20Aug
Make use of social networking sites to increase your sales

Social networking sites should be at the top of your list when you think of marketing strategies using the Internet. There are many of these sites that you can join, with Facebook and Twitter being two of the most popular sites. The idea behind social networks is that you can join these sites, present an interesting profile, find your friends in cyberspace and create your own network of people who have the same interests as you.

The idea is so simple that even young teenagers can easily create a page on any of these social networking sites and gain new friends online. For businesses that are trying to create an online presence and on a tight budget to do so, using these networking sites is an easy and inexpensive way to gain a good following, who can become potential buyers of your products and services.

Target your market

One way to maximize the potential of these social networking sites for your business is to conduct a search for people who have something in common with you or your business. They can be people belonging to a certain geographical area, people born during a certain period, or those who belong to the same industry. On Twitter, you can easily “follow” these people, who will often follow you as well. On Facebook, you can send an “add friend” request and most people in your network will add you as a friend. Once you get a good number of followers, now is your chance to tell them more about your company. However, you have to do it slowly and ethically, otherwise you may get removed from their list if you keep sending them offers that they may soon consider to be spam.

create relationships

This brings us to the essential reason why people join social networking sites. They do it because they want to expand their network of friends and create relationships online that are beneficial to them. If you try to sell something to your friends right away, you will most likely get a resounding “no!” Pushing an idea forward is much easier if you’ve already established a relationship and already earned a reputation as an expert in your field.

Foster group identity

There are many groups that are created on Facebook for people with the same interests in politics, religion, and even entertainment. You can create your own group and invite people to join. Sometimes people would join your group after finding you in an online search. Once you have a good membership, you can find ways to strengthen this group identity, perhaps by hosting face-to-face meetings, posting articles on topics that interest them and asking for feedback, offering a gift that has your group’s logo on it. You now have a group that you can easily target for your product campaigns and they can be product buyers or sponsors.

The many ways to use social networking sites are only limited by your imagination. Don’t be left behind by the many companies that are now reaping the benefits of using these sites for their marketing campaigns. However, be sure to comply with the terms of use of these sites and keep your marketing techniques within the limits set by these sites.
20Aug
The difference between industrial, retail and commercial real estate

Before answering this question, it might be helpful to define each term first.

Both the retail and industrial sectors are considered ‘commercial real estate’ (as opposed to ‘residential real estate’). Commercial real estate refers to buildings or land intended to generate profits; industrial and retail are simply subcategories of commercial real estate.

First of all, an industrial property is defined as a property used for the actual manufacture of something, and can be considered a factory or a plant. This is generally zoned for light, medium, or heavy industry. This includes things like warehouses, garages, and distribution centers, etc.

Retail property is commercially zoned property used solely for business purposes, the actual sale of the product, rather than its manufacture: retail stores, malls, malls, and stores, all grouped together nicely under the retail umbrella.

In general, companies that occupy commercial real estate often lease the space. An investor typically owns the building and collects rent from each business that operates there.

There are four main types of commercial real estate leases, each requiring different levels of responsibility on the part of the owner and the tenant.

Single net lease – tenant is responsible for paying rent and property taxes.

Double net lease – tenant is responsible for paying rent, property taxes, and insurance.

Triple net lease – tenant is responsible for paying rent, property taxes, insurance, and maintenance.

Gross lease – tenant is responsible for rent only; Landlord pays property taxes, insurance, and maintenance.

If you find yourself considering commercial property ownership, there are a few things you would do well to keep in mind:

1) Attractive Appearance – The last thing you need is a vacant commercial property in Sydney for an extended period of time. Think about how potential tenants think: what their customers want to see?

2) Aesthetic entrance: first impressions count, simple, simple things. This is a great tool to put your prospects in a great mood…and your customers.

3) Natural light: today it is in especially high demand

4) Location: close to other offices, public services, transportation, etc.

Since 1980, commercial property has had an average return of 9%, although today it is around 6%. Industrial real estate tends to be the most volatile and is currently returning around 7% (compared to its peak of around 12% during the 1990 recession).

And obviously, no matter what form of commercial property you’re considering, read the lease carefully. It sounds silly, but you’d be very surprised to see problems that can turn into problems simply because things weren’t read correctly.
20Aug
Organize an open house

Homes for sale will receive more offers when an open house is organized correctly. The reason this works so well is that by clearing out homeowners’ personal belongings, potential buyers can see their stuff in homes for sale more easily. To host a successful open house and receive more offers for the house, there are steps you need to take.

