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Long Road Media

How Fathers Can Get Custody of Their Children

As a father, you want what is good for your children, and if you believe living with you and being under your custody is best, be prepared for a long and sometimes vicious court battle with the children’s mother. You see, there are two sides to every story, and most mothers believe that they should have custody of the children because mothers have always prevailed as caretakers. As fathers and mothers battle, the courts are left to find a solution to the age-old problem of who should have custody, and that can often be a difficult puzzle to solve. If you want to get custody, use the four tips below to prepare before you battle the situation out in court.

Make Your Children a Priority

Your children need time with you if you want to make them a priority. Your decision to ask for custody can not be a vindictive move against your spouse, but rather it needs to be a loving move for your children. Demonstrating your need to have quality time with them is a great way to show the courts you are there when your children need you. Attend events that are important to them, take them on adventures, and talk to them about what they love – in other words, get to know your kids as people. One thing you do not want to do is use your visitation time to pawn the kids off with your family, girlfriend, or a babysitter.

Demonstrate You Are Bonded

Just because you use to come home and eat dinner with the family does not mean you bonded with your children, and the courts will ask for particulars. Did you spend time reading to the tots each night, did you actively play and entertain the little ones, and did you attend events that were important to your children or awarded their behavior? If you are honest and the answer is yes, then your Cordell & Cordell law firm can help you ask for the custody you deserve.

Defining Quality Time With Children

Children love routines when they are small, and that is the best time to begin spending quality time with the little ones. Quality time is about activities that let you and your child learn about each other’s interests, likes and dislikes, and challenges. Quality time is also about providing your child with the facetime he or she needs to feel loved. You can create activities, have a nighttime ritual, or have a special bonding time each weekend that involves just the two of you. Quality time is all about getting to know your child.

Joint and Sole Custody Differences

If you and your spouse are good parents, it may be difficult to convince a judge that you deserve sole custody; but it is more important to remember it may not be good for the children. Knowing that both parents can share the time spent equally can be the best gift you can give your child. Joint custody can make more sense for two loving parents.

While sole custody of very young children may be more difficult for working fathers to get than for working mothers, the social beliefs that mothers are more nurturing are slowly changing. Fathers are pressing for more home life and paternity leave, and as a result, they are being seen as more nurturing and loving fathers. The Cordell & Cordell business motto is all about making sure dads get an opportunity to take custody of their children if they want to seek guardianship. If you want custody for your children, don’t be afraid to fight for it – and remember, the battle will be worth it.

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Long Road Media

How To Become an Art Auctioneer

From the gorgeous paintings to the rubbing of elbows with some of the most renowned art collectors in the world, there is just something enticing about working in the art industry. Whether you’ve known it’s what you want to do since you were small or you’re considering a career change, becoming an art auctioneer offers plenty of unique opportunities. Whether you prefer to work in traditional galleries or for a unique company such as Park West Gallery, you’ll need to take the steps to become an auctioneer first.

Go To College

Before you can become an auctioneer, you need to learn as much as you can about the art world. Most galleries require their auctioneers to have a degree in art, and preferably in art history. The more high-level your education is, the more likely you are to get a job in the gallery of your choosing. Keep in mind that many auctioneers are also appraisers and have special certification, so you may want to take your education even further. While it is possible to become successful with only a high school diploma, it is not as likely.

After receiving your traditional college education, you’ll also need to attend an auction school. This specialized education program teaches you how to properly call bids as well as how to improve your public speaking presentation and techniques. At auction school, you’ll also learn how to work for various types of auctions, such as consignments, estates, or government sales. Finally, you’ll learn more about the ethical, legal, and tax guidelines surrounding the industry and take on new skills in marketing and business.

Go to an Art Auction

After graduating from college and auctioneer school, it’s time to start attending auctions on your own. By visiting these free events on your own, you can learn what to expect and how the industry operates in a real-time situation. During the preview, you can examine (and, on occasion, handle) the artwork that will be auctioned off. You can ask questions and discuss the pieces. At the auctions themselves, you can observe how an auctioneer works through lots in numerical order and how fast the process might go.

Obtain an Apprenticeship

Apprenticing in an auction house is essential for learning skills “behind the scenes.” Learning the business side from an established appraiser and auctioneer. Contact local galleries or art auction houses to ask them about apprenticeship opportunities and how you can apply for them. You’ll not only learn more about the work as you apprentice but will begin building professional relationships that could lead you to a job as a full-time art auctioneer in the future.

Consider Going Into a Specialty

The most successful art auctioneers are those who decide to specialize in and become an expert in a certain type of art, whether that is fine art, contemporary pieces, or anything else. Regardless of your preferred specialty, your area of interest can help to ensure you are considered an expert in your field and valued as a respected member of any auction.

Maintain Your Reputation

Whether you work for Park West Gallery art or any other auction company, it is important to maintain your reputation. Ethics are extremely important in a world based solely on the creative minds of other people, which means your reputation is always on the line. This is especially true because much of the art auction industry is unregulated. Any auction house you choose to work with should reflect well on your reputation as well, which means it should be knowledge-based and have a strong list of accountants and attorneys.

The world of art is rewarding and exciting. Even if you aren’t an artist or can’t afford to purchase million-dollar paintings, you can still be a part of the world. Consider becoming an art auctioneer as your next career move.

