All You Need to Know About Solar System Installation for Your Business

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December 31, 2020

solar panels — img source: eraenvirosolutions.com

Thousands of corporations around the world benefit from solar power by maintaining their level of production and, at the same time, reducing their annual electricity costs as well as environmental impact. Along with the ability to produce and save energy, the commercial solar energy system will increase your property’s value and make it much more attractive to investors. Moreover, going solar will help enhance your company’s corporate social responsibility and positively impact the brand reputation regardless of the industry you operate in. Before embarking on your solar journey, however, you should be well aware of several factors that need to be considered beforehand to avoid extra costs.

Difference between residential and commercial solar power systems

When deciding to have the system installed for your business, you need to know that it will be different from that of a home, especially in terms of the solar panel installation processes. Notably, the permitting process takes a much longer time for the commercial solar power system. The reason behind this is the scope of review concerning the local jurisdictions, according to which a more detailed approach is required for the commercial systems.

As a result, it can take 6-12 months before the project gets completed, and you may need to plan. Besides, the technical complexity of the system design is another differentiating factor. Namely, it is easier to identify technical problems and develop cost-effective solutions when the system is residential on a much smaller scale. On the other hand, the commercial system may require dealing with electrical equipment at a higher rating, making the technical considerations more complex. Hence, the processes are more time-consuming but with Bay Solar Group everything is simpler.

Also, the available space on the roof of a commercial building is usually more extensive than that of a typical house. Thus, the solar panel specifications are also varied. A residential solar panel system has about 72 cells, while a commercial one has 96 cells per panel. Accordingly, even though the roof’s flatness makes the commercial solar installation project much easier as a whole, it requires a considerable amount of time because of the number of panels. It is also correlated with the targeted energy production being significantly higher for businesses. Finally, financing is less accessible for commercial solar projects because it is a relatively new division of the solar power industry and needs time to get optimized.

Your readiness to go solar

The roof condition is one of the primary things to consider before installing the solar system, as in case doing the installation without meeting the requirements will create additional expenses for the future. If you plan to install a solar panel system on the roof of your commercial building and know that it may need to be repaired, you should take care of it and make sure that the system is set only after the roof is in proper condition. When it shows some signs of age like lifting or cupping, for instance, you should definitely replace it and then consider installing a PV system.

If not, the whole work should be dismantled and redone, which is a waste of not only money but also time, being a massive loss for a corporation in terms of losing the opportunity to operate earlier and generate more profit. Aside from that, the roof and solar panels’ warranties should be compared with each other to make sure that there will be no increase in the maintenance costs. It is possible when your roof’s guaranteed life is much less than the life of the solar panels you plan to install, which is usually of about 20-25 years. Therefore, simply evaluate your roof condition before the solar panel installation and ensure that it will not affect energy production. Apart from that, minimal shading is needed for effective solar energy production. The more direct sunlight your company building gets, the more productive the installed solar panel system will be.

In case the building is surrounded by trees, you should figure out whether or not they have the potential to negatively impact the energy generation. By working with a knowledgeable consultant and discussing all the principles for a high return on solar investment, you will understand whether your business is ready to go green and, if not, how you may deal with the created situation. Most of the time, the installers come up with several suggestions to make you eligible for solar investment.

Defining project goals

As soon as you distinguish between residential and commercial solar projects as well as are informed about the factors you need to consider, your project objectives should be defined.

Those goals are to determine the size of the needed system and, at the same time, enable the solar providers to adjust their bid responses. For example, suppose the goal is to achieve energy security when there is a grid outage. In that case, battery storage may be considered to utilize the extra power that is normally produced by the solar system. You better take into consideration also your possible future needs, as in that way system design will be much more effective, and you will avoid some additional expenses in the future. When you are clear about the objectives of your solar panel installation, it becomes easier to decide the evaluation criteria for the bids.

