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All You Need to Know About Learning Data Science with Python

Nancy Clayson
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All You Need to Know About Learning Data Science with Python

Whether you’re an aspiring data scientist or you’re already a data scientist looking to expand your skill set, know that the knowledge of Python is an essential skill in the field of data science. Python has become the preferred language in data analysis over the last few years, and it’s mainly due to its ease of learning and the fact that it is hugely time saving during application, though those are not the only reasons. Listed below are five reasons Data Science with Python training is essential for every data scientist. But, before we get to the why of learning this programming language, let’s understand what Python is.

What is Python?

Python is a versatile programming language that supports functional programming, structured programming, and also object Oriented programming. The versatility of this language is what makes it a good choice for data scientists. Python enables developers to create codes in a modular style and the codes can be reused as well, since Python supports the use of modules and packages.

Image by Johnson Martin from Pixabay

Python is a simple and easy to learn programming language. It requires the use of a unique syntax which supports readability. It’s also a low-cost programming language. Python’s interpreter and standard library are available free of cost in binary and source form.

Python for Data Scientists

According to the Indeed Data Science skills report of April 2019, Python is among the top skills employers look for in data scientists, along with machine learning and SQL and Hadoop.Having these top skills not only boosts your resume but also gives you the chances of earning a higher salary. According to LinkedIn, data scientists with an updated skillset make an average of $107,000 a year.

Here are the top five reasons why you should take data science with Python training.

Scalable

Python is more scalable than R, making it more and more popular across various industries. It is also faster than Matlab and Sata. YouTube is one platform that uses Python because of its flexibility in problem solving situations.

Compatible with Hadoop

Python is compatible with Hadoop, the most popular open-source big data platform. The PyDoop package offers access to HDFS API for Hadoop, allowing programmers to write Hadoop MapReduce programs and applications. HDFS API allows you to connect to HDFS installation, which makes it easy to read, write, and get information on global file system properties, directories, and files.

Easy to Learn

Python is easy to learn for non-programmers too, compared to other programming languages. Due to its readable code, large online community, and varied learning resources, Python is a good choice to start learning programming language.

Extensive data science libraries

Python has over 72,000 libraries in the Python Package Index, making it popular among aspiring candidates. These libraries are upgraded regularly. Most of the libraries in Python are available for data analysis. Here are some of them.

  • NumPy: The library has a number of high-level mathematical functions that operate on multidimensional arrays and matrices.
  • SciPy:  It works in association with NumPy arrays and has routines for numerical integration and upgradation.
  • Matplotlib: This is a 2D plotting library which contains data visualizations in the form of histograms, bar charts, and scatterplots with minimal coding lines.

Online Python Community

Python has increased its reach in the world of data science and a large number of volunteers are developing Python libraries. Due to this, it’s possible to develop advanced tools and processes in Python.

Which Skills Will You Learn?

Python is simple to learn, making it an ideal learning language for beginners. Read on to know which other skills you will learn with the data science with Python course.

  1. You will get an in-depth understanding of data science processes, like data wrangling, data exploration, data visualization, and hypotheses building & testing.
  2. You will be enabled to perform high-level mathematical calculations using the NumPy package.
  3. You will gain expertise in machine learning using the Scikit-Learn package.
  4. You will Understand how to use supervised and unsupervised learning models, such as linear regression, logistic regression, clustering, K-NN, and pipeline.
  5. You will gain the knowledge to extract useful data from the websites with the help of web scraping using Python.
  6. You will gain the ability to perform scientific and technical computing with SciPy package and its sub packages, like Integrate, Optimize, IO and Wave.

Data Science Is an Ever Expanding Field

Expanding consumerism has caused a surge in the demand for data scientists. Knowing the coding and programming tools and when to utilize their strengths to get the most out of your analysis is essential for a data scientist. Python is a popular programming language in data science, and a working knowledge of this language will give you a stepping stone to start your career as a data scientist.

How to Handle Job Termination The Right Way

Nancy Clayson
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How to Handle Job Termination The Right Way

With the sudden downturn in the economy and a slowdown in economic growth along with rising unemployment levels, a ‘churn’ has been observed in most of the jobs in the market. This is applicable even at the “C” level positions, which include managerial (chief) staff, such as CEO or CFO, etc. People are voluntarily shifting from one job to another for small wage-gains and to seek a job before getting sacked from their own jobs. However, if you are being sacked for any past criminal offense, you should immediately consult the Houston criminal defense lawyer.  

Signs of Termination                              

If you are still working with a company despite the economic downturn, and have been delivering above-average performance for quite a few years now, a sudden change of events could leave you nowhere if you are not prepared. Remaining alert and keeping an eye on some of the signs that might point toward the possible termination of your contract in the near future is the first step toward getting yourself ready for any such situation. These signs could be anything that has not been a trend in the past. For example, if you are not called to a staff meeting to discuss an important project, or not invited to a company-sponsored event unlike your colleagues, or if you are not given as much workload as you were given in the past, – and if it forms a pattern – then you should consider it an alarming signal for a possible redundancy that might occur in the near future.

How to Prepare Yourself?

You should always be prepared beforehand lest something happen which is not in your favor. According to HR professionals, there are two significant dates, which you should regard as a ‘turning point’ in your career in a situation where the worst could happen. These are January 1st and July 4th. These two are the holidays between which you should take time out to review and update your résumé, pay close attention to what is going on in the labor market and the industry that you are affiliated with by scanning the newspapers and watching the news. Asking around and getting in touch with a former colleague who is working in your target company, and keeping yourself updated on the performance of all the companies you are aiming for certainly helps during such a time.

Update Your Resume and Plan Ahead of Time

An important aspect that I mentioned previously is to have an up-to-date résumé at all times. You never know when you might need it. Instead of wondering why things are going the way they are and waiting for the moment you are forced to leave your job in search of a better opportunity, you should be ready to tackle anything beforehand by having a definite plan of action and a revised résumé to present before a prospective employer. Always have a plan about what you are going to do in the worst situations. What jobs to search for if you are terminated, the CV that you are going to present, etc. Moreover, revise and make changes in that plan as necessitated by the prevailing circumstances.

Many people got downsized as a result of the economic downturn. However, they made a mistake of not being prepared for the situation and often waited for months before landing a new job or even beginning to search for it. This made the situation worse than it already had been. In such a scenario, there is another useful tip. Along with having an updated résumé, have your references ready, and make sure that they recommend you positively for your targeted position.                

Mental Health and Your Children

Kathryn R. Bown
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Mental Health and Your Children

The moment that you have your first child, your world changes. Suddenly, there is a new center of the universe and a new top priority. You want to give your son or daughter the best life possible, and you want to keep them happy, healthy, and connected to you and the rest of your family.

Raising a healthy child means regular visits to the pediatrician, healthy foods, opportunities for games and exercise, and all of the other things that you’re careful to provide in order to care for your child’s physical health. But, as you may well realize, physical health isn’t everything: We also need to care for the mental health of our children.

Caring for your child’s mind

Just as with physical health, achieving great mental health requires good everyday decisions. In fact, your child’s mental health relies on many of the same things that his or her physical health does. A great diet, plenty of exercise, and regular sleep patterns are all good for a person’s mental health, just as they are for a person’s physical health.

The support of a loving family matters enormously, too. Bring your family together for meals and other moments — and be a good example of work-life balance by taking family vacations. Heading down to Florida may not seem like a mental health treatment, but experts say that it actually is. There’s a ton of evidence to support that a relaxing day on the beach and a West Palm Beach sunset cruise can actually calm us down, lower our stress levels, make us happier (and even physically healthier), and return us to our daily lives feeling recharged and being measurably more productive at school or work.

Another key to great mental health is communication, and that’s particularly important to parents and children. Your child isn’t going to go set up his or her own mental health care appointment and drive him or herself there. You need to know what is going on in his or her head. Encourage healthy communication and know how to get your child to open up, so that you have a better chance of identifying mental health issues early instead of finding out later that your child hid them from you.

What to do when things go wrong

Mental health and physical health have a lot in common, but we don’t always recognize that. We can keep our child eating healthy foods and exercising, yet we won’t be surprised if our child comes down with a physical ailment. Can we appreciate the same truth about mental health?

The fact of the matter is that, while there is much that you can and should do to care for your child’s mental health, you can’t control everything. Mental health issues are very common, even among children, and especially among teens. If your child shows symptoms of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and other common problems, don’t take it personally or blame yourself, but do take it seriously.

In situations like these, experts say, you should seek professional help. Seek out mental health care providers like psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists. Consider inpatient rehab, too, such as Polaris adolescent residential treatment centers for mental health issues. Sometimes, getting your child away from difficult situations and familiar settings can help enormously.

Just like physical health, mental health requires regular care. Also like physical health, it sometimes requires us to go to the doctor. When you make mental health a priority in your family, you’ll help your children live the life you want for them.

Favorite Movies to Top the Box Office this Summer

Sonia Pantiss
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Favorite Movies to Top the Box Office this Summer

Summer of 2019 is loaded with potential Box Office ‘breakers’.