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Long Road Media

Motivational Reads for new University Graduates

Did you graduate this summer? It’s certainly a time for celebration but have you given much thought about what’s next? Even if you’re someone that graduated last year, it may still feel like it’s just you and your trusty degree against the world?

Understand that it’s perfectly natural to feel daunted by the prospect of what’s on the horizon. It can be an emotional journey and so, we’re here to offer some guidance with our top five books for recent graduates. Find a book that works for you and get started.

“So, What are You Going to Do With That?”

The title of Susan Basalla and Maggie Debelius’ self-help style script is something you’re going to have to get used to hearing over the next matter of months. For an adult, who has ‘got their life sorted’, this is their favourite question. Coming towards the end of your final academic year, and throughout the following year, unless you have already landed the job of your dream, you are going to be debating staying on in education. As the authors explain, remaining with academia is in no means a negative, however don’t feel afflicted to stay, and certainly don’t if you’re only doing so to fill time. The book goes on to respond to the question with a solid answer, giving you clarity in what your post-graduate life will entail.

“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”

Not all the successes in your graduate life will hinge upon your ability to develop a killer curriculum vitae. At university, you may have realised that you ended up putting yourself under unnecessary stress, simply because you couldn’t find the book you were looking for. As opposed to tidying on a daily basis, Marie Kondo walks us through her guide in how cleaning up once and for all will have one of the most significant impacts on our day to day lives. The author suggests how a thorough decluttering will translate into massively increased productivity.

“Make Your Bed: Little Things that Can Change Your Life”

Admiral William McRaven, a retired US Navy SEAL, delivered a speech to the University of Texas, which has received more than ten million views on YouTube. Talking about his career, he noted how when he was training, he seen the task of making a perfect bed every morning fairly mundane and in some respects pointless, as he was going on to become a fighter. Now however, William, the author of Make Your Bed, sees carrying out that simplistic task at the start of each and every day as the most important thing — as that is the first challenge of the day achieved. The book goes on to talk the reader through the ten ‘life-changing principles’ which Admiral McRaven picked up during his time in service, and how these steps will help create a better you and give you a better relationship with the world.

The 2-Hour Job Search: Using Technology to Get the Right Job Faster

Steve Dalton’s 2012 manual will prove a trusted companion to graduates, and anyone currently seeking work alike. Despite the fact the internet has provided us with the opportunity to sift through a wide range of jobs that previously we might never have known about — actually managing to find the one for us can prove to be a rather complex task. Organisation is the key focus of Dalton’s piece of work, as he points to the different ways in which technology can be used to whittle down their search.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Okay, so once you’ve managed to land a job, despite the fact it may only be a stop-gap, you need to make friends, otherwise your journey is going to be an incredibly tedious one. Unlike university, this isn’t going to be an easy experience. The first day in a new job isn’t going to be like the first day walking into university, because frankly, at this stage, not everyone will be in the same boat. You might be the most likeable person on this side of the Atlantic but that doesn’t mean everyone will warm to you.

In 2018, Warren Buffet was ranked as the third richest person in the world, and he credits this 1936 book with transforming his life. The American businessman and philanthropist found up a copy of Dale Carnegie’s guide on his grandfather’s bookshelf and suggests he has applied it through his career. Having shifted over 15 million copies worldwide, the book is ranked within the top 100 best-selling books ever and is certainly a must read, regardless of your situation.

Life is not something to fear, it is something to embrace, but hopefully with the help of these guides, you can successfully better yourself and prepare for the challenge ahead.

Article provided by Where the Trade Buys, a UK firm offering bespoke brochure printing services for a range of industries.

Sources

https://www.businessinsider.com/books-new-grads-should-read-2017-5?r=US&IR=T#the-life-changing-magic-of-tidying-up-by-marie-kondo-6

https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo19503047.html

https://www.businessinsider.com/warren-buffett-net-worth-berkshire-hathaway-billionaire-coke-mcdonalds-2019-4?r=US&IR=T

https://www.businessinsider.com/lessons-from-how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people-2015-4?r=US&IR=T

https://www.ranker.com/list/best-selling-books-of-all-time/jeff419?page=3

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Long Road Media

Options for Investing Money in a Low Interest Rate Environment

Today, it seems that interest rates are consistently low. When you have to face such a challenging financial environment, it can be difficult to form a reliable plan to meet your goals as an investor. However, there are many different resources that you can turn to if you need an idea of where to begin. Whether you consult Donald Gayhardt, an accomplished leader in the financial services sector, or helpful books on the subject, you can make progress towards your short-term and long-term goals. Here are some of the options that you have for investing money in a low interest rate environment.

Certificates of Deposit (CDs)

A certificate of deposit, or a CD, is a certificate that is issued by a bank to a person who is depositing money for a certain period of time. Because CDs are insured, they tend to be favored by people who prefer a low-risk option for investing money. Investing in a CD gives you the opportunity to have a fixed rate of interest, which is typically higher than that of other flexible accounts. However, there are several drawbacks of CDs. There is a penalty for early withdrawals, which makes it difficult for investors to easily access their money, and returns for CDs are relatively low. It’s best to evaluate your personal goals and decide if investing in a CD would be right for you.

