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Dana R

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"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want."

The UK military is currently ranked fifth in the world for firepower. They are beaten only by the US, Russia, China and India. Recent information suggests that over 200 nuclear weapons are at the disposal of the British military, and so they are a force to be reckoned with. Most people know very little about the ins and outs of the armed forces, so we’ve got some facts that stats that should help to clear things up. At the end of the day, your government spends 2.5% of GDP on defense. Wouldn’t you like to know where your money is going? At the last count, the UK military employed 100,290 personnel in various roles. Thanks to government cutbacks, that number is set to drop considerably over the next twelve months. Even so, it’s pretty impressive.

The UK currently ranks sixth in the world for military spending too. In 2013, official reports claim over 57.9 billion pounds were spent on defence at home and overseas. At the current time, the UK military owns 4154 armoured personnel carriers, tanks and reconnaissance vehicles. That means our men and women have the best backing possible when negotiating dangerous territories. While it might come as a surprise to some of you, women now account for 9% of enlisted personnel in the UK military. The real figure for nuclear weapons is 225. You might wonder why we need so many, but that becomes obvious when you look at the stats for Russia and China. Source www.grayandcosolicitors.co.uk

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If you are thinking about getting a new TV services package or TV and internet bundle (and you can see some great impartial reviews of DIRECTV internet here), you may be wondering whether it is worth including the premium cable channels like HBO, Showtime and Starz in your bundle, or getting the sports networks that cover the sports you love, when you can usually find a way to see these things online. Here we take a look at some of the pros and cons of subscribing to premium channels.

Cable TV

Wikipedia photo

Why You May Not Actually Need Those Paid Channels

If your intention is just to be able to see things, like your favorite football, baseball, hockey or basketball team playing live or the newest episode of Game of Thrones, then you can usually find ways to stream these things. While not always completely legal, streams do tend to exist, which is how people from outside of the US who want to watch US sports events not televised outside of the States or see American shows before they are aired in their own countries manage to watch these things. The quality will not be great in most cases, and unless you have the hardware to run your computer’s images through your TV you will have to watch them on your laptop or tablet, but you will be able to get the gist of what is going on. If you want to watch the shows on premium cable but don’t care about seeing them as soon as they are aired, you can also just wait for a much cheaper service like Netflix to carry them and marathon watch the whole season or series sometime in the future.

Why It Can Be Worth the Money to Keep Premium Cable

If you use all of the features and watch a lot of live sport or high end drama, then cable can be well worth the money for the enhancement it gives to your home entertainment options. If simply ‘seeing’ something is not enough, and you want the best possible experience (which can make a lot of difference when it comes to lavishly designed TV shows or sports games where you want to truly be able to spot whether you agree with a referee’s decisions), you want to watch it in glorious HD or 3D on your TV. For many, this quality alone is worth the subscription, as is getting the shows the moment they air, helping avoid those pesky Twitter and Facebook friends who post spoilers! By using interactive features that give shows more depth, DVR features that ensure you never miss anything, on demand services that let you catch up and discover new shows, and the facility to watch shows from these networks on the go on your phone or tablet, you can actually get a lot out of your cable package.

In short, whether cable is worth it or not depends on what matters to you with your TV viewing. Do you simply need to see it and know what happened, or do you want it beautifully presented with interactive features, and available instantly at a time to suit you?

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Studying in London can be an exciting, if daunting, prospect to those unfamiliar with the city. As well as a world of entertainment and culture on your doorstep, there is the seemingly sky high cost of living and the public transport to familiarise yourself  with. Therefore whether you have come to London from Tokyo or Totness, there will be a lot to get your head around. Here are some tips on how to make the most out of your London student experience.

student accommodation in Central London.

Find the best place for you to live

There are plenty of options for living places in the capital from suburban townhouses to student accommodation in Central London. First you will need to figure out your budget. If you are considering living away from where your university is based you should also take into account the monthly price of public transport. If you want to live close to where you study you will need to decide between private student accommodation and university halls. You may be happy to share facilities and if this is the case you are likely to benefit from a more social time.

Get part time work

Although this may not be the most exciting prospect after a long summer working many hours it is worth doing. Gaining employment whilst at university will give you skills for your CV, give you extra spending money (something very useful in London) and enable you to make new friends. Try to get work which will not infringe too much on your studies and if you can get something connected to your degree, even better.

studying in London

Go on the tourist trail

There is little point in studying in London and not taking advantage of the fantastic cultural offer the city has. Make a list of the top attractions the city has and try and tick one off every weekend. You will have fun visiting Buckingham Palace, going on the London Eye and attending the Natural History Museum.

 

Join a society

As with part-time work, joining a club or society (either one affiliated with the university or otherwise) will improve your social life and gain you skills which will look great on your CV when it comes to seeking post-graduate employment. Most student unions have a wide range of societies from debating to sport. Find one which fits in with your interests or try something completely new.life in London

Budget

To make the most out of life in London, you will need a little money in your pocket. Analyse your monthly outgoings including food shopping, transport costs and rent then see how far your loan and savings will go. You may have to start shopping more smartly or look to invest in a bicycle to save your cash.

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If you’re a fan of Sherlock and John, you’ll be excited by rumours of a special episode – though it’s not even slated for filming until January 2015. Really can’t wait? Here are five facts about the award-winning show to keep you going.

1. Disappointed you don’t see Benedict Cumberbatch in deerstalker mode that much? Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wouldn’t be. The author never actually said his detective wore one, although he did mention an ‘ear-flapped travelling cap’ in the book Silver Blaze.

SherlockHolmes - bellenews

Image Source

2. At least a hat would have covered his hair. Cumberbatch recently told The Times he hates the style he sports for the role, saying “I can’t think of a wittier or even accurate comparison, but I just think it makes me look a bit like… a woman.

3. Love Martin Freeman as Dr Watson? Well, he almost didn’t get the part. The Office star had his wallet stolen on the way to the first audition and was so grumpy producers thought he didn’t even want the role.

4. Amazingly, Dr Who actor Matt Smith nearly got the part of John. Although he auditioned well, producers felt his zany character was more suited to play Holmes – who had already been cast.

5. Although we love Sherlock here in the UK, spare a thought for the show’s equally passionate Chinese fans. All 69 million of them have to watch the show illegally as it is banned in their country.

The cast have recently been spotted arriving at Bristol music venue Colston Hall, with Co-writer Mark Gatiss tweeting on Monday that he was en-route to start filming “On my way West. It begins… #Sherlock

— Mark Gatiss (@Markgatiss) January 5, 2015

Speaking of important dates, author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle didn’t make it as simple as printing the detective’s actual birthday but an estimate of his age in the story.” His Last Bow” puts his year of birth at August 1854. Leslie S. Klinger, author of The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes, then sets his birthdate as January 6. That makes the great Detective the ripe old age of 161. So, Happy Birthday Sherlock and thank you for all twists and turns!

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Whilst presents and family are all well and good, we all know that the real star of the festive season is Christmas dinner. Sure, you may have roasts throughout the year, but the one at Christmas is extra special and guaranteed to put you in a food coma for the rest of the day at least.

However, there are some little things you can do to ensure your Christmas dinner is that extra bit better…

  • If you have a frozen turkey, make sure you’ve given it plenty of time to defrost. A 4-5kg frozen turkey will take around 20 hours to defrost at room temperature, whilst a 9-11kg turkey could take as much as 48 hours to defrost.
  • Prepare as much as you can the night before. Leave potatoes to soak in cold water, peel the veg and get out any tools and utensils you know you’re going to need. This will take away a lot of the stress the following day.
  • Do away with starters. You’re going to have plenty of other food, and you don’t want to be too full for dessert.
  • Turkey legs actually take longer to cook than the breast, and this can often lead to either over or underdone parts of the turkey. Try putting a layer of stuffing between the turkey’s skin and breast to make cooking times more even.
  • Make sure your oven is up to scratch. An old oven may have hotspots which can lead to uneven cooking. It’s worth buying quality if you want top quality food, such as these range cookers from HiSpek and you’ll know it will cook the turkey evenly throughout.
  • Remember to leave the turkey to stand after cooking. This will allow the juices to expand through the turkey for maximum flavour. Cover the turkey loosely in foil when it’s standing, although not too tightly or the moisture will be sealed in and the skin will lose its crispness.
  • After parboiling and before roasting, mash the potatoes ever so slightly to increase the surface area for crispy bits. Buy in some goose fat if you want them extra crispy.
  • If you want the best gravy then don’t forget the juices from the turkey in the baking tray. Add that to the stock for the absolute best flavour.
  • Big sprouts can be tricky to cook so opt for small ones, about one inch across is optimal. When cutting with this type of precision it’s important to have the right knife, which you are sure to find among the selection of Fiskars chef knives. If you want to do something a little different with your sprouts, pan fry them with some pancetta and garlic.
  • Carrots and parsnips are delicious parboiled and then roasted drizzled with honey.
  • If you or your children aren’t big fans of Christmas pudding, then try chocolate steamed pudding instead. It even looks a bit like Christmas pudding but the taste is much less divisive, particularly for the kids.

