There are two sides of the same coin. You may have heard arguments on both sides regarding healthy foods and fast foods. You may have asked yourself one time or another, are all fast food fat foods? Can you binge on fast food without worrying about your health? How can you eat fast food and still stay healthy?
The United States is the leading country when it comes to obesity. The country is top three in the world in terms of existing fast food chains. When you put two and two together, you get to the conclusion that the popularity of fast food restaurants is affecting the health of the consumers.
McDonald’, one of the famous fast food chains in the world, faced a lawsuit in 2003 when parents of a teenage girl claimed that the fast food restaurant is responsible for their daughter’s health problems. Although the case was dismissed, it started the battle of fast food restaurants against health experts.
Obesity is not something to laugh about. It can lead to all sorts of complications such as diabetes mellitus type 2, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and, of course, cardiovascular diseases. Aside from that, being on the heavy side can make a person the butt of jokes which ultimately results to social outcasts and suicidal attempts. Sedentary lifestyle and overeating are the main reasons why there are people who are considered obese.
You should be familiar with the daily calorie intake. Your calorie intake highly depends on your weight and lifestyle. On average, health specialists stated that the daily calorie intake for women is 1200 calories while it is 1800 for men. Generally, one fast food meal has around 1000 calories.
Most of the food offered by fast food restaurants are deep-fried or heated up in the microwave. These processes of food preparation take minimum time unlike home cooked meals. As a result, most fast food products have high calories and are practically swimming in trans-fat.
If you take all of these into consideration, then yes, fast food is fat food. Health experts have grounds why they are against eating fast food products. On the other hand, it does not mean that you have to forego fast food altogether to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Fast food restaurants were a hit because they serve food in minimum time, in good taste, and in lesser price. So how are you going to make the two ends meet?
When health issues were raised, fast food restaurants come up with possible solutions to make their menu appealing to health buffs. They added salads, fresh fruit, and white meat to widen the selection of their consumers. Also, nutritional facts are made available so that people would have an idea how many calories are in their orders. These restaurants are doing their part but why is it that they are still being blamed?
It all boils down to you as a consumer. If you want to live a long life, you should know when to stop eating fast food. Moderation is the key. You cannot have burgers and fries all the time. If you can’t stay away from fast food, check out the other side of the menu. Instead of a Big Mac, why don’t you order a regular burger? If a regular burger is not good enough for you, just avoid add-ons like cheese, bacon, or mayonnaise sauce. Other add-ons can be tasty without the fat like onions, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mustard. Skip additional toppings in your pizza. Even though a slice of chocolate cake makes your mouth water, better order a low-fat yogurt or ice cream for dessert. Lastly, forget about the up-size promo. It will save you from calories and save a few pennies too.
Balanced diet is pretty elementary. As long as you know how to balance your intake, you’re good to go. The next time you crave for some fast food, indulge yourself. Just make it a point not to have the urge every day of the week.
Taxi Insurance – Understanding The Nuances
Those of you who own a vehicle or taxi need to purchase the right type of insurance, so that you are adequately covered in the event of an accident or untoward happening. Irrespective of whether you own a taxi or a fleet of taxis, it is imperative that you buy it and make sure that it meets your budget as well as requirements. There are a number of taxi insurance providers who offer discounts, if you purchase the insurance online. The best way to identify taxi insurance is to browse the internet. There are online insurance directories that will direct you to the respective insurance provider and within minutes, you will have complete information at your finger tips.
Check out for insurance comparison websites as they will be able to guide you choose the right policy for your requirements. To begin with, you may want to invite insurance of taxi quotes from three to four providers and based on these, take a call on the right policy. Fill in the insurance of taxi quote form and email it to the sites. Within minutes, you will have the filled quotes or quotations. The quote form will ask for some basic information and based on the data provided by you, the insurance provider will tailor-make the policy.
There are many ways of attracting good discounts on your taxi insurance premium. Having a clean driving record will help you achieve this. The lesser the number of accidents, the greater are the benefits. Similarly, over fifty drivers also get the benefit and good discounts on their insurance of taxi. Above fifty drivers are considered as matured and are less accident prone.
The taxi insurance premium may vary from one location to another. The type and model of the taxi also have a bearing on the insurance premium. Insurance providers encourage taxi owners to purchase the policy online as they can also get the benefit of good discounts. Once you have bought online insurance of taxi, you will be sent proof of the policy. You only have to take a print out of this copy which is a valid and legal document.