Preferred Stocks

Another option is to invest in preferred stocks, which are investments that pay out fixed dividends and follow a regular schedule. Preferred stocks differ from CDs in that they can often be postponed or skipped altogether without forcing you to pay a penalty. Moreover, preferred dividends are typically paid to you before any other common stockholders. If the company runs into any issues, you may be able to have a preference when claiming the assets as a stockholder. This provides you with a layer of protection that allows you to receive money even in the unpredictable situation of low interest rates.

Stock Dividends

When dealing with low interest rates, stock dividends can be a useful investment option. Turning to companies that pay high dividends gives you a sense of security when low interest rates make your financial situation seem unpredictable. In fact, stock dividends typically perform well during challenging financial circumstances, making them a worthwhile option for investment. However, it’s crucial to ensure that you make your choice carefully when investing in stock dividends. Before you choose a company, be sure to confirm that they are stable and reliable.

Real Estate

Investing in real estate is a smart choice when you’re in a low interest rate environment. Similarly to CDs, real estate is a low-risk option that also comes with high returns in the long term. Choosing to invest in real estate can be a highly useful decision if you prefer safety and security when investing money. Regardless of whether you choose residential, commercial or rental, real estate may be a choice that provides you with the financial security that you desire.

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Long Road Media

How a Golf Management Service Can Improve Your Club

Operating a golf course is one of the more complicated and intricate types of businesses. You need to juggle maintaining the course, handling sales and new memberships, resolving conflicts with clients and staff alike, purchasing goods and equipment, hiring and training staff, maintaining and cleaning the building, and more. It is no wonder than so many golf clubs rely on golf management services to make it simpler to keep all of these aspects straight. This kind of service may or may not be right for your club, but this guide will go over the benefits so you can make that decision for yourself.

The Benefits

The key benefits of a golf management service are:

Reduce operation costs

Improve membership sales

Lower equipment costs through buying programs

Hire more qualified employees

Organize all different aspects of operation

Because it takes so much to operate this kind of business, it is very common for a management service to save more money than it costs. If this is the case, then it is an especially appealing option. However, even if it will cost a little more than it saves, it still may be worth it for you.

In some cases, hiring a particular management company that has a good reputation may be enough to attract new members. Word gets around among the community of golfers about a well-maintained club, both on and off the course. There is an aspect of prestige that can make people excited to become members.

Finally, it is important to understand that sometimes a management company can do things that you simply cannot do on your own. These services may be less appealing if you feel like you are paying for something you are capable of, but management services often receive special rates or can enter into special buying programs. This may allow you to hire more expensive employees or purchase more expensive equipment or goods than you would otherwise be able to afford.

Transition Smoothly

If you decide that a golf management service is the right direction to take your club, then it is important to work toward making the transition smoothly. When the new management company first joins your business, you need to have a discussion about what should stay the same and what should change. Any management service that is worth your time will be happy to make these accommodations. With all this in mind, take the time to decide if a golf management service is right for your club.

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Long Road Media

4 Examples of Personal Injury Situations

It is never a convenient time to suffer an injury. Finding yourself laid up after getting hurt in an incident may set you back quite a bit at work and ultimately lead you to shell out money you don’t have to cover medical expenses. If the reason for your incident was another person’s negligence, you might be able to recover some of your damages – and then some. You may have heard of personal injury cases in the past, but aren’t sure what the term encompasses. See if your situation falls into one of the following four categories to see if you might be eligible for help.

1. Motor Vehicle Accident

The top cause of personal injuries is getting into a motor vehicle crash. The rate of accidents is steadily increasing and with good reason – more cars are traversing the roadway system every single day. If you find yourself injured in an accident, either as a driver, passenger, or even a pedestrian, you may be able to get help with medical bills to aid in your recovery. A personal injury lawyer tampa florida is an excellent resource to check out.

2. Workers’ Compensation

You may not have noticed the wet spot on the floor in the breakroom until you were already mid-slide. Perhaps you fell off a ladder while changing a lightbulb in the conference room, and now you find yourself in severe pain due to the injury and the medical bills you are amassing. Workers’ compensation injuries are also considered personal injuries, even if you don’t necessarily go through the same channels to get help. You may have to consult a personal injury attorney, however, if the company you work for does not carry workers’ compensation insurance.

3. Dog Bight

A morning jog in the park shouldn’t turn into a run for your life. When a dog is loose and takes chase, you may not be able to get away. If the dog chomps down on you, there may be significant damage to that part of your body. A dog bight falls under the personal injury category, and if the owner is found responsible, you have the right to file a lawsuit.

4. Medical Malpractice

No one is perfect at work, not even medical staff, including doctors. When medical mistakes happen, it can equal life-changing injuries. Filing a personal injury claim against the doctor and the facility, plus anyone else personally involved in the misstep, may give you the relief you need to continue forward.

Accidents are no fun, and the injuries that result can alter your life. If you have suffered an injury at somebody else’s expense, you may want to look into getting an attorney to help regain some of what you lost.

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Long Road Media

Top Tips Prior To Hiring Locksmith Services

Your locks are the prime aspect for the security of your property. Perhaps if you lose or forget the keys for opening the locks to your doors, then you might end up cursing yourself and would panic about what to do next. This is the time to call a reliable locksmith to solve your problem. Though finding a commercial locksmith Seattle amongst many is one difficult decision.

