Quick Payday Cash Advance Loan – Get Quick Cash For Desperate Situations

A quick payday cash advance loan is sometimes the only option to get quick cash for the millions of Americans who have maxed out their credit and desperately need to get quick cash. Payday loans are short term loans usually ranging from $100 – $1,500 and usually carry a high interest rate with them.It will typically cost a consumer $15 for every $100 borrowed from the payday lender and the entire amount will expected to be paid back on your next payday however most online payday lenders are flexible in extending the payback date. While the interest rates are high on a quick payday cash advance loan it is often cheaper than incurring fees on other unpaid debt.So is a quick payday cash advance loan a good idea for you? A simple guideline to use is that if your fees on unpaid debt will add up to more than the interest you will accrue on this short term payday loan then it is financially wise to get a quick payday cash advance loan. Below are some common bills that carry high fees for late payments:- Credit card late payment fees – Usually $30 – $40
- Late rent/mortgage payment- Typically $50
- Car payment late fee- $40 on average
- Bounced checks- $30 – $50 per checkIt is very easy to see that these fees can add up pretty quickly and this is why getting a quick payday cash advance loan is often the best financial decision to solve short term cash flow problems. Sometimes getting a short term payday loan is the only option for consumers in desperate need to get quick cash. A car breakdown is a common example of when consumers with maxed out credit really have no other option than to get a short term payday loan. They need the car to get to work and therefore the cost of not getting a quick payday cash advance loan is much higher than getting one.Payday Loans or Fast/Easy loans are a quick and easy way to get quick cash when needed, especially in an emergency. For example if you need to pay for funeral expenses or have bills that need payment immediately using a short term payday loan can be an effective way to get the funds you need. These loans are called ‘Payday loans’ as generally they are short term loans offered to individuals that have a job, but need a rapid loan before their payday arrives. The short term payday loan is usually expected to be paid back in full when the individual receives their salary, although there is usually a 30 day period to make the payment.Getting a quick payday cash advance loan is convenient, secure, and by far the best method to get quick cash for Americans with limited credit. If you are thinking about getting a short term payday loan then I suggest you do this online as online lenders are more convenient and usually offer better interest rates than your local payday retail outlet.There are several online lenders to choose from however I would strongly encourage you not to go to a payday lender directly but rather find a website who is affiliated with several online payday loan lenders as these websites will make the lenders compete over your business and have consistently provided consumers with a lower interest rate. There are a few good multiple lender sites out there however I have found the one listed below to be the easiest to work with. They do not charge an application fee and you only have to fill out one application to get quick cash deposited into your bank account within 24 hrs. Hopefully this article has helped you determine if getting a quick payday cash advance loan is for you.
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How to Choose a Car Finance Broker – Some Useful Tips

Financing a car is a very important process and today with the availability of numerous car finance brokers it has become an easy option to get secure car loans. Today these car finance brokers are also playing a vital role in assisting car buyers. In fact, consulting and taking help of car broker can definitely be most appropriate option if you don’t have any clue about what to look at according to your budget. A finance broker is the most experienced personnel and clued-up on how to approach the financiers in a way that can persuade them to approve the loan. They usually have good relations and reputation with the lenders as being reliable, and so they know which lenders are likely to be open to a client.In general, they act as the key source and offer services such as finding a used or brand new car model that the customer wants and within a budget range. At times, these car brokers even assist car buyers in negotiating with a used car seller. However, these days there are many car finance services and making a proper selection is turning out to be a very complicated process. You need to understand that not all car finance services are fair. Therefore, if you are looking to finance a car or choose a car financing service then here are a few important points that you should keep in mind while making a selection:StandardsYou must confirm whether your car finance consultant or broker is a member of FBAA or COSL or both of these industry associations. While Finance Brokers’ Association of Australia Ltd. (FBAA) is one of Australia’s leading membership bodies for finance broking professionals, the Credit Ombudsman Service Limited (COSL) is an independent organisation that is mainly indulged in handling complaints about finance brokers. You can easily confirm finance consultant’s membership by searching through their member list. Adding to this, WA Finance Broker License is yet another additional requirement for finance brokers serving in Western Australia. Nevertheless, if you are looking for finance broker and residing in the state of WA or other states of Australia, it is essential that the broker must hold a WA Finance Broker License. A broker holding WA Finance Broker License entails passing a comprehensive range of checks, educational requirements and operational requirements.AccreditationWhile selecting a car finance broker also ensure you know about their range of lender accreditations. The range of accreditations held by a broker governs the range of options they can offer. You must note that a broker’s accreditation can not just change the range of finance options available to you, but it may even affect the quality of those options.Experienced StaffYou must choose car finance service that recruits and retains professional and knowledgeable staff. The broker must be an experienced professional who can demonstrate and explain about why a particular product is highly recommended or even suites your specific circumstance. If possible make sure you even ask for testimonials from previous clients that in turn may help you in the confirmation of their experience.Services OfferedAs mentioned earlier, today there are many finance services available in the market. Therefore, you must find out more about any extra service that a broker can provide. You should expect your finance consultant to supply detailed information about timeframes, and any fees or extra charges related with your finance. The key point is if a broker is being able to clarify the comparison rate of your recommended vehicle finance and the overall cost of your finance package then it is quality sign of a good finance broker.These are some important points that can help you in choosing your car finance services easily. Today a lot of responsibility goes along with buying a car and taking financial help through car broker. Just taking care of few essential steps can help you select your car broker and further purchase a nice new or used car.

