The United States has the highest number of guns and gun owners per capita than any other country, nearly 393 million guns in all. With all of the guns in the U.S., it’s important to practice gun safety and safe storage at home, in the car, or on your person. Here are some tips for gun safety.
Where Can I Practice?
One of the most frequent places where gun emergencies happen is in backyards. In most areas of the United States, you cannot practice shooting in your backyard. In fact, negligent security shooting lawyers note that in many areas, you cannot shoot within 250 yards of another building, such as a home. Be sure that you practice good gun safety by practicing at an indoor or outdoor shooting range. If you own a lot of land, you can practice shooting there. Look at your local and state laws before you load up to practice.
Safety Around Guns at Home
The first rule of gun safety at home is to treat every gun as if it is loaded with bullets. That way, you will always be on guard and handle guns carefully.
If you have small children, never allow them to play with a gun. You might want to begin teaching them about gun safety and how to properly handle guns. Also, with small children, you may want to get gun locks or a gun safe to protect your guns when you are not at home. This is especially important with small children because they are constantly exploring. While some gun locks make it difficult to get to your gun when you need it, the latest gun locks use fingerprints and open quickly.
While you’re teaching your children or other family members about gun safety, be sure that you teach them about pointing a gun. Most gun experts tell you to never point a gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot. If you are cleaning your gun, be sure that you aren’t pointing at anything except the floor.
Safety In Your Car
Many states allow you to keep a gun in the car. If you have a gun in the car, one of the first rules you need to keep in mind is where to store it. While many people place guns under the driver’s seat or even in the storage area between seats, the safest place to store your gun in the car is in a locking glove compartment. Like your home, you may want to apply a gun lock to the gun if you decide to keep it in your car.
If you happen to be pulled over for speeding or another traffic offense, you’ll want to tell the police officer where your gun is. Depending on the officer, they may want you to take the gun out, or leave it where it is stored. Another option for gun storage in vehicles is a locking gun case. Locking gun cases are available for nearly every type of gun, so be sure and look at your local gun store. These gun cases ensure that children or pets aren’t able to access your gun while you’re driving or sitting in a drive-thru.
One other tip for gun safety in the car. If the only time you have a gun in the car is when you are traveling from place to place after hunting or practice, unload your gun before you get into the car. If you make it a habit to unload your gun before you step into your car, you’ll be less likely to forget and enter your car with a loaded gun.
Personal Gun Safety
What if you carry a gun with you at all times? Here are some tips for personal gun safety. First, you need to get a holster, a special purse, or a briefcase that contains an area for guns. These special containers will keep your gun safe while allowing you to access it easily. Also, once you remove the gun from a container, keep your finger off the trigger and muzzle pointed towards the ground to avoid any type of accidental shooting. Be aware when handling the gun what is in front of you and what is behind you, to avoid accidents.
No matter whether you keep guns at home, in your car, or you carry them on your person, learning gun safety will prevent a lot of accidents. No responsible gun owner wants to shoot someone unless it is absolutely necessary. By keeping these tips in mind, you or someone you love are far less likely to be the victim of a gun accident.
Local governments are tasked with finding, evaluating, and solving problems within their communities. Largely, these problems require outside grants from state or federal government, and sometimes private organizations, to address the problems in a timely and effective manner.
Local governments are also sometimes grantors as well, offering funds to organizations within the community to address problems that impact everyone. Managing both kinds of grants is a uniquely complex process that requires a great deal of attention and organization.
Here is how local governments manage their grants and a few ways that they could potentially improve their process.
1. Trust
Whether awarding or being awarded a grant to address issues within their municipality, governments are obligated to prioritize compliance when it comes to the allocation of grant funds.
That means that those put in charge of the funds must embody a great deal of trust, transparency, and accountability when it comes to managing and reporting the use of funds. They need to be able to track the flow of grant money, while also being experts in the terms and conditions of the grant to avoid violations.
2. Observation
Observing the date and implementation of the grant is largely related to the above, but the important difference in this discussion is the idea of investing in management tools, like a grants management system that can streamline the process of monitoring grant revenue and providing immediate, accessible information.
Grant management software is not only efficient and saves time, but allows for an ideal level of transparency, in that different team members have access to the same information and can coordinate in a synchronous way.
3. Budgeting
If the local government was the grantor of the grant in question, chances whoever received the grant included a structured budget plan within their application materials. If the local government was the grantee, then they provided a budgetary plan to the grantor as well.
This budget becomes a contract between the two parties, and adherence to its structure and stipulations is crucial to the management process.
4. Reporting
A team of people will be assigned and responsible for the ins and outs of managing the grant, and this requires regular meetings to discuss the implementation and management of the funds.
Once again, transparency and specificity are crucial elements of addressing the status of the grant.
5. Consistency
Local governments receive grants for harrowing circumstances, often related to disaster and emergency management after destructive weather or things like chemical leaks and poor water quality that negatively impact residents on a large scale. Because these events happen more often than we would like them to, grants are not as uncommon as one might think, given that it takes a large sum of money to address disaster relief on the local level.
Consistency comes into play because disorganization and mismanagement of grant funds put regions at risk for losing additional funding, or being subject to additional oversight at the state or federal level that results in a headache for local officials who know their towns and constituents better. Being consistent with the management of grants is crucial to the assurance of aid in the future for local cities and towns.
The Citi Custom Card, by an affiliated company, is a great rewards card for customers with excellent to good credit. Its unique feature is it enables you to earn 5% cash back on your top eligible shopping category each billing year and 1% cash back on all other shopping purchases made in that category. This means you can earn cash back on every single purchase you make in the categories Citi recommends, which usually includes airline tickets, hotel stays, groceries, gas, and entertainment expenses. And since Citi offers their own credit card application, you do not have to pay any additional fees to apply. Once approved, you will receive your cash rewards immediately. Here are Citi custom card benefits that help you in many matters.
Several Cash-Back Categories:
First, there are several special cash back categories that you can choose from such as: business gifts, travel, leisure, department store, automotive, dining, airline tickets, car rentals/spare rentals and home purchases among others. You can use your credit card to pay for these categories straight off your card without paying any processing or interest fees. With this, you will be able to start earning rewards immediately! Once you make your first purchase, you will also be given a special pre-paid rebate check with your chosen category.
Citi’s Cash Card Program Is Very Flexible:
This means you can determine which purchases you want to make using your credit card. If you are buying a major item that requires a membership such as airline tickets, a hotel stay, a car rental or leisure trip, Citi allows you to choose a membership fee payment plan that fits your needs. In most cases, you can use your Citi credit card and get instant cash back up to $200! That means if you shop at least two online merchants you will be able to receive instant cash back.
Billing Cycle:
Citi’s rewards card is also offered with a 10-day billing cycle. That means you can make five purchases each of the five available billing cycles using your credit card. This can easily save you hundreds of dollars in the same amount of time it would take you to accumulate that amount of cash on your actual credit card. Citi’s rewards card is also good for opening new accounts!
Great Incentives:
Citi’s rewards program has a great incentives. And it has some other benefits as well. Citi offers an attractive cash back rate that will help you save money each month. Citi will match your eligible purchases up to a certain amount depending on the type of card you have. When you apply for your Citi cash card and make your first purchase, Citi will instantly credit your account with that amount and up to double that amount in bonus points.
Citi cash back card will help you save money with ease. But before you apply, make sure you know what you want. Do you need a card to get cash back rebates? Are you looking for a card with airline miles program? Or would you like a card that gives you cash back? Once you know what you want, you will be able to search for the right one.
A newly declassified document that looks into connections between Saudi citizens in the US and two of the 9/11 attackers has been released by the FBI.
Relatives of victims have long urged the release of the files, arguing Saudi officials had advance knowledge but did not try to stop the attacks.
However, the document provides no evidence that the Saudi government was linked to the 9/11 plot.