The following are the tips that you might just need when in search of a professional locksmith:

1. Ensure that the locksmith company is in the neighboring area

The first and foremost thing is to make sure that the locksmith company is of the nearby area. This is important because a far located locksmith may charge you extra for traveling. Having a localized locksmith might help you in the future as well due to the trust and connection built the previous time.

2. Consider referrals

Consider asking your friends and family if they have utilized any locksmith services in the neighborhood. Your known people will give you correct feedback of the locksmiths and the quality of the work he delivers. So, talk to your friends and family for narrowing down your alternatives.

3. Take help from the Internet

The Internet is a humongous source of information with millions of websites. Many locksmiths have their websites providing information on their services and prices. You can browse for a multiple of our locksmiths that are available in your area and compare the pricing and services. A little research for contrasting the prices and services is all that is needed.

4. Check for reviews and feedbacks

Along with the information of various locksmiths, the Internet will also provide you with reviews and feedback from many genuine consumers. Check on social media platforms for their reviews. Make sure that you do not fall prey to false advertising.

5. Opting for a licensed locksmith

It is quintessential to book a licensed locksmith. You won’t choose for any service unless it is from a professional and certified person. This applies in this case as well. Locksmiths obtain locksmith certifications on showing professional skills that prove their knowledge on various domains of locksmithing. These certifications are proof that the individual has demonstrated locksmithing skills and technical proficiency that bear as per the latest standards of locksmithing.

6. Make a note of the locksmith charges and liabilities

Ask and inquire about the pricing for the locksmith service. A plethora of commercial locksmith services in very High Security Locks like unlocking rekey locks or a lock change are charged differently. Our professional locksmith company will give the detailed cost of the service you ask for. Also, be sure to do this pricing inquiries prior to hiring the locksmith blindly. Do not trust a locksmith that does not give you proper answers to your queries or asks you to agree to a blank invoice. Always ensure that you hire an insured locksmith even though it means a little over the budget. Plus, do not forget to ask about any hidden cost that you need to know.

So, consider the above tips in case you need locksmith services in the future.

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Long Road Media

Do you own a Valuable Passport for Travelling with?

It’s easy to take the opportunity to travel abroad for granted. We go on holiday to indulge in both foreign cuisine and constant sunshine, but often think nothing of the power of our passport. For some nationalities however, the biggest restriction for them from hopping on a flight – is actually their passport.

The reality is that some passports afford their holders more freedom and unrestricted international access than others. Very cleverly, by assessing how many countries a passport grants its holders visa free or visa on arrival access, Henley and Partners’ passport index have produced the official rank of the world’s most powerful passports.

We’ve got an insightful guide from UK brochure printing firm: Where the Trade Buys, looking at the world’s most valuable passports, and the agreements that have made them that way.

Japan

For the second consecutive time, Japan has claimed top spot, fighting off tough opposition from the likes of Singapore and South Korea. Citizens of the land of the rising sun are able to cross the border into 190 different countries, one more than their two aforementioned Asian counterparts.

In 2017, Japanese citizens were granted visa-free travel to Myanmar, the state formerly known as Burma. The government in the state has requested however that tourists must have at least $1000 in the bank before entering. Approximately 100,000 Japanese visitors came to Myanmar, in most occasions the capital, Rangoon, in 2017.

The most notable nations that Japan has visa-free access to that the UK doesn’t, are Iran, Mongolia and China. The latter of which, visitors must apply for visa on arrival.

The UK

Both Americans and Brit’s, who held joint-first position in 2015, have fell to sixth place. The two countries share the position with Austria, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Switzerland, allowing visa-free access to 185 nations, five behind that of Japan. Henley Chairman, Christian Kalin, notes how, “an open-door policy has the potential to contribute billions to the global economy, as well as creating significant employment opportunities.”

The UK’s European Union membership has provided citizens with the ability to move freely throughout member states since the agreement’s infancy, however with the current situation, circumstances could so easily change.

Previously boasting visa-free access to 186 countries, the introduction of e-visas in Turkey, which are required prior to arrival, the UK has slipped overall. It must be noted however, that since the passport index began in 2006, the UK has dramatically increased in access numbers, from 126.

Interestingly, current plans exist to revert from red back to the traditional blue passport that the UK used prior to joining the EU, and if they were to do so, printing of these passports will be carried out in France.

France and Germany

The two European states sit join third, ranking just below Singapore and South Korea. In terms of their comparison to the UK, both countries can apply for a visa on arrival in Iran. On the alternative passport index powered by Arton, Germany ranks slightly higher than France, offering the visa on arrival service in both Pakistan and Mongolia. Various aspects will be taken into a consideration when a country is deciding whether to allow other nations visa-free access. For Germany, they have placed a particular level of emphasis on building relationships with foreign countries.

UAE

Despite being ranked by Arton as having the world’s strongest passport, the UAE comes in at 21st on Henley’s scale. The oil rich state’s attitude towards foreign affairs has seen it significantly climb in recent years, with Kalin suggesting how ‘this is not only a benefit to the UAE’s citizens, but also the wider international community’.