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Adsorbents And Their Uses In Industries

Here are some of these most used items and their uses:

Silica Gel
This is probably the most popular and useful item in the list. It has been used since many years in the manufacturing units. It is also a very essential item in pharmacies, chemical industries and so on. It is one of the basic items used in water filters. Silica gels are used for adsorption. This is a process through which the impurities in water are removed. These impurities accumulate on the surface of the silica gel. Hence, silica gel is very crucial for purification of water. Apart from removing impurities, it also adsorbs certain minerals from water. This improves the quality of water. Hence, silica gel is a very useful product. Various manufacturers need regular supply of silica gel. Hence, it is very important to have a silica gel supplier that provides good quality material. Big industries get a supply of silica gel from big silica gel manufacturer companies. With a regular supply of good quality silica gel, purification process will be taken care of easily. Hence, it is very important to get a good supply of this material. There are many silica gels, providing companies. Silica gel is available in many colors and forms. Each of the variations has their own advantages. Hence, companies need silica gels in huge quantities. Its porous nature makes it easy to adsorb impurities on its surface. It is inexpensive and works very well. These features add to its wide use.

Desiccant
This is another useful material used in many places. A desiccant is a substance that helps in keeping the environment dry. It reduces the moisture content in the place and thus prevents substances from changing due to water. This is very important for chemicals. Hence, chemical industries make use of this substance on a large scale. This type of substance is very important in many places. It is one of the moisture absorbers. Since water content in the air can spoil many useful products, desiccants are used widely to prevent this from happening. Desiccants generally prevent the presence of water through the process called adsorption. The water molecules gather on the surface of these substances and can thus be removed. This gives longer life to the materials which would be easily become useless by reacting with water. Since many places have moist conditions, such substances prove very useful for changing the environmental condition. Desiccants play a major role in keeping various products in good condition. They are an important part of storage of such products. In many places, they are also used during the chemical reaction between various substances to get the desired product. Desiccants are also an important substance in the food industry. Since packaged food can get spoilt when it comes in contact with moisture, desiccants are used to prevent this from happening. There are many categories of these substances. Desiccants are used based on their physical states and their ability to react to different things. These are the two main factors that are considered before using desiccants. There are many suppliers of these substances. Since many industries use them, it is important to get desiccants from the right source. Many manufacturing units specialize in making these substances. Chemical companies look for a reliable desiccant supplier. One of the most useful desiccants is a molecular sieve. This is an amazing thing. It is used widely due to its effective usage and result. It is used for selective absorption of specific substances. It is designed in such a way that it works perfectly to adsorb only small molecules. The body of this sieve has small pores which make it difficult for bigger molecules to go through. The small molecules are adsorbed that thus separated. Hence, it gives results in easy steps. These holes work very well in the proper separation of items based on the size of the molecules. Thus, unwanted things can be removed from the combination of various materials. There are many types of such molecular sieves. They are used because of their easy usage. With such things, it becomes easy to separate various materials in chemical industries. They are specially used to separate the various gases from each other. These items are used when no other process can be used to separate substances from the mixture. With proper usage, industries get the desired results in a few easy steps. These sieves can be found commonly in chemical industries. For the proper operation of these sieves, they must be made with precision. The pores of these sieves should be designed in such a way that they adsorb the right molecules. Hence, it is essential to have a proper molecular sieve manufacturer. With the manufacturing of such items, various industries will benefit from the usage of such sieves.

Humidity Indicating Cards
As the name suggests, this is a card that shows the humidity content in the air. Since humidity plays a major role in changing the state of various products, it is important to keep this factor under check. With these cards, it becomes easy to get the right moisture content. Hence, the use of these cards goes hand in hand with the measures used to control humidity. These cards are designed in such a way that they make it easy to understand the humidity content. It has a moisture sensitive chemical that changes as the moisture increases. There are many sophisticated humidity indicators that used in many industries. A lot of humidity indicator cards are made in such a way that people find it easy to note the changes in humidity by looking at them. There are indications written on these cards. All this makes it easy to use these cards in industries.

Carbon Adsorbents
These substances need a special mention. They are used due to their easy availability and effective results. Carbon adsorbents are basically carbon atoms that absorb dirt particles. Hence, they are used in a lot of industries. Since purification is very important in many cases, industries stress on the usage of excellent quality carbon adsorbents. With such products, purification becomes an easy task. Hence, it is essential to use carbon adsorbents. Since these adsorbents separate a wide range of impurities, their use is very important. Without them, industries will have to invest in many processes for removing these impurities.

Cotton Coils
As cotton is very good for the process of adsorption, it is widely used in chemical industries. Cotton attracts impurities which stick to its surface. This easy mechanism can be used in industries for effective separation of various mixtures. During the process of manufacturing various chemicals, cotton coils can be used for separating the impurities once the desired product is obtained. Since they are available easily, people use them all the time in various industries. Cotton coils are especially seen in chemical and pharmaceutical companies. They help in keeping the capsules and tablets in good conditions. These cotton coils make use of high-quality cotton that can withstand pressure and perform well.

