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5 Tips for Finding a Great Job in Dentistry

If you’ve just completed dental school as a dentist, congratulations to you. Now it is time to land your first job as an associate in a general dental practice, whether you want to be an associate in the NHS or look for a position in a private dental practice. Or you may be a dental hygienist looking for your next job. Regardless of why you’re job hunting, here are 5 tips for finding a great job in dentistry.

Source: Cirocco Dental Center

1. Know What to Look for in a Practice

Know what makes a private dental practice stand out from the crowd. You’ll want to tailor your resume to reflect their values, and this should be reflected in your answers to interview questions. When you’re in an interview, you want to find a practice where you “click” with the principal dentist. You can also gauge the work environment by asking about turnover. How many associates work for them? How long have most of them been with the practice?

Ask to talk to a long-term practice so that you can find out what it will really be like to work there. For example, bad practice management creates unnecessary stress for you. The odds of this go up if the practice has a non-dentist running the place. If the practice has equipment that is constantly out of working order, that is a constant source of frustration, and it could lead to you being billed for something that isn’t your fault. The latter issue will depend on your contract.

Source: DentistryIQ

2. Ask Your Vocational Trainer

Did you enjoy your vocational training or VT placement? If a job becomes available, they may offer it to you. If they haven’t extended such an offer, don’t be afraid to ask if they would consider you. You have a leg up over the competition because they know you. Furthermore, there is less of a learning curve for you if hired since you have already worked there for a while.

3. Attend Local Dental Committee Meetings

Attending local dental committee or LDC meetings may seem dull, but it is a good way to meet principal dentists. These are the people who are likely to either hire you or refer you to positions in the area. Don’t forget to ask about open positions at private dental offices, rather than focusing your attention on the NHS.

Source: Dental Nursing Academy

4. Search Online Job Sites Specialising in Dental Jobs

Don’t waste your time searching massive job boards. You have new sites like www.dentaljobsonline.ie that make it super easy for dentists, dental hygienists, practice managers, and others to find jobs in the dental field. It is a valuable tool both for recruiters and prospects. Job seekers know that every job is in the dental field, and recruiters know that their posts for a dental nurse won’t be answered by someone who has never worked in a dental office.

5. Thoroughly Review Any Contract

As a self-employed associate, you’ll have very few rights. The rights you do have are spelled out in the contract. Never work for a dental practice that doesn’t give you a written contract. We’d recommend using the British Dental Association or BDA contract since it is designed to be fair to both parties.

You might be offered a different contract. Read it and have a legal professional review it. However, you can be fairly certain that a 60-page contract is not in your favor. A short one-page contract is also a red flag. If they pressure you to sign it citing schedule concerns, leave. You are legally bound by the contract you sign, whether or not you read or understand it.

Source: Pinterest

Things to check for in a contract include the length of the agreement, retention fees, pay dates, extra charges, hygienist fees, notice period, areas of work, money, and UDA quality. A one-year agreement is common, while two and three-year agreements may be extended.

Retention fees are there to reimburse customers if your patients’ dental work has to be redone. A reasonable amount is £1,000 for work after a year or two. Very large retention fees could leave you in debt several thousand pounds when you leave the practice.

Pay dates should say what day of the week or month you’re paid. As an associate, you’re expected to pay part of the lab bills and any equipment you accidentally break. Some firms charge you for almost everything.

Learn what is reasonable and expected, so that your salary isn’t consumed by these little fees that add up. You may have to pay the dental hygienist. Know if the figure in the contract is reasonable before you sign. You can argue for a UDA or percentage value offered instead of a flat fee.

Source: tcdentaltours

The notice period is how much notice they must have before you can quit. Three months is reasonable. Anything longer will make it hard to find a new job. A related issue is the area of work. Nearly all contracts limit where you can work for a certain period after you quit. If you’re closely tied to a given area, you should negotiate the boundaries or time frame so that you don’t have to move to find new employment.

Many new graduates find it difficult to negotiate pay rates. Yet you’ll reap the rewards if you negotiate a higher pay rate. UDA quantities should be a serious concern. Don’t set a UDA quantity that’s unreasonably high. It will generate unnecessary stress, and it could cost you dearly if you don’t make the contract in the form of a clawback.

One solution is only being paid for performance. In this case, there should not be a clawback clause in your contract. Another option is having a UDA renegotiation clause written into your contract. This allows you to reset the UDA target, whether you’re over-achieving or under-achieving. Or you could work for the NHS, where you have guaranteed income compared to someone working on a fee per item.

Dentistry is a rewarding, high-paying field. Know where to go to find one of the few available positions and understand how you can identify the practice that is right for you.

5 Benefits of Outsourcing Your Customer Support — 2024 Guide

img source: puremoderation.com

How effective is your current customer service team? Do they catch all the incoming calls? Industry standards dictate that you have 20 seconds to answer 80% of calls, just to keep up. To complicate matters further, 66% of consumers expect brands to answer social media queries within 24 hours.

These are just two possible contact methods clients have at their disposal. Considering that 75% of consumers equate modern engagement capabilities with an enhanced experience, there are several other channels with which to deal.

The modern service team may have to deal with communication via:

  • Call center
  • Social media
  • Instant chat
  • Email
  • App
  • Online portal
  • Messenger systems

The complex number of systems to deal with makes it a daunting task. Firms must find consultants conversant in all the platforms and able to switch between them effortlessly. While switching is simple enough for digital natives, maintaining a consistent focus for each client is not.

Delivering outstanding service across so many channels proves a difficult task. It’s for this reason that many companies choose instead to outsource their support to service specialists like SupportYourApp company provides.

Could your firm benefit from doing the same? In this article, we’ll look at the top five benefits of outsourcing customer support for operational efficiency.

The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Customer Support

img source: sellryt.com

1. Access to a Professional Service Solution

A firm without a dedicated support center relies on something similar to a “spray and pray approach” in marketing. They direct call to whoever is available to take them, hoping the employee knows the answer.

