct positioning of panels. Positioning phase is very vital in every installation to ensure that the panel frames are in its correct locations.

• Attaching the frame. After the roof anchors are secured properly on the roof, the aluminum mounting frame or bars are attached. There is a need to ensure that these are parallel to each other before locking it in place.

• Installing PV panels. This is done after the bars where the frame is placed are mounted properly. It may be in rows or columns depending on its roof space.

• Wiring the panels. These panels must be wired together to produce a complete electrical system.

For every solar panel installation, it is necessary to plan it first before undergoing the mounting procedure. It is also advisable that it is done during roof construction or re-roofing.

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Source by Thom Lempner

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How Much Does It Cost to Hire Packers and Movers for Shifting?

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Planning to hire packers and movers for your shifting and not sure how much it costs to hire a professional movers and packers company for your shifting? Well, shifting and relocation charges vary on several factors. So it is obvious, the overall cost and charges of relocation will depend on your specific requirements.

So what are the factors and how does it impact the overall charges of shifting and relocation? Lets explore and check them out. Shall we?

Volume and weight of goods

Packers and Movers companies will charge you for packing, loading, transporting and unloading. So it is obvious if there are more items then the cost will be more. If you have fewer items then it’s going to cost you less.

Depending on the volume and number of items to be packed and moved, packers and movers companies will estimate the cost of packing materials, man power required to pack them, cost of loading, transporting and unloading those materials.

Bonus Tip: Be careful and prepare list of inventory you really want to get shifted, and get rid off other items.

Quality of packing materials

Packers and movers spend good amount of money on packing materials and transporting. Rest of the process involve their own services where they have some scope of offering you discounts or charging you a little less. But they don’t have any control on materials that they buy from the market.

There are different quality of packing materials and what quality and what materials will be required will impact the cost. Movers and packers may give you options and you can take a call accordingly.

Bonus Tip: if you are too price conscious, you may try using old/used cardboard boxes for usual items like books and other materials that may not get damaged easily.

Distance between source and destination cities

Packers and movers companies will charge you the cost of transportation and there is very little scope of negotiation. Most of the time the moving company have their own fleet ad if incase they have to hire a truck as per your need, then the cost is almost fixed.

Even if the rest of the process (packing, loading, unloading etc) is same for local and long distance shifting, the cost vary de to the distance between both the locations.

Add-on services

Apart from packing materials and transportation, rest of the cost is for the services that a moving company offers. Moving companies are going to charge you for packing, loading and unloading.

But movers and packers companies also offers add-on services like unpacking, re-arranging of goods, making arrangements for your travel etc. These add-on services are charged separately. So whether you want these services or not is totally up to you and they will adjust their charges accordingly.

Bonus Tip: try and handle unpacking and re-arranging yourself to save these charges.

Accessibility and Facilities at source and destination

Finally the cost of shifting also depends on the facilities. For example if you are staying in a 3BHK apartments on 5th floor and there is no lift in the building, and there is similar situation at the destination then they will charge you more.

But if you have lift at both places and lift can be accessed to load and unload goods, then their labor charges will be much lesser.

Similarly if the vehicle has to be parked far away then the cost will increase and if the vehicle can be parked just behind the building, the cost will go down.

Apart from these major factors, assume a fixed service tax (applicable in India), cost of insurance etc.

I am sure by now you have got a good idea of how these packers and movers companies charges and what are the main factors that affects the cost.

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Source by Tinku Bhatt

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Choices Tor Home Gym Equipment That Offer Total Fitness

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If you’re aiming for total fitness, then there’s a lot of home gym equipment you can choose from. In most cases, basic equipment will probably give you a lot in terms of cardiovascular training and weight loss, but if your idea of total fitness means tougher challenges to target specific areas of the body, then there are certain home gym equipment you can look at.

Depending on your preference and fitness goals, here are a few of the fitness machines you can find in stores and what you can expect:

The EXM-1500S

For a home gym offering total fitness, the EXM-1500S is a solid powerhouse. The weight stack is only 160 lbs., but that’s enough to give you some serious at-home workout and also a great choice for beginners or moderate users who are easily intimidated by heavier and bulkier machines. The equipment parts are excellent and features powder-coated frames made of heavy steel. You’ll get a lot of workout safety with the pulleys, which are made from industrial-grade materials.

The EXM-1500S comes with a lifetime warranty and can be had for less than $1,000. Not bad for a total fitness home gym equipment that has a lot to offer.

The EXM4000S

At $3,499, this total fitness home gym equipment is not for wimps. It features multiple workout stations which allow a maximum of four users to exercise simultaneously. Not one but three weight stacks that at 210 lbs., can give you a complete home workout. The weight stacks can be customized in increments of 10 lbs. so you can build your resistance and strength gradually.

If you want the total gym equipment package, the EXM4000S is a great choice. It offers a lot in terms of upper and lower body workout choices for total conditioning, toning, endurance and muscle building.

The Titan T1

For home gym equipment that is named after the giants of Greek mythology, the Titan T1 is built to intimidate you into performing your home fitness routine or just provide you with enough challenge to keep you going. Many experienced gym owners and fitness enthusiasts like it because of its user-friendly features that’s perfect for both family-use and serious bodybuilding work.

Titan is more famous in Europe than in the US, but it’s slowly gaining admirers on the local scene. Some of the Titan T1’s features are those found in commercial gym equipment, such as its ‘Assisted Exercise Technology’ which will run you through an exercise routine as well as a real, flesh-and-blood trainer would.