Fifteen of the 19 plane hijackers were Saudi nationals.
Ahead of the declassification, the Saudi embassy in Washington welcomed the release and once again denied any link between the kingdom and the hijackers, describing such claims as “false and malicious”.
The 16-page FBI document was declassified on the 20th anniversary of the deadliest terror attacks on US soil – almost 3,000 people were killed after four planes were hijacked – and is the first of several expected to be released.
Some families of the victims had put pressure on President Joe Biden to declassify the documents, saying he should not attend this year’s commemoration ceremonies in New York if he was not prepared to release them.
The FBI document is still heavily redacted. It is based on interviews with a source whose identity is classified (listed as PII) and outlines contacts between a number of Saudi nationals and two of the hijackers, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Midhar.
The hijackers posed as students to enter the US in 2000. The FBI memo says they then received significant logistical support from Omar al-Bayoumi, who witnesses said was a frequent visitor to the Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles despite his official status at the time as a student.
Omar al-Bayoumi, the source tells the FBI, had “very high status” at the consulate.
“Bayoumi’s assistance to Hamzi and Midha included translation, travel, lodging and financing,” the memo said.
The FBI document also says there were links between the two hijackers and Fahad al-Thumairy, a conservative imam at the King Fahad Mosque in Los Angeles. He was described by sources as “having extremist beliefs”.
Both Omar al-Bayoumi and Fahad al- Thumairy left the US weeks before the 9/11 attacks, according to the AP.
The agency also quoted Jim Kreindler, a lawyer for the relatives of 9/11 victims, as saying that the released document did “validate the arguments we have made in the litigation regarding the Saudi government’s responsibility for the 9/11 attacks”.
Last month, a lawsuit launched by relatives saw several top former Saudi officials questioned under oath.
The administrations of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump all declined to declassify the documents, citing national security concerns.
Last week, President Biden last ordered a review of investigative documents, telling officials to release what they could over the next six months.
There has long been speculation of official Saudi links to the plot, given the number of Saudi nationals involved and al-Qaeda leaders Osama Bin Laden’s Saudi background.
However, the 9/11 commission report found no evidence to implicate the Saudi government or senior officials.
The US and Saudi Arabia have long been allies, although the relationship has at times been difficult.
Donald Trump strengthened ties but Joe Biden called Saudi Arabia “a pariah” for its part in the gruesome murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.
Relatives of people who died on 9/11 have read out victims’ names, as America marks 20 years since the deadliest terror attacks on its soil.
Many struggled to hold back tears at the ceremony held at Ground Zero, the site of the Twin Towers destroyed in the attacks by al-Qaeda militants.
A minute’s silence was held at the exact time each hijacked plane crashed.
George W. Bush, who was the president at the time, gave a speech in Pennsylvania, where one of the planes crashed into a field after passengers overpowered the hijackers.
The official memorial started with a minute’s silence at 08:46 – the exact moment the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center in 2001.
All morning, roses continued to be placed beside the names of the 2,977 victims etched into the Ground Zero memorial.
There were five more moments of silence over the next few hours – marking the time when the second plane crashed into the South Tower, when a third jet struck the Pentagon just outside Washington DC, when the fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania, and finally when each tower collapsed.
The tributes will continue into the night, when two beams of light will shine 4 miles into the sky where the towers stood.
With thousands of names to read out, the list took hours to get through.
At the memorial in New York, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were joined by former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as former First Ladies Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama.
President Biden traveled to all three attack sites on September 11 – New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
In a video released on the eve of the anniversary, he paid tribute to the victims.
“No matter how much time has passed, these commemorations bring everything painfully back as if you just got the news a few seconds ago,” the president said.
VP Kamala Harris spoke in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after George W. Bush.
“We must challenge ourselves to look back, to remember, for the sake of our children… and for that reason, we must also look forward,” she said.
In the morning, former President Donald Trump released a video statement, praising first responders – and adding it was a “sad time for the way our war on those that did such harm to our country ended last week” – referring to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
However, Donald Trump planned to take part in something quite different later in the day – providing commentary for a boxing match in Florida with his eldest son, Donald Jr.
Other ceremonies included a vigil at the New York Fire Department’s memorial wall – a 56-foot bronze wall that honors the 343 firefighters who died on the day of the attacks.
In total, 441 first responders were killed, the largest loss of emergency personnel in US history.
At the Pentagon outside Washington, a dawn service was held.
Two pipers played Amazing Grace as a small group of military leaders looked on in solemnity, the building bathed in blue light.
A chapel of remembrance now marks the spot where American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the US defense building.
The summer, sadly, is drawing to a close for most of us and that means it’s time to re-think your wardrobe for the fall and beyond. Trying to stay one step ahead of the fashion curve can always be something of a chore and that’s why we are here to give you some helpful tips.
The importance of a good accessory or two should never be overlooked. Your overall outfit may be on point but the addition of a good bit of extra detailing can be just what is needed to make you stand out from the crowd.
Conversely, sometimes a dour or basic outfit can be saved and accentuated, in a good way, by the selection of one or two great accessories that can turn your wardrobe into an inspiration and will make heads turn in your direction.
Here’s a list of ten great accessories for this coming fall.
Hobo Bags
These come hot on the heels of the massive tote bags that everyone was joyfully wearing over the summer. Again size is key, go with a large comfortable shape and don’t be afraid to push it with bright colors. This is a great trend for those who can’t leave the house without taking all their belongings with them.
Initial Necklaces
Personalized jewelry is quite literally a gift that keeps giving. Over the summer these were all the rage and we strongly suggest that you get yourself a nice initial necklace, you can find great ones here, and look to be playful with these and try to get those that work well with a number of outfits. These delightful necklaces can be classy or fun, sometimes both, and therefore are versatile enough to be worn during the work day or on a night out.
Padded Sandals
As fall, hopefully, will not see an instant drop in temperature, you should still be able to leave your feet bare and padded sandals are very much ‘in’ at the moment. The comfier and more quilted you can get, the better. Jet black is a good color to go with and these are good for day time walks when it’s still fresh and breezy outside.
Kerchiefs
These follow on nicely from the peak summer trend of the silk scarves that were all the rage this year. Again, much like with the silk scarves, these are very adaptable and can be worn in a million ways. Either as bandanas, or high on the head as kerchiefs or even as scarves when it gets a little chilly. These are part of the ‘grandma’ trend that won’t seem to leave us.
Big Sunglasses
Big is beautiful and with sunglasses this is doubly true. Look to get oversized shades and ones that are really blingy, dark in color with additional detailing to really make them pop. These are really good for those fall days where the sun is still bright, albeit with the temperature a few degrees lower than we’d like.
Arm Warmers
Of the trendy accessories we are listing here, this one is perhaps the most daring. If you are courageous enough, or confident in your fashion choice, these can be both chic and functional. Pair them with your tank tops and try to go for muted colors, as there’s no need to be too brash with the items. Most main street stores are selling these by the bucketload, so go try some out.
Scrunchies
These are a trend that has pushed right through the summer to the fall and we are very pleased about that too. Again, as in the summer, the trendy accessories of 2021 are very with a nod to comfort and informality. Whereas the summer was all about bright garish colored scrunchies, you might want to tone down the color and style choices with your fall scrunchy selection.
Boat Hats
Much like the arm warmers, these are a fairly courageous choice and one that isn’t for everyone. Tightly woven straw Boat hats are very eye-catching and you should consider getting one and wearing them on occasions where you want to be noticed out there.
Big Statement Bows
Very much a nod to the 80s, these are deliberately showy and a fun way to accessorise. The bigger the bow the better. Try for black bows and ones that are paired nicely with the rest of your look. Think about wearing these with a statement belt for that truly retro vibe. Clearly if you have big hair then this will be an even more suitable option to consider.