Much like in marketing, this lack of a targeted approach produces mediocre results. Occasionally, the client speaks to the correct person the first time around. That’s not often how it works in real life, however.

To illustrate the point, let’s look at an example of how an interaction might occur.
Sam looks on the company website for advice about a feature. Finding nothing, he calls the company for assistance. The switchboard directs the call to the development department. No developers are in, so Dan from Accounting picks up.

Dan has no clue about the feature and, quite frankly, has his work to do. He politely offers to get one of the developers to call Sam back. He leaves a note for a developer to call Sam back.

Within an hour, the developer calls Sam. Sam again explains the problem and gets the required answer.

Dan and the developer are pleased with the interaction. They feel that they dealt with the situation admirably. Who needs a dedicated call center?

Does Sam agree? According to Microsoft, the following issues top the list of client frustrations when dealing with support:

  • 35% of consumers find it annoying when the agent cannot answer their question
  • 32% of customers dislike having to repeat themselves to a different consultant
  • 21% find it annoying not to be able to reach an agent
  • 12% prefer to resolve the issue themselves

The landscape, when we look at things from the client’s perspective, changes remarkably. If we asked Sam whether he got the service he deserved, he probably would’ve said, “No.”
Hiring professionals to deal with customer support gives your clients one point of contact and Oworkers are among the best at their job.

They receive service from a dedicated professional whose only task is to focus on their query. The team trains to answer client queries quickly, pleasantly, and efficiently and build the relationship.

The customer leaves the interaction feeling satisfied and valued.

2. Better Organizational Efficiency

img source: unitybz.com

To understand how a dedicated support team improves organizational efficiency, let’s get back to Dan. Dan was busy checking an expense report when the call came in. He had to drop what he was doing, listen to the client, and then take a message.

It doesn’t seem like a big deal as we’re only talking about minutes. It was, however, an interruption to Dan’s concentration. He’d have had to refocus his mind on what he was doing previously. He may even have had to start again.

The point is that the call took mere minutes but effectively disrupted Dan’s day. Support calls are seldom isolated incidents. We wonder how many other calls Dan may have fielded.
The issue at play here is not the query itself. The question that Sam asked was relatively simple. Dan couldn’t answer it, so the interaction was over quickly. The issue is instead the impact of the interruption and consequent reduction in productivity.

3. Fewer Overheads

img source: glimpsecorp.com

COVID-19 did the business world one great favor. It’s shown us that there’s no real need for expensive headquarters or housing more employees on-site than absolutely necessary.
The support staff is something that firms will always, however, require. Keeping these teams in-house requires a significant infrastructural investment. Firms must provide their teams with:

  • Top-notch communication technology, updated regularly
  • Robust CRM systems
  • Fast and stable internet
  • Space
  • Enough free capacity to adequately man desks
  • Intensive customer service training

Together it adds up to a significant investment in both time and money. With both commodities being in short supply, it makes sense instead to opt for cost-saving outsourcing instead. By partnering with specialists, the firm pays only for the capacity that it requires.

4. Flexibility

img source: velox-systems.com

Aside from the costs, the main disadvantage of running your own call center is managing redundancy. Every system must have built-in buffers to handle call overflows. At the same time, however, it doesn’t make good business sense to pay people to sit around waiting for calls.

Managing to keep the lines staffed at optimal capacity is a delicate balancing act with an in-house team. It’s a highly inflexible solution. Ideally, you’d hire employees on an ad hoc basis when call volumes increase and let them go during off-peak periods.

In reality, that’s easier said than done.

Unless that is, you hand the staffing headaches over to another company. By using a service, firms have more flexibility and can better manage the ebbs and flows.

5. Multi-Lingual Consultants

img source: transcosmos.co.uk

For brands operating in the international market, it’s increasingly important to offer support in several languages. Partnering with a professional service company gives them access to the multi-lingual support they require.

Final Notes

Should you outsource your customer support? If you wish to improve organizational efficiency, reduce running costs, and provide clients with a professional solution, it may be the right move for you.

Top Web Design Trends for 2024

Image source: unsplash.com

Web design is one of the fields with new trends emerging with each wake. 2024 has an array of exciting features that developers are using to make the sites more interactive and appealing to the target consumers of the content therein. wix.com is among companies providing cloud-based web development packages with some of the latest features in this industry. Getting a reputable hosting company is the first step towards achieving some of the popular web design trends. Here are some of the unique inclinations that a good percentage of web developers are picking in 2024.

3-Dimensional visualizations

Image source: unsplash.com

Higher-resolution screens for most of the gadgets in the market have made it possible for web designers to incorporate 3-D designs in sites. Computers and mobile phones have the necessary features to accommodate the inclusion of three-dimensional visuals into web designs. Using this type of visualization a few years ago was close to impossible. It resulted in garish distractions that made navigation and the use of other elements in the site a hurdle. Web developers are currently using high-quality 3-D designs to improve the user experience and make the site more appealing to the eye. This is a trend that is picking up, and more websites are likely to embrace this style.

Parallax animation

Web-based animations change every year with improvements in technology, among other things. The complexity improves every year, and 2024 is bound to have some of the most complex parallax animations yet. There are different effects that one can explore when using this type of animation to improve the aesthetic as well as functional aspects of the site. Parallax scrolling is not new to this realm as it has been around since 1939 with applications in traditional animation. This technique has progressed over the years, becoming more subtle and explorative. Not all applications of parallax animation have to be grand gestures on the screen. In 2024, developers are leaning towards using this effect subtly to create the desired result. Abstract art compositions are also becoming popular when coupled with parallax animation.