Depending on the number of taxis or vehicles you own, the insurance premium would vary. You may want to go in for group taxi insurance if you are running a fleet of taxis. The experience and age of the taxi drivers may also be taken into consideration by the authorities before extending the policy. The lesser the risk, the lesser will be the premium and vice versa. It is important to understand that a basic insurance of taxi policy may not always be enough. You may have to check out for a policy that extends other advanced features. In the event of an accident or damage to your taxi, both the parties do not have to bear the brunt of the accident.
It is advised to take adequate medical cover for the driver along with the taxi insurance, so that the coverage is spread accordingly and claiming compensation becomes simpler and easier.
Planning Vacations With Free California Travel Guides
Pick up some free California travel guides today to start planning your vacation to the land of sun and fun. No matter what time of year it is, you will find something in California to entertain you. In the winter, California still boasts warm temperatures and year round theme parks for your entire family. In higher elevations, you can find great places for skiing, so plan to hit the slopes for your next holiday vacation.
In the summer, California is particularly dynamic, as you will see when you visit the multiple beaches and enjoy the perfect temperature. When you look at free California travel guides, one thing they might not mention is that you should plan ahead.
Especially during the summer, you might find many hotels are booked, especially those hotels that are around public attractions. Expect longer lines during these summer months, and know that you might have to go exploring to find a spot of beach to keep to yourself.
If you want to avoid the crowds, fall is a great time to do that, and you can explore the many wine regions. Many free California travel guides can point you to the best ones in the area you plan on visiting.
Look through your free California guides to find the places worth visiting. Of course, you have the main, well-known tourist attractions, like Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. You have most likely heard of the Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park, where you can be amazed at the immensity of the redwood trees. Take a trip to SeaWorld and Mission Bay, which are perfect locations for the entire family.
If you are looking for great family vacation spots, find free California travel guides that highlight these attractions. For example, there is the National Yo-Yo Museum, which is always a favorite with kids. There is Universal Studios, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom or Birch Aquarium, all of which are great locations to bring those with short attention spans. Free California travel guides should help you find places that interest you.
Alternatively, if you are traveling to California for a romantic getaway, one free of children, then choose free California travel guides that capitalize on that fact. Have a fun day out parasailing and walking around the heart of San Francisco before cozying up in one of the many romantic dining options available in California.
No matter which city you visit, you will find relaxation in the surrounding spas, culture in multiple museums and fun with all the different recreation places and parks. Using the various free California travel guides, you can set up the perfect vacation in no time, so get started and put it off no longer!
Traditional Home Furniture
The different elements of traditional furniture
When you first hear references to the Captain’s bed you immediately think of sailors that have been through the rough seas. However there are practical uses for this piece of furniture in the home. In fact it can help the home owner to increase the enjoyment that they get from their living spaces. All this is achieved with the use of minimalist principles and materials that are actually sustainable. It is a pity that not many people are completely used to the idea that this piece of furniture can make great furnishings for the home.
- The Modern bed is great for storage purposes. You have an item of furniture that is used for a variety of functions including storage. If you have security needs you can even put a lock onto the furniture to ensure that it is not easily accessible. The people that run with such a course of action can look for other discreet ways of securing the storage space. The needs of the individual customers will vary and therefore the solutions to their problems cannot be generic. However we can conclude that this piece of furniture is very useful when it comes to protecting your property in storage. The delicate items will not be shifting from side to side and that is a definite advantage.
- Depending on the brand that you buy the Usable bed can be very comfortable. You can use the mattresses and other cushions to ensure that you have a very comfortable stay. This will be nothing like the conditions that you can expect in a cramped ship. Instead you will have great flexibility in terms of the way that you can arrange your home yet at the same time you will be living in relative comfort. It is the thing that is making this piece of furniture very popular with the public. Even children might be able to use if you take the necessary safety precautions. In using the item you are really just getting the benefits that the manufacturers planned all along.
- You can use sustainable materials for the Captain’s bed. This means that you do not have to restrict yourself to wood. It is possible to look at the other alternatives and see whether they can do the job effectively. At the same time you will be playing your role in securing the environment. This is the dual role that you can look to in order to ensure that you are getting the maximum benefits from the purchases that you make for your home in terms of furniture.
