Important Hazards To Look For When Inspecting A Home

A house can contain a number of hazards that might not be obvious at first. These hazards can affect the selling price of a home. Some problems can build slowly over time until they start to cause major issues that make the house unlivable. There are several hazards to look for when inspecting a home.

Pests

It is important to always look for signs of pests in a property. Termites, roaches and mice can destroy structural elements of the home, lower air quality and cause damage that is costly to repair. Signs include small dark dropping that look like coffee grinds, dead pests or suspicious holes in walls, wood or window frames. Oily marks along baseboards could indicate mice or rats. Pest problems can often be easily solved by calling an exterminator immediately. Homes with a pest infestation should be inspected for cracks or damage that could allow insects and rodents into the house in the future.

Mold

Mold is serious hazard in homes. The spores can make respiratory problems worse. Some molds release toxic spores that can cause chronic health issues. Mold can grow inside of walls and ductwork. Buyers should look for discolored areas on walls especially where there is heat and moisture. Areas behind appliances, under sinks and in basements should be inspected. Removing mold requires professional abatement and potentially replacement of drywall or other parts of the house.

Asbestos

Asbestos is a substance that can cause cancer and other serious respiratory problems. It was used in the past as a fire retardant in homes and insulation. It is best to check attics, basements and around furnaces for thick grayish-white asbestos particles. Visual inspection will not reveal most asbestos. Professional asbestos testing should be performed on all homes build before 1981. Any signs of the harmful mineral will need to be removed immediately by an experienced asbestos disposal company. Asbestos can be removed completely making the house safe to occupy.

Radon

Radon is a dangerous gas that cannot be detected without special equipment. Radon rises naturally from the soil but can accumulate inside of homes. Radon is radioactive. The particles can cause lung cancer when breathed in over the course of many months or years. The only way to tell if radon is a problem is to install a detector. Radon detectors can give a fast reading in just a few days. The only way to deal with radon is to install a mitigation system that exchanges the air in the house or prevents the gas from entering the home.

Water Damage

Water damage is something that can destroy a house slowly over the course of many years. It can be hard to detect. Buyers will want to look for discolored areas on ceilings, floors and walls. Drooping ceilings can indicate previous water damage that might have rotted away joists. Houses that feel exceptionally humid or that have a strong mildew smell could have hidden water damage in the walls or floors. Repairing water damage usually involves finding the source, stopping the moisture and replacing any rotted materials.

Contributor: Sally Smith

Easy Ways to Keep an Office Clean and Tidy

Contributed by Sally Smith

A clean, organized and tidy office is essential for success and efficiency. Unkempt or dirty offices will look unprofessional if clients or vendors visit. This can affect business. Disorganized offices can affect employee performance and morale. Business owners and managers do not always know the best ways to maintain a clean workplace especially in larger companies. There are several ways to help keep an office tidy at all times.

Provide Cleaning Supplies and Bins

The reality is that small messes and disorganized areas will appear in an office every week. If there are no cleaning supplies available, then employees are less likely to maintain a tidy office. Employees should have access to general-purpose cleaners, paper towels and even tools for dusting. These supplies should be kept in a convenient area so workers can grab them quickly if a mess appears. Additionally, placing trash or recycling bins at every workstation or in every area will make cutting down on clutter and make throwing away unneeded papers easier.

Institute Policies about Tidiness

Business owners should let employees known that cleanliness is a priority in the office. The best way to do this is to institute office policies relating to tidiness. These can include basic rules like never eating at a desk and always using sealed drink containers. There could also be other policies about not storing items in walkways and not leaving stacks of papers in common areas. Just a few office policies and guidelines will encourage workers to keep the office tidy between visits from a commercial cleaning service.

Supply Organizational Tools

Cluttered and disorganized offices sometimes develop because there is simply nowhere to store papers and equipment. The way to solve this issue is to supply good organizational and filing tools. Filing cabinets should have more than enough space for all paperwork and records. There should be shelving or storage rooms for office equipment. Employees should have access to file folders, file trays and other tools. This will make it easier to keep the office organized so it appears cleaner and less cluttered.