Aluminum Tubes
Aluminum is used in many places. Due to the various features of this element, many tools are made from it. Aluminum tubes are one such item that is very useful. Due to the low resistance of aluminum, these tubes can be used in many chemical industries. They are also used in construction industries. Overall, these tubes are seen in a lot of industries due to their ease of use and less reactivity.

Moisture Adsorbing Sheet
This is another product that is used to prevent moisture from ruining materials manufactured in industries. It is made from hydrocarbons and uses adsorption for giving results. It gets rid of the moisture in the products, thus keeping them dry. This helps in reducing the effects of moisture on the products. These sheets are in many manufacturing units. They are popular due to their large surface area. These sheets can be converted to flat boards as well. Hence, they are flexible and have a lot of importance. They are used in cases where moisture content is high.About Supplier Companies All these items are used on a daily basis in many places. With a proper supplier, chemical industries can benefit to a great extent. Hence, there is always a need for an efficient supplier. With such a supplier, companies can rely on the good quality of these products and get excellent results. Companies using such products have a lot of expectations from them. Since these products play a vital role in the manufacturing processes, they should meet all the expectations. For this reason, it is difficult to get the right supplier. Many companies are in the business to be an adsorbents supplier. Since supplying such items is a big task, companies trust, only experienced and expert people. If low-quality products are used, the production of the industries will suffer. Hence, to maintain good quality, substances that give good results are used. The track record of the supplier companies is very important. As there are new and improved products coming the market every day, the supplier company should be able to deliver the best products. With advanced processes, companies can consistently give the best results. Hence, new developments in the chemical field should be implemented effectively. With the use of advanced processes, time and energy will be saved. Chemical science has developed to a great extent. Hence, with the use of latest technology and enhanced processes, many new products can be developed. It is best to have a supplier who is producing a variety of products. This will give many options to big industries to choose the product they want. The supplier of these products should have a good understanding of them. It will help with proper production and give nice results. Hence, getting a good supplier is very important.Choosing The Right ProductsOne another big decision to make is the right choice of the products. Since there are many adsorption materials, it is important to choose the right ones. Each product has its own benefit. Based on the requirement, companies should get the product that best solves the given problem. There can be more than one product that can fit the job. There are many other factors that should be considered while choosing the adsorbent. The price, ease of getting the product and the result given by it are some of the vital things to consider before choosing an adsorbent.Putting It All TogetherOverall, there are plenty of adsorbents to choose from. Since adsorption is such a well-researched process, there are many products available that can enhance this process. The importance of adsorption has led to a lot of new products that can be used for better absorption. Various properties of these products should understand before using them. This will result in better usage and guarantee excellent work. With the best products for adsorption, the purity of the resulting products will be very high. In places very purity is very crucial, such adsorption process is very important. It is responsible for proper finished products at the end of all the manufacturing processes.

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Construction Project Management Features in a Construction Management Software

Construction Project Management module in a Construction Software is designed to handle the projects in a more effective manner. Every construction project is different and unique, so the projects should be managed accordingly.Project management in the construction industry can be explained as the overall planning, integration of a number of project phases and control of the project aimed at fulfilling the requirements of clients. Construction project management also aims at producing a financially and functionally feasible project. A proper planning of budget, scheduling of tasks, resource allocation and utilization is required to implement it in a more effective manner.Construction companies appoint project managers to work on various areas of construction management. Manual planning and implementation may take several weeks to effectively get the desired outcome. Construction management software can be a solution for managers to deal with construction planning and organization problems.The major features to look for in a construction project management module are estimating the cost of the project, project planning, budget management, cost control, resource allocation, communication, quality management, collaboration of various project units and administration systems which deal with the complexity of projects.A web based construction ERP software is helpful for companies working on multiple projects. It becomes easier for them to get the updates of the projects from anywhere and anytime. Outdated conventional methods of construction project management may result in chaos and confusion leading to many mistakes and repetitive work.Construction projects undergo many changes during the implementation phase and with the help of effective Construction Management Software like Blue Dolphin, the managers, the subcontractors, infrastructure developers and the builders can access the progress at anytime and from anywhere. This helps them coordinate various tasks more efficiently. Nowadays the competitiveness, profitability and growth of many construction companies depend upon the type of management tool they use.Features of Construction Project Management module:• Project Scheduling and Rescheduling: With the help of advanced project management software, the scheduling of events, resources and materials can be done effectively. It would be easier for companies to deal with various task durations.• Information: Every detail pertaining to the project, resources and costs can be accessed with the help of a good construction management software. Other related information such as early risks of the project, holidays, and workload planning during holidays, cost maintenance and optimum utilization of resources available can also be obtained from this module of the construction management software.• Labor Requirements: With the help of information available using Project Management software, it becomes much easier to know the exact man power requirements. The management can recruit more labor according to the requirements. This will save precious time of management of the company. The success of a construction company depends largely on how they manage their projects. Using advanced construction project management software in construction business ensures more accuracy, better implementation and more organization. It is advisable to know the requirements of the company before buying Construction project management software. This way, the company can choose the most appropriate construction software.