- Space is utilized responsibly when you buy the Captain’s bed. If you live in the modern homes where the space that is available to you is at a premium, this can be a great solution to your problems. You will be able to fit in well and yet you will have the extra room to store your property as well. This is a complete furniture piece.
How to Pick Out Home Furniture for a Busy Lifestyle
Leading a busy lifestyle means having less time to enjoy the comforts of home. But that doesn’t mean you should abandon comfort altogether. In fact, when you’ve got no other choice but to be busy, your home furniture should help you get the most of what little time you have to feel comfortable.
Furniture that will fit a busy lifestyle should have certain qualities above other considerations. First, it has to be low maintenance. The less you have to do to keep it spic and span, the more time you’ll have to simply lay back and relax. Next, it will need to be space-efficient. After all, when you’re trying to get from point A to point B on a tight schedule, being forced to go through a long path or to squeeze between sofas and tables will definitely make your temper rise.
Here are some suggestions to create a comfortable, low-maintenance home for a busy bee:
The More Functions, The Better. Aside from the novelty factor, multi-functional furniture can help you reduce clutter and make it easier to move around. Some ideas you can consider include using a storage chest or ottoman for your coffee table in the living room, or choosing a sectional that extends into a chaise-like section instead of buying a separate chaise lounge to pair with your sofa.
Plan The Room To Make The Most Of The Furniture. Speaking of multi-functional home furniture, instead of buying a single desk for a single function, try to envision a space-efficient room and select furniture to follow that idea. This is especially important if your home tends to double as your second office. By being wise with how you arrange the room and position everything you need for certain tasks, you can spend less time searching for documents or designs and finish work faster.
Whether To Go Leather. When it comes to upholstery for your home furniture, investing in leather will definitely matter in short run. Cloth-upholstered sofas get dirty and dusty easily and will have you taking the covers to the washers every so often. Leather upholstery will also help greatly if you keep a pet at home. Fur is much easier to deal with and leather is more resistant to stains. Split liquids will often just need a wipe-down to keep clean.
On the other hand, leather tends to fade over time, especially when humidity varies. If you use an air-conditioner, but leave it off when you’re not in, then leather may not be the best option to you. Leather also scratches relatively easier and these may be harder to repair.
While all of these ideas will help you pick out the best home furniture to suit your lifestyle, remember that above all, you must prioritize comfort. This is most important for the places you plan to spend the most time in, such as your home office and your bed.
The Fast Food Industry – You Pay Them to Kill You, While Still Making Hefty Profits
The power of advertising has made the public rethink their unhealthy habits. After the September 11th terrorist attack, the marketing department of the Department of Health used this angle to decrease the desire in young adults to use drugs. We’ve all seen these public service announcements from time to time, and I have mentioned them previously: “My drug habit lead to the ruination of lives far from where I live, I am directly helping organized crime… In other words, my drug use has financed murder…”
This chapter is using another angle to get the right point across. “Today, I built up the plaques in my arteries, I increased my triglyceride level by 30%.” I guess this is a blunt way to make a point. By eating fast food, you literally finance your death.
While several worthwhile books have been written in recent years about the broader social implications of a meat-centered diet (Erik Marcus’ “Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating”, Gail Eisnitz’s “Slaughterhouse”, and Howard Lyman’s “Mad Cowboy”, to name a few), none has been greeted more warmly by the mainstream press than Eric Schlosser’s “Fast Food Nation”. They all make one point in common: the dangers of eating fast food. In spite of this bad press, we haven’t seen many fast food corporate giants go under. Actually, some are doing very well, indeed. How can we comprehend the fact that despite everything that health magazines, newspapers, and television documentaries say about the dangers in the food we eat, such as hamburgers, fries, soft drinks, etc., people still find themselves filling the seats of these restaurants without thinking about the consequences of their actions? We are talking about your health here. A well-researched and trenchant expose of the fast food industry has caused some people to sit up, take notice, and perhaps even rethink their unhealthy eating habits.
It is obvious that a book talking about the causes of obesity talks about the fast food industry as well. Eric Schlosser’s book “Fast Food Nation” has enabled many to understand how fast food is being processed. Today McDonald’s is the country’s largest purchaser of beef, pork, and potatoes, and it’s the second biggest purchaser of chicken – which should seem obvious to us all. With their restaurants in every corner of America and beyond, millions of tons of meat and poultry are being processed in the slaughterhouses that supply meat to McDonald’s.
