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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>eqvodms.info</title> <atom:link href="http://eqvodms.info/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://eqvodms.info</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Sun, 24 Dec 2023 01:41:24 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3</generator> <item> <title>Are Air Miles And Hotel Reward Schemes Worth The Lack Of Sleep?</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/are-air-miles-and-hotel-reward-schemes-worth-the-lack-of-sleep,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/are-air-miles-and-hotel-reward-schemes-worth-the-lack-of-sleep,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Mon, 17 Apr 2023 21:35:00 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Travelling and Hotels]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=69</guid> <description><![CDATA[There are many pros to frequent travelling, such as the great benefits to be gained from membership of the numerous frequent flier and hotel reward schemes which soon mount up if you are always on the move. But, an intriguing article recently appeared in the New York Times that points out the real disadvantage of [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> There are many pros to frequent travelling, such as the great benefits to be gained from membership of the numerous frequent flier and hotel reward schemes which soon mount up if you are always on the move. But, an intriguing article recently appeared in the New York Times that points out the real disadvantage of being a member of the frequent traveler’s club, namely lack of sleep on long-haul commercial flights.The NY Times has found that, after poor customer service, the biggest complaint coming from frequent travelers is that they can’t catch enough sleep while they are flying. In fact it is becoming such a problem that travelers are resorting to extreme action to get a few hours of shut-eye. CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines are becoming very popular, thanks mainly to the fact they are now a third smaller than they were a few years ago and therefore easier to carry onboard. The machine works by pumping air through a mask, keeping the user’s airways open while they sleep, preventing sleep apnea and other similar ailments.Other frequent travelers resort to alcohol in an attempt to bring on sleep. According to the N Y Times one un-named passenger on an 18-hour flight to Asia said: “I watched two movies, ate three meals, got drunk twice, slept for five hours and I still wasn’t there! Plus, when I did arrive I had a hangover.” Indeed, it is that hangover element, combined with the fact that alcohol-induced sleep is not fulfilling, that prompts sleep expert Greg Belenky, director of the University of Washington’s Sleep & Performance research center to dismiss it. He instead suggests that other drugs such as prescription sleep tablets or natural remedies such as melatonin supplements should be used to get a good rest.However, taking a prescription sleeping drug that lasts seven hours on a five hour flight could prove a problem, so should only be used for long haul flights. It is generally acknowledged that sleeping in a vertical position causes the body to produce adrenalin-type compounds in order to keep the blood supply flowing and they prevent fitful sleep, so bagging an upgrade to flat-beds in business or first class is the best solution for frequent travelers; but that is an expensive option that many bosses will not sanction.So, while frequent travelers may have trouble sleeping while they fly, they should be able to catch up using one of their numerous free night’s accommodation acquired through their hotel reward scheme memberships; either that, or beg their boss for an upgrade to business or first class while they fly! </p><div class="mads-block"></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/are-air-miles-and-hotel-reward-schemes-worth-the-lack-of-sleep,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>How Internal Branding Can Make Your Fractured Brand Whole</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/how-internal-branding-can-make-your-fractured-brand-whole,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/how-internal-branding-can-make-your-fractured-brand-whole,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 01 Apr 2023 18:26:00 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Branding]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=67</guid> <description><![CDATA[Great, iconic brands achieve a mystical state of oneness – a universal clarity and consistency that drives their businesses to fantastic success.The rest of us? Instead of brand unity, we preside over what amounts to three different brands. For a business to operate at full power, these three need to be aligned. It takes work [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Great, iconic brands achieve a mystical state of oneness – a universal clarity and consistency that drives their businesses to fantastic success.The rest of us? Instead of brand unity, we preside over what amounts to three different brands. For a business to operate at full power, these three need to be aligned. It takes work to make a brand whole.3 brands? Where did they come from?First: the brand you want to have. Call it your strategic brand. This is the brand that (ideally) is written in your strategy and is up there on your website. When you have meetings and discussions about brand, this is what people usually have in mind.Second: your actual brand. It’s the brand as the outside world sees it – what your customers and the public are saying about your company when you’re not around. Many companies don’t concern themselves much with the actual brand, even though that’s what finally drives business success. It can be painful to learn how different the actual is from the strategic ideal.Third: your internal brand. This is the brand that lives in the heads of your salespeople, managers and everyone else in your company. It’s the internal brand that makes it possible to transmit the strategic brand outward in the form of customer contacts, product design, marketing communications, business presentations, and so on. Yet this is the brand businesses are least likely to focus on.It’s what’s inside that countsThere’s a good case to be made that the internal brand is the most important of the three brands – or at least the one that you should be spending most of your time on. After all, the strategic brand is mostly theory and ideals – it doesn’t actually do much. The actual brand is important, obviously, but you have limited control. The internal brand is where theory turns to practice – it’s what brings the strategic and the actual brands into alignment and makes the whole thing run.In an ideal world, companies would enjoy a perfect mind-meld between staff and strategic vision: everyone would know and understand the brand and execute perfectly. But this never happens by itself. Instead, in the real world of neglected internal branding, everyone in the company has his own idea of what the brand is and how it should be expressed in everyday activities.Internal branding in practice: a 3-stage processBuilding an effective internal brand takes serious effort, preferably in the form of a formal program. What does such a program look like? There are usually three stages:1. Knowledge stageImmerse the organization in brand knowledge, typically through a system of training workshops and collateral material deployed at all levels of the organization.2. Attitude stageReinforce brand knowledge through incentives and motivational activities. These can come in the form of HR performance systems, coaching, internal communications, team activities, competitions and rewards.3. Skills stageModify the organization’s processes and practices to support the brand promise. Areas to focus on include customer-focused personal behavior, external communications and internal business processes. Give special attention to measuring changes in behavior and related business outcomes.To be successful, internal branding needs to be a formal process with its own objectives, budget and resources. It works best as part of a wider strategic branding initiative. And it absolutely must be actively supported by top management.If all goes well, internal branding closes the gap between strategy and internal practice. Do that, and you’re well on your way to whole-brand bliss. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/how-internal-branding-can-make-your-fractured-brand-whole,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Medical Malpractice – How To Choose A Good Medical Malpractice Lawyer</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/medical-malpractice-how-to-choose-a-good-medical-malpractice-lawyer,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/medical-malpractice-how-to-choose-a-good-medical-malpractice-lawyer,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sat, 01 Apr 2023 07:25:42 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Medical Malpractice]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=65</guid> <description><![CDATA[There are many reasons to consider medical malpractice lawyers in our society and my Mom’s case is not all that unusual. About two years ago, her heart valve was severely damaged during what was to have been a routine pacemaker lead extraction. The only way to repair the torn valve was open heart surgery, which [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> There are many reasons to consider medical malpractice lawyers in our society and my Mom’s case is not all that unusual. About two years ago, her heart valve was severely damaged during what was to have been a routine pacemaker lead extraction. The only way to repair the torn valve was open heart surgery, which caused several additional heart related problems that she did not have before. In fact, she ran ten miles a day until the heart surgery accident and was in excellent health.Now her life is very different from the way it was before the surgery accident. I have been trying to get her interested in filing a medical malpractice suit, and have done quite a bit of research about how to go about finding a good malpractice lawyer because her life and her health have been ruined by this surgery accident. Hopefully, my research will help and encourage others to seek the help of these highly skilled professionals.When it comes to your health, safety is the biggest concern. This is the reason that so many people choose to get care from clinics and hospitals. Sometimes, things do go wrong and you know that it wasn’t your fault. This is when you may need to consider looking for experienced lawyers who specialize in this area of the law. It isn’t an ideal situation and if you are like my Mom, you may not want to consider medical malpractice attorneys, but things do happen and you need to do what’s best for you and your family.There are many ways to find good medical malpractice defense lawyers. You can look online and read reviews. You can also consult friends and family members who may have had to deal with medical negligence lawyers in the past and seek their advice. You don’t necessarily want to go with the first one that you contact. It’s important to prepare a list of questions and concerns before you can begin to seek out good medical defense lawyers. You don’t want to go with just anyone, you need to make sure that the person representing you will work hard on your behalf and keep your needs as their priority.They should be adept at handling most medical malpractice cases. Most medical negligence lawyers have a great deal of experience, but it shouldn’t bother you to ask them for their statistics and experience handling cases similar to yours. This is especially true if your dealing with something other than medical malpractice doctors, such as wrongful death medical malpractice. In this unfortunate situation, it’s crucial for you to find lawyers who are on your side. While the wrongful death of a loved one is a terrible blow to the family, it is essential that you hire a lawyer and begin to collect the facts before witnesses disappear and the trail goes cold.Keep in mind that not all of these cases involve medical doctors. Sometimes, you may need to find dental malpractice lawyers to assist you with your case. If this happens to be the situation that you’re in, you need to make sure that the dental malpractice lawyers that you are considering have experience with cases like yours.Working with firms can be a bit confusing and you may not know exactly what type of question to ask. The medical negligence lawyers that you contact should be both helpful and assuring to you. If you are not comfortable with them, you may not be certain that they are on the case for your interests and not just their own. Calling around and talking to different attorneys is a great way to choose a good lawyer or a malpractice firm.You should narrow your list of lawyers down to three of four, and then set up appointments with each one to talk face-to-face. You will get a real feel for whether you will be comfortable working with them from this one-on-one exercise. Medical malpractice lawyers are a special breed of attorneys and some of them can be almost arrogant, but most of them do know what they are doing and since they typically only take cases on a percentage basis, that is they don’t get paid unless you do, if they agree to take your case, you can be fairly confident that they will do a good job for you. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/medical-malpractice-how-to-choose-a-good-medical-malpractice-lawyer,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The Lack of Integration Between Strategic Planning and Crisis Management</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/the-lack-of-integration-between-strategic-planning-and-crisis-management,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/the-lack-of-integration-between-strategic-planning-and-crisis-management,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 31 Mar 2023 21:20:13 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[management]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=63</guid> <description><![CDATA[An era of crisesBusiness crises occur every day, from serious accidents to the infamous coffee spill at McDonalds. In the introductory chapter of his book “The crisis manager: Facing risk and responsibility”, Otto Lerbinger writes about the present as an era of crises, reflecting the increasing size and complexity of modern technology and industrial organizations. [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> An era of crisesBusiness crises occur every day, from serious accidents to the infamous coffee spill at McDonalds. In the introductory chapter of his book “The crisis manager: Facing risk and responsibility”, Otto Lerbinger writes about the present as an era of crises, reflecting the increasing size and complexity of modern technology and industrial organizations. In the 1980s, indications of the rising frequency of corporate crises were found by the dramatically increase in product-injury lawsuits since the 1970s. Later on, in the 2000s, crises were occurring more frequently, and a general agreement among corporate customers, media and communications professionals, risk and insurance management practitioners, academics and government officials supported the contention that crisis frequency was increasing in an increasingly volatile world.Without doubt, the globalized economy has intensified the competition and shortened the product life cycle, with the increased risk of failure. There is also the increased focus on corporate social responsibility as a competitive advantage, vouching for companies to address social issues and act responsible with respect to the environment, labour standards, and human rights.Another aspect of crisis management has also emerged over the last years; the constant media coverage through Internet news sites and social media. Companies are constantly confronted and battered with new information resulting in a crisis to evolve from hour to hour, necessitating that the crisis must be managed through rapid response.Crisis awarenessLiving in an era of crises makes the likelihood of managers facing a crisis at some time ever more present. Thus, any company that relies on public opinion and reputation should therefore, at least in some sense, be prepared if a crisis occurs. Being prepared implies the development of a management regime that assesses potential threats and handles any crises that may emerge. Thus, crisis management deals with not only the reactive behaviour after the outburst of a crisis, but also the proactive precautions made to prevent the crisis from emerging. Prevention, where possible, is always better than response after things have gone wrong.Nevertheless, although crises could challenge the reputation and survival of a company, there seem to be reluctance to adopt crisis management plans. Moreover, being proactive in order to prevent a crisis is usually skipped altogether, even though it is the least costly and easiest way of control. One of the characteristics of crises today is lack of recognition and understanding of numerous warning signs. They are often detected but not collectively identified and analysed at appropriate management level.Planning in order to prevent crises requires a strategic approach and mind set. Managers, when developing corporate strategies, should be aware of potential events that may lead to crises. In their book, “Crisis management in the new strategy landscape”, Crandall et al argue that there is a reciprocal relationship between