Prioritizing quality sleep each night is essential for maintaining your physical and mental health. Yet, it can be hard to get a decent night of shuteye every night. We certainly get it, and that’s why we’re offering 5 effective tips for getting quality sleep each night.
Following these tips will make sure that you get the rest your body and mind deserve in no time, so take a break from scheduling a move withBlack Tie Moving Delaware, and let’s get right into it.
Perfect Your Bedtime Routine
Establishing a relaxing and calming bedtime routine is a great way to show your body and mind that it’s time to wind down. Peaceful activities like cozying up with a good book, listening to peaceful music, or practicing bedtime yoga are all great ways to help you ease into the evening and get your body and mind primed for sleep.
Stick to a Sleep Schedule
A lot of the time people struggle to get quality sleep because their sleep schedule is all over the place. If you’re wanting to prioritize quality sleep, it’s important that you stick with a consistent sleep schedule. When you regularly go to sleep at the same time each night, your body gets used to this schedule. That way, when it’s time for you to go to bed, your body will naturally be ready to doze off.
Practice Mindfulness
If a racing mind has you up at night, incorporating mindfulness practices is an effective and simple way to help you calm down and relax. Mindfulness teaches you to observe your thoughts in a loving, compassionate, and non-judgmental way. It also separates you from your thoughts, which makes it easier for you to not get caught up in them. Practicing mindfulness before bedtime is a great method to clear your mind and prepare yourself for deep, quality rest.
Limit Your Screen Time
While it’s normal to want to hop on your phone and scroll through social media or turn on Netflix before bed, these behaviors can cause a disturbance in your sleep. Theblue light that’s emitted from electronic devices has been shown to disrupt sleep cycles and patterns. Instead of turning to technology before bedtime, consider more sleep-friendly activities like reading, yoga, or taking a warm bath.
Create a Cozy Sleep Environment
Making sure that your bedroom is optimized for relaxation and comfort is key to enhancing the quality of your sleep. You’ll want to keep your room dark, cool, and free of noises that can disrupt your sleep in order to get a good night of quality rest. You also want to pay attention to the mattress, pillows, and blankets that you use at night by ensuring they’re comfortable and supportive enough for you to get optimal sleep.
A personal injury can affect many areas of your life and cause additional stress, which is the last thing you need in this situation. Whether you have been injured at work, in a commercial setting, or in public areas which are supposed to be safe, it may be difficult for you to continue living as you once were.
Injuries occur every day across Phoenix, and those who have been wrongfully hurt require support. This can be a low time for people involved, so it is good to know there is someone on your side and a whole team who can help you recover financially from this situation.
If you have been injured and are feeling at a loss because you don’t know what to do, you have come to the right place.
Do I Need An Attorney?
If you have suffered a personal injury through no fault of your own, you may have not yet had time to consider the legal support you require.
Getting your life back together following an accident can be difficult, especially if you have spent time in the hospital and are not only dealing with the change in your routine and ability but also your financial state. Accidents can be expensive in Phoenix, whether this is through medical bills or loss of earnings.
While your main concern during the heat of the moment is to return to your normal state of health, the financial burden cannot be ignored for long, and this is when you need to consider calling an attorney.
If you have suffered an injury caused by someone else, such as your employer or business owner, then you may be entitled to payouts. Insurance companies should pay out when their clients are in the wrong, but getting them to do so is a difficult process which is why you need someone on your side.
While it should be the responsibility of the insurance holders to pay out, this is rarely the case, and many people have to wait months or even years to get a response.
Contacting an attorney when dealing with a personal injury can ensure you get results faster. Personal injury lawyers will fight on your behalf and ensure your case goes through until the end, helping you get the compensation you deserve for your suffering and recovery.
This compensation, once awarded, can then be used to cover the cost of medical bills, loss of earnings, or any other support you require to relieve some of your stress during this time.
When recovering from a personal injury, the last thing you need is to be stressed about money and how you can afford to move forward. Allow a personal injury lawyer to fight for you and ensure you can move forward without issue by holding those accountable for their negligence.
Identity theft is getting more and more commonplace, and with data breaches happening on a regular basis, it’s almost guaranteed that your personal information is out there on the dark web, in the hands of criminals. But just because you’re vulnerable to identity theft doesn’t mean you have to fall victim to it.
You can do plenty to avoid becoming the victim of identity theft. By taking precautions to protect your personal information, you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble. Identity thieves can use your personal information to take out loans and credit cards in your name, commit crimes and give your information to the police when they are arrested, or use your health insurance for their own treatment. Don’t let thieves destroy your finances and your life – take these steps to avoid having your identity stolen.
Use an ID Security Service
It’s a good idea to use an ID security service or software to help you protect your identity. Not only can such a service help with credit monitoring and dark web monitoring, it can also provide some recovery help and identity fraud insurance coverage if you do fall victim to identity theft.
Shred Your Bills and Statements
Credit card, investment, and bank statements should be shredded before being disposed of, to prevent thieves from stealing the information out of your trash. Use a crosscut shredder to ensure that these documents are adequately destroyed.
Watch Your Mail
Identity thieves will steal your mail in order to try to get information like your Social Security number or your credit card numbers or bank account numbers. Take your mail out of your mailbox as soon as possible after it arrives. Use Informed Delivery so you know what you should be getting and can watch for it.
Be Savvy About Scams
Phishing and spoofing scams are getting more sophisticated, so you need to stay on your toes. A spoofing scam occurs when a scammer uses software to make a phone call appear to come from a legitimate source, like the IRS or your bank. Phishing scams occur when scammers use email to try to steal your personal information or login credentials through a mirror site or by downloading malware onto your computer. Know the signs of phishing and spoofing scams so you can protect yourself and your identity.
Check Your Credit Reports
You have to check your credit reports regularly to make sure no one has opened any accounts in your name or changed information like your address and phone number, as these are signs your identity has been stolen. You can go to AnnualCreditReport.com to get annual copies of your credit reports from the three major reporting bureaus for free. Stagger them throughout the year for maximum efficiency. Your bank or credit card issuer may also over credit report monitoring.
Protect Your Social Security Number and Other Personal Information
Be careful who you give your Social Security number to. If someone asks for it – say, a doctor’s office or business you’re patronizing – ask how they’re going to use it, whether they need the whole number or just the last four digits, and how they’re going to protect your information. If you’re not satisfied with the answers, don’t give out the information. Protect your PIN numbers, credit card numbers, birthday, and other sensitive information, too.
Lock Your Mobile Phone
A simple screen lock on your mobile phone could keep someone from accessing your personal information long enough for you to wipe the phone remotely. Use apps instead of a mobile browser for banking, as it’s more secure if your phone gets stolen.
Carry a Digital Wallet
Using a digital wallet is safer than using your physical cards, because the digital wallet won’t use your credit card number for transactions – instead, it’ll generate a one-time token for each transaction, and that can protect your data in the case of a data breach, since it means that the seller won’t have your credit card info. It can also be a lot more convenient to just carry around your phone or use your smart watch instead of having to take a wallet everywhere.
Turn on Two-Factor Authentication
You should use a unique, strong password for each one of your online accounts, and you should change your passwords every 60 to 90 days. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) for any account that offers it. That way, you’ll have to verify your identity through a secondary method every time you log in. This can not only protect your account from thieves, but can potentially give you a heads up that someone is trying to get into your account.
The last thing you need is to get your identity stolen, but you’re likely vulnerable. Do what you need to do to protect yourself, so you don’t have to face the consequences of identity fraud.
Roughly42 percent of all U.S. small businesses are women-owned — which shouldn’t be surprising considering the drive women have to achieve their career dreams. Many experts believe that more and more women will turn to entrepreneurship in the coming years as small business ownership seems to promise greater opportunities for growth and success for women than traditional employment, where women are continuously compelled to earn less than their male colleagues.
Still, entrepreneurship is not entirely egalitarian. Women small business owners do continue to face greater challenges than male entrepreneurs, and understanding those challenges from the beginning could help the next generation of small business leaders overcome them with greater ease.
Social Expectations
Unfortunately, despite progress toward social equality, women are far from liberated from all social expectations of gender. In Western culture, many continue to believe that women should look and behave in certain ways, and that often extends to how women can and should function as entrepreneurs. Even within the business sphere, many professionals are surprised to encounter female business leaders and may impose their outdated outlooks on these leaders’ actions. Hopefully, the challenge of social expectations should wane with more female participation in entrepreneurship, but all professionals should try to assess their biases and work to overcome expectations that limit female success.