They can only offer their promotions, 2 burgers for $2.22, if their expenses are low. The point here is to make you realize that each time you enter their restaurants, order food, and pay the cashier to eat their food, you are signing your death warrant. Some statistics are truly staggering: In the early 1970’s, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food; in 2000, they shelled out more than $110 billion, more than they spent on higher education, computers, or new cars. McDonald’s operates about 28,000 restaurants worldwide and opens 2,000 more every year. That equals six McDonald’s/day. If they follow the same trend for the next decade, they might reach the 50,000 franchises mark. In real life, opening more franchises will mostly send more Americans to their doctors or the emergency room to get diagnosed with several diseases, including high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. There is at least one positive outlook of these corporate giants. They keep our labor force working by creating many jobs in America and abroad. The 3.5 million fast food workers are by far the largest group of minimum-wage workers in the world; not too bad for the fast food industry.
However, creating jobs should not be used as an excuse, though. They are still convincing people to eat their food by using the media and other sources of advertising. Fast food chains collectively spend about $3 billion annually on television advertising, most of it directed at children-talk about creative marketing. By reaching out to kids, they (the fast food giants) assure themselves a future. What is the point in reaching the older crowd since they are already hooked to their food? They need to reach a virgin market. Yep, ladies and gentlemen, they are targeting your kids. While you are trying your best to teach your kids to adopt a healthy lifestyle by making their lunch everyday, making them participate in after school sports activities, encouraging them to avoid unhealthy temptation, the industry is spending several millions dollars to brainwash them about what food to eat. I guess you agree with me that these are counter-productive measures. Can this ever end? I don’t think so. Unless Congress confronts one of the underlying factors in health costs for the country, we might never see any progress.
There is some good news, though. We’ve seen some changes in this industry in the past few years. McDonald’s and other fast food chains have tried to implement some healthy items in their menus. Americans are finally seeing some choices offered to them: salad in a cup accompanied by low fat salad dressings is one positive result. Although, most consumers are still not ordering these healthier items, they do have the choice anytime they desire.
Diners can now order salads, baked potatoes and grilled chicken sandwiches, some of which weren’t on restaurants’ original menus. Jeff Bonasia, Burger King’s Senior Director of Product Marketing, says customer surveys revealed that 41 percent of Burger King’s “heavy users”, the beef eaters, wanted a vegetarian burger on their menu.
“We’re not necessarily going out to appeal to people who are strict vegans or vegetarians,” Mr. Bonasia says. “It’s meant to provide more choice and variety for the people who love burgers.” When the BK Veggie Burger idea came up, Burger King officials envisioned it as anchoring a nutritious meal combination, possibly paired with a side salad and bottled water. That didn’t register with customers, Mr. Bonasia says. “Their reaction was, ‘I’ll get the Veggie Burger, and I’ll have my fries’,” he says. Most fast-food chains supply customers with the nutritional content of their menu items, either through Web postings or handout guides.
Fast-food restaurants may have consistent menus, but items typically can be customized on request. Often, Ms. Gensler, a Chevy Chase Maryland Dietician, says, “the delivery time of such meals is the same as with a standard order”. “Today’s consumers appreciate a flexible, heart-friendly menu,” says Wendy’s company spokesman Bob Bertini. The burger chain just went nationwide with four new entree salads after successfully test-marketing them last year in five cities. The Garden Sensations salad lineup offers “ingredients that consumers are not used to seeing [in a fast food restaurant],” Mr. Bertini says, from Mandarin Chicken Salad to crispy rice noodles and roasted almonds. Condiments are included separately.
“The whole approach now is not as much on strict diet regimes … it’s more now about balance and choices,” he says.
“For too many, those choices involve super-, mega- or ultra-sizing the meal in question,” says Keith Ayoob, a registered dietitian in New York and spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. Super-sized meals also contain excess fat, salt, and sugar, the three main items people crave. The chains (fast foods giants, that is) “know exactly what they’re doing,” Mr. Ayoob says.
Too much fast food leaves diners susceptible to weight gain and all its risks, including diabetes and high blood pressure, not to mention the strain on the heart. Moreover, fast food tends to offer small amounts of fruits, vegetables and fiber, three components that counteract obesity and other health woes. Mr. Ayoob says: “Americans won’t stop eating fast food, but if they eat it wisely, there is nothing necessarily wrong with that”. “Go eat it, but eat smart,” he says. “Find the food there you like the most and have it in a more modest portion. As long as your weight is being maintained and you eat a low-fat, balanced diet,” he says, “An occasional journey into a fast-food restaurant should present no problem.