the various strategies organizations follow and their relation to crisis planning. At the same time as crisis management should be part of the strategic management process, the strategies that a firm chooses to implement can be a factor with respect to the frequency and types of crises that are faced.Other experts in the field have also identified the common long-term property of the two management fields and how they deal with emergent situations and are concerned with organisational survival in the future. The strategic plan of an organisation or a nation is incomplete unless it includes the integration of crisis management.Crisis management steps can be related to different processes of strategic management such as strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation. The extent to which organisations can shift from being crisis-prone to being crisis-prepared may well relate to the extent to which they are able to integrate crisis management and strategic management processes. Further, strategic assessment does not fully address problems that could be encountered in the long-term in executing and maintaining the chosen strategy, caused by changes in the business environment. Consequently, common aspect of strategic and crisis management when analysing the organization’s environment, indicate that some strategies are more crisis prone than others.Still, there are indications of this relationship not being utilized and taken into account when developing and implementing strategies. Strategic management and crisis management evolve separately, despite their potential for synergistic integration. Strategic management pays inadequate attention to defensive actions that could act to prevent unwanted, undesirable and unexpected crises from happening. And the academic world still takes an uncritical view of strategic management. It is taught using a variety of techniques that rely on a stable internal and external environment.Although the situation has improved over the last years, traditional crisis management is still viewed as a separate planning process and not intertwined with strategy. And despite the growing interest in the strategic importance of crises, our understanding of the area is quite limited. One key issue is that the precise relationship between a firm’s strategic environment and its crisis management decisions remains to be completely specified. Moreover, the few articles discussing crisis and strategic integration focus mostly on coordination of activities within two separate management fields.To conclude, the indicative lack of focus on the crisis aspect in strategic management could be a problem in future crisis handling, and should be addressed more thoroughly by business managers. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/the-lack-of-integration-between-strategic-planning-and-crisis-management,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Spas and Other Design Options Can Add Value to Your Home</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/spas-and-other-design-options-can-add-value-to-your-home,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/spas-and-other-design-options-can-add-value-to-your-home,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:59:13 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Spa and Wellness]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=61</guid> <description><![CDATA[Working for an upgrade or remodeling of our private swimming pool can make a lot of difference in terms of performance and value added to our home property. On top of these motivations, such home improvement projects also have an impact at improving the safety features of our swimming pool. Upgrade projects may involve simple [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Working for an upgrade or remodeling of our private swimming pool can make a lot of difference in terms of performance and value added to our home property. On top of these motivations, such home improvement projects also have an impact at improving the safety features of our swimming pool. Upgrade projects may involve simple additions like spas or grills to the more elaborate renovation that aims to enhance the look and aesthetic value of our property.Adding spas and multi-colored lights can have dramatic impact on the overall appeal of our swimming pool. It also provides a multi-function facility that delivers added benefits to you and your family. Further, if budget is not a limitation, you can also opt for automation to exude a touch of class and sophistication in your home.A well designed and executed plan for remodeling or renovation of your backyard swimming pool can bring many benefits to you and your family. It adds to the overall appeal of the pool as well as your entire home property. You can accentuate and add drama to the overall design by adding streams, fountains and waterfalls. By doing this, you can make the part of your yard as the centerpiece of your property where you can host parties and other outdoor activities for friends and relatives.You can further enhance the character that you want to project by deciding on the most appropriate decking option. You can use special concrete coatings, bricks, specially designed or textured tiles or slates on your pool so that it blends well with the overall theme design of your home. The overall objective is to make your pool look like an extension of your home.You can also decide to install free standing grills alongside the pool with a pool bar. Such a setup is both functional and attractive once it is properly incorporated in the overall design of your home improvement project. These are not just for practical use. They must be installed in such a way that it contributes to the aesthetic value of your home. You can also consider multilevel decks where you can put up specially designed tables and other patio furniture.You can top all of these amenities by adding conveniences like swim-up bars, benches, spas and tanning shelves. You can also explore the option of automation by having the operation of these facilities by remote control.Landscaping can do wonders in improving the overall look of your backyard. You can project an air of freshness that can sooth your senses. Lush greenery and rich foliage can simulate a green paradise.You should seriously consider the type and color of lights to be used in your pool area as well in other parts of your backyard. Carefully selected landscaping lights can create that light feeling as they flood the surroundings with subtle colors. You can utilize fiber optic lighting to give the visitors with an underwater display of assortment of light effects. Lights when properly utilized can effectively set the mood as you entertain your guest in your evening parties. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/spas-and-other-design-options-can-add-value-to-your-home,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Generational Genocide – A Systematic Destruction of the Mind-Body-Spirit of Our Next Generation</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/generational-genocide-a-systematic-destruction-of-the-mind-body-spirit-of-our-next-generation,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/generational-genocide-a-systematic-destruction-of-the-mind-body-spirit-of-our-next-generation,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Fri, 31 Mar 2023 17:13:42 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mind Body Spirit]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=59</guid> <description><![CDATA[On April 25, 2010, CBS 60 Minutes aired an amazing however, alarming story on college students’ use of Ritalin, Adderall and other psychiatric drugs to “get an academic edge.”As a clinician in the front line of treating destructions chemical dependence cause in the lives of addicted individuals, their families and the society at large, I [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> On April 25, 2010, CBS 60 Minutes aired an amazing however, alarming story on college students’ use of Ritalin, Adderall and other psychiatric drugs to “get an academic edge.”As a clinician in the front line of treating destructions chemical dependence cause in the lives of addicted individuals, their families and the society at large, I was grossly disturbed by the story.For several years now, I have been working with citizens such as the young men and women who appeared in this story fight to gain sobriety and reclaim their lives from chemical dependence and addiction. Many of them started using drugs in college just like these young men and women in the story. Many of them started even before college, in grade school and High School. These citizens come from all works of life-layers, engineers, doctors, clergies and regular Joes/Jane. Even though many of them reached the pinnacle of their professions, they also lost it all too to chemical