Neumorphism designs

Image source: unsplash.com

This technique combines the improvements in flat design and skeuomorphism to achieve almost 3-D styling of a website. This visual style combines background colors, shapes, gradients, highlights, and shadows to allow for graphic concentrated switches and buttons. This is a trend that most developers follow to achieve a soft look for the site, making it pleasing to the eyes and easy to navigate. Buttons, search bars, and text boxes get to have the stylized realism thanks to this emerging trend that has gained popularity in 2024.
In 2024, this trend is gradually growing while embracing the other design styles coming up from merging the conventional techniques and emergent ones. Web design for causes is among those that benefit this development. It allows for an increase of resources that one can use to control how they use the respective sites they visit.

Multimedia capabilities

Faster internet speeds and improved hardware have permitted sites to include multimedia experiences. The combination of written and audiovisual elements enhances the user experience in many ways. This trend is not new, but in 2024 web developers are changing the format of how multimedia content is used and structured on a site. One aspect that stands out is how simple communication is becoming. Developers are looking to simplify things for users rather than complicating them. Using different formats allows web designers to enhance the accessibility of the content they put up on the site.

The combination of different types of content in an easy to access format improves the user interaction on the site, ensuring that the intended message is communicated. Digital interpretations of products as they are in reality is vital in marketing and sales. The various multimedia capabilities that current web design features allow make it more manageable to have representations of the products in different forms.

Augmented Reality

Image source: unsplash.com

This is the interactive involvement of the real-world setting where familiar objects are enhanced by software using digital audiovisual elements. Developers have been working to give users an immersive experience. Augmented reality (AR) has made this achievable in different ways. This is one of the trends that are not likely to fizzle out soon as more advancements are made to improve the technique. Additionally, tech companies have provided solutions that make this feature available for people from different walks of life. New technologies and software are gradually opening this realm up to almost everybody. More websites are embracing this trend to increase traffic to their sites and help sell the products and services they offer. This, combined with comfortable colors, improves the aesthetic appeal of the site to the target demographic.

Retro letterings

Gradually web designers are shifting from the new type of fonts to the more old-fashioned options. The reasons for doing this are numerous. Generally, more people are going back to retro styles in different industries, including fashion, architecture, and interior design, among others. Vintage typography makes a comeback, and web developers are among those jumping on the bandwagon to explore this aspect.

It is important to note that web designers are re-imaging the retro fonts to fit the preferred style of the website. They borrow heavily from fonts that were already in use, but they do not use them as they are. Experimentation with these type of fonts has led to the development of new-age retro designs that people are falling in love with. Retro-futurism is gradually picking up, and more sites are likely to follow this trend.

Technological advancements are pivotal in the growth of the web design industry. Most if not all the trends we discuss herein are a result of progression in the tech sector. The above are not the only trends of the web design world in 2024. More developers are working towards developing sites that advocate for social issues and sustainability, influencing the conversations worldwide. The emerging trends are aimed at improving the user experience and increasing sales for the brands.

Easiest Ways to Earn Bitcoins in 2024

Source: bitcoinist

Many people got into the cryptocurrency exchange market in hopes to make big bucks fast. The reality is, there are no free meals, but there are some ways that you can earn Bitcoin rather easily without major investments. Some ways can generate a bit of income while others are just not worth the time and effort. Internet is overwhelmed with offers and promises on how to make Bitcoins quickly, but the vast majority will just turn out to be a major waste of time; you’ll lucky if you earn a few satoshis – 100 million satoshis equals 1 Bitcoin. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some ways that could actually put some Bitcoins in your wallet.

Micro jobs

Source: accesseric

Micro tasks can earn you a couple of dozens of satoshis with pay-per-click jobs. Micro jobs include viewing ads, comment, share, and click on different videos. It’s not something that will make you rich overnight obviously, but it’s an excellent way to get familiar with Bitcoin and stock exchange markets. Inexperienced but ambitious traders as well as amateurs who want to get a start in the crypto world this can be a great way to get introduced to basic nomenclature and rules of the Bitcoin.

Faucets

Source: medium

Bitcoin faucets are very similar to micro-jobs. You’ll need to visit the same websites over and over again, click advertisements and make a few cents from sales – namely 10-50. It’s barely worth the electricity for running your computer, but if you have the time it can add up. On the other hand, owning a faucet is a different story. For starters, you’ll need to have a website and generate some traffic. It’s a tedious and time-consuming task – managing websites, advertisements, users, and preventing fraudulent activities – but over time it can generate significant income from several hundred up to a couple of thousand dollars.

Affiliates’ marketing

Source: cnn

Affiliate programs can earn you some serious income. Your job will be to promote various businesses for free and the income will come from a commission if the sales materialize. This way of acquiring Bitcoins can take a lot of effort and time, but the risk is low, and there are no money investments. You can promote certain services anywhere, Facebook, Instagram, or your website, and collect your cut once the sale is complete. Many traders started with affiliate marketing, and later progressed to major investments.

Online sales

Source: Bitcoin Pay by Alien Finance

If you are selling products and services online, you can choose to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. This is a no-effort way to switch your earnings from the traditional currencies to crypto. You’ll be able to save on bank transaction fees, which are non-existent in the crypto world. Recently, many online retailers began to accept Bitcoin exactly for this reason. Financial institutions are trying to fight this no-fee practice, without much success so far. So, use the advantages of free markets and earn some extra cash while making an entrance into the digital coins’ community.

Write about Bitcoin

Source: Bitcoin News

If you’re already dipped your toes into the crypto world and are familiar with Bitcoin terminology and basic how-to, consider writing about the open markets and trading coins. You can earn an income by posting articles on different websites or maybe have your own webpage. Good writers are scarce especially about cryptocurrencies. Visit Bitcoin websites or blogs, and offer to become a part of the editorial team by sending them a couple of your texts as an example of your previous work. This is a work from home opportunity that can give you the freedom of making your own schedule and earn a decent income.