Step one

Look at your house through a buyer’s eye and see what you don’t like about the house that can be fixed for a small amount of money and a short time. One thing that is easy to fix is ​​changing unattractive paint colors. It is best that you choose neutral colors or some shade of white. This makes it easier for a potential buyer to envision walls done in their favorite colors.

second step

Once you’ve fixed any paint issues, look for solutions that need to be fixed in outdated or outdated areas of your home. For example, in the kitchen you can update the cabinets just by changing the hardware. If they have been painted and the paint is peeling off, you should scrape off the paint and repaint or varnish them. Although it could be expensive and time consuming if the floor is tile or linoleum and it is stained or cracked, it should be replaced. No potential buyer wants to walk into a room and see stained and cracked floors. This goes for the bathroom too. In the bathroom, make sure that if there is tile around the tub or shower, you need to make sure it is clean, free of mold and mildew. You should also make sure that the carpet is clean and free of odors and stains.

Step three

Many homes for sale have minor repairs that will need to be fixed before hosting an open house. Take the time to check each room for repairs such as loose floorboards, a missing handrail on the stairs, cracks in the walls, electrical outlets that don’t work, or lights that are burned out.

Step four

Rent the storage unit and move unnecessary personal accessories and furniture into the unit. This can include small or large pieces of furniture that do not need to be in the home, personal collections, and family photos. You can make rooms look more spacious by keeping basic furniture. Make sure each room has a purpose, such as a family room, a bedroom, etc. You can add accent pieces, but not more than necessary. These pieces can include plants, artwork, and pottery. Make sure the grass is mowed.

Following these tips for a successful open house will earn you more offers on homes for sale.
19Aug
How to start making money online as an affiliate marketer

The field of affiliate marketing is probably the fastest developing way to make money online. After all, billions of ordinary people use the Internet every day. Affiliate marketing gives you the opportunity to target potential customers regardless of their location in the world.

For this reason, it is not surprising that a large number of people earn a considerable amount of money through advertising and affiliate marketing. Many qualified affiliate marketers end up making more money in this field than their previous job and therefore some of them even quit their normal 9 to 5 job and go into affiliate marketing full time.

A quick overview of affiliate marketing
Now that we have a little idea about the capabilities of affiliate marketing, let’s dive deeper and discuss what it actually includes.

The easiest way to describe affiliate marketing is when you help another business sell their products online and then they pay you a commission for every sale you make to them.

If you are promoting a product priced at $200 and the company pays you a 10 percent commission on the sale, you would earn $10 for each sale.

How do you refer to sales? You can start promoting your seller’s products on your website, which gets targeted site visitors in the same niche as the product you’re advertising. For example, if you have a website that sells makeup, you wouldn’t be promoting health insurance, instead you could be promoting makeup-related products. Every time one of your website visitors clicks on your affiliate link provided by the seller, you will be paid a commission.

How to choose a good affiliate network
One of the biggest mistakes new affiliate marketers make is becoming a member of just about every affiliate network they come across. This is definitely considered as a totally incorrect technique. That is due to quite a few reasons.

First of all, being an affiliate marketer is a business that requires a lot of awareness. Therefore, if you try to work with many affiliate networks at the same time, it is likely that none of your initiatives will go as planned and, consequently, none of them will end up being very successful.

Second, focusing on just one or a few products will certainly allow you to thoroughly research them before you start promoting them. This method also helps you refine your strategies, making any necessary adjustments and therefore making your marketing that much more powerful. An effective approach will produce better results and reward you for your efforts and time.

Third, make sure you do some research on the affiliate network as there are some networks that only pay you once a month and that might not work for you or worse, might not pay you at all. I am not saying this to discourage you from being an affiliate marketer, rather I want you to be successful in finding the right network and products to market and earn your commission.

There are affiliate networks that resort to “shaving”, a very common exercise in affiliate marketing where networks show a discounted sales number of what you referred, thus paying you drastically less in commissions.

Therefore, to avoid falling victim to this action, I suggest you stick to known and trusted affiliate networks. In any case, the only way you will be successful with a network is if you are comfortable with them and the products you are promoting.

How to start getting sales as an affiliate marketer
Cutting to the chase right away, some affiliate marketers use social media websites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more to do affiliate marketing, others decide to build their own site. Getting your own site is a great approach to affiliate marketing because it gives you control over everything.

Therefore, we will focus on affiliate marketing using your own site in the future. First things first, as mentioned above, you’ll want to find an affiliate network that you’re comfortable with. This includes being knowledgeable about the products you’re promoting, so you’re not selling products you know nothing about.

Amazon Associates Program
That said, many marketers consider Amazon’s associate marketing program to be one of the best. It is possibly the most reliable network and has a huge inventory of products to promote and earn your commissions.

This gives you the ability to promote just about any product on the market, or pick a niche with little competition and you could be earning commissions in less than a week.

Find a good keyword
It is considered to be one of the most difficult parts of marketing. You can’t just blindly pick any one keyword and expect to start generating sales quickly. One of the reasons many affiliate marketers fail is due to using the wrong keyword.

If you’re new to affiliate marketing, you’ll want keywords that have little competition. Start your keyword research by finding long-tail keywords with low search volume, that means a lot less money, but not really the ones with a lot of competition.