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In new era of knowledge, online education plays an essential role to deliver knowledge and many universities have adopted this mode of education. Some university faculty thought online courses offer very less learning than face to face education and student-teacher education.

Online education plays remarkably significant role and have unique techniques to deliver education to students. But this success requires a huge investment of zeal, passion and concentration to make sure that all students can get full facility of education. In May 2013, the School of International Services start a master’s degree in I.R (International Relations). It was firstly introduced at master level in United State.

online-learning

Photo Source: researchictafrica-data.net

After one and half year, more than 100 students apply in this course and get live and online class from 26 states, 13 countries from different zones. Most students were retired army officers or on duty officers. All polices responsible for their admission, classes, decisions were handle by School. All faculty members prepare online courses within 7-9 months, including online lectures, videos and other stimulation for student.

Partnership with 2U, The School deliver pre-prepared and live coursework through an extensive platform. 2U invest human resource and financial support for online education. 2U invest resources to provide high quality and filmed interviews for students according to their relevant week course meeting. They are even given sometimes rush essays to test their writing capabilities.

In the live classes all students and their professor appear in virtual classroom on computer screen, and the professors and students can easily access to each other and teacher can appreciate fully engagement and participation of student in the class room. Different internet tools provide better enhance the quality of face to face interaction. Students from different areas and locations can provide a great chemistry in classroom. These students may be a deployed officer in Afghanistan, a professional in Dubai, Worker in international organization in Europe.

According to survey reports, all students and faculty members give great satisfaction and strongly recommend online master’s program to their friends. Universities invite their all online students to the campus for orientation in September – an experience like a family reunion, Students meet their professors and attend workshop on negotiation scenarios, and attend career development Alumni panel for their better future. Alongside 2U, they also provide same benefits and facilities to students as they receive in on-campus graduate degree programs.

To be sure, the online education has many challenges to deliver knowledge to the students of different locations at the same time. Despite all of the facilities, online system cannot provide same education as on-campus education. Sometime online courses are not fully aligned with the optimal uses of online platform. Luckily our all team members and partners resolve all these problems related to online education in regular meetings and all these meeting are very effective. Online competency based education can provide better experience and low cost education degree completion facility to the students and provide a great variety of easy, achievable and focused targeted programs for the need of people to access the great challenge of our time.

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For those that travel quite a bit, insurance can be very beneficial in the long run. Whether you do so for work or you travel for pleasure, this kind of an investment could save you money and relieve the headaches of various situations. Why should you include travel insurance within your monthly budget?

Cancelled Flights

Not every flight is guaranteed and sometimes it can be cancelled for a myriad of reasons. Some insurance plans can help you recuperate your losses in such an event reducing the money you lose. While you may not need insurance for a flight that is less than $100, an exotic cruise worth several thousand may be worth the expense.

travel-insurance

Photo Source: xltravelblog.com

Natural Disasters

Depending on your destination, natural disasters could easily cause you to vacate an area. Travel insurance plans may help you adapt financially as you evacuate a resort or even a cruise ship. The fury of nature is difficult to predict and a simple storm could easily turn into a hurricane.

Medical Emergencies Abroad

Should you fall and break your leg in a foreign country, are you able to pay for the medical expenses out of pocket? Some travel insurance plans cover such situations allowing you to relax when you suffer from medical emergencies or illnesses while in another country. Although you may be bed ridden, you won’t have to fret about exhausting your bank accounts should the unthinkable happen.

Illness Cancellations

As there are too many variables in society, it’s very difficult to ensure your health at any given time. Some travel insurance plans can cover you should an illness prevent you from traveling. The last thing you want to do is focus on wasting money for a trip while suffering from a 103 degree temperature.

Terrorist Activities

It seems that terrorist activities are more commonplace than they were a few decades ago. Insuring your vacation against such a situation could prevent some of the financial losses. Although you may be traveling to an innocent enough area for your vacation, you ever know where terrorist activities could propagate within any given locale.

Insurance of any kind can be considered an investment for stress-free living while protecting your family and assets. Speak to a local insurance agent today and discuss what kinds of plans are available for you. It could save you a great deal of money and time should something happen while you travel.

Technology has advanced many fields beyond our wildest dreams. Information technology alone has made the world a smaller place where individuals, families and corporations can work together throughout the year, both day and night. The medical profession has changed extensively in the last 10 years with products that help doctors and other healthcare professionals to diagnosis and monitor diseases and injuries in people and animals.

Medical Alert Systems

The elderly and other people who need constant monitoring can be fit with a device that will summon help in the event of a medical emergency. This allows them and their caretakers to have more independence with the surety that the patient will have the help they need. You can see a wide variety of medical alert systems reviewed by TopTenReviews, and select a device and monitoring system that suits your needs.

Robots

Medical technology has made it possible for miniature robots to perform spinal surgeries that just a few years ago were considered very complex and dangerous. There are miniaturized pacemakers that the patient isn’t even aware is there, and there are drugs that are activated by light to seek out the diseased cells. Some medications can be swallowed, but will not be activated until they reach the right organ.

Technology-Medical-Field

Photo Source: aid-n.com

Technology and Medical Jobs

There is automated laboratory equipment that enables the analysis of blood and cells that will detect diseases earlier that ever before. This means that clinical laboratory technicians need to learn a whole new method in the lab. As this technology becomes main stream, it also means more and more labs throughout the country and world can have state-of-the-art lab equipment.

The Stuff of Sci-Fi

Medical technology is becoming smaller and smaller. As devices are miniaturized, new therapies will be discovered and existing therapies will be modified. There may be nano-robots to examine blood, organs and internal tissue. Replacement organs will be created in the lab as scientists continue to work on biological engineering.

Some Medical Technology Used Today

• Melanoma, the most serious kind of skin cancer, can be detected without a surgical biopsy with a hand-held tool for multispectral analysis on tissue morphology.

• A tool is being developed that can block severe migraine and cluster headaches at the first sign that one is developing. It is a permanent implant in the gum on the side of the head where the headache usually comes. The patient has a hand-held remote that sends signals to the implant to block the pain-causing neurotransmitters.

• Diabetes care without a needle is the latest technology being developed. It consists of a biosensor that reads blood analytes with a patch and no needle. It does this through a top layer of skin cells, and the data is sent to a remote monitor. An audible alarm will sound if the glucose levels are out of the patient’s ideal limit.

• Telemedicine is already being used for emergencies, but today monitors can cruise up and down hospital hallways and the doctor’s face will be seen on the screen. He or she can talk to the patient on a two-way screen and monitor the patient’s medical equipment.

These innovations benefit doctors, nurses, caregivers and patients by being faster and more accurate. This allows doctors to catch diseases early giving the patient a better chance of full recovery.

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Once the holiday season is over many people get the January blues. The weather is cold, wet and miserable and your bank balance is almost non-existent due to the busy festive period.  As December is such a busy month, when it comes to January people feel like they are less sociable, less attractive from all the Christmas chocolates and start evaluating their lives which can make them over analyse different aspects, which in effect, makes them feel down in the dumps. Here are some ideas to help you cheer up a friend who is suffering from the January blues whilst also preventing you from getting the dreaded mind-frame too.

Remind them of fun memoriesIndulge in January Sale Therapy
Why not head down to the sales and treat yourselves to a bargain? Nothing makes a girl feel better than buying something that flatters her. Even if it’s as simple as buying a new nail varnish or some new pyjamas, it will make her feel better about herself. You can arrange a time with your girlfriends to meet up and show off your new items that you have both bought. If your friends have the same taste as the both of you they will most likely compliment your new items, making you both feel good about yourselves.

Keep on celebrating
Just because the Christmas festivities are over doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating. Think of a random reason such as just being alive to celebrate. Get a fancy frock on, invite the girls round and go out for a night on the town. Who ever said you can’t celebrate in January? Just because the rest of the world is being a hermit doesn’t mean you need to be too.

Buy them some flowers

Buy them some flowers
If it’s your friends that is suffering from January blues, why not buy them some flowers or if you’re hard up on cash, get your other girl pals to club in with you. What girl doesn’t love receiving a bouquet? Not many that’s for sure. It will make them feel thought of and cared about, and remind them what great friends she has, when she’s sat at home watching Bridget jones and feeling sorry for herself.

Remind them of fun memories
Another great idea for a friend who is suffering from January blues is to dig out some cute photos of you, her and the girls from great memorable times. You could even get them printed on personalised photo coasters so when she’s warming her tummy from the cold weather with a cup of tea, she will cheered up by your beautiful faces (teehee).

Take them away
One final way get rid of the January blues is to go away on a weekend break, it doesn’t have to be far but just getting away from the same household chores and routine can make you feel lots better. Why not arrange a family break or a trip with the girls. It’ll take your mind of feeling sorry for yourself as you relax and enjoy your surroundings.

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It goes without saying that the contemporary business environment is ruthless as never before. Companies come and go daily, sinking under in the hugely competitive environments which they have never before been subjected to. Any modern business owner must work extremely hard to keep their business afloat and successful.