dependence.Many of my colleagues may argue that “genocide” for a choice of word in this case is too strong. I will make the case it’s not. It is genocide when we as a society condone systematic destruction of young minds of our next generation.Over thirty years ago, we sat around and watched drug dealers invaded our communities and schools, corrupted and destroyed the minds of our children. Our neighbors went about their business pretending the epidemic of drugs use among youth was not their problems because they did not think or believe their children were also addicted to drugs. Many of us finally woke up from that illusionary sleep. However, it was too late. Many of our children were getting arrested for drug use and distribution of drugs. Back then, drugs dealers were pimps and scum bags of the society. Today, the game has changed in the ways many of us never envisaged.Many times when corporations decide to spread their profits nets for potential future market growth, they target the college population. A typical example is the credit card companies and their infestation of credit cards in the hands of college young adult who barely learned the responsibility of keeping their rooms clean before going off to college. The outcome of this practice is that most often, these college kids destroy their financial stability before they get started.This new wave of college kids using psychiatric drugs to “get an edge” as they put it will prove to be more dangerous than anything the world has ever seen if we sit back and allow it to continue. This will threaten, and in many cases destroy the fundamental structure of every institution our society is built on. There is absolutely nothing positive that will come out of destroying our young minds with drugs. Majority of these young people will become classic white collar drug addicts with classic high risky addictive behaviors that most often threaten family and relationship stability, personal life, employment and almost every aspect of a person’s life.Here is where the society is in trouble. The drug pushers in the case of college kids are not the street pimps and low lives. Yes, these low lives are still out there working so hard to make sure our young ones do not make it through grade schools and High School. I know this for a fact because currently, every single day I give it everything in me working with young kids in an in-patient treatment facility fight to rebuild their lives these scumbags destroyed.Most of these kids who made it to college now have to deal with another type of drug pushers-the professionals in white coats with prescription pads in their hands. Let’s face it, most of these kids have experimented or actively using drugs. Majority of them are inadequately prepared for college life and academic discipline. Many of these kids came to college with the illusion that college life is one of intense party, socialization, free life and minimal academic work. Many of them believe they will make it through college by investing barely minimal academic work. Most of these kids party the nights away. Many of these kids have limited amount of sleep. These kids have this illusion that drugs can make them smarter and also do their academic work for them.Many of these kids also came to college with some of the worst classic addictive behaviors-what I want; when I want it; who I want it from and “I must have it” attitude. Some of these addictive behaviors also include manipulation and doing whatever it takes to get and support one’s addiction and addictive behavior.Addiction is the reason these collage kids claim psychiatric behaviors and illnesses they do not have to obtain drugs to support their addiction. These professionals in white coats with prescription pads make it very easy for these kids to support their addiction and addictive behavior. Let us stop beating about the bush. We must call this exactly what it is-addiction. These college kids are drug addicts.Here is where the professionals failed these kids and the society at large. Healing professional code of ethics calls for evaluation, assessment and appropriate diagnosis leading to intervention (healing process). If these steps were effectively followed prior to handing out drugs to these kids as if they were receiving candies, most of these cases would have revealed malingering and simply, kids seeking drugs to support their addiction. According to these college kids on CBS 60 Minutes, it is relatively very easy for them to walk into a psychiatric clinic and obtain prescription and refills for psychiatric drugs.Listening to these kids’ story, It appears minimal efforts are made in taking the basic steps to understand these kids and their psychiatric complaints before handing them prescription for psychiatric drugs to support their addiction and addictive behaviors. This is scary. Many of these drugs have serious side effects. There are very few if any, independent studies conducted on the efficacy of these drugs. It is very easy to get addicted on most of these drugs. These drugs present serious life challenges for individual fighting to get off of them.Here is one outrageous claim every conscientious clinician should be screaming foul! Yet other area clinicians in white coats and prescription pads have failed these young people thereby enabled their drug addiction and addictive behaviors. It is just as bogus as one dollar mansion in Hollywood to suggest that people who exhibit no evidence of psychiatric or neurological problems should be on psychiatric or neurological drugs to improve their mental or neurological functioning. It is ethically and morally wrong to push this fallacy on the society.This idea of cosmetic neurology or Neuro Enhancement, as wonderful as they sound are new clinical fancy phrases carefully planted in the consciousness of chemical addictive personality population of our society to manipulate or entice as many of them as possible into deeper chemical addiction. People suffering from addiction or who have addictive personality are constantly seeking reasons to validate their addiction and support for their addictive behavior. The worst modeling these addicted young kids need, even more so for most mental health consumer is a picture of a professional man glamorizing drug addiction as was shown in this 60 CBS Minutes piece. For most of these addicts, that picture is all they need for validation and support for their addiction and additive behavior.Consensus is that the field of neurology is still in its infancy stage. There is so much we are yet to learn about the structure and biochemistry of the brain. It is clinically and professionally irresponsible to implant in the mind of health care consumers the idea of neuro cosmetic or neuro enhancement in the same manner we perceive physical cosmetics. We can end up with a society full of chemically engineered human robots or lunatics. We must be very careful as a society, what we allowed to be pushed on us particularly, our young minds in disguise of mental health.We are still gravely suffering the mental health damaging impact of medication, and in so many cases, over medication of healthy “very active” children labeled “ADHD” particularly children from economic disadvantaged segment of our society. Those children labeled and treated for ADHD several years ago carry today’s new label “Bipolar” with the same vicious mental health cycle.I use the term “healthy,” very active children. Let us face the truth for a change. There was nothing wrong with many of these children other than the fact they were caught in the crossfire of complex societal trend and generational human crisis, from conception to birth. Each time I make my case in this issue, I always make reference to the story of the most active child I have ever known and so many other kids like him. I am referring to my sister’s middle son. This young man is a corporate lawyer. I will make the strongest case based on what I have observed over the years in the behavioral clinical field that this young man would have been chemically damaged beyond healing if he had been born in the western world particularly, United States or Canada both of which combined, have the largest number of ADHD diagnosed cases treated with medication than the rest of the world.Here is what I learned in my many years of experience working clinically with young people of this generation. They are amazingly scary smart. One can make a serious case that they are the most gifted, talented and intelligent of any generation. However, there are some distinct characteristic differences between this generation and the ones before them. This young generation is mentally lazy. They want easy life. They want it given to them and they want it right now. Patience is not a virtue in their book. They shoot for instant gratification in just about everything. They have poor work ethics. They are not deep thinkers