But which summer films will lead the pack with regards to box office success? Avengers: Endgame is the fasted movie to gross over $2 Billion in history. It’s also on the verge of beating out Avatar as the top-grossing movie of all time. For the sake of making this article truly about the summer box office, we are excluding Endgame as it was released on April 26th, which is by no means, ‘summer’, even though some are including it because its success will hold it in theatres well into the summer months.

Top sites like bovada will have lines on this matter, so we’ll look to them for guidance on our predictions.

On the Marquee

OK, even though the official start of summer is June 21st, we’ll include any movie released after June 1st. June is basically what we consider summer, despite what official northern hemisphere dates say.

Our Expected Top Movies in the Box Office:

June 7th – Dark Phoenix

June 24 – Toy Story 4 & Child’s Play

July 5th – Spider-Man: Far from Home

July 19th – The Lion King

July 25th -Once Upon A Time in Hollywood

Aug 2nd -Fast and Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw

Let’s go backward.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood +1400

Although this may end up being one of the best movies this summer, that doesn’t mean it is going to outgross certain other that have a particular type of draw … eg.  less awesome plot, structure, and well-written dialogue and more explosions. This flick has the makings to be phenomenal. With Leo, Brad, and Margot the characters are bound to be amazing. That said, It probably won’t gross more than 50 million dollars in its opening weekend.

Dark Phoenix +1400

Sansa Stark (sorry Sophie Turner) as Jean Grey? This is going to be pretty cool. However, the film lacks the hype surrounding other summertime X-men releases. So it’s doubtful that it will break the 90 million mark in its opening weekend. Like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, it shares the longest odds of the bunch to have the most profitable opening weekend.

Fast and Furious Presents Hobbs and Shaw +800

It’s not the Fast and the Furious, but the Fast and the Furious ‘Presents’ … Just adding that word will help it to earn less than its actual non-spin-off counterparts. Sure it has Statham and Johnson … but it will be lucky to pass the 100 million mark in its first couple of days.

Toy Story 4 +500

Wait … Toy Story 4 has better odds than a Fast and Furious production? Yes. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the fourth installment of Toy Story go well north of 100 million on opening weekend. Toy Story 3 did better than both the original and sequel combined, so this franchise seems to be getting better as it progresses.

Alongside Toy Story, Child’s Play is opening, which provides no real competition. Although the Child’s Play reboot may be a fun horror flick, it shouldn’t gross more than 40 million upon opening and being of a totally different genre, is no real threat to the Tom Hanks classic.

Spider-Man: Far from Home +400

The fact that this is a living, breathing part of the Avengers saga with latest Spider-Man getting his own time in the spotlight, will help this film bring home the bacon. This installment should far surpass its other Marvel sibling, Dark Phoenix and push past the 150 million dollar mark.

The Lion King -125

The Lion King will rule the box office. It is, after all, the Lion King children since the early ’90s have loved this ‘instant-classic’ Disney cartoon and now they are doing it more in CGI/film fashion. Apparently, this will be a scene for scene re-adaptation that closely follows the original. Everything about this production, from its release date to the hands involved in its making screams winner, winner, chicken dinner. 200 million dollar opening weekend? Probably with some change to spare.

Netflix and Chill: Top 5 Rainy Day Movies

Dana R
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Netflix and Chill: Top 5 Rainy Day Movies

It’s raining it’s pouring the old man is … annoyedly clicking “Still Watching” on his streaming service. That’s probably more in line with the times than the old nursery rhyme.

And why not? It’s great to curl up and relax on a dreary day. These rainy day movies will help keep you entertained until the sun decides to come back out. 

1. A Wrinkle in Time

If you’re looking for something with some of the most powerful female actors ever, watch this. Oprah, Mindy Kaling, and Reese Witherspoon all-star.

It’s a semi sci-fi-like tale, though that wasn’t a term back when the book was written. It’s suspenseful, thoughtful, and full of vibrant imagery. It’s got flawless CGI and special effects editing and you may just cry once or twice.

But cry in a good way!

Young man and woman in bed watching tv and eating pop corn

2. Clueless

If you want something light, classic, and funny but that you’ll still want to pay attention to – watch the 1995 film Clueless. It stars people we didn’t know would be big stars back then, like Alicia Silverstone and Stacey Dash.

The comedy details a set of rich Beverly Hills girls and their blessed but drama-filled life. Some say the comedy is a loose take on the 1815 novel Emma, by Jane Austen.

It’s fun, there are great catchy lines in it, and it’ll send you down nostalgia road. Just don’t expect it to be the high-quality filmmaking you’re used to. It was filmed back when most people still didn’t have cell phones.

3. Goodfellas

If you want something a bit darker but still classic, what about the American Crime film Goodfellas? It’s about three men, one who gets involved in the mob, and some who were born into it.

You get to see both sides, how the activity affects the families, and what it’s like to work for “The Family”. There are some murder scenes in this one, so it’s not great for kids.

It’s not gruesome, but it’s intense at times. As far as filmmaking goes, it’s older than Clueless, as it was made in 1990, so don’t expect any CGI or green screen effects.

4. Casablanca

If you’re having a dreary day and want something that will keep the mood mild but also make you cry because of romance, this is the classic for you.

It’s filmed in black and white, which goes perfectly with the tones of a dark rainy day. In the movie, our heroine runs into an old flame while in town wither her new husband.

Her husband is a bit of a troublemaker and she needs her old flame to help them out of trouble. But will the pull of the old flame be too much? Will they escape in time? It’s old Hollywood glam and drama with a side of romance.

You can find it on most streaming sites, like IPTV. What is IPTV? You’ll find out.

Rainy Day Movies

When it comes to rainy day movies, are you more of a feel-good flick person or do you want something equally dark and scary as the storm?

We lean towards the first option, but a good thriller always gives, well, a thrill.

Interested in learning about the top car movies? We’ll give you the top 10 here.

New Calls for President Trump’s Impeachment as Ex-White House Counsel Skips Congress Hearing

Diane A. Wade
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New Calls for President Trump’s Impeachment as Ex-White House Counsel Skips Congress Hearing

New calls for President Donald Trump’s impeachment came from House Democrats, after former White House counsel Donald McGahn failed to appear before Congress despite a subpoena.

Donald McGahn skipped a hearing on May 21 about the Mueller report.

In an extraordinary move, President Trump has vowed to block all subpoenas of his current and former staff.

House Judiciary Committee chairman Jerry Nadler said after the failed hearing: “Our subpoenas are not optional.”

“Let me be clear: this committee will hear Mr. McGahn’s testimony, even if we have to go to court to secure it,” he said.

The Trump administration claims that the report by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, into allegations of Russian collusion and obstruction of justice, cleared him of wrongdoing, and that there are no further questions to answer.

It also claims that staff cannot legally be compelled to testify, but Jerry Nadler said he would hold Donald McGahn in contempt and pursue other means of compelling testimony.

“We will hold this president accountable, one way or the other,” he said.

President Trump Describes Robert Mueller Inquiry as “An Attempted Coup”

Robert Mueller Report: “Trump Campaign Did Not Conspire with Russia”

On May 2, President Trump responded on Twitter, arguing that he had “allowed everyone to testify” to Robert Mueller’s team, and accusing the Democrats of seeking a “do-over” of the special counsel investigation.

Democratic Party leaders have so far held off pressure from their lawmakers to begin impeachment proceedings, and the party is divided over the merits of the move, but the pressure is growing as the president stonewalls congressional inquiries.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi scheduled a party meeting on May 22 to discuss the issue.

Both the Department of Justice and White House released statements on May 20 arguing that Donald McGahn was under no obligation to give evidence.

According to a letter sent to House Judiciary Committee, Donald McGahn was “absolutely immune from compelled Congressional testimony”. Donald McGahn, who served as White House counsel for nearly two years under President Trump before his resignation in October 2018, said he would respect the president’s instruction not to appear.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders accused Democrats of pushing for “a wasteful and unnecessary do-over” of the Mueller report.

Citing the justice department guidance, Sanders said: “The former counsel to the president cannot be forced to give such testimony, and Mr. McGahn has been directed to act accordingly.”

In the wake of Donald McGahn’s failure to appear, Jerry Nadler announced he had issued subpoenas to former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks and Annie Donaldson, McGahn’s former chief of staff.

According to a New York Times report, Democratic lawmakers and aides were examining possible rules changes to allow the House to fine people held in contempt, as well as other means to break the impasse.

Formula 1 Legend Niki Lauda Dies Aged 70

Clyde K. Valle
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Formula 1 Legend Niki Lauda Dies Aged 70

Formula 1 legend Niki Lauda has died at the age of 70.

The three-time world champion, who underwent a lung transplant in August 2018, “passed away peacefully” on May 20, his family announced.

“His unique achievements as an athlete and entrepreneur are and will remain unforgettable, his tireless zest for action, his straightforwardness and his courage remain a role model and a benchmark for all of us,” his family’s statement said.

Niki Lauda, one of the best-known figures in motor racing, took the title for Ferrari in 1975 and 1977 and McLaren in 1984.

For many, the legendary Austrian will be remembered for his remarkable recovery and return to racing after being badly burned in a crash in the 1976 German Grand Prix.