You can test the top 10 and 20 results and do some research to find out if you can beat them. Review the keywords your competition is using to determine if they’re using identical keyword phrases to the ones you want to target. If they are, and they have a high authority website in that niche, I would recommend that you stay away from that niche and go for a new, less competitive one.

quality content
This is significant. If you think that you will make a lot of money by creating articles that do not help visitors in any way, you are very wrong. Even though your goal is to make money by referring visitors to the offer, you’ll need to offer them something important. By simply posting your hyperlinks along with lame sales pitches like “this is a great solution, buy this product through my personal hyperlink and get a discount” and so on, you may just be headed for disaster.

If you decide to join the Amazon Associates Program, you can write an informative article on your home page and include your main keywords and some secondary keywords throughout the article. You could have the shopping guide, and write your brief opinion of each product you are marketing. Remember that the higher the cost of the product you sell, the higher the commission.

backlinks
We realize that it is probably the most complicated method to achieve, unless you are an SEO guru. Contacting the site with high authority and guest posting on these sites is a well-known means of getting great backlinks. These great backlinks, coupled with guest posting on related sites in your niche, will get you on the first page of search engines as long as the keyword you choose has very little competition.

However, even when your site doesn’t make it to page one, as long as you have guest posts on various sites in your niche, you will attract a substantial amount of targeted traffic from these sites. So it’s a great tactic anyway.

mistakes to avoid
Now that you know the process of becoming a great affiliate marketer with your own website, I want you to also consider some of the most common mistakes new affiliate marketers make.

Not providing any good value
Although we have covered this topic, it is important to remind you that if you try to be extreme with your words to pressure visitors to click on your affiliate link, it is likely to be considered junk or spam by many websites.

Rather, it is suggested that you help these people select the right solution for their particular needs. This method makes these people feel more, which in turn will check the products you are marketing based on the value of your item.

product research
Many online merchants will not conduct proper product research to gain knowledge about the product they are promoting, but are only concerned with how much commission they will earn per sale, regardless of whether it will provide value to their visitors. This is an oversight, and at some point it will make your readers not trust anything you tell them.

Track your links
When you start advertising on Amazon or even some other affiliate network, it will be beneficial to track your affiliate links. It can help you find out which website is generating the most sales and then you can make your other websites have the same type of setup.

final thoughts
I would like to say that even though affiliate marketing can be very rewarding, it does have a steep learning curve. You may face disappointment numerous times before earning a good amount of money online.

That said, affiliate marketing is simply for people who are likely to face several failures, but will come back with a positive attitude and willing to learn from their mistakes.
19Aug
How to Build a Solid Stained Glass Shipping Box

To ship a piece of glass, it must be packed and well protected. We build a box around each piece of glass that we ship. It should be a custom fit so the glass can be properly protected. The images that accompany the article are of us building a box for an 18″ by 30″ window. We use the same techniques when creating larger windows.

We start by laying down a piece of 1″ thick rigid foam insulation that can be purchased at a home improvement center.

We then place the piece of stained glass to be shipped on top of the foam. I line up two sides of the glass with the edges of the foam.

Using a utility knife, I score the foam along the two edges of the foam that need to be trimmed.

Next, I break the foam at the score line by lining up the score on the edge of the table and pressing both ends firmly. It really does make a popping sound that will scare the cat or any small children in the area.

I then line up the resized insulation and cut out an identical piece using the cut foam as a template. While I’m cutting foam, I cut several strips the width of a two by four.

Here we have the “sandwich of foam, glass, foam, ready to create some wood”.

Here is the “sandwich” and two of the 2 x 4 size foam pieces for the edges.

I place the foam edges around the sandwich so I can take the measurements of the 2 x 4s I need.

Here you can see the sandwich, surrounded by foam and 2 x 4’s

I remove the top layer of foam, so you can see what’s going on in relation to the stained glass window.

I use pipe clamps to gently tighten the frame. The 2 x 4’s only put a slight pressure on the foam holding the glass.

Now that the boards are aligned, the box is ready to be assembled. I put a layer of “soft” foam under the panel and on top before replacing the top layer of foam. This way there will be a small amount of sag when the panel is shipped.

With pipe clamps holding the wood frame together, I use additional clamps to tighten the side boards so they line up perfectly. This puts slight pressure on the glass so it will sink slightly into the foam and stay securely attached as it is shipped.

I drive a couple of finishing nails into the frame to hold things together. There is little danger of hitting the glass since it is very far from the edge of the case. So I can remove the pipe clamps. No need to drive many nails, just two per joint, the side will hold the box together.

I fill the void at the top of the box with Styrofoam scraps that other carriers send me.

Then I cover it with another layer of foam sheet. I want there to be a little bit of pressure in the box to keep things from having too much play.