like the generations before them.They speak their own language. They have very complex emotion. They have trust issues about the motives of adults in their lives, for many good reasons. They expect adults entering their lives to show their hearts and hands first. The heart the adult shows better have tremendous amount of care and love in it. Respect and trust are very important to them. They give the adults one shot and one shot only to make an impression, earn their respect and trust. They also expect the adult to show personal strength and integrity to hold them accountable for pushing the envelope. They push the envelope as far as they can be allowed to. However, they expect the adults to pull them back and hold them accountable. They would listen only if you speak their language. They want you to make your point first and then give the details if necessary.My intention is not to leave any impression there is something fundamentally wrong with this generation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with them. They share our gene and collective unconscious. What this generation doesn’t have all the previous generation before them have are parents who honor parenthood. This generation lack mentors and teachers. This generation has very few parents, teachers and mentors who value and take serious the role of parenting, mentoring and teaching. They have very few heroes and heroines that have invested years of life changing body of work that impact the society in ways they can relate to. They do not have heroes and heroine they have vested interest in.Previous generations have so many mentors, teachers, heroes and heroine they related to such as Martin Luther King, Elizabeth Taylor, Sidney Poitier, John Wayne, Joseph Stalin, Lena Horne, Luis Armstrong, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, General Eisenhower, JFK, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Bob Hope, Bill Cosby, Thurgood Marshall, Elijah Mohammad, Ronald Reagan and many others. Previous generations had parents who honored parenthood and were also teachers, mentors, heroes and heroines to not just their own children but also to children in their communities.Let us face the fact. Every generation is as good as the generation before them. We have to remember that apple does not fall far away from its tree. We have not delivered on our responsibility to this generation of young people. We have not done a good job parenting, teaching and mentoring this generation behind us. In so many ways, we short changed this generation we are responsible for raising.We failed in setting crucial early fundamental developmental boundaries with them. We failed to hold them accountable for their own responsibilities. We blurred the boundaries between the teacher and the students. The adults find it more important to be the kids’ friends and “cool” just like the kids instead of playing adult roles-teaching, mentoring, parenting and positive role modeling. We look the other way when young people seek us out for leadership and direction because we are afraid of challenges that come with holding their hands and investing in their future. We poison their mind in grade schools in the name of medication intervention in order to get them to comply with our wishes rather than supporting them in exploring and expressing their individualities and personal gifts. In many instances when we teach them, we model minimal expression of love, empathy, care and genuine positive emotion. In some arenas, we model gross disregard for the other person and in-your-face aggressive type behaviors, such as what we see in sports and politics. We tear down heroes and heroine just as quickly as we can build them.It would be interesting to know what type of “Neuro Enhancement or Psychiatric Pharmaceutical edge” Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Ralph Waldo Emerson and many of the great minds of our time had in college. My guess would be they did not have any. Human mind usually is at its best when it is not altered especially, chemically altered. We must teach this generation that the “edge” is not in the pill. We must teach them the “edge” is in gaining a deep understanding of self, discovering one’s special gifts, learning the importance and rewards of hard work, and appreciating investment in self and one’s future. We must teach young people that college is not a place for all night party. We must teach them that college is a higher level of developmental rite of passage. We must teach young people that college life is one that teaches a higher level of personal and intellectual discipline. College is a place where one develops a deeper sense of personal growth, consciousness, and strong work ethics.We must teach this generation of young people that “life rewards those challenge it.” We cannot continue to help them destroy their lives and future by helping them become drug addicts. It baffles me that Michael Vick went to prison for dog fighting. We care so much with passion about the environmental dangers facing sea living organisms, such as we do in the BP oil spills in the Gulf. On the other hand, we pay minimal attention with the least amount of passion when it comes to the destruction of the minds and brains of our young people. The world will witness an epidemic of drug addiction among this generation in the same magnitude we witness in AIDS epidemic if we as a society do not step up and do something very quickly about “cosmetic” drug use among college young people.To interact with Dr O’Banye visit International Institute for Wellness and Integrated Healing. You can also follow Dr O’Banye on the twitter @drchrisobanye. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/generational-genocide-a-systematic-destruction-of-the-mind-body-spirit-of-our-next-generation,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>CMM and Project Management – Scope Management</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/cmm-and-project-management-scope-management,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/cmm-and-project-management-scope-management,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Sun, 26 Mar 2023 07:44:33 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[management]]></category> <category><![CDATA[software]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=56</guid> <description><![CDATA[The PMBOK refers to the business of managing the requirements of a project as Scope Management while SEI refers to it as Requirements Management. This is partly because the SEI narrows its focus on the software requirements of the system or application being built while the PMBOK uses the term Scope to refer to all [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> The PMBOK refers to the business of managing the requirements of a project as Scope Management while SEI refers to it as Requirements Management. This is partly because the SEI narrows its focus on the software requirements of the system or application being built while the PMBOK uses the term Scope to refer to all the work of the project. This includes administrative activities such as producing and communicating the project progress reports and conducting status review meetings.The CMMI refers to the group responsible for capturing and recording requirements as the “software engineering group”. This is an entity that the CMMI states should comprise a part of the organizational structure. This group will be responsible for managing software requirements outside of the project, but for the purposes of the project the person or group responsible for gathering the requirements can be someone outside the software engineering group. CMMI organizes its Key Process Areas (KPA, Requirements Management is one of these KPAs for Level 2) into Goals, Commitment to Perform, Ability to Perform, Activities Performed, Measurement and Analysis, and Verifying Implementation. Requirements Management has 2 goals: </p><p>Systems requirements allocated to software are controlled to establish a baseline for software engineering and management use.