Afghanistan and Iraq

Both Iraqi and Afghani nationals prop up the bottom of the index, with their passports only allowing access to 30 countries respectively. Meanwhile, if you were to follow the Arton index, Iraq ranks slightly higher than Afghanistan with a score of 33, as opposed to Afghanistan’s 30. Iraqi’s have visa-free access to Ecuador and Malaysia, that its counterpart does not.

It comes a no surprise that some of the world’s richest countries rank the highest in terms of their passport’s worth, while similarly the countries torn apart by war at the lower end of the charts. The UAE is also a fine example of a country who is committed to establishing the wealth of its passport.

Sources:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/powerful-passports-2018/

https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/2157754/myanmar-allow-visa-free-entry-japanese-and-korean-tourists

https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2017

https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/3120448/four-passport-colours-meaning/

https://frontier.ac.uk/blog/2018/09/12/top-5-strongest-and-weakest-passports-in-the-world

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2019/jan/14/uk-passport-drops-to-sixth-in-global-power-index

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/most-powerful-passport-henley-index-2018/index.html

https://www.passportindex.org/comparebyPassport.php?p1=uk&p2=fr&p3=de&fl=&s=yes

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Long Road Media

Benefits of Club Advisory Services

To run a business presents with a number of different challenges. If you run a social club or golf course, you may run into a variety of obstacles. For many owners, it’s hard to face those obstacles alone. This is where an advisory service comes in handy. Advisory serviced can offer you the advice you need to make sure your business stays afloat.

Customer Service and Club Success

Club success depends on customer service. With over 107 million golfers, you have a huge client base to pick from. If you go to a club, you don’t want to deal with rude employees or staff that doesn’t care. Instead, you should have a staff that cares and that will keep clients returning to your club. Growth depends on whether or not the service that your guests experience is top of the line. If you need top of the line customer service, then you may want to take advantage of club advisory services. They can often help.

Maintenance and Club Interest

Clients don’t want to spend time at a messy, disorganized club. How you maintain the club matters a lot. Do you have janitorial services? Do you have landscapers or groundskeepers ensuring that the golf course is pristine? Most people use a club as an escape from their daily lives. If you take care of your club, you are more likely to draw in more clients. Advisory services will give you more than basic advice on maintenance. In fact, many will help you with course maintenance and ensuring that the facility is in its best shape possible.

Business Strategies and Procedures

What kind of business do you want to run? No matter the type of social club or golf course that you run, you’re going to have to have a business strategy. Most business owners spend a lot of time coming forth with a business plan that works. If you have an advisory service behind you, they will often give you advice on your plans and strategies. They know the business and the industry well. This means that they can tell you if you’re doing something wrong or if you should take different approaches to retaining clients.

Have you ever considered hiring a professional advisory service? The truth is that an advisory service can offer you more help than you’d originally think. When it comes to running a business, you have to put a lot of time and effort into making sure that you entice clients and retain them. It’s hard work and sometimes, you need extra help to make sure that your company stays afloat. With advisory solutions, you have help through your difficult challenges.

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Long Road Media

Top Careers Available With a Commercial Driver’s License

If you have a love of driving and are ready to take your career to a new level, a CDL or commercial driver’s license may be the next step. A CDL test must be passed in order to obtain a license. Knowing what type of job you wish to do can help you narrow down the steps you need to take. Some positions require additional training such as long-haul trucking.

Tank Driver

Gasoline and other chemicals are often transported on tanker trucks. Safety is a major concern for hazardous and flammable cargo. Florida rock and tank lines careers are an example of a company that combines safety with in-demand freight to keep you busy and employed.

Bus Driver

Bus drivers are necessary for transporting people across the states via Greyhound or charter buses, children to schools or special event parking. Job growth of 6% is expected through 2024. The average salary according to online sources is $30,950.

Heavy Equipment Hauler

Construction continues to boom requiring heavy equipment whether for building roads, constructing high rises or rebuilding after a natural disaster. Hauling heavy equipment can take you across state lines with a gross vehicle weight over 26,000 pounds for cargo, passengers and the vehicle. Average salary is around $40,000 a year.

Delivery Truck Driver

Large delivery companies such as UPS, FedEx, the United States Postal Service and Amazon need drivers for their trucks and vans. Even private companies use delivery drivers to transport goods from warehouses to buildings or customers. Opportunities are available for part-time and full-time employment with an average salary of $28,000.

Long-Haul Drivers

Driving an eighteen-wheeler across the land is a necessary component of logistics. Companies need goods from ports and airports delivered to their businesses and warehouses. Eighteen-wheelers transport loads over hundreds of miles a day, logging miles and sometimes even owning their own rigs. Companies hire employees and work with owner-operators to deliver those goods. Due to the miles logged, time spent away from home varies according to the job but could last for several weeks.

Non-Trucking Jobs

A CDL can help you land a non-trucking job. Construction equipment operator, tractor-trailer technician, highway maintenance technician, terminal manager and engineering equipment operator let you use those valuable skills without logging miles.

Trucks are used for a variety of goods including refrigerated and toxic materials. Choose the job title that matches best for you. There’s an educational program that can help you start a bright, new career.