Gambling

Source: unsplash

Online gambling is a risky move, but if you’re willing to take a risk there are plenty of online gambling sites that will payout in Bitcoins. Like any gambling, Bitcoins, or not, this is not considered to be a regular income. If you’re an experienced player, you might want to take a chance as you would anyways when entering an online casino. If you never gambled before, you might find your beginners’ luck. In any way, consider taking your winnings in Bitcoin if you want to become a part of a crypto world.

Trading

Source: InsideBitcoins

Trading is recommended only to experienced and educated people who already spent a significant amount of time on the stock market. It is a form of gambling that carries a huge risk. People who are serious about investing wage their risk with great caution, and usually shoot for the long-term payoffs. If you’re thinking that buy low – sell high principle is going to make you a millionaire, think again. These fairytales are usually pushed by cybercriminals trying to suck you into buying worthless coins promising a major return. The reality is that you’re going to be out for hundreds if not thousands of dollars; just another fallen victim of the fraudulent activities online.

Mining

Source: bloombergquint

Creating money out of thin air used to be a very attractive idea among first Bitcoin owners. Your computer can do it for you, and you just need to put some work into it. Not really. First of all, you need to have a high-powered computer, physical space, access to cheap energy since super-computer demands a lot of it, and knowledge. To mine 1 Bitcoin is equal to finding a vain gold while digging sand on the beach for your sandcastle. It’s outrageously pricey and demands a lot of time, and practical grasp on what exactly needs to be done. To find more details about mining Bitcoin go to cryptoknowmics.com. Cloud mining used to be popular for a period of time until it became just pure fraud. To cloud mine means that you pay someone to mine Bitcoin for you while sharing profits. Many websites promise to mine a lot of Bitcoins with an outstanding short time and profits – don’t fall for it. Instead of paying someone to mine, just go ahead and buy Bitcoin or satoshis. In any case, there are many other secure ways to come by coins.

How to Read Players When Play Online Poker?

Source: Pinterest.com

Surely, poker is one of the most popular casino games of our time. However, people often forget that this game has its tradition that lasts for more than two centuries. You have seen those western movies, and how cowboys have played those intense hands of poker against their nemesis, right? As it is presented in these movies, we can see that luck is not the only factor that can make you a winner.

We can see that this is a game of skill much more than any other gambling game. A Player’s ability to read his opponents and to predict their moves will surely mean much more for him than luck. Just think about that, there’s no other game from this category where you will need to predict your rival’s moves. In the last two decades, the concept of online poker has become widely popular around the world.

It meant that people from every corner of the world were able to compete. If you would like to take a look at an online casino, be sure to take a look at Olybet. However, we can see that the social component is severely lacking in this concept. Therefore, many players ask the question about how you should read other players in online poker. We are here to provide you with a couple of tips on how you can do that.

Source: Medium
  • The Small Bet

When talking about the most obvious ways to tell if others have something on his mind are small bets. Sure, making a large bet is something that will make other players reconsider if they will follow. Instead, making small bets means that the opponent has something on his mind and would like you to follow him to a certain degree. That way they will try to maximize their winnings.

While there’s nothing wrong with this approach, you can be sure that players who have a certain level of experience will see right through it. However, they will require some solid evidence before they are ready to act in the best possible manner. It means that these bets would need to be smaller than the pot’s standard. When this information is obtained by opponents, they will be able to understand how you are playing.

Therefore, the chances of winning at a hand where you can win a significant amount of money are pretty slim. What these small bets tell about you as a player? It screams that you are a newbie in this world and that they will be able to push you around whenever they feel like it. So, we would advise you not to try this approach.

Source: pokernewsreport.com
  • Checks and Raises

Just think about a certain scenario, you have an absolute winner in your hands, but you wouldn’t like for your opponents to know just how strong you are. So, instead of making a raise, you should check. That way, you are deceiving opponents. In case they raise or call, you have made a significant step to maximizing your winnings. Then you should raise and you will have them completely confused.

Compare this scenario to the one where you will make an instant raise, where you will show all the potential your hands have and you will other give up on playing a certain hand. Many players who are new to the concept of online poker will act recklessly and lose a hand. Instead, they should carefully think if they should invest their money into something like these. Not all the baits should be chased, right?

Source: fashionisers.com
  • The Waiting Game

Now, we would like to talk about a situation that is one of the commonest ones in the world of online poker. The cards are on the table, and it has been made clear that all the players have some really good cards in their hands. Despite all of them having decent hands, they are waiting for some reason. It doesn’t too much of psychology to see that these players are agonizing over making a certain decision.

The reason why a player is reluctant to make the decision is that others are pretty aggressive with their calls and raises. However, some kind of change happens. Instead of folding, the player decides to go all-in. Of course, chances are that the particular player has some really good cards in his hands. However, there’s a chance that he or she is bluffing. It needs to be said that in most chances they would like you to think that.

Based on our experience, we can see that these players are often holding some winning cards. But they would like to leave an impression of being uncertain. Naturally, this doesn’t mean that other players should fold their cards. Instead, they need to try and make a prediction if the opponents’ cards are stronger than theirs. In some cases, you will be able to win. However, the chances of you losing that hand are pretty high.

Source: gamblingsites
  • Instant Calls

Whenever someone is faced with a decision to make a call, raise, or even fold, they have the necessary time to contemplate what their next move should be. In case an opponent makes an instant call, it means that he or she has already thought about their next move. At the same, they are confident in what they have in their hands. There are two possible scenarios, they either have a strong hand or their hands are too weak to make a raise.

In case other players don’t have the strength, they will fold. But that doesn’t mean that you should do that. Maybe you can bluff your way out to the winning the hand in question. So, you can see how monitoring your opponent’s behavior and you will be able to make the most out of the hand you are participating in. Instant calls are pretty strange things and there are different meanings to this action. So, it is entirely up to your cards if you are going to follow them or no.

Source: Fabulous Arizona

The Bottom Line

It is, in fact, possible to read online poker players. Here, we’ve provided you with a couple of ways you can do that.

