RSS Email

5 Things Everyone Should Know About Cat Body Language

It is not easy to share your house with a feline family member. You always have to put your cups in the sink or middle of the table and accept that cat hair will be everywhere.

You also need to invest time to learn your cat’s body language for a good understanding and stronger bond. It can be a tail flick, head bop, slow blinks, etc. You have to keep an eye on every detail.

You should know about these primary things about your feline friend’s communication.

1.Cats Communicate With Their Tales

Tail language is the primary step in understanding your cat’s body language. You can conclude what your feline friend is up to with a wag, puff, or a single flick.

Every posture, movement, and walking style tells you something. Some tail messages are easier to understand than others. For instance, unlike dogs, cats do not wag their tails when they are happy. They wag it rapidly when they are unhappy.

You should give your cat space in that situation. The tail position also tells us about the cat’s mood. Your cat is happy and confident if it holds its tail high and upright. Your cat is uneasy with the environment or circumstances if its tail levels with the spine.

Untitled design (83)

2.Watch for These Signs of Extreme Physical Distress

For obvious reasons, your cats can not tell you when they are ill or hurt or feeling uncomfortable. They remain stoical and suffer alone. Their instinct is to hide pain because they belong to a predator family.

However, they can not hide the symptoms when the pain is severe. Several people miss interpreting these signals, which makes your cat feel more alone. One of the most noticeable stress signals is head pressing.

Your cat pressing its head against a solid object or wall is a serious sign that you should not ignore at all. It is a sign of neurological stress. It can be because of stroke, brain tumor, or poisoning. You should call your vet right away if you notice something like this.

3.Squinting One Eye

It is an alarming situation if your cat squints an eye. It can be because of eye irritation, bacterial infection, etc. It can also mean more severe issues like glaucoma, corneal ulcer, blepharospasm, and more. You need to be attentive if you find your cat squinting one eye before something serious happens.

4.Notice Your Cat’s Posture

Your cats’ overall posture gives you a decent understanding of what they want to say. You can notice changes in the way they hold their heads, breathe, or tension in their body.

A relaxed cat breath slowly, keeping its head high, ears forward, and muscles loose. This posture will change if your feline friend is stressed or nervous. You might see changes in its breathing patterns and sitting or standing position as your cat will sit or stand in a more hunched position.

5.Erected Fur

You need to be careful if your cat is displaying angry behavior. Never provoke an angry cat by shouting, staring, touching, or making sudden movements. Touching or comforting an angry cat acts like gasoline in a fire. Several reasons are there for an angry cat, and you should focus more on making the situation normal.

You should remove any visible threats and retreat slowly to give your cat the space and time it needs. You might also need to visit your vet if your cat displays angry behavior regularly.

Here are some symptoms of an angry cat.

1) An angry cat stays rigid and holds its tail stiff and straight. It can also curl its tail under or around its body,

2) It could be silent, spitting, hissing, or growling,

3) It will try to look larger and fierce with fur erect and stiffed legs,

4) Its ears will be more tensed, and the whiskers will be stiff and away from the face.

Untitled design (84)

Conclusion

Reading the body language of a pet you own is a necessary thing you need to learn. Your pets can not come to you and tell you about the problems they are experiencing. Regular communication with your vet is also a primary step for maintaining the well-being of your pets.




How To Buy Loose Wholesale Diamond Jewelry in McKinney

Loose diamonds can be a good choice if you plan to buy diamonds. They can be perfect for customized jewelry, and they can be of high quality compared with these mounted ones. When buying diamonds, it will be best to know more about them so you can get your money’s worth. There are a lot of loose wholesale diamonds for sale in McKinney, so be wise in picking the right diamond dealers to buy your loose diamonds from.

TeachJewelry is an online learning platform dedicated to teaching jewelry making techniques through video tutorials. With a wide range of courses covering topics such as beading, wire wrapping, metal stamping, and more, teachjewelry.com provides students with step-by-step instructions from experienced jewelry makers. The platform offers both free and paid courses at various skill levels, making it accessible to both beginners and advanced jewelers. Additionally, TeachJewelry provides students with a community forum to connect with other learners and ask questions. Overall, TeachJewelry is a valuable resource for anyone looking to learn or improve their jewelry making skills from the comfort of their own home.

What Are Loose Diamonds?

Loose diamonds are diamonds that are not attached to any settings or metals. They are rough diamonds that directly come from the mine and are polished and cut to be ready for selling. These diamonds can be bought as is and can be used for customized jewelry r fr other accessories.

Why Buy Loose Diamonds?

There are several reasons to opt for a loose diamond, and here are some of them:

Better Quality

Loose diamonds can be evaluated well since every corner is visible, which means they can be graded according to their real value. The loose diamond can be checked although out compared with those mounted ones where there are non-visible corners. So by getting a loose diamond, you can be 100% of their quality grade.