Accessing Funding
Smart entrepreneurs look for various sources of startup funding to ensure they have enough capital to achieve their goals, but unfortunately, women small business owners are much less likely to find success with certain types of funding. Investors, specifically, tend to be less attracted to women-owned businesses; one report found thatonly 3 percent of companies with VC funding had female CEOs.
Women in entrepreneurship often need to go above and beyond to access the funding they need to launch and grow their business. It might help to improve financial literacy,learning vocabulary like top line vs. bottom line as well as ratios like net and gross profit margin. However, female business leaders should also look for sources of funding that have been historically friendly to women-owned businesses.
Coping With Fear
Women tend to be more averse to risk than men — whether as a biological imperative or a culturally learned behavior, which is up for debate. As a result, because entrepreneurship is fraught with risk, women building their own small businesses often feel an undue level of fear of failure. This fear can prevent female entrepreneurs from making optimal decisions for their businesses, limiting their growth and success. The truth is that failure is a necessary component of entrepreneurship, and women need to mentally reframe failure as a means of improving their knowledge and skills rather than a sign that they cannot achieve success as small business leaders.
Recognizing Accomplishments
An unfortunate effect of women’s socialization is a widespread aversion to appearing arrogant. Many women will linguistically bend over backwards to avoid bragging, even if they are fully responsible for certain accomplishments and successes. Ultimately, this is detrimental to the female entrepreneur. Women in small business need to own up to the amazing feats they have accomplished throughout their careers, as these details will help to build their reputation as an effective business leader. Accepting and advertising one’s own accomplishments can attract high-quality funding, top talent and a loyal client base. Still, even the most confident women in business often feel the need to act more humbly, making this a difficult challenge to overcome.
Finding Support
No entrepreneur is an island. Every business owner, small or large, relies on an extensive personal and professional network, who can supply the support they need to achieve success. Unfortunately, female entrepreneurs often struggle to find the support they need, at home or at work, which limits their time and energy in pursuit of their goals. Women interested in launching their own small business may want to joinprofessional networking groups made by and for female entrepreneurs or attend events such as WIN Conference, eWomenNetwork, Bizwomen and more.
Female entrepreneurship is on the rise, but women continue to encounter more obstacles to their small business success. By recognizing these challenges beforehand, women can develop strategies to overcome them and help break down those barriers for female entrepreneurs of the future.
In a utopian paradise, women would be able to do anything men can do, but in reality, there tend to be more and larger barriers to women’s achievement. Female job candidates tend to be scrutinized more intensely than male peers; female employees are less likely to receive responsibilities and opportunities, raises and promotions. So, many ambitious female professionals turn to entrepreneurship, hoping that they can create for themselves a work environment that allows them to achieve the success they crave.
Unfortunately, though it might seem that female business owners have the opportunity to control every aspect of business growth, the truth is that entrepreneurs do not operate in a vacuum. Business owners may have total control over decisions within their organization, but external systems upon which female entrepreneurs rely remain entrenched in gender bias that can interfere with their business goals and dreams.
An exceptional example of this is related to the financial services entrepreneurs require. Loan approval rates for female business owners are notoriously lower than that of their male peers; proportionally, only half of women entrepreneurs receive SBA loans compared to male entrepreneurs, and men in business are likely to take out SBA loan amounts 2.5 times higher than women.
But, is gender bias fully to blame for women business leaders’ difficulty accessing financing, or are there other issues at play? Read on to find out.
Women Tend to Own Businesses in the Retail Sector
There are female entrepreneurs working in every industry, from healthcare to waste management to construction, but one of the most popular industries for women business owners is retail. Retail trade involves selling merchandise, usually to consumers but sometimes to business clients. Bookstores arewithin the retail sector, as are convenience stores, grocery stores, ecommerce stores, mall kiosks and more. According to the Motley Fool, as much as 9 percent of all women-owned businesses fall into this category.
Yet, retail is risky. Retail businesses, especially young ones, tend to have higher expenses and lower revenues than businesses in other industries. Because lenders need to know that they will see a return on their loan, they are less likely to extend loans to retail businesses. Due to their choice of industry, these women will find it more difficult to secure funding.
Women Entrepreneurs Seek Funding With Younger Businesses
Lenders typically want to know as much as possible about a business before they extend financing, and more established businesses have more information to offer. Businesses that have been operating for more than two years can demonstrate manymonths of revenues and expenses, from which lenders can get a better sense of their success and their risk. Using this data, lenders can calculate exactly how much debt a business is likely to be able to handle, which makes them more likely to offer a useful loan.
However, it is much more difficult to reach two or more years of operation without the funding a business needs to survive in its earliest stages. Often, women with younger businesses will apply for a loan, be denied due to the age of their organization, and then succumb to business failure. Thus, female entrepreneurs can become trapped in a cycle of starting new businesses and being unable to secure the financing they need.
Women Generally Have Lower Credit Scores
Lenders assess not only a business’s credit score but the personal credit score of its owner and leader, as well, to determine whether a business can be trustworthy with debt. Some lenders are pickier than others when it comes to the quality of credit score they will accept; banks want to see a perfect credit history, whereas online lenders might be willing to accept a slightly lower score (in exchange for higher fees, of course).
Unfortunately, women tend to have lower credit scores than men. This is likely due to the fact that women earn lower salaries than men, increasing their reliance on credit cards for essential bills. When credit utilization is higher, credit scores decrease, making it more difficult for a female business owner to acquire financing.
Gender Discrimination Remains a Serious Issue
Many lenders supply the reasons listed above as justification for accepting women’s business loan applications at a lower rate, but the truth is that gender bias likely remains a factor in preventing many female entrepreneurs from accessing the funding they need. Frustratingly, there is little that female business owners can do to fight this kind of discrimination — except continue to operate a thriving business that contributes to the changing narrative around female professional capability.
Female entrepreneurs who do need access to financing might conduct deep research to find lenders who are known to be friendly to women-owned businesses. Women should also know more about what type of loan they need and demand loan amounts and terms that suit their business projections. There is abig difference between business bridge loans and business lines of credit, and applying for the right financial product will help women achieve success.
We don’t live in a utopian paradise, and gender bias continues to make it difficult for women to achieve professional success in almost every way. Still, with hard work, perseverance and diligent research, female entrepreneurs can acquire the funding they need to build a business.
Sinéad O’Connor has died at the age of 56, her family announced.
The Irish singer and activist was best known for her single Nothing Compares 2 U, released in 1990, which went on to hit number one around the world.
In a statement, her family said: “It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Sinéad.
“Her family and friends are devastated and have requested privacy at this very difficult time.”
Image source Flickr
Taoiseach (Irish PM) Leo Varadkar paid tribute to her, saying her music “was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare”.
Irish President Michael D. Higgins praised Sinead O’Connor’s “authenticity” as well as her “beautiful, unique voice”.
“What Ireland has lost at such a relatively young age is one of our greatest and most gifted composers, songwriters and performers of recent decades, one who had a unique talent and extraordinary connection with her audience, all of whom held such love and warmth for her,” he said.
Born Sinead Marie Bernadette O’Connor in Glenageary, County Dublin, in December 1966, the singer had a difficult childhood.
As a teenager, she was placed in Dublin’s An Grianan Training Centre, once one of the notorious Magdalene laundries, originally set up to incarcerate young girls deemed to be promiscuous.
One nun bought her a guitar and set her up with a music teacher – which led to the launch of Sinead O’Connor’s musical career.
She released her first critically acclaimed album The Lion And The Cobra in 1987, which entered the top 40 in the UK and US.
Her follow up I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, which included Nothing Compares 2 U.
Written by Prince, the song reached number one around the world including in the US and the UK.
Sinead O’Connor, who was outspoken in her social and political views, released 10 studio albums between 1987 and 2014.
In 1992, one of the most notable events of her career took place when she ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live, where she was the invited performer.
Following an acapella performance of Bob Marley’s War, she looked at the camera and said “fight the real enemy”, a protest against the Catholic Church.
Her action resulted in her being banned for life by broadcaster NBC and protests against her in the US, which saw copies of her records destroyed in New York’s Times Square.
“I’m not sorry I did it. It was brilliant,” she said in an interview with the New York Times in 2021.Converting to Islam in 2018, The Dublin singer changed her name to Shuhada, but continued to perform under her birth name.
