Blog

Statistics show that people who get the most satisfaction out of life and do well in their lives tend to share the same common characteristics. They not only do well in their careers, but they have satisfying and fulfilling relationships.

They contribute to the world rather than become criminals, and tend to live life with no regrets at the end. Parents, although they may not be able to take all the credit for who their children become, can have a significant impact on instilling these qualities. Take a look at some of the most important values that you should instill in your child to help them become the best version of themselves.

Integrity

Honesty is something that children are born with. However, in only a short amount of time, many kids start to notice that the truth can be bent in their favor. If left unharnessed, lying and hiding the truth can start to spiral out of control.

It’s vital that you discuss the importance of integrity and honesty with your child. They should fight for what is right instead of settling for what’s easy. When they are faced with ethical dilemmas, they should defend the truth. Teach them to be unwaveringly moral regardless of the circumstances.

Curiosity

Younger kids’ curiosity may be irritating during the first few years when you’re busy and trying to get things done. However, it’s something that you should encourage within a child. Some of history’s most memorable figures were nothing more than curious minds trying to seek a deeper understanding of the world.

Never discourage a child’s natural curiosity. By dimming their interest in the world around them, you’re doing them a great disservice.

Empathy

Empathy, unlike sympathy, is feeling for others on a deep level. Many people believe that one of the biggest reasons for war is a lack of empathy amongst cultures.

Raising an empathic child won’t just benefit you and your family, but also the rest of the world. The more people that are brought up willing to embrace other people’s way of life, the less violence and tragedy will be present in the world.

Confidence

Encouraging a child to believe in themselves will have an enormous impact on your child’s progression. Rather than only focusing on their shortcomings, encourage their strengths, and give them positive reinforcement.

That’s not to say that you should never let your child fail once in a while or help them recognize where they’ve fallen short. Overcoming obstacles is part of becoming a confident person.

There are more important subjects in life beyond the subjects your kids learn in school. By teaching your children the important life lessons at home, coupled with the education they receive at school, you’ll create a well-rounded person!

 

For years, the appeal of owning land abroad has dominated the aspirations of many, but as more people make this dream a reality, a number of frequently made mistakes have come to the forefront.

Unlike buying property, which is relatively straightforward in comparison, the acquisition of land abroad can be not only costly but also fruitless for well-meaning but ultimately, uninformed consumers. Buying with a specific purpose in mind can lead to sever disappointments but by understanding the mistakes of those that have gone before, you could sidestep these potentially expensive landmines.

1. Not doing a proper title search

A title search in the UK is very simple to undertake. Your conveyancing solicitor will do this for you, but when purchasing land abroad, you might come up against different legislation and simply forget. The simplest way to avoid this is to ensure you instruct someone in the country you are looking to invest in, as well as back at home, and be sure that you choose someone bilingual and fluent in your language, too. Mistranslated documents are rarely accepted as a reason for mistakes.

Unscrupulous sellers could rely on foreign investors not going through all of the proper channels, and as such a name could be missed on the deeds, leading to years of land disputes and expensive legal proceedings.

2. Not checking permissions

When you have located the perfect piece of land, it would be a huge mistake to simply go ahead with the purchase without ensuring there are requisite permissions in place for what you are hoping to do. Moreover, you need to be absolutely sure there are no restrictions, otherwise you could be the proud owner of land that you can do absolutely nothing with.

It is vital to make sure that you are not buying land that cannot be built on or that has strict permissions in place. If you are hoping to build an impressively large home, for example, and the land you are looking at is earmarked for nothing more than a small cottage, you are unlikely to get permission to change the intended building.

3. Paying in the wrong currency

Buying land can be simple if searches are carried out and planning permissions are checked, but extra diligence is needed when it comes to actually parting with your money. For example, it’s worth paying close attention to what currency exchange rates are doing, as you might be able to save yourself a significant amount by either paying on a particular day or looking to use a more favourable currency.

You could instruct a broker to do this for you, but be aware that this will incur fees. If you are looking to save money during the process of purchasing land, using an online exchange and transfer service could be a more prudent move.