Liquidating assets is the perfect way to raise funds in such an environment. Historically raising money in this way has been associated with going into administration, however there are degrees of severity in the action. And modern businesses cannot afford to be proud when it comes to sending their assets down the river. It is good business practice to sell those parts of your enterprise which are not currently serving any function. One should not be stopped from doing so by pride or anxiety regarding public perception. To emphasis it once again, there is no room for self-regard in the current environment. Money is money, and it is the lifeblood of any business.

business-man
Source: Pixabay

With that in mind, we’ve assembled a small guide on the best ways to turn your solid assets into funds which can assist with the day-to-day running of your company. When used sparingly and with a sense of propriety these tips can be extremely helpful to your company, whether it’s in dire need or not.

Here are our top tips for the modern, ruthless business environment.

Audit

Undertake an extensive internal audit. What is being used? What can be jettisoned from your base of operations without being missed in the long term? You may sell some small piece of equipment, only to find that in one year you need it. And in this case, the hire cost may be exponentially higher than it was to buy the piece initially. This is what you’re trying to avoid. It can be tempting to see all of your assets, whether they’re property or Auto Trader plant equipment, as money in the bank. But you should remember that you’re saving this cash for the future of your business. If you begin to save now at the expense of the future, it’s almost certain that you will regret it.

Remember, you’re helping the functioning aspects of your business. You’re not going into administration.

Evaluation

Because you’re not going into administration, you should be able to get more for what you’re selling off. Businesses that have gone bankrupt are forced to sell their assets at a very low cost to meet the remainders of their obligations. You are at an advantage in this regard, as you don’t have to sell anything. You have no time restraints, and you certainly aren’t being legally compelled to sell. Make sure that you take this hint. Shop around in the same way that you would when you buy anything big. See what your assets are worth, and don’t be taken for a fool. Sell to the highest bidder, and understand when you’re being taken for a ride.

Planning

Don’t suddenly sell half of your business. This should be a gradual process which adds to the functionality of your operations. It should not result in you suddenly having a crisis as you’ve somehow pulled the ground out from under your own feet. You should be thinking months, if not years, in advance. This isn’t a short term strategy, but if you manage it well, it can be a long term way of steering into the terrible financial conditions.

You should also consider using professional consultants in this regard. With a more objective understanding of your operations, they will be able to spot deadweight from the outside. This can, however, be a costly endeavor which turns out to be more of an investment than a quick fix.

Be Positive

This doesn’t have to be a negative experience. Many businesses could do with shedding some excess weight, and yours is no exception. This is a prime opportunity to diversify your operations, making sure that you move with as much freedom and flexibility as possible in a difficult climate. When you’re thinking about assets that can be turned into cash, you should be thinking about minimalism. They say that perfection does not mean adding more and more. They say it truly means taking away more and more, with everything still working. Once you’re down to the brass tacks of what makes your business run, that is true streamlined perfection. Aim for this, and selling your assets can be a positive and useful experience for everyone involved.

Common Sense

It should go without saying, but it doesn’t. So much of this sounds complicated and difficult, but it really isn’t. This is all a matter of common sense.

If your garage is cluttered, you have a yard sale. A less cluttered garage means you can use it more easily, and the extra cash is incredibly useful for your household. This is pretty much how selling off assets should work. Don’t overthink the core principles.

At the same time, though, you should be ruthless. When you’re having a big tidy up, you have to make some tough decisions about what to throw away and what to keep. More often than not you’ll get rid of something you quite wanted to keep at the time, before realising later that the space it freed up is more valuable to you. Try to think in a similar manner as you work your way through an audit, and try to keep yourself emotionally distant from the whole process.

Plan, Plan, Plan

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again. Planning is definitely key here. This isn’t a quick fix for much-needed cash. This is a long term action to be taken over a prolonged period of time. You should spend at least as much time planning as you intend to spend making the cuts and sales, so don’t be afraid of dragging your feet. It is ultimately a very difficult process to master as it requires both subtlety and decisiveness with an emphasis on forward thinking. You may never be truly happy with the results, but with proper planning you will be sure to garner the best results for your business.

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Highlight on travel study programs

There are numerous travel study programs options available for U.S. students abroad depending on their needs and interest. Europe has been one the most popular destination for American students, whereby U.K. which shares cultural ties with the America being the preferred destination. The cost, destination, credit transfers, cultural barriers, as well as academic discipline are criteria which may affect popularity of travel study programs.

travel study programs for US students

Photo Source: www.ef.edu

Internships programs

These programs typically require the partnership between American universities and host universities abroad where there can also be service learning. However, the program emphasizes on the need to seek approval from both institutions prior to the internship program for those interested in cross cultural learning.

Summer time study programs

Host universities abroad make prior arrangements with American universities and students to allow the visiting students to study for the summer program. In most cases, students learn for one semester, and language proficiency is necessary as this makes it easier for the students to understand the subject matter.

Host university sponsor

Study programs classified under the duration aspect are not the only popular options. According to custom essay services, students may visit and study abroad through paying fees in their home universities. This option works well when there are arrangements between the home and foreign institutions. Nonetheless, students have to take care of accommodation and transportation, but since there is credit transfers the program is popular.

Direct sponsorship by U.S universities

This option allows students to study in foreign institutions, but the programs follow a U.S. academic framework.  There are many similarities since students can use credit transfer and follow the same academic calendar to the U.S.  The option also integrates international branches of U.S. colleges and universities.   Even though, students may want to experience different cultural perspectives on learning, the problem of funding is a challenge.  Hence, sponsored travel study programs tend to be popular among U.S students.

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Hosting an effective meeting can be a costly venture. Between travel expenses, charges for printing and creating effective literature, the cost of refreshments, and rental or purchase fees for equipment like projectors and corresponding screens, it can cost a pretty penny. Whether your meeting is across town or across the country, it’s going to cost you something to attend—the further you go, and the more people attend, the more it’s going to cost.

This all but cuts small to mid-size businesses out of the equation for professional and effective business meetings. More clients are lost, more remedial training is required, and less profit is made every time a cheaper, more simplistic meeting fails to satisfy the goal of getting together in the first place. But a truly professional meeting is bound to cost more than it earns for most small businesses, so what else is there to do? Even conference calls can rack up a phone bill to make any sole proprietor cringe. Thankfully, advances in modern technology have allowed an alternative to rise from the frustration of small business owners everywhere.

virtual-business

Photo Source: officesandpoint.wordpress.com

Make Virtual Your Business Reality

Going virtual with your business meetings and conferences is the best way to level the playing field when it comes to achieving effective and productive meetings. It takes a little practice, but a good service will work with you to make sure you get all the features your business needs at a price you can afford. The best services boast high customer satisfaction and multiple accolades—for instance, Blue Jeans Virtual Meetings were recently rated number one among all cloud-based video conference solutions.

The key is to know what to look for when you seek out a virtual meeting solution. Chron’s recommendation for virtual conferencing is a system that allows you to set up meetings in minute and connect instantly; the best solutions for any business, from mom and pop shops to Fortune 500 companies, offer key features:

  • Easy to use from the outset: Simple installation and launching, easy connection, screen sharing, etc.
  • Cross-compatible with multiple systems and devices: make sure it can run on your computer, your business partner’s computer, your iPad and your clients’ and employees’ various devices before you invest in a subscription or full system.
  • Economic options: establish the features you need, such as screen sharing, mobile call-in functionality and more, and find the solution that offers what you need over what you don’t. There’s no point paying for bells and whistles you’re never going to use.
  • Secure connections: protect your business’s most proprietary information by being certain that outsiders can’t crash—or hack into—your meeting.
  • Functional for multiple industries: some video conferencing solutions have terms that prohibit some industries from using their service, mostly for legal issues. Make sure, especially if you work in law or with any sensitive information, that the terms of service allow you to utilize your preferred system before you make a purchase.

The fact that so many solutions can offer these features to begin with proves that virtual is the best way to hold your next conference, but incorporating it into your business model could be a bit complicated if you’ve never worked with virtual meetings before. It’s best to start a free trial of the service that you’re most interested in—and is most suited to your business—and see how long it takes you to get used to the system. Make sure to introduce it to your employees and colleagues as you test it out; if you’re the only one that finds the system easy to use, you may need to see out an option that is more intuitive to your business connections.

See the Benefits

The Wall Street Journal reported that eliminating business travel from a company budget would save 17 percent in the first year—and that’s not counting the money saved on fuel to and from the office by employees who usually work remotely.

The benefits of choosing to substitute physical meetings for their efficient virtual cousin are many, but here are a few of the best:

  • Zero travel time, zero travel expenses, zero attendance hassle.
  • Digital presentations are easier and less expensive than working with paper and projectors.
  • Opportunity for attendance from employees, clients and business partners that normally would be cut out of the meeting due to matters of distance, health, or other issues.
  • Allow your business to go green—as helpfully pointed out by Bussines2Community in 2013, using less fuel and paper reduces your company’s carbon footprint.

Going virtual also eliminates concerns of limited space for large meetings and conferences, removes the need to pay for refreshments, and helps increase productivity as a whole by allowing attendees to stay on task.