Sinead O’Connor‘s 17-year-old son Shane died last year, days after he was reported missing.
Writing on social media following his death, she said he had “decided to end his earthly struggle” and requested “no-one follows his example”.
The singer later canceled all live performances for the rest of 2022 due to her “continuing grief” following the death of her son.
Sinead O’Connor paid tribute to Shane in one of her final tweets, calling him “the love of my life, the lamp of my soul, we were one soul in two halves”.
Have you ever wondered why you are the way you are when it comes to relationships? Perhaps you’ve noticed a pattern when it comes to your dating life, and you’re starting to feel like there has to be something more to it. What you’re curious about is probably what attachment style you have in a relationship.
That’s why we’re here to give you some clarity by offering advice on how to identify your attachment style in relationships. Take a break from looking upmovers in Huntsville, and let’s get into it.
Image source: Pxfuel
What are Attachment Styles?
Everyone has a style when it comes to how they think, behave, and feel in romantic relationships. Psychologists call this someone’s attachment style, and it’s based onattachment theory which posits that we learn how to navigate and understand relationships through what we experienced in our childhood.
It’s important to understand your attachment style to build healthier and happier relationships, and hopefully learn how to change your attachment style if it’s not already a secure attachment style.
Secure Attachment
Secure attachment is the attachment style that everyone should try and aim for. This attachment is when you feel comfortable, safe, and confident in relationships, and it allows you to build healthy and sustainable relationships.
Signs of Secure Attachment
Secure with yourself and others
Trusting of others
Comfortable being alone
Able to control emotions
High levels of confidence and self-worth
Avoidant Attachment
People who have avoidant attachment are fearful of committing in a relationship. They don’t want to rely on others for receiving love or care, which often results in sabotaging healthy relationships or avoiding relationships altogether.
Signs of Avoidant Attachment
Frequently dating new people
Issues committing to someone else
Avoids any form of intimacy or deep connections
Strong sense of independence and autonomy
Anxious Attachment
Anxious attachment styles are people who are worried about being rejected and have a massive fear of abandonment. This often results in them being clingy and relying on their partners for constant reassurance and validation about their role in their partner’s life.
Signs of Anxious Attachment
Uncomfortable being alone
Prone to jealousy
Trust issues
Unable to regulate emotions
Feelings of inadequacy in relationships
Major insecurities
Highly sensitive
Disorganized Attachment
Disorganized attachment styles are somewhat of a blend between anxious attachment and avoidant attachment. People who have disorganized attachments are always on edge and seem to be inconsistent when it comes to their behaviors in a relationship. They’re a classic case of someone who is hot and cold.
We live with ourselves, but why does it seem so challenging to know who we really are? We’ve all experienced moments of asking ourselves questions like: What am I doing with my life?Am I really happy? Usually, these questions are so overwhelming to us that we dismiss them entirely.
If you really want to know who you are, it’ll require that you open up and be honest with yourself. An effective way to do so is through journaling. That’s why we’re here to help you by offering 3 powerful journal prompts for self-discovery to get you started. Take a break from scheduling yourbunionectomy, and let’s get into it.
This journal prompt invites you to let go of unprocessed emotions. When we hold on to grievances with others, it only damages ourselves. Letting go of the past requires that we acknowledge it and forgive it, and it is certainly not an easy feat.
It’s important for this journal prompt that you allow yourself to be completely honest. Although you may not want toforgive someone, it’s important that you do it for yourself. Take them out of the picture if you must and pay more attention to letting go of the emotion you associate with them.
What is holding me back from ultimate happiness?
Some journal prompts are loaded with different answers, and this is one of them. There can be countless things in your life that you feel are holding you back from happiness, and that’s precisely why this is a journal prompt you should do regularly.
When you take time to focus on areas in your life that aren’t helping you but instead further delaying you from being the person you want to be, you’re much closer to removing these burdens. It’s all too easy for us to unconsciously engage in behaviors or associate with people we know aren’t good for us, as bringing awareness to it seems frightening.
Only when we consciously face what’s not right for ourselves can we take the steps to remove them from our life.
What are some microshifts I can do today to help me grow as a person?
A large reason people never reach their true potential in life is that they expect change to come to them immediately. This is why people give up working out after a few weeks or why they never bring that business idea they had to life. It requires work to get what we want in life, and that also means that it takes time.
Instead of thinking about the big picture and what you want from life, focus on what little changes you can do today. We call these microshifts. Don’t expect to go to the gym one day and instantly lose weight or gain muscle. Stop thinking that you have to write a complete business plan in one setting. Focus on the little things you can do today that will help you move forward in life, and write those down.
Step into the fantastic realm of home appliances! Whether starting from scratch or spicing up your current setup, your choices can shape your daily routine.
In this all-inclusive guide, we’ll navigate the essential factors for selecting home appliances, honing in on features, performance, and warranties. Get ready for a thrilling adventure into the world of appliance selection!
Understanding Your Needs
Understand your specific needs. Assess your lifestyle. Know the size of your household and your daily routines.
Are you a culinary enthusiast who needs top-notch kitchen appliances? Or a busy parent who requires efficient laundry appliances? Identifying essential appliances and determining the desired features will help narrow your options and simplify decision-making.
Now that you know what you’re looking for, it’s time to research the best appliance brands and models. Start by exploring reputable brands known for their quality and reliability. Check out consumer reviews and ratings to gauge customer satisfaction.
Remember to consider energy-efficient options. These can save you money in the long run while minimizing your environmental impact. Also, stay updated with the latest technologies that can enhance your appliance experience.
Evaluating Appliance Features
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty of each appliance category and explore the must-have features:
Kitchen Appliances
Refrigerators: Look for spacious interiors, energy-efficient models, and features like adjustable shelves and temperature control.
Stoves and Ovens: Consider features such as convection cooking, self-cleaning options, and multiple burner sizes for versatility.
Dishwashers: Opt for quiet operation, flexible loading options, and energy-saving modes to keep your dishes sparkling and your energy bills low.
Microwaves: Look for easy-to-use controls, presets, and sensor cooking for quick and convenient meal preparations.
Other small kitchen appliances: Remember handy appliances like blenders, toasters, and coffee makers that cater to your needs.
Laundry Appliances
Washing Machines: Consider factors like capacity, washing cycles, energy efficiency, and innovative features like steam cleaning.
Dryers: Look for efficient drying options, moisture sensors to prevent over-drying, and features that minimize wrinkles.
Other Home Appliances
Air Conditioners: Explore energy-efficient models with programmable thermostats and intelligent features for ultimate comfort.
Water Heaters: Consider factors like capacity, energy efficiency, and recovery time for a constant hot water supply.
Vacuum Cleaners: Look for strong suction power, versatile attachments, and features like HEPA filters for efficient cleaning.
Smart Home Integration: If you’re building a connected home, choose appliances compatible with popular innovative home platforms like Alexa or Google Assistant.
The Importance of Appliance Warranties
Ah, warranties—the unsung heroes of the appliance world! They provide peace of mind by protecting against unexpected repairs and malfunctions. They are a safety net, ensuring you won’t be left high and dry if something goes wrong with your new appliance.
Manufacturer warranties are typically included with the appliance purchase and cover a specific period. On the other hand, extended warranties are optional. They offer additional coverage beyond the manufacturer’s warranty.
Deciding between the manufacturer and extended warranties depends on your preferences and risk tolerance. Manufacturer warranties generally provide adequate coverage for a specified period, but extended warranties can be worth considering if you want additional peace of mind. Evaluate the cost of the extended warranty against the potential repair or replacement expenses to make an informed decision.
Making the Final Decision
Now that you have a wealth of information on appliance features, performance, and warranties, it’s time to make the final decision:
1- Weighing All Factors
Consider all the factors we’ve discussed—features, performance, and warranty—when deciding. Find the sweet spot where all your requirements align.
2- Budget Considerations and Long-Term Value
Evaluate your budget and determine the long-term value of your chosen appliance. While opting for the cheapest option is tempting, remember that quality and warranty coverage is vital for a satisfactory appliance experience in the long run.
3- Style and Aesthetic Appeal
Appliances play a significant role in the overall aesthetics of your home. Consider the style and design of the appliances, ensuring they match your personal preferences and the existing decor. Whether you prefer sleek and modern appliances or a more traditional look, find appliances that complement your home’s style.
4- Noise Levels
Appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, and also air conditioners generate noise during operation. If noise levels concern you, look for appliances that offer quiet or silent operation. Check the decibel ratings provided by manufacturers to choose appliances that won’t disturb your peace and tranquility.