<br />Software plans, products and activities are kept consistent with the system requirements allocated to software<br />Goal #1 should be satisfied by a Business Requirements Document (BRD), commercial specification, or other document which captures and identifies the requirements for the system or application being built. The PMBOK refers to this document by the generic name of Requirements Documentation (keep in mind that the PMBOK was not written specifically for software projects). The first process in the Scope Management knowledge area is Collect Requirements and this is the process that will deliver the Requirements Document. The people who are responsible for identifying the customer or client’s needs are identified in the Stakeholder Register and the requirements gathered using the various tools and techniques described will be captured in the BRD. They should be uniquely identified as well, so as to establish traceability. Goal #2 is chiefly satisfied by the breakdown of the work required to produce the software which is described in the Create the WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) process.Your organization is required to govern requirements management with a “written organizational policy”. Since this policy is outside the scope of any single project, it is not part of your responsibilities as project manager to create it. The PMBOK does make reference to such a document however; mention is made in the input section of many processes, including scope management processes, of “organizational assets”. A policy that standardizes the activities that must be performed when a software system or application is built will influence the activities in your project plan and may even provide a template for the requirements management portion of your project plan. Always keep in mind that your responsibility covers all the project work, including administrative work, not just the work of building the software system.The policy should state that requirements are documented and reviewed by “software managers and other affected groups”. These people are the project stakeholders referred to in the Stakeholder Register. The policy also states that the plans, work products, and project activities must change to be consistent with changes in requirements. Your project should have a Change Management Plan that describes how any changes, including changes to requirements, will be handled by the project. This Change Management Plan is described in the Integration Management knowledge area and is what will ensure that appropriate plans, work products, and activities are updated when a change to requirements is approved. The Verify Scope and Control Scope processes describe how activities called for by these processes might produce a change request.The abilities that Requirements Management calls for are:</p><p>Analyzing the system requirements and allocating them to hardware, software, and other system components. This ability is provided to the project by the Business Analysts, or Systems Analysts who translate the business requirements (allocated requirements) into system requirements. The PMBOK does not address this activity directly; remember that it is not focused on any specific industry, so your plan must speak to this ability. Simply identify the work to produce the functional specification from the business requirements in the WBS.<br />Documentation of the requirements. The documents referred to will be the Business Requirements Document, the Functional Specification, and the Detail Design Document. The BRD should uniquely identify each requirement. Each function in the Functional Specification should support one or more requirements and each requirement should be supported by one or more functions. The same rule applies to the Detail Design Document. This supports tracing requirements through to the finished products. This ability also specifies that acceptance criteria for the products must be specified.<br />Adequate resources and budget must be provided for managing the allocated requirements. This refers to your project funding for human resources such as business analysts, systems analysts, programmers, software librarians, etc. It also refers to funding for any tools required to manage requirements such as configuration management tools.<br />Project team members are trained to perform their requirements management duties. This refers to the work of analyzing the requirements, managing the requirements, building the software, and managing the configuration.<br />The first activity called for by the CMMI is the review of requirements by the “software engineering group”. Your Verify Scope process describes the various methods for doing this and they include audits, walk-throughs, and reviews by the appropriate stakeholders. This activity also calls for resources to be allocated for the work of estimating costs, building the system, testing the system, configuration management, QA, contract management/Procurement Management, and documentation support. These activities will be identified by the Create WBS process.Activity 2 calls for the engineering group to create the plan and build the deliverables. This is simply the execution of the project plans. Activity 3 calls for changes to the requirements to be reviewed and incorporated into the project. This activity is covered by the Control Scope process. Control Scope describes how the Integrated Change Control System manages changes and implements approved changes. CMMI describes the process in somewhat more depth and calls for changes to be identified, evaluated, assessed for risk, documented, planned, communicated to affected stakeholders, and tracked to completion. Your Change Management Plan should describe these activities.CMMI calls for the work performed to be measured so that the measurements can be used to determine the status of the requirements. The Control Scope process describes how work performance information is analyzed (variance analysis) against the plan and any variances discovered are corrected.CMMI calls for the verification of requirements management activities. The requirements management activities should be reviewed with senior management periodically. The Verify Scope process does not specifically refer to senior management in describing how this process is to be executed so the project manager will have to improvise here. I advise holding gate meetings, phase exit reviews, or business decision point meetings to review project status with senior management who are represented by the project’s business sponsor and/or the steering committee. CMMI also calls for progress reviews with the project manager. The project manager will attend the gate reviews and will run status review meetings with the team on a regular basis.The CMMI also calls for the Quality Assurance group to review or audit the work. Your organization may or may not have a QA group. If it does, the group may be responsible for project audits which would cover this requirement. CMMI is specific as to who must undertake these reviews and audits so your organization either has this covered or it does not; there is no opportunity for you to cover it yourself. CMMI describes what should be audited at a minimum. This includes requirements reviews, problem resolution, updating of work products and plans when requirements change, and the proper process for deciding on change and implementing the changes.CMMI Level 2 calls for requirements management to be repeatable. In order to meet this requirement, the plans for managing the project’s scope, including its software requirements, must be documented. The schedule and WBS will be captured by your MS Project file. You should also include a written Requirements Management Plan which describes all the activities for capturing requirements, analyzing requirements, designing the system, building the system, and testing the system. Changes should be managed by a separate Change Management plan. The creation of these two plans, as described above, will meet all the criteria for CMMI Level 2 that a project is capable of meeting.The best project management practices referred to in this article are described in the PMBOK (4th edition) and are also supported by the PMI’s PMP certification and PMP exam. The exam tests candidates on their grasp of these best practices and their ability to put them into practice to solve actual project management problems. Studying with one of the many available PMP exam preparation courses and passing the exam is a good first step towards reconciling CMM practices and project management practices. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/cmm-and-project-management-scope-management,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>How to Have a Luxury Spa and Hotel Break For a Budget Price</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/how-to-have-a-luxury-spa-and-hotel-break-for-a-budget-price,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/how-to-have-a-luxury-spa-and-hotel-break-for-a-budget-price,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2023 05:56:02 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=54</guid> <description><![CDATA[Ever since Gok Wan went from making us look good naked to creating catwalk outfits for less than the price of dry cleaning a designer outfit, I’ve been pulling out my craft glue (and the occasional DIY supplies) to glam up New Look basics into must have “pieces”. I’ve even taken a couple of their [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> Ever since Gok Wan went from making us look good naked to creating catwalk outfits for less than the price of dry cleaning a designer outfit, I’ve been pulling out my craft glue (and the occasional DIY supplies) to glam up New Look basics into must have “pieces”. I’ve even taken a couple of their comfortable wide fit shoes and made them into sparkling triumphs courtesy of Claire’s Accessories and some Superdrug nail varnish. I know, these are not names that generally inspire, but when the resulting sandals are mistaken for the latest season sandals from Dune (and are actually comfortable enough to walk in) I knew I was on to a winner.Fast forward to a girlie weekend in Barcelona this March and a visit to a local spa and suddenly my mind was working overtime again.As much as I love the idea of a long weekend at a luxury spa hotel, if I’m honest the prices have always put me off, and my recent experiences at day spas in Morocco and Barcelona have convinced me that you don’t need to pay through the nose for an exceptional spa experience. In fact the best massages I have had to date have been the cheapest ones:- Around 32 pounds for a hammam, with a gommage “scrubbing”, followed by a rhassoul, and then the most relaxing massage I’ve ever had. I can’t tell you how long I was in there – only that the sun had gone down, I had lost all track of time, and I was on a completely different planet.- Even in Barcelona, with the euro at an all-time high, the top rated spa cost us around 54 pounds for the hammam, (with extra hot steam room and plunge pool), followed by a gommage “scrubbing” and another extremely relaxing massage. Three hours of luxury for 54 pounds compared to UK prices is a total steal.The fact is that in many cultures the local spa is an everyday (or at least every month) treat, which, combined with good exchange rates (when they are available), makes them a great bargain on holiday. So why aren’t we taking advantage of them? Well personally I think it’s because, whereas guide books are stuffed with restaurant, sight and hotel recommendations, very rarely do they spend any time on spas. The spa in Morocco was recommended by friends, and the spa in Barcelona was found with some pre-emptive internet research. Later in the year I’m off to visit China, which has some world class hotel spas, but also boasts a proud massage tradition, which leads me to hope that as well as the day spas I’ve been recommended (where prices are about a quarter of UK rates) I’ll also be able to find other more authentic bargains.Which leads me to the hotel part of the spa and hotel break. One of the reasons that staying at a luxury spa hotel can cost so much is that you are paying for the option to use it 24/7. If, like me, you see your spa time as part of a whole trip rather than a destination in itself, you’ll probably find that one day spending 3-4 hours in a spa is enough (taking into account the detox effects) at least for a couple of days. So just by choosing to stay in a separate hotel you will probably save a hefty chunk of your holiday budget, and you’ll also avoid the temptation to stay locked up in your hotel for your entire stay and miss out on the local treats.By then choosing an affordable hotel, reasonably close to your spa, which features the required level of pampering (slippers, robe, fluffy white towels), you can relax back in your room safe in the knowledge that you’ll be going home with a designer glow and a budget bill.Of course this is not to say that there aren’t spa hotels offering affordable deals, but by being flexible and savvy you can make sure that your relaxation time isn’t spent feeling ripped off. And perhaps more importantly, by being more creative in choosing your hotel, you have a much better choice of spa. You are not limited to an in-house spa experience, very important considering the number of excellent day spas available, even in the UK. Take for example Spa London in Bethnal Green, voted 2010 Professional Beauty Awards “Day Spa of the Year”, where 3 hours of thermal experience will set you back 21.50 pounds at the top of the scale for non-members, down to 6.75 pounds for concessionary local members (including towel, robe and flip flop use) and which is truly a luxury experience compared to the slightly run down Porchester Spa. And then there’s Thermae Bath Spa, the only place in the UK where you can bathe in natural healing spa waters, voted 2010 “Best Spa in the World” by readers of the Daily Telegraph’s Ultra Travel Magazine for the second time running, where a 2 hour session in the New Royal Bath (recommended) will set you back 24 pounds (plus 9 pounds hire cost for towel, robe and slippers if you need them – and you get to keep the slippers!) Unlike many spas the Thermae Bath Spa also offers reductions for locals, disabled guests and their carers, so a local disabled guest (and carer) could pay as little as 9.50 pounds each for a 2 hour session in the New Royal Bath. (You can also buy a glass of spa water at The Pump Room for only 50p!)Of course London and Bath are not known for their cheap hotel rooms, and certainly in central Bath you might be pushed to find availability, let alone an affordable room rate. However, if you widen your search to the surrounding area, you’ll also find some wonderful B&Bs which would put many hotels to shame, and where you can wake up to the sound of a horse clip clopping past, right in the heart of the countryside. Then it’s up to you whether you decide to explore some old fashioned villages, head back home refreshed and revived, or pop back to the Thermae Bath Spa for just a little more bargain relaxation. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/how-to-have-a-luxury-spa-and-hotel-break-for-a-budget-price,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>What is a Payday Loan?</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/what-is-a-payday-loan,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/what-is-a-payday-loan,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2023 19:18:38 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=52</guid> <description><![CDATA[A payday loan or cash advance is a small, short-term financial instrument that allows a borrower to cover his or her expenses until the next paycheck. Typically, the amounts of such loans range of $100 to $1500, on 10-14 days term and have enough high interest rates (APR) from 390 to 900 percent.Payday lending is [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> A payday loan or cash advance is a small, short-term financial instrument that allows a borrower to cover his or her expenses until the next paycheck. Typically, the amounts of such loans range of $100 to $1500, on 10-14 days term and have enough high interest rates (APR) from 390 to 900 percent.Payday lending is regulated at the state level – each state has its own laws regarding payday loans. Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress passed a law in October 2006 that limits lending to military personnel at 36% APR. The Defense Department was concerned that payday lenders could cause financial challenges for soldiers and even jeopardize security clearances.Some federal banking regulators are trying to limit or prohibit payday loans not just for military personnel, but for all customers. The high interest rates are considered as a hard financial blow to the lower and middle class people who are the primary borrowers.Lenders prove that payday loans are often the only available way to get money for customers with bad credit history or who can not obtain another lower-interest alternative, such as a bank loan or a credit card. In their turn, critics say that the most of borrowers find themselves in a worse financial situation when they have to repay their loan. Many of them get trapped into a cycle of unsecured debt.Statistics compiled by the Center for Responsible Lending show that the large part of the payday lending’s profit comes from repeat consumers who can not repay prior loans on the due date and instead prolong their loans, paying extra fees each time.Retail lending.Customers come to a payday lending store and qualify for a small cash advance in the range of $100 to $500 with payment on the borrower’s next paycheck.As loan charges, the customer will pay from $15 to $30 per $100 borrowed for 14 days period, which translates to interest rates of 390 to 780 percent (APR). On the due date the borrower returns to payday lending store and writes a check to his lender in the full amount of the cash advance plus charges.If the borrower does not repay the loan, the lender may process the check traditionally or through electronic withdrawal from the borrower’s bank account.If there is not enough money to cover the check at the checking account, the customer will face extra fees from his bank in addition to the costs of the loan. Meanwhile, the most of payday lenders offer an extended payment plan with no additional fees for customers who can not pay out their loan at the due date.In several states like Washington, extended payment plans are required by