Get Your Money’s Worth

When you opt for loose diamonds, you get your money’s worth since they are graded according to their real properties. Diamonds are expensive, so it will be best to buy a diamond that is indeed equivalent to your money.

Perfect for Personalized jewelry

Loose diamonds can be matched with your preferred metal and settings since they are not attached to any of them yet. You can make your jewelry more personalized by picking the settings and metals that match you or the wearer if you are planning to give it as a gift.

Untitled design (12)

How To Buy Diamonds Wholesale

GIA certification

A diamond certificate can tell the real properties of the diamond. That’s why all legit diamond stores sell their diamonds with a certification. The most popular and reliable diamond evaluator is the Gemological Institute of America. If the store has GIA-certified diamonds, then you are assured that the grades of the diamond are accurate. So check on the certification of the diamond when purchasing them.

Finding The Perfect Diamond

Finding the perfect diamond requires you to be knowledgeable about the 4cs of the diamond, which is as follows:

● Color

Diamonds are often colorless, and they are graded based on the degree of how colorless they are. The lesser the yellow tint on a diamond, the better. Colorless diamonds are categorized under D to F. However, they are rare and expensive, and the next grade is the colorless ones that range from G to H; these grades are the most recommended ones since they are more affordable and available.

● Clarity

Diamonds have flaws that are created when they are forming, and they are called inclusions. The clarity of the diamond is graded according to the flaws they have, the more fl as the lessee value of a diamond. Diamonds with naked eye inclusions are big. No, choose diamonds with lesser visible inclusions.

● Carat

Diamonds are priced per carat, so better know your choice of diamond so you can decide how much budget to allot for your diamond. Shapes of the diamond have different pricing, so be familiar with the pricing by checking the prices on the internet or online platforms of diamond stores.

● Cut

Get an excellent cut diamond since poorly cut diamonds can affect the overall quality. So choose stores that have expert diamond cutters to have a good cut of your loose diamonds.

Untitled design (13)

Where to Buy Loose Diamonds in Mckinney

Deciding where to buy your diamond in Mckinney can be challenging since there are a lot of diamond stores in your area. Before you finalize your decision, make sure to check all ten possible diamond stores in your area, they do your research. Check on their diamonds as well as feedback from previous customers. Comparing them can help you determine which shop can offer the diamond you are looking for.

The question on how to buy loose wholesale diamond jewelry? Has been answered, so start looking for the diamond store now to find the right loose diamond for you.




How To Give Your Blackjack Play That Extra Edge

Of all the card games offered by online casinos, it’s probably blackjack that’s the most popular. There are a number of reasons for this, but the most obvious of these is just how easy it is to play, even for the novice.

That’s not to say that it’s easy to win consistently. But at least you can play safely in the knowledge that it is the game that offers the lowest house edge. This is the profit that an online casino calculates to make from a game. In the case of blackjack, this figure is close to 0.5% of the bets wagered, whereas, for slots, it’s more likely to be 5% or more.

The game itself has a long and noble history. Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote, described a very similar game being played in the 16th century, and it was also very popular in 18th century France where it was called Vingt-Un.

As a historical side note, it only became known as blackjack when casinos in the US devised the new rule that the winning hand of an ace of spades and any other card of the same suit worth ten would pay out at 3:2 instead of the usual 1:1.

The Essentials of How to Play

At this stage, it’s worth quickly running through how a typical hand will play out following the rules of online blackjack.

It’s you against the dealer, and the first step is to place your stake in front of you. Then you will then receive two cards, face-up, and the dealer will give themselves two. One will be face up, the other face down.

Your aim is to get as close as possible to 21 and closer than the dealer. It may be you already have 21 from your two cards. In this case, as long as the dealer can’t match it, you win.

Untitled design (39)

If you don’t have blackjack, then you have two options: to hit and receive another card or to stand and wait for the dealer to reveal their hand.

Sometimes this is an obvious choice if you have either a very high hand, say an 18 or 19, or a low hand of a 6 or 7. For those in the middle, something called the basic strategy comes in very useful, as you will shortly see.

While you are free to play as you like, there are stricter rules governing the dealer who may be forced to hit or stand depending on their hand. The precise rules differ from casino to casino, but it certainly acts in your favor.

The Basic Strategy

If you take away one lesson from reading this, it’s how important it is to learn something called the basic strategy. This comes in the form of a set of tables with information that has been calculated using a sophisticated computer program.

It breaks down all of the possible permutations of hands and lets you know whether to hit or stand in any given situation. It’s not infallible – otherwise, casinos would ban its use – but it certainly tips the odds a little more in your direction.

The information to be memorized may seem a little daunting to you at first. But a combination of study and actual game experience will mean it soon becomes second nature.