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Geo-Marketing As a New Business Marketing Tool

Geo-Marketing (or Geographic Marketing) is a new method of marketing a business and its website through web searches, mobile searches and social media. As you can see, the geo-marketing tools being used are digital and through the Internet or Mobile devices.While geo-marketing’s definition is the association of data and maps in the traditional sense, the added convergence of local business listings, mobile marketing, and social media makes this method of marketing more powerful than ever before. This marketing tool is no longer just a large business marketing tool, but is available to small and medium size businesses too.We should define what we mean by local business. A local business is any sized business dependent on the local consumer for its revenue. This means you could be a national company like Home Depot, U-Haul, or Best Buy or you could be a local florist or independent store only known to your local geography.From a technical standpoint an Internet user’s IP address is tied to GPS data, like longitudes and latitudes, which are mapped with technology to geographies around the world down to the city and street level. While all this data may seem overwhelming, the good news is that most businesses do not need to concern themselves with this part of geo-marketing. Many of the tools already have all of this information built into their software or hardware technology so we can stay focused on how we will use geo-marketing tools.The difficulty with any new marketing tool is a business’s inability to adopt the methodology early. When it comes to technologies and the Internet, in the past, by the time most businesses are ready to adopt a marketing tool, the industry has already moved on to something new. Being an early or at least an earlier adopter of marketing methods on the Internet and through digital devices can only benefit the business.We have seen many signs over the past two years regarding the evolution of geographic marketing. When companies like Google, Apple, and the investment community of Wall Street start to put $100 million and more behind a technology it will become part of our daily lives whether a business wants it or not. Consumers have and will be using more of these geo-marketing tools to find businesses, services or products near them.Let’s take a look at the three main tools that consumers are using to find businesses, products or services close to their geography.1. Web searches are the first and most obvious, however, these are web searches in which a map displays with targets the businesses that match the search criteria. Unlike the traditional yellow pages, these geo-listings (a.k.a. Local Business Listings) can be claimed and updated with your business marketing information in order to meet these search criteria.While this may sound relatively easy, geo-listings also include: consumer reviews that need to be managed; the clean-up of duplicate listings; coupons; offers; discounts; videos; photos; citations; QR bar codes; and, hyper local websites. Understanding what to start with and how to strategically use these components can be done by a professional marketing firm that specializes in this area. You can read more about these components in one of our previous articles on our blog.2. Mobile Marketing is the next most significant geo-marketing tool in which SMS Texting, Mobile Applications, Mobile version of your website, and Mobile advertising are your key components. The starting point in this process will be with SMS Texting to get your alerts out to customers that subscribe to your short bursts of information. The reason why this is your starting point is that it will take time to build your list of subscribers.3. Social Media Marketing continues to evolve and is, also, geographic in its targeting ability. Consumers are using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Wiki sites, Four Square, Instant Messaging and other social community tools on their mobile devices. While they use it mostly to find businesses, products and services, in the social communities they are seeking recommendations from their friends (near and far). They are, also, using these social communities to post their experiences with a business, product or service. For this reason you have to monitor the social communities in order to embrace any potential problem situations and work with them.These three geo-marketing components are important to any business size – large or small – and each have their own sub-components that need to be well understood in order to succeed. Understanding the strategy amongst them; the acceptance and embracing them early; and, finally planning on a 3-year return will put you on the right path of geo-marketing.

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The Impact of Technology on the Developing Child