I put an instruction sheet inside the box.
TO UNPACK YOUR GLASS SAFELY,
FIRST REMOVE THE FOAM 1″ WIDE FROM THE EDGES ON ONE SIDE AND THEN FROM THE TOP OR BOTTOM. THIS WILL FREE UP THE FLAT FOAM SO YOU CAN LIFT IT UP AND EXPOSE THE GLASS.
TURN THE GLASS CAREFULLY AND SLOWLY. THE GLASS HAS LITTLE STRENGTH WHEN IT IS FLAT.
ONCE THE GLASS IS VERTICAL, YOU CAN TAKE IT ANYWHERE YOU WANT AND HANG IT ON THE CHAINS BY THE RINGS PROVIDED.

I then mark the foam pieces to remove first mentioned in the unpacking instructions.

I then cut plywood to the size of the frame. Two pieces are needed.

I lay the top over the side as instructed, lower it into place and line it up with the frame.

Then I screw 1″ long drywall screws around the top to hold it down.

I pick up the box and tilt it gently, making sure to hold onto the exposed foam on the bottom to keep it from shifting.

With the bottom of the box facing up and the foam side exposed, I’m ready to attach the bottom plywood.

I put it in place and line it up.

Then use staples to hold it in place. I do this because I want it to be easy to remove the top of the box and hard to remove the bottom. That way, the client who receives the case will have a higher chance of success.

I write instructions on both sides of the box, like, NO STEP, GLASS FRAGILE, and DO NOT LAY IT FLAT. At the top, I add arrows and the words: “Remove the screws on this side and read the instructions.”

Then I take the box to the UPS store and hope they don’t drop it or drop it too hard. I figure if the driver doesn’t pull it sideways and uses it to step over once or twice, it will survive the ride.

So I’m insuring it for retail value!

I received an email from Debra Beatty who followed these instructions in sending a window to Grenada from California via US Postmaster Ground and it arrived safely. But I have had times where customers got their windows with a small tear, I think those times were because the gasket was so tight it wouldn’t give.

I took several photos to illustrate what I am talking about in this article. You don’t have to see them, but if you want to go to our betterstainedglass site and read this article
19Aug
The Unofficial Story of Cribbage and Sir John Suckling

One of England’s greatest contributions to Western civilization is the Cribbage card game, at least in the opinion of avid Cribbage players. Sir John Suckling is responsible for bringing us the game we love today. Although there is no evidence to truly prove that Sir John Suckling was the creator of Cribbage, he is at least the one responsible for publishing and spreading the game across the country.

Sir John Suckling, poet, playwright, master bowler/player and notorious womanizer, was born at Whitton, between Twickenham and Hounslow, Middlesex, on 10 February 1609. He was born into a very prominent family in England, although after death from his mother when he was four years old, his father was in charge of raising the boy. His father was a member of the English Parliament and was the “controller” of the king’s household until his untimely death in 1627. Sir John was 18 when his father died and was old enough to inherit the estate considerably. great of his father. After receiving the inheritance, he spent countless amounts of money on travel, women and, of course, gambling.

In 1623 he matriculated at Trinity College, Cambridge and then at Gray’s Inn in 1627. At the young age of 18, he pursued a military career, joining Gustavus Adolphus’s army during the Thirty Years’ War. At the age of 21, Suckling was knighted by King Charles I. The king quickly regretted the decision, so he breastfed left court and became involved in several different military adventures. He is said to have served on an expedition against France and to have fought in Lord Wimbledon’s regiments in the service of the Dutch. In October 1631, Sir John joined Sir Henry Vane, who was serving under Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden. In 1632, Suckling quickly returned to the good graces of King Charles after delivering the dispatches, on Vane’s orders, and after completing his mission he returned and remained in England.

After that, he filled his time playing games, womanizing, and serving in the military for the rest of the decade. This is where he is said to have invented the beloved game of cribbage, which had some similar features to the Noddy and One-and-Thirty games. Although when the Scottish war of 1639 began, he left his beloved letters and women to form a troop of 100 horsemen and his army joined King Charles in the north. When the war ended peacefully in 1639, Sir John returned to London. He was elected to Parliament in 1640, but in May 1641 he was involved in a vain attempt to free a political prisoner, Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Stratford, from the Tower of London. Sir John Suckling was accused of treason and had to flee to France with very few belongings and almost no financial help to avoid arrest.

In order to establish some form of financial security in one of his darkest hours, Suckling began selling a large number of marked decks of cards and distributed them to the wealthier population of the region. He then he began to play cards where marked cards were distributed. In 1642, Sir John Suckling was believed to have committed suicide by taking poison. It has been said that his greatest achievements were the lyrics to “why so pale” and “wan fond lover?” and for Cribbage, which has changed very little since the days of Suckling and is one of the most popular card games in the English-speaking world.
19Aug
New diet to lose weight “Eating according to the color of your eyes”

You have no doubt heard of the popular book “The Blood Type Diet”. In fact, the blood ‘type’ you have is identified by the presence or absence of antigens called A and B. The blood type you have is significant only with regard to blood transfusions (and in some cases identifying paternity, since it receives its blood type). From your parents). If you receive blood from someone who has an antigen you don’t have, your body will sense a foreign invader and trigger an immune response. This can be a dangerous reaction. Therefore, blood types are identified in case you need to receive blood one day. Period.