A new generation of fans was introduced to Niki Lauda in the acclaimed 2013 film Rush, which detailed his rivalry with British driver James Hunt, the 1976 world champion.

Image source: Wikimedia

Michael Schumacher health status: F1 champion faces long fight for recovery one year after skiing accident

Niki Lauda, who was born in Vienna in February 1949, was a motor racing legend who went on to be a successful businessman following his retirement from the sport.

However, the Austrian was probably best-known for surviving a crash during the 1976 season which left him scarred for life.

On August 1, 1976, one year after winning his first title, Niki Lauda suffered third-degree burns to his head and face and inhaled toxic gases that damaged his lungs after his vehicle burst into flames at Nurburgring.

Niki Lauda was given the last rites in hospital but made an almost miraculous recovery and returned to racing, still bandaged, just 40 days later.

After his career as a racing driver, Niki Lauda became an airline entrepreneur and, most recently, a non-executive chairman for the Formula 1 Mercedes team, instrumental in bringing in British driver Lewis Hamilton, who has won five world championships.

However, ill health followed him into his later years and he underwent a lung transplant last year.

Niki Lauda had previously had two kidney transplants, the second donated in 2005 by his then-girlfriend Birgit Wetzinger, a former flight attendant for his airline whom he married in 2008.

In January 2019, he spent 10 days in hospital while suffering from influenza.

Niki Lauda leaves behind his wife, their twins born in 2009, and three sons from previous relationships.

Christchurch Mosques Attacker Charged with Terrorism in New Zealand

Roy Siemens
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Christchurch Mosques Attacker Charged with Terrorism in New Zealand

Brenton Tarrant, who was accused of killing 51 people in New Zealand’s Christchurch mosques attack has been charged with terrorism, police have said.

The Australian was charged with “engaging in a terrorist act”, police said in a statement on May 21.

Brenton Tarrant is already facing charges of murder and 40 of attempted murder following the 15th of March attack on two mosques in the South Island city.

He is next due in court in June.

It is the first time a person has been charged in New Zealand with an act of terror under this law.

New Zealand Police – who met with victims’ families and other survivors to inform them of the charge before it was announced – said they consulted with legal experts and prosecutors before deciding to lay the additional charge.

On March 15, 50 people lost their lives in the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch. One died in hospital later.

New Zealand Mosque Attack: 49 Killed and 48 Wounded in Country’s Deadliest Attack

The Christchurch attack was New Zealand’s deadliest mass shooting and brought an outpouring grief and support for the victims and their families.

Two weeks after the attack, more than 20,000 people gathered for a memorial service to honor those who lost their lives.

Last month, New Zealand’s parliament voted to ban military-style semi-automatic weapons to prevent any such thing happening again.

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is spearheading an effort to get world’s governments and tech companies to improve their efforts to tackle extremist content online.

The “Christchurch Call” was launched in response to the suspect live-streaming the attack, which was then watched many thousands of times.

The call has already been backed by Australia, India, Germany and Sweden, as well as tech giants Google, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter. However, the US declined to take part.

Jumpstarting Your Very Own Shopping Business Online

Clyde K. Valle
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Jumpstarting Your Very Own Shopping Business Online

Many people dream of becoming an entrepreneur – having their own shop to sell clothes, shoes, bags and other stuff. It is a good business which can be a stable source of income. However, not many can afford the big capital required to start a store. Budget is indeed a big factor but what if we tell you that there’s a way to fulfill this dream without having to spend too much money to start with? The answer to this is the internet. You can start your shopping business online without needing big money as capital. We will share some tips on how to start a shopping business online.

  1. Come up with a winning business plan – of course you need a plan before you start your business. What are you planning to sell on your website? Do you want to sell shoes, bags, clothes and apparels or do you plan to offer other goods like baked goods or probably handmade jewelries other products? It is important to know what you will offer.
  2. Choose a remarkable domain name – your website is going to be your virtual shop thus you need to come up with a name that can be remembered by users immediately. It is best if they can easily name your site when someone asks them where they purchased what they purchased on your site.
  3. Choose reliable hosting site – It is important that your site is always up and running especially during peak hours wherein many people are browsing and potentially shopping. You should make sure to choose a web hosting site that has good reputation of having zero to low down time and with easy to contact support team.
  4. Have an SSL certificate – SSL certificate allows safe connection between your site and users’ browser. This gives confidence to users that their details are safe on your website.
  5. Design a layout that is easy to navigation – you should ensure that visitors can easily navigate your site. For example, you should immediately show them options where they should go or what they should click from homepage to go to this page or that page. Online users do not want complicated websites.
  6. Provide various payment options – it is also good practice to provide various payment options like Visa, MasterCard, direct bank transfer or 3rd party payment options like PayPal, Neteller, Skrill and others. This makes things a lot easier for customers.
  7. Publish a thorough and easy to follow step-by-step guidelines – another thing to remember is to come up with an easy step by step guide for new users on your site. You should have a guide that they can use so they know how to register, place order, pay and so on and so forth.
  8. Provide a customer hotline or support email or chat – lastly, you should provide a support contact details that users can contact in case they have questions or enquiries.

These tips will help you start your very own online shopping site and eventually fulfill your dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur. Just like in running a land-based business, you should work hard and be patient. Sometimes it can take a while before the business grows and starts earning so don’t lose focus.

US to Lift Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Imports from Canada

Clyde K. Valle
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US to Lift Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum Imports from Canada

The US has decided to lift tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada in a move that could lead to approval for a new North American trade deal.

In a joint statement, the US and Canada announced that a 25% tariff on steel imports, and of 10% on aluminum, will end in 48 hours.

It is widely expected the US and Mexico will make a similar announcement soon.

In 2018, the US implemented the tariffs on grounds of “national security”.

Under the new agreement, there will be no quotas on how much steel or aluminum the three countries buy from overseas.

However, the US and Canada will monitor imports and if a country is determined to be buying in too much, one of the other nations can request a consultation and potentially re-impose tariffs.

Image source: Pexels

Getting rid of the tariffs is viewed as a key hurdle to approval for the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) trade deal which was signed in 2018. It replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement.

USMCA: US and Canada Reach New Trade Deal Replacing NAFTA

Providing that Washington and Mexico City also announce an agreement to lift levies on steel and aluminum, the US, Mexico and Canada will ask their respective governments to ratify USMCA.

It also targeted US farm goods as well as items like tomato ketchup and household products.

On May 17, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau said: “These tariffs were harming workers and consumers on both sides of the border. As we look at moving forward with the new NAFTA, it didn’t make a lot of sense to continue to have tariffs on steel and aluminum between our countries.”

EU steel and aluminum exports to the US are still subject to the tariffs, but there has been some good news for trade relations between the two.

On May 17, President Donald Trump delayed a decision on whether to impose levies on cars and car part imports.

The White House has put back the decision by six months to allow more time for trade talks with the EU and Japan.

Tariffs of up to 25% on imported cars and car parts were under consideration.

A report by the Commerce Department claimed that imports of foreign-made cars and auto parts into the US were a threat to national security.

The report has not been published, but in his announcement President Trump cited its findings which conclude that US carmakers are missing out on revenues to invest in research and development (R&D).

The announcement said: “The lag in R&D expenditures by American-owned producers is weakening innovation and, accordingly, threatening to impair our national security.”

President Trump said he agreed with the study’s finding that imported cars and trucks were “weakening our internal economy”.

The deal with Canada, as well as the delay in higher tariffs on EU and Japanese cars and auto parts, come at a critical time for the US and China – the world’s two biggest economies.

Senior living costs get lower as middle income seniors struggle

Nancy Clayson
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Senior living costs get lower as middle income seniors struggle

According to data recently released by national senior living referral service, A Place for Mom, the rates for independent living and assisted living have remained relatively steady compared to general real estate value and inflation.

“Construction of new facilities has also led to lower occupancy rates and stable pricing for senior care home operators,” Sue Johansen, vice president of partner services with A Place for Mom, told USA Today. “As competition increases between facilities, facilities have pushed to attract residents with deals and options.”

According to A Place for Moms, the fasted growing areas for assisted living communities include Minneapolis, Portland, and Los Angeles.

This comes during an important time when, according to another report from Health Affairs, middle income seniors are having serious trouble affording private living. On the other hand, they don’t qualify for subsidized nursing home care without being forced to spend down their assets. This group of “forgotten middle” includes retired teachers, government workers, and first responders.

“This is a cohort that hasn’t been paid much attention to,” Beth Burnham Mace, coauthor of the report, told the Boston Globe. “These are people who provided amazing services to society, and it’s important that there’s housing and care they can afford.”

Unaffordable houses, combined with an increase in spend among seniors who retire, only further complicates the easy. Studies have found that many seniors are taking advantage of new activities that they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise, and filling their new non-workdays by spending more than normal. In fact, one study by the Employee Benefit Research Institute found that 45.9% of households spent more than what they had spent before retirement.

Better government response and private sector attention will help steer results in a positive direction. Today, developers can find an architecture company that specializes in assisted living development. Design strategies should increase the comfort and safety for senior citizens, help to enhance the quality of life for the senior population, and incorporate creative solutions that take their physical capabilities into consideration. And most importantly, they should be more accessible to seniors of all income classes.