Super Sized Earrings
If the summer was about function over form then think of the fall being a little bit of a move in the opposite direction. Here the key is to go for super sized earrings, the style of which should be in keeping with your overall outfit, and these should be truly ‘out there’ and perfectly coupled with an evening look. Again this requires you being self-assured enough to pull off the fashion trend.
Have Fun With It!
2021 is something of an improvement on 2020, for most of us anyway, and fashion gives us the chance to outwardly project how we feel and the statement we are trying to make to the world. The accessories are the details that can really make that statement sing, so have fun with it!
Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has been hit by stones thrown by protesters during a campaign stop.
The prime minister was returning to his campaign bus after visiting a brewery when he was pelted by stones. He was not injured.
Justin Trudeau called a snap election in mid-August, in the hope of gaining a majority government for his left-of-centre Liberal party.
However, the prime minister’s campaign has been disrupted by demonstrations against Covid-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions.
Just over a week ago, Justin Trudeau was forced to cancel an election rally after a crowd of angry protesters ambushed the event.
Speaking to journalists on his campaign plane after the incident in London, Ontario, PM Trudeau said he may have been hit on the shoulder.
According to a reporter with Canada’s CTV National News, two people traveling on a media bus were also hit by stones, although they were not injured.
On September 7, Justin Trudeau called the actions of the protestors “absolutely unacceptable”.
“Nobody should be doing their jobs under the threats of violence or acts that put them in danger,” he said during a Montreal campaign stop.
“But it’s not just political rallies where this is happening.”
Provincial politicians, public health officials, restaurant owners and healthcare workers have faced harassment in incidents across the country in recent weeks.
Erin O’Toole, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, described the incident as “disgusting”.
“Political violence is never justified and our media must be free from intimidation, harassment, and violence,” he tweeted.
Justin Trudeau’s plans for vaccine mandates have become a key issue ahead of the September 20 election.
In Canada, all federal party leaders have championed Covid vaccines, though there are some policy differences.
Last month, the government announced that all civil servants – including workers in federally regulated sectors, like rail – must be vaccinated by the end of October or risk losing their jobs.
Commercial air, cruise and interprovincial train passengers must also be vaccinated to travel.
The Conservatives prefer incentives, like allowing for paid time-off for the jab, and requiring regular Covid-19 testing for unvaccinated workers and Canadians travelling across the country.
Canada has one of the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates in the world.
The number of jobs added by the US economy in August was very disappointing, with only 235,000 positions vs. expectations of 720,000.
The figure was well down on the 1.05 million jobs created in July, adding to fears that the recovery from the pandemic may be running out of steam.
Despite the disappointing hiring levels, the unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in August from 5.4% in July.
Economists say rising infections caused by the Delta variant have hit spending on travel, tourism and hospitality.
They also note that the Labor Department’s data was collected in the second week of August, so does not reflect the impact of hurricanes Ida and Henri in the second half of the month.
President Joe Biden said he was disappointed but defended his record on the economy, saying it was growing consistently.
“Total job creation in the first seven months of my administration is nearly double, double any prior first-year president,” he said.
“While I know some wanted to see a larger number today, and so did I, what we’ve seen this year is a continued growth, month after month in job creation.”
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were notable job gains in August in professional and business services, transportation and warehousing, private education and manufacturing.
However, employment declined in retail and was flat in leisure and hospitality, after increasing by an average of 350,000 per month over the previous six months.
While the number of people unemployed edged down to 8.4 million, it remains well above the pre-pandemic level of 5.7 million seen in February 2020.
Average earnings also jumped in August, suggesting that employers are trying to lure workers back amid labor shortages in some industries.
The US economy contracted sharply in 2020 during lockdown but has rebounded strongly in 2021.
House prices are rising and corporate results remain strong. However, like most economies, the US is facing supply chain issues that have dragged on manufacturing growth.
Inflation has also jumped as the economy reopens, although the Federal Reserve believes the rise will be transitory.
Kim Jong-un called on North Korean officials to deal with food supply issues and highlighted the danger of climate change.
In 2020, typhoons badly impacted vital crops, while weeks of drought followed by heavy monsoon rains have damaged them this year as well.
The North Korean leader said measures to overcome “abnormal climate” were needed, and asked also officials to tackle drought and floods.
Kim Jong-un’s comments came in a speech to the ruling party’s Politburo on September 2.
He had said that the “danger” of climate change had become “higher in recent years adding that “urgent action” needed to be taken.
Kim Jong-un also called for improvements to North Korea’s flood management infrastructure saying: “River improvement, afforestation for erosion control, dyke maintenance and tide embankment projects”, should be prioritized.
Apart from the damage caused by natural disasters, North Korea’s economy has been hit hard by international sanctions, as well as border closures and harsh lockdowns to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Although North Korea has not reported any Covid-19 cases, it has sealed its borders and imposed lockdowns.
The border closures have affected vital imports from China.
“Tightening epidemic prevention is the task of paramount importance which must not be loosened even a moment under the present situation,” said Kim Jong-un, according to state media.
Selling a home, whether it is for the first or subsequent time, can be an uphill task. There is more pressure if you need to sell your house fast and for the best market price. Unfortunately, there is overwhelming advice coming from left, right, and center, and this can be confusing during the process.
Since it is not typically an easy process, you can opt to use an agent or sell the house directly to companies that buy houses on an as-is basis. They will make the process a lot faster.
So, why do people need to sell a house fast? We have prepared a list of reasons to help you know if it is a good direction to take or if you should stick to the old and slow process that can take months or more.
You Need to Sell Your House Fast to Reduce the Stress and Hassle
Selling a house fast, especially through an agent or to a home-buying company, reduces the stress and hassle of the long process of looking for potential buyers, taking them through house showings, negotiating, processing the paperwork, and even risking getting defrauded.
So, if you are trying to sell your house to relocate or buy a new one, you probably need to sell your house fast through ways that make this process possible.
You Need to Sell Your House Fast to Avoid Market Changes
The real estate market is volatile, and prices can change very fast. If you do not want to risk being on the losing end, you need to sell the house fast when the price is still high. Again, it is highly recommended to use agents who will sell your property within a very short time.
Let the agent advise you on what to do to home stage your property, set the right price, and market it on all possible listing platforms to find a buyer fast.
No Need for Repairs
You need to sell your house fast to home-buying companies if you do not want to repair it. Most, if not all, buy on an as-is basis, which eliminates strain on the homeowners. Repairs could take a toll on your budget, and sometimes, you may not have the finances. This is a big reason why most people sell their homes to these investors.
You Need to Sell Your House Fast to Save Time
When you want to relocate or finance another home purchase, you need to sell your house fast. There is no need to waste a lot of time trying to look for buyers through the traditional methods of listing, home showings, and so forth.
Fortunately, the home-buying companies we have talked about will facilitate this. However, you can still list your house for sale if it is the only way, but make sure you advertise the house sale thoroughly on all available platforms, prepare it well for sale, and use a professional agent when possible. It will also yield positive results if these steps are taken.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why you need to sell your house fast; some are personal while others are necessitated by external forces. Weigh your options carefully to make the right decisions. It is highly recommended that you talk to real estate professionals for more advice.
Will Smith has revealed who will play him in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reboot.
Jabari Banks will take on the role of Will in the upcoming reboot of the hit TV sitcom.
The character catapulted Will Smith, now 52, to stardom in the early 1990s.
“It is an absolute pleasure to meet you, to be on with you, and from the deepest parts of my heart I want to say congratulations to you,” he told Jabari Banks in a video call.
“You have the role of Will on Bel-Air.”
“I’m ready, I’m so ready,” replied Jabari Banks, who revealed his father had suggested he try out for the part after reading an article about it.
“This is a dream come true,” he added.
Jabari Banks said the show had a huge impact on his life, adding that he once got his friends to join him in dressing up as characters from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air while he was at high school.