CNC Cutting Machine Financing Has Never Been This Convenient
The CNC cutting machine is an immensely useful tool that is used in several industries which involve usage of heavy machines as well as require precision. Metal-works, shipping, electrical and test equipment industries are the ones which fall under this category.
Uses of a the machine: A good basic CNC cutting device does both plasma and oxy-fuel cutting. Refinements on a basic cutting machine might provide it with the ability to perform other functions like spotting holes in order to facilitate drilling, side or end cutting and routing wooden shapes. Further refinements, could enable it to do water jet-cutting too.
Skilled Operators are a Must: The operators of the present-day device should be as adept as traditional craftsmen. Since the machine is specialized and computerized, only skilled personnel can operate it. The operators of the CNC cutting devices include the men and women who design and make cabinets, woodwork, signs, and a whole range of metal, solid surface and plastic objects. The manufacturers who employ these operators know how important it is to have a good quality CNC cutting machine, since a skilled operator and a high-quality machine together would ensure excellent results.
Requirements of a Good CNC Machine: A good quality machine has a cutting table that covers the area bound by a length of four feet and a width of eight feet, which can handle satisfactorily a standard 4 x 8 plate of metal, wood, plastic, glass or stone.
A table which is not of the sufficient dimensions will hinder the work of the operator since he has to repeatedly reposition the plate. In their jargon, this repositioning is called indexing. Since the operator would spend a considerable amount of time indexing the plate, he would lose out on the time allotted for the actual cutting. This would have a direct impact on the output, which in turn, would translate into fewer products on the shelf.
Thus, a manufacturer has to be a smart buyer in order to avoid the vicious reaction between a bad purchase and poor sales volume. A wise manufacturer would recognize the fact that a good sales volume reflects the well-planned purchase of a CNC cutting machine. The manufacturer also has to look out for proper after-sales service facilities to ensure proper maintenance. Retrofitting the lost/damaged parts of the machine is hazardous for your machine as it reduces the performance of your machine. Not only is it time-consuming to operate the machine, but it also has direct detrimental impact on the quality of work. If your operator is constantly indexing then he has less time to produce goods, thereby decreasing your output. So ensuring the proper maintenance of your machine is instrumental to a great performance.
CNC Cutting Machine Financing: Due to their specialized features, these machines are high-priced. This becomes a major impediment to small-time buyers. However, this problem has a solution in the form of CNC cutting machine financing facilities.
These days, numerous financing companies provide debtor-friendly finance schemes for you to go ahead and buy the equipment you need for your business. These finance schemes ensure hassle-free procurement of such equipment, thereby ensuring the use of good quality products and higher sales volume. Since these machines are digitized now, they guarantee accurate and high-quality work. If you need a machine, you know you can get one right away, thanks to CNC cutting machine financing. So your dream CNC cutting machine is just a scheme away!
Why Travel Agents & Tour Operators Need To Focus On Authentic Local Experiences To Stay Competitive
The major elements comprising the generic destination competitiveness model helps to identify the key success factors of destination marketing. Among the many approximate set of indicators used to determine destination competitiveness, local experiences is one of the key points. Elaborate empirical as well as conceptual research points out the relative strengths and weaknesses of different tourism destinations, which can then be used to study the impact of local experiences on the travelers and vice versa.
The discerning travelers of today’s world love exploring unique experiences each destination has to offer and go much beyond staying in the top suite of hotels. Choosing the best dining options and spas has otherwise become passe. No online portal can take you to the hidden nuggets of the destination except the native folks. So, to match up with the millennials’ definition of travel, you need to indulge with the locals which is way beyond any packaged holiday or cookie-cutter options.
Blurring the borders of traditional definition of travel
It’s important for Travel Agents to realize that selling travel is actually selling happiness. Imbuing travel goals based on interaction with local people makes travel more meaningful than ever. Authenticity, simplicity, and culture are the new watchwords driving the growth of the travel tourism sector internationally. The evolution of the whole new travel genre is based entirely on indulging in local experiences. It is not about the best luxury experience but the intrinsic local touch will definitely add magic to the holiday memory. Remember that the most valued luxury is experience.
Present-day culture travelers have moved beyond the familiar environs and revel in the experience in itself. Clearly enough, tourists that like to break the mold are more interactive with local residents. This paradigm shift has not however, completely caught up with everyone yet. The focus of investments still remains on the traditional tourism-related components.