Haunted Casinos in the World

Casinos are known for offering one of the most intriguing experiences available to us in the entertainment area. Lavishing nights spent around passionate players, at big casino tables that feed our need for mystery. Wearing fancy attire, with Lady Luck by your side, you have certain expectations when you set foot in your favourite casino.

Glamorous gambling charms you and the thrill of the unknown behind the desired outcome makes you never want to leave. As the urban legends say, some gamblers don’t ever leave the casino, not even after their death. Most of the gambling venues documenting ghost encounters are located in Sin City. Regardless of your after-life beliefs, if you’re looking for an exhilarating adventure, go on a guided tour of some of the most haunted casinos in the world.

But why are casinos a place for ghosts to roam around? As exciting as it might be for some people to visit haunted venues, some others prefer a usual casino kind of fun, choosing to gamble online, using platforms like India-Casino.in. Nonetheless, we put together a list of casinos known for their ghost stories. So if you’re looking for some supernatural fun, these are the places to visit.

Flamingo Las Vegas

Source: Trivago

Most of the time, casinos are associated with fun, gambling to win big and a lot of glamour. Evidently, there are countless stories to talk about disappointment, great losses and less legal activities. And since we’re starting our list with one very famous casino in Las Vegas, we must admit that Flamingo Casino has a pretty interesting vibe about it.

Back in 1946, Billy Wilkerson decided to build Flamingo Casino with the help of an infamous gangster, Bugsy Siegel. He took part in the development and design of the casino, but one year later, Bugsy was murdered. The story goes on, on the premise of Bugsy not wanting to leave his casino, ever again.

Casino guests and employees described strange encounters with the ghost of Bugsy, hanging around the chapel gardens – his own Memorial. Just as well, his ghost was allegedly seen throughout the hotel and casino premises, causing the birth of these thrilling stories.

Tropicana Las Vegas

Source: Las Vegas

Tropicana Casino in Las Vegas was well known for its famous landmark, the huge tiki mask that guarded the entrance. Although intended to protect people from maleficent forces, the tiki mask is connected to higher spiritual powers. The reason why the tiki mask was removed some time ago by the management comes from the mystique around it.

Over the years, visitors and employees stated there’s something strange about the mask. Allegedly, the sculpture was believed to be possessed by an unknown entity. This spirit caused a purple haze appearing in the photos guests took in front of the mask, blurring them. Some others claim that touching the statue would actually cause an inexplicable purple rash. Rumors or truth, it’s hard to tell, but since the iconic statue was removed, somehow the legend keeps on attracting visitors’ interest.

Luxor Las Vegas

Source: Las Vegas

Egyptian mythology is filled with odd stories and symbols that stick to our memory to this day. But a series of unfortunate events based on supernatural forces would not be something to actually expect witnessing in a casino. Nonetheless, the Luxor casino in Las Vegas is recognized as the perfect place for weird events to occur.

Everything started during the construction period, back in 1993, when odd accidents took place, followed by a murder. Along its active years, quite an important number of suicides – by jumping off the balconies – has been reported. Hopefully, the row of unfortunate events ended in 2006, with a car bomb casualty.

In all fairness, suicide stories happening in a casino are pretty common around the globe. What makes Luxor Casino scary is the inexplicable randomness of the events that occurred on the premises, leading people to believe in the presence of supernatural forces.

The Canfield Casino

Source: Saratoga Today

Established in the late 1800s, the Canfield Casino opened its doors to entertainment seekers, passionate about gambling. The stories that put this place on the map of haunted casinos are countless and existing ever since. Paranormal presences have been seen roaming across the casino halls, starting the rumor of the place being haunted.

One of the most famous stories comes from the 90s, when the ghost of a Victorian woman was seen around the casino. Some years later, her presence was witnessed again, approaching a group of people and then disappearing without a trace.

To this day, numerous incidents have been proving the existence of ghost activity at the Canfield Casino. Objects moving through air, fluctuation in temperature, ghost encounters and many other inexplicable events.

Bally’s Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

Source: Caesars Entertainment

Bally’s Resort & Casino started its story on the premises of a human tragedy, which eventually turned to be pretty haunting. The second largest hotel fire in the history of United States took place on 21 November 1980, at MGM Grand. Caused by faulty wiring, the fire led to 80 people losing their lives, most of the hotel guests jumping off their windows in despair.

The extremely unfortunate event turned Bally’s Resort & Casino into one of the most famous haunted casinos in the world. It is believed that the spirits of those who died in the great fire are still around. Lots of stories come from visitors and guests, describing abnormal activities located at the higher floors of Bally’s. Ghostly encounters allegedly happen throughout the casino, connecting this house of fun to a scary background.

Conclusion

Legends involving haunting spirits are always perceived as intriguing and out of the ordinary. If you’re looking for a spooky experience or just some supernatural intervention when gambling, don’t hesitate to put these casinos on your destination list.

Confirmed or not, these ghost stories are part of the culture, history and the identity of each casino. And a bit of spice always leads to the most adventurous gambling experience. So if you’re looking for a bit of supernatural luck on your side, try out one of these haunted casinos for your next gambling session.

7 Things to Bring to Your Next Family Camping Trip – 2024 Guide

Source: Pinterest

Arguably the best way to make family memories and build an unbreakable bond between family members is to take frequent trips together. And perhaps the best kind of frequent travels are camping trips. A family does not need much to make a camping trip memorable. It is an easy activity to plan as all it takes for you is to go out into nature, away from the noisy city, and escape for a day or two.

Camping has been a dominant way of spending leisure time for centuries. Everyone grows to love it eventually, no matter how worried they may become about spending the night outside, listening to animals through the night, or worrying about food and water. If planned carefully and carried out as it should be, a camping trip with the closest people in your life could be what never knew you wanted or needed.

For those who are unsure of what to bring and how to prepare for such a trip, yet desperately want to take one, do not worry. This article will serve as a list of things to bring to your next family camping trip. All the essentials will be mentioned, and while you would benefit most if you manage to take all, you do not have to, especially if you know your spouse or children will not require it during the stay.