4. Not having a survey

You wouldn’t commit to buying a property, regardless of the country it was in, without a comprehensive survey, so why risk it when it comes to land purchases? This is a mistake so many people make in a bid to speed up the exchanging of contracts – but it can leave you in a perilous position down the line.

A survey will be able to tell you if there are any less-than-desirable aspects to your land, such as a hidden well, unfavourable soil conditions or anything else that could make future building difficult or impossible. Don’t fall into the trap of buying land just because it is a reasonable price – it might be hiding something beneath the surface.

5. Not checking deed boundaries

A plot of land marked out with boundary tape is one thing, but seeing it in black and white, on formal deeds, is another. It is surprising how many buyers assume that the land they see with their eyes is what they will actually own, so always ask to see the deeds, complete with clear boundary marks and check how that corresponds with what you have seen. Also, be clear about every boundary and what your land butts up to, including any planning permission that is in place for neighbouring plots.

Buying land overseas is an exciting investment opportunity, as long as you acquaint yourself with the requisite information beforehand. There’s little point in securing a plot that cannot ever be built on or has such stringent restrictions in place that you can’t fulfil your construction aspirations, especially if you pay too much for it as well. A little information will go a long way in land purchasing and could save you a great deal.

Whether caused by a burst water pipe or a rain-driven flood, standing water in your home is always bad news. It can destroy anything it touches, including personal possessions and even the very structure of your house.

In this scary situation, you always want to call a water removal specialist to assist the clean-up. These companies have tools that can ensure the space is thoroughly dry afterwards, as well as the industry knowledge to assess whether structural damage has occurred or dangerous mold has begun to grow.

But you don’t need to wait for a professional to start removing standing water from your home. “The sooner the better” always applies when it comes to having water where it shouldn’t be. As long as you’re sure that there are no live wires pushing electricity through the water, use one or more of the following strategies to begin removing it.

Before you start, take a few photos to document the extent of the damage. This will be important if you intend to make an insurance claim, and can also help your water removal specialist understand the extent of the damage.

1. Bailing with buckets

The fastest way to get started is simply to bail water out with buckets. It will be a time consuming process, but only requires willing hands and a few large containers. One way to make the job go faster is to set up a human chain of volunteers to pass the buckets along. Be sure to have your helpers rotate positions in the line every so often so that no one gets fatigued by doing all of the bending or dumping.

2. Wet/dry vacuum

A wet/dry vacuum, also called a shop vac, can suck up water through a hose. This saves you some heavy lifting, but the tank will still need to be emptied repeatedly throughout the process. Hauling the heavy vacuum out to a safe dump spot and back can be tiring. Luckily, most shop vacs are on wheels, but that might not help if the ground outside is sodden by rain.

3. Homemade siphon

Siphons can be tricky to get started, but if you succeed, the water is drained by suction and won’t require much effort beyond monitoring it to make sure it keeps working. We will describe a couple of different methods to create a homemade siphon using a garden hose or any other flexible tube that’s long enough.

Suction method: This is what people usually think about when they imaging staring a siphon. To do it, fully submerge one end of the hose in the standing water. Pull the other end out to where you want the water to drain. You’ll need to apply suction to the free end of the hose long enough to get the water at least halfway through the hose. However, since garden hoses are seldom opaque, you won’t know when you get to that point and may need to pull the water all the way out to be sure the siphon starts properly.

Using your mouth is one way to apply suction and this works pretty well for shorter siphons. But when you’re talking about a long garden hose, the effort could easily exhaust a person. There is also the risk of getting some of that standing water in your mouth; this is dangerous because all kinds of water-borne toxins may be present.

If you have an air pump that can pull as well as push air, try using that. Your wet/dry vacuum might also be able to do the job provided you can get an airtight seal around the end of the garden hose.

Submersion method: Another way to get a siphon started is to entirely submerge your hose in the water. Watch for the bubbles that indicate the hose is taking on water. This method will only work if the hose becomes completely full of water with no remaining bubbles.

Once the hose is full, crimp one end of it by folding it over and hold on tight. Make sure the other end stays fully submerged as you move the crimped end to your chosen drainage spot. Once you release the crimp, water should begin flowing. If it fails, it is likely that there are air bubbles somewhere along the line.