state law.Internet lending.You can get a payday loan not only from payday lending store, but online through special lending websites. Typically, a customer fills out a simple online application form, where he or she indicates required personal and bank account information, Social Security number and employer information. Some lenders require fax copies of a check, a recent bank statement, and signed paperwork. After instant approving the loan amount is direct deposited into the borrower’s checking account. On the due date loan payment with fees is electronically withdrawn from borrower’s account.Examples.For example, a borrower wants to get a payday loan. The borrower will write a post-dated personal check for $500 to borrow $570 for up to two weeks. The payday lender agrees to hold the check until the borrower’s next paycheck date. At that time, the borrower has the option to redeem the check by paying $570 in cash, or renew his loan by paying off the $570 and then immediately applying for an additional loan of $500, in result prolonging the loan for another 14 days period. However, in many states extending of payday loans is not allowed by state law. In states where there is an extended payment plan, the borrower could choose to opt into a payment plan.The Consumer Federation of America has conducted a survey of one hundred internet payday loan websites recently. The results showed that these lenders offer loans from $100 to $1,500, with $500 the most frequently offered. Finance fees ranged from $10 per $100 up to $30 per $100 borrowed. The most frequent rate was $25 per $100, or 650% annual interest rate (APR) if the payday loan is repaid within 14 days.Exploiting financial emergencies for profit.Critics say that payday lenders are exploiting consumer’s temporary financial difficulties to make high profit. Often payday lenders are targeting their services to young or poor people with low-income. Borrowers simply may not understand that the high APR can trap them into a debt-cycle, where they will have to repeatedly extend the loan and pay growing extra fees every 14 days until they can save enough money to pay off the loan amount and get out of this dangerous cycle. There is an opinion that payday lenders disadvantage the poor people, compared to the middle class who pay moderate interest on their credit cards.Meanwhile, supporters say that many people that apply for payday loans have already ruined any other available alternatives. They are not able to get a bank loan or a credit card because of serious problems with credit history.Costs of payday loans.Supporters of payday loans argue that the processing costs for these loans do not differ from other loans. They say that moderate interest rates for low borrowed amounts and short terms would not be profitable. For example, a $200 one-week loan, at a 20% interest rate would give the lender only 72 cents of interest, which would not cover even processing costs.Defenders say that payday lenders processing costs are much lower than costs for home loans and other usual loans. Besides payday lenders require only the proof of borrower’s income and employment, while traditional loan lenders do full credit checks and value the borrower’s ability to pay out the loan. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/what-is-a-payday-loan,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Suggestions for New Gardeners</title> <link>https://eqvodms.info/suggestions-for-new-gardeners,html</link> <comments>https://eqvodms.info/suggestions-for-new-gardeners,html#comments</comments> <pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2023 15:37:07 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>admin</dc:creator> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://eqvodms.info/?p=50</guid> <description><![CDATA[There are many gardeners who have been planting vegetables, herbs, and flowers for years and really enjoy it. New gardeners are also hoping to have the same enjoyment but may not be sure on how and where to begin. You do not need a large area to start a brand new garden, it is better [...]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> There are many gardeners who have been planting vegetables, herbs, and flowers for years and really enjoy it. New gardeners are also hoping to have the same enjoyment but may not be sure on how and where to begin. You do not need a large area to start a brand new garden, it is better to start small to see how well it is going to work and then progress to something larger. You may even want to start out with a small container garden instead of a plot in the ground.You can check to see if there are any classes being offered with regards to gardening; some nurseries, garden centers, or master gardeners in your area may offer some suggestions. You may also have neighbors that do some gardening and would be willing to show you how to begin. Some cities have public gardens for you to visit so you can see what will grow well in your environment. In order to make your gardening experience enjoyable start out small so it will fit into your schedule. A new garden should not be so large that you are going to wonder what you got yourself into.You are going to need a few basic gardening supplies regardless of whether you are planning on growing vegetables, flowers, or herbs. Compost, which is composed of decaying organic material, will greatly improve your soil by adding back nutrients that will improve growth. Compost can be made at home by using kitchen scraps and natural yard and garden waste or it is available in bags from home improvement centers and garden nurseries. If you add mulch to your garden in the spring it will cut down on your weeding time and it will retain moisture for the plants especially during the warmer summer months. Organic mulch is probably the best to use because it will eventually break down over time and help feed the soil. Other types of mulch can be wood chips or straw.The basic set of gardening tools generally includes a dibbler or trowel for digging holes for seedlings and to plant seeds and a three-prong cultivator for weeding a small garden and establishing troughs for planting seeds. A garden hose with a spray attachment for releasing gentle sprays for those delicate seedlings is a must. A good investment is a garden hat with a wide brim to protect your head and face from the sun along with a good sunblock. If you do not want to use sunblock on your arms and legs some old clothing with long sleeves and long pants can be worn for protection. A pair of gardening gloves that is going to last awhile during gardening tasks is a must. There are gardeners that spend a lot time on their knees while gardening and have purchased gardening mats or kneelers that help protect those knees.Wherever you decide to have your garden be sure the area is going to get the right amount of sunlight for what you are going to grow. Most herbs, vegetables, and fruit will need six hours, at least, of full sunlight daily; some of them may need more time. Flowers are going to be different; some need partial sun; full sun; or even shade. You can have an in-ground flower garden in full sun and a container flower garden for partial sun or shade; remember a container garden can be moved around as needed. If your garden is not going to be near the water spigot just make sure your garden hose is going to be long enough to reach. Your in-ground garden soil needs preparation as soon as the ground is pliable with plenty of compost or organic material. Good garden soil needs to have organic material added every year to keep it healthy. If you feed garden soil every year it will grow and produce everything your plants need for producing a good healthy crop or beautiful plants and flowers.There are a few plants that are difficult to grow from seeds such as tomatoes, peppers, and petunias, so you may want to plant their seedlings instead. If you prefer growing from seed, try planting indoors early and transplant them as seedlings, when they are strong, to your outside garden. If you plant any seedlings outside too early you may run the risk of another frost and your plants will die. It is probably best to check with a gardening neighbor or your local garden nursery for best times for planting in your area.As new gardeners you may find your first year of gardening may not give the best crop of vegetables or the most beautiful flowers; do not get discouraged, if you enjoyed the gardening experience your following years will always be better than the last. Just remember to grow the plants that will do well in your environment, keep the garden small at first and grow the plants that you and your family will enjoy. </p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eqvodms.info/suggestions-for-new-gardeners,html/feed</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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