“It’s still a very good real estate market for most of the country and many seniors who move into senior living are liquidating real estate to do that,” Johansen said. “So you’re selling at a high time but getting in at a time when rates are pretty stable and promotional activity is aggressive. All of those factors combine to create the perfect storm in terms of timing for families to make that decision.”

FinTech Primed to Challenge the Big Bank Monopoly

Dana R
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FinTech Primed to Challenge the Big Bank Monopoly

When dreaming of the lottery, even a cash prize of a few million isn’t easy to comprehend. A billion would be even harder. But a trillion? The average person just can’t handle a number that big.

Now try to conceptualize $13.5 trillion. That’s enough to send everyone in the U.S. to their local state college for a four-year degree and still have some left over.

It’s also how much money the 15 largest banks in America hold in assets. Of that cohort, just five manage half of it: Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, US Bancorp, and Wells Fargo. Until recently, their hold over American wallets had gone unrivalled.

But as FinTech companies grow in scope, new challengers step up to disrupt the grip these Big Banks have over the industry — and consumers like you stand to benefit the most out of this change.

What is FinTech?

FinTech is short for Financial Technology and describes any technology that supports financial services. As a result, it’s a pretty broad term. Even the abacuses of yesteryear technically fit the bill, as do the automatic calculations the Big Banks use when completing transactions.

In 2019, FinTech means something more advanced than helpful back-end functions. It describes a subset of financial companies that offer front-facing services to customers.

FinTech represents a varied group of companies

The headlines make certain parts of the FinTech corner stand out more than others. Bitcoin often makes a splash in the news. The latest drama surrounds now dead CEO of Quadriga Gerald Cotton. He kept $145 million in a cold wallet no one can hack, leaving more than 100,000 investors out of luck.

Before this, it was Elon Musk thinking out loud on a podcast, saying crypto is the currency of the future. And before that, most new sites debated whether crypto is a reliable way to invest your money.

If you’re unfamiliar with the industry, it would be easy to equate all FinTech with Bitcoin because of the focus it’s under. While crypto is one of the most theatrical examples of FinTech, not all FinTech is crypto.

Mobile banks make it cheaper to manage your money

Some FinTech companies offer relatively humble services compared to Quadriga. There are mobile banks that take your day-to-day banking experience out of the branch and onto your phone, tablet, or laptop, so you can deposit a check with your camera or transfer funds to a friend.

Because they don’t have the overhead costs of physical locations, most mobile banks eliminate the common banking fees and restrictions the biggest banks place on their services. While you may have to pay as much as $15 in monthly fees to keep a basic checking account with one of the big banks, FinTech scraps these fees altogether.

FinTech also removes barriers to essential services

There are also online lenders that offer installment loans and lines of credit to people with subprime credit. For anyone who’s tried to get a loan while they’re rebuilding their credit, you understand the importance of knowing your credit score before you apply.

Many of the biggest banks have strict regulations and will reject any applicant with a subprime score. However, there are FinTech companies that won’t — they use other financial criteria to determine your creditworthiness, giving people with low credit a chance at getting an online loan.

Whether you’re denied a loan or tired of paying too much to maintain a checking account, greater convenience and low costs can persuade you to ditch traditional financial organizations for FinTech. And you wouldn’t be alone. By 2023, it’s expected there will be more than 362 million FinTech users in the U.S. alone.

With this many potential customers, FinTech is primed to take a bigger piece of the financial pie as it disrupts the monopoly the biggest banks have over the country.

Secure Your Company’s Interests: Why a Trusted Business Attorney is a Worthwhile Investment

Dana R
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Secure Your Company’s Interests: Why a Trusted Business Attorney is a Worthwhile Investment

Are you a business owner and want to be prepared for any possible legal issues? Click here to find out what you should look for in a top-tier business attorney.

The average small business in the U. S. with a turnover of $1 million spends $20,000 on litigation every year.

At some point, companies expect to run into some legal trouble that will call for them to hire a business attorney. While a lawyer is necessary, the kind of lawyer you get can either be a money pit or an invaluable asset to your firm.

Read on to find out what factors make a business counsel a worthwhile investment.

Degree of Specialization

When you are considering looking for a business lawyer chances are you already have a particular legal need that you desire to resolve. The nature of your need should dictate the kind of lawyer you end up hiring.

For the regular business formation services, many business counselors can handle that for you. Other common services such as helping you negotiate for better contracts, drafting wills among others also fall under this category.

When you require specialized services you can’t go looking for general counsel. You need a lawyer who has domain experience in the particular area of expertise you require.

For example, if you are involved in a class action lawsuit your best bet would be talking to several class action lawsuit lawyers to find out who can best serve your need.

They are deeply versed in that area of expertise and they understand the nuanced dynamics of such cases that other lawyers may miss.

If you are looking for a general attorney who will work with your firm for the long-term then you should look for a lawyer who has experience in serving as general counsel.

Whenever you need a specialized lawyer they can offer recommendations and work with them.

Your business counsel is like your doctor. If you go to an oncologist when you have a toothache you will not receive much help.

Conversely, you should look for a lawyer who matches the legal needs of your business for you to get the best results.

A Top Business Attorney Brings Other Resources to the Table

Top-tier business lawyers bring much more than just legal services to the table and this an essential aspect you should look for.

For your company to get the best value, you need an attorney who can offer introductions to other clients, potential customers and even strategic partners.

If they have been in the business for a while they have likely developed a network that can help you in other ways. That is one distinguishing mark of a veteran business counsel.

The same point applies even in the legal aspect of things. A top-notch business counsel has ties to their legal fraternity that can be of help when you need to seek expertise in other areas.

Working with a lawyer who can get you quality recommendations is of great use in bringing a diversity of service to you.

Another salient feature of a high-quality business counsel is whether they offer their clients opportunities to network through special events.

Having a lawyer who offers this to your business provides extra value as you get to meet and learn from other entrepreneurs.

An Understanding of the Entrepreneurial Nature

The best business counsel is one who has been an entrepreneur or has a tangible understanding of entrepreneurship. There is simply no substitute for that.

If you are a small business looking for a small business attorney, then you would likely run into problems working with a lawyer who focuses on Fortune 500 firms.

The work of a business counsel is not to tell you what you shouldn’t have done but to help you chart a successful way forward for your business.

If your business counsel has a level of insight into how an entrepreneur thinks and what businesses need, they will serve you in a much better manner.

Their Billing Structure and Fees

Hiring attorneys for your business might not come cheap.

However, a good business lawyer will have a billing structure that works for you. They will know exactly what needs to be done and will charge you more accurately.

Versatility is also important when it comes to billing.

For example, they can give you flat fees when you need simple work done like drawing up contracts and the like. When there is more involving work they can bill by the hour.

When you are handling a lawsuit, the lawyer can work on a contingency basis such that you only pay if and when the result of the suit is favorable to you.

Their Firm Is the Right Size for You

Looking at the size of the lawyer’s firm in relation to your business is necessary for identifying how they can best serve you.

If you run a big corporation then a large law firm (or a more high profile lawyer) with all the resources that come with it will likely give you the most value.

A complex lawsuit, for example, will be better dealt with by a lawyer with many associates who can do the massive grunt work necessary.

If you run a small business then a small business lawyer will offer you better service since you will require more attention and personalized services.

A large law firm or a busy lawyer will likely not make you a high priority since they need bigger clients to meet their revenue targets.

If not that then they may end up giving your case to a relatively new lawyer who may not have as much experience.

The best lawyer for you is one who meets you at your point of need and devotes the necessary attention to you.

Get the Best Representation

Your business will need a lawyer at some point in its existence. The question isn’t whether to get a lawyer or not. It is what kind of business attorney you need to look for so that they can be an asset to your company.

Do you want to protect your business? Check out these legal issues that your business must be on the lookout for.

Fashion Group Kering Will No Longer Use Models Under 18

Lisa.Felice
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Fashion Group Kering Will No Longer Use Models Under 18

French luxury group Kering will no longer use models who are under the age of 18.

The fashion company owns several major fashion houses, including Gucci, Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen.

The policy will come into effect in time for the 2020-2021 Autumn/Winter collections, the company said.

Kering CEO François Henri-Pinault said in a statement that the company was “conscious of the influence exerted on younger generations” by its images.

He said: “We believe that we have a responsibility to put forward the best possible practices in the luxury sector, and we hope to create a movement that will encourage others to follow suit.”

Kering’s chief sustainability officer, Marie-Claire Daveu, added: “The physiological and psychological maturity of models aged over 18 seems more appropriate to the rhythm and demands that are involved in this profession.”

The company’s decision comes as fashion brands are increasingly trying to become more ethical, both in their designs and in their working practices.

In August 2018, Condé Nast, which publishes Vogue magazine, announced that it would not use models under the age of 18 in editorial shoots, unless they were the subject of an article.

An editorial in Vogue said at the time: “This is partly the result of an internal reckoning.

“Vogue, along with a number of other publications, has played a role in making it routine for children – since that’s what they are – to be dressed and marketed as glamorous adults.”