The reboot, which will appear on NBC streaming service Peacock, was inspired by a 2019 viral fan video by Morgan Cooper, who re-imagined the comedy as a modern-day drama.
Morgan Cooper was snapped up to work on the new project, produced by Will and Jada Pinkett Smith Westbrook Studios and Universal Television, where he will now be joined by Jabari Banks.
The original Will told the new one: “You’ve got a fantastic road ahead of you, and I’m looking forward to being an asset for you in this process as you build out your life and build out your career.”
According to Deadline, this will be Jabari Banks’ first TV role.
A resident of west Philadelphia, which is also where the titular character was famously “born and raised”, Jabari Banks graduated from the city’s University of the Arts in 2020.
Jabari Banks is also an accomplished singer-songwriter, rapper, and basketball player.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which ran for six seasons from 1990 to 1996, starred Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself.
Everyone invests in stock to make a profit – the vast majority of traders do, in any case. However, for many people just getting started in stocks and shares, it is not always easy to tell which options are likely to do better than others. Of course, one of the best ways to prepare for buying stock is to look carefully at precedents and past performance. However, there are still going to be a few indicators that give you some idea about what to expect.
No one is clairvoyant when it comes to which stocks and shares are likely to make their portfolio boom. Many people make investments in green stocks and socially responsible shares a priority, for example, as society is moving in such a direction. AskTraders certainly has plenty for you to dive into in that respect. However, looking at what society ‘prefers’ is only a very small piece of the bigger puzzle. Let’s take a look at a few tell-tale signs that your prospective investments are likely to do well for you.
Growth stocks are fairly expensive
The best growth stocks available, of course, are those that spike high, and spike fast. This isn’t to say that they are unlikely to be volatile the other way around. However, it is likely to be obvious to many that a firm growth stock will be making big strides in very short spaces of time.
Alongside this trait, of course, is the price. It’s very rare that you will come across a ‘hidden gem’ – in the sense that you happen to find a solid growth stock that’s extremely cheap. The more lucrative and better-performing growth stock, by and large, will be more expensive to buy than your average.
This sounds like a fairly simple point to make, but it’s one of the most important indicators to keep in mind. All investors should be keeping close tabs on their cash flows in general. However, if you notice that a particular stock is spiking in price much higher than its peers, and at a fast pace, then it’s likely that it will be growing significantly in the short term. Long and short – more than a few shrewd investors already know what they are getting into!
Growth rates are pretty broad
One of the first things that all investors should look into when buying new stock is the growth rates and averages. While it’s pretty safe to place money into a stock that has a growth rate of 5%, lowest, year on year, stocks that grow at around 10% (or even as low as 8%) are likely to be going places, fast.
Of course, this is likely to be a secondary factor to the above. Once you have found the price of a potential growth stock, you will probably want to consider its current rate and/or pace of growth. 10% is pretty impressive – and it does indicate that this is an investment that’s going to continue skyrocketing at its current trajectory.
Check the dividends
Yes, dividends can be very useful, and many investors look for their availability – but a stock with little to no dividend payouts will likely keep on growing. Therefore, if you are interested in growth stocks, it is worth considering whether or not you are going to be willing to sacrifice your dividend potential on route.
High growth stocks will likely do away with dividends altogether for a very simple reason. Instead of eschewing cash regularly to shareholders, they can simply keep pumping money into their growth. This occurs with the understanding of shareholders that, in time, they can expect even bigger wins if they are willing to hold off on dividends.
This is where many traders will likely part ways. Some will prefer to hold onto their dividend-friendly approach to maximize the small wins, while others will risk it all and see a stock through on its growth under this proviso.
Share prices are historically higher – in correlation – than most
Another simple figure to consider when identifying growth stocks is, of course, share pricing. Share price correlations will generally tell you how a stock or company is performing over the long term. However, it’s also a key indicator for spotting stocks that are likely to grow exponentially for years to come.
Looking at the past performance of a share price, if you notice considerable spikes or a long route upwards, then you are very likely to be getting involved in a high growth stock. Keep in mind that the longer the upward run, the more likely this is to be the case.
Of course, it does not always follow. There are some growth stocks that can and will plateau, and others that will hit a downslide depending on a variety of different factors.
Is it worth hunting down growth stocks?
On paper, it might seem as though all investors will likely want to get behind growth stocks. However, as with all market purchases, there are risks involved. Even if a stock has all the hallmarks of the above, there’s no guarantee that it won’t avoid volatility and start plummeting in future. There is, regrettably, no such thing as a ‘sure’ scenario here.
Growth stocks can, on occasion, fall harder than average stocks depending on what is causing the drop. Major reputation damage or political concerns, for example, are likely to cause growth stocks to fall from grace fairly hard. That’s because it may be hard for shareholders to justify the expensive prices they normally retail at on the markets.
Smaller stocks and those with steadier growth credentials are likely to recover or plateau quicker, simply because they have less distance to fall. Ultimately, it is all about investing in a stock that is going to weather storms, not just keep growing and then crash and burn when things go slightly awry.
As with all stocks, growth options can be lucrative – but you need to be very careful about where you put your money. Can you really afford to follow a growth stock right to the peak – and then prepare for the fall?
Two bombs have struck the perimeter of Kabul’s Hamid Karzai International Airport, as civilians continued to seek to escape on flights from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
At least 60 people have been killed and 140 others wounded.
The Pentagon confirmed US service personnel were among those killed – 11 US Marines and a Navy medic.
The bombings came hours after Western governments had warned their citizens to stay away from the airport, because of an imminent threat of an attack by IS-K, the Afghanistan branch of the Islamic State group.
The first explosion happened at about 18:00 local time, close to the Baron Hotel, near the airport’s perimeter.
The hotel was being used by British officials to process Afghans hoping to travel to the UK.
It was followed by gunfire and then a second explosion close to the Abbey Gate, one of the airport’s main entrances.
Reports say the second explosion took place near a sewage canal where Afghans were waiting to be processed, close to the gate, and that some victims were blown into the water.
According to an US official, at least one attacker had been wearing an explosive vest.
American and British troops had recently been deployed to guard the area around the Abbey Gate.
According to one account, one attacker fired into a crowd of people, although reports also said Taliban guards had fired into the air.
US citizens who had gone to the area around the airport had been warned before the attack to “leave immediately”.
There might be nothing more stressful than anticipating an upcoming complex surgery and/or medical procedure that just might save your life. However, all too often, medial doctors are placed on a pedestal. They are considered infallible in their diagnoses and medical methodology. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Fact is, doctors and medical professionals are perfectly capable of making mistakes, sometimes big ones. Says the legal professionals at the Barnes Firm New York, when medical professionals including surgeons and doctors make gaffs, innocent patients can become the victim of severe injury and/or death. That’s why a patient who’s suffered from medical malpractice, along with his family, needs to contact a reputable personal injury attorney who specializes in medical malpractice to receive the financial compensation they deserve.
In fact, medical malpractice is more common that you might have assumed. According to a recent report, more than 225,000 people die from it on an annual basis. But only 2 percent of these victims ever actually file claims. This is a shame, since medical malpractice can change the course of your daily existence for the remainder of your life.
That said, are you aware or not if you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice? There are several, all too common varieties of medical malpractice and being mindful of them will assist you in deciding if you have a case that needs exploring with a personal injury attorney.
Being Misdiagnosed
Statistics prove that misdiagnosis is the primary variety of medical blunder. The most common misdiagnoses include but are not limited to pulmonary embolism, stroke, celiac disease, heart attack, cancer, thyroid conditions, and Lyme disease.
Many times, a misdiagnosis isn’t due to sheer negligence on the part of the physician, but instead to symptoms that have presented themselves in ways the medical professional wouldn’t have noticed unless he or she was seeking them out. But if a doctor fails to diagnose a condition that they are fully trained to detect, it would then be considered a negligence case.