5- Maintenance and Cleaning Requirements
Appliances require regular maintenance and cleaning to ensure optimal performance and longevity. Consider the maintenance requirements of the appliances you’re interested in. Look for appliances with features that make cleaning and maintenance more accessible, such as self-cleaning options or dishwasher-safe removable parts.
Conclusion
Voila! You’re now equipped with the knowledge to choose the perfect home appliances. Remember to consider features that align with your needs, evaluate performance and efficiency ratings, and remember the importance of warranties in protecting your investment.
By making informed decisions, you’ll enhance your daily life and ensure the longevity and reliability of your special appliances. Happy shopping, and enjoy the wonders of modern home appliances!
The Master’s in Business Administration is a powerful degree, especially early in a professional’s career. Even without any real-world work experience, an MBA-holder can qualify for management positions, catapulting them up their career ladder and radically increasing their earning potential. Yet, MBA programs tend to be broad, covering a large territory of business knowledge in their attempts to equip grads with appropriate management skills regardless of industry. Worse, the number of MBA grads is growing, weakening the impact of the credential and creating hiring competition that hurts job seekers.
If you know you want to return to school to improve your career, you might be interested to learn that there are several other business-focused graduate degrees that have even greater potential than the MBA. If you have the interest and credentials, you might consider applying for any of the following graduate programs:
Master of Management
An MBA isn’t the only degree that propels professionals into management. A Master of Science in Management (MiM) degree program is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and techniques for excelling in business leadership positions, with courses focused on business communication, negotiation, presentation and public speaking as well as strategic analysis, decision making, innovative design and organizational change. Often a one-year program, an MiM is an excellent degree option for professionals eager to enhance their credentials but loath to leave work or commit to more intensive study.
Master of Finance
Business students are often encouraged to enter the field of finance, and for good reason. Finance professionals areconsistently in high demand, as business leaders rely on their expertise to understand and manage opportunities for growth. MS in Finance programs are appealing to a wide variety of finance professionals as courses build upon knowledge and skills gained in undergraduate finance programs. Students can expect to participate in courses such as financial modeling, financial reporting, corporate value management and more.
Master of Accountancy
Many accountants opt not to return to school after earning their bachelor’s and achieving their CPA certification, but a Master of Accountancy (MAcc) degree is a useful tool for accountants looking to move to more advantageous roles in saturated markets. Often, studentsenrolled in MAcc degree programs choose between two tracks: auditing and taxation. By specializing, accounting professionals can become adept in a particular field and thereby rise to director and vice president positions. Students can expect to engage in study such as accounting theory, business law and advanced auditing and taxation techniques.
Master of Marketing
Marketing tends to be a relatively easy field for professionals to enter, but it can be remarkably difficult for low-level marketers to climb the career ladder without advanced credentials and expertise. Thus, the MS in Marketing degree is a valuable one for any professional interested in reaching high-level marketing positions. Marketing programs tend to be flexible, as marketing strategies shift with trends and evolving technologies. Still, marketing students can expect to gain skills in traditional areas such as market research, consumer behavior and statistics as well as in growth areas such as behavioral tareting, social media and mobile marketing.
Master of Entrepreneurship
Many business professionals have dreams of launching their own startup, but building a business requires a muchdifferent type of knowledge and set of skills from running an established business. Professionals with entrepreneurial goals should consider pursuing an MS in Entrepreneurship, which focuses on courses that can prepare students for the rigors of business ownership, which often cover many different fields of business operation, from finance to marketing. Many business schools allow entrepreneurship students to create their own degree program to suit their interests and needs.
Master of Health Administration
Business professionals interested in the healthcare sector would do well to enroll in a MS in Health Administration program, in which they will gain specialized knowledge and skill for building and maintaining a healthcare organization. Healthcare companies have unique concerns, such as more intense government regulations and ethical standards, and administrators running the business side of healthcare operations need to understand these issues. Fortunately, the specialization required for healthcare administration is well-compensated, as healthcare administrators boast strong earning potential.
If you want to differentiate yourself as a business professional, you have far better options than the basic MBA. You should look into your online master’s program options to advance your career today.
According to an SEC filing from 2013, it took Twitter four years to build the same number of users that Threads gained in a day – though Twitter grew its userbase from scratch, while Threads was able to tap into the pre-existing two billion monthly users Meta says Instagram has.US copyright law does not protect ideas, so for Twitter to be successful in court it would have to prove that its own intellectual property, such as programming code, was taken.
In a move first reported by news outlet Semafor, Twitter attorney Alex Spiro sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on July 5 accusing Meta of “systematic, wilful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter’s trade secrets and other intellectual property” to create Threads.
Specifically, Alex Spiro alleged that Meta had hired dozens of former Twitter employees who “had and continue to have access to Twitter’s trade secrets and other highly confidential information” that ultimately helped Meta develop what he termed the “copycat” Threads app.
“Twitter intends to strictly enforce its intellectual property rights, and demands that Meta take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets or other highly confidential information,” the letter says.
“Twitter reserves all rights, including, but not limited to, the right to seek both civil remedies and injunctive relief without further notice.”
Elon Musk said that “competition is fine, cheating is not” in response to a post on Twitter that referred to the legal letter.
On Threads, Meta spokesperson Andy Stone posted that “no one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee – that’s just not a thing”.
Both Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have acknowledged the rivalry over Threads, which is linked to Instagram but works as a standalone app.
As it launched in 100 countries, Mark Zuckerberg broke more than 11 years of silence on Twitter to post a highly popular meme of two nearly identical Spider-Man figures pointing at each other, indicating a stand-off.
Shortly after, and as the word “Threads” trended globally on his platform, Elon Musk said: “It is infinitely preferable to be attacked by strangers on Twitter, than indulge in the false happiness of hide-the-pain Instagram.”
Houston icon Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale threw out the first pitch at the Astros game Tuesday. On Thursday morning he will deliver comments following the latest allegations of voter suppression and possible fraud uncovered in the November Harris County election.
Mattress Mack will be joined by attorneys for County Judge candidate Alexandra Mealer and several judicial candidates at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 6th, on the steps of the State Capitol building in Austin.
The speakers will unveil the latest allegations in the growing evidence that the November election was horribly mismanaged.
“I’m doing this for the future of Harris County, for my children, for your children,” McIngvale said.
“Now more than ever, I am convinced it was a botched election. We need everyone to stand up and fight.”
James Franklin McIngvale, also known as “Mattress Mack”, is an American businessman. He is known for owning and operating the Gallery Furniture retail chain, based in Houston, Texas.
Jim McIngvale was born on February 11, 1951, in Starkville, Mississippi. He graduated from Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas and attended North Texas State University, now University of North Texas, in Denton where he played football.
On February 3, 2022, Jim McIngvale placed a $4.5 million wager on the Cincinnati Bengals to win Super Bowl LVI. It officially set the record for the largest mobile wager in sports betting history.
As a result of the Houston Astros claiming the 2022 World Series championship, Mattress Mack was awarded $75 million in total sports betting payouts, the highest total in sports betting history.
When it comes to organizing a concert or any other live performance, using the right stage is crucial to create an impressive and successful memory for both performers and the audience. There are various types of stage rental services available, each offering unique features and advantages. Below, you’ll see the list of the most common types of staging equipment and some recommendations on how to choose it correctly:
Proscenium Stage:
Features a large, framed opening in front of the stage known as the proscenium arch.
Best for theatrical performances and concerts with a focus on visual elements.
Offers a traditional and formal atmosphere, often with a backstage area and wings for performers.
Thrust Stage:
Extends into the audience area, surrounded by seating on three sides.
Offers an intimate and immersive experience, allowing performers to engage closely with the audience.
Suitable for concerts that aim to establish a strong connection between the performers and the crowd.
In-the-Round Stage:
Placed at the center of the venue, surrounded by seating on all sides.
Offers a 360-degree view for the audience, ensuring everyone has a close and unobstructed view of the performers.
Enhances the sense of inclusivity and creates an intimate atmosphere.
Festival Stage:
Designed specifically for outdoor events and festivals.
Typically features a large, open-air platform with sturdy construction to withstand various weather conditions.
Offers ample space for multiple performers, equipment, and large crowds.
Portable Stage:
Versatile and easy-to-transport stage that can be set up in various locations.
Ideal for small to medium-sized concerts, community events, or outdoor performances.