Prepare for Launch

Virtual conferences and meetings aren’t the way of the future, they’re the way of today. Now is the time to get involved and stay ahead of the game, no matter how large or small your business might be, no matter what industry you work in. Once you go digital, you’ll never want to travel for a meeting again.

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The mission of the company is to provide dental care to underserved communities to help strengthen the dental health all over the nation. While the United States is the wealthiest country in the world, dental health is the most neglected healthcare category. Children between the ages of 5 and 9 can be found to have a cavity over fifty percent of the time. This percentage increases with age and at age 17, nearly 78% of young adults can be found to have a cavity. This company has set out to improve these statistics in children and family oral care. Oral healthcare is vital for overall health in children and adults. It can even improve self-esteem and help children perform better in school. It begins with good practice in children and with the vision to help improve this statistic, the dental organization has made its mission to improve oral healthcare at the start.

oral-health

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What Is Happening to Repair This?

No one enjoys going to the dentist but it is necessary if you want to maintain dental health. It is one of those things in life that must be done. Unfortunately, many people put it off until they have no option but to make an appointment at a local dentist in order to fix a big problem. Luckily, there are many dental offices that make dentist appointments as painless and quick as possible. One of those dental offices is Kool Smiles, headquartered in Marietta, Ga.

Where Can You Find an Office?

The dental company has offices in 16 states including Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. They service patients all of over the country and have thousands of employees that can help change your view on dentistry. You can find an office close to you by going to their website and you can easy make your appointment online! It is extremely easy to get started with the company and begin your journey to dental health.

A Dental Practice That Accepts Medicaid

The company was founded in 2002 and has grown exponentially in recent years. It is a privately held company with a strong desire to offer aide to children and families. Not only did they set out to improve oral care in underserved areas, they now offer dental services to those seeking a State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) or Medicaid dentist. Because of this, they can help families who would not normally have the funds to pay for dental care. The majority of other dental practices do not accept Medicaid but this practice has paved the way to begin this trend. For now, this company has practices all across the country that can assist needy families.

What Can You Do To Improve Your Oral Health?

Even if you cannot find an office near you, it is extremely important to find a local dentist office in your area and begin a path to oral health. The main goal is to improve oral care and create a better world for the future. It can lead to other health benefits as well as a heightened self-esteem. It is easier to maintain oral care than to deal with a major issues once it arises.

You may have been successfully running your business for quite some time without any major hiccups or complications. However, as is the case with most new businesses, you will eventually reach a plateau or stopping point where you are no longer able to generate very much growth.

In order to break down that wall and continue growing your business, you need to find an efficient way to increase revenue and sales opportunities. Using a mobile device, such as your smartphone, as an effective business tool can help you to do just that.

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Manage Time Wisely with Productive Applications

Chances are that you are already using some sort of mobile application on a daily basis with your smartphone or tablet for personal purposes. One report shows that over 102 million mobile applications have been downloaded around the world. That figure is projected to rise to well over 268 million by 2017, according to Statista. Whether you are using an Apple or Android device, there are literally hundreds of thousands of applications that are easily accessible through your smartphone or tablet.

You can actually use this accessibility to your advantage when it comes to breaking through that stopping point. There is an abundance of applications specifically designed for time management and productivity purposes that can save you a considerable amount of time each day when it comes to time-consuming tasks, such as file management and administrative work. By taking the time to explore those options, you may find that you have more time to work on more profitable aspects of your business and less time with those tedious and time-consuming obligations.

Expand Your Hours with Mobile Sales

One of the best ways to use your smartphone to break through the plateau is to embrace the world of mobile sales. Perhaps you have a traditional, brick-and-mortar storefront that requires customers to come to you during your hours of operation. On the other hand, you might run an eCommerce business from the comfort of your own home.

Either way, you are still confined to a physical space with its own requirements. Using a smartphone will allow you to expand your hours in order to remain flexible for your prospective customers, because you will be able to use the device as a credit card processing system whenever and wherever you need it.

Create Sales Opportunities in the Community

Another effective way to break through the plateau is to create brand new sales opportunities for your company within the community. Within your physical or virtual business, you might currently be limiting to your sales potential to the traffic that flows directly to your storefront. However, you can maximize exposure and increase your sales by using the mobile capabilities of your smartphone to search for profitable opportunities elsewhere.

For example, you can sell your products and services at local trade shows or conventions. Perhaps the service that you offer can be done remotely instead of from your office – such as a mobile mechanic or IT specialist. Even though these opportunities would require you to be a little more flexible with your scheduling, the sales opportunities that they will create as a result will make it all worthwhile.

Cut Down Overhead Costs and Related Expenses

In most cases, the overhead costs and related expenses that you have to pay out every month just to keep your business running can also hinder the business from growing due to the decrease in profit that they cause. Therefore, an efficient course of action to take would be to study your current list of overhead expenditures – searching for target areas that can be drastically (or even slightly) reduced.

For instance, you might currently use a standard POS system to process your front-end transactions. This type of equipment can easily cost thousands of dollars to purchase upfront and tens of thousands of dollars to maintain over time due to recurring charges and licensing fees, according to Entrepreneur.

Investing in a mobile POS system, such as an equipment kit offered by Shopify, will allow you to process your front-end transactions efficiently for a fraction of that overwhelming cost. Remember, the more money that you save on the frontend, the more money you will be able to keep on the backend which will place your company in a position for positive, long-term growth.

Stay Connected to Your Customers

Use your mobile technology to stay connected to your customers and clients. Doing so will allow you to drastically improve the quality of your customer service, especially when it comes to responding to their complaints and issues in a timely manner. Keep in mind that nearly 90 percent of consumers stop doing business with the average company after having a poor customer service experience, according to Sales Force.

However, the same study shows that resolving issues in a timely manner will increase the chances of winning those customers back. Using your smartphone or tablet to respond to email inquiries, social media messages and other types of correspondence between yourself and your customers will open more doors of opportunity for your business – including repeat customers and referrals.

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With working hours getting longer and pay staying the same, many people in the US are now suffering from stress. Few people realize the impact that their working life has on their well-being. Work-related illnesses are a growing issue in the country. When people think of their general health, they often neglect their mental health. Surprisingly, there is still a huge stigma when it comes to psychological issues. With the number of suffers growing in strength every year, the question is, how much is too much?

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Image by Eneas De Troya

How stressful is your job?

The first thing that people have to consider is how stressful their job is on a day to day basis. Professionals, like doctors, teachers and social workers, are all in a high-risk stress category. People who work long hours are likely to suffer from stress. Last year, doctors across the country noted a significant rise in people with stress and anxiety. When you are working long hours and fail to get an adequate break, you might struggle at home.

It is your boss’ duty to look over your work situation and see whether there are ways in which he or she can change your experience. Remember, your boss should care about your health and safety at work. He or she has a responsibility to you when you are on the premises. Many people avoid talking about their mental health, but they shouldn’t fear expressing themselves. If you feel as though you are unhappy in your workplace, you must talk to someone about it as soon as possible.

Signs of work-related stress

When you feel anxious, you might not even realize it yourself. Often, other people will pick up on certain behavioral and personality changes. If people start to worry about your welfare, it is likely that they have noticed a change in the way that you behave. Stressed people tend to become angry easily. If you used to be well-mannered and calm, but now freak out about the slightest thing, workplace stress could be to blame.

There are also physical signs of stress. Many people think that their emotional state has no impact on their physical health, but they are wrong. When you stress yourself out every day, your body feels the strain. You might begin to sweat whilst you are at work or in stressful situations. You may also notice that your heart speeds up when you are anxious. These minor changes are not normal and can lead to serious health complaints. You may also experience frequent headaches, blurred vision and sickness. If you have any of these symptoms, you need to see a medical professional sooner rather than later. He or she can talk to you about your issues and help you to work out a plan of action.

Prolonged stress can lead to diseases and sickness

When people suffer from prolonged bouts of stress, it can lead to serious health conditions. Stress and anxiety put extra pressure on your heart on a daily basis. Your heart is a muscle and can only take a certain amount of strain. If you are stressing your heart out every day, it will not function well. Many people who suffer from stress end up having heart conditions in later life. If you fail to treat stress, you may find that you struggle when it comes to health issues.

The other major concern is that the stress may depress people. Depression is a serious affliction that affects one in three people in the country. When people have depression, they fail to function in society. They sometimes have to have time off from work. There is a common misconception that people can overcome depression alone. That is not always the case. People with severe forms of depression need to get help for their illness. Without the help that they need, these people can fall further into their mental illness. Suicide rates are consistently increasing in the US. There is a strong correlation between people with stress and suicide victims.

What happens if you need to take time off?

If you need to take time off because of work-related stress, you should talk to your employer. Explain your situation and why you need time off. Don’t make the mistake of lying to your employer about your situation. Stress is a legitimate affliction, and you should tell your employer about it. Whilst you are off, you will get sick pay from your employer for the first six months. You can gain compensation for your stress-related illnesses if you need to. Sometimes people need compensation money to sustain themselves while they are ill or to pay medical bills. Contact a company, such as the russellworthsolicitors personal injury firm, so that you can get help.

Who can you talk to about stress?