When coming to the actual bid evaluation, it should be noted that creating an evaluation committee and developing a scoring system is one of the most effective methods among commercial solar installation practices. The committees are usually made up of representatives from different departments of the company, including engineering, procurement, finance as well as sustainability offices. There can be some defined installation project characteristics, which will be a leading source for the selection criteria. Here again, your company’s priorities should be considered.

Suppose your number one priority is the cost-effectiveness of the installation, for instance. In that case, you may choose the option that meets the company’s financial savings targets and possibly exceeds the competitor providers’ bids. Another selection criteria may be the company’s experience and its team to install similar projects, as usually a qualified team with past experience is needed to ensure effective communication. Furthermore, the implementation schedule can be your decision making factor in case you need the provider to construct the project in such a way to meet your deadlines.

Selecting the right solar provider

Your solar provider choice can decide whether or not the return on your investment is maximized. So, to make the most use of the solar energy benefits, you should consider multiple solar panel system installers and try to figure out the trade-offs between the available options. To realize that, you can start with the development of Request for Quote (RFQ). According to EcoWatch.com RFQ is used to inform the solar providers that your company is open to receiving bids for a solar panel installation project. Meanwhile, it communicates the already defined project specifications and priorities to the providers ready to submit proposals.

Identifying 4-5 qualified bidders and shortlisting the ones with higher potential will help you save much time on decision making as well as will increase the effectiveness of your choice. It is vital to provide the bidders with adequate response time since they need it for delivering quality offers. Afterward, the evaluation committee can analyze the RFQ responses and make a choice based on the predetermined selection criteria by making sure the chosen solar provider meets the needs of your company. In addition, they may need to check whether or not the rebates, governmental incentives and available plans are considered by the shortlisted solar providers, as it is another opportunity to cut costs.

Proper system maintenance

The length of your solar system’s lifespan will be strongly related to how you take care of it. Maximum efficiency and most effective power generation can be guaranteed only if you ensure the required maintenance of the system. Usually, the contract specifies the organization’s involvement level in the operation and maintenance of the installed system.

Here, it is crucial to choose such a solar installation team that is resourceful and experienced enough to monitor the system throughout its whole lifespan accurately. The operation and maintenance packages include mainly performance monitoring, warranty repair, annual inspections, and sometimes routine cleaning. So, undertake regular maintenance, and your solar panel system will operate safely and efficiently. By doing this, you will avoid a number of possible issues that may have occurred if you left the system unmonitored and hence, will increase your return on investment.

By investing in a solar energy system, you protect your business from the unforeseen increases in electricity costs and, at the same time, get the opportunity to better forecast as well as manage your expenses. However, just an installation is not enough to take advantage of all the benefits that you can get from your solar journey. You should also be informed of the factors that need to be checked out before going solar and the conditions to be followed for taking the most advantage of your investment.

What Are Capers And 3 Meals You Can Cook With Them

By

Billy Voss

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December 31, 2020

You may have seen capers on the menu as an ingredient of many fancy meals and have always wondered what they actually are? Maybe you even use them yourself but you’re still uncertain as to what they may be. Well, whatever the case is, by the time you’re done with this article you’ll know what they are and we’ll even give you a few tasty recipes as well. Let’s get started.

What Are Capers?

Well, believe it or not, capers are actually flower buds that come from a plant called Finders Rose (or Capparis spinosa if you want to get really technical). You may even call the plant a Caper Bush, but that just doesn’t sound right. Now, most parts of the plant aren’t actually used in any cuisine, which was probably the case for the capers themselves for a long time.

You see, a raw caper is not something you’d probably enjoy as they’re unbelievably bitter. However, someone tried pickling them and well, they made the right move. When pickled, although still strong, these little guys become pretty tasty and are a welcome addition in Mediterranean cuisine, especially Greek and Italian. Granted, you still wouldn’t eat them alone, as they still pack quite a punch with all the salt, zest and bitterness, but they really do a good job as a seasoning.

Aside from packing a punch, these little guys are rich in protein, fibre, vitamins A,C,E and K, Calcium, Iron and Magnesium. However, as it’s usually the case with pickled foods, they’re very high in sodium.