It continued: “No more: it’s not right for us, it’s not right for our readers, and it’s not right for the young models competing to appear in these pages. While we can’t rewrite the past, we can commit to a better future.”

Last year, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) made a similar declaration. Its CEO Steven Kolb said: “Young models are still developing. There can be a lack of the confidence, strength, experience, and maturity it takes to deal with the pressures of this work.”

In 2017, both Kering and a rival fashion group LVMH signed a charter agreeing to – among other things – stop hiring models who were under the age of 16.

A number of fashion designers have also pledged not to hire ultra-thin models and not to use exotic animal skins and fur in their designs.

It has long been common across the fashion industry to cast models who were under 18 – and indeed, many supermodels got their start in the industry at a young age.

Israel passed a law banning models with less than 18.5 BMI from advertisements or fashion shows

Model Naomi Campbell, now 48, was just 16 when she launched her career. Kate Moss, now 45, was discovered at the age of 14. Brooke Shields was just 14 when she appeared on the front cover of Vogue in February 1980.

Currently, 17-year-old Kaia Gerber is a rising star, while the late Karl Lagerfeld’s godson Hudson Kroenig, 11, was regularly seen on the catwalk.

However, a spotlight was shone on the treatment of young models in October 2017, when 14-year-old Russian model Vlada Dzyuba collapsed backstage at Shanghai Fashion Week and later died in hospital.

Vogue, in making its decision, also cited a number of allegations of harassment in the fashion industry, which were publicized as part of the #MeToo movement.

The publication added that in the mid-1980s, when Naomi Campbell launched her career, there were so few fashion shows a year that “a model could stay in school if she wished” – but nowadays the work is much more demanding.

3 Top Business Security Threats and How to Avoid Them

Dana R
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3 Top Business Security Threats and How to Avoid Them

Businesses today face a wide range of security threats. Brick-and-mortar businesses are significantly more likely than residential properties to become targets for theft, with 8.8 percent of small businesses suffering burglary annually, representing nearly one in ten companies, according to insurance provider Insureon. The risk of digital security threats is even higher, with eight in 10 U.S. businesses anticipating a critical breach in 2019, a Ponemon Institute survey found.

Fortunately, even as thieves strive to find new ways to rob business owners, security technology providers are developing innovations to make their task harder. Here are three types of risks businesses currently face, and some security systems companies can use to protect themselves against these threats.

1. Hardening Physical Security with Barriers and Surveillance

While some security threats require high-tech solutions, when it comes to physical break-ins, your first line of defense is still a good solid door and lock. In half of all commercial burglaries, the thief gains entrance through a door, a Temple University survey found. When a door can’t be opened, picked or broken, burglars will look for another point of weakness, such as a window that can be smashed or opened with a crow bar. You can protect doors by using measures such as solid wood or steel doors with steel frames, deadbolt locks with throws at least an inch thick and supplemental protection such as security storm doors. For windows, use barriers such as roll-down grilles for front windows and iron works for side and rear windows.

High-tech surveillance systems and alarms are also integral to physical security. Burglars don’t like to be seen, so a good surveillance camera system coupled with motion-activated lighting can serve as a strong deterrent, as well as a means to identify thieves should a break-in occur.

For instance, security camera system provider Lorex has developed Nocturnals cameras with 4K Ultra HD resolution and color night vision capability, able to capture critical details such as burglar hair color and license plate numbers even in low-light conditions. This type of camera system can also be set up so that if the motion sensors are triggered, push notifications are sent to your smartphone via an app, allowing you to respond more quickly to an event in progress.

2. Countering Ransomware and Cryptojacking

On the digital front, ransomware was the biggest emerging cyberthreat to businesses a couple years ago. In a ransomware attack, hackers use attachments or links in emails, on websites and in social media messages to trick users into downloading malware. The malware then encrypts the user’s files and demands a ransom payment in order to restore access to the files, threatening to permanently encrypt the files if payment is not made.

Last year, cybercriminals took ransomware a step further by deploying a similar attack method called cryptojacking. Cryptojacking uses the same methods as ransomware to get on a user’s device, but then the malware covertly hijacks the device’s resources in order to “mine” cryptocurrency such as bitcoin online. This increases the device owner’s utility bills while slowing down their processing speed, effectively making them pay the expense of hosting criminal activity. Unlike ransomware, cryptojacking does not cause any obvious damage, so victims may not notice any symptoms other than a slowdown in performance. Cryptojacking now affects 10 times more businesses than ransomware, according to Check Point Research.

Both ransomware and cryptojacking can be countered by taking basic cybersecurity steps such as avoiding clicking on suspicious links and attachments, keeping software and antivirus programs updated to the latest versions and installing ad-blocker and anti-cryptomining extensions in browsers. In addition, you can protect yourself from losing files to ransomware by performing regular automated file backups using a service such as IDrive.

3. Blocking Business Identity Theft

Most people have heard of identity theft against consumers, but you might not realize that businesses can also have their identity stolen. Identity thieves who gain access to sensitive information about your business may use it to open up business lines of credit in your company’s name, open personal lines of credit in the name of your company’s personnel or customers, or apply for phony tax refunds in your company’s name. This can damage your company’s reputation and business credit rating, hurting your ability to get access to credit. Business identity theft is on the rise, increasing 250 percent from 2016 to 2017, according to the IRS.

Sound cybersecurity policies can help protect you from business identity theft. Some basic steps you can take include requiring employees to use strong passwords or password manager software, only using secure networks such as VPNs, keeping software and antivirus programs current with the latest updates and avoiding suspicious email attachments and website link. Thieves may also try to steal your information by intercepting your mail, so it’s also important to physically protect your mail. The US Postal Inspection Service advises taking steps such as picking up mail promptly after delivery, delivering outgoing mail directly to a postal carrier or a letter slot inside a post office rather than an unmonitored postbox and notifying your post office to hold your mail when you’re out of town.

Despite your best efforts, your business identity may be stolen anyway through means beyond your control, such as a hack of one of your service providers. Experian recommends using an identity monitoring service to alert you to suspicious activity so you can take appropriate steps in the event of identity theft, such as notifying financial providers.

Businesses are vulnerable to security risks in both the physical and digital arenas, and a sound security strategy needs to address all these areas. Strong barriers and motion-sensitive surveillance systems can help prevent physical theft. Smart cybersecurity policies can reduce digital risks such as ransomware and cryptojacking. Cybersecurity measures can also help prevent identity theft, in conjunction with physical mail security and identity monitoring. Implementing these tactics can greatly reduce business security risks.

5 Awesome Places You Need to Know When Selling a Luxury Sports Car

Dana R
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5 Awesome Places You Need to Know When Selling a Luxury Sports Car

Common Sense Tips to Use When Selling a Car Online

Having a reliable and appealing car is something most people view as a priority. Over time, a person may start to lose interest in their existing vehicle. The best way to find something new is by selling an existing vehicle to fund the purchase of a brand-new vehicle.

If the vehicle you are trying to sell is considered a luxury sports car, finding the right buyer may be more challenging. Generally, these types of vehicles will command a hefty price on the used car market. Neglecting to plan out this selling process in detail may lead to a sports car owner losing money.

Trying to sell a luxury sports car online? Check out these helpful tips for success.

Consider Selling to a Professional Buyer

One of the main goals most people have when selling a car is making this process as quick and painless as possible. The best way to achieve this goal is by selling to a professional online buyer. Companies like We Buy Exotics make selling a luxury sports car easy.

All a seller has to do is enter in the VIN on their vehicle and submit a few pictures to receive an offer in minutes. If the seller agrees to this offer, they get their money and the buyer will schedule a pickup.

Before using a particular professional buyer, be sure to research them to find out what type of reputation they have. Rushing through this process may lead to a person losing money on the sale of their luxury vehicle.

Image source Wikimedia

Getting a Vehicle History Report

Establishing trust with a potential online buyer is the biggest hurdles most luxury car owners will have. This is why providing in-depth information about the car is so important. Getting a car history report to put in the online listing is a good idea.

These reports will detail the accidents a car has been involved in as well as its maintenance history. Most online buyers will demand this documentation before making an offer. By putting the vehicle history report in the listing, it will be much easier to attract the interest of motivated buyers.

Detail the Vehicle Before Putting It On The Market

Over 17 million vehicles are sold in the United States each year. The key to attracting the attention of online buyers is providing them with plenty of pictures of the luxury sports car being sold. Before taking these pictures, you will need to get the vehicle professionally detailed.

The last thing a seller needs to do is put pictures of a dirty vehicle online. Most buyers want to make sure the vehicle in question is in pristine shape. The money paid to a professional auto detailer will be worth it considering the appeal it will add to a vehicle.

  A Well-Written Description is a Must

Once a potential buyer looks at the pictures of a sports car, they will want to read the seller’s description of the vehicle. When crafting this description, be sure that all pertinent information is included. Details like the mileage, make and model are essential. Failing to include this information may lead to a potential buyer losing interest.

Preparation Goes a Long Way

The key to successfully selling a luxury sports car is properly preparing beforehand. Researching the market and proofreading your vehicle description can help you sell your automobile in a hurry.

What Are the Effects of Tobacco and Alcohol Together?