There is absolutely no significance in relation to your diet, your food tolerances, allergies or reactions to food! The fact that someone has written a book called “Eating According to Your Blood Type” is similar to writing a book called “Eating According to the Color of Your Eyes”. So, now I will tell you how to eat better according to the color of your eyes to help you lose weight:

There are groups of people who have blue eyes, others who have brown eyes, and some who have green eyes. If both parents have blue eyes, you will too, just like if both parents have type O blood, you will. So these characteristics can be seen amongst others in your family, just go ahead and ask them!

Okay, first of all, any of you with blue eyes, listen up! You have light eyes and you really like sandwiches; especially the high carb ones. I am right? You like to eat a donut or a coffee cake late in the morning. It acts as a real pick-me-up to keep you active until lunchtime, and of course donuts taste great (because your eyes are blue!) You love eating chips or cookies from the vending machine in the afternoon. You have a craving for something sweet or salty a couple of hours after lunch, and that little chewy treat satisfies you until dinnertime. Finally, you often crave something to snack on at night while watching TV. How do I know this? Your eyes are blue! Mine are too. I like to have a snack

How can we lose weight? Here’s how: Find a lower-calorie substitute for the snacks you’re currently eating. There are fantastic 100 calorie snack bags so you can have a package of mini hostess cake at the end of the morning, some whole wheat or cheese sandwiches in the afternoon, and a Skinny Cow ice cream bar at night. Yes, even though you have blue eyes and like to snack, you can still lose weight, just watch your snacks.

Now for those of you with brown eyes: you like sweets, especially chocolate. And you like peanut butter. Of course yes; I know because your eyes are brown. I have friends with brown eyes, they like chocolate and peanut butter. So, you like to eat peanut M&M’s, Snickers bars, chocolate pecan ice cream, and other high-calorie treats. This makes you gain weight. You gain weight when you eat chocolate and peanut butter because your eyes are brown! And because these are very high-calorie foods. What can you do about it?

First of all, keep in mind that the taste for chocolate or peanut butter is not really a physiological craving. You don’t need chocolate. You just like it because it tastes good. So know that if you can wait until your craving passes and not gobble down a king-size Snickers bar or double Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, you’ll be fine. For every 300 calories you can let go (check the labels on those candy bars), you’ll lose three more pounds by the end of the month. This could be nine pounds a month if you’re indulging three times a day!

If you still want the flavor (of course you do!), then learn portion control. Again, many of the 100-calorie snack bags are foods you’d enjoy; chocolate covered pretzels, crunchy pecan butter cookies, and chocolate chip cookies. There are low-calorie brands of ice cream and you need to measure out a ½ cup portion when you eat it, rather than pouring ice cream into the bowl until it’s full (yes, I know that’s what you do, because your eyes are brown).

And finally, we come to the smallest percentage of the population: those with pretty green eyes. Unfortunately, you are predisposed to taste for foods that contain fat! This is unfortunate because fats have twice the calories of carbohydrates. You like donuts, fries, cakes, and pies. Cookies, brownies, and ice cream are also sources of fat, as are sour cream, butter, and salad dressings. You have green eyes, so I know you’re not someone who likes a baked potato or a naked salad. He usually orders fries or a milkshake when he goes out for fast food.

What can you do to lose that weight? Start limiting your portions of these foods. Write down everything you eat for a week. See how many times a day, on average, you indulge in one of these high-fat foods. Now make a decision to cut this down to once a day, at the most. If you have a donut, you don’t also get a milkshake later that day; if they give you fried fish you don’t also have french fries; if you eat cake after lunch, you don’t also get ice cream after dinner. You have green eyes – you need to find other ways to take care of yourself during the day besides eating these high-fat foods!

To all colored eyed people out there, best of luck with your weight loss efforts! I’m sure you’ll be able to lose weight after choosing low-calorie snacks, reducing portion sizes, cutting back on calories from snacks, and finding other ways to de-stress besides eating high-calorie foods.

I should add here, that this is a spoof, in case anyone thinks these tips are scientifically related to your eye color. The good news is that these tips actually Will work for you regardless of the color of your eyes!
19Aug
Labor Law and Employment: What to expect in 2012

1. Limitations on employee credit checks.

California employers have long enjoyed the right to conduct background checks that involved reviewing applicants’ credit reports before extending job offers. This practice, as of January 1, 2012, will cease to be — without very specific conditions. This is because a new law has been enacted to prevent the exclusion of applicants based on derogatory reports.

Specifically, the Consumer Credit Reporting Agency Act has been amended to prohibit everybody Employers review consumer reports unless an employer is a financial institution or review an application/promotion for an exempt managerial position. If that employer is hiring an individual to fill certain positions for the California Department of Justice, holding a law enforcement position, or a position where such research is required by law (i.e., teaching, etc.), Credit checks will be allowed. Disclosure and consent to obtain such information is still required, and failure to do so could result in civil penalties and fines.