Provides flexibility in terms of size and configuration.
Assess the available space in the venue and ensure the stage size fits appropriately.
Consider the venue’s layout, acoustics, and any specific requirements or restrictions.
Determine the expected number of attendees and choose a stage that can accommodate the crowd size.
Evaluate the specific needs of the concert, such as space for equipment, lighting, sound systems, and special effects.
Consider the type of performances and the mobility required for artists.
Align the stage design with the desired aesthetic and atmosphere of the concert.
Consider factors such as backdrop options, lighting capabilities, and branding opportunities
Set a budget for stage rental and ensure it aligns with the overall event budget.
Coordinate with the rental company to discuss logistics, setup requirements, and any additional services needed.
Choosing the right stage for a concert is essential for creating a captivating and immersive experience for both performers and the audience. Consider the various stage types available, evaluate the specific requirements of the concert, and take into account logistical and budgetary considerations. If you want to receive professional assistance when evaluating these factors, address professionals from the AudioVideoNYC company.
France has seen a fifth night of unrest, with heavy clashes between police and rioters in the southern city of Marseille.
Some 719 people were arrested overnight, down from well over a thousand the previous night.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has hailed a “calmer” night and praised the 45,000 police officers deployed.
Rioters in a southern Parisian suburb rammed the local mayor’s home and fired rockets at his wife and small children, police say.
The riots began after police fatally shot a 17-year-old boy of Algerian descent, Nahel M, in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on June 27.
Prosecutors have begun piecing together what happened before the fatal shooting of Nahel M by a police officer.
The officer has been charged with homicide and remains in custody.
In their outline of events after questioning eyewitnesses and reviewing CCTV footage, prosecutors say the teenage driver had already ignored a police demand to stop, when officers caught up with the car and drew their weapons.
Meanwhile an account has been posted online by one of the passengers, which French media say they have verified.
In this account the passenger, also a teenager, says the officers hit Nahel M with the butts of their guns three times, causing him to take his foot off the brake of the car.
Prosecutors are due to talk to this witness on July 3.
Image source: Twitter
Around 08:00 on June 27, two policemen on motorcycles spotted a Mercedes with a Polish number plate driving fast in a bus lane, Nanterre prosecutor Pascal Prache told journalists.
Turning on their siren, the officers caught up with the car at a traffic light. Three young men were inside.
The officers told the driver to stop but the vehicle pulled away, ignoring the red light. The officers gave chase and notified their unit by radio.
At 08:16, the Mercedes stopped in heavy traffic. Both officers got off their motorcycles, drew their weapons and approached the car.
They later told prosecutors that they pointed their guns at the driver to “deter him from driving away again”.
They asked the driver to turn off the ignition, but the car moved forward. One of the officers fired, fatally wounding the young man in the chest.
After the car ran into a roadside barrier, one of the passengers was arrested and the other fled on foot.
The passenger says the three friends were driving around Nanterre when the car strayed into the bus lane and was chased by two policemen on motorcycles.
After Nahel stopped the car, the young man says in his video and in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper, one of the officers hit the teenage driver with the butt of his gun.
He alleges that the second policeman also struck Nahel before the first officer again hit him.
He told Le Parisien that the blows left Nahel M “a little stunned”.
The third blow, according to this account, caused Nahel to take his foot off the brake and the vehicle to move forward. After the officer fired, Nahel M slumped forward and his foot pressed on the accelerator, the passenger said.
When the car came a standstill, the passenger said, he decided to flee because he was afraid he would be shot too.
Questions have been asked about the car, a Mercedes A class AMG. Officials describe it as a rented vehicle.
The passenger who fled said that someone had lent it to the three youths, without giving any details.
According to the French motoring website Autoplus, German sportscars with Polish number plates can be hired for €300-3,000 a day.
This type of short rental is popular with young men in French housing estates, Autoplus says.
Nahel M did not have a criminal record but was known to police.
He had previously been cited for driving without a licence – he was too young to have one – and for refusing to comply with an order to stop.
Nahel M was due to appear before a juvenile court in September.
Elon Musk has announced that Twitter will apply a temporary limit to the number of tweets users can read in a day.
In a tweet of his own, the platform’s owner said unverified accounts are now limited to reading 1,000 posts a day.
For new unverified accounts, the number is 500. Meanwhile, accounts with “verified” status are currently limited to 10,000 posts a day.
Elon Musk initially set stricter limits, but he changed these within hours of announcing the move.
He said the temporary limits were to address “extreme levels of data scraping and system manipulation”.
The billionaire did not explain what was meant by system manipulation in this context.
“We were getting data pillaged so much that it was degrading service for normal users,” Elon Musk explained on June 30, after users were presented with screens asking them to log in to view Twitter content.
The move was described as a “temporary emergency measure”.
It is not totally clear what Elon Musk is referring to by data scraping, but it appears he means the scraping of large amounts of data used by artificial intelligence (AI) companies to train large language models, which power chatbots such as Open AI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard.
In simple terms, data scraping is the pulling of information from the internet. Large language models need to learn from masses of real human conversations. But the quality is vital to the success of a chatbot. Reddit and Twitter’s huge trove of billions of posts are thought to be hugely important training data – and used by AI companies.
But platforms like Twitter and Reddit want to be paid for this data.
When you think about business leaders, you probably think about big gestures, unveiling a new product, speaking before a large audience, or making an impact on the culture in a significant way. But while these may be the moments in which they shine, leaders aren’t built at these times. Like most long-term endeavors, leadership is created in small, incremental moments that add up to a substantial whole.
Taking on Any Task Necessary
If you’re founding a company, it’s important to know how to delegate. If you try to take on every task, you won’t have time to do the most important ones, let alone the deep, focused work that is necessary for innovation. Refusing to relinquish control to others also speaks a kind of insecurity. You should feel confident that you’ve surrounded yourself with those who are up to the tasks you’ve set for them. At the same time, a leader does what has to be done in the moment, with attention to detail, if that means grabbing a broom to do a quick cleanup minutes before an important client meeting, it gets done. A leader is on top of things so that nothing slips through the cracks.
This can be important when it comes to fine details. This attention would help you realize that the company’s fleet might be considered commercial vehicles based on a narrow definition by FMCSA, which looks at the type of work as well as the vehicle used for business purposes. You can review a guide that explains this. When you take on the responsibility of staying on top of everything about your business, you are motivated to investigate a question such as whether your drivers will need commercial vehicle licenses. When your employees see that you don’t consider any task beneath you and you are attentive to details of this kind, they will be more likely to emulate your approach in their own work.
Treating Everyone Equally
Just as there are no small tasks, there are no small people. A leader does not treat the intern, the newest employee, or the janitor with any less respect than they do a fellow successful entrepreneur. One reason for this is that you never know which of these individuals may someday be influential themselves, and people remember how they are treated. Another is that your respect will be reciprocated. Finally, this is another gesture that demonstrates that nothing escapes your notice. If you want to become a more complete leader you must understand that how you treat those who surround you matters a great deal.
Being Available and Showing Gratitude
You can’t lead if you aren’t around. Making yourself accessible to people shows that you consider yourself part of a team. Listening to suggestions and ideas increases loyalty and trust even if you ultimately don’t adopt recommendations. Like the other points above, availability and a willingness to listen, even to critiques, displays self-confidence, and self-confidence makes people want to follow you. In addition, thanking people for their work or advice goes a long way. They will be more eager to do more for you in the future when you praise their efforts now. Remember that this includes crediting them for any ideas that you adopt.
Time to supplant your old scoreboard? Or do you have a brand-new location that needs one of these? Regardless of the circumstance, you should opt for a digital one due to its numerous advantages. You must have researched their potential utility, don’t you think?
How to Get Great Digital Scoreboards
Digital scoreboards are the best option because, if you choose wisely, they offer incredible durability and quality, better visibility, and easier access and control. The phrase “if you choose wisely” deserves special mention. This means that you shouldn’t take it for granted because getting the right digital scoreboard for your venue is your responsibility and goal.
If you don’t work hard enough, you won’t be able to reach that goal. If you choose something haphazardly, you will most likely end up regretting it, which is definitely not what you want. Therefore, you must put in the necessary effort and comprehend what you need to think about and do when looking for a great digital scoreboard. Furthermore, luckily for you, what I’ll do below is share a few hints that will assist you with making the right contemplations and at last the best purchasing choice.