Misdiagnosis can be harmful to patients since it can result in a delay in treatment and/or sudden death. If a patient is made to undergo a medical procedure he doesn’t need, it can strap him with financial burden.
Diagnosis Delays
Delayed diagnosis is on par with misdiagnosis. A delayed diagnosis can result in harmful outcomes for a patient since their condition will progress in ways it wouldn’t if treated on time.
If a doctor has been less than thorough in the treatment of a patient, it will qualify for a case of negligence. One example of this is neglecting to order a specific test that the patient should have undergone considering his condition.
The key to establishing a good case of medical malpractice due to delay in diagnosis, is proving that your condition would be better had the medical professional started treatment sooner. With a case of cancer such as pancreatic cancer, this is difficult to prove since its possible the condition would have progressed rapidly even with treatment.
Surgery Mistakes
It’s said that around 50 million surgical procedures are carried out every year in the U.S. alone. Thankfully, most of these are considered a success. But on occasion, a complication occurs, such as performing the wrong procedure, operating on the wrong part of the body, damage of nerves and organs, out of control bleeding, unsterilized surgical instruments, inadequate vital sign monitoring, and more.
Sometimes errors occur when a medical professional doesn’t read the patient’s chart correctly. It can also occur when they fail to review proper medical instructions, or when a patient is cleared “for the wrong surgery.”
At times, surgical errors result in minor inconveniences to the patient. Other times they can result in permanent tissue damage, disfigurement, permanent disability, or death.
Medication Mishaps
By going to a doctor for a medical problem you fully trust them to prescribe the right medication for you. But all too often medication mishaps occur and a patient is given a medication that’s 100 times or more of a dosage than it should be. Or a medical professional can prescribe the wrong meds altogether.
Some of the most common medication script errors are as follows:
–Prescribing the wrong drug
–Writing an illegible script
–Mishaps with medication prescriptions
–Improper monitoring a new medication
Medical malpractice can leave you and/or a loved one with lifelong problems that would have been avoided had the medical professional performed their duties the right way the first time around. If you feel you’ve been the victim of medical malpractice, it’s imperative you consult with a reputable personal injury attorney. You might be due compensation that can greatly improve your financial wellbeing.
Most parents want to see their children succeed in life. To be able to help them move forward with their lives and, ultimately, become independent, there are some skills that you may want to teach them from an early age. These can help your child to gain some important life habits that will make the most of every available opportunity, and prevent them from missing out on aspects of life that could very well see them prosper.
Saving Money
A lot of people struggle with saving money, either due to succumbing to temptations that they see, or simply not understanding how to put a portion of their money aside each month. From infancy, you could open Junior ISAs from Wealthify for each of your children, and continue saving money for them each month. As your child grows, they could also put some of their allowance, gifted money or, once they get their first job, wages, into this account.
Letting them see their money grow, and explaining how any interest works, could assist them in understanding the importance of having money that they do not touch, except for emergencies or planned purchases. One of the benefits of a Junior ISA is that it cannot be touched, except for when the child in question reaches adulthood, which can help to nullify temptations as they grow. Theoretically, this money could be ideal for a first adult holiday with their friends, to buy their first car, or even go towards a deposit on a property.
Paying Attention to Education
While school can help your child to learn valuable social skills, there is more to it than simply a means to see their friends. Paying close attention to the knowledge and skills they are being taught can greatly assist them in passing exams and retaining information. If your child has expressed an interest in a certain career, this can allow your child to experiment with subjects of interest to see if it really is the field they want to be in, before paying out for college or university.
Consideration for Others
Whether your child wants to find a way to move up quickly at work in the future, or secure a healthy and stable relationship, being a considerate person may help them. While, at times, it can be difficult to be patient or respectful, especially if dealing with an unpleasant individual, kindness is something that could help them to feel better about interactions, and make meaningful connections with potential friends or romantic interests. Employers may also take note of those who are conscientious in the role, as opposed to those with no drive or respect for their position.
There are many traits and habits that you can teach your child, even from a very young age, that will benefit them in adulthood. As a general rule, the early you start these teachings, the more ingrained they may become until they are simply a normal part of your child’s daily life.
The news came weeks after it was announced that Charlie Watts would miss the band’s US tour dates to recover from an unspecified medical procedure. Charlie Watts was previously treated for throat cancer in 2004.
Charlie Watts had been a member of the Stones since January 1963, when he joined Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones in their fledgling group.
He helped them become, with The Beatles, one of the bands who took rock ‘n’ roll to the masses in the 60s with classics like (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Get Off My Cloud and Sympathy for the Devil.
The statement from the Rolling Stones’ publicist said: “He passed away peacefully in a London hospital earlier today [August 24] surrounded by his family.
“We kindly request that the privacy of his family, band members and close friends is respected at this difficult time.”
In 2016, Charlie Watts was ranked 12th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 100 greatest drummers of all time.
The drummer is survived by his wife Shirley, daughter Seraphina and granddaughter Charlotte.
Everyone knows that getting into a new routine is challenging. Trying to make healthy habits like eating fruits and vegetables daily and working out regularly is especially difficult. It is important to remember that going from eating junk food everyday to a completely healthy and vegan diet is very challenging and is often destined for future failure. Instead, it is more effective to start making changes gradually and change your routine incrementally. This allows your mind and body to adapt to the change over time, rather than shocking it by changing all at once. For more advice, here are a few key ways to add a new workout routine into your weekly or daily habits:
Choose Activities You Enjoy
Working out doesn’t have to be a chore. Taking your dog on a walk or going for a swim are both great ways to get healthy exercise. By choosing workouts that you enjoy, you increase the chances of you sticking with them for a long time. Working out with friends or family can also make your workouts more enjoyable. Alternatively, hiring a personal trainer can help you stay motivated and on track to meet your goals.
Reward Yourself
One of the best ways to build healthy habits is to reward yourself for each time you workout or get exercise. This can include anything from buying yourself a new album or video game to going to your favorite restaurant. However, it is important to avoid choices like ice cream or fast food because these can hinder your weight loss or fitness success. Treating yourself every other week is more acceptable.
Pick New Activities Each Week
When you first start working out regularly, it can be beneficial to do the same exercises each time so that you get into a rhythm of working out. However, as you pass the one to three week mark, you will likely find yourself getting bored or burnt out. Therefore, it is important to change up your workout routine with different exercises or activities to keep each session fun and unique.
Collaborate with Your Doctor
Making a plan with your doctor for weight loss or getting into shape can help you create the right workout routine for you. The experts at RCMC Medical Center offer medical weight loss programs, nutrition counseling, and an individualized weight loss plan to help support your healthy habits. Doctor-approved appetite suppressants and medical HCG injections can also aid in weight loss.
Conclusion
Overall, getting into a new workout routine doesn’t have to be miserable and painful. By encouraging exercises you enjoy, rewarding yourself for your efforts, and adding variety to your workout routine, you can help make exercising a long-term habit. Working with your doctor for weight loss planning can also help guide your routines and eating habits.
Have you ever wondered what to do with your data if you can’t afford to keep it in the office? Well, don’t worry as most companies are providing software that can recover and backup data in the office so that employees can work productively. However, many companies charge a fee for the service and finding the best service provider can be a tricky business especially if there are many of them in the market. Hence, here are some tips to check on cloud storage pricing so that you can find the best service provider at the lowest cost.
The cloud computing environment is growing rapidly. Millions of users are using this service across the world and its growth has resulted in low prices because cloud services providers have lower overhead costs. Hence, they offer such services at low costs because they don’t need to pay for computers, servers, other equipment, etc.