If you are anxious and work stresses you out, you need to talk to someone. Top psychologists suggest that talking to family members and friends might be helpful. In fact, having a strong social support system around you will make a world of difference to your situation. If you feel as though you can’t confide in your friends or family, you can see your doctor. Few people realize that their doctor can help them with psychological issues. The lack of understanding of mental issues in society means that some people don’t see the stress as an illness. It is an illness, and you deserve help for it.

How can you reduce stress in your workplace?

People who suffer from stress need to find coping mechanisms in their workplace. Your employer will work with you to find ways to help you cope. You should never take on more work than you can handle. You need to make sure that you manage your time well while you are at work. You can also start doing breathing exercises so that you can control your heart rate. When you stop your heart from speeding up, you can stay calm. If you struggle at work and feel anxious, make sure that you take action for the good of your health.

The UK economy is set to grow by around 0.5 percent before the end of 2014, according to a recent survey. Even though this figure is less than what was forecast earlier this year, it represents the worst case scenario. The most optimistic prediction is a rise of 0.8 percent. Despite the future being uncertain, some believe the British economy is still growing at a faster rate than its counterparts around the globe.

Startups on the rise

Regardless of whether there is an economic recovery or rescission, it is always a risk to start up a new business. For the moment, however, the outlook for small businesses seems positive. More and more people are choosing to leave large corporations and set up businesses of their own. A survey recently found that 65 percent of people working in a corporate environment would rather be working for a small startup company. People are attracted to the idea of starting their own business because it could mean making their dream job a reality. It could also give people more control over their work, and the freedom to create their own rules and regulations. On the other hand, working for a large corporation is sometimes viewed as political and bureaucratic. Some people may feel that they are not respected within the organisation and are not given sufficient training or opportunities to progress.

uk-economy

Image from Flickr

Government initiatives

The UK Government seems to be taking notice of this development and facilitating this change in various ways.

Lord Young’s third and final report on enterprise was published in June 2014 and focuses on encouraging enterprise in education. Of particular significance, Lord Young recommends the introduction of an ‘enterprise passport’. This passport will act as a digital record of all enterprise-related activity that a child has taken part in during their time in education. This move will allow young people to learn business techniques at an early stage in life and allow them to develop important employment skills.

There many UK Government schemes available that help new and emerging businesses. The growth vouchers scheme helps small enterprises get strategic advice on finance, marketing and hiring and training staff. The decrease in corporation tax and the removal of restrictions on starting a business from home, will also benefit small businesses.

Startup businesses that don’t qualify for government funding can apply for a bank loan. Or, new businesses may wish to try the popular method of crowdfunding to cover the initial costs of setting up. Crowdfunding involves gathering monetary contributions from a large amount of people. Additional funds can be raised by selling shares in the new business. There are plenty of funding options available and several online resources which help startup businesses find the right finance package.

Recommendations for new businesses

Budding entrepreneurs are encouraged to find mentors in the business world who can impart wisdom and provide advice. This is known as radical mentoring, where mentors provide guidance, feedback, and support to entrepreneurs. Having a radical mentoring expert by their side means that entrepreneurs can learn from the mistakes of others and avoid costly errors. Mentors can also provide insight into the best practices to follow when running a business, and they can offer valuable advice on how to best structure the organization. There are a number of services available that link up new businesses with business mentoring organisations. Mentors provide advice on dealing with difficult situations and give guidance on developing and improving the business.

Market research is an essential element to launching a new enterprise. It is important to test any new products or services before selling them. Market research also allows a new business to receive feedback from potential customers. It is important to pay close attention to negative feedback and think about whether alterations to the product or service should be made. Researching the market also allows new businesses to identify and analyse competitors.

New enterprises should start with a solid business plan. The development of a comprehensive plan is an essential step in order to set out the finer details, set goals and address any problems at an early stage. The plan will include a summary of the business, finance information and market research. It will also include details of competitors, as well as sales and marketing information. Business plan templates are available online to download from various sources. Businesses will need to present their plan to banks, potential investors and partners, so it is important that it is complete and professional.

Experienced entrepreneurs recommend that every emerging business should have a website. Establishing an online presence is an essential way to spread the message about the goods and services that the enterprise provides. It is also important to use social media to reach out to potential customers and to other businesses. Commercial organisations are not only using social media to connect with customers, they are also using it to give their company personality. Images and videos are used to portray a more friendly, approachable organisation. Social media channels are also being used by businesses to provide customers with exclusive information and deals.

It is also recommended that new businesses invest money in upskilling their staff. Even if the company employs a small number of people, this is still an important step. Providing regular training for your staff will ensure the business is kept up to date. Training will also keep staff motivated. Many businesses are now also offering their staff training in areas that are not directly relevant to their role, in order to boost morale.

Startup companies should organize an opening event and hire a professional speaker to promote the business. Depending on the state of the company, this speaker could be used to motivate new employees or attract potential clients. If the speaker is being used to motivate employees, bringing in one of the top sales motivational speakers in the world makes sense because it can help these employees to hit the ground running. Having a well-known and reputable speaker associated with the company immediately adds credibility to the organization and that alone can generate sales as the business attempts to grow.

New businesses are advised to think carefully about the right office space. It is not likely that a new business will want to be locked into a lengthy lease. The company may increase in size before the lease is up and so more suitable accommodation may be required. Businesses should consider the rent and running costs of the premises. It may be possible to find office space in Leeds available for rent at a reasonable price, as well as elsewhere in the UK. New businesses should also consider the type of space the business needs and what amenities are necessary.

It is recommended that entrepreneurs work out what legal structure fits their business. The company may be set up as a sole trader, limited company or partnership. Each model comes with its own advantages and disadvantages. This decision should be made before registering for tax and trading.

Let’s face it, we all love our technology. When it comes to gadgets and gizmos, we simply cannot get enough. But, we like our tech to last. While we may want to replace it when the latest upgrade comes out, we certainly don’t want it break in the mean time. There are some great accessories that you can use on your tech to make sure that it is kept in the best possible condition. Of course, we are all au fait with covers and slips, but some of these beauties are sure to please.

It’s time to give your tech some love. Here are the best accessories for your gadgets.

phone-gadgets

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Luxury iPad Cases

Okay, so going for luxury leather may seem a step too far. But, think about it logically. Your gadgets need the best to protect them from excessive use. Not many of us can live without our iPads. iPad covers, of yesteryear, are a little dull. They’re either made from cheap plastic or they look tacky. It’s time to give your iPad a makeover. Check out Shinola iPad cases. They are the perfect adornment for any gadget geek that loves fashion. The best thing is, is that they come in a wide range of colours. You don’t have to have a cheap case any longer. Go for luxury. Your iPad deserves it.

Screen Protectors

Screen protectors may not be the most glamorous of items, but your smart phones and tablets need one. You don’t have to go for the plastic covers any longer. You don’t have to worry about bubbles on your screen. On the contrary, there are some great screen protectors that clip onto your device. So, if you want to make your tech last, you need to invest in a clip on screen protector.

Solar Powered Charger

Yes, that’s right. You don’t have to live without your phone or tablet any longer. This is one of the best pieces of tech to hit the high street. Everyone knows the pain of a dead battery. But, you don’t have to suffer this any longer. The solar powered charger charges your phone in under thirty minutes. Just plug in the charging portal and away you go. It’s a great gadget for those that love their tech.

Go Ride Mount Bike

If you are something of a keen cyclist, you are probably looking at ways to make sure that your phone is safe and secure. What you need is a Go Ride Mount for your bike. Simply clip the attachment to the front of your bike and away you go. You don’t have to compromise safety. What’s more, this is convenient for those that love to listen to music as they ride.

Flip-Out Keyboard

Sometimes, it’s just not convenient to head back to the laptop. What you need is a flip out keyboard. This has been specially designed for the iPhone and attaches via the charging portal. So, if you have a wide range of documents come through to your email, you don’t have to worry about auto correct fails again!

The holiday season is a time for spending. According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Holiday Consumer Spending Survey, the average person will spend $804.42 on the holidays, of which the majority is on gifts for family, friends, and co-workers. The deals and discounts offered on Black Friday are the biggest draws to shopping on this day. According to the NRF survey, 74.7 percent of shoppers decide where to shop based upon the discounts. The temptation to save with these deals on Black Friday can lead to actually overspending. However, you can keep your spending in check so that you are not still paying off your debt come spring.

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Calculate How Much you Can Spend

The incredible deals and savings offered on Black Friday do not mean you need to put yourself into debt to pay for them. One of the best ways to not overspend is to create a budget. According to a survey by Accenture, most people do set a budget for the holiday expenses. However, 46 percent surpass their budget. To avoid overspending your budget, take time to research and create your budget so that you will not be tempted by other items.

The first step is to calculate how much you can spend, total, on the holidays. This total amount will include any food for any family feasts or parties, gifts for everyone, decorations, travel costs, and any other potential expenses you do not normally have. It will also include any amount you plan to spend on yourself, such as taking advantage of the Black Friday 2014 deals on BFads to finally get that HDTV you have been eyeing. To calculate your available cash, budget your income and expenses for the month to see how much disposable income you have. If you plan to use a credit card, make sure you can pay it off quickly; otherwise, you might end up paying more on interest than you saved.