Hard and Soft Hands

Start playing blackjack, and you’ll undoubtedly come across the expressions “hard” and “soft” hands. This has nothing to do with the difficulty of playing them. Rather, “soft” refers to hands that contain an ace which you can choose to play either as a one or an eleven without taking your hand over 21. A “hard” hand can also contain an ace, but the other cards in hand mean that it can only be played as one if you’re not going to bust.

Untitled design (40)

Splitting Hands

One technique that can prove to be very profitable is splitting hands. This becomes possible when you are dealt a pair. You have the option of doubling your stake and then playing two hands at the same time. In the ideal scenario, both of the hands will beat the dealer’s, and, even if just one of them does, you’ll at least cover your stake.

Conventional wisdom says that if you receive a pair of aces or 8s, you should always split your hand. But 4s, 5s, or 10s should never be split as you run the risk of either resulting in low hands or going bust.

So these few tips will be a good introduction to the enticing and intriguing game of blackjack. It’s also a game where you never stop learning – and that’s another reason why it has so many devotees all around the world.

Hopefully, you’re now ready to join them!




5 Proven Business Opportunities in the Booming CBD Industry

Statistics show that the CBD industry is quickly becoming one of the most growing and profitable businesses. For the next few years, experts project more than 50% annual growth.

Many individuals are switching to CBD products as they contain cannabinoids essential for various health effects.

Venturing into one of the business opportunities such as Smokea Recyler Bong, in this booming industry guarantees you the best returns. However, with the wide nature of this industry, you may find it daunting to choose the appropriate bongs business opportunities to enhance your return.

In this article, we spoke to Qes Hussain, the founder of Mission C, about the proven and profitable business opportunities you can consider in the CBD online industry. Here are his top tips for anyone thinking of starting up in this very competitive industry.

1. Invest in CBD-infused Treats and Snacks

Cannabinoids offer various digestive benefits. The digestive benefits make individuals switch to CBD-infused foods in their edibles. You can venture into production and selling CBD-infused snacks and treats.

Investing in CBD-infused snacks and treats offers the best and most profitable way to get the best returns in this industry.

Besides the treats and snacks, you can incorporate the business with gummies to get higher returns. However, before investing in these foods, invest your time and resources in searching for popular and profitable foods.

Studies show that vending honey, ice cream, and cookies on your platform offers the best opportunity for making a living with CBD online.

2. Run a CBD Blog

Experts reveal that running a CBD blog is one of the most proven business opportunities to seize in the industry. Running a CBD online blog resembles affiliate listing, but this business opportunity enhances or marks your authority in this industry.

It’d help if you researched appropriate ways to create and run your CBD blog. Creating and running a successful social media platform or CBD blog helps bolden your brand in the industry.

You can use the influence you get or accumulate to sell different products or consider affiliate links. Running a blog is the appropriate and cost-effective way to create a mark in this profitable industry.

3. Start CBD Delivery Services

The number of cannabinoid consumers is rapidly increasing as most states pass laws to legalize these products.

With the increase, you can maximize the income or profits by having shipping or delivery services at a cost. You can start your brand by providing CBD delivery service to consumers within and outside town.

Nevertheless, before you venture into this business, you invest in a van and get a valid driver’s license to enhance easy transportation.

After acquiring this essential equipment, you can offer CBD delivery services to small and local stores. Working with different consumers and suppliers will help you increase your profit.

4. Invest in CBD Product Affiliate Listing

Choosing to advertise or list CBD products has become one of the best and most effective ways to maximize the returns in this industry. You can consider being a CBD Affiliate to start to advertise or list different CBD products from different brands.

Advertising the different brands via affiliates helps you make more money or profit after the brand makes a sale. Nevertheless, it’d help if you had a strong social media or online influence to succeed with this opportunity.

Untitled design(342)

Your profits or commissions can help you enhance your marketing skills and functional listing. Before venturing into this business, seeking advice or guidance from relevant and experienced experts will be vital.

5. Start a CBD Specialty Restaurant or Cafe

Surveys reveal that starting a CBD food industry or beverage cafe offers the best way to maximize profits from this industry.

Research and start a CBD cafe in one of the busy towns providing various CBD products or drinks. Customizing these products offers the best way to sell to numerous customers and get more revenue.

Starting this business doesn’t require a lot of capital, as you don’t need to worry about labeling or packaging these products.

When venturing into this business, you can start by sourcing the products or ingredients from wholesalers and infusing them into the food. You can consider takeaway services to reduce the cost of hiring space for your customers.

Turning An Idea Into A Reality

No matter what kind of CBD business you choose, it’s vital that you know how to turn an idea into a reality. Creating a profitable company isn’t always easy, and there are lots of steps that need to be taken to increase your chances of success. For starters, you must ensure that you are actively marketing and advertising your new brand to reach a wide audience. If you aren’t putting any effort into spreading the word about your new products or services, then you’re unlikely to receive enough attention to warrant the time, money and energy required to open your new business. Hosting an event can be a great way to get people talking about your CBD restaurant, blog, or any other business type. You can gather hundreds of people together to discuss and sell your new venture, but just make sure you secure a good event WiFi rental so that your attendees can easily share their experiences and photos online! Never rush the process of creating your CBD business, as you need to give yourself the best chance of turning your ideas into a reality in the most productive and profitable way.