1. Tent

Source: T3.com

The go-to shelter for camping is of course tents. Tents are crucial when away from home as they eliminate the need to spend the night in the open. Although there are dozens of tent shapes, sizes, and uses, most people opt for the ones that can fit two to three people.

Modern tents are easier to assemble and pack than before, and it can serve as a teaching moment for your kids too. Once you have a tent up, you will have a relatively secure hideout from the elements, as well as a sense of safety while away from home.

2. Canopy

Source: New York Magazine

Somewhat of a newer trend, a camping canopy is growing in popularity since it is so versatile and useful. While a tent is mostly used for nothing but sleeping or relaxing, under a canopy you can do a wide variety of things. Depending on its size, you can prep the food, barbeque, set the table and chairs, or even perform some activities. It also doubles as additional shelter and a secure place for all of your belongings that would not be able to fit in the tent otherwise.

A pop-up canopy is an absolute lifesaver during camping trips, and your family will surely appreciate it if you set one up on your next one. To learn more about them and order one for your needs, make sure to visit www.ponfish.com.

3. Stocked First Aid Kit

Source: Advanced Consulting and Training

It goes without saying, but you always have to have a fully stocked first aid kit in your car. Since you will probably be driving to your destination, you will have one anyway. However, it is a no-brainer really to take a separate, dedicated kit for camping that you will actually use if something goes south.

Perhaps the best way to do things is to make your own. Grab a small, a bag, or a vanity case and fill it up with bandages, band-aids, gauze, Q-tips, antiseptic wipes, medicinal alcohol, and whatever else you deem necessary for the trip. Store it in an easy-to-grab place and be ready to use it in case of an emergency.

4. Survival Kit

Source: Red Lake Outfitters

Depending on the kind of camping trip you plan to take, you will need the usual tools that will make all the difference. A camping knife, a strong rope, a small shovel, a flashlight, some hooks, a compass, and a few other gadgets and equipment you think you will need.

Things like these may not be needed, but it is best to keep them with you anyway just in case. Sunblock, mosquito repellents, and blankets for sitting are more for comfort than survival, but make sure to have enough of them to last you the whole trip. Remind everyone to pack comfortable hiking shoes, or slip-on shoes depending on the campsite and the time of year.

5. Enough Food and Drinks

Source: HighlightStory

Camping is an exhausting activity on its own, especially it is the first time your family is doing it. Therefore, think about what the kids will need in terms of meals, snacks, and drinks. Pack enough for the time you plan to spend, and then some more just to be sure. Barbeque is the fan-favorite way of eating while camping, as are bonfire-prepared snacks.

Plan ahead with your spouse and the kids and decide what you want to bite once there. Bringing enough water goes without saying. Coordinate in advance what you will eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, and you will never fall short.

6. Sleeping Bags

Source: Thermarest

Even if you plan to sleep in a tent or under a canopy, you will want to bring as many sleeping bags as there are members of your family. They provide additional comfort while lying on the ground as well as additional protection from the cold nights. Even if you camp during the peak of the summer, make sure to pack them for an increased comfort level. You will have a much better night of sleep in a sleeping bag, that much is certain.

7. Activities

Source: VisitScotland

Spending time in nature is the best when you bring your favorite outdoor activities with you. Most campers bring at least one football to kick around, a volleyball to throw and catch, a badminton set, or any other kid-friendly activity that is best utilized outside. If you have the right means of transport, you can even pack your bicycles and have a family cycle session at the site.

While some enjoy things like that, others try to use what they can at the camping site in order to separate themselves from the usual things. Therefore, talks around the fire, exploring the forest, and just taking in nature might be all the fun and activities you need.

3 Advantages of Renting a Car When Traveling – 2024 Guide

Everyone loves to travel and see different things around the world, but one of the worst things is trying to understand the transportation system in a new place, in a language you don’t know. The most famous things in every city are usually so far apart from each other that we either have to stay in one place for a month if we want to see all the best things, or we have to spend so much time and money on public transport. The good thing is, there is a solution to this issue that everyone who loves traveling faces – renting a car will help you have the vacation of your dreams!

In this 2024 guide, we are going to give you a list of advantages of renting a vehicle when you are traveling, and we will let you know more about how this can help you out in the future. No matter if you are going on vacation with your family and you want to visit the best beaches without too much trouble, or you are going on a business trip, getting your own auto will save you time and money. Continue reading if you want to find out other things that are going to be beneficial for you and that will make every trip in the future better.

1. You can go wherever you want

Source: Rent a Car Aerodrom Beograd

The first advantage of this service is that you are going to have all the freedom you want. As we mentioned before, it is really hard to get to see all the things you want to, especially when your time in someplace is limited. We rarely go on vacations that last more than two weeks, and if you are visiting a big city, there is little to no time to visit all the popular places.

When you decide to rent a vehicle, you will be able to work with your own schedule, and even if you decide to stay somewhere a little bit longer, you won’t have to worry about the transport schedules, and you will be back whenever you want to be back.

At night it can be difficult to work your way around different bus lines, or even train stations, and we know that sometimes that is not exactly safe. Taxis can be really expensive for tourists, and if you want to stay out a little bit longer, you will have to think about all these things. Well, when you choose to get your own vehicle during the stay, you will forget about all the issues that come with public transport or taxis.

2. Comfort

Source: International Driving Authority

Now let’s talk about going on a summer vacation and all the things that you carry with you. We have so many things, and we carry so many different beach things that it is hard to just walk from one place to another. When we go on vacation with our children, the number of accessories we carry doubles or triples.

When we think about it, we have the option to go to one beach only, the one that is closest to us, or we have to carry every single thing with us on the bus. This can lead to extreme tiredness, fatigue, and if you want to go back home, you need to wait for the next bus.