Decide How to Spend your Money

Now that you know your magical number that you can spend, it is time to decide how to spend it. Make a list of the items you want to buy, including gifts for friends, family members, co-workers, and yourself. Then, including expenses you believe you will have for traveling, parties, food, decorations, and other expenses. Create a rough estimate based upon what you spent last year and what you expect to pay this year. See if that rough estimate is within your budget. If it is not, go through and prioritize your list. Delete anything you do not need to buy. You can also see if there is a way to reduce your normal expenses to give you more money to spend on the holidays.

Find the Best Deals

Black Friday has some of the best deals on a variety of items, which is why it is such a popular shopping day. With your list of items to buy, look through all the ads to find the best Black Friday discounts or deals on the items. This will help you to decide where to purchase the times. The discounts may also let you add items to your shopping list, but do not be too tempted. According to Ellie Kay from an article on Bankrate.com, people can go broke by saving money by being too focused on the deals and discounts, not on how much they actually spend. Therefore, always focus on the bottom line. The more research you put into finding the best deals, the better chance you will have of sticking to your budget.

Avoid Temptation

Even with all your research and calculations ahead of time, you are still at risk of being tempted and overreaching your budget when shopping on Black Friday. While you are searching for an item, you might find another item that seems like a great deal and throw it into your cart, or you might be bored waiting in line and find something to add to your cart. The stores have put these items in these locations just for that purpose. You do not want to fall into this trap, as this will destroy your budget. Therefore, be vigilant when shopping by following your list and game plan. If you feel you will be easily tempted, take a shopping buddy with you that will stop you from buying something.

You can stay on budget this holiday season, even when shopping the amazing deals on Black Friday filled with temptation. You just have to put in the time and effort ahead of time to calculate your budget and decide what you are allowed to purchase. Then, you need the willpower — or the help of a friend — to keep you on budget. If you stick to the deals on items you want and need, then you will avoid overspending and incurring more debt than you can handle.

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Riding a motorcycle is an altogether different experience to driving a car. For one thing, you only have two wheels instead of four. But when you’re riding a lightweight machine, two wheels makes you agile and in more control on the road.

When you’re riding a motorcycle, you get to experience the world around you from a different perspective. You get to see more of your surroundings, and you become more aware of what’s going on in the world.

More and more people each year are getting rid of their cars and buying motorcycles instead. If you are one of those people, you will doubtless have a few questions about the process. Today’s blog post will help you answer those questions and more! Here is what you need to know:


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Are you road legal?

Before you buy a bike, you need to determine whether you have a valid motorcycle endorsement on your driver’s license. In a lot of states in the USA, this often involves sitting a short written test and taking a basic practical exam.

Unless you plan to ride your motorcycle only on private land, you’ll need a motorcycle endorsement on your license. There is no way around this! It’s usually easier if you passed your driving tests in a car first. That way, you have entitlement to drive cars and ride motorcycles.

I always tell people to get as much training as possible before taking driver’s license exams. Once you do this, you will have enough skill and experience for riding solo on the road.

How good a rider are you?

Following on from the previous section, you should only look at motorcycles that you know you are capable of handling. If you are a beginner, one thing you should not do is set your sights on a high-powered superbike! Unmodified 500cc motorcycles are a good place to start.

In some ways, shopping for a motorcycle isn’t that much different to shopping for a car. There are plenty of models on offer, and you need to try out the ones you like before making a decision on one specific model.

It’s a bad idea buying a motorcycle on impulse, or because you think it looks nice. The only way you will know whether a motorcycle is the perfect fit for you or not is by taking it out for a test ride.

Only consider motorcycles that are suitable to your current skill level. You can always upgrade to better-performing models once you gain more skill and experience on (and off) the road.

Should you buy a new or used motorcycle?

It’s no secret that motorcycles are so much cheaper than cars! Even a brand new motorcycle is cheaper than a premium used car! But there still remains the question of whether you should buy a brand new or used model.

The answer to that question depends on two things. The first point of consideration is how much money you’ve got to spend on a motorcycle. As with cars, you can usually pay by cash, card or finance.

If you opt for the “buy now pay in instalments” approach, make sure that you can afford the repayments. Otherwise, a repo truck will soon appear to take away your pride and joy!

The second point is how important depreciation is to you. Again, as with cars, the value of motorcycles goes down or “depreciates” over time. A six-month-old demonstrator motorcycle that’s been sitting in a dealer showroom is more attractive than a new one.


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Image Credit

If you’re working to a tight budget, your only option may be to buy a used motorcycle. But just because a motorcycle is a used model doesn’t mean it will be unreliable! In general, motorcycle owners tend to look after their machines better than motorists that own cars.

And on the subject of maintenance, motorcycles are so much easier to maintain and repair than cars. That’s because there are fewer parts that get used, and the engine is quite accessible.

How important is insurance?

For a start, motorcycle insurance is a legal requirement in the United States and most countries around the world. The sad truth is that there are more auto accidents involving motorcycles than there are cars.

Motorcycle insurance is often cheaper than car insurance because bikes are lower value items and cost less to fix. Even bike insurance in the UK is cheap. And anyone that has been to or lived in Britain will tell you how expensive most things are in general!

Thanks to the power of the World Wide Web, it is now easier than ever to get motorcycle insurance quotes. In fact, there are even some comparison websites that make the process quicker and easier for you.

There is no excuse not to get a good deal on your motorcycle insurance, regardless of your age or what bike you ride. Just make sure that the policy you buy offers good value for money, and doesn’t have a long list of exclusions on what you can and cannot do.

 

How do I know if a specific model is any good?

One of the questions I get asked a lot is whether it’s possible to determine how good (or bad) a specific bike is. It’s pretty easy to make a judgement on a motorcycle. For instance, the Web is a great resource for independent reviews of bikes from an owner’s perspective.

When you read motorcycle reviews in magazines, they tend to be from a journalist’s perspective. They only get to spend a day or so with them, so there’s no way they can tell you about all of the pros and cons of owning a specific bike.

Motorcycle forums are usually a good place to start when seeking out online reviews. That’s because they are communities of owners and enthusiasts just like you! And you can also check out some motorcycle blogs as the smaller ones are often run by owners rather than publishing firms or other organizations.

Good luck!

If you still think mobile sites are a passing trend, you have fallen behind your consumers and your fellow businesses. With consumers and businessmen more and more obsessed with smartphones and the mobile sales conversions rising even higher, mobile optimization is a necessary move to successfully establish your online presence. Here are five ways that mobile optimization is a must for every business’ success:

1. Mobile is Important to Consumers

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Image via Flickr by Janitors

According to a Pew Research survey, almost 60 percent of Americans owned a smartphone as of January 2014. And those same Americans use their phone for everything. It’s their camera, their calendar, and their entertainment when they are bored. They invest in everything from car chargers and cradles to smartphone speakers so they that their phone can forever act as the extension of their arm that it is. It is radio, GPS, and email, in addition to such menial tasks as phone calls and texts.

And this smartphone co-dependency transfers to the way they consume products and interact with businesses. Mobile sales rose over 50 percent in 2013, according to Google’s new Mobile Playbook, with almost a fifth of all sales now coming from smartphones and tablets. And if your business doesn’t have a functional mobile site, Google found that almost half of consumers won’t hesitate to turn to a competitor.

2. Mobile is Under-Appreciated

While those numbers should be enough to motivate every business into getting a clean mobile site, GetElastic’s infographic on mobile websites reported that just over a third of businesses had any sort of mobile site in 2013, meaning they are handing off a significant number of future customers every day to more tech-savvy companies.

And while having a mobile site is good, it isn’t the end of the road for mobile interaction. You need to have the right information clearly visible. That means address and hours for brick-and-mortar businesses and an easy-to-use shopping cart for e-commerce companies. Bottom line? Mobile isn’t an upcoming trend. It’s the standard, and if you don’t have it, you are behind.

3. The Mobile Tablet Market Should Be Tapped

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Image via Flickr by Janitors

Even though tablets are still a growing market, GetElastic found that tablet users are the most likely to make a purchase, with 72 percent of tablet users making at least one purchase on their tablet a week. In fact, over half of tablet users said that they preferred shopping on their tablet to other electronic devices, making them over three times as likely to make a purchase than smartphone users.

If you are eager to turn mobile tablet views into sales, your site needs to be simple, clean and fast. GetElastic noted that almost all online shopping carts (97 percent) are abandoned due to a cluttered screen.

4. Mobile Optimization is Just the Beginning of Consumer Interaction

Finally, once someone has been to your mobile site, GetElastic found that they are almost guaranteed to engage your business in additional ways. Over 70 percent of users will continue to interact with your brand once they’ve seen your mobile site, whether that is by continuing their research or visiting your store. A quarter of visitors will visit your retail site, and 17 percent will make a purchase afterwards, too.

5. Mobile is Fast

Mobile is an on-the-go and on-a-whim kind of marketplace, so what happens when a mobile site is slow? We already know that a poor mobile experience could send up to 40 percent of consumers to competitors. But over half of the people who do make mobile purchases will do so within an hour of their mobile search. That gives you 60 minutes or less to have a consumer browse your merchandise, pick a product, put it in their shopping cart, and pay for it.