Another thing to keep in mind though, capers shouldn’t be confused with caper berries, which are the fruit of the plant.

Now, let’s move on to the fun part. Let’s take a look at how you can treat your taste buds to something different, possibly even exotic. Here are some of the tastiest, most common recipes in which you can find these pickled flower buds we like to call capers.

1. Sicilian Swordfish

Sicilian Swordfish is a traditional dish of the city of Messina that you absolutely have to try if you’re ever in the south of Italy. It is a rather simple, yet delicious recipe, so you can even easily make it yourself if you have all the necessary ingredients, which we believe wouldn’t be too hard to find. Let’s take a look at the ingredients. You’ll need:

500 gr of swordfish
500 gr of cherry tomatoes
60 gr of green olives
Olive oil
Garlic clove
10 gr of capers
Oregano
Salt
Black pepper

As you can tell just by looking at the ingredients, you’re in for a special, Mediterranean meal.

You’ll start by washing and cutting the cherry tomatoes in half. Put that aside and add olive oil and a peeled garlic clove in the pan and place over medium fire. When the garlic browns, add the tomatoes, salt and oregano and cook for about 10 minutes. While it’s cooking, cut up olives into slices and add them along with capers into the pan and stir.

After 10 or so minutes, add the swordfish to the sauce and cook it for about 3 minutes on each side. You can add salt or pepper to your liking. Once it’s done, you can add some more capers as a garnish, but that’s optional.

2. Vitello Tonnato

If you were to ask italiaregina.it for a most Piedmont-esqe dish in the world, they would most certainly say Vitello Tonnato. If you can’t tell by the name, this is a veal based meal and arguably one of the most famous ones in Italy. It’s an old, passed down a recipe that has been with us for generations. For a long time, it was a meal that would gather families around the table during the holidays, so it’s safe to say that this one is a timeless classic. It sounds and looks like you’d need a Michelin star to make it, but that’s not the case. This is actually a rather simple and quick meal to prepare, as you’re about to see. You’ll need:

800 gr of magatello (steak) veal
Eggs
Coast of celery
Carrot
Golden onion
Garlic clove
A glass of white wine
5L of water
Bay leaf
Cloves
Olive oil
Black pepper
Salt
100 gr of tuna
Anchovies
5 gr of desalted capers

Don’t let the ingredient list scare you. You start rather simple, by washing and cutting up the vegetables (carrot, celery, onion) and putting them in a bowl with garlic. Take an iron skillet and put the veal in along with the vegetables, bay leaf and 2-3 cloves and season with black pepper. Pour the white wine and the water in the pan, add salt and oil and leave it to cook for about 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, drain the pan and let the meat cool down.

As for the broth, remove bay leaf and cloves and let the rest of it shrink over high heat. Hard boil a couple of eggs, cut them up and add in a bowl with the vegetables, broth, tuna, anchovies and desalted capers and mix everything until it becomes a smooth cream.

Once the meat is cooled down, cut it into slices, arrange on a serving dish and pour the cream over the meat. Boun appetito!

3. Spaghetti alla Puttanesca

Lastly, we have another typical dish from Southern Italy. This one is prepped rather quickly, so you can easily fall back on this recipe if you’re ever in a time pinch. You’ll need:

500 gr of pasta
500 gr of tomatoes
100 gr of black olives
Garlic cloves
Parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Fresh chilli
Tablespoon of capers in salt
Sardines

Start by making an X-shaped incision on the top of the tomatoes and boiling them for a minute. After you do that, peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and chop them up into small cubes. Chop parsley, anchovies, garlic, capers, chilli and black olives as well.

Next up, add olive oil to the pan and add chopped garlic into it until it browns. After it browns, add anchovies and the pepper and once anchovies begin to melt, add the olives and capers. Cook for a few minutes before adding tomatoes and parsley to the pan. Once you’ve put everything in, cook for another 15 minutes on low heat. After that, add already cooked pasta to the pan a sauté it or a few more minutes until adding the rest of the parsley and finishing the meal.