Reminiscing about the good old days when we were growing up is a memory trip well worth taking, when trying to understand the issues facing the children of today. A mere 20 years ago, children used to play outside all day, riding bikes, playing sports and building forts. Masters of imaginary games, children of the past created their own form of play that didn’t require costly equipment or parental supervision. Children of the past moved… a lot, and their sensory world was nature based and simple. In the past, family time was often spent doing chores, and children had expectations to meet on a daily basis. The dining room table was a central place where families came together to eat and talk about their day, and after dinner became the center for baking, crafts and homework.Today’s families are different. Technology’s impact on the 21st century family is fracturing its very foundation, and causing a disintegration of core values that long ago were what held families together. Juggling work, home and community lives, parents now rely heavily on communication, information and transportation technology to make their lives faster and more efficient. Entertainment technology (TV, internet, videogames, iPods) has advanced so rapidly, that families have scarcely noticed the significant impact and changes to their family structure and lifestyles. A 2010 Kaiser Foundation study showed that elementary aged children use on average 8 hours per day of entertainment technology, 75% of these children have TV’s in their bedrooms, and 50% of North American homes have the TV on all day. Add emails, cell phones, internet surfing, and chat lines, and we begin to see the pervasive aspects of technology on our home lives and family milieu. Gone is dining room table conversation, replaced by the “big screen” and take out. Children now rely on technology for the majority of their play, grossly limiting challenges to their creativity and imaginations, as well as limiting necessary challenges to their bodies to achieve optimal sensory and motor development. Sedentary bodies bombarded with chaotic sensory stimulation, are resulting in delays in attaining child developmental milestones, with subsequent impact on basic foundation skills for achieving literacy. Hard wired for high speed, today’s young are entering school struggling with self regulation and attention skills necessary for learning, eventually becoming significant behavior management problems for teachers in the classroom.So what is the impact of technology on the developing child? Children’s developing sensory and motor systems have biologically not evolved to accommodate this sedentary, yet frenzied and chaotic nature of today’s technology. The impact of rapidly advancing technology on the developing child has seen an increase of physical, psychological and behavior disorders that the health and education systems are just beginning to detect, much less understand. Child obesity and diabetes are now national epidemics in both Canada and the US. Diagnoses of ADHD, autism, coordination disorder, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders can be causally linked to technology overuse, and are increasing at an alarming rate. An urgent closer look at the critical factors for meeting developmental milestones, and the subsequent impact of technology on those factors, would assist parents, teachers and health professionals to better understand the complexities of this issue, and help create effective strategies to reduce technology use. The three critical factors for healthy physical and psychological child development are movement, touch and connection to other humans. Movement, touch and connection are forms of essential sensory input that are integral for the eventual development of a child’s motor and attachment systems. When movement, touch and connection are deprived, devastating consequences occur.Young children require 3-4 hours per day of active rough and tumble play to achieve adequate sensory stimulation to their vestibular, proprioceptive and tactile systems for normal development. The critical period for attachment development is 0-7 months, where the infant-parent bond is best facilitated by close contact with the primary parent, and lots of eye contact. These types of sensory inputs ensure normal development of posture, bilateral coordination, optimal arousal states and self regulation necessary for achieving foundation skills for eventual school entry. Infants with low tone, toddlers failing to reach motor milestones, and children who are unable to pay attention or achieve basic foundation skills for literacy, are frequent visitors to pediatric physiotherapy and occupational therapy clinics. The use of safety restraint devices such as infant bucket seats and toddler carrying packs and strollers, have further limited movement, touch and connection, as have TV and videogame overuse. Many of today’s parents perceive outdoor play is ‘unsafe’, further limiting essential developmental components usually attained in outdoor rough and tumble play. Dr. Ashley Montagu, who has extensively studied the developing tactile sensory system, reports that when infants are deprived of human connection and touch, they fail to thrive and many eventually die. Dr. Montagu states that touch deprived infants develop into toddlers who exhibit excessive agitation and anxiety, and may become depressed by early childhood.As children are connecting more and more to technology, society is seeing a disconnect from themselves, others and nature. As little children develop and form their identities, they often are incapable of discerning whether they are the “killing machine” seen on TV and in videogames, or just a shy and lonely little kid in need of a friend. TV and videogame addiction is causing an irreversible worldwide epidemic of mental and physical health disorders, yet we all find excuses to continue. Where 100 years ago we needed to move to survive, we are now under the assumption we need technology to survive. The catch is that technology is killing what we love the most…connection with other human beings. The critical period for attachment formation is 0 – 7 months of age. Attachment or connection is the formation of a primary bond between the developing infant and parent, and is integral to that developing child’s sense of security and safety. Healthy attachment formation results in a happy and calm child. Disruption or neglect of primary attachment results in an anxious and agitated child. Family over use of technology is gravely affecting not only early attachment formation, but also impacting negatively on child psychological and behavioral health.Further analysis of the impact of technology on the developing child indicates that while the vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile and attachment systems are under stimulated, the visual and auditory sensory systems are in “overload”. This sensory imbalance creates huge problems in overall neurological development, as the brain’s anatomy, chemistry and pathways become permanently altered and impaired. Young children who are exposed to violence through TV and videogames are in a high state of adrenalin and stress, as the body does not know that what they are watching is not real. Children who overuse technology report persistent body sensations of overall “shaking”, increased breathing and heart rate, and a general state of “unease”. This can best be described as a persistent hypervigalent sensory system, still “on alert” for the oncoming assault from videogame characters. While the long term effects of this chronic state of stress in the developing child are unknown, we do know that chronic stress in adults results in a weakened immune system and a variety of serious diseases and disorders. Prolonged visual fixation on a fixed distance, two dimensional screen grossly limits ocular development necessary for eventual printing and reading. Consider the difference between visual location on a variety of different shaped and sized objects in the near and far distance (such as practiced in outdoor play), as opposed to looking at a fixed distance glowing screen. This rapid intensity, frequency and duration of visual and auditory stimulation results in a “hard wiring” of the child’s sensory system for high speed, with subsequent devastating effects on a child’s ability to imagine, attend and focus on academic tasks. Dr. Dimitri Christakis found that each hour of TV watched daily between the ages of 0 and 7 years equated to a 10% increase in attention problems by age seven years.In 2001 the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement recommending that children less than two years of age should not use any technology, yet toddlers 0 to 2 years of age average 2.2 hours of TV per day. The Academy further recommended that children older than two should restrict usage to one hour per day if they have any physical, psychological or behavioral problems, and two hours per day maximum if they don’t, yet parents of elementary children are allowing 8 hours per day. France has gone so far as to eliminate all “baby TV” due to the detrimental effects on child development. How can parents continue to live in a world where they know what is bad for their children, yet do nothing to help them? It appears that today’s families have been pulled into the “Virtual Reality Dream”, where everyone believes that life is something that requires an escape. The immediate gratification received from ongoing use of TV, videogame and internet technology, has replaced the desire for human connection.It’s important to come together as parents, teachers and therapists to help society “wake up” and see the devastating effects technology is having not only on our child’s physical, psychological and behavioral health, but also on their ability to learn and sustain personal and family relationships. While technology is a train that will continually move forward, knowledge regarding its detrimental effects, and action taken toward balancing the use of technology with exercise and family time, will work toward sustaining our children, as well as saving our world. While no one can argue the benefits of advanced technology in today’s world, connection to these devices may have resulted in a disconnection from what society should value most, children. Rather than hugging, playing, rough housing, and conversing with children, parents are increasingly resorting to providing their children with more videogames, TV’s in the car, and the latest iPods and cell phone devices, creating a deep and widening chasm between parent and child.Cris Rowan, pediatric occupational therapist and child development expert has developed a concept termed ‘Balanced Technology Management’ (BTM) where parents manage balance between activities children need for growth and success with technology use. Rowan’s company Zone’in Programs Inc. http://www.zonein.ca has developed a ‘System of Solutions’ for addressing technology overuse in children through the creation of Zone’in Products, Workshops, Training and Consultation services.