Dana R
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What Are the Effects of Tobacco and Alcohol Together?

Have you ever wondered why an alcoholic beverage makes you crave a cigarette?

You’re not the only one. 70% of U.S. drinkers also smoke. And almost three-quarters of alcoholics smoke over a pack of cigarettes every day. 

Duke University Medical Center research revealed alcohol boosts the pleasing effects of nicotine. That’s why people enjoy smoking when drinking an alcoholic beverage. 

Most people understand that tobacco smoking can cause cancer. Cigarette smoking contributes to over 480,000 deaths every year. 

While the effects of tobacco are an obvious health risk, alcohol is confusing. Not every drink is dangerous in the same way each cigarette is.

The moderate use of alcohol can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. But, drink more and it increases your chances for cancer.

Keep reading to learn the dangers of combining alcohol and tobacco.

Risks of Alcohol Use

The moderate use of alcohol can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. But, when you drink more it increases your chances for cancer. 

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) define moderate drinking as 1 drink for women and 2 drinks for men per day.

Alcohol can increase the risk of cancer. It can cause inflammation in the liver and pancreas. Inflammation raises the chance of cancer in those organs.

Alcohol also produces acetaldehyde in the body. This substance prevents cells from repairing DNA damage.

There’s no doubt that excessive drinking is a cancer-causing behavior.

Effects of Tobacco

Every cigarette causes damage to your body. A single cigarette can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease.

Cigarettes increase blood pressure. Long-term high blood pressure adds to the risk of cancer.

Each cigarette starts a chemical chain reaction that results in carcinogenic compounds. The poisons in cigarette smoke weaken the immune system and damage DNA.

Smoking can both cause cancer, and damage cells so your body can’t fight it.

Lung cancer isn’t the only cancer smoking causes. The bloodstream absorbs the compounds from smoke and spreads them throughout the body.

Short-term Dangers of Combining Alcohol and Tobacco 

Cigarettes and alcohol together create more risks than using either substance alone.

The primary risk is that alcohol is a depressant and tobacco is a stimulant. The nicotine in tobacco offsets the sedative aspects of alcohol.

If you smoke while drinking you may not realize how much alcohol affects your body. Poor assessment of inebriation leads to poor judgment and bad choices.

For example, you may continue to drink because you don’t feel drunk. Or, you might choose to drive your car.

Long-Term Effects of Mixing Alcohol and Tobacco

Mixing smoking and alcohol increases cancer in the mouth, throat, oesophagus, and colon. It’s no surprise that 80% of men and 65% of women with throat and mouth cancer combine smoking and drinking habits. 

Studies suggest alcohol dissolves cigarette chemicals while they’re in the throat. That could trap carcinogens in the throat’s sensitive tissues.

Plus, smoking and drinking together slow metabolism. The carcinogens from the cigarettes stay in the bloodstream longer. Longer exposure to carcinogens increases the risk of cancer.

If you’re struggling with alcohol and tobacco abuse you can get help here.

Get Treatment for Tobacco and Alcohol Addiction

The fact that alcohol and tobacco are legal and accessible makes them easy to abuse. The effects of tobacco and alcohol mixed together are dangerous.

Abuse results in a shorter life span, respiratory problems, and higher risk for cancer. Rehab programs can help you end your addiction.

Please don’t hesitate to seek treatment.

My best advice to go backpacking in Ireland

Kathryn R. Bown
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My best advice to go backpacking in Ireland

Ireland has been on my bucket list for years. And it is always the weather that stopped me. I have travelled through Scotland before and, despite being a wonderful trip, I also remember how it rained every day.

In the end, my curiosity about nature in Ireland outweighed my worries about the weather, and I decided to go backpacking in Ireland alone.

Are you also planning a backpacking trip to Ireland? Here is some first-hand advice.

Image by Hermann Traub from Pixabay

Plan your transport ahead

It may not sound as idyllic as this means you will need to have a travel itinerary, but the truth is Ireland is not that cheap, and the options of public transport are not available in huge numbers. Trains won’t bring you everywhere, but buses will. Unfortunately, during summer months these buses can be overly crowded, overbooked and very expensive.

Check the weather forecast.

Checking weather forecast is particularly good advice if you are planning to see the cliffs of Moher, and let’s be honest who doesn’t? Whether you are set on doing the long cliff walk or just a quick visit, it is best to keep this activity on a flexible schedule.

The reason is you don’t want to see the cliffs in poor weather conditions with low visibility. I stayed for two days in the region of the cliffs and went for the best day. It was still raining in the morning, but I got blue skies in the afternoon.

Image by coffeecupkat from Pixabay

Unfortunately, I forget about the excellent advice when booking the boat trip along the cliffs. Let’s say my views were limited to hanging overboard and seeing the water surface.  So it is always a good idea to visit Ireland during the best season and don’t forget to check the weather forecast.

Get a heritage card

If you are the type of backpacker that loves visiting ancient and historical attractions then we recommend purchasing a heritage cord. Heritage Card costs about 25 euros and will save you lots of money as it offers free entrance to all fee-paying heritage sites in Ireland. Even if you are only visiting Burren National Park, Skellig Michael and a few castles it’s already worth the money.

Get Backpacker Travel Insurance

Getting sick, loss of luggage or items, cancellation of the flight. Many things can go wrong when backpacking Ireland alone. Don’t let this ruins your trip and get backpack travel insurance in advance. Travel insurance from the trusted Ireland Insurance Company will cover most undesirable costs and will give you peace of mind.

Cheap Accommodation

A lot in Ireland is aimed at students, including the accommodations that you can use when you go backpacking. There are youth hostels everywhere, with common rooms that are quite affordable. You can make contact here with other young people from all over the world. Two great reasons if you are backpacking Ireland alone.

If you are hoping to get a bit more luxury, there is the option to sleep in one of the many hotels or a bed & breakfast or a guest house. All these accommodations have their star rating, which runs from 1 to 5 stars.

Moving to Orange County: The Checklist

Nancy Clayson
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Moving to Orange County: The Checklist

If you’re new to Orange County, even if you’ve lived in California for years, you have to be aware that driving in the Los Angeles metropolitan area is unlike anywhere else. It’s not just gridlock. Some traffic laws are unique to LA. Due to the size of LA, it can be difficult to navigate. To feel more confident on the road, be aware of these things to avoid needing a Santa Ana traffic ticket lawyer.

Road Etiquette

LA residents know and understand that traffic might move slowly. Honking is reserved for imminent danger, but a light tap on the horn can let someone know that the light is green. When you’re on the freeway, give yourself lots of time to get across multiple lanes to exit. Don’t drive in the far-right lane unless you’re going slower than traffic or need to exit.

Rules to Follow

Avoid getting a ticket by following some rules that are specific to LA:

  • Carpool/HOV lanes
    High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes and carpool lanes have limited access and require a minimum number of occupants.
  • Cell phones

California prohibits using your handheld cell phone when driving. Use a hands-free device or wait until you can pull over.

  • Don’t smoke in your car if you have a child with you

It’s illegal to smoke in a vehicle that is carrying a minor child.

  • Don’t drink and drive
    The legal limit is 0.08 percent, but law enforcement will give you a ticket if you are impaired at lower levels. Don’t have open alcohol in the car. Transport it in the trunk.
  • Red light cameras
    Many major intersections have cameras that will record your license plate if you run the red light.

When You Get a Traffic Ticket, Take It Seriously 

Don’t just pay your ticket, but don’t toss it in the trash either. Get help from a traffic ticket attorney Orange County, when you contact The Ticket Clinic at 1-800-248-2846.

Examining Your Lifestyle and Your Mental Health

Kathryn R. Bown
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Examining Your Lifestyle and Your Mental Health

The way we live says a lot about us. Lifestyle means a lot to us and is about more than how much fun you’re having or how much work you’re getting done. It also has a profound effect on your mental health.

That’s why it’s smart to take a step back and examine your own lifestyle. How is it helping your mental health? How it is hurting? The consequences of a lifestyle that runs counter to your mental health interests can be severe, so take action and build a better, healthier life.

Is your lifestyle good for you?

Everyday, we make decisions (or follow through on powerful habit loops) that affect our mental health, whether we realize it or not. And, over time, these decisions can add up to a complete mental health picture — for better or for worse. Let’s take a closer look at your lifestyle.

Mental health and physical health are much more closely connected than many of us realize, and a poor diet and lack of exercise can bring down your mood and make you more vulnerable to all kinds of common mental health conditions. If you are interested in trying licensed online therapy to improve your mental health, check out https://www.betterhelp.com/start/ today.

Consider stress. What about your environment — including your home, your commute, and your work environment — might contribute to higher stress levels? What about your work, your career, and your current work-life balance (or lack thereof) might be raising your stress?

What about the place that you live in? Big cities with competitive work environments tend to lead to higher stress levels, so residents of places such as Washington, D.C., may want to be more proactive about their mental health than others, expert DC therapists point out — though they emphasize that virtually anyone can benefit from therapy.

Are you seeking treatment for any mental health issues? Are you in therapy? You probably visit the doctor regularly for physical checkups — do you do the same for your mind?