We don’t know about you, but we’ve gotten rather hungry by the time we’ve got to this point. Maybe it’s time to visit a kitchen and see if there are some capers in there we could use – what do you say?

5 Tips for Those Who Is Looking for a Speculation Broker

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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December 31, 2020

You’ve probably heard about stock speculation or investing in stock exchange assets, right? You heard about them due to the active popularization and active advertising promoted by brokers all over the Web.

Attention! Transactions with exchange-traded assets, including speculation and investments, are considered to be high-risk transactions. Consider the probability of losing your investment and do not invest what you cannot afford to lose.

In addition, any exchange operations require a trader to have deep knowledge in the chosen area, as well as skills in risk management and management of available capital. Without those skills, you’d probably lose all your money in first deals.

Don’t trust ads. If someone promises you a guaranteed income without risk and without your participation, then most likely you have met a scammer. There is no ‘magic buttons’ or automated software which makes you money on the exchange.

1. The exchange is not available without a broker

Only a few know that without an intermediary who has the necessary licenses and permits, it is impossible to conclude any transactions on the exchange.

This intermediary or a so called licensed broker supplies traders with signals from the exchange, and also receives orders from their clients to execute transactions. The speed of order execution, the range of assets available for transactions, the relevance of the supplied signals may vary.

Even if you have the will and capital to invest and do stock speculation or even buy stocks, you cannot do this without using an intermediary – a bank or broker who will hold your money and do your orders. Therefore, it is worth choosing it very carefully, taking into account a set of factors.

2. How brokers differ from each other

Brokers work with certain exchanges and types of exchange-traded assets. For example, with the currency exchange in London or with the stock exchange in Asia. Find out in advance if the chosen broker suits your trading strategy and investment horizon.

Brokers offer different conditions for cooperation with clients (traders). Basically, this concerns spreads, commissions and additional cash fees. Deposits and withdrawals are carried out in different ways. However, a particular broker may not have a payment system that is most convenient for you. The registration process for a new member, as well as the verification process, may also differ from organization to organization.

Different brokers have different tools for market analysis and conclusion of deals, different trading terminals and auxiliary tools for technical or other types of analysis. You should check all those factors before making your first deposit. Moreover, you have to check the level of reliability and reputation of the particular broker.

3. How to check the reliability of a broker

Unfortunately, in the field of exchange transactions, there are a lot of scammers who hunt for deposits of naive users. They usually offer easy money, attractive bonuses, and unique partnerships – but it’s all bait. Remember: there is no easy money and quick profit in Forex or any other exchange.

Therefore, any information that you find on the Internet should be double-checked in several independent sources.

This applies to the date of registration of the broker, his legal address, accounts in which the company keeps money. It is important to check the availability of a license and other documents issued by the central bank or financial regulators in your country. If there is no evidence that the broker has the legal right to conduct stock transactions – this should alert you a lot.

In the case of offshore brokers, there is a risk that you will not get access to your money if the broker decides to freeze the account or manipulate the exchange signals. It is also problematic to sue a broker who is registered abroad and keeps money on offshore islands. Thus pay attention to brokers who have government licenses in your country.

Carefully study the terms of cooperation and the official information on the broker’s website. Also check its details in the registers of financial regulators. Finally, do not forget to check blacklists that include fraudulent or poor service companies.

4. Check out trading and analytics tools

The main tool for concluding exchange transactions is a trading terminal. Usually brokers use either the popular version of the trading terminal or their own software.

The choice of a trading platform and support tools available from a particular broker is an individual factor. However, we recommend that you check the availability of demo mode and ‘cent’ accounts that are suitable for novice traders. With the help of these modes, you will not lose a lot of money while learning to trade.

Some brokers offer a wide range of self-study and professional development tools. For example, expert market reviews, analytical articles, forecasts, training articles, and blogs.