To create a layered travel experience, the hospitality industry is gradually promoting themselves as the portals for the local community. Although that might not be a necessity but local experience will definitely give a competitive advantage.
Blending national culture and heritage into luxury travel tours need careful planning and is bound to enhance tourist’s experience. Getting certified from the government tourism policies which include inter-cultural education policy helps to makes the travel agents’ outset more impressive.
Counter homogenization of the travel experience is the new clause of the tourism authorities. Embracing local cultural tourism will have an impressive lasting impact on travelers with like-minded outlook. Traditional vertical distribution chains among the travel providers has given way to complex value chains and thus in this increasingly competitive marketplace, providers need to seize every opportunity for competitive advantage. Collaborative advantage through local and government partnership is thus a new norm. Local culture and society has become an essential part of tourism value chain. The integrated inter-relationships between travel and other socioeconomic sectors are now conceived as a ‘value network’.
Promoting Local Cuisine
Sustainable tourism, which is tantamount to responsible tourism, has been a major concern in the travel industry for the past couple of years. Experiencing the local culture largely contours around the traditional gourmet industry. Trying traditional food completes the cultural experience of the place. Talking of the economic aspect, if you are eating at McDonald’s, instead of benefiting the local community, a major chunk of it leaves the local socioeconomic circle. The international traveler’s gang consist majorly the Western tourists and without much doubt, the need for Western food is always higher than the local recipes.
While traveling for a single night’s stay, people might think it not important enough to connect to the local traditions. However, pennies in the pocket of the local cuisine industry help to uplift the local tourism industry on a larger picture. Walking into a McDonald’s or a KFC might fill your tummy but will neither add to the local tourism sector nor enhance your experience. For instance, Vietnamese pho is now a big pull for travelers in Vietnam and when in Costa Rica, do not miss gallo pinto. Building connections with the local folks is not always the only token you get in return but you actually help to build a perception about your nationality as a whole. A country’s heritage is strongly rooted within the memories of the local people and as the old folks say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!
Experiential travel – creating a deeper connect
The demand for ‘experiential travel’ is arguably the most significant as well as systematic trend in worldwide tourism. The term typically defines immersive, authentic, local, and more active travel trend. While some travel enthusiasts would like to argue that travel is inherently ‘experiential’ by nature and that the term is overused, the idea is to make it more mainstream. Travel consumer attitude has varied wildly when it comes to local tourism and it is its degree of definition varies widely how the overall trend is approached.
On a deeper emotional and more personal level, people want to travel better at the end of the day. Growing numbers of travelers shying away from the traditional packaged travel brochure is definitely a valid evidence of how local experiences matter for the new age travelers.
Going Social
Relying on technology and global networks of small and individual travel providers, travel brands are offering more connected experiences. Almost infinite online matrix of social media networks keep us connected no matter where we travel. But ironically enough these social networks are gradually isolating people in real life than helping them make closer to human connections. The online sharing portal pair travelers with the local citizen network and offer experience to travel like local.
With packaged tourism losing its appeal among modern day travelers digs the question of what exactly is authentic travel. Consumer data might reveal a section of these answers but tracking social media will give an organic result. For travel brands targeting specific niches, evaluating and adapting to the changing travel behavior is much important.
Tech tools
Undoubtedly, the most influential and dependable tech tool for millennials is the smartphone. Mobile phone location technology has made connection right. On niche apps, review-stuffed maps by Google etc. have made planning for set-piece events easier than ever before. The transparency of peer-to-peer accommodation and transportation services like Airbnb and BlaBlaCar add to the authenticity of the travel experiences and their reviews. The underbelly of a place can only be offered by the natives of the place and thus creates difference in the authenticity of the travel experience.
Large industry players have also chosen to go down to local level. The Instagrammable ideas and images of the less explored destinations is fun in itself. With a series of themed guides and commissioned travel advice by savvy locals has found intense popularity among the new age travelers. The aim is for travelers to get a genuine local experience of the destination. Travel Companies can do well to follow the adage – Think global, act local!