What a rough lifestyle can do to your mind

All of the questions and concerns above are important because, if you’re not careful, your wrong answers could lead to serious mental health problems.

Anxiety disorders are, when taken together, the most common form of mental health issues. They can be triggered and exacerbated by stress — the same sort of stress that is caused by your lack of work-life balance or your busy, competitive life in a big city like Washington, D.C.

Depression is common, too, and it can be worsened by the low moods you’ll experience when you fail to get proper nutrition or exercise regularly.

And other, less common mental health issues can arise from environmental factors — including basic, ongoing lifestyle decisions — too. So get smart and change your life.

Building a better life

The idea of changing your whole lifestyle to improve your mental health can be overwhelming. But you don’t have to do all of this at once, and reprogramming habit loops for the better will help you achieve long-term, sustainable change.

Tackle bad habits first, and start fighting for the little things that will improve your mental health, such as a vacation or a rule against answering emails after hours. Leave a bit earlier to make your big-city commute less stressful. Aim for sustainable changes — rather than crash diets — and try adding vegetables in and swapping out a few unhealthy favorites for healthier options. And, above all, get some professional help. Your mental health is an important dimension of your overall health, and it deserves the same professional care that you’d give your physical health.

12 Eco-Friendly Products That Help Save the Environment

Dana R
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12 Eco-Friendly Products That Help Save the Environment

We exist frivolously in America. All of us.

Even if you don’t make much money or buy expensive things, the truth is, we are the most wasteful country on the planet.

A few decades ago, our waste and consumption of natural resources didn’t seem like a big deal, at least not to the general public. However, people are becoming aware of the inevitable ramifications of the way we live.

If we don’t start making changes fast, such as the majority of the population using eco-friendly products, our children or grandchildren may not live in the world as we know it.

But it’s not just us. The entirety of the civilized world has a hand in what’s happening to our planet.

But what exactly is happening to our planet?

Why Eco-Friendly Products Are Important

Regrettably, the subject of climate change or global warming has become a political topic, which is bad news for our planet.

Why?

Because until climate change is looked at for what it is, a scientific fact backed by analytical data, our country cannot unite with the rest of the world to reverse the problem. Right now, it’s a topic for debate, commonly referred to as “fake news” by those who oppose using resources to fix the problem.

Top view of a rubber stamp mark printed on a recycled paper with room for text on the right

But here’s what is happening while we waste time debating over it:

  • Greenhouse gases are trapping heat in our atmosphere, steadily increasing the earth’s temperature every year. 2016 was the hottest year ever recorded.
  • Every second, we destroy an entire football field of the rainforest. Every day, we destroy an area the size of New York.
  • Since 1910, Glacier National Park has gone from 150 glaciers to just 26.
  • Scientists surmise that we lose .01 to 0.1 species a year, which could be anywhere from 200 to 100,000 based on low-end/high-end estimations of total species.
  • Climate change may be irreversible by 2030.
  • As glaciers melt and sea levels rise, we can expect to lose coastal cities and experience an influx of refugees from other countries.

Since we don’t control politics, what can we do?

The simple answer is to do everything you can, starting with this list.

1. Metal Straws

Americans use 500 million plastic drinking straws every day. That’s over 18 billion every year.

In other words, we need to cut it out with the straws.

Fast food restaurants need to switch over to bio-degradable straws. Sit-in diners need to use any of the eco-friendly products out there such as metal and bamboo straws.

For us, we can also use the reusable straws for our drinking containers. It’s such a simple, yet important sacrifice.

2. Eco-Friendly Bottles

If you thought straws were bad, think about this—Americans use 1,500 plastic bottles every second. Now, you may not be very good at math, but you can easily deduce that the amount per day, week, month, and the year is unfathomable.

If we were to switch to eco-friendly products, such as metal, glass, and silicone water bottles to name a few, we could significantly cut down on waste.

Additionally, the amount of plastic found in the ocean is absurd. It’s also killing off marine species of fish and coral.

3. Reusable Shopping Bags

As we progress down our list, the numbers only seem to get worse. Worldwide, humans use over 1 trillion plastic bags per year—roughly 2 million per minute.

Reusable bags are made of canvas, synthetic fibers, and natural fibers. Not only are these better for the environment, but you can load a ton more groceries and goods in them. Bigger, eco-friendly products like these will save you countless trips back and forth to your car while unloading groceries.

4. Solar Power

It’s a fact. Eventually, we will run out of natural resources such as gas, oil, and coal. When we run out of these fossil fuels, say goodbye to the world as we know it.

It means no more power or vehicles. We will return to a time of darkness.

However, as the world is recognizing the imminent threat of overconsumption, it’s also advancing its eco-friendly products, such as producing some of the best quality solar panels.

5. Bamboo Products

Eco-friendly products made from bamboo are becoming ever more popular.

Nearly everything you can think of can be made out of bamboo. Some of the most popular bamboo products include toothbrushes, kitchen utensils, towels, speakers, toilet paper, floors, skateboards, and sunglasses.

Eco-friendly bamboo products are especially easy on the environment as they are rapidly renewable and harvested by hand, which helps prevent the accidental killing of animals and the use of heavy machinery.

6. Recycled Shoes

Buying recycled shoes helps the planet on multiple fronts.

First, eco-friendly products made from recycled goods prevents waste and over-usage of harmful materials such as plastic, rubber, and leather.

Leather is harmful because most tanning processes, including those in the U.S., use hazardous chemicals such as chromium and formaldehyde.

7. Meat-Replacement Products

The most effective change we could all make to save the planet won’t be a popular one. The answer, unfortunately for most, is to stop eating meat. Period.

It takes 1,799 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. One pound.

Additionally, the vast majority of deforestation occurs to provide land for growing crops. Not crops for starving people across the planet, but for the animals destined for the butcher block.

In fact, 70% of the grain produced in plant agriculture goes towards feeding farm animals. While the West feasts, billions of people around the world are in a food crisis.

Additionally, animal livestock and their byproducts account for 51% of all greenhouse gases. All forms of transportation exhaust in the world combined only accounts for 13%.

8. Rechargeable Batteries

Eco-friendly products such as rechargeable batteries are a no-brainer.

Batteries are made with natural, non-renewable resources. It’s hard to imagine life without batteries (no laptops, cell phones, tv remotes, video game remotes, garage door openers, car batteries, etc.), however, we may be risking it soon.

While rechargeable batteries aren’t perfect, they’re still a much better option. They still use the same non-renewable resources, but they last much longer. Rechargeable batteries aren’t thrown away after a single use, which greatly decreases waste.

9. Ceramic Nonstick Pans

There’s a popular documentary on Netflix right now called “The Devil We Know.”

This documentary explores the lies, deceit, and criminal acts by a company known as Dupont. Dupont is the company behind Teflon coatings. The primary chemical, C-8, is used in nearly everything you can think of that boasts a non-stick or water-repellent surface.

The problem is, the chemical is a deadly, cancer-causing substance.

And while the company has repeatedly changed the name of its chemicals and products and even the name of the company itself, the fact is, they are still knowingly producing hazardous products.

For your health, and the health of the environment, use ceramic alternatives for your pans. Teflon pans emit toxic chemicals and gases when they are heated past a certain temperature, while ceramic pans tend to be free of harmful chemicals.

10. Composting Toilets

Traditional toilets in first-world countries use water for every flush. Now, before modern sewer systems and toilets, cities had astronomical health issues related to improper human waste disposal.

However, for those looking to have less of a water footprint on the environment, consider that toilet-use in the U.S. averages 1.3 to 7 gallons of water per flush, depending on the toilet.

While composting toilets may come off archaic at first, they’re actually quite clean and sanitary. Our solid waste is mixed with a composting agent such as peat moss which rapidly evaporates and breaks down the material.

What’s left is virus and pathogen-free fertilizer, completely safe to handle and discard.

11. Low-Flow Showerheads

The average American shower uses over 17 gallons of water, lasting about 8 minutes. However, on long days or mornings when we’re not in a rush to get off to work, we tend to take our time. After all, showers feel amazing!

Low-flow showerheads can trickle out as little as 0.75 gallons of water a minute, meaning an 8-minute shower would take only 6 gallons of water. Saving roughly 10 gallons of water every day would mean each person is saving 3,650 gallons of water a year.

If every American used only one eco-friendly product, a low-flow showerhead, we would save 1.2 trillion gallons of water a year!

12. Bio-degradable Trash bags

Finally, the average American produces over 2,000 pounds of trash per year. Multiply that by our 327.2 million population and you get a lot of trash. A lot of trash means a lot of trash bags.

Bio-degradable trash bags use synthetic plastics made from corn, vegetable oils, and grains. In other words, they are renewable, compostable resources.

Respecting Our Planet

The whole point of using eco-friendly products is to show a little more respect for our planet. Mother Earth provides everything for us, and we are doing a disservice to her based on how we live.

Many of our normal ways of life in this society are causing irreversible damage to the planet we call home.

If something big doesn’t happen soon, if we don’t make major changes, our children and grandchildren will pay the consequences. We may likely not be around for it, but it is the fate we are leaving to them.

Start going green today. Don’t use laziness or inconvenience as an excuse. Before long, excuses or not, our planet will stop providing for us.