Reasonable Price:
Nowadays, several cloud storage providers provide good data storage services at reasonable prices. They are capable of storing large volumes of data and hence they don’t incur high costs. If you are considering buying a cloud storage service, go for those that have the biggest storage capacity. The size of the data required and its reliability should be given consideration when you are deciding the price for the service. The quality of service should also be a factor while deciding the price.
Customer Satisfaction:
It’s advisable to check on the customer satisfaction rate before you buy storage services. The storage company that you choose should have a good rating and thus you will be safe from any downtime of the system due to hardware problems. The cost of restoring data from a disaster is very important. In case of any problem, it is vital to know whether the backup systems of the company are reliable enough.
Data Backup and Storage:
The cloud storage services offered by many companies can meet all your data backup and storage requirements without any hassle. You just need to pay for it once and the entire process is over. This helps save money, time, and effort. You can work with more employees if you purchase cloud storage services from a reliable company. This also allows you to save on office space requirements.
Today, many businesses are opting for cloud storage because it meets all their storage and recovery requirements as well. In case of any disaster, they can easily restore data and run the business smoothly without any difficulty. You also don’t need to upgrade your servers or purchase new software in order to recover data from the cloud.
Easy System to Use:
You can also save on bandwidth requirements. Data transfer is faster when compared to local servers. Cloud data centers are fast and therefore, your application is able to respond at the speed of light. This further improves user experience and makes the overall usage of the system easier.
Many cloud computing companies also offer other data services apart from storage and restoration of data. They allow you to create online databases and file-sharing systems. If you find it convenient, you can use these services for emailing, scheduling, and monitoring tools. If you’re looking to start a cloud data center today, then you need to contact a reliable cloud provider so that you can get started right away.
Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose Covid-19 vaccine has become the first to receive full approval from the FDA.
The vaccine had initially been given emergency use authorization. Its two shots, three weeks apart, are now fully approved for those aged 16 and older.
The approval is expected to set off more vaccine mandates by employers and organizations across the US.
It comes amid lingering vaccine hesitancy among many Americans.
In a statement, the FDA said its review for approval included data from approximately 44,000 people. The vaccine, which will now be marketed as Comirnaty, was found to be 91% effective in preventing Covid disease.
Acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock said that the public “can be very confident” the vaccine meets high safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality standards.
Pfizer vaccine still has emergency use authorization for children aged 12 to 15.
The vaccine is being provided at no cost to Americans.
The FDA initially gave Pfizer temporary authorization – a clearance given if the agency determines the benefits of a product outweigh potential risks during a public health emergency.
This full approval is essentially permanent. The licensing process requires companies to provide the FDA with information on how and where the product is made, as well as other clinical testing data.
Critics had been calling on the FDA to speed up this approval process as the US struggled with dropping vaccination rates earlier this year. The spread of the contagious Delta variant has already given some hard-hit regions a bump in vaccination rates in recent weeks.
While the agency took steps to increase staff and resources, it had previously said it would take six months to get the required data.
The approval ultimately came less than four months after Pfizer-BioNTech filed for licensing in early May – the fastest vaccine approval in the FDA’s more than 100 year history.
Polling data released at the end of June by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that about 30% of unvaccinated American results said they would be more likely to get a vaccine if it received full FDA approval. The number rises to nearly 50% among Americans taking a “wait and see” approach to vaccines.
In a TV address on August 23, President Joe Biden spoke directly to the “millions” of Americans he said were waiting for full and final FDA approval.
“The moment you’ve been waiting for is here,” he said.
“It’s time for you to go get your vaccination. Get it today.”
Additionally, President Biden called on private sector companies and nonprofits to require employees to get vaccinated or “face strict requirements”.
Companies, healthcare systems, universities and other organizations are now expected to announce vaccine requirements as the country embarks on a return to normalcy. The US military has also said the vaccine will become mandatory for 1.3 million active-duty troops upon FDA approval.
To date, more than 92 million vaccinated Americans – more than half of the total – have received the Pfizer vaccine.
There are many different types of mortgages and many are better than others based on the age and needs of an individual homeowner. Specifically, a reverse mortgage is a mortgage loan for the elderly through which a financial institution (usually banks or insurance companies) makes a lump sum of money available to the client. They usually offer a cash sum that is a maximum of 20% of the appraisal of the institution’s appraiser.
According to many experts, reverse mortgages seem to have many important advantages. This is why an elderly person may opt for this type of mortgage to supplement their Social Security or other retirement income. It is important to understand the benefits and features that go along with reverse mortgages. This is why 31,274 reverse mortgages were issued in 2019 alone.
A reverse mortgage is a loan that offers in a cash sum that is capped at a maximum dependent on the value of the home. With a reverse mortgage, the client has a limit on the amount to be received and an agreed amount is available each month.
Francis Fernández, an expert on reverse mortgages, explains that, in this way, the property belongs to the owner and if he or she decides to sell it at some point, the capital drawn down and the interest generated by it are liquidated. With a reverse mortgage, if the owner dies, the heirs, upon receiving the property, must also pay off what has been drawn down like any other financing before they can receive the rest of the estate.
Reverse mortgage requirements
To qualify for this type of mortgage, it is normally necessary to be over 65 years of age, although it may vary depending on the entity in which it is negotiated and the particular conditions of the applicant.
The policies of reverse mortgages may differ across jurisdictions. The federal government has its own policies on reverse mortgages, because these loans are insured under the FDIC. However, states also create their own rules for reverse mortgages.
Understanding the benefits and characteristics of reverse mortgages
In order to qualify for a reverse mortgage, you must obviously be a property owner and preferably if should be your habitual residence. Eduardo Molet, real estate consultant, informed us that this type of mortgage is for great homes worth at least $250,000.
The credit ends when the person who takes out the reverse mortgage dies or when the client freely decides to give up the property. At this point, the interest on the loan will accumulate and added to the principal of the loan, which generates a debt that is amortized at death or before if the client freely decides.
Financial experts have remarked that an elderly person has no obligation to return the money if they don’t relinquish ownership before they die. It is the heirs who are in charge of settling the debt with the bank at the death of the elderly person and they have 12 months to pay back the money.
Then they can sell the house, pay off the debt and keep the surplus. They can take out a new mortgage and pay off the debt or pay off the debt with their own money and keep the house.
Here is a practical example of a reverse mortgage in practice. An 80-year-old person with a $500,000 home receives a monthly stipend from the bank of $1,000 per month for as long as they live, provided that they don’t receive any initial amount.
What are the benefits of reverse mortgages?
According to many financial experts, housing is undoubtedly the most valuable asset for most people and it is not very coherent that when we retire we have economic hardship due to a tight pension, having an asset as valuable as housing, and fully paid for. Making the experience owning the current home compatible and obtaining additional monthly liquidity is what this type of mortgage offers.
It is important to emphasize that the property could be leased if the client decides to relocate. In this case, they would have two incomes. If you wanted to move in with your kids without paying rent or move to a place where rent was cheaper than what you were receiving from the lease, then this could be a huge benefit.
Sometimes in life, there are moments when you cannot pay off your debts on your own, no matter what you do. Fortunately, modern Debt Stop services help people deal with overwhelming duties and offer convenient plans and strategies. If you are ready to seek help from such specialists, study what consequences it may have on your credit history.
Debt Relief Plans
There is no one-size-fits-all solution that suits every client. That is why companies develop plans to alleviate the financial burden on a case-by-case basis. Among these methods are the following:
Debt settlement. In the course of negotiations, lending institutions usually agree to forgive the borrower for the debt part.
Debt management provides a review of the payment plan and terms to help you better control your finances.
Debt consolidation. As part of this strategy, all existing debts are combined into one. In the long run, you will be able to save on interest.
Bankruptcy. If your debt situation is complicated, you can declare yourself bankrupt through court. As a result, this procedure can reduce or completely save you from part of the debts.
The professionals who deal with your issue should carefully check your documents and history to find a solution that does not harm you even more in the future.