Did you know that not all scoreboards have to look the same? These are frequently designed and sold by businesses that provide custom options. And if you choose the custom option, you won’t have to worry about whether the board will look weird or not reflect who you are. Instead, you can customize it to perfectly match your venue. When you make the decision to go shopping, the first thing you should keep in mind is that getting a custom digital scoreboard is unquestionably quite beneficial.
Size: The size of your venue will directly affect the size of the board you want. The best size will be determined by carefully considering the area to which you will add this particular tool. In addition, visibility should be one of your primary considerations when making this decision because you don’t want anyone to complain that they can’t see the score clearly enough. If you wanted to make the experience better, that would be disastrous.
How to Get Great Digital Scoreboards and Visual Quality
When talking about visibility and the possibility that poor visibility will ruin the experience, there is yet another important consideration to make in this regard. You might have believed that size does not matter here, but that is not the case at all. The visibility and overall experience of your spectators will be greatly influenced by the digital scoreboard’s visual quality. As a result, this is a factor that should never be overlooked because it will either make or break the experience as a whole.
Keep in mind durability
Do you want to buy new scoreboards every year or do you prefer those that can last longer? Isn’t that a silly question? Because no one would be willing to make the same purchases over and over again, thereby losing not only money but also time and, well, nerves, it is evident that everyone knows the answer. However, what does all of this mean?
Simply put, this indicates that you want the digital scoreboard you select to be extremely long-lasting. Additionally, you are entitled to desire this. During the course of your shopping, you will unquestionably be able to locate the boards that are most durable by reading customer feedback and reading product reviews. This is an extremely important consideration to keep in mind if you really want to experience all of these products’ benefits. You will unquestionably want these products to be durable.
Choose the right company
to Design and Sell It Since a custom scoreboard is clearly the best option, you must carefully select the right company to design and sell it because you will be looking for one. It will be helpful to check out and investigate a number of them because you can compare their services and boards’ quality to determine which company can provide the best solution. Because research can be done online, it won’t be hard for you.
Compare the costs
While comparing a company’s quality and services is important, you should also compare the costs of the boards you’re considering purchasing if you really want to get the best deal. After all, you need to consider your budget. But keep in mind that quality should always come first, so don’t give up on quality just to get a lower price from someone else.
Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have agreed to fight each other in a cage match.
Elon Musk, who turns 52 later this month, posted a message on his social media platform Twitter that he was “up for a cage fight” with the boss of Facebook and Instagram parent compani Meta.
Mark Zuckerberg, 39, then posted a screenshot of Elon Musk’s tweet with the caption “send me location”.
Elon Musk then replied to Zuckerberg’s response with: “Vegas Octagon.”
The Octagon is the competition mat and fenced-in area used for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bouts. The UFC is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Elon Musk also tweeted: “I have this great move that I call “The Walrus”, where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing.”
He also tweeted: “I almost never work out, except for picking up my kids & throwing them in the air.”
Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg has already been training in mixed martial arts (MMA) and has recently won jiu-jitsu tournaments.
The exchanges have gone viral with social media users debating who would win the bout, while others have posted memes including mocked up posters advertising the fight.
Earlier this month, Meta showed staff plans for a text-based social network designed to compete with Twitter.
It could allow users to follow accounts they already follow on Instagram, Meta’s image-sharing app.
It could potentially allow the company to bring over followers from decentralised platforms such as Mastodon.
The text-based network – which has a working title of P92 – could turn out to be a greater rival to Elon Musk’s Twitter than either BlueSky or Mastodon.
Thirty-seven people have been injured, four of them seriously, after a large explosion in central Paris.
The explosiontook place in a building that housed a design school and the Catholic education system headquarters in Rue Saint-Jacques, in the fifth arrondissement of the French capital.
Emergency workers are searching through the wreckage of the building, with at least two thought to be missing.
According to witnesses, there was a strong smell of gas before the blast.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said after arriving at the scene that initial checks of camera footage suggested the explosion occurred within the building, which was next to the Val de Grâce church.
However, the authorities have said the cause of the blast has not yet been determined.
The building was initially engulfed by fire, but the blaze was later brought under control, said Paris police chief Laurent Nunez.
The area has been cordoned off and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has been to the scene.
He said sniffer dogs had identified where further victims might be found under the rubble.
The area where the explosion took place runs south from the Latin Quarter in Paris’s Left Bank area that is popular with tourists and known for its student population.
A massive search and rescue operation is under way in the mid Atlantic after a tourist submarine went missing during a dive to Titanic’s wreck on June 18.
According the US Coast Guard, contact with the small sub was lost about an hour and 45 minutes into its dive.
Tour firm OceanGate said all options were being explored to rescue the five people onboard.
Tickets cost $250,000 for an eight-day trip including dives to the wreck at a depth of 12,500ft.
Government agencies, the US and Canadian navies and commercial deep-sea firms are helping the rescue operation, officials said.
Titanic’s wreck lies some 435 miles south of St John’s, Newfoundland, though the rescue mission is being run from Boston, Massachusetts.
The missing craft is believed to be OceanGate’s Titan submersible, a truck-sized sub that holds five people and usually dives with a four-day emergency supply of oxygen.
OceanGate said its “entire focus [was] on the crewmembers in the submersible and their families”.
“We are deeply thankful for the extensive assistance we have received from several government agencies and deep sea companies in our efforts to re-establish contact with the submersible,” it added.
The company bills the eight-day trip on its carbon-fibre submersible as a “chance to step outside of everyday life and discover something truly extraordinary”.
According to its website, one expedition is ongoing and two more have been planned for June 2024.
The submersible usually carries a pilot, three paying guests, and what the company calls a “content expert”.
The trip sets sail from St John’s in Newfoundland. Each full dive to the wreck, including the descent and ascent, reportedly takes around eight hours.
The OceanGate website lists three submersibles it owns, and only the Titan is capable of diving deep enough to reach the Titanic wreckage.
The vessel weighs 23,000 lbs and, according to the website, can reach depths of up to 13,100 ft and has 96 hours of life support available for a crew of five.
A vessel called the Polar Prince, which is used to transport submersibles to the wreckage site, was involved in the expedition.
Italy’s ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi has died at the age of 86.
He died at the San Raffaele hospital in Milan. In April, he was treated for a lung infection linked to leukaemia.
Silvio Brlusconi overcame various scandals to hold office four times, becoming the longest-serving prime minister in post-war Italy.
After taking political office in 1994, the billionaire media tycoon led four governments until 2011 – though not consecutively.
Last September, Silvio Berlusconi’s center-right Forza Italia party went into coalition under right-wing PM Giorgia Meloni.
Reacting to the news, PM Meloni remembered her predecessor as a “fighter”. In a video message, she said he remained “one of the most influential men in the history of Italy”.
Her deputy Matteo Salvini said he was “broken” and thanked Berlusconi for his “friendship”, “advice” and “generosity”.
The Italian government has declared a national day of mourning for June 14, the same day Berlusconi’s funeral is scheduled to take place at Milan Cathedral.
Another figure to pay tribute was Vladimir Putin, who called Silvio Berlusconi a “true friend”. In a statement the Russian President said he had always admired Berlusconi’s “wisdom” and “ability to make balanced, far-sighted decisions”.
French President Emmanuel Macron sent his condolences to Berlusconi’s family and the Italian people on behalf of the French people.
He had repeated health problems after contracting Covid in 2020. So far, there has been no official confirmation of the precise cause of death.
Born in 1936 in Milan, Berlusconi began his career selling vacuum cleaners, before setting up a construction company.
He went on to become one of Italy’s richest men, building a business empire that included television networks, publishing companies and advertising agencies.
On top of that, he gained international recognition as owner of legendary football club AC Milan – which he saved from bankruptcy in 1986 – before going into politics in the 1990s.
Silvio Berlusconi was a polarising politician. He was praised by supporters for his business acumen and populist verve, but reviled by critics for his disregard for the rule of law.
Throughout his political career, he faced a string of legal troubles, including charges of bribery, tax fraud, and sex with an underage prostitute. He was convicted on several occasions, but avoided jail because of his age and the expiry of statutes of limitations.
The affordable housing crisis in America today is as much a social issue as it is an economic one. Housing insecurity today manifests itself in many different guises, but so does the social worker’s response to it.
As bridge-builders in society, social workers can do quite a lot to alleviate the pain and suffering of those without a decent residential arrangement. Their main responsibility is to help individuals and families secure their essential needs and fundamental rights, and good housing is at the top of the list.