Remember that gravity also plays a part in a successful siphon. If you are able to position your siphon so that water drains to lower ground than the standing water, it will work better and faster. Of course, depending on the location of your flood, this might not be possible.

Provided you can do so safely, it is always wise to begin bailing out standing water as soon as you can. Just remember the cardinal rule of dumping that water: it must flow away from the house. Water dumped right next to the home is likely to seep back in.

The other important component of the process is ventilation. Once the bulk of the water has been removed, open windows and run as many fans as you can to speed up evaporation of moisture that lingers in corners and has seeped into the walls.

A water removal specialist will have industrial water pumps and high powered fans to do the job thoroughly. It’s always best to have a professional complete the job, and if one can get to you within an hour (or you’re unsure if the water is electrified) feel free to wait.

But if the flood occurred due to weather, chances are high that the company will be very busy. In that case, use one of the methods above to get started on removing the water. The sooner it gets out, the less overall damage you will have to repair in the aftermath.

 

I often invite guests on to my weekly soccer podcast and at the beginning of the season I had industry expert Alexis Fecteau on the show, where we discussed who we thought would be relegated from the Premier League this year. Alexis and i generally agreed that Sheffield United, Norwich and possibly Newcastle would be the teams to go down, yet just 11 games in things look slightly different to how we thought. I called Alexis last week to talk about this, and we are both at a loss as to how things will pan out at the bottom come May, we’ve recalculated, and here is what we think.

Norwich

Norwich look to be the only team who we predicted to go down who have actually not surprised us, well not much. Norwich looks pretty good in the first 5 games of the season, with Todd Cantrell running the show and Teemu Pukki surprising everyone with his finishing ability. The scalp against Man City was huge, but since those first 5 games the Canaries have really been struggling. Norwich currently prop up the table and they have shown too much which convinces me they’ll escape.

Watford

Watford really loo look doomed and I actually picked them to push for a top 10 finish this season, a pick which now looks rather stupid. The loss of Troy Deeney to injury is huge but beyond that Watford just don’t look cohesive. Manager Javi Grazia was fired after a handful of games which saw Quique Sanchez Flores rehired to try and change Watford’s fortunes. Whilst they do look better under Flores, the team lacks a lot of quality and that I believe will ultimately be the undoing for the Hornets. Watford may be fighting until the end, but we believe that it will be a fight that they’ll lose, and Championship football will beckon.

Toss Up

In terms of the final places we are hovering between Southampton and Aston Villa, and we are leaning more towards Southampton. The 9-0 defeat at the hands of Leicester on their home turf would have been a major blow to the confidence of the Saints and whilst they do have goals in that team, they are very poor defensively which could be their undoing. Aston Villa look too good to go down and with players like McGuinn and Grealish you get a sense that there is something building there, they just need to start getting results.

Final mentions for Everton who could very well be the shock of the season in a relegation fight which nobody predicted. Also a mention for both Brighton and Sheffield United who are currently occupying positions 6th and 8th in what has been a phenomenal start to the season after many, myself included, predicted them to get relegated at the end of the season.

What are you thoughts on who goes down? Let us know in the comments.

 

My buddy Mitch has been working for Interdependence public relations for just over 4 years now, a position which he tried on 3 occasions to get, as they say, third time lucky. This is a public relations firm with a rich tradition of success and a reputation of being one of the very best PR firms in the country. I wanted to know more about how companies are able to create such a reputation, regardless of which field they are in, so I caught up with Mitch to find out just how this PR firm has been able to consistently deliver success and create a reputation as being the best.

Recruiting

As Mitch is all too aware of, only the very best get picked to work for this company and he believes that this is the first step in creating that high caliber business which they have become known for. The first 2 times he was rejected Mitch was told that he didn’t have enough experience, something which he thought was just a nice way of saying he wasn’t good enough. Mitch’s 3rd interview was 3 years after his first, and when they offered him the job they say they were pleased he had persisted, as he know had the relevant experience. Hiring the best is the first step to create this kind of reputation.