5. Where can I find information about brokers?

As mentioned earlier, you can check information about the date of creation of the company, its achievements, current licenses and other documents on the official website.

However, it is worth remembering that information on official websites is an unreliable source of information. Cross-check all key information with independent sources you trust. Don’t hurry, take your time and make the right decision.

Second, you can use independent rating services. For example, international agencies that check licensed brokers with the largest number of active clients. Such ratings include companies with a large cash turnover.

An alternative source of information is independent sites with user reviews and expert reviews. On such sites, as a rule, you can find information about any, even newly registered brokers, as well as compare them with other companies. One of the sites with a broker rating and reviews is https://tradersunion.com/.

Of course, many reviews on such portals need to be double-checked, since they are written for the purpose of advertising or anti-advertising. Nevertheless, if you study a dozen reviews about one broker and recheck the information after all, you can understand how the particular broker works, how it treats its clients, what conditions it offers.

Hamster-Powered Marble Races And Other Unusual Forms Of Gambling

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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December 31, 2020

Gambling has been around for over 2000 years now, and it is much more than just casino games. There are various forms of gambling present in the market. However, the newest addition came in the form of a hamster powered marble race.

This race is led by Mia, who is a female winter white dwarf hamster. She runs on her trustworthy hamster wheel, and this project is called “Mia and her Marbles” It is an automated marble racing game and has recently attracted a lot of attention. A group of independent developers came together to develop this masterpiece.

Gambling is often synonymous with risk. However, if you are not willing to take risks, you can always gamble in a no deposit bitcoin casino like nodepositkings.com.

Highlights Of This Game From The Developers’ Point Of View:

Fair GamePlay: The developers were quite driven by their passion for developing blockchain gambling projects. Due to the numerous scams occurring, they decided to develop a game that safeguarded the gamers’ interest. Eventually, they began brainstorming ideas to create fair gameplay at its roots, which was equally fun to play.

Although the concept may seem weird, the developer team has recently told in an interview that they have carefully thought about the racing platform before developing it. The game is developed to deliver highly fair results that are generally released on a live platform. Also, the gamblers can easily verify these results to check their authenticity.

Takes Place On Real-Time Basis: The development team talked about how the races occur on a real-time basis and are not pre-recorded. This is done with a live streaming platform, and the video displays the first eight bits of the current Ethereum block hash. It is present on the race track along with eight movable pegs. A low peg represents zero, whereas a high peg represents one.

Refund Option Available: The game features a refund function for the games that do not reveal their results within two days. Many people think of Mia and Marbles as a thought experiment or even some type of hackathon. However, the developers say that their passion for fair gambling gameplay has inspired them.

No Worries About Talent Poaching: Back in the day when she was a baby, Mia had quite a rough patch. She loved to nibble on Dev’s fingers. However, today things have quite changed. Nowadays, Mia is really productive. Hence, the chances of winning this game are relatively high now. Also, the developers follow all the protocols laid down by the DAOs. Thus, they need not worry about another protocol poaching their talent through a merger.

Good Future Prospects: Today, Mia can run up to eight km in a day. Hamsters are generally quite active and tend to wander long distances to arrange for their food. The dev team plans to introduce a better-developed track and use the “championship” bracket for the marbles. The developers intend to keep introducing new features to this game to make it quite fun and adventurous.

Other Unusual Forms Of Gambling

Whenever we hear the word gambling, things like casinos, blackjack, and slots pop into our minds. However, there are numerous other unusual forms of gambling present worldwide. The majority of these unfamiliar gambling ways are illegal and usually pass the current state bans. Let us take a look at the unusual gambling activities that carry around the world.

Race

Betting on races is the new trendy thing among gamblers around the world. Not only does it allow them to win a lump sum amount, but it also helps them build good relations with fellow gamblers. We have heard about betting on car races and horse races, but many strange exotic races take place worldwide. Let us take a look at them.