When you choose to get your own auto, you can pack everything in one place, and you will be comfortable! You can spend all day on the beach, or you can try several different ones of them in just one day. No one is limiting you with time, and no one will make you stand up while carrying a huge bag on your shoulder.

According to the rentluxecar.com website, you can easily choose the vehicle you want to get, depending on your needs, so no matter if you need something small, or you need an SUV, you will be able to choose the auto that will help you get the most out of the trip.

3. Overall costs

Source: AutoSlash

Many people believe that renting a vehicle would cost an arm and a leg, and because of this misconception, they steer away from all the services. The reality is, they won’t cost a fraction of the sum you are going to spend on public transport and taxis.

Depending on your location, and the number of services the city offers, you can get vehicles that won’t cost more than a few hundred dollars. In addition to this, you choose how many days you are going to use the car, and you don’t have to rent them for the whole time.

Note that sometimes the services that are near the airport may be a little bit pricier than the ones that are in the middle of the city, so always do your research before you start your vacation. Depending on the make and model of the vehicle itself, the prices will vary as well.

Most of the companies will give you great deals, and if you choose to rent the car for more than a week, you should get additional offers and discounts.

Source: Wawanesa Insurance

The great thing about these services is that you are going to be able to try and drive any automobile you want. For example, there are a lot of places that offer you luxury vehicles that you cannot actually afford to buy at home. So, with these services, you can feel like a celebrity, even for a few days, and you can try out the most popular models in the world.

It is said that people who want to purchase a new car should find a rental place that offers it, and test it out for a week or two. This way you will be getting more than just a test drive, and you can see how comfortable you feel in that auto. When you are renting a car, you are actually saving yourself a lot of time, and you are lowering the costs of traveling as well. So, next time, before you go look at the bus schedule, go into a car rental service and see what they are offering. You will be glad you did it!

What Happens When You Hire Residential Dryer Vent Commercial Services?

When cleaning and detailing your apartment, apartments/rooms or your entire property we somehow tend to forget that the laundry rooms are in dire need of cleaning as well especially the ducts that serve as the dryer vent. In a case where you have residential buildings and a joint laundry room then imagine the dust, lint and other impurities that fill these rooms as well as ducts that are supposed to lead all of them outside. Dryer vents in commercial buildings take a lot more abuse than those in our homes. Imagine 30+ apartments constantly using the laundry room and no one is keen on cleaning the lint from the dryer let alone from the vents in the building. If a dryer vent is left for a long time without cleaning, lint accumulates, and that can be very dangerous because lint accumulation combined with constant hot air going through those vents can be a serious fire hazard. That is why you would need residential dryer vent commercial cleaning services to clean the vents for you.

From the research that the National Fire Protection Association did in July 2024, dryers and washing machines cause around 15,970 fires every year. What is even more interesting is the fact that dryers cause 92% of fires from that number which makes them a serious problem if not cleaned and maintained properly. Cleaning your dryer vent regularly or at least once a year can help prevent such hazards. Click here for more information.

Source: Airquip Heating & Air Conditioning

1. Should You Clean Your Dryer Vent Regularly?

After everything we wrote above is there any doubt that you should check your dryer vents right now or if you are in commercial building call the Residential Dryer Vent Commercial Cleaning Services right now to do the check-up? Now seriously, you should opt for residential dryer vent commercial cleaning services at least one time per year. However, if you notice some unusual things with your dryer vent, KRS Holdings Management warns you should ensure you check it. Some of the signals that it needs to be cleaned are – a longer time than before to dry clothes, the changes in the room temperatures after a drying process is complete and last but not less important is that burning smell in the laundry room during or after the drying process. These are signals that your dryer vent needs to be checked.

Don’t wait until a year has passed for you to check your dryer vent, especially after noticing these signs.

Source: American Cleaning and Restoration Clarksville TN

2. Steps to Clean Your Dryer Vent

  • Clean the dryer’s lint catcher

Every dryer should have its lint catcher inside the drum. If you don’t know where to find it look in the owner’s manual, if it is available to you, and check its location. If you do not know what to look for it should be a piece of plastic, squarish in shape with tin mesh that is supposed to clear all the lint during the drying process. This is the first thing you should look at because it also can get clogged up and cause your dryer to underperform.

  • Safety first

To start cleaning your commercial residential dryer vents, unplug the electric dryer from the socket. If your dryer uses gas, close the gas valve to stop gas from flowing when you are cleaning. Some people switch off the gas from the supply valve. Do not do that. If you doubt yourself on any of the cleaning processes, it will be easier and better if you let a professional help you.

Source: Lee Valley
  • Remove the duct from the dryer

The dryer vent is located at the back of your dryer. To have easy access to it, move your dryer from the wall. Before the start of the process, ensure you have a dust mask on. Now remove the duct from the dryer, and you might require a screwdriver. Check for any damages on the vent. If there are tears and breakages repair them, but if they are severe it is a good idea to replace the dryer hose because they are easy to find and aren’t that expensive. The degree of damage will determine if the damaged parts of the duct need repair or replacement.

Also, when repairing, use duct tape or a metal repair duct tape. If your vent is made of flexible tubing and you find out that it needs replacement, buy a more rigid type of vent. This is because the flexible one stores lint on the ribbed curves, which will require constant checking. The more rigid type does not have space where lint can hide and build up.

  • Clean the lint using a vacuum hose and brushes

If you are doing this by yourself then there is a kit for this that can easily be purchased and it isn’t that expensive. But if it is for residential cleaning job than you should leave it for professional that have adequate tools for this. They might look all the same but believe us they are on the next level when it comes to this. A long flexible brush will clean the vent the best because it can get too many inaccessible places with the regular brush. To clean lint from the exhaust duct of the machine, use a vacuum. Vacuum-clean all the dust and debris. You can consider getting a duct brush kit with a long pole. This will make you get to areas of the dryer that you cannot clean with the usual tools. Leaving dust on the floor will only get back to your dryer. Vacuum it as well, leave nothing behind.