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Internal Communication Measurement – Why, When and How?

When Should We Measure Communications?Annual in depth surveys. Engagement and satisfaction surveys are typically carried out annually and can carry additional questions to provide some insights into the effectiveness of communications.Prior to a specific communications campaign. In order to best understand the impact of communications, it is necessary to measure (awareness, attitudes, knowledge etc) before a campaign.After a significant communication or campaign. It is important to measure the effectiveness and impact of significant communications programs and initiatives. This allows you to tailor internal communications to make sure they are effective and delivering quantifiable business value.At intervals to track attitudes. Regular measurement helps communicators to gauge the ever shifting feelings and attitudes within an organization and to tailor messages to make sure they are appropriate to their audiences.Pulse checks and temperature checks during and after specific events provide an insight into the issues and challenges an organization faces and to gather feedback on specific issues.At intervals to benchmark and track against KPI’s. Measuring regularly against benchmarks and tracking trends over time provide an early warning of issues that may go undetected until they have escalated further.What to Measure?Determining which aspects of communication to measure will depend on the organization’s specific business and communication objectives. A few examples of useful communications measurements include:Baseline communication measurements prior to communication can measure; existing knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of employees, as well as determining the existing information available, how easy it is to find, the current communications channels available and to identify other factors influencing attitudes and behaviors.Functional communication measurements
Following a communication or campaign, functional aspects of communication should be measured. Comparisons to the baselines measurements are useful. Additional measures can include; the number and types of messages sent, timing of messages, message cut-through / reach, channel effectiveness and appeal, audience satisfaction with content (types, volume etc).What to Measure – Measuring ImpactMeasuring of the impact communication is a critical step and measures can include:Audience perception measurements including factors such as; % and types of messages received, communications remembered. Were messages seen as relevant, consistent and credible? Were the messages understood? How well do employees feel they are being supported? Do employees understand exactly what needs to happen as a result of the communication(s)?Change in Behavior
The objective of most internal communication is to change the attitudes and behaviors of employees. Therefore, it is valuable to identify and measure factors such as; What changed? Was there more or less of a behavior? What is now different?Impact on business goals / Outcomes
Communication measurement should enable Internal Communicators to quantify the impact of communications on business objectives. For example:
The number of employees who signed up for share scheme (following its promotion) The shift in attitudes regarding customer service and the projected impact of increased customer retention The number of usable suggestions submitted via an employee suggestion initiative (and the financial value of those suggestions) Isolating the impact of communicationCommunication does not happen in a vacuum and it can sometimes be difficult to isolate the impact of communication versus other factors (incentive schemes, new product launches, factors external to the organization and so on). Possible solutions include:
Communications control groups ( isolating a group, such as a single remote location, and not communicating them about a specific initiative or goal, then looking at how their actions differ from groups you have communicated with) Assessing the change in behavior with regard to a business goal which was communicated well, versus a business goal with little or no communication Estimate the % influence of communications versus other influencing factors. Calculating the financial value of communicationCalculations of the financial value of communication will, at best, be estimates. However, it is still an important part of communication measurement as it starts a conversation with senior managers as well and can demonstrate the enormous value of effective internal communication.Consider the impact of an effective internal crisis communication response. A comparison can be made against a situation (internally or within a similar organization) which wasn’t handled as well, and quantifiable value attributed to factors such as:Volume of customers retained
Retention of good staff who might otherwise have leftTools to Assist the Measurement of Internal Communication include:
Desktop surveys and quizzes. Aside from in depth online or paper based surveys, pop-up desktop surveys and quizzes can provide additional measurement and benchmarking capability throughout the year. Incentives. A prize incentive can encourage staff to participate in a quiz or survey. Qualitative Communication MeasurementIn addition to quantitative measures of communications effectiveness, qualitative communication measurement should also be undertaken. Qualitative techniques can include:
Free form answers in surveys. Focus groups Discussion forums. Although face-to-face interviews and focus groups are often the best option for qualitative communication measurement, internal social media can be a useful addition or substitute. Set up employee discussion forums to investigate specific issues. Monitor comments made in discussion forums to gather qualitative measures of how employees are thinking feeling and behaving Avoiding Survey BiasAvoiding non-response or self select bias. When surveys rely on employees to opt in or ‘self select’, you may mostly hear from the squeaky wheels or people with an agenda motivating them to participate. A desktop survey tool can provide recurrence, random sampling and escalation options to help ensure that representative internal communications measurement data is collected from across the organization.Control groups. Set up a control groups for communications campaigns. Identify survey responses from control groups and hence to compare and assess the impact of internal communications campaigns.Multiple select questions. For some types of questions, e.g. “Where did you hear about XXX from?” or “What factors influenced your decision” providing single answer options can skew results. In these cases, provide multi-select answer options.Comparisons. Measure the impact of communications on people who saw a particular communications against those who didn’t.The impact of time on recall. Recall rates will drop over time, hence if communication campaigns are to be compared with one another, communications measurement needs to be carried out at the same time period after each campaign. Ensure that communications measurement is carried out at a consistent time after each campaign.Providing context for a quiz or survey. Context should be given for a quiz or survey. For example, a product knowledge quiz without context may cause employees to worry about the purpose of the quiz and possibly work harder to ensure they provide the correct answers. However the same quiz with an explanation “the purpose of this quiz if to see how well the communications team are doing, therefore please be as honest as possible” is more likely to provide an accurate measure of communication effectiveness.Encouraging Survey ParticipationPromoting the survey to encourage participation. The higher survey participation rates are, the more statistically accurate and relevant the results will be. Use innovative internal communications channels such as; desktop alerts, scrolling desktop feeds, screensaver messaging and user generated staff magazines to raise the profile of surveys and encourage participation.Communicating survey findings and actions being taken. When employees believe that the outputs from staff surveys will be constructively used, they are more likely to participate. Therefore, ensure that survey results and the resulting actions being taken are well communicated to staff. Screensaver messages, newsfeeds and articles in the staff magazines are great ways get messages across without their becoming buried in email in-boxes.