2. Written Commission Agreements.

Employers offering commission incentives in California can only do so if these agreements have been recorded in writing signed by an employee. Failure to put commission agreements in writing can expose an employer to fines of up to $100 per day.

3. Qualify as exempt or not?

Employee misclassification continues to be a hotbed of litigation, and the 2012 legal changes reflected in federal and state laws will likely raise more concerns than employers have seen in the past. Specifically, SB 459 proposes that California employers be penalized for misclassifying the status of employees to the tune of about $25,000 for willful misclassifications. If the evidence proves that an employer should have known that an employer was not an independent contractor and/or “exempt” rather than “non-exempt,” the business may be required to post a public notice publicizing the willful violation by up to one (1 year. In addition, any and all employees found to have jointly participated in any employee misclassification may also be subject to fines and penalties. Federal regulatory agencies such as the IRS have agreed to work with local government to help identify employers who may be subject to sanctions for irregular practices.To be sure, at MMC we continue to stress the importance of getting it right when it comes to identifying who in your workforce is an employee and whether he or she is exempt or not exempt Now, more than ever, may be the time for a compensation audit.

4. Domestic Partners/Spouses Entitled to Equal Protection – For Benefits.

The California Equal Benefits Act stands as one of the most significant changes in state law regarding obtaining benefits for same-sex couples. In the past, some employers limited benefits to only those spouses who were in a recognized legal marriage. This meant that for those partners who were in unions teetering on Proposition 8 legal status, they might not be eligible for insurance benefits if tied to a partner’s employment. This will no longer be the case on January 1, 2012. Legal amendments to state benefit laws now require that coverage extended to any spouse or partner also be extended to all spouses/partners of workers, regardless of gender.

5. Bone Marrow and Organ Donors Entitled to 30 Days of Unpaid Leave.

Licensing laws for organ or bone marrow donors also have specialized legislation in 2012. According to AB 272, organ donors in California have up to 30 business days of license, and bone marrow donors can enjoy a license up to five (5) days. business days within a 12-month period.

6. Pregnancy Disability Insurance Benefits with Right to Special Protection.

Prior to January 1, 2012, the law allowed women who had gone on pregnancy disability leave to enjoy the same level of benefits as all employees with similar disabilities. However, after the enactment of [arguably] greater protections for this class of women, California employers in 2012 must now sponsor health care benefits for women who are on pregnancy leave. In other words, if employees on non-pregnancy-related leave of absence are entitled to employer-sponsored benefits for only up to 12 weeks and must bear all costs to continue benefits in week 13, this rule no longer applies. it will not apply to women on maternity leave. . Regardless of the week of childbirth-related leave, employers must maintain the level of contribution to health care benefits until the employee returns from an approved leave.

7. FEHA expanded to provide more protections.

Recently signed SB 559 and AB 887 have been amended to reflect changes to California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) in 2012. FEHA will now prohibit employers in this state from discriminating against employees on the basis of genetic information and “gender expression”. In addition to prohibiting discrimination based on race, religion, [apparent] gender, sex, sexual orientation, perceived medical condition and marital status, among others. The Legislature noted that the range of protection provided by the federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) is not complete for California and may result in job loss or refusal to hire based on genetic testing. of an individual, the biological disposition to certain genetic conditions, a person’s gender-related appearance or behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with a person’s assigned sex.

8. Regulation of Procedure of the Anticipated DFEH.

Effective October 7, 2011, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) has instituted new rules regarding procedures for filing, investigating, and processing complaints of discrimination and harassment. DFEH is the state agency charged with enforcing the state’s Fair Employment and Housing Act and handling complaints of discrimination and harassment. In general, the regulations make it easier for complainants to file complaints and initiate a DFEH investigation. This is because the Department must apply a liberal interpretation to complaints and an employer can no longer argue that an Open Door Policy never resulted in the employee filing the claims alleged in the complaint and thus preclude the validity of employee claims. The result may be positive in that fewer plaintiffs’ attorneys may request automatic right-to-sue letters, which lead to lawsuits, and the Department’s mediation services may make informal resolution more of an option than before. . Fingers crossed with optimism that this is the end result.

9. Newsflash: Brinker Meals and Rest Periods Case Review.

On November 11, 2011, the California Supreme Court heard the long-awaited drinker issue that has kept plaintiffs and defenders employment law attorneys alike on pins and needles. Briefly, the case raises the question of whether an employer is required to “police” the workplace to ensure that meal and rest periods are actually taken. Interestingly, the Court’s investigation into whether employees retain more control over their working hours when they choose to work alone during lunch or meal periods might indicate that the Court is unwilling to accept that employers have a duty to compel employees to take their lunches and meal periods. . In other words, the suggestion that an employer should force an employee to clock out and eat lunch, in order to avoid penalties and fines, undermines workers’ control over their working hours. The Court is not expected to publish its decision until February 2012. This decision is definitely something to watch out for.