The Titan T1 boasts of machine-milled pillars that are stainless steel. Many weightlifters prefer this to the usual chrome-plated pillars that are used in many regular home gym equipment. It’s tougher and sturdier and can provide a challenging total body workout.

The Hoist V5

Sometimes referred to as the ‘Cadillac’ of the total fitness machines, this is one of the high-end contenders and can cost upwards from $2,500. It may be worth your money, though because it can help you perform varied exercises to target specific areas of the body for total core-conditioning. The weight stack is at 200 lbs., enough to keep you lean and mean.

It includes a leg-curl, a bar for the lat pulldown and a chest press. The leg press is not included in the basic equipment, although it can be purchased separately.

The BodyCraft Family Xpress

If you’re not the only fitness buff in your family looking for a total body workout, then the BodyCraft may just have the perfect fitness solution for you. This total home gym features two weight stacks of 200 lbs. each, allowing multiple users to work out at the same time. The cable system is fully adjustable for weight training and the basic equipment includes a crunch station to keep abdominals flat and ripped.

The leg press provides resistance of up to 400 lbs., enough for even the most jaded fitness enthusiast to feel challenged. The hip station is optional, though and you might find that the equipment itself eats up a lot of floor space, but for a total workout, this is an equipment you might want to consider.

The Powertec Workbench

If you like the features of a total home gym and are targeting your muscle groups for some serious training, the Powertec might be a good choice. Be warned that this is not for beginners and serious weight training fans may have better use for it.

The Powertec allows you to customize your weights (you will need to use your own) and it’s more than able to assist you for some power lifting. It provides some serious challenge with 250 lbs. for the leg lift, 350 lbs. for the lat pulldown and 500 lbs. for the press. You can get a 200-lb. arm curl as an addition and if you’re planning to buy this equipment, be prepared to spend for extra weights.

For total fitness at your home gym, nothing beats a fitness equipment that comes complete with features. Make sure you do some shopping first before actually buying and try the equipment for a few minutes to see if it will deliver what it promises. If you partner with the right kind of home gym equipment, total fitness is not an impossibility.

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Source by Nathalie Fiset

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Building The Professional Services Firm

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Entrepreneurs starting or scaling a professional services firm should realize this type of business is different than a retail shop, manufacturing company or e-commerce store.

Instead of selling a tangible product directly to the end user, it involves marketing a defined set of skills based on experience and personal expertise.

The buyer can’t physically touch and feel that service but must rely on awareness, reputation, and trust before selecting a company for accounting, coaching, financial services, IT consulting, legal work and/or health care.

Our firm is currently in its 17th year. We offer developmental optometric services to clients, not only in our home base area of Glen Carbon, Illinois, but to others nationwide. Over the years we have tried various marketing strategies to grow the practice. Fortunately we have developed a winning combination resulting in an extremely large increase in both patient volume and net profits. Following are some lessons learned, ones that can be applied to anyone wishing to start or grow a professional services business.

1. It’s OK to be a small fish in a big pond.

When we first started we were in a very small rural area. We were the big fish in a small pond. Unfortunately it was a very small pond. While patients did visit us from the surrounding towns there just weren’t enough of them to sustain our practice. This triggered a move to a larger area, about one hour away. It was also a suburb of a major metropolitan area. Though competition was greater, we were able to carve its own niche and attract dozens of new patients. Moving to an area where there were more potential clients became the foundation for our dramatic growth.

2. Brand and Differentiate Your Firm.

Google any firm in any service category. It is challenging to determine how one firm is different than the next. That’s why professional services firms need to develop a marketing strategy that separates their business from the competition. In our case we were one of the first developmental optometry firms to use YouTube. It helped us educate the public on a variety of eye related issues that really were not being addressed. It also helped establish our firm as experts in the field. Since this medium is hugely popular, and relatively inexpensive to use, we were able to create a large of number of videos and reach a great number of potential clients most efficiently. Today we have hundreds of videos on YouTube, and a strong presence on various forms of social media. It has enabled us to reach potential patients not only in the U.S. but internationally as well.

3. Work in tandem with other professionals in your industry.

Since our firm is one of the few developmental optometric practices in the nation, we often are called upon by other eye doctors in remote locations for consultation regarding their patients. Some are even located in Europe and South America. This consultative approach holds true for practitioners in other industries as well. Attorneys who specialize in one area of the law can often serve as a referral source for those in other practice areas. The same is true for a financial planner who may wish to connect with an insurance professional or a real estate broker who can serve as a referral source for a mortgage lender. Developing relationships with those in complementary businesses can be a real boost for the growth of your firm.

4. Hire a business coach or consultant.

Few of us in professional services are trained in strategic business growth. It is not what we do. In order to ramp up our practice we engaged with a business consultant who has started and operated many large and small businesses. The consultant helped us set up many standard operating procedures, helped us create a higher functioning team and helped create benchmarks for growth. He has paid for himself many times over. Service firms can scale quicker and more efficiently by engaging with someone who has done it all before.

5. Consider new ideas for practice growth.

Those in professional services should research and analyze different ways to grow their firms. In our case, we started consulting with other eye doctors who wish to learn Developmental Optometry or wanted to add it as a service offering. The consulting piece has added to our revenue stream and increased profits. You can study industry trends and determine the right type of additional specialized services that best fit your practice, personality, and business goals.

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Source by Dr. Julie Steinhauer