Wrapping Up

Various studies show that CBD is one of the industries experiencing immense growth and impacting many individuals. Many individuals are switching to cannabinoid products due to their numerous health effects. Besides impacting your consumer’s life, investing in CBD online increases your revenue or profit. Above are proven business opportunities you can venture into in this lucrative industry.




Importance of a Home Security System for Your Family Safety

Moving into a new home is one of the most exciting things that you can do for your family. It requires a lot of careful planning and decision-making. Choosing the location, the price, and the look and feel of a home is a lot to cover. Once all of that is done, and people finally settle in their new home, they often relax and neglect one key element; their home security.

This is an essential part of any household for ensuring the safety of your home, possessions, and, most importantly, your beloved family. Good home security should include a few crucial components because there is more than one way for things to go bad. Luckily, a well-organised and comprehensive home security system should cover all of the potential issues. Here is an overview of why setting up a home security system is so important for your family’s safety.

Constant monitoring

One of the best ways to feel secure in your home is to have access to constant information on its security status. This is where installing security cameras can provide peace of mind for you and your family members. However, doing this will not only make you feel safer overall, but it will also allow you to do things that you might not have been able to do before.

This is especially useful for families who are constantly on the go and they frequently have to travel. The good thing is that the live-camera feed can keep your home safe even when you are not there. This goes hand in hand with other home security devices such as alarms and detectors, which can notify the emergency personnel if necessary. Along with this, it is useful to know that some local regulations might require you to have camera footage to verify an emergency event where an alarm was triggered before first responders can be dispatched.  

Stop burglars

A good way to stop burglaries is to prevent them in the first place by providing obvious signs of home security. You can use stickers, yard signs, and visibly-placed security cameras to let everyone know that you have full surveillance of the home. This has been found to significantly reduce crime rates associated with home invasions and burglaries, which are often founded on opportunism.

A study by Joe Kuhns, a professor from the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, has found that nearly 60% of burglars plan their invasion attempts for less than 24 hours before the break-in. The first thing that they look for is whether the home is secured. That is why you have nothing to lose by clearly indicating that you have your home security systems in place.  

Prevent fires

Apart from burglaries, and home vandalizations, one of the most common threats also comes in the form of various external factors which cause fires. It has been found that nearly 25% of home insurance claims relating to damage caused by fires.

This is because all it takes is a small spark to ignite the entire household. Once there is a fire in your home, there is very little you can do before things get ugly and out of control. Quick reaction time is the crucial determining factor for preventing any significant damage. That is why most homes have smoke, heat, and fire detectors along with sound alarms to alert the homeowners. These alarms can also immediately notify your local fire department. Every second counts and you could potentially save your entire home if these essential home security devices are operating optimally.

Detect gases

In addition to fires, odorless gases can be quite deadly. The problem is that they are extremely difficult to detect. This is especially true when your family is occupied minding their hectic daily activities. Gases can be dangerous in a multitude of ways; some of them are extremely poisonous, and yet they have no odor, so there is no way to tell until it’s already too late, and others are extremely flammable.

Carbon monoxide is one of the most common causes of poisoning for tens of thousands of people each year. The problem is that symptoms look like common flu and are often misdiagnosed for this very reason. That is why installing a carbon monoxide detector is an essential part of any home security system.

Optimise your insurance

Implementing a home security system doesn’t only ensure safety but also benefits your finances because most home insurers offer considerable discounts if you have a professional home security system installed.

 Moving into a new home is an immensely exhilarating thing to do with your family. Everything is so new and full of potential. Unfortunately, this is not the whole story. The fact is that most people overlook securing their homes with a good security system. This is important for several reasons; it allows for constant and remote home monitoring, it deters burglars and stops home trespassing, and it also prevents fires. In addition, it can help you detect dangerous odorless gases and save money on insurance premiums.

 




New 2022 Slot Machines

All new releases from different studios are united by stunning design, an exciting story, and a wide range of useful features. Microgaming, the award-winning software provider for the online gambling industry, is introducing a plethora of slots in 2022 that are already taking players on the most exciting adventure. 

1. 25,000 Talons from Alchemy Gaming

Alchemy Gaming has launched 25,000 Talons, a highly volatile slot with an impressive top prize potential of €500,000 in bonus form. Drawing inspiration from the wild nature of North America, the game offers many opportunities to trigger the free spins feature. Alongside black jack chart, it is considered to be one of the best games this year.