Social workers know that access to quality housing underpins a healthy, socially active existence, and they do quite a lot to secure people’s access to it. They act as liaisons between those in need of housing and housing service stakeholders. They assuage trauma from housing challenges by providing access to mental health care and emotional support.
In the following sections, this article peels back the curtains on the impact of housing insecurity on individuals and our society writ large, and then examines what social workers are doing to turn the tide for the better.
The growing problem of homelessness in America
Homelessness has been on the rise over the past few decades. The most recent homelessness survey found that the homeless population has increased in the past seven years alone. According to the survey, around 582,000 people, including about 58,000 families, currently do not have a place to call home. Homelessness is housing deprivation at its worst, and those numbers do not include people living in subpar or inappropriate housing arrangements.
Homelessness can be defined as “lacking a regular nighttime residence or having a primary nighttime residence that is a temporary shelter or other place not designed for sleeping”.
People experiencing housing insecurity to any degree are exposed to all sorts of risks, from physical illness to mental instability, street violence and a range of social issues.
Governments at all levels have instituted many programs for the homeless, but hardly any seem enough to stem the growing tide. These programs are often plagued with a host of issues, from insufficient funding to incredibly long wait times, and failure to cover the most vulnerable demographics. For instance, a federal government rent assistance program commissioned in 2013 for low-income people ruled out over 75% of eligible beneficiaries, while keeping those qualified on the waiting list for years.
The problem seems hydra-headed, with every solution revealing more underlying issues. Researchers continue to probe the problem of housing insecurity from different angles, establishing the relationship between various factors in the interplay. Several studies are currently underway in search of ways to mitigate the social, physical and psychological impacts of housing insecurity.
The following sections delve deeper into what studies so far have revealed about homelessness.
The main types of housing insecurity
Housing insecurity comes in many different forms and shapes, and that exacerbates the effectiveness of one-size-fits-all housing programs.
The types of housing insecurity that social workers mainly focus on include:
Urban and rural homeless
This is an umbrella term for homelessness resulting from poverty and lack of decent accommodation. In urban areas, this tends to occur mostly among ethnic minorities and immigrant populations. In rural areas, the homeless population seems to be more of a mixed bag, with unlikely demographics like married white women leading the charts.
Rural homeless populations are more vulnerable to physical and mental illness than their urban counterparts, as access to medical and public amenities is severely limited in rural areas.
Chronically homeless
This refers to people teetering on homelessness. They have fallen in and out of homelessness multiple times over the past few years and are less likely to maintain a good accommodation — when they have it — for a significant amount of time.
The US Office of National Drug Control Policy says the chronically homeless make up a significant proportion of people with mental illnesses and substance abuse problems.
Veterans
Homelessness is prevalent among veterans. Nearly one in 10 homeless people is a military veteran, and nearly 80% of them are grappling with a mental health or substance abuse problem. While there are a lot of socioeconomic and medical programs for veterans, they are often plagued with long wait times and insufficient funding.
However, social workers have stepped in to fill the void, catering to the health and lifestyle needs of veterans on many levels.
Housing instability
This group comprises everyone who cannot claim to have a decent, affordable place to stay for the next few years. This includes people struggling to pay their rent, living in overcrowded spaces or moving frequently.
People with housing instability are often as vulnerable as the homeless to physical and mental issues.
The impact of housing insecurity on individuals and communities
Access to affordable housing can shape the livelihood of individuals and communities. Housing insecurity is widely associated with an array of individual and societal ills.
What follows is a deeper look at the impact across the spectrum.
A heavy financial burden
Many people who struggle to pay their rent are those whose incomes have failed to keep up with the pace of fast-rising housing prices. The housing type that they could once comfortably afford is no longer within their reach.
Housing is considered a cost burden when it gulps up over 30% of a household’s income, or a severe cost burden when it gulps up over 50% of their income. Nearly 84% of households with less than $15,000 household income experience a cost burden.
The bane of substandard housing
People forced to rent low-ball accommodation often grapple with poor standards of living. Their accommodation often lacks standard amenities, with many parts broken or dysfunctional. They are exposed to issues like water leakages, mold and mildew, pest invasion and environmental pollution.
The dilemma of overcrowding
People living in overcrowded spaces also face a dilemma similar to serious housing deprivation. A house is said to be overcrowded when more than two grown-ups share the same room. Overcrowding can create many issues including tense relationships, mental stress, sleep deprivation and exposure to infectious diseases.
The rippling effects of foreclosures and evictions
People lose their belongings and suffer a lot of damage when they are evicted or foreclosed from their homes. When people lose their homes, the impact often spreads throughout an entire neighborhood. The heart and soul of a neighborhood can be ripped apart forever.
Evictees may also suffer a lifetime of discrimination, as a history of eviction is enough for landlords to turn down their rent offer. Even worse, evictions can create a severe impact on physical and mental health. It is no wonder the rates of suicide and mental health problems doubled between 2005 and 2010 when evictions and foreclosures were at historic highs during the deep ends of the great recession.
The unequivocal link to social injustice
The affordable housing crisis is also exacerbating the inequality divide. People from ethnic minorities or marginalized communities are more likely to fall into the category of housing deprived. People who are likely to experience discrimination in other facets of life — such as ex-convicts or low-income populations — also often fall into this category.
Exposure to physical ailments
The physical and mental stress from housing insecurity can give rise to a wide array of physical health problems. In a recent study of newly homeless people in New York City’s shelter system, researchers found that 6% were diabetic, 17% hypertensive, 17% asthma patients, 35% suffered serious depression, and 53% had issues with substance abuse.
Increased risk of mortality
Coupled with the lack of access to adequate healthcare, the risk of these ailments inherently bears down on the mortality rates of the homeless. Overall, mortality is significantly higher compared to people with secured housing. Higher suicide rates also accompany relatively higher rates of mental ailments.
Homeless pregnant women also experience relatively higher rates of infant mortality and preterm or underweight birth.
Difficulties adjusting to new realities
People can also develop psychological issues when trying to adapt to a new environment. Their former neighbors feel their absence — the new ones may not be so welcoming. And their new location could also disrupt their lifestyle, preventing them from going where they used to go and doing the things that they used to.
The mental health challenge
Housing insecurity is heavily linked to mental health issues like anxiety, depression, social disorders and substance abuse. These issues can in turn lead to isolation, chronic unemployment and other social issues that send the homeless spiraling down further.
What social workers are doing to help the housing insecure
Social workers are concerned with people’s ability to fill their physical and physiological needs. Their skills and knowledge are highly instrumental to people in need of decent accommodation.
Some ways in which they help include:
Preventing evictions
Social workers can help people avoid eviction by connecting them with federal and state programs offering rent support for low-income people.
Direct housing solutions
Before seeking out emergency shelters and other homeless care solutions, social workers will first assess the possibility of finding decent accommodation within the budget of the individual or household. They can negotiate on their behalf, ensuring they are not hindered by their eviction history, substance abuse history or other social determinants.
Access to emergency housing
If social workers cannot find an accommodation that an individual or family can afford, they can arrange for temporary shelters where they can stay while their planned transition to permanent residence gets underway.
These temporary housing arrangements include:
Emergency shelters
Transitional or temporary housing
Permanent supportive housing for those experiencing mental disorders or chronic homelessness.
Healthcare hot spotting
Social workers can collaborate with government agencies and nonprofits to hotspot geographic areas or identify areas with high levels of housing depravity. They can then focus on these needy areas, using their meticulous research and advocacy skills to find and implement data-driven solutions to fill the voids.
Mental health and substance abuseservices
Social workers are trained to serve as primary and secondary care providers for mental health patients. They can treat mental health problems in homeless people directly or refer them to the right mental care facilities.
Practicing self-care
Social workers experience enormous pressure at work due to the increasing demand for their services. But in order to dispense their duties effectively, they need to protect themselves from stress and constant pressure. They practice social worker self-care and take time out to attend to their personal needs. That includes opening up about their stress, indulging in daily personal care routines and eating healthily.
Top-draw social worker programs like that of Spring Arbor University also prepare students for the rigors of social care work. It equips students to take on social work with full confidence and competence. The 100% coursework plus hundreds of hours of practical work gives students adequate exposure to the processes involved in crafting and implementing social care plans and policies for individuals, groups and organizations.
Engaging in outreach
Outreach social workers are responsible for connecting homeless people with the right intervention programs. They reach out to homeless people who qualify for various housing intervention programs, educate them about the program, and assist in guiding their transition to permanent residence with the help of the programs.