Source: The Spruce
  • Clean the outside of the dryer vent

It is also essential to clean the outside part of the dryer. Unscrew all the covered areas to ensure there are no invisible damages made. Suck any dust and debris using the vacuum. If there is a lot of dirt, empty the vacuum bin frequently to avoid sucking back more dust and returning it to the dryer.

  • Return the vent and test if it works

After the residential dryer vent commercial cleaning process, the professionals will make sure to return every part of the dryer that was unscrewed or disconnected to its previous position and do a test run to confirm there are no leakages. Return the vent to the dryer too, carefully, after all the repairs or replacement. They will return everything just as it was being and you will see no changes, well only those that regard your machines performance and the lack of that worrying burning smell in the room from before. If you also want to test everything yourself, start with throwing in a small load of laundry, just in case. Another way of testing your dryer is by placing your hand on the dryer vent to gauge the strength of the exhaust, just be careful not to get burned.

Source: Conklin Metal Industries

To keep your dryer and your home or building safe, ensure you check your dryer vent at least yearly. Also, be keen on the signs that could indicate an accumulation of lint. This will not take much time but it can potentially save a lot of lives. If you are unsure about doing this job by yourself call the professionals and get this done fast, secure and without much hassle.

Why is Caviar so Expensive

24 February 2016, Kachka, Portland, OR Caviar & Roe tasting yeasted blini, challah, chive, butter, sieved egg

Caviar if associated with wealth and status and not everyone can afford to eat this delicacy on regular basis. It is one of the expensive meals and people pay a real fortune just for a spoonful. Is it really that awesome and tasty that it is worth it? Or is there something else to it?

If you’ve ever been on a luxurious party, a formal event, or a fancy wedding, there’s a chance that you’ve tried caviar. What I got as a reaction from some people was “meh” yet, some others were delighted.

Therefore, let us dig more into this delicacy and find out what makes it so costly – the taste, the rarity, or something else…

1. The type of fish

First things, first, we need to establish what caviar is and where we get it from. Simply put, caviar is a fish egg. But not just any egg. While your stomach is probably twisting, wait till we explain further…

The original caviar is got from sturgeon, a family that is now driven to the line of extinction. While we must be careful when it comes to catching this fish, three species in this family are famous for the production of caviar – Beluga, Osetra and Sevruga.

Luckily, governments all over the world have managed to regulate wild sturgeon fishing and this type of fish can still be found in the waters. However, they are extremely rare. Most of the caviar we get today is from farm-raised fish, which started to become a practice in the 1990s, and by the late 2000s we’ve switched almost completely.

Therefore, the first reason why caviar is so expensive is that the fish we get it from is quite rare, at least the wild ones.

Source: Martha Stewart

2. Production process

Now that you know that the caviar you eat is highly likely from a farm-raised sturgeon, you should know this as well – the process of getting the desirable roe (fish egg) is quite complicated.

Even though we’ve preserved sturgeons from extinction, getting a quality product is quite complex. In fact, farmers sometimes need to wait a couple of years, even a decade or so for the fish to become mature enough to mate.

Furthermore, collecting roe at the right time is also something that plays a role. If you wait for too long, you’ll still end up with caviar, but eventually, you will need to sell it at a much lower price than you might have intended.

It takes a while for farmers to generate profit. In fact, very few people get in this business in the first place, because it can drain you financially and it is likely that you fail.

Source: Wikipedia

3. It’s not over yet

Once the fish is ready to mate and lay eggs, you probably think: “Well, that’s it, now it’s time to collect the fruits of your labor”. And you are so wrong.

In most cases, when you are taking the roe from the fish, there’s a high chance that they will die. So, you have to wait for the fish for about ten years, only to harvest the products once and now you need to wait for another fish to be mature enough, so that it can end up dead as well.

You see where problems occur. And that’s not all. According to caviar.bc.ca besides maintaining fish and creating the perfect atmosphere for them to live and breed, you have to harvest roe, screen it, wash it, salt it, package it, let it age, ship it and store it – all of that (and some other processes as well) before you serve it.

The next time, you try caviar, don’t just go “meh” and don’t complain of how expensive it is. As you can see, the process of getting it is quite intricate. But that’s not all…

Source: Oliver’s Markets

4. The Law of Demand and Supply

Last but not least, the demand for caviar is quite high. However, the supply is on the other end of the spectrum and as long as people want it this badly, the prices will stay up. Increasing the production of high-quality caviar is extremely difficult – almost impossible. The small amounts of caviar that end up being served are therefore served to those who can pay for it.

Caviar has always been a delicacy for royalty and that isn’t probably going to change, at least when we talk about the true caviar with the highest grade possible.

Oh yes, there are different grades to it – and it is highly likely that the one you try is cheaper and lower in quality. But don’t despair, as most people don’t even have that opportunity.

Source: Momsdish

Interesting Tip – Serving

Before we sum up the story, you should know that caviar is all about luxury. It is usually served in crystal bowls with ice surrounding it and you will not find it in any random restaurants. It is reserved for yachts and best-rated hotels. Furthermore, caviar is eaten and served with special spoons made of inert materials such as an animal horn, gold or wood. Metal spoons are not used because they can ruin the taste completely.

Conclusion

Hopefully, we have managed to answer the question of why caviar is so expensive, without overcomplicating things. We could have dissected the topic even more and get into all intricate details of production or how we’ve reduced the sturgeon to a minimal number, but perhaps we tackle these topics some other time.

The next time you eat caviar, make sure you are a bit more appreciative. Is it the taste? Some people like the taste of caviar and some don’t – that isn’t the main reason why caviar is so costly.

Generally speaking, it is all of the reasons combined – it is rare, the demand for it is high and the production is time-consuming and expensive. When you put these together, you understand why caviar is and will be at the very top!

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