10. Update of the exemption for IT employees.

Bipartisan legislation introduced in the US Senate in November could update the treatment of IT employees’ exemptions from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Section 13(a)(17) of the FLSA provides minimum wage and overtime exemptions for computer systems analysts, computer programmers, software engineers, or other workers with similar skills, provided that the specific job duties of these employees and the compensation meet certain requirements. Specifically, to qualify for a computer employee exemption under current law, the employee’s “primary duty” must consist of:

  • The application of systems analysis techniques and procedures, including consultation with users, to determine the functional specifications of the hardware, software or system;
  • The design, development, documentation, analysis, creation, testing or modification of computer systems or programs, including prototypes, based on and related to system or user design specifications;
  • The design, documentation, testing, creation or modification of computer programs related to machine operating systems; Prayed
  • A combination of the aforementioned functions, the performance of which requires the same level of skills.

In practice, the IT employee exemption does not reflect the evolution of IT and IT occupations. To remedy coverage lapsing, new legislation was introduced so that any employee working in a computer or information technology occupation (including, but not limited to, work related to computers, information systems, components, networks, or sites web) as an analyst, programmer, and the guy would be considered exempt as long as he or she makes $27.63 per hour. This bill is also one to watch for passage.
19Aug
Gas flatulence and pancreatic disorders

“I have the constant problem of gas and bloating after meals.” “My belly is full of gas,” many Americans say quite often. Typically, many people consider these symptoms to be “normal,” others take over-the-counter medications and hope for a quick fix.

What’s happening? What causes gas, bloating, flatulence, and many other digestive problems? The main reason for these symptoms is indigestion in the small intestine. The small intestine is a 30-foot-long tube chamber where 90% of fat and 50% of protein and carbohydrates are broken down by pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile into tiny particles that can pass through the wall of the intestine into the blood and lymph so that our body can use these particles to build our own cells and tissues.

When food is not digested properly, bacteria ferment it and produce a lot of intestinal gas. This gas has compounds of hydrogen, methane, sulfur and nitro. These toxic substances pass through the wall of the intestine poisoning the entire body. These toxins poison the nervous, immune, and hormonal systems. It is known that people with gas, bloating, unpleasant flatulence also suffer from fatigue, headache, depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, premenstrual syndrome, low thyroid, etc.

Collected inside, intestinal gas increases the pressure inside the abdomen causing constant bloating, cramps, pain and decreased microcirculation of the internal organs. This intestinal gas only has two exit routes: the mouth and the anus. Passing into the mouth, it causes pain in the upper abdomen, fullness, belching, heartburn, etc. If intestinal gas finds its way to the anus, it causes lower abdominal pain, flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, etc.

Much of intestinal gas has an interlocking connection to Candida yeast and parasite overgrowth. Friendly intestinal flora (probiotics) control the growth of opportunistic infections such as bacteria, yeast and parasites. If the amount of friendly intestinal flora is low, the opportunistic infection takes over the GI tract and resides in the small intestine. This condition is called small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Thanks to new technology, by indicating hydrogen or methane in exhaled air, doctors can recognize SIBO.

Digestion in the small intestine can only occur with the proper quality and quantity of pancreatic digestive enzymes and bile produced by liver cells. Abnormal pancreatic juice and bile are involved in almost all digestive disorders.

What causes bile and pancreatic juice problems? To realize that, one needs to know that the pancreas and the liver, which make bile, are alkaline glands. It means that bile or pancreatic juices are strong alkaline fluids. Released into the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine, alkaline bile and pancreatic juice normally create an alkaline environment there. It is essential for the normal work of pancreatic digestive enzymes, which can digest food only in the alkaline medium. Acidity damages the pancreas in many ways and stops the pancreatic digestive enzymes from working.

By the way, how to check whether the body is acidic or not? The easy way is to measure the pH of saliva and urine with litmus paper at home. If the pH of saliva and urine is frequently higher than 6.6, it shows that the body is acidic.

All of our cells are living organisms that breathe, eat, multiply and, of course, release waste products. These waste products are acids. The body has two major ways to combat excess acidity. First, the way is to neutralize acidity by minerals and bicarbonate collected in the body. We do not have an unlimited capacity of minerals and bicarbonate, therefore we need to constantly supply them with food and water.

The next way is to eliminate toxic acid products through urine, air, digestive juices, sweat, etc. I’m sorry to say, age and disease slow down this process. The human body strives to maintain a constant acid-alkaline balance in the blood to promote proper function of vital organs like the heart, lungs, and brain, sometimes at the expense of “less important” organs like the liver and brain. pancreas.

Acidic changes throughout the body lead to acidic changes in bile and pancreatic juice.
The acidity makes the bile “aggressive” and corrosive. The “aggressive” acidic bile irritates the ducts, valves and walls of the intestine causing inflammation, ulcers and “backflow” – reflux. On the other hand, acidic pancreatic juice decreases the activity of pancreatic digestive enzymes and leads to indigestion of food.