2. Vegas Cash by SpinPlay Games

Vegas Cash takes players to the glitzy Las Vegas Boulevard. Designed as a 5×3 grid, it features a double reel set, massive jackpot potential of 5,000x stake, medium variance, Copycash wilds to reward reel stacks, and many other surprises.

3. Gold Collector: Diamond Edition by All41 Studios

This is a slot with 5×4 reels, 50 pay lines, high variance, and the popular Link&Win mechanic. When three diamonds or coins land on the reels, the mechanic is activated, giving players the chance to win big cash prizes or a jackpot of up to 5,000x.

4. Fiona’s Fortune by Gold Coin Studios

Ireland-inspired Fiona’s Fortune slot from Gold Coin Studios supports Express Collect for instant prize potential, bonus wheel, magic pots of gold, and a lucky four-leaf clover leading to bonus spins.

5. Royal League Spin City Lux by Gong Gaming Technologies

Gong Gaming Technologies pays homage to fast cars and gems. The Royal League Spin City Lux takes place on a 5×3 reel and comes with 20 pay lines, bonus features, scatters, and many more symbols that can offer incredible rewards. It is also possible to roll the die on the bonus board and get up to x 10,000.

6. Wildfire Wins by Just for the Win

The device boasts wilds, Wildfire re-spins with sticky wilds, and a Wildfire Wheels bonus. Don’t forget to mention the special Wildfire Wheel Bonus, with which you can unlock even bigger prizes.

7. Magical Reels by Northern Lights Gaming

If you feel like casting spells and creating potions, then don’t miss the chance to try Magical Reels. When spellbooks land on the reels, prize multipliers or stars are collected to fill the symbol’s star meter. As soon as the counter is full, various surprises will be unlocked. Knockout symbols or more spell books to increase the potential by more than 10,000 times.

8. Dungeons and Diamonds by PearFiction Studios

This machine is a fantasy 5×5 slot with 40 lines, instant collection, multipliers, wilds, and many other features. It is worth highlighting that this slot machine has Wicked Wizard jackpots, one of which has an amazing win potential of up to 250,000 euros.

Why Are Microgaming Products Always in Demand?

The company has been operating since 1994 and has many licenses. It has solutions for land-based and online casinos, as well as bookmakers. In addition to the classic slots, the developer is engaged in creating machines with 3D graphics.

Brand software is considered to be one of the most reliable. The availability of licenses from the MGA and the UK Gambling Commission certifies that the company complies with the rules and provides quality services in the field of private entertainment.

Almost all online casinos use Microgaming as the main provider of gaming content. The manual offers more than 850 slots and unites 12 companies. What’s more, the brand’s new 4 gambling machines appear every month.

The company offers slots on various topics. In addition to the games based on the famous movies, the casino on the Microgaming platform has adventure-, fantasy-, detective-, and marine-themed games. Symbols of fruits, animals, famous people, and gods are used in many devices. The company pays special attention to the models in the search for treasures and artifacts.

Microgaming is one of the most important developers in the gambling market. It offers a large selection of video slots on various topics, actively creates models with 3D graphics, and constantly introduces new technologies. The company’s products are in demand among casinos and customers, as evidenced by numerous reviews. Microgaming can be found in almost all gaming establishments. Therefore, new releases for Microgaming are also reliable and interesting.

 




How Are Advanced Hybrid Mattresses

When choosing a new mattress, there are a few factors that you’re going to need to consider, like the position that you sleep in, where you need the most support, and if you’re sharing a bed with your partner. Choosing a mattress that supports and comforts your body, minimizes motion transfer, and allows you to have a great night’s sleep every night is essential. A hybrid mattress could be perfect for you if you’re looking for a modern, advanced product. Read on to find out more about hybrid mattresses and their innovative features.

What is a Hybrid Mattress?

A hybrid mattress is one of the most modern mattresses on the market. It can offer you more than a simple, traditional spring mattress, as it combines two or more materials. The combination is usually foam with springs for additional support, but sometimes a third element can be added in with gel or latex. The combination of materials can offer you a whole new feel when you sleep, and with a range of hybrid mattresses to choose from, you can be sure that there will be a model to suit your requirements.

Untitled design (4)

What are The Features of a Hybrid Mattress?

A hybrid mattress comes with a range of advanced features to help you sleep soundly and comfortably each night, such as:

  • Pocket springs: A good hybrid mattress should come with individually wrapped springs that move individually underneath you, rather than just generally within the mattress. This feature gives you support right where you need it. Memory foam: The layer of memory foam within the mattress comes with the advantage of pressure point relief, alignment of the spine and lumbar region, as well as minimizing motion transfer, so you can feel comforted as well as supported.
  • Cooling layer: A cooling layer is a common feature within hybrid mattresses. As memory foam tends to trap heat, adding a cooling layer means that it has added breathability and is still an option for those of us that feel warm when sleeping.