Fierce Competition

In his first couple of months Mitch thought that this was a company which pitted staff against each other, waiting for people to fail because he was facing fierce competition from people who he believed were his colleagues. He quickly learned however that there are many personal incentives which the company offers which is intended to make everyone competitive. The reason behind this is so that they can create a workforce who are all trying to achieve and all working to the best of their abilities. This competition is in fact very healthy and ultimately the team dynamic is also something which the company encourages, win together, lose together.

Celebrating Success

Many businesses are quick to get on to the staff when they are not delivering but not enough of them are active when it comes to celebrating success, this is something which Interdependence PR can most certainly not be accused of. When this company wins, they celebrate in style and they are regularly taking their staff out for meals and to exciting events to ensure that everyone knows just how good winning feels.

Ambition

Staff are encouraged to push on through their career and if you want it there is a very clear career ladder here, and opportunities are given to those that deserve it. This creates a workforce which is hungry and which is trying to reach the highest level of performance, which if course benefits each and every single one of the company’s clients.

Hire the best, incentivize, create healthy competition and work on ensuring that everyone is constantly bringing their A game.

 

Following on from the article we wrote last month about the value of land where we touched on mineral rights, many of you got in touch with us skiing to explain more about what mineral rights are. In that piece, we made reference that you may or may not have expensive minerals under your land but we didn’t go into depth about what mineral rights are, and where homeowners stand on this issue. To help us get into it I caught up with a good friend of mine who worked mineral acquisitions for Ferrari Energy, and here is all you wanted to know about mineral rights.

What Exactly Are Mineral Rights?

Simply put mineral rights are the rights of an owner to what is beneath a certain area of land. The owner of these rights is allowed to dig under the ground and see what minerals there may be down there, and they also have the ownership of whatever they happen to find. These mineral rights can be bought and sold and many large scale companies in the oil, fracking and natural minerals industries very often buy huge areas of land and the mineral rights which they have.

Under Your Home

When you buy a home it is very rare that you will also own the mineral rights for the space underneath your home. There is nothing wrong with laying foundations into the ground below your home, this is widely accepted in construction and in mineral rights. If however, you were to find anything of value when you lay those foundations then it is important to recognize that they are not yours, as most homeowners only have what is referred to as ‘surface rights’ which is the surface of the land only.

Can I Buy Mineral Rights?

The simple answer is yes you can buy mineral rights if you so wish, and in most cases you will have to buy these from the government who own all mineral rights which have not been sold. The question really would be why do you want to? There are certain areas that have value beneath the ground of course, and if you fall into the category then you could most definitely look to buy the mineral rights with an idea to sell them to a larger company in the future.

How Much?

Prices vary from state to state of course but there is generally a cost at the moment of $40,000 per acre when it comes to mineral rights that are bought from the government. If there is something of value underneath the surface then the government will tie a percentage of the commission into the deal for anything that is found.

If you are in any doubt about whether or not you do have the mineral rights below your property then check the land owners register to see if a previous owner has already purchased these rights and sold them on with the home.

 

You’ve probably heard the term surrogacy floating around, but aren’t sure what it involves. So, what exactly is surrogacy, and what does it entail? Essentially, surrogacy is an option for parents to have children who aren’t able to carry a baby on their own.

In recent years, it has become an effective and successful treatment for families who may not have been able to have children otherwise.

If you’re someone who is exploring the idea of surrogacy yourself, then it’s vital that you understand the basics. Here are some of the most common terms surrounding surrogacy.

Surrogacy Agency

A surrogacy agency is a professional service that helps match surrogate mothers with intended parents. They oversee the process and help protect all parties involved in order to facilitate a successful procedure.

For a fee, they provide full services, including arranging all clinical procedures, guiding the parents as well as the surrogate mother, and providing support.

Ultimately, their job is to match healthy surrogate mothers with couples intending to be parents and ensure that the process goes smoothly.

Not every agency is created equal, however. It’s essential to make sure that you do your research in order to ensure that you get the emotional and legal support that you need. A good agency will be there to help you every step of the way.