A very traditional way of entertainment in Pakistan is the donkey race, which is quite an unusual form of betting. Trinidad and Tobago hosts crab and goat races. During Easter, these races are held annually, and tourists visit the island during this period to view the races. Even though racing is a fun thing to watch, it has become lucrative for Tobago’s residents.

Guinea Pigs Racing

One way of street entertainment in Colombia is the guinea pig races. The guinea pig races’ rules are that there are numbered houses on the ground, and everyone around the street by which house the guinea pig will enter. The guinea pigs race works as a huge tourist attraction and a center of curiosity.

Racing Using Cockroaches

In these races, Madagascar cockroaches, which are about 6 to 10 cm long, are used. The Madagascar cockroaches are considered to be the fastest insects out in the world. The racing of cockroaches usually takes up in Australia. The cockroach racing is held in Brisbane, where the students stage insect races.

Pachinko

It is a gaming machine, a combination of the one-armed bandit and vertical pinball in Pachinko. In this game, the metal balls are poured into the machine from the above, and with the help of a lever, the player will have to control the firing speed.

All the balls roll down the maze, and the majority of the balls go waste, and the balls that hit the target get the point. In Pachinko, the winners don’t get cash; the balls are exchanged for prizes like perfumes, lighter, etc. But, shops can exchange gifts for money.

Pigeon Racing

Racing among birds originated in Taiwan. Such racing competitions are held in Taiwan all around the year. On average, five hundred races are organized weekly. Also, the island has more than two to three million sporting birds. People here love racing pigeons and betting on them. Once the pigeons are past the age of two months, they can participate in these races.

Final Words:

Casino gambling might get boring after a certain interval of time. However, you can always try your hands at these unusual forms of gambling for a refreshing change.

4 Tips and Tricks for Being the Best You at College! – 2024 Guide

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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December 31, 2020

The comforts of high school include the coziness of home, gratitude of old teachers and needless to say, the concern of childhood friends. All of this goes out the window, when you’re at college. We’re not trying to terrify you, but trust us when we say it’s a 180 degrees shift from high school. It’s new, it’s tough and it requires insane amounts of hard work and commitment. Well, now you must be wondering as to how you’ll be able to have a social life, meet the ‘one’, get a terrific internship while working for grades – we have answers!

Here’s a guide for you to succeed at college without succumbing to the pressure of doing too much in too little time without making any mistakes!

1. Plan

Planning is the key at college. Nothing really works out without having a concrete plan. There are more than five courses you have each semester which means you’ll have more than 50 classes each semester; each course coming on with its own level of difficulty and endless syllabus to go through. Well, it is bound to get overwhelming as freshmen which is why you plan and conquer.

It is unrealistic to believe that you’ll be able to go through notes of each class every night which is where your planning enters. Plan each day for each course. Monday for Calculus practice questions to improve your understanding, Tuesday for Economics readings, so on and so forth. This way, you won’t feel lost and will be able to be more productive by taking one day at a time. Now, obviously, you’re not here to just study which is why dedicating 2-3 hours each day for a specific course will leave you with so much more time to engage with people around and do what you’re really at college for – personal and professional growth.

2. Get out of your comfort zone

As clichéd as it may sound, break those imaginary walls that limit you and get out of oyur comfort zone. Go out of your way to try new things which otherwise would scare you. Initially at college, most people feel intimidated by striking up a conversation with someone new. We all feel insecure and think too much of it when actually it’s something extremely insignificant. Try to strike up conversations with people you think are interesting and you’d be surprised with the response!

Further, college is an ocean of opportunities. Most colleges offer a plethora of courses to choose from which won’t necessarily impact your final major. With that said, it’s a great way to study or rather take classes for something that you really fancy, it could be anything from music to literature to even gender studies. These courses would work as a breath of fresh air for you amidst the chaos of other classes. Moreover, these courses will also help you learn something new and interesting which would reflect sparklingly well on your resume. So what are you waiting for? Put yourself out there and let the magic happen!