What are The Benefits?

As mentioned above, a hybrid mattress is made up of lots of features that can be beneficial for a variety of different sleepers. You could choose a hybrid mattress if you sleep with a partner and you can’t decide on a type of mattress to suit you both – one of these mattresses can combine the best features of a couple of mattresses and suit most preferences as they are mostly medium-firm.

If you find that you get too warm during the night, the cooling layer within the memory foam will allow for increased breathability and airflow so that you can sleep comfortably, no matter the temperature. Sharing a bed with your partner means you could benefit from motion isolation, which the foam in a hybrid mattress can offer – so if your partner is particularly restless, they won’t wake you up!

Untitled design (3)

What Type of Sleeper Could Benefit?

This is one of the main factors to consider when choosing your mattress so that you can take advantage of all these hybrid mattresses have to offer. In general, side and back sleepers will most certainly benefit from a hybrid model – the soft foam layer helps to cushion pressure points like the shoulders and knees whilst providing support to the back and helping to maintain alignment throughout the night. If you sleep on your stomach, the foam layer may cause you issues due to its ability to sag, but choosing a firmer mattress means you can still reap the benefits even if you sleep on your front.




The Benefits of Solar Panels

Even on the gloomiest, murkiest, cloud-filled day, somewhere in the sky above us is the sun.

A free source of energy that all life on this planet depends upon.

 

In terms of power production, it is a free resource that heats our homes naturally, encouraging most homes and buildings to be designed with larger windows on the side of the building that faces the sun. This is done to capture more of the heat from the sun.

But for many years now, there has been the ability for homeowners to gain even more benefits from the power of the sun by installing solar panels. The solar panels create electricity which can be used to not only heat the home, but to power every electrical item on the homeowners property.

The disadvantages of solar panels are few, but include:

  • The high upfront cost of installation
  • Power can’t be produced at night-time
  • Some would say they make a house appear less attractive
  • Most homes are still unable to use solar power for 100% of their power needs.
  • Some homes have a roof design that cannot fit solar panels
  • Some roofs are unsuited to fitting solar panels or will not hold their weight, while other roofs may need repairs which are preferable to do before installing solar panels.

When it comes to the advantages of Solar Power systems on your home, there are many convincing reasons why you should seriously consider going solar.

Reduce your electricity bill

How much you will save will depend on a number of factors including:

  • How much electricity you consume?
  • The size of your solar energy system
  • Whether you buy or lease your system
  • How many hours of daily sunlight your home receives?
  • The size and angle of roof
  • Your local electricity rates.

Most solar panels are guaranteed to last for 25 years so you can expect them to keep functioning beyond that, although they may gradually become degraded and produce less electricity towards the end of their life.

Still if your solar system managed to reduce your monthly electricity bill by $150/month, after 25 years that is a saving of $45,000. Electricity costs will almost certainly increase regularly over the next 25 years, so in fact your saving could be significantly more.

Your solar panel power suppliers should have tools available to help you calculate how much electricity you are likely to save based on your electricity usage and the size of the solar system you intend to install. 

These tools can calculate how many years it will take for your savings to match the installation cost, plus any interest if you have borrowed to buy the system.

Increases the value of your home

Because of how much cheaper it will cost to run your home; you immediately get an increase in the value of your home.

Studies have proven that houses with solar sell at higher prices than houses without solar.

How much your home increases will depend upon the monthly power savings, the increased value of other nearby homes with solar, and the state of the local property market at the time you get a valuation.

Although you will only really know how much extra the solar panels have added to the value of your home when you sell, this is a positive.

Some people decide against installing solar because they don’t intend to stay at the same address for 25 years and therefore will not fully benefit from the power savings available.

But this is offset by the increased value of your home.

Unless you are planning to shift in the next couple of years, the increase in the value of your home because of solar should be another incentive to install solar.

Solar power works everywhere

The sun rises everyday everywhere in the world.

Sure, some places get more sunshine hours than others, and some have better weather and more cloudless days which maximizes the benefits of solar. But even homes in colder and cloudier climates can still receive help from solar.

Even on days when the weather is poor, your home will still be producing solar power.

You may be able to earn money off your solar panels

More than 40 states have electricity suppliers that offer net metering. Where you produce more electricity than you use, the power company effectively buys that surplus electricity off you and pays you for it.

Be cautious about this though. In Australia, some power companies ran into financial problems because they ended up buying so much power off homeowners, they didn’t need to produce any themselves and the financial model failed.

Many homeowners had borrowed to put additional solar panels on their property, using them solely as a passive income source, then the power companies stopped buying the surplus power. This made the extra solar panels redundant, but they still had to pay back their loans on solar panels that were no longer of any use to them.

In the same way, there is no guarantee that the amount of money the power company will pay you for surplus power will remain the same. In other countries there have been power companies that have lowered their rates.