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Long Road Media

Everything You Need to Know About Vaping – And Then Some

If you’ve never heard the word vaping before, it refers to the use of a nicotine delivery system such as a vape mod, Juul, vape pen, etc. rather than smoking traditional cigarettes. E-cigarettes are battery-operated devices into which you put a liquid vaping product and heat it up, turning it into vapor which you then inhale.

Most vape liquids, also called vape juices and/or e-liquids, contain nicotine, 25 mg and 50 mg being the most popular strength levels. Some contain no nicotine at all. Due to their flavoring elements, no two vape juices are exactly the same. However, each type of juice typically contains the following ingredients:

Water

Vegetable glycerin (VG)

Propylene glycol (PG)

Nicotine in the stated level, including no nicotine whatsoever

Food grade flavoring

Nicotine Salts

In its basic form, nicotine, a/k/a freebase nicotine, is extracted from tobacco plants. Since inhaling nicotine sometimes causes mouth and throat irritation, many vape juices add benzoic acid to their freebase nicotine solutions. This reduces the solution’s pH level, giving you less irritation.

Vaping Systems

Before you begin vaping, you should think about why you want to do it. For instance, do you want to vape in order to cut down on your cigarette smoking or quit entirely? Do you prefer a smokeless nicotine delivery system rather than one that produces smoke? Do you want to be one of the “vape gang” to which so many of your friends belong? Do you simply want to enjoy the various flavors that vaping offers? All of these, plus many more, are good reasons to vape.

Your vaping system can be as simple or complex as you wish to make it. In addition, you can buy complete systems off the shelf or you can construct your own. In any event, your vaping system will include some or all of the following components:

A glass or plastic vial container of e-liquid

Cartridge

Atomizer

Batteries

Coils

Cartomizer and clearomizer

Digital display or lights to adjust settings

Tank system

Drip tip

Programmable software

Available Flavors

You can choose from an almost unlimited variety of vape juice flavors. Some of the most popular ones include:

Blue Raspberry Lemonade

Strawberry Kiwi

Green Apple

Iced Honey Dew

Iced Juicy Watermelon

Fresh Pineapple

Sweet Caramel Tobacco

Iced Green Apple

Georgia Peach

Iced Winter Green

Fruit Punch

Iced Red Mango

Strawberry Acai

Oatmeal Cream Pie Cookie

Carrot Cake

Vaping Products Regulation

Back in 2009, then-president Barack Obama gave the Food and Drug Administration the power and authority to regulate the manufacturing, distribution, marketing, and labeling of all tobacco products. This authority was extended to e-cigarettes in 2019 as the result of a court decision.

It took the FDA until 2016, however, to finalize its rules regulating e-cigarettes. Under these rule, the sale of e-cigarettes would have been banned to anyone under 18 years of age. They would also have required all e-cigarette products to go through an FDA “premarket review” to determine their safety. With the advent of the Trump administration, however, the new FDA Commissioner, Dr. Scott Gottlieb, defended the safety of e-cigarettes and delayed implementation of these rules until 2022. Nevertheless, given the explosion of e-cigarette usage among minors and young adults, last year Dr. Gottlieb threatened to crack down on e-cigarette advertising specifically aimed at kids under 18 years of age.

Assuming you are of legal age, you can vape to your heart’s content without fearing governmental or other interference or any type of legal penalties. Just like traditional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaping systems, and vape juice are all legal products. Be aware, however, that many buildings and establishments include e-cigarettes as part of their no-smoking ban and/or smoke-free areas.

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Long Road Media

Changing the Legal Age of Tobacco Use to Twenty One

Tobacco usage has recently appeared in the media due to a recent bill proposed by Mitch McConnell. Senator McConnell believes that the minimum age for purchasing tobacco should increase from eighteen to twenty-one. Reports over the past year have identified an uptick in adolescents using these products in the form of vaporizers and other discrete options while at school. Since these teenagers are unable to make these purchases legally, one has to question where they are finding these products in the first place. You have most likely heard about the health risks of smoking tobacco for the entire duration of your life, and they do not need to be re-iterated. In a country that is currently experiencing an opioid epidemic, creating a healthier society should be a priority.

Replacing Tobacco with Hemp Flower

If you or anyone that you know smokes tobacco, you are conscious of the different reasons behind why people partake in the first place. Some individuals turn to smoke to calm nerves, and others enjoy the ritual of tobacco after participating for so long. The addictive nature of smoking cannot be understated, and this is most likely the overarching reasoning behind why people continue to smoke after beginning. Professionals in the health marketplace such as Harry Stylli are pushing for a healthier society by providing innovative products. A grassroots movement relating to hemp flower is also building momentum and may overtake the tobacco market over the next decade. With the passage of the Farm Bill, smokers have access to a plant that provides everything tobacco can without health risks and addiction.

Debating Legality

Many people are opposed to smoking cigarettes as they have impacted so many people in negative ways. These individuals would most likely wish for them to be banned altogether as opposed to merely changing how accessible they are. However, specific individuals are challenging the legality of Senator McConnell’s supposed bill. When examining the legal drinking age, the states are responsible for enforcing the 1984 National Minimum Drinking Age. The federal government is not able to merely impose this type of will on the people in a legal manner. Individual citizens are not aware of the drinking age in Puerto Rico is eighteen, and that is a United States territory.