Debt Relief Consequences
Do not think that by using a debt relief program, you will irreversibly ruin your credit history. Typically, when you can’t pay off your debts, your score isn’t perfect anymore. Choosing the right plan that will ease your financial burden will be the best decision. However, each of the listed strategies has its pros and cons.
Debt settlement
Usually, debt settlement is ranked one of the first in terms of the potential harm to your credit history. Typically, payments are suspended when negotiations are underway between the lender and the firm settling your debts. It means your credit score goes down when you miss one or more scheduled payments.
Debt management
This option is a much softer solution to the debt issue. In this case, you do not refuse payments but only revise the conditions. The debt management program will not negatively affect your score as long as you make the agreed payments on time.
Debt consolidation
The impact of this strategy directly depends on your actions. If you request another loan to pay off after combining all debts into a single payment, it will trigger an in-depth investigation by the new lender. Also, you should not skip regular payments and not take on new debts until you resolve the issue with those that already exist.
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy has a long-term impact on your credit score (over 7-10 years, depending on the case). It can lower your chances of getting new credit, holding certain jobs, renting an apartment, or increase car insurance in the future.
Choose Reliable Debt Relief Company
The inability to pay off debts is a difficult situation both from a financial and psychological point of view. Choose a reliable company that will carefully analyze your history and pick the optimal action plan to minimize possible consequences.
Anybody who has ever experienced bad customer service understands just how important good customer service is to the success of a company. It doesn’t matter how good the company’s product or service is if their customers don’t trust or feel respected by the company.
This is why CarGuard Administration places such a high value on providing quality customer service for each and every one of their clients. They take immense pride in offering some of the best customer service in the entire industry.
CarGuard Administration offers customer-friendly contracts, first-day rentals, the industry’s best-limited liability plans, two protection plans in one, and other perks. They are also proud Silver Partners in the PACE Association, a professional association that promotes better customer engagement.
Customer Friendly Contracts
CarGuard Administration is famous for writing protection plans that are easy for customers to read and understand. Most companies write contracts with dense legal terminology that needs to be deciphered by a team of attorneys.
Every plan that CarGuard Administration writes is informed by their years of experience in the Vehicle Service Contract industry, which allows them to create the best plans for the consumer on the market.
Their mission is to provide peace of mind with vehicle service contracts that their customers can trust.
CarGuard Administration offers plans for first day rentals
Normally, protection plans won’t let you get a rental car unless repairs take longer than 4-8 hours. But with CarGuard Administration, you can get a rental car on the very first day of repairs. This means that you can get a rental car with no interruptions in assistance, even if your repairs only take a couple of hours.
Other CarGuard Administration Perks
Other perks of a protection plan with CarGuard Administration include free towing, trip interruption service, and more. CarGuard Assistance offers roadside assistance if you run out of gas, need a jumpstart, lose your keys, or face another crisis on the road.
CarGuard Administration offers these services 24/7, every day of the year.
Industry’s best-limited liability
CarGuard Administration offers the best-limited liability coverage in the entire industry. They will cover up to the value of your vehicle at the time you need repair, or up to $12,500, depending on which value is more.
This means that if your vehicle is worth $40,000 when it needs repair, they will cover you for up to $40,000. But if your vehicle is only worth $2,000, then they will cover you for up to $12,500! This is a great deal and the best coverage that the industry has to offer.
CarGuard Administration offers two protection plans in one
One of the reasons why CarGuard Administration stands out is because their Platinum Plan and their Gold Plan are two protection plans rolled into one. Their competitors typically offer ‘platinum plans’ that protect you for up to one hundred thousand miles. After this, you have to take out more coverage.
All of the protection plans offered by CarGuard Administration add five years and an extra one hundred thousand miles to your coverage. This means that you can get the maximum coverage possible without having to pay extra for your protection plan.
What’s the PACE Convention?
The PACE (Professional Association for Customer Engagement) Association is a non-profit professional association that promotes companies improving their customer engagement with their contact center.
The annual PACE Convention is an opportunity for hundreds of customer service professionals to come together to share insights that give them a competitive edge and help them become industry leaders in their fields.
The convention consists of parties and receptions that allow industry peers and session leaders to reconnect and learn from each other with stories, ideas, inspirations, and ways to improve their businesses.
PACE Membership
There are three tiers of membership in the PACE Association: Platinum, Gold, and Silver. Each tier provides members with free access to virtual and in-person events, forums, listing in directories, and free training through the PACE Partner Benchmark Portal.
In addition to these benefits, Silver Partners receive three free training sessions through the portal, and discounted registration fees at premier PACE events.
Gold Partners receive the above benefits as well as five free training sessions, free registration at either PACE ACX or the PACE Washington Summit, as well as 50% off of CECP (Certified Customer Experience Professional) training.
Platinum Partners of the PACE Association receive the above membership perks, as well as seven free training sessions through the portal, discounts on CECP, one free registration at PACE ACX, and two free registrations at the PACE Washington Summit.
These conventions give businesses the tools and opportunities that they need to provide excellent service and build awesome networking opportunities with their customers.
CarGuard Administration and the PACE Convention
Because of their commitment to providing the best possible customer service to their clients, CarGuard Administration are proud supporters of the PACE Convention, as well as regular attendees. They proudly sponsor the convention every year, and they are “Silver Partners”, along with a number of other nationally recognized companies.
Discover Places You Can Visit On a Chartered Plane
Many people think about the privacy of traveling on a chartered flight as being a key reason for splurging on such a mode of transportation.
While being the only ones on a plane can be very exciting, going to even more private spots is a new level of exhilaration.
Rather than going on a vacation to Paris on a private jet, when you could travel there in first class, why not reserve a jet for a more intimate vacation?
There are remote areas in the world where commercial flights do not reach. But these private islands and other locations are accessible by chartered plane.
Below are some places you can go on a private jet, along with tips to make the most of your upcoming vacation.
Necker Island
An island owned by billionaire Richard Branson, Necker Island is only accessible by private aircraft charter. You would have to visit an area such as Virgin Gorda or St. Thomas before getting onto a plane or helicopter and making the final bit of the journey.
Unfortunately, you may need an invitation to get into such an exclusive island. Given the size of the landmass, there is only room for a handful of guests at a single time. The good news is that bookings do open up throughout the year, but you have to snag one very quickly. Such an island will give you the experience of a lifetime. You are literally at a location where an entire island has been set up to cater to your needs. What is not to love about such a vacation between luxury accommodation, water sports, meals, drinks, and staff waiting on you?
Amangiri Resort
The Amangiri Resort in Utah is another place you may ever see unless you rent a private plane. The spot is near Canyon Point, which means you have to go to Las Vegas and then take a private jet to the destination.
If you are concerned about the cost of such a trip, you should look at strategies for budgeting for a vacation. First, estimate how much you would spend on the airfare, hotels in Vegas, and your accommodation at the private resort.
Those who do have the means may want to experience such a vacation at least one time in their lives. By traveling to this 600-acre paradise, you can experience the very best and most luxurious time possible.
Between a flotation therapy pavilion, art galleries, pools, wine cellar, and a yoga center, you can experience one of the most interesting private spots in the world. The very feeling of being somewhere that only a handful has experienced is intoxicating.
Moritz
Another exclusive destination, St. Moritz, is located in Switzerland. The slopes at this site are picture-perfect, while the weather is exquisite for most of the year.
You would fly into Geneva or another major city and then rent a plane that takes you to St. Moritz. If you have concerns about the cost of the trip, you can compare the differences between chartering or flying first class to some other European city for a vacation.
Going to a private spot such as St. Moritz may seem expensive, but so is flying first class to Paris or Milan. You have to decide whether you want a vacation that includes the hustle and bustle or if you prefer getting away to a quaint and charming spot in Switzerland instead.