Therefore, you are best to get enough panels to suit your home power use and not be encouraged to buy more panels just because you have the space and because you might get offered net metering.

Available tax credit

For 2022 there is a 26% federal tax credit available, which reduces to 22% for 2023, then ends.

There are also some state-level tax credits and rebates available. Solar panel providers will know all the details because these incentives are a major selling point for them.

While the tax credits seem like a great deal, if you can’t afford to buy solar panels now, delaying a few years until you can buy them outright, or with much lower borrowings, may actually be a better financial decision.

Protects against rising power costs

The more power you can produce from your solar panels, the less the impact of any future electricity power increases.

Can supply energy independence.

For many people, the ideal is to be totally dependent on their solar system to provide all of their power and go off-grid. Usually, this will require the added cost of batteries to store your power for use at night and on days with less sunlight.

If you are building in a remote location, the cost of getting a power supplier to bring an electricity line to you may be more than the cost of a solar system and batteries.

A system with batteries is also handy if there are any electricity cuts. Your stored power will keep your lights on, and your heating etc.

But you do need to be confident that your system will always supply all the power you need, because if you run out of power and the batteries have used up all their stored power, then being off grid means you will have no source of power until the sun reappears.

You are protecting the environment

Every kilowatt of power your solar system produces will reduce greenhouse gas emissions like CO2 and other pollutants. 

The more people creating their own power through solar will end the need for governments to build new power plants, all of which have negative environmental impacts because they are powered by coal, natural gas, hydro, or nuclear plants.

Coal plants are a huge pollutant, while gas, hydro-electric and nuclear plants all have an impact either because of what it takes to build the plant, or what can happen if something goes wrong, e.g., Chernobyl and Three Mile Island nuclear plants.

Solar Panels provide a clean, green power source that most homeowners can take advantage of to reduce their power costs, and do their bit to improve the state of the environment.


By HomeLight Homes

 




Gambling addiction Japan: How to recognize symptoms and treat

Online gambling addiction is not just a problem affecting Japan. Many people in the world are increasingly struggling with the consequences of problem gambling. Addicts either do not want or are not sufficiently informed about the possibilities of treatment. Sometimes they simply do not have the support of friends, family, spouses, colleagues, or other close people. That is why we want to deal more extensively with the issue of gambling addiction in Japan.

What is gambling addiction and which are the main consequences?

Pathological gambling, i.e. gambling addiction, represents the impossibility of controlling the impulse for placing bets. Compulsive gambling or disorder related to online casino services can have many negative consequences both for the addicts themselves and those around them. First, an addict has no control over spending money, which can lead to financial disaster. A person with pathological gambling problems is very often inclined to borrow money from others to continue financing further casino activities.

In addition to the consequences for the bank account, compulsive placing bets can damage mental and physical health. Psychological consequences are anxiety, depression, the feeling of helplessness, and others. Some of the consequences for physical health are migraines, intestinal disorders, etc. To emphasize how significant the consequences of casino gambling addiction are, we must note that certain categories of addicts are also prone to suicide. That is why a timely reaction is very important.

Myths and facts related to gambling disorder

Now we’re going to introduce you to some of the gambling addiction facts that refute some of the famous myths.

Myth: People with gambling disorders are easy to spot.

Fact: Pathological gambling is a “hidden addiction”, and people who have these problems deliberately hide them. The symptoms of gambling addiction are not easy to recognize, which is not the case with recognizing drug or alcohol disorders.

Myth: To be considered an addict, a person must place bets every day.

Fact: A person does not have to participate in gambling activities every day to develop an addiction. Frequency is not as significant as bad impact and consequences. If someone’s spending in a casino causes financial, psychological, health, or other difficulties then he/she is considered a problem gambler.

Myth: Japanese problem gamblers are included in all casino services.

Fact: Most problem gamblers have a favorite casino game that makes them addicted. In addition, some are involved in secondary casino activities that are not so problematic for them. For example, a player can be addicted to roulette, but occasionally play poker that does not cause excessive spending.

Myth: Financial problems are the main reason why someone’s love, family, or other relationships are destroyed.

Fact: If the addict supports the family, uncontrolled spending will certainly play a huge role in damaging the relationship. However, mistrust and constant lying is the main reason for the breakdown of relationships with family, friends, or spouses.