Give Employees Time to Clean Personal Spaces

A practical way to keep an office clean and tidy throughout the year is to schedule time for employees to clean personal spaces. Providing just 15 minutes every one to two weeks will give employees time to wipe down all surfaces, throw away unneeded items and organize desks or workstations. Officially scheduling the time will make certain all employees actually do some regular cleaning. This same technique can be used to periodically assign employees to clean a common area like a lunchroom or copier room.

Schedule Professional Cleaners

The most effective way to keep an office clean and tidy is to schedule professional cleaners. Commercial cleaning services can come into the office after business hours and make sure every spill and overflowing trash bin is handled. The service will also keep surfaces clean, sanitary and looking professional. The cleaners should be scheduled for at least once a week. Larger offices with many employees might need cleaners every single day. Commercial services can take care of many of the cleaning details that employees cannot.

5 Weird Ways To Prove You Are A Witty Blogger

How to claim you are an exception on the blogosphere? The one full of wit? This is what you have: You've been blogging for many years and you are so confident about telling others that you are unique. Your blog contents are so amazing, you regard them as good quality ones, but, how come, you leave your comment box empty almost in all your post? How will anyone believe you?

You are sure your wit is the special quality to outdo other bloggers. You are not scared of a tight competition: Alexa rank, Google Pagerank, massive backlinks, what else, you name it, all "submit" to you. You have power to claim yourself as witty and you believe the way you express it so convincing.

But people need prove, you could not just be born witty, could you?

So how to claim it?

Do I look like a witty blogger?

There are many ways to show others you are a blogger of funnily smart contents. And here, I'll tell you about some crazy ideas how to do so.

1. Write a so-so blog and claim it is great. In About Me page tell your audience you are a witty blogger, write it also at every post you write, at your tweet, Facebook link, dig, StumbleUpon, etc, and keep repeating it. If necessary put your great picture like when you raise your eyebrows listening to a stand-up comedy.

2. Create a content about something which tells that you are irresistible, invite people, not to debate with, but to adore you. Thanks God if people would you like to comment there. If not, comment yourself and answer yourself.

3. Corrupt other contents. Being witty is being quick with funny remarks. This can often come across as being smart. Do you think you're smart enough to amuse your readers? Spoof a serious article, for example, a writing about finance, rewrite it into something silly. Like, Nothing to worry about your financial condition as long as you can tell jokes to business people.

4. Create a weird page on Facebook, conduct a contest about the most amusing blogger in the world. Use your wit, pay people to vote for you.

5. Email friends, relatives and acquaintances, or if you think that's not enough, email some strangers. In your signature write, "I'm a witty blogger, don't you want to know about me?"

If you don't think the weird ways above are worth trying, perhaps, you should try to be a witty daydreamer first and tell your own jokes to anybody who would like to listen to you.

Well, just learning to tickle your fancy!

Best Apps For Your IPhone: The Top 10

By Suraj Singh Bhui

Apple gives iPhone users some of the best applications ever! iPhone users can avail of applications for everything from file-managers to smart calendars to some great games. You can choose from hoards of amazing applications, most of which are free!

This list contains what we think are the best apps in India for your iPhone.

1. PhotoSynth



The panorama application as fun as it is easy to use. It is especially fun watching the panoramas take shape while you capture them. This application from Microsoft for your iPhone will surely gives you the best deal for the price.

2. Facebook

Explore and experience the best social networking in the world on your iPhone shine in all its glory. The latest Facebook app comes new inbox features and a sense of focus that makes the iPhone in many ways superior to using the app on a desktop browser.

3. LinkedIn Pulse



Linkedin plus is one of the best applications for the best mobile phones. It is customized to give you a great news reading experiences, and let you share stories to your favourite social networks and explore compelling professional content.

4. National Rail Inquiries

For a frequent traveler, the National Rail inquiries app is a lifesaver. After the discontinuation of the original, free third-party National Railapp, the National Rail brought out its own free application. The application lets you check live train times, get notifications of delays and also helps you plan your journeys.

5. Skype



If you thought Facetime was big, Skype is magnanimous. Skype on the iPhone is user friendly as the interface is very simple and usable. It enables anyone with a Skype account to make free calls to other Skype users. Users can also make cheap calls to anyone, anywhere in the world.