 If the site is slow and cluttered, that 60 minutes blows by and users will be much more likely to abandon their shopping. And if consumers have experienced a slow mobile site—slow enough to deter them from purchasing something—43 percent said they weren’t likely to return.

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The critical moment of transaction processing can either provide signal advantages or result in lost opportunities, and in many cases this depends on the hardware system a business owner has selected. Point of Sale (POS) systems permit sellers to manage customer purchases, returns, discounts, and other terms of sale. These devices and their related software can also keep taps on inventory, prices, taxes, individual transaction details, and, of course, payment.

A whole range of POS systems are now available, and a quick tour of the capabilities they offer will benefit business owners who are in the market for a system, as well as those who just want to know what the competition may be installing.

What to Look For in a POS System That Will Look Out for You

shopify-systemThe “ye olde” cash register of days gone by has long since been succeeded by a few new generations of devices, and with every capping wave of new technology, new capabilities have been added. Certain of these devices will report transaction details to accounting software, rendering the inputs into that system automatic. Business owners in the market for a POS system may want to know if this feature is available, and if so, does it connect with accounting software that the business owner uses or would be willing to adopt.

Another issue that arises in selecting a POS system is whether it supports inventory management, and if so, does it permit integration of online and brick-and-mortar retail operations? The Shopify POS system is one that is particularly well-suited to this purpose. According to eMarketer.com, only a small fraction of current retailers are effective at monitoring their business across their in store and online channels. A competitive advantage awaits those retailers who are the first to achieve this critical integration of sales, supply and inventory management. This is essentially low-hanging fruit, and it will be plucked by those early adaptors who are the most strategic in incorporating systems that permit such cross-channel integration.

Turnkey Solution or Cut-and-Paste

Many of these systems are sold as a turnkey solution, containing all the hardware and software required to process sales. The list can be long; data entry touchscreens, printers, scanners, a credit card reader, and associated software. POS systems can also be integrated with credit card hardware, but they are not strictly needed for credit card transactions, as numerous alternatives exist for that function. The people at possoftwareguide.com warn that confirming software and hardware compatibility before any purchase is a must.

According to Idealware.org, some of the well-known tax software firms offer POS solutions that, of course, integrate smoothly with accounting systems, but that also offer inventory management and other additional functions.

POS systems are usually sold on a per-license basis, with additional charges for hardware, and several levels of functionality based on the complexity of the client’s business. Some solutions have been developed specifically for individual retail stores, with correspondingly lower price points, while others are designed to serve multiple retail locations that provide a window into operations for all-seeing management to peer into.

Specialized Systems for Specialized Operations

Even if you are operating a museum, a theater, a non-profit organization, or some other slightly out-of-the-ordinary concern, there are POS systems that have been designed with your specific needs in mind. Organizations that are not purely commercial will often require software and hardware solutions customized to handle transactions that do not perfectly fit the commercial template. There are even solutions that are cloud-based, and others that utilize open sourcing for clients who have the software development talent required to take advantage of such systems.

Matching Their Solutions to Your Goals

Savvy business operators, in encountering the varied landscape of POS solution, will benefit by formulating the questions that are relevant to their specific business. What are your goals and expectations concerning the software and hardware that you intend to incorporate into your operations as the electronic backbone to your business? What degree of reporting do you wish to maintain? Will this extend all the way to your supply chain, or will it focus primarily on sales transactions, purchase orders and inventory? Are you pursuing cross-channel integration in the manner that many businesses today are focused on? Will the system you choose provide inputs to, and be compatible with, your accounting software? Are you willing to shift your accounting software to permit such integration? Are you ready to install new hardware, or are you seeking a system that will work with the hardware you now have?

Once you have the answers to these questions, and others that no doubt are specific to your operation, the selection of a POS system that suits your needs will become that much clearer.

And once you have found the system that’s right for your business, the advantages of having an advanced POS solution, in increased visibility of operations, real-time inventory and sales management, and in simply being liberated by clear and complete information to go out and interact more with customers, will become clear. The right technology really will set you free.

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Tax can be a minefield. As a small business owner, trying to get your head around the myriad of tax laws can be something of a minefield. Yes, it’s complicated. But, there are two certainties in life: death and taxes. What a sobering thought.

While it’s not our intention to put a dampener on things, getting to grips with taxation laws is imperative. After all, no one wants a visit from the tax man.

There are some basic dos and don’ts when it comes to smaller ventures and taxation laws.

Running an SME and Taxation Matters: The Basics

When you set up as a business, you need to ensure that you are au fait with the many rules of HMRC. While the laws can be complex, you can understand taxation issues better. There is a wealth of support from both HMRC and Lexis Nexis on tax matters. This can help you save time when it comes to dealing with your tax.

One of the most important things that you can do is register, online, for Corporation Tax. You must ensure that you are registered, if your company is deemed as a limited venture. You need to make sure that your Corporation Tax is active. You have a three-month period to do this within.

In the main, corporation tax is paid via the HMRC website. This means that you don’t have to appoint an accountant to deal with your tax. You can do this yourself via the web portal. You must complete a tax return and so forth within the agreed time as stated by HMRC.


Taxation Law

This photo has been supplied by Alan Cleaver

Active Companies

Once you have declared your company as active, you need to ensure that you are making the right people aware of this. You need to give HMRC a vast array of information. This means that if you have traded under a Companies House service, you need to declare this to them. But, you should also endeavour to make sure that your company is registered for VAT and PAYE. This should be done at the same time. VAT taxation differs to Corporation Tax. As a general rule of thumb, you can claim some of your VAT back at the end of the tax year.  PAYE is ‘pay as you earn’ this means that pay tax at the end of the year. But, you must save the appropriate amount of tax ready to be paid within the end of the term.

Liability

Almost all UK businesses are liable for corporation tax. If you run a limited company, which your small venture is sure to be, then you are required to pay corporation tax. However, sole traders are not obliged to pay corporation tax. Only those who are set up as limited companies are. Ensure that you are aware of what legal structure your company operates within.  All companies must pay VAT and PAYE taxes.

National Insurance

Paying NI is vital. You need to ensure that this done alongside PAYE, VAT and corporation taxes. This is done according to the thresholds. Your annual turnover will be dependent on what you earn. Completing the self-assessment will help you with this.

As you might know the first day at 2013 Internet & Mobile World (2013IMWorld), the biggest “business to business” event dedicated to digital, mobile and software solutions in Romania, held at Romexpo ended. What you do not know, if you have not attended on it, is that it was successful.

We had the opportunity to talk to successful people, to see the latest offers for all companies in the field, to see the latest technology and yes … to test Google’s famous Glass.

Oh, we’ve waited too long to test Google Glass, but was worth it? Short answer, yes. Not only we’ve seen Google Glass, we also test it. We can tell for sure that Google Glass offer real sensation; they are really light, strong and can do all that’s advertised.

Google-Glass-Testing-Internet-Mobile-World-2013-Bucharest-Romania

Google Glass testing at IM World 2013 – we loved it

Did you know that Google Glass can only be used for 40 minutes (battery life) and to charge them takes about 20 minutes? They do have a mobile charging unit as you see in the photo above. Although the Google team must improve Google Glass, it won’t be long until we will test a better version of Google Glass.

Also at 2013 IMWorld we met great people with great businesses and one such person was the founder of  PadiTrack , a Conversion Funnel Tracking application. PadiTrack is integrated with Google Analytics data, ready to build up the funnels and can process funnel data retroactively, for as long as you had Google Analytics installed. We will test the application, because we’ve enjoyed their presentation.

We had a lot of fun at 2013 IMWorld, testing the Entersoft Romania micro scooters and we appreciated the creativity of Marketizator‘s stand.

We also participated in Developers Arena: Web Development in the Modern Age conference, and Digital performance – the ultimate focus conference.

After the first day of 2013 IMWorld we can say it was very successful, and those who have not managed to get there today, tomorrow is the last day, so don’t miss it.

The event is supported by Romtelecom and Cosmote as main partners and Nokia, S&T Romania, Qualysoft, Telcor Communications, Entersoft, Microsoft, Fujitsu, Zitec, MailAgent, Agilio, Safetech, Agile Media, MODE360, Transart, Dynamic Web, Voxility, Mediapost Hit Mail, Mobixera and SEO monitor, Star Storage, Cisco, Bittnet, Pay Pro, as project’s sponsors. The creative partner of the event is Saatchi&Saatchi. The media partners are: Radio Guerrilla, The Money Channel, Getica OOH, Wall-Street.ro, HotNews.ro, AdHugger, Agora, B2B Advertising, Business Review, Business24.ro, Cariere, Comunicatedepresa.ro, Connect, DailyBusiness.ro, Digital Trends, Forbes, Incont.ro, IT Channel, IT TRENDS, Market Watch, Today Software Magazine, Ziare.com and Zona IT.