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The Other Path Reveals to Investors Lucrative Alternatives to Traditional Investments

In The Other Path, Robert J. Klosterman’s follow-up to The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the author once again offers his astute financial and investment advice. The book’s subtitle, “Illuminating the Path Toward Volatility While Achieving Equity-Type Returns,” is apt, as that is just what Klosterman advocates that investors do to achieve optimal monetary gains with their investment portfolios. Klosterman gets his title from Robert Frost’s famous poem, “The Road Not Taken,” which he quotes at the beginning of The Other Path, a highly interesting book that offers investors insights into a different sort of investment approach than they might be used to, though a very effective one that is designed to aid investors to earn equity-type returns while reducing the volatility that many other investors experience who only try more traditional approaches when it comes to planning their portfolios.Klosterman’s book, The Other Path, is relatively short, coming in at just 60 pages, not counting the Appendices at the conclusion of it, but his approach to investing which he details in it is one which is very informative. The book is sure to interest and be beneficial to anyone who would like to lower his/her investment risks while maximizing his/her potential monetary returns.The very title of Klosterman’s book, The Other Path, alludes to an investment strategy, or road, that most people have traditionally followed, which is investing their money entirely in stocks, bonds and cash. Such an approach is a tried-and-true one that has proven beneficial to many investors, but it has also proven to be a sometimes volatile path for others. Investing in stocks, bonds and cash, Klosterman argues, is an important part of an overall investment strategy, though there are other opportunities for diversifying one’s investments and reducing the volatility many portfolios unfortunately undergo, a volatility which can cause the monetary value of one’s portfolio to experience a disastrous nosedive.Still, the main leg of the milk stool, that is, investing in stocks, bonds and cash, is a vital component in a wise investment strategy, according to Klosterman’s assessment in The Other Path. He calls it the core leg of a metaphorical three-legged milk stool, with each leg in the metaphor referring to a different but complimentary strategy when it comes to investing. If an investor diversifies his/her portfolio and does not solely focus on the main leg of stocks, bonds and cash, but also invests his/her money in nontraditional ways, Klosterman argues, using a series of useful and informative charts and graphs, that one’s portfolio is much less liable to experience a disastrous financial loss and the volatility of one’s portfolio will be reduced.The second of the three legs of the milk stool is “Diversifiers,” and the third leg is “Absolute Returns.” Klosterman argues that “Diversifiers,” or alternative or nontraditional Investments, help reduce the volatility of an overall investment portfolio. Some examples that the author gives of nontraditional investments include real estate, private equity, “developed and emerging international equities,” distressed debt, and managed futures. These sorts of nontraditional investments can reduce volatility by either having a “very low correlation with traditional markets,” as Klosterman writes, or by delivering “consistent returns year after year, with little or no volatility.”The third leg of the milk stool, “Absolute Returns,” is also the name of Chapter Four of The Other Path. Absolute returns are investments, according to Klosterman, which “demonstrate the same qualities of a bond with the assurance of return of principle and consistent payment of interest.” The author writes that they are similar to ten-year treasury bonds but “they are not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.” Despite this, Klosterman states that aspect of absolute return vehicles can be considered to be an advantage. That is because strategies involving absolute return vehicles, as the author writes, “can invest in sound ideas and not have to fit restrictions that other institutions have.”One example is investing in companies that lend money to small businesses and house flippers. These companies can work fast and close loans faster than banks. These companies have the ability to provide quick access to loans for money to people like real estate developers or house flippers, in comparison to banks.In The Other Path, author Robert J. Klosterman writes about a no-nonsense approach to nontraditional investing and how it can benefit one’s investment portfolio and help reduce volatility. The book also examines and identifies “trouble signs” besides volatility when planning one’s portfolio, like groupthink, market disruptions and inflation. While Klosterman recommends that investors follow the advice of professionals who are experts in planning investment portfolios and have proven track records over at least a decade, The Other Path is an interesting and insightful look at adding nontraditional investments to an individual’s portfolio. Whether investors want and like to plan their investment strategies on their own, or with the advice of professionals, The Other Path is an eye-opening Must Read designed to inform investors of types of alternative investments that can balance out their portfolios and reduce the negative effects of market volatility. It is a book I would highly recommend to anyone who has ever considered expanding their investment portfolios and adding nontraditional investments to them.