Social workers also reach out to veterans, committing them to housing support programs for veterans.
Advocacy
When housing solutions are lacking or existing ones are inadequate, social workers spend a lot of their time working with government agencies and relevant organizations to secure better housing solutions for a community or demographic. They can lobby on behalf of individuals, citizen bodies, neighborhoods, communities, organizations, schools or larger populations on the macro level.
Social workers are spearheading the struggle against housing insecurity
Social workers exercise their social skills and clinical judgments in many different settings to alleviate the pain and suffering of people grappling with housing deprivation.
Their role is continuous in the fight against poor housing.
They bring immediate relief to those in need of urgent housing intervention, guide those transitioning from temporary shelters to permanent homes and advocate better solutions for housing insecurity across all levels.
Organizing an outdoor golf camp for kids in Atlanta is not only a fantastic way to introduce them to the wonders of the sport but also an opportunity to foster their passion for the game. From mastering the perfect swing to learning the nuances of strategy, a well-planned golf camp can ignite a lifelong love affair with golf. Like any business, you will need careful planning to ensure your camp is a success. Here are some tips.
Choosing the Right Equipment: Golf Carts
When organizing a golf camp, it’s essential to consider the equipment required for the participants. A well-maintained golf cart can last up to 10 years, making it a worthwhile investment for a long-term golf camp. As well as transporting participants and equipment around the course, they provide a fun and interactive mode of transportation, creating an enjoyable atmosphere for the kids during the camp.
The Rise of Motorized Golf Carts
Consider motorized golf carts, which have become an integral part of the game, providing convenience and accessibility to players of all ages. GolfLink reports that these motorized vehicles first started appearing on courses in the 1940s. Since then, they have revolutionized the sport, making it more accessible and enjoyable for players by reducing physical strain and allowing for faster play.
Selecting an appropriate golf course in Atlanta for the camp ensures a successful and enjoyable experience. Consider factors such as accessibility, facilities, and course layout. Look for a course that caters to junior players and provides a suitable learning environment.
Ensuring Proper Guidance With the Right Instructors
Having knowledgeable and experienced instructors is key to organizing a successful golf camp for kids. Look for PGA-certified instructors or professionals with a strong background in teaching young players. These instructors should be able to communicate effectively with children, provide guidance, and foster a positive learning environment.
Restrooms: Providing Comfort and Convenience
With its population exceeding 5 million residents, Atlanta is an excellent location to organize an outdoor golf camp for kids. When planning such an event, it’s essential to consider the comfort and convenience of the participants and staff. One crucial aspect to address is the availability of restrooms. You should rent high-quality porta-potties to ensure they are hygienic and built to last.
Promoting Camaraderie
Fostering camaraderie and teamwork among the participants is important. Organize group activities such as team challenges, mini-tournaments, or fun games that encourage collaboration and friendly competition. These activities will enhance the campers’ social skills and create a sense of belonging and shared enthusiasm for the game.
Implementing Proper Safety Precautions
Ensuring the safety of all participants should be a top priority when organizing an outdoor golf camp for kids in Atlanta. Focus on implementing safety measures such as providing protective equipment, establishing rules for on-course behavior, and conducting regular safety briefings. Additionally, maintain appropriate adult-to-child ratios to ensure close supervision throughout the camp.
Keeping Kids Energized
Outdoor activities require ample hydration and nourishment to energize the participants throughout the camp. Provide plenty of water stations and encourage the kids to drink regularly to prevent dehydration. Additionally, offer healthy snacks such as fruits, granola bars, or sandwiches to fuel their energy levels.
Celebrating Achievements with Recognition and Awards
To motivate and inspire the campers, acknowledge their achievements and progress throughout the golf camp. Organize an award ceremony or recognition event where each participant is acknowledged for their dedication and improvement. These celebrations boost the campers’ self-confidence and instill a sense of pride in their accomplishments.
The business of organizing an outdoor golf camp for kids in Atlanta requires careful planning and consideration. By providing the necessary facilities and fostering an environment for learning and growth, your camp will allow kids to learn new skills and develop confidence. With these elements in place, the golf camp will be a resounding success, fostering a love for the game and creating lasting memories for the young participants.
One of the most satisfying aspects of social work is that it is a constantly evolving profession. There is always something new to learn, improving your understanding of the issues your clients face and giving you better tools to help them. Here is a look at five pressing issues that are shaping modern social work.
Recognizing systemic issues
If you follow the news, you can’t have made it through the past year without hearing something about Critical Race Theory (CRT). Despite all the attention it’s been given by the media, this theory is widely misunderstood. It addresses the fact that racism is a systemic issue, with people of color disadvantaged by the way society is structured – for example, by patterns of school funding related to the demographics of different localities or by statistically identifiable biases in court rulings.
Learning to recognize this makes it much easier to identify the barriers that individual clients might face in living their lives and better appreciate the cumulative impact of microaggressions. It also helps to improve your cultural competence so you can connect more effectively with diverse clients’ perspectives and understand why a strategy that is effective for white people might not be useful to people of color. To a lesser extent, similar challenges present themselves to other groups, such as disabled individuals and LGBTQ+ people, so this learning can be applied more widely.
Corporate social work
One of the first places to take the aforementioned systemic issues seriously was the corporate world. When groups of people keep encountering the same difficulties and productivity suffers, corporate bosses want to know why and have a vested interest in breaking down barriers or helping their employees to overcome them. For some, this also emerges from a genuine commitment to corporate social responsibility.
Partly as a consequence of this, the new field of corporate social work has developed, with specialist social workers working on a contract basis or in-house at big companies to help employees with their problems and ensure that they don’t find themselves compromised by unnecessary struggles either at work or in their private lives. Corporate social workers also help to distinguish healthy and unhealthy working practices, letting employers know when they are asking too much of their employees or when pressure is counterproductive. They can tackle workplace bullying and help to ensure that all employees are positioned to achieve their full potential.
Tackling trauma
Social work dealing with problematic behaviors used to focus primarily on means of tackling the behaviors themselves, but today, trauma-informed practice is changing the standard approach. There is a growing emphasis on the causes of such behaviors and the effects of trauma, which is present in around 50% of women and 60% of men.
The causes of trauma can range from obviously distressing experiences like sexual violence or war to more subtle causes, such as emotional neglect in an otherwise comfortable childhood. The ability to cope with this varies widely, and sometimes an individual who comes through a big event well can be seriously affected by one that seems much less significant on the surface. The main point to remember is that unprocessed trauma can lead to self-destructive behavior and unhealthy coping mechanisms, which are much easier to resolve when the underlying trauma is dealt with directly.
Responding to the pandemic
A major cause of trauma in recent years has been the COVID pandemic, which has caused harm not only on an individual level but also on a social level, especially in cultures that are not very good at acknowledging death or processing grief. Experiences of separation from loved ones at vulnerable times exacerbated the problem, and some clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) people continue to have to limit their social activities and may also face economic exclusion as a result.
On top of this, the direct economic impact of lockdowns and loss of life damaged some communities in ways they are still struggling to recover from. All of this amounts to a social crisis that requires ongoing intervention from social workers, especially those with experience in advocacy. On the positive side, it provides opportunities for teaching resilience, and it’s a chance to identify issues and develop solutions in advance of future pandemics.
Remote working
One trend that emerged from the pandemic was an increase in remote working, and although this is not suitable in every situation – not least because there are still problems with digital exclusion, which some social workers are making a big effort to tackle – but it offers strong advantages in some situations. For example, some neurodivergent people are much more comfortable engaging remotely, and when clients live in places that are difficult to access, it makes it easier to maintain regular contact. It’s also great for out-of-hours services. For example, it can help to ensure that people who are struggling with addictions can access support quickly when faced with temptation.
It is also helping social workers develop their skills. For example, in Cleveland State University’s advanced standing MSW online, you’ll find that there is a strong focus on helping you develop the specialist communications skills you’ll need for remote work with clients. This program also focuses on developing awareness of trauma and the skills for tackling it, so it’s well suited for several of today’s key trends in the profession.
Conclusion
New trends emerge in social work all the time, but this does not mean that the learning you acquire now will go out of date because each new development builds upon those that have gone before it. Keeping up with developments enables you to keep using your existing skills, and there are always opportunities for further learning. It’s the combination of fresh skills and established experience that really lets social workers stand out and make a positive difference in the lives of all those they come into contact with.
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