Click here for more articles on the environment and climate change to find out more about positive changes you can make!

3 Ways to Double Your Sales Without Increasing Costs

Clyde K. Valle
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3 Ways to Double Your Sales Without Increasing Costs

You have to spend money to make money: We’re told that. While that’s true in a lot of cases, it’s not always an absolute requirement. With the right tips, you can improve sales and efficiency at your call center by just spending smarter rather than spending more.

The main issue

The research indicates that 70 percent of people switch to a business rival not because they didn’t like your products or services, but because they didn’t like the customer experience. Increase your customer satisfaction and you will see sales go up accordingly. Here’s how to spend smarter to do just that:

Go omnichannel

Change out your multichannel call center software for omnichannel. Omnichannel seamlessly coordinates communications from your customers across all possible platforms. In practicality, that means your agents can communicate via IVR calls, video or audio calls, messaging, live chat, emails, and more.

Imagine this scenario: You have an issue with a business, so you navigate to their website and pull up the live chat. After a brief conversation, a chat agent advises you to call. You do so, and now you’re talking with a whole new person.

This new person knows nothing about your issue, so you have to explain the whole thing again. Once they hear the issue, they give you another number or an email because they aren’t actually the one who can deal with your issue.

This scenario is exactly how you lose customers to other businesses, even if you have a superior product. Omnichannel call center software is how you integrate all your channels for service that customers will love.

Train your people well

All the software in the world won’t help you get sales if you don’t have the best people on the job. Too many call centers make the mistake of thinking that training is all about scripts, questions, and answers. If you’re wasting money on this sort of training, it’s time to redirect your resources.

Great call center agents need to keep their cool with an irate caller. They need to be good listeners. They need to be smart and capable with the kind of cognitive skills that make it possible to really understand and solve problems.

Great call center agents also need to know how to make good decisions. They need to be warm, polite, and understanding. Some of these traits are natural; others can be taught. Spending your money in recruiting the right people and then training them in these skills is money well-spent.

Set up as many self-service options as you can

Some people always want to talk with a live person when they have a question or issue; but many of your customers would prefer to fix their problems by themselves whenever possible.

Redesign your website by improving your FAQ section and making it easy to find. Provide a search bar that’s easy to spot and returns useful answers. Rewrite technical pages and information in layman’s terms.

You should also get good IVR call software capable of doing more with voice recognition. You want as many callers as possible to get the answer they need early on in a call. Chatbots on your website can provide a similar helpful function.

It will cost a bit to set this all up, but you make it all back, and more, quickly as customers get their questions answered fast. Better yet, pleased customers will start spending more and talk about their good experience on social media.

The bottom line

You can do lots of things to slash costs here and there; but nothing will make such a profound difference in the end as excellent service. To improve your customer service, you don’t need to make drastic, expensive changes. Instead just spend your money wisely, and then watch your profits grow as satisfied customers come back again and again.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Name Royal Baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

Lisa.Felice
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Name Royal Baby Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have named their newborn son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor.

Introducing the royal baby to the cameras earlier in the day, the Duchess of Sussex said: “He has the sweetest temperament, he’s really calm. He’s been the dream.”

As they laughed, the Duke of Sussex said: “I don’t know who he gets that from.”

The announcement came after the Queen and Prince Philip met their eighth and newest great-grandchild for the first time at Windsor Castle.

By deciding to call their son Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have chosen not to use a title for their first born.

Image source: Getty

It’s A Boy! Meghan Markle Gives Birth to Royal Baby

As the first born son of a duke, Archie could have become Earl of Dumbarton – one of Prince Harry’s subsidiary titles – or have been Lord Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, but instead he will simply be Master Archie Mountbatten-Windsor.

On which parent the baby resembled more, Prince Harry said: “Everyone says that babies change so much over two weeks.

“We’re basically monitoring how the changing process happens over this next month really. But his looks are changing every single day, so who knows.”

Pictures of the new family’s first photocall were then shared on the SussexRoyal Instagram account.

The post said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are delighted to share their first public moment as a family.”

The images shared on social media were taken by Chris Allerton, who was the couple’s private wedding party photographer, and took the picture of the newlyweds watching fireworks in the grounds of Frogmore House at their evening reception.

The royal baby, who is seventh in line to the throne, was delivered at 05:26 BST on May 6, with Prince Harry saying after the birth that he and Meghan were “absolutely thrilled”.

Prince William has welcomed his brother to “the sleep deprivation society that is parenting”.

The Duke of Cambridge – a father-of-three – said he looked forward to seeing the new parents “when things have quietened down”.

Prince Charles has also expressed his joy at the birth.

During an official visit to Germany with the Duchess of Cornwall, the Prince Wales said: “We couldn’t be more delighted at the news and we’re looking forward to meeting the baby when we return.”

Mac or PC? How to Decide Which Computer is Right for You

Dana R
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Mac or PC? How to Decide Which Computer is Right for You

Are you in the market for a new computer and trying to decide between Mac or PC? Read on to learn the pros and cons of each!

Mac or PC? That debate has raged for decades, ever since Microsoft and Apple have had the most dominant operating systems.

You might remember the 2006 ad campaign that put the cool Macs against the geeky and fumbling PCs. That sums up the cultural place of Macs and PCs.

There’s much more to the cultural debate when you’re deciding to get a new computer. You want to make sure that you get a computer that suits your unique needs.

Read on to find which side of the PC or Mac debate you should fall on when you’re buying a new computer.

1. What’s Your Budget?

The first thing you need to figure out is how much you can afford to spend on your computer. Macs are going to be up to three times as much as PCs. Of course, that will depend on the model that you want.

There are powerful PCs that can be just as expensive as Macs, too.

You need to know how much you’re willing to spend on a computer. If you’re using it for work, then you’re more likely to see the computer as a potential for a return on investment.

You can also consider getting a credit card to pay for your system, too. Many retailers will offer low to no interest credit cards for the first 6 months, allowing you to pay for your purchase over time.

2. What Do You Want to Do?

What do you need a computer for? Do you need to get a computer for a freelancing business? For designers and creative types, Macs certainly lead the way as far as usability and power.

That’s because some of the top design programs are built with Macs in mind. There’s also the cool creative factors that attract creatives to Mac machines.

For tasks like writing, keeping spreadsheets, email, and web browsing, you’ll want to invest in a PC. These are basic tasks that most affordable PCs can take on very easily.

For gamers, the question is a little more complex. You’ll need something that will be powerful enough to handle the needs of gaming. Gamers tend to gravitate towards PCs because they’re powerful, easily customizable, and they can connect to other devices, as we’ll explore below.

3. Connectable Devices

Each system has its own ecosystem of devices that you can connect to. For example, if you already have an Apple TV device and an iPhone and iPad, having a Mac will fit well with your other devices. It’ll be easier to send files between devices and mirror your screen to the TV.

On the PC side, gamers will love the ecosystem between the Xbox and PCs.

4. Security & Privacy

When was the last time you heard about a virus that targeted Mac devices?

It doesn’t happen nearly as often as PCs. PCs tend to be the dominant tool in businesses, making it a major target for hackers. They know that there is sensitive data to mine and money to be made in these machines.

Apple has also positioned itself as the defender of security and privacy of its users. It doesn’t make money from your data the way that other big the companies do. 

5. Upgrades & Customizations

Are you a technical type that likes to customize computers and upgrade them yourself? It’s much easier to do on most PCs than Macs.

The parts tend to be less expensive and you can find instructions on performing upgrades everywhere on the internet.

This is a big deal for many computer users because new software always demands more computer resources. Your computer can be rendered obsolete in a matter of months unless you upgrade.

6. Portability

Do you need an all-in-one computer or desktop machine or do you need the portability of a laptop computer?

Both Macs and PCs have a great selection of laptops for all purposes. Macs tend to be designed for power in a smaller, sleeker package. PC laptops tend to be heavier and slightly bulkier, but you still have a lot of power packed in. Plus, you can easily customize the devices.

Gamers are likely to love having the power and portability of gaming laptops, which they can upgrade and customize themselves.

7. Technical Support

Are you a do it yourselfer when it comes to diagnosing computer issues?

PCs are known for having little to no technical support for devices outside of the warranty, which means you better learn how to solve your own computer problems.

Macs usually have better coverage and you can always take your device to an Apple store to get some help solving your issues.

8. Usability

No matter what you decide, if you switch from a Mac to PC or vice versa, you’re going to be in for a learning curve.

It will take a bit of time to adjust to using a Mac after using a PC, especially if that’s all you’ve known. You have to give yourself the time to adjust. If you’re buying a new system in a pinch because your old one broke down, then you might be more inclined to stick with what you already know.

Otherwise, you’re going to want to use your old computer and your new computer to maintain productivity and adjust to a new operating system.

Mac or PC: It’s Up to You

There’s no right or wrong answer to the Mac or PC debate. Fortunately, both systems offer users a lot in terms of computing power and stability.

At the end of the day, there’s only what’s right for you. You have to decide what your needs are, what your budget is, and whether or not you have the time and patience to adjust to a new operating system.

Would you like to learn more tech tips? Find out how you can record your computer screen for future use.

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