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How is Parkinson’s Disease Treated?

Parkinsons disease is a comparatively common condition of the nervous system which is as a result of problems with the nerve cells in the part of the brain which generates dopamine. This is a chemical substance that is needed for the smooth management of muscles and motion, so the symptoms of the disorder is a result of a reduction of that chemical. Parkinson’s disease mostly impacts individuals aged over 65, but it can and does come on at younger ages with 5-10% developing before the age of forty.

The chief clinical features of Parkinson’s disease are a tremor or shaking, that will commences in one arm or hand; there is often a muscle rigidity or stiffness along with a slowness of motion; the stance gets more stooped; additionally, there are equilibrium concerns. Parkinson’s can also cause greater pain and result in depression symptoms and create problems with memory and sleep. There isn’t any specific test for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s. The identification is usually made primarily based on the history of the symptoms, a physical along with neural evaluation. Other reasons for the signs and symptoms also need to be eliminated. There are imaging assessments, such as a CAT scan or MRI, that can be used to eliminate other issues. From time to time a dopamine transporter diagnostic might also be utilized.

The actual cause of Parkinson’s isn’t known. It does appear to have both genetic and environmental elements with it plus some specialists think that a virus may induce Parkinson’s as well. Decreased amounts of dopamine and also norepinephrine, a substance which in turn is responsible for the dopamine, have already been found in those with Parkinson’s, but it is not yet determined what is causing this. Unusual proteins which are named Lewy bodies have been located in the brains of those who have Parkinson’s; nevertheless, experts don’t know what role they may play in the development of Parkinson’s. While the specific cause just isn’t known, studies have identified risk factors that establish groups of people who are more prone to develop the condition. Men are more than one and a half times more prone to get Parkinson’s as compared to women. Caucasians are much more prone to get the condition as compared to African Americans or Asians. Those who have close members of the family who have Parkinson’s disease are more likely to develop it, implying the inherited contribution. A number of toxins could raise the potential for the problem, implying a role of the environment. People who experience difficulties with brain injuries can be more likely to go on and have Parkinson’s disease.

There is no identified remedy for Parkinson’s disease. That will not imply that the signs and symptoms can’t be handled. The main method is to use medicines to raise or replacement for the dopamine. Balanced and healthy diet together with frequent exercise is crucial. There may be changes made to the surroundings at home and work to keep the individual involved as well as active. There are also some options sometimes for brain surgical treatment which can be used to relieve some of the motor symptoms. A diverse team of different health professionals are often involved.

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Understanding the Impacts of Gout

Gout is among those historical problems because there are numerous mentions of it in historical literature, at least since ancient times. The traditional typecast of it is that it is related to the upper classes that binge in alcohol and certain foods. This image was pictured in early art work illustrating people who had gout. Gout has stopped being viewed as a problem of over consumption, because of the current research demonstrating an important genetic component to it.

Gout is a distressing inflammation related disorder which mostly impacts the joints, most commonly the great toe joint with the feet. It is because of uric acid crystals getting placed in joints in the event the bloodstream uric acid quantities are increased. The uric acid comes from the breakdown of purines which come from the consuming of foods like venison, salmon, tuna, haddock, sardines, anchovies, mussels, herring along with alcohol consumption. It is possible to understand how that old misconception was produced according to the overindulgence of the higher classes in those types of food and alcoholic beverages. The actual problem is not really the quantity of those foods which can be consumed, but the actual genetics of the biochemical pathway which usually breaks the purines in these food items down into the uric acid and how your body deals with it.

While diet is still important in the treating of gout and lowering the quantity of food which have the purines with them continues to be considered essential, however it is becoming apparent recently that this is just not sufficient by itself and just about all those who have gout probably will need pharmaceutical management. It goes without saying that drugs are likely to be needed for relief of pain throughout an acute flare up. The acute phase of gout is extremely painful. Over the long term there are two forms of drugs which you can use for gout. One kind of medicine block chemicals in the pathway which splits the purines into uric acid, which simply implies there will be much less uric acid in the blood stream that could find its way in to the joints to trigger an acute episode of gout or lead to the long-term gout. The other main kind of drug is one that can help the renal system remove much more uric acid. This would also reduce the urates in the bloodstream. Generally, only one of those drugs is all that’s needed, however occasionally both are needed to be utilized at the same time. Since these prescription medication is ordinarily pretty successful, that will not indicate that the life-style and eating habits changes may be pushed aside. Local measures, including wearing good fitting shoes if the big toe joint gets too painful is important. Also ice packs during an acute flare up will also help with the relief of pain.

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