2013 Internet & Mobile World  (IMWorld 2013) participants,  the biggest “business to business”event,  dedicated to Romanian digital solutions, mobile and software, to be held Wednesday and Thursday at Romexpo, will receive a free consultation, own “Black Friday”, access to specially designed for networking software, as well as specialized training discounts.

 “Internet & Mobile World was created to respond to two major needs: know-how updated in the most dynamic areas of the moment and facilitate direct contact between the leading business solution providers and potential beneficiaries. Therefore, we thought a series of promotions and tools that facilitate interaction between participants”, said Cristian Hossu, Universum Events Managing Partner, IMWorld organizer.

 

So, the 5,000 participants will receive a free site audit of the company WSI (stands 61-62, Hall C2), while Padicode will give free advice for conversion optimization (Stand 79, Hall C2).

Furthermore, immediately after IMWorld, Thursday to Friday night, Content Speed ​​(stand no. 93) and its partners activates “Black Friday”, under which IMWorld visitors (who visited the stand in question) can order online with 100% product discount for a total value of 20,000 lei (approx. 6,134 USD or 3,815 GBP) – find out more on myblackfriday.ro

Moreover, participants will be able to access the Connector application throughout the event, a special software designed for networking. “Through the online and mobile application, specially developed for the event, every visitor can see the other guests and can send messages and invitations to meetings in the two areas of networking“, said Cristian Hossu.

The application has Selection filters created by company name, industry, turnover or the decision level of the person / persons involved.

Also, 2013 IMWorld visitors will receive up to 50% discounts of in a series of trainings and will participate in a “treasure hunt” organized by Entersoft Romania (stand 45), after which they can earn more many prizes and enjoy dynamic networking.

Also, at 2013 IMWorld those interested can test in “Future Corner” most modern technologies, which include Google Glass, Leap Motion, Oculus Rift or Samsung Galaxy Gear SmartWatch.

 

All event takes place in a futuristic setting, signed by Hansen Office Design – nonconformist workspaces designers- and BUCHAREST DESIGN CENTER – Product Romanian designers platform promotion, in relation to internal audiences and external markets – using sustainable materials and technologies. The design of the object will be highlighted also by Architecture Lab and ZEST Collective proposed works and architectural design offices.

Computer Aided Design is exposed at IMWorld by a borderline series of art and technology installations, which were made by computational design school Parametrica [digi fab school] workshops participants.

 

Access to IMWorld is based on pre-registration and tickets can be purchased online until October 8, 2013, accessing www.imworld.ro.

Additional data on 2013 Internet & Mobile World:

 

IMWorld second edition is divided into three business areas: Marketing Technologies, Mobile and Apps, and Business Software and is organized by Universum Events, who is also the “Innovation Summit” organizer, first exclusive event dedicated to Romanian business innovation.

 

At the event are expected 5,000 visitors and already announced their participation over 25 international speakers and 130 companies providing business solutions. Also on IMWorld 2013 will be launched over 20 applications and business solutions.

The event is supported by Cosmote Romania and Romtelecom Business Solutions, as main partners and sponsors of the Business Software World.

Mobile and Apps World Partner is Microsoft and Marketing Technologies World Partner is Saatchi&Saatchi. 2013 Internet&Mobile World sponsors are: Nokia, S&T Romania, Qualysoft Information Technology, Telcor Communications, Entersoft Romania, Fujitsu, Star Storage, Zitec, MailAgent, Agilio Software, Safetech, Agile Media, MODE360, Transart, BearingPoint, Dynamic Web, Mediapost Hit Mail, Mobixera, SEO monitor, Liberty Technology Park, Cisco, Bittnet Systems, PayPro Global, Carnation Group, White Image, Romanian Business Consult, Like IT and miniPRIX. Metro Online is Office supplies partner, and official Internet service provider in the event is Voxility.

Media partners are Kiss FM, The Money Channel, Getica OOH, Wall-Street.ro, HotNews.ro, AdHugger, Agora, B2B Advertising, Business24.ro, Cariere, Computer world, Comunicatedepresa.ro, Connect, DoingBusiness.ro, Digital Trends, Forbes, Incont.ro, IT Channel, IT TRENDS, Magazinul Progresiv, Market Watch, PC World, Today Software Magazine, Ziare.com and Zona IT.

More information can be found on www.imworld.ro and www.universum.ro.

2013 Internet & Mobile World (IMWorld 2013), the biggest “business to business” event dedicated to digital, mobile and software solutions in Romania will host the launch of more than 20 applications and business solutions for large companies, owners of online shops and small businesses. In this second edition of IMWorld, developers are focused on applications for tablets and mobile phones, the CRM programs, the online payment applications, the “machine to machine” communication or cloud computing.

IMWorld 2013 main partners are  COSMOTE Romania and Romtelecom Business Solutions, who are also Business Software Partners. “It’s a great opportunity to learn and also to show you, future digital solutions. Our  bet is that businesses move to the “cloud”. In other words, the cloud solutions are those that will provide flexibility and cost-effectiveness that helps any company to grow further, especially if there are complemented by adapted telecom services to each of them, “said Vasile Voicu, Director Product Management Coordinator, Business Segment Romtelecom Business Solutions.

IMWorld 2013

At IMWorld 2013, which will take place between 9 and 10 October 2013, t Romexpo Bucharest, 5,000 participants will have the opportunity to test out a range of business solutions, beneficial to business or started projects. For example, online shops owners, visiting the exhibition will be able to see how work two applications specifically developed for them. For example, Mediapost Hit Mail will launch a solution that takes all logistics and enables merchants to focus only on product selection and promotion. Further, MODE 360 will introduce a new technology, which acts as a small photo studio, allowing 360 degrees photographs of product in a fast and simple way.

The next level in developing applications for taxi is marked by Stuff We Do Software Development, unique technology that will help taxi companies to run in parallel counters with drivers and check if the chosen route is the most appropriate. Other strengths of the application consist of video monitoring security option and / or panic button (for the driver and / or client), and NFC payment option (either by contactless bank card or by voucher, with the same technology).

One of the current global trends, the emergence and development of homes and smart cities underlying application signed by Renovatio IT Solutions. The company will premiere  housing wireless control system, tapHOME, with wich household appliances can be managed through a single mobile application.

This year, IMWorld developers paid special importance to CRM (Customer Relationship Management) programs improvement. Specifically, the EXE Software will launch esInsights, a CRM program with greater number of functions than an ordinary one. Also, due growing use of social networks in the business environment, Entersoft Business Suite beneficiaries will have the possibility to manage Facebook and Twitter accounts directly from CRM solution interface.

 IMWorld 2013

Between companies present with applications at IMWorld there is Decar Studios (an application specially designed for publishers, institutions, universities, schools, and for digital books dealers, which functions as e-learning/e-reader, incorporating a product local shop), RBC (an online payment application, which is achieved by scanning the QR code and retains shopping history, give costs details), Carnation Group (Wootocracy.com platform, the next generation of customer loyalty platforms that combine creative elements of “social gamification”) or Infinit Solutions (a campaign to generate real time leads addressed to “always on” connected and mobile consumer).

“We believe that the business applications and solutions launched [at the event] will show that Internet & Mobile World is the place where Romanian business people gather to connect with dynamic digital solutions reality. Here is the future, here is the key to many business problems. We want the Romanian business public to be up to date with everything that is new, innovative, intelligent and efficient,” said Cristian Hossu, Managing Partner of Universum Events, IMWorld organizer.

IMWorld access is based on pre-registration and tickets can be purchased online until October 8, 2013, visiting www.imworld.ro.

2013 Internet & Mobile World Additional Data:

 

IMWorld second edition is divided into three business areas: Marketing Technologies, Mobile and Apps, and Business Software and is organized by Universum Events, which is also the “Innovation Summit” organizer, first exclusive event dedicated to business innovation in Romania.

At the event, are expected 5,000 visitors and over 25 international speakers and 130 companies providing business solutions already announced their participation.

The event is supported by Cosmote Romania and Romtelecom Business Solutions, as main partners and sponsors of the Business Software World. Microsoft is Mobile and Apps World Partner and Saatchi & Saatchi is World Partner Marketing Technologies. 2013 Internet & Mobile World Sponsors are: Nokia, S & T Romania, Qualysoft Information Technology, Telcor Communications, Entersoft Romania, Fujitsu, Star Storage, Zitec, MailAgent, Agilio Software, Safetech, Agile Media, MODE360, Transart, BearingPoint, Dynamic Web, Mediapost Hit Mail, Mobixera and SEO monitor, Liberty Technology Park, Cisco Systems Bittnet, PayPro Global, Carnation Group, White Image, Romanian Business Consult, IT and miniPRIX Like. Metro Online is Office Supplies partner and Voxility is official supplier of internet services.

Media partners are Kiss FM, The Money Channel, Getica OOH, Wall-Street.ro, HotNews.ro, AdHugger, Agora, B2B Advertising, Business24.ro, Careers, Computer World, Comunicatedepresa.ro, Connect, DoingBusiness.ro, Digital Trends, Forbes, Incont.ro IT Channel IT Trends, Magazinul Progresiv, Market Watch, PC World, Today Software Magazine, Ziare.com and Zona IT. More information available on www.imworld.ro and www.universum.ro