6. Movies by Flixter

This application is especially a delight for movie buffs. The app provides a cinema listing of the latest releases. When you select a movie, it detects where you are located at that point and tell you the most suitable theater and the most suitable time to watch that movie.

7. Thomson Reuters News Pro

Keeping up-to-date has never been so easy before. Reuters News Pro will give you the latest and the best on your iPhone. Furthermore, the preferences options enable you to access news, pictures, videos and stock market coverage.

8. Run Keeper

Run Keeper is your Nike+ but better and for free! With iPhones GPS capabilities, you can keep a tab on your jogging and cycling routes; see details of your pace and check the calories burned. You can also go ahead and share all you did, online.

9. Drop box



Dropbox makes transferring content between your computer and your device, child`s play. All you need to do is choose a file; sync in a folder and onto your drop box. This will enable you to access it anytime, anywhere.

10. Tone Pad

You can now start your own band in the comfort of your home. Tone Pad features a whole lot of sound samples and banks, letting you create songs! With this application, you are offered virtual pianos and guitars and other instruments all in one app.

It is hard to choose the best applications from the zillions of options available in the market. However, we have chosen these on the basis of their utility, looks and user friendliness.

Through the years, iPhone have come to know for their support and compatibility for the most useful, exciting apps. From these we have chosen what we believe are the best in fields of travel, news, photography, social networking, productivity and more.

Suraj is a tech geek, always on the move to know something more about gadgets that re-innovate the world, gadget and gizmos crazy.

Personal Injury - Get the Money You Deserve

Contributed by Sally Smith

If you believe you have a legitimate personal injury case, you may need to consult the services of a lawyer. We will give you advice on how to negotiate with your insurance company, advise you on how much your case may be, and ultimately teach you how you can determine legal liability.

Do I Need a Lawyer?

If you have experienced the following, you may need to consult a law firm:

• An accident that significantly affects your functional day to day capabilities over a year or even permanently.

• An event that results in an altered appearance over a year or permanently.

• A severe injury that leads to a large sum of medical bills.

• Suffering an illness or injury due to medical malpractice. This includes: incompetent, unprofessional, or careless treatment by a medical professional.

• An insurance company refusing to pay.

If you are currently experiencing some of the following situations, you may want to consult the guidance of a law firm.

How Do I Negotiate with My Insurance Company?

You may be in a situation where you have sent your demand letter to the insurance company. After this process, you will enter a series of phone calls with an insurance adjuster. During this time, there will be a conversation about different points of the claims. After this episode is completed, you will probably be offered a lower number then what you asked for in your demand letter, therefore you will have to demand a higher amount.

It is recommended that you do not jump at the very first offer. You may want to deduct a slight amount off your initial demand just to show that you are reasonable. You should have an amount after approximately 2 or 3 insurance calls. After you and the insurance adjustor have come to an agreement – it’s time to put the settlement into writing.

In the final agreement letter, you want to keep it extremely short, only mentioning the amount in which you settled, the date by which you expect to receive the settlement, and the overall damages that are being covered by the settlement.

How Much Is My Personal Injury Case Worth?

Before you negotiate your claim, it is important to figure out how much your case is really worth. It really comes down to your total amount of “damages”. While monetary damages are included in the figure, there are other things such as physical, mental, and psychological damage as well.

You may receive compensation for income that you lost due to an injury. Other compensatory damages include: property loss as a result of someone else’s negligence, emotional distress because of the psychological impact of an injury, and much more.

At the end of the day, if you do believe you have a legitimate personal injury case, we do recommend that you seek the consultation of a law firm. Also, it is important to note that most states expect you to take action following an injury. This includes seeking medical attention or the help of a psychologist.

Social Media And You - How To Improve Your Communication

By Mary Miller

Within this article you will see how social media networks are detrimental to communication and how social media may be used to both approach a decent level of communication and how to further improve your communication with social media.

Be aware that social media does not improve your communication

Social media networks are great for increased communication, but are terrible for improving communication. For example, Facebook has broken up more marriages than the invention and use of the paternity test. Is it because Facebook brings out the worst in your spouse? No, it’s because communication on social media is so wildly open to interpretation that people can make innocent comments appear horrible in nature and intent.