Another benefit of the alkaline pancreas is that the pancreatic digestive enzymes in addition to food digest uninvited invaders such as harmful bacteria, Candida yeast, and parasites. Conversely, low pancreatic function leads to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). As you already know, microorganisms, which ferment undigested food, produce a lot of intestinal gas. This gas drives the “aggressive” mix of acidic bile and pancreatic juice in the stomach causing gastroesophageal reflux with belching and heartburn.

To improve digestion and relieve intestinal gas, one needs to normalize their body’s acid-alkaline balance and naturally support the function of the pancreas.

Eating processed foods without natural digestive enzymes causes the pancreas to produce huge amounts of its own digestive enzymes to make up for that. Constant overwork exhausts the pancreas, so eating unprocessed foods with natural digestive enzymes can save and prolong pancreatic function. separate diet; Eating one type of food on time can also decrease the strain on the pancreas.

To normalize the body’s acid-alkaline balance, there are some vital ways: neutralize acidity by supplying the body with essential minerals and bicarbonates through food and water, stop eating acid-forming foods, and eliminate toxic acidic substances through the kidney. , liver and colon.

Unfortunately, modern men live an acid lifestyle. We have an epidemic of heartburn throughout the body from eating too many acid-forming foods, such as white flour, sugars, red meat, and dairy products. Alcohol, some medications, drugs, sedentary lifestyle, heavy metals also cause heartburn throughout the body. Candida yeast and parasite overgrowth also cause heartburn. Avoiding and eliminating these factors can normalize the acid-alkaline balance of the body, restore pancreatic work and normal digestion, thus stopping the constant production of intestinal gas.

We can naturally neutralize excess acidity in the body with alkaline minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and bicarbonate. Fresh vegetables and non-sweet fruits are the main source of these natural alkaline substances.

Another way to neutralize the acidity of the whole body is to drink healing mineral water. European doctors have recommended drinking Karlovy Vary mineral water either from the spring or by preparing it at home with genuine Karlovy Vary spring salt since 1764.

Karlovy Vary is a small town in the Czech Republic that has been the world-class healing mineral spa in Europe since the 18th century. Karlovy Vary healing mineral water is not the water that people drink when they are thirsty. This water is made up of vital mineral trace elements and bicarbonate and has been the subject of robust medical research and clinical observation. Many medical scientific articles confirmed that Karlovy Vary healing mineral water is very beneficial for people with digestive disorders.

Cellular magnesium supplementation: potassium can neutralize acid radicals, increases the pH of saliva and urine, which shows that the body obtains a normal acid-alkaline balance.

Being overweight, extra pounds, especially around the midsection, are symptoms of fatty liver and pancreas. Losing just a few pounds can improve gastrointestinal symptoms like heartburn, intestinal gas, burping, and flatulence.

The information in this article is presented for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for diagnosis, treatment and advice from a qualified licensed professional.
19Aug
Why do dogs get stuck when breeding?

Nature is really amazing! Nature has made a way to ensure that impregnation occurs in canine reproduction. If he has never seen dogs mating, he would probably be worried that his beloved pet would come to harm because some of them would whimper and appear injured as they stood end to end. Helping the dog by separating them could do more harm than good.

When the canine copulates, the male mounts the female from behind. A cooperative and receptive female would wag her tail to the side of her and allow the male to get a good grip on her. This is called marking. The act of reproduction in canines is very different from that of humans. A dog’s penis is not erect when it enters the bitch’s vagina. Penetration is achieved because a small bone inside the penis called the baculum keeps the penis rigid.

Once penetration is achieved, the bulbus glandis, an erectile tissue located at the base of the penis, swells with blood and traps the penis inside the bitch’s vagina. This is called the mating bond. The male dog usually swung his legs over the female’s back; he turns around so that the rear ends of the dogs are connected. Dogs would typically stay in this position for 5 to 30 minutes or even longer. Dogs will not be able to separate until ejaculation is over and the bulbus glandis is disengaged.

At the beginning of the mating bond, the male dog releases sperm and prostatic fluid. Sticking together while mating is normal for dogs. This ensures that the semen will enter the vagina and the dog will become pregnant. The mating loop prevents semen from escaping. A female dog in heat will attract male dogs. This is due to the distinctive odor that seems to announce the dog’s availability. It would not be unusual to see a female dog in heat surrounded by several males. The mating bond ensures that the breeding process is not interrupted. It will prevent the bitch from mating with other dogs.

The mating bond can be distressing to animals, especially if one or both are mating for the first time. Never try to separate dogs even if they appear to be injured or distressed. Closely supervise the dogs to prevent any accidents from occurring. A larger female that gets scared and panics can hurt the male and vice versa. You can drop to the ground to calm and calm the dogs until they part.