3. Catch up with your old life

College can be insanely busy leaving no time for you to unwind. The best and most effective way to do so is by catching up with your old friends and family. This will help you reconnect with your loved ones by also reminding you of your old, authentic self. Further, zoom calls are fun but you can along with your friends plan movie night (Netflix Party is a great option), have game nights online or even go further as driving back home or rather a new place and rent a cabin or even camp. These activities not only will be a great way to hang out with your friends but will help you de-stress from the daily grind that you and they have to go through.

It can be extremely difficult to take time out for fun activities with friends and families without having to forego something else. Guess what? Not this time! With websites like PaperHelp you don’t have to compromise on your assignments while spending time with people you love the most. It’s a great online platform which both assists and completes your coursework for you. The service is as cheap as $14. Not just that, you can provide them with a daunting deadline and well, they deliver even then! The website promises 100% anonymity and absolutely no plagiarism. In case, you still have your doubts, you can always request for a sample paper and look at it yourself!

4. Treat yourself!

You’re young and beautiful; do not spend this precious time in the books and out there partying with people you don’t even care about. Spend more time with yourself. Get to know yourself and most importantly, treat yourself! Students tend to get sucked into the tumultuous college life that they forget to care about their own selves. It is pertinent to be healthy and spend some quality time of self care.

The best of treating yourself, in the long run, is by eating healthy and working out. Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to survive on cow food, it means you become mindful of what goes in your body. Try and eat at home as much as you can. This won’t only be cheaper but would help you save money with the added advantage of polishing those chef skills you have! Further, alongside eating well is moving that body of yours. Sitting all day in front of a PC is not fine – get out there and move. Just be active. You can start slow by going for a jog around the campus or hitting the treadmill at your gym every once in a while. It would feel like too much in the moment but trust us, when those endorphins hit there’s no turning back!

4 Tips for Securing a Successfully-Negotiated Payer Contract

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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December 30, 2020

If you are a healthcare provider, the mere thought of becoming a part of carefully-monitored care networks seems welcoming. But why should a provider join a network? Well, the answer to this question is that a network affiliation can help in lowering the expenses of patients while ensuring that providers continue receiving a stable income.

However, healthcare providers who have never been in a network before must make sure that they negotiate a contract that guarantees reasonable pay for them. While it might not be an easy task, SybridMD has a few tips that might come in handy during contract negotiations.

Initial Struggles Faced by the Healthcare Providers

It goes without saying that one doesn’t become a master negotiator overnight. Moreover, the fact that there are countless provider networks across the US makes it difficult for the payers to pay everyone equally. So, payers usually resort to paying more to experienced providers.

So, it’s evident that a provider looking to join a network for the first time might face difficulties in getting into a reliable network. And even if they manage to join the said network somehow, it’s highly unlikely that they will have any leverage during the contract negotiations. So, what should be such a provider’s next step?

For starters, they should focus on presenting themselves as an asset to the network, and prove how they are different from other providers within the same network. Of course, this would require loads of research.

Is it Wise for a Healthcare Provider to Spend Months on Negotiating an Ideal Payer Contract?

Yes, it’s correct. Contract negotiations can take multiple months before both parties reach an agreement. So, is it wise to spend all of this time negotiating a contract? The answer is YES, it is. A successfully-negotiated payer contract comes with plenty of perks.

For starters, it gives healthcare providers a chance to earn a stable and sufficient amount of money. Moreover, they get added to the payer’s online provider directory. Being on this list could help the provider attract new patients and boost their revenue.

Important Tips for Securing a Successfully-Negotiated Payer Contract

So, now that you have learned why it is important to negotiate a payer contract as well as the benefits linked with it, let’s discuss four crucial guidelines that one should follow to succeed at securing a well-paying contract.

#1 Realize that Negotiating a Contract is a Team Job

Once you have planned on negotiating a contract with an insurance company, you need to make sure that all your bases are covered. You can start by ensuring that the medical director or the billing department is a part of the discussion.

While it’s common for the provider to assume that they don’t have sufficient leverage while negotiating the terms of their proposed contract, this isn’t entirely true. In cases where the