You need to go above and beyond to improve your communication on social media

How you improve your social media communication is to first recognize that you need to improve your communication. It is to understand that even now there are people misinterpreting your posts and your comments. You do not have to feel so bad about it because social media is not the only place this happens. Any article writing professional will tell you that his or her work has fallen in to the hands of people who have warped it and become angry at it.

A picture says a thousand words - except a picture of some text

They say a picture says a thousand words because of how we interpret it. During an essay review of a history paper, a student may say that a picture showing the invasion of the Nazi shows the local populace being quite happy about it. You could see the picture and notice the many people at the back of the crowd who are not so happy.
Both you and the essay student are correct, it is just that you are both interpreting the picture a little differently. In an ideal world you need to lower interpretation so that your message is the one that is most likely to shine through.

Lowering the amount of interpretation

The bad news is that you have to turn in to a sideshow lawyer and cover as many bases as you can with your text. Here are three sentences that all mean the same thing, and how they may be interpreted:

1 - We worked hard to get every parcel out on time.

2 - Our staff worked hard to ensure parcels were delivered on time.

3 - Our staff made sure every order was posted on time
The first two lines are similar, but social media commenters are going to say:

“Who're we?”

“Get every parcel out of what”

“Why do they have to work so hard just to do their job?”

“I didn't get my parcel on time”

With the third line it is less open to interpretation, and even if people say that they didn’t get their parcel on time, you can reply saying that it was “posted.”

Set up a counter response

Just like with line three on the example above, you have a counter response that is plausible, and that is that the item was “posted.” The other lines (especially line two) imply that the parcels were “delivered” which you cannot come back against if people claim it to be untrue. Think ahead about possible responses to other user comments and cover your bases.

Learn from experience

You are going to write things on social media that get other people angry and that you cannot defend and you will suffer a PR hit. You need to learn from experience so that you know the difference between saying something was “posted” and something was “delivered.”

Counter attack is not the right course

You need to learn from experience and write posts and comments that are less open to attack in the future. Do not go on the counter attack or lower yourself to the level of the people commenting. Do not apologize either, just handle it with tact and care and learn better for next time.

The article was contributed by Mary Miller. Mary is a student and article writing expert. She’s passionate about writing, education and traveling. She has recently started her online tutoring career and wants to share social media tips with other teachers.

Is Horse Riding Fun or Hard? Ask The Expert!

To some, horse riding is so much fun! Some other think it is hard. It is more than playing the piano. But don't say that to an obsessed pianist who dreams of rising to stardom. He will kick your ass! If you just got so fed up with it all of your hobbies, try to take to it.

That's what friends are for

You get the chance to create a bond with an animal and there's so much fun involved. Get ready to have your own horse and ask it about man riding, is that fun? Sure it is not. It is hard! We're not talking about how to copy Tom and Jerry to amuse those coach potatoes.

Regarding this you may get acquainted with Tom Jackson Tom is one of the country’s most talented young event riders, having represented Great Britain at the European Championships on the Young Rider team, winning a Silver medal in 2013 and previously on the Junior team, securing a Gold medal in 2011. 

Whether you already own a horse or are new to eventing and want to become involved, Tom would love to welcome you to his team. Each horse gets individual training directly with Tom and first class care and attention in his small and friendly yard where the horses and owners are of the utmost importance.

Never hold too tight of reins this will make the horse want to rear up. Well, this is not my suggestion as I myself have no idea about horse riding. Whether it is fun or hard! The fun thing is that you can make friend with this tough animal and won't let your horse be in pain and will want you off of it and that saddle! Before saddling make sure you brush the dirt and everything else off of it. Well Tom knows better about it.

Oh remember, please don't do such stupid things when you really want to ride along the country. Like when you think it is as sacred as a cow in India or wish someday it would share story with you orally. By the way, are you seeking a new horse at 2* level or above to compete this coming season? Well, if you have already become the master, surely, that's what you would do, wouldn't you? Nothing seems to be hard at all.

Is horse riding fun or hard? If you cannot play the piano and cannot outdo Stevie Wonder, I think it is.