Lake Tahoe
While you can always drive up to Lake Tahoe from nearby cities in California, you can always take a private jet there as well. Flying chartered within the United States is not excessively priced, which is why so many groups of friends and families can book themselves a flight to Tahoe.
Getting a direct flight to Tahoe is so much more convenient than having to fly commercial to Sacramento International Airport and then getting a car that takes you to Tahoe. The area itself is beautiful throughout the year, given California’s mild climate. The lake is one of the most picturesque places you will ever visit, while you can even add cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles to the next leg of your vacation.
Ensuring a Comfortable Vacation
Planning is the ideal way to ensure you have a comfortable vacation. People think taking spur-of-the-moment trips is fun, but having a clear idea of where you are going makes everything more enjoyable.
Say you plan out a vacation that includes chartering a plane. You would budget out everything to ensure that it is affordable. Then you can make the relevant bookings, take advantage of seasonal discounts, and plan the various activities that will keep you occupied during your trip.
There is no better feeling than sitting in a private jet and flying off to a remote location. You may feel that the entire world is standing still while allowing you to have this wonderful experience.
Embrace such a vacation and ensure you have the best possible time. Plan the trip carefully, make a budget to ease your mind, and choose your destinations wisely.
When all the planning is complete, you can book a chartered flight, hotel, or resort stay and then focus on having the best possible time on your trip.
As virtual events become more popular, there is a growing demand to make these webcasts accessible to deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers.
One way to do so is to use live captioning. Live captioning is the process of converting audio into captioned text. This is performed by a human captioner, either on-site or remotely (which is increasingly the scenario).
Even before the pandemic, live captioning was primarily done remotely. Put simply, the captioner receives an audio feed that they then type out using a special stenotype machine or voice writing. This typed-out text is then displayed inside a box (usually) on monitors and screens.
Caption-providing companies work with their own tools, methods, and content management systems, and keyboard shortcuts are developed for this purpose.
Each captioner is trained in using the company’s workflow and software, which helps them hit both accuracy and speed in capturing the audio in text form. Professional captioning is usually more than 95% accurate.
Live captions are supported on most media platforms and video players like YouTube, Facebook, etc. Joining these players are also virtual events platforms like PheedLoop, Balloon, and Kaltura, and virtual meeting platforms like Zoom and Cisco WebEx.
What are Live Captions?
To understand how they are beneficial to online events, we first need to understand what it actually is. Did you know that there are two types of captions? Open captions and Closed Captions. You will have noticed the CC option on your television or YouTube. These are Closed Captions that are turned on or off at the will of a user.
Open Captions are permanently superimposed or burned onto the video and are used for some pre-recorded content. Live captioning is mostly Closed Captions that are typed out in real-time by captioners.
Live captioning, because it is powered by human captioners, avoids the pitfall of imprecision that you encounter with AI speech recognition systems. Chances are you will have seen at least one such instance on YouTube, for example, and chuckled to yourself. This is the key difference between captioning by humans and captioning by automation (Automatic Speech Recognition or ASR).
Accuracy v/s possible imprecision. This puts live captioning head and shoulders above automated captioning, as actual humans do the listening. Live captions are always of high quality. AI tools usually fall short due to issues ranging from audio fidelity, speaker accents, and speakers talking over each other.
These systems are a helpful aid in the world of captioning in terms of saving time and effort, but ASR may fall short on the accuracy parameter. Score one for human captioners.
How do Live Captions work?
During the broadcast or live-streaming of your virtual event, captions appear just a few seconds after the words have been spoken onscreen. A captioner listens to the audio and generates the spoken text either using a stenotype machine or voice writing.
The captions are then processed and delivered to either a web page, mobile device, or a site where an event is being viewed. All of this happens in the ether, and voila! Technology has vastly advanced to improve the latency between video and text to as little as a few seconds.
Live captions are the secret sauce to ensuring the success of your virtual event. Virtual events with accessible videos are delivered in a way that ensures maximum participation from the audience.
For example, if you are not actively listening to the audio on your phone or computer or are interrupted during the course of the event, you can still get the full picture by just reading the captions. You can scroll back to read the captions for the portion of the event you inadvertently missed or read it in its entirety.
Why you need live captions
The simple act of transcribing the spoken words of your event will dramatically improve your audience’s comprehension. It’s not just that they command your audience’s attention; they can be turned on and off at your discretion.
Captions should be innocuous, so they don’t clutter your viewing experience. Therefore web design is a critical component of these captions. They add to the viewing experience, not take away from it. Here are some tangible benefits that live captions can have on your online events.
1. Accessibility
Audiences that are deaf and hard-of-hearing benefit hugely from live captions as they get full context into an event from reading the captions, both in real-time and post-event. Simply put, live captions will help lead to a better understanding of your content and boost audience engagement.
There is no comparison between in-person audiences and virtual audiences in terms of size. Logging in to virtual events from the comfort of home has made hosting events online a great way for businesses to stay engaged with employees and customers worldwide.
2. Inclusivity
Some caption providers also offer the ability to translate live captions into multiple languages, thus opening meeting participation to a global audience.
This has made non-native English speakers and non-English speakers also become comfortable with conferencing online, as they can consume the content in their preferred languages.
3. The human touch
The captioning workforce is made up of experienced professionals. These captioners are trained in, and attuned to, nuances in a spoken language like nuance, pronunciation, inflection, context, etc.
With a diverse workforce that can perceive and understand linguistic nuances in multiple languages, captioners have a unique advantage over automatic speech recognition.
4. Minimal latency
Technological advancement ensures captions are displayed in real-time with a negligible time lag, so it doesn’t disrupt either the event or audience comprehension.
In summary:
Caption providers offer simple widgets that are customized to each individual event. These widgets only need to be added on or plugged into your event page for live captions to show up on your event. The integration happens seamlessly, with captioners and event monitors working alongside from the captioning side to ensure that your event’s message is captured in text form authentically.
The Taliban fighters entered Afghanistan’s capital Kabul and seized the presidential palace.
The government has collapsed, with President Ashraf Ghani fleeing abroad.
Kabul descended into chaos, as local residents and foreign nationals tried to escape.
For many Afghans it was a terrifying day that marked the return of Taliban rule almost 20 years after they were ousted by a US-led coalition.
Kabul was the last major city in Afghanistan to hold out against the Taliban offensive, which began months ago but has accelerated in the space of days.
The Taliban group was able to seize control now that foreign troops have all but withdrawn.
President Joe Biden has defended the withdrawal of American troops, saying he could not justify an “endless American presence in the middle of another country’s civil conflict”.
The Taliban ordered their fighters to enter Kabul on August 15, after earlier holding them back at the outskirts of the city.
The Taliban said the militants were going in to prevent chaos and looting after security forces left parts of Kabul.
Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera showed fighters inside the presidential palace, brandishing guns.
A spokesman for the group later told Al Jazeera: “The war is over.”
The Taliban’s advance into Kabul came after President Ghani fled. Details of his whereabouts remain unknown.
In a Facebook post addressed to Afghan citizens, President Ghani said he made the difficult decision to leave to avoid bloodshed in the capital city of six million people.
“The Taliban won victory in the judgment of sword and gun and they have responsibility to protect the honor, prosperity and self-respect of our compatriots,” he said.
The president was criticized by other officials for leaving.
“God will hold him accountable and the nation will also judge,” said Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of Afghanistan’s High Council for National Reconciliation.
There was panic in Kabul as the Taliban drew closer to victory. Residents headed for the airport, abandoning cars and making their way on foot in a desperate bid to get out of the country.
The US Embassy said there were reports of gunfire at Kabul’s airport, and warned its citizens to take shelter as “the security situation… is changing quickly”.
In the city center, large queues formed at ATMs throughout the day as people sought to withdraw cash.
There were reports of fighting and injuries in the city’s Qarabagh district.
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