Surrogate Mother

The surrogate mother is a fertile woman who has agreed to carry another couple’s pregnancy. In some cases, the surrogate mother may provide eggs (known as traditional surrogacy.) Otherwise, she may carry another woman’s eggs inside her body throughout the full term of the pregnancy (known as gestational surrogacy.)

In most traditional situations, they are compensated by the family, unless you’ve arranged a payment free arrangement with a friend or family member.

Intended Parents

The childless couple is known as the intended parents, who will be the legal parents of the baby born at the end of the surrogacy agreement.

The intended father is automatically the legal father; however, depending on the country where the surrogacy arrangement takes place, there may be further legal procedures to carry out. In some cases, further paperwork is required to ensure the intended mother is the legal mother on the birth certificate and not the surrogate mother.

IVF

In Vitro Fertilization, also known as IVF, is when a woman’s egg is fertilized in a lab and develops into a human embryo. In some cases, they may be used right away; otherwise, they are frozen and put away for future use.

Egg Donor

When a mother isn’t able to use her own eggs, a donated egg may be used. A couple can either purchase an egg or ask a friend or family member to provide one.

 

Car collisions are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Regardless of how many provisions are put in place to reduce the risk of accidents, they still kill millions a year.

While there isn’t one single way to stop one from ever happening to you, there are efforts that you can make on your part to lower your chances of putting your life in danger on the road.

Here are some of the best ways to avoid getting into a car accident.

Follow Traffic Laws

Traffic laws were put into place for a reason. Unfortunately, some people believe that the rules no longer apply to them after they’ve driven for a certain amount of time. Unfortunately, overconfidence behind the wheel can be disastrous.

Don’t ignore signs, and always follow the speed limit. Getting a traffic ticket is an expensive lesson. You’re aren’t above the law!

Stay Off Your Phone

For crying out loud, put your phone down! No call or message is worthy of putting your life at risk. Unfortunately, the digital era has normalized the constant use of cell phones.

However, using your phone while you’re in a waiting room is not the same as using your phone while you’re at a red light, or worse, accelerating! You’re not only putting your own life at risk, but also others.

Do everyone a favor, and when you’re driving just focus on driving!

Don’t Drink and Drive

Alcohol has a way of convincing you that you’re invincible. However, even though you may have had “only a few” drinks before getting behind the wheel, that small amount of alcohol can have a significant effect on your reaction time.

Not only can drinking and driving lead to serious legal trouble, but it can also be fatal.

Make Sure Your Car Is in Driving Condition

If you notice that your car has been acting up, it’s essential to take it to the shop. Sometimes your car may break down in the middle of traffic, causing an accident.

Don’t leave things to chance. The minute you notice anything off about your vehicle, take it in to be serviced.

Don’t Drive Overly Emotional

Most people have heard that road rage can be dangerous, but so can any intense emotion. Whether you’re sobbing or bursting with rage, it’s never a good idea to drive when you’re emotions have taken over. You’re not able to make sensible decisions.

While you can’t control other drivers on the road, you can control how you react to them. Always stay aware of your fellow drivers and take as many safety precautions as possible. As a result, you’ll be much less likely to suffer from someone else’s negligence, or committing a negligent act.

 

If you’re currently deciding whether or not to replace your home’s windows with more energy efficient windows, make sure to continue reading to discover a few key reasons why you may need to replace your windows.

Why you might need to replace your windows:

Your window seals may have worn down which will make your home harder to heat and cool:

Over time your windows’ seals may have worn down and deteriorated. If this is the case, air will be able to escape your home more easily. This can be an issue as if you want to effectively heat your home in winter, any air which you heat using a heat pump or a heater will be able to escape your home, through the gaps in your windows seals. So if you want to be able to heat your home efficiently, it’s definitely a wise idea to replace your windows with new windows which boast air tight seals.

If your home features old windows, with worn down seals you will also have difficulty using an air-conditioner to cool your home as the air which you cool, will also escape your home. Through the gaps in your outdated windows’ seals.

You should find that by simply replacing the windows in your home, that you’ll be able to drastically reduce your monthly power bill. As you’ll no longer need to rely on using your heat pump, heater or air-conditioning unit for countless hours a day. Which is great as most heat pumps, air conditioning units and heaters are extremely expensive to run.