Landscaping Options For Owners Of Phoenix Real Estate
You have used the services of a Phoenix realtor to help you find Phoenix homes for sale, and now you have moved into your new dream home. There are several items to take care of when you first move into a new home, such as setting up accounts with your local utilities and telephone services. You will spend some time and money decorating and furnishing your lovely new space. But once you have the basics of day-to-day living all worked out, chances are your attention will turn to the exterior of your home. One area that many home buyers work on right away is the landscaping that is in place around their homes. There are several landscaping options for owners of Phoenix real estate that are not only beautiful but can also offer low-water use and low maintenance.
Phoenix is in one of the hottest gardening zones in the nation, and is classified as zone 10 by the United States Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The USDA zone system is based on the minimum temperature of an area; in this case, temperatures normally go no lower than 30 to 40 degrees in the winter months. This makes for many great horticultural opportunities, because a lot of different plants will grow in such a warm climate, but it also comes with some drawbacks, namely that the area is quite dry. The trick is to find gorgeous plants that thrive in arid and warm conditions.
You will never go wrong with choosing plants for your landscape that are native plants to your area. They thrive naturally in the environment offered, without a lot of extra care and fuss by the home owner.
Xeriscape gardening is quite popular in Phoenix as well. This is a method of landscaping that focuses on choosing plants that are drought tolerant yet still look beautiful.
You will also want to consider that gardening on a city lot is a different endeavor than gardening on a several-acre large property. Plants in an urban setting need to be compact, and trees in particular need to be sized according to the space you have available. Because you have a limited amount of room in which to work, they also need to provide multi-seasonal interest in order to keep the landscape looking attractive all year round.
You might choose to attract native birds and insects to your landscape, and possibly even use your landscape plants to provide a small sanctuary for them. Your choices of plants will focus on plants that not only look great, but also provide food for the many birds, such as hummingbirds, and beneficial insects that help control the pests in your landscape.
Important Facts About the Criminal Law
Criminal law can be generally defined as the branch of law that majorly classifies crimes, treats of their nature, and provides best effective ways or approaches that can be followed for their punishment. In recent times, it has emerged as one of the few fields that are attracting many young aspirants to make their career. In fact, in the last few years the ratio of students practicing criminal law has increased rapidly. These days, many young lawyers are engaged in criminal law practice work for a governmental agency on either the federal or local level or in the non-indigent defense work for solo or small private practices. Today it is counted among one of the major vital parts of the legal system in the United States and offer rewards that are very exciting and better than any other profession. However, the field of criminal law even features some of the most important facts that are worth to be known.
Today if we talk about the criminal law then it is very important to understand the exact meaning or the classification of crimes. In simple terms, crimes can be classified as felony or misdemeanor, but there is a slight difference between felony and misdemeanor. The basic distinction between felonies and misdemeanors rests on the penalty and the power of imprisonment. Basically, a misdemeanor is defined as an offense for which a punishment other than detention or death in the state prison is followed by the law. Besides this, there are many people who often get confused with the term “degree of crime”. Now, the term degree of crime primarily relates to distinctions in the guiltiness of a crime because of the circumstances surrounding its commission.
In the United States, the power to define crimes and set penalty generally depends on the legislatures of the United States, the states, and the territories along with the principal authority associated to that of the individual states. In addition, a common-law crime is one punishable universal regulation, as distinguished from crimes specified by statute. However, these days in many U.S. jurisdictions, including those in which inclusive criminal law has been enacted the common law in relative to the criminal process.
The procedure in criminal cases is significantly similar all through the United States. If the offense is severe, the case is initially passed to a grand jury, which draws up condemnation if there is enough proof to validate the trial, or else it discharges the charged convict. However, it is really surprising to find that in the United States, the offenders proved as guilty in the criminal offense may be liable to get life long imprisonment, which can go up to 100 years. Moreover, the electric chair punishments and other severe criminal punishments have been amended in US, many years back.
If we talk about the criminal laws in gulf countries then the picture is totally different. The laws are very strict with regard to the execution of punishments. In gulf countries, the criminal laws are majorly governed by the Islamic code of conduct or ‘Shariat’ and there is no subject of any kind of amendments. In the United Kingdom, criminal acts are majorly considered as crime against the entire community. And, moreover, the state in addition to different international organizations plays a major role for crime prevention and deal with convicted offenders. The criminal laws vary across the world, but the basic of most of these laws is based on one prime rule to punish the culprit.
Nevertheless, today if we talk in terms of career options in the field of criminal law then there are numerous opportunities. Many students are working on a volunteer basis and gaining experience with externships. The field is very broad one with various options available in almost every sector of industry, both private and public.