Creating a More Illegal Environment

Since this purpose of this legislation is to deter adolescents from using tobacco products, it could have an adverse effect. Teenagers are incredibly impressionable and more often than not, want to be considered cool. With stricter penalties in place for smoking at a young age, teenagers who somehow access these products will create a power dynamic in certain social circles. Revolting and rebelling is a part of adolescents for many kids and this would be another thing to go against in angst. Teenagers generally turn to e-cigarettes or vaporizers to be discreet, but even those are being plucked from the market as well. While raising the legal age for purchasing tobacco is an excellent idea on paper, legislators need to remain cognizant of the potential fallout.

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Long Road Media

Unique Florida Vacation Ideas

Florida is one of the best vacation destinations in America. The weather is always warm, there are many iconic attractions and there are activities for every type of vacationer. Whether you prefer to relax by the pool or always enjoy being on the move, Florida has something for you. If you’ve never been there before, you might be overwhelmed by everything Florida has to offer. You might not have an unlimited amount of time, but these are some things you must do.

Enjoy Dazzling Entertainment

While you are on vacation, kick up your feet and let some of the country’s best performers entertain you. Delight in Florida dinner theaters where you get two for the price of one: scrumptious dinner and a fabulous show. Revel in the spectacle of Cirque du Soleil located in Disney Springs. Circus performers and acrobats dance and perform tricks during these fascinating shows. You can even go back to the Middle Ages with Medieval Times. You can enjoy a meal fit for kings while watching battling jousters on horses.

Soak Up the Sun

The best part about going to Florida is the incredibly warm and sunny weather. There are so many ways to take advantage of it. Take a trip out to Everglades National Park. Dive under the sea to explore some of Florida’s greatest coral reefs, Devil’s Den and underwater cities. You might even find some mermaids. Climb the mountains to see Bok Tower and the gardens that surround it. Relax and hang out with manatees in the Manatee Springs. Of course, nothing beats a good old fashioned day swimming in the ocean and tanning one of Florida’s many beaches.

Release Your Inner Child

Florida is one of the best places to play and relive the days of your youth. No one is too old to spend the day at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. Ride your favorite childhood rides and feel the same giddy feeling you felt as a kid when you pose for a picture with one of Disney’s iconic characters. You can watch musicals of your favorite childhood Disney movies. There are plenty of other theme parks to go to where you can scream like a kid on the most thrilling roller coasters. Who says that you ever need to grow up?

From relaxing springs to fast-paced roller coasters, Florida has everything to make your vacation the best time of your life. Whatever you choose to do, your Florida vacation will provide you with memories that will last a lifetime.

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Long Road Media

5 Reasons You Need a Gun Safe

Gun owners are viewed as individuals that are proud of their country, their property, and their household. These family-oriented folks own guns to protect those things they love – if they need to. Because the firearms are such a large investment, safe storage of each item can be critical to prolonging its life and protecting it from damage. If you are a gun owner, here are five reasons you need a gun safe.

Burglary Prevention

The first reason most people think of before they consider a safe purchase is theft or burglary prevention. It is true, the strong sides can deter intruders from taking your weapons or any of the accessories you have in your possession. If you have several firearms, consider purchasing a large floor safe such as the Rhino gun safe with a secure locking system that prevents an intruder from walking away with the whole container.

Children’s Safety

As more children secure guns, or use them and unwittingly harm another individual, states are creating laws such as the Child Access Prevention Law that stresses the use of preventative measures in keeping guns out of children’s hands. Currently, there is no federal child safety law but breaking a state law may mean facing negligent and criminal liability sentences if a child accesses your firearm.

Fire Protection

Home fires are becoming more prevalent as houses are built closer together than ever before. Fires can start from a fireplace ember, a lightning strike, or even by design. No matter the reason, when a blaze attacks your property, make sure your guns are safely tucked away in a fireproof safe that can securely protect your investment.

Valuable Protection

Guns are not the only items you can keep safely stored inside a gun safe. Jewelry, stocks, cash, bonds, and important papers can also be protected by securing them inside a thick-walled container safe. Many safe owners proudly admit that their grandmother’s bible, including the family history, is protected inside their safe. If you have valuable gold or silver bars, the safe is a good place to store it away.

Insurance Compliance

Many insurance companies require guns to be stored in a container that fully conceals them. Some companies ever offer small discounts when the firearms are placed inside a certified safe. Additionally, if you give the agency the safe certificate number, they can often help with loss recovery more quickly if something is taken.

You made an investment in your future when you purchased your firearms. Make sure you take steps to protect that investment from theft, fire, and children’s little hands. A gun safe can help keep everything you put inside the box secure – and help keep you worry free.

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Long Road Media

How to get the Most out of your Carry on Luggage

We are living in a time where spontaneously hopping on a plane to a sunny destination has never been easier. More importantly, in this modern age of budget airlines it has never been cheaper too. One drawback though can often be the limitations of your luggage. Flights can be so cheap that paying for any check in luggage can double the cost. While, at the same time, the size of your carry-on suitcase never seems to be quite enough. So here’s a few tips to make sure you don’t have to fork out any extra money on your cheap getaway.