In order to replace your windows with home’s windows with more energy efficient windows:

If it’s time to replace some or all of the windows in your home, it’s well worth completing a bit of research in order to ensure that you install new windows which have been designed to be energy efficient. As an example, you may want to opt for windows which boast insulated glass over regular windows.

To change the look of your home:

Another reason why you may want to consider replacing some of your home’s windows is to update the look of your home. As an example, if you want to give you home a more contemporary, modern look, you may want to replace your current window with larger windows. As larger windows, have a more contemporary look.

To strengthen your home:

If you live in an area which is particularly prone to experiencing natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes or storms, replacing your windows with windows which are manufactured out of sturdy, durable materials such as plexiglass. As your windows and your home will stand a greater chance of surviving a natural disaster, without incurring major damage.

To be able to open and close your windows with little effort:

If your home still features its original windows, you may struggle to open and close your windows smoothly. Which is a sign that you definitely need to replace your windows as soon as possible.

So if you’re looking for window replacement in Richmond Hill, it’s well worth going ahead and selecting which windows in your home you should replace. As there are a wide variety of benefits associated with replacing your windows, before they start to deteriorate.

 

Lots of people have jobs around the world. Some of those jobs require that employees are dressed accordingly. Every man in the world needs to have a proper pair or work boots. Whether your job depends on it or you need to do some work in your yard, it doesn’t really matter. These types of boots can be used for many advantages. For example, people that work on a construction site, need a pair of these. They will protect the feet and provide comfort at the same time.

Also, a lot of the time the weather can get really awful. It can start raining, or it can begin to snowing. You need a proper pair of boots to keep your feet warm and to prevent the water from entering through them. If they are made of cheap material, then don’t be surprised if your socks get all wet. When it comes to buying a nice pair of boots, you need to pick the ones that will be durable. There are a lot of benefits when it comes to owning and wearing work boots. Here are some of the most well-known ones:

Preventing Slips

Do you know how easy it is to slip and fall on your back? You can easily break a bone or worse. Wearing proper footwear will prevent that from happening. Or, if you carry heavy equipment all the time, some of it might fall on your toes.

The appropriate shoes will keep your toes safe and minimize the damage. You won’t have to deal with the frustration and pain that come with broken bones. Just make sure to pick the right size of boots and the rest will be easy. You won’t be able to slip, and heavy objects won’t crush your toes. Read more on the topic by clicking on the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel-toe_boot.

Preventing Punctures

It is really easy to puncture your foot on something sharp. We can quickly get distracted and one way or the other, pierce our feet. This also causes a lot of pain. But if your work boots are made from thick material, then the sharp object won’t be able to get through.

One more way to keep your feet protected just by wearing the right shoes on. If you have a hard time deciding which ones to buy, then you can ask for advice from your family, coworkers or the sellers.

Waterproof Quality

The best way to keep your feet dry is to buy boots that are made from waterproof material. This way, even if rain falls on top of the shoes, it won’t be able to penetrate the material. Your socks will be dry, and you won’t feel miserable along the way.

No one wants to deal with wet socks while they’re doing something important. Make sure to look for this type of material, and you’re all set. Even if it rains, even if it snows, the inside of your shoes will stay warm and dry all the time. Definitely check out work boots steel toe for additional information.

Durability

You will surely have a lot of use from an expensive pair of work boots. Their quality is what makes them stand out from other types of shoes. There are different brands to choose from. Don’t hesitate to spend a couple of bucks on them because they will prove useful for a long time.

Who knows? You might pass them on to your son sometimes. A lot of brands offer outstanding models that will simply take your breath away. And, more importantly, they will keep your feet safe and warm as long as you work. That’s the whole point, isn’t it? Find out more by checking out this page.

Comfort

Your feet deserve the best. We walk and move around all the time, so the muscles can get tired easily. If you have a job where rest is something you can’t afford, then you need to wear comfortable shoes so you won’t get tired easily. Fortunately, those types of models exist everywhere in the world. All you have to do is take the time to find a pair that will keep your feet pain free.