Mayor signs of gambling addiction 

There are several signs and symptoms of online gambling disorder. If the addict’s environment recognizes them in time, treatment could very quickly lead to positive results. Main signs of gambling addiction may include:

  1. Preoccupation and constant thinking and planning of future casino activities
  2. A person tends to increase the amount of money they enter into bets
  3. Increasing the investment of money leads to feelings of excitement and satisfaction
  4. Chasing what was previously lost – constant investment to reduce previously incurred costs
  5. Inability to control spending, reduce or stop gambling
  6. Irritability, discomfort, or nervousness when a person tries to resist the urge to place a bet
  7. A person resorts to gambling when she/he feels dissatisfied, depressed, and anxious
  8. Covering up gambling and lying to family, friends, work colleagues, and others
  9. Making loans that the person knows will not be able to be repaid

Treatments that have proven to be successful

There are several treatments for gambling addiction help that have proven successful so far. The first treatment is psychotherapy. As the main therapy with the greatest success, we will emphasize behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy affects the addict’s skills to reduce the urge to gamble. Another type of this therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy. It implies the identification of negative beliefs and their replacement with positive ones. Family therapy stands out as another successful therapy for helping problem casino participants.

Self-help groups are also a way for gamblers in Japan to deal with their disorder by talking to others. The experiences of others can help a person understand problems and decide to deal with them. A healthcare professional can refer an addict to self-help groups, such as Gamblers Anonymous and others. Finally, we will mention medicines that cannot be taken without a prescription. Medications include antidepressants and mood stabilizers that can help treat disorders associated with problem gambling, like depression or anxiety. Before taking any drug, a person should consult a doctor or psychologist.

Gambling addiction help and recovery

If a person undergoes some type of treatment, it is necessary to persevere in it. Patience is the key to success in solving addiction problems as well as other life difficulties. Therefore, it is not only significant to react promptly but also to persevere in preventing the addict from recidivism. But what to do with those who simply do not want help and recovery? Is it possible to persuade a person to recover? The answer is no.

According to statistics, it is estimated that more than 80% of people suffering from online gambling addiction simply do not want to undergo any kind of treatment. They don’t ask for help, no matter how difficult their problem is. However, there is another side of the coin. These are the people who underwent treatment, but it turned out to be unsuccessful. Gambling addiction recovery statistics reveal that 70% of addicts eventually return to gambling activities after receiving help.

Tips for family, spouses, and friends

Friends, family, colleagues, and others close to the person with problematic behavior play a big role to resolving casino gambling addiction problems. So, we have prepared some tips for them:

  • Realize that the treatment can take a long time and be patient until the first results appear. Do not give up after the first unsuccessful attempt.
  • Do not avoid conversations and include all family members and other close people in solving the problem. If necessary, children should be included in family therapy.
  • When discussing gambling problems, try to remain calm and without aggressive and angry performances.
  • Feel free to seek the help of a psychologist for professional advice or to include the addict in a self-help group where he can share experiences with others who have similar problems.
  • Set boundaries regarding family finances. Do not allow the addict to use money freely and always have it at his disposal. 

 




Co-Parenting Tips for Single Mothers

If you’re divorced or no longer in a relationship with your child’s father, you may face some co-parenting challenges. This can be the case even if your relationship with the father is relatively amicable. Whether this is the case or there are tensions, there are certain steps you can take to make things smoother.

Communicate

Working out a way to communicate effectively is important, even if you only ever talk to one another when there needs to be some kind of change of plan, such as saying that you’ll be late for a pickup. Some parents agree to use a certain method, such as texting, to reduce the likelihood of arguments. Try to avoid getting drawn into any conflicts and keep your conversations factual if this is an issue. Avoid the temptation to ask your kids to carry messages back and forth, even if you dislike communicating with your ex. Ideally, you and your ex might even be able to come to an agreement on certain ground rules, such as when bedtimes are. This can help you find peace and even simply get a better night’s sleep during the times that you are away from your children.

Consider College Costs

Although child custody agreements generally only address issues with children up to the age of 18, some parents may want to include additional provisions, such as what kind of contributions each of you will make toward the child’s college education. If this is not part of your formal custody agreement, you may still want to discuss it with the father. The two of you still might want to contribute to an education fund. If you are concerned about having enough money for tuition and other expenses and also about your child being saddled with bills, you might want to look into taking out low-rate Private Parent Loan to help them out with reducing their education debt after graduation so they’re in a better financial situation starting out in the real world.

Encourage a Relationship

In most cases, it’s a good idea to encourage your child’s relationship with the other parent and set aside your own emotions. This can be tough, and you may struggle with reminding yourself that differences in how you parent doesn’t mean that you can’t both be effective and loving with your kids. You should try to be positive about your child spending time with their father and try to get rid of negative energy even when you feel frustrated, such as if they are late or a no-show for an agreed upon visitation. Otherwise, you risk making your child feel anxious or as though they have to choose between the two of you. You might even push them away.

Take the Long View

One thing to keep in mind is that you and the other parent will probably be a part of one another’s lives for years, if not decades. You may have to see one another at events such as graduations and weddings, and when you do, the focus should be on supporting your kids and not on the tension between the two of you. Therefore, the sooner you are able to be in the same place amicably the better. However, even if it takes years, parents can move from a high conflict co-parenting relationship to one that is much more functional.