Firstly, let’s start with clothing. A solution for footwear, for both men and women; sliders can be a great way to save on footwear. As they can double up as your slippers, poolside shoes and for any strolls along the beach you might wish to take. Make sure to be wearing whatever your bulkiest pair of shoes are, along with any large coats or jackets you might be taking with you. WIth clothes in general, try and work out what you need on a daily basis. If doing this, it is worth finding out what utilities are available at the place you are staying. If there’s washing facilities then you can plan around washing your clothes halfway through your holiday and halving the space it would take up in your suitcase.

It’s also important to make sure you get the right bag for the job. There’s a few things to consider when doing this. Firstly, find out the specific baggage requirements for whichever airline you are travelling with, you will often find there are specific bags that are designed around these requirements, to make sure you are getting as much as space to pack in as possible. It might also be the case though that a suitcase (which is often the best way to get the most space out of carry-on luggage) might not be practical for where you are going, and/or what you are planning to do on holiday. So you can either purchase a day pack, or something similar to put in your suitcase. You will have to factor the extra room this will take up. Or instead, get a bag that might not be the exact baggage requirements, but will double up as a bag that can be used where you’re off exploring or sightseeing.

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Long Road Media

The Ovulation Cycle Explained

The ovulation cycle is a good thing to understand: whether you’re personally experiencing it, or simply know and work with people who do, understanding this monthly (or near monthly) series of changes will help you understand your own body better and give you increased insight and empathy for the people around you. If you’re part of a couple that’s trying to get pregnant then understanding the cycle is an essential: it tells you when you’re at your most fertile each month and therefore when you need to try and get pregnant. If you’re having difficult conceiving, understanding your menstrual cycle might help to explain where the problem is so you can try to fix it. It’s the ovulation cycle we’re looking at today!

The First Phase

At the beginning of your cycle two important things happen; your period begins, and your body begins maturing eggs to ovulate later in the month.

Your period is a very tangible bodily process: you will see and feel it clearly every time it happens. If you don’t already it’s well worth making a note of the first and last dates of your bleed in each cycle. That first date is a handy indicator of the beginning of your cycle, which you can use to check how regular it is, and the last one tells you how long your period is. If that changes, it could be an indicator of an underlying health issue, so it’s well worth keeping track.

All the while, your ovaries are preparing eggs for ovulation. Even though only one egg is ovulated (two on rare occasions), as many as twenty may be matured each month, with only the biggest and healthiest released into the fallopian tubes, to be potentially inseminated by sperm.

The contender eggs are matured in small sacs that are called follicles, which means this stage of the menstrual cycle is called the follicular phase.

Menstruation

The centre point of the menstrual cycle is ovulation, when that mature egg is ejected from the ovaries. It’s only when sperm encounter this egg that you can actually get pregnant, so you need to know when you ovulate to maximise your chances of getting pregnant!

Second Phase

After ovulation, the hormones that have been encouraging that egg to grow to maturity and then be released from the ovaries are redirected to focus on the uterus. Here, in what’s known as the Luteal Phase, a thick lining is being laid down to receive the egg. If it’s fertilised, that egg will anchor into the lining, and develop from a small bundle of cells into a embryo, a foetus and eventually a baby!

If the egg isn’t fertilised, it simply falls into the lining and is ejected from the body as your period begins and the cycle resets.

Each cycle is a fresh chance to try to get pregnant, but only if you understand how it works, so if you’re interested in starting a family, you should start charting your cycle today!

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Long Road Media

Is Your Website Helping or Hurting Your Brand?

Given the important role a website plays for so many businesses, can you say that your site is a plus for your brand?

Too many business owners lose sight of the importance of a website. In the process, they can miss out on business and missed revenue.

With that in mind, will your website be an asset or liability to your brand?

Are You Taking Steps to Improve Your Website?

There are steps you can take to improve your website.

Among them:

Better promotions – There are many ways your website can be one of your best promotional tools. That said one option for you is to get involved with guest posting. If you are not all that familiar with the importance of guest posting, you could try a guest posting service. Such a service will work with you to promote your brand and give it more relevancy. This is done through writing guest blog posts that will run on a myriad of publisher sites. The posts will be relevant to your particular industry. In the process, you will get an editorial link in the post leading consumers back to your website. At the end of the day, the goal is for consumers to click on the link and learn more about what your brand has to offer. Now, could anything be easier than that? When you get consumers clicking on your site, you open the door to business and added revenue. Through guest posting, you are utilizing one of the best brand promotional options. If your marketing has not been gaining traction, consider guest posting.

Clean website – How clean is your website? When consumers come there, can they move around without much if any trouble? One of the worst things you can do to your business is having a website that is like a maze trying to navigate. Note that many consumers will move on to another website if they feel your site is too much work for them. That said you can clean up your site and keep it that way by giving it more attention. If you are not sound when it comes to running a website, hire someone that can do the job for you. The site should be void of broken links. It should also provide easy to find contact information. Consumers do not want to go on an expedition trying to find your contact details. Also make it so you site is easily broken down into sections. From products and services you offer to blog posts, videos and more, organize your website.

Social media access – Last, are you socially engaged? One way to grow your traffic is by being socially active. One way to go about this is by having your social media connections on your website. When consumers come to your site and see icons for the top social sites, they now know where to find you on social media. Make sure you do a good job of promoting your website on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and more.

As a business owner, how do you use your website to your brand’s benefit?