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A Technology Recipe for Success

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In today’s fast-paced environment, it’s difficult to follow all the developments in technology. As a result, small business owners often make poor technology choices for their business because “they don’t know what they don’t know” about technology. Establishing best practices is the key ingredient to ensure a recipe for technology success.First and foremost, one must assess the business’ technology needs. Does the business rely heavily on email? Is everything driven and run through a specific line-of-business application, e.g. legal software, accounting software, or ERP system for manufacturing? In many service industries, most users simply need email, Web access and basic document and spreadsheet sharing.Once the needs are identified, business application selections are made which leads to decisions about in-house vs. cloud-based servers. Assuming an in-house solution is selected, it is strongly recommended to use virtualization technology on servers combined with a strong backup solution. Virtualization allows your business to efficiently leverage server hardware resources and gives you flexibility for future changes and disaster recovery.A strong backup solution should include first and foremost all critical business data. Second, it should run automatically with as little user-intervention as necessary. And, lastly, it should proactively notify you of any potential issues that may occur.Businesses are encouraged to develop well-thought-out data storage practices. These days, business data follows the Paerto principle, 80% of the data is “there” and not used. Only 20% of the data is meaningful to your business. By thinking through your data storage practices, your users can easily access and reference the data they need.When it comes to the actual users, the following should be emphasized:

Business-class desktop or laptop models with adequate memory and CPU speeds, generally less than 3 years old, and running a current operating system, be it Windows 7 or Snow Leopard/Lion
Anti-virus and anti-spyware software
Regular security patches
Proper power protection with either a quality surge protector or uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
Training, particularly on productivity tools like Office and core business applicationsIf a user is given the above, they will experience better performance (e.g. boot times less than a minute, rapid data access) and experience less downtime which results in better productivity.A good technology environment is prepared from the ground up. This includes:

Proper network cabling
Business-class gigabit network switches
Business-class firewalls
Locked-down wireless networks
A reliable Internet connection with redundancy, especially if a cloud-based solution is in heavy useBy following these basic best practices, your business can cook up success using technology to operate and grow. Interested in a free Technology Assessment and Review? IT Radix is here to help.

Fitness: Top 2 Dangers of a Sedentary Lifestyle to Avoid

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A sedentary lifestyle presents a number of possible threats and dangers, and the topmost of these threats include obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. If you spend most of your time in a static position, your muscles and bones may grow weaker, resulting to acute pain and even arthritis.Also, according to health experts, sedentary lifestyle has the potential to promote speedy aging process and would likely cause psychological issues. This is why fitness shouldn’t be an optional endeavor, but a way of life.So, What is a Sedentary Lifestyle?If your life is characterized by lack of physical activity, you are leading a sedentary lifestyle. And, in the present modern society, majority of people lead one form of sedentary life or the other.For instance, the working class individuals spend most part of their day (up to eight hours) sitting behind the computer at work. Then, they will get back home in a car and sit back to watch the television before retiring to bed. There is no room for physical activities and deliberate exercise. Over time, this kind of lifestyle could pose major threats to the mental and physical wellbeing of an individual.What are the Dangers of Sedentary Lifestyle?ObesityAs mentioned earlier, obesity is one of the major aftermaths of a sedentary lifestyle. The problem about a sedentary lifestyle is that little or no calories are used up. This becomes worse if you are eating the same amount of food as someone who is always on the go.Consequently, weight gain will continue and lead to obesity ultimately. And, if you do nothing to get some physical activities or exercises, the situation will increase the chances of diabetes.If you are already obese or tending towards obesity, you need to quit your inactive lifestyle without further delay! In fact, you would need to embark on weight loss boot camp urgently to speed up weight loss.Risk of Cardiovascular DiseasesAnother grave danger of lack of exercise is the risk of cardiovascular diseases, discovered to be common among individuals who live inactive lifestyle. The reason is simple; when you spend most of your time without embarking on physical activities, your heart do not get the sufficient amount of blood supply that it requires to function properly.Also, people who lead sedentary lifestyle are exposed to risk of other ailments such as breast cancer and colon cancer, including osteoporosis (a condition where the bone gets weak and loses strength).So, what is the lesson from it all? It’s simple; get into fitness activities and quit completely from inactive lifestyle. You should also focus on healthy meal prep recipes.

Construction Equipment Financing Takes Planning

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Establishing or expanding an existing construction business can be an overwhelming experience.
In deciding the proper direction you’ll need to plan out what type of equipment to purchase but more importantly how to pay for it. Are you able to pay cash or will construction equipment financing be necessary? Is it better to buy new equipment or will refurbished or used equipment be a better value.Unable to pay cash is not unusual and often the need to seek out a construction equipment finance company is the best alternative. In researching equipment financing you’ll want to have a clear understanding of what your company needs in the way of equipment and how your cash flow will allow you to pay for it.Determine The Type Of Equipment You NeedYour construction equipment finance company will need to know exactly what type of equipment you intend to purchase, as they will tailor the finance terms to match the need. Different types of equipment will have different types of financing. For example, if you plan to upgrade your computer system the finance company may offer shorter term financing as computer equipment becomes obsolete in a short amount of time. The purchase of a bulldozer or cement truck may have a much longer life span and be eligible for longer term financing.Consider Used Or Refurbished EquipmentOnce you decide how much equipment to buy, the brand you want or need, how much your budget can support, etc. you will then need to decide if buying new or used equipment is the best route to follow. Refurbished or used equipment may be an ideal solution, especially if the primary use is to be used as a back up to your existing construction equipment and not put into use on a daily basis. Not all used construction equipment will be reliable enough if you plan on making it your primary equipment. Just as you’d research the pros and cons of purchasing a used car you should perform diligent research on your proposed used equipment purchase.Not All Financing Companies Are The SameNow that you know what you want or need and have decided between refurbished or new it’s time to start researching financing companies. A good place to start is the bank that maintains your business checking account. Although they may not offer the most attractive financing options it may offer a good comparison to a company that is a construction equipment finance specialist.Because it’s all that they do, an equipment financing company will be more knowledgeable than a commercial bank with regards to your specific business and equipment needs. Seek out a company that maintains its own underwriting department since these companies are more able to respond to your request for equipment financing quicker than if they had to send the application out of the department for review. The end result will be you have your financing quicker and delivery of your new equipment will not be delayed due to financing.If you’re not in a position to purchase new or refurbished equipment another option often offered by equipment financing companies is equipment leasing. This is a great option for a seasonal business, someone just starting out or where tax advantages come into play. If you’re concerned about tying up liquid assets as you establish or expand your current construction equipment fleet, look to a construction equipment finance company. They have the experience and knowledge to help guide you in financial decisions that are right for you.

Turn Your Hobby Into a Career With a Photography Course

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We’re often told that success comes from pursuing what we want, and doing what we love doing. If you’re stuck in the daily grind, however, and working 9-5 everyday, this may seem like an idealistic sentiment that in reality is hard to make happen. But for many people, their hobbies and personal interests are their saving grace, and it’s probable that those unhappy in their day job have considered a life in which they pursue what they are really interested in. But if you are committed to making the change and starting a career in something that truly interests and inspires you, then there are a number of avenues that you can go down. Online and distance education is a time friendly and cost-effective option that lets you study from home on your own time, when it suits you, without having to commit to a university schedule or face to face class time. Such courses make it possible to study what you love and make the first steps towards doing what you love without having to stop working.The proliferation of personal cameras on the market today has made photography a popular hobby. Most people today own a digital camera, with which they capture memories and special moments. In many cases, this casual interest has turned into a more serious hobby – the equipment, effects and power of the camera can be intoxicating. So why not pursue this passion with a photography course? There are a range of different photography courses available:Digital photography course: If you love photography but are new to its digital evolution, a digital photography course will help you to understand digital concepts and techniques – as well as how to operate your digital camera, how to transfer images from your camera to your computer, and how to digitally print them. Furthermore, you can get advice on which digital camera to choose, and what the differences are between different models.
Freelance photography: To make photography a career, many photographers have chosen the freelance route. Freelance photography courses focus on not only the essential skills of location shooting, current technologies and different styles of photography, but also the business element of freelancing – such as negotiating contracts, understanding your markets and knowing how to sell your services. A freelance photography course will put you on the right path to turning your hobby into a career.
Traditional photography courses: Often combining the use of SLR and digital cameras, these photography courses are perfect for those interested in the art and science of photography. You’ll learn about light and gain a solid grounding in the fundamentals of the lens. With the basics behind you, you’ll be able to decide whether photography is merely a hobby, or something you are interested in exploring as a career path.As with any career, practice makes perfect. But understanding the essentials is crucial to producing quality photographs. A photography course – whichever stream interests you – is a good way to master such skills. Furthermore, you’ll be doing what you love and making your dream a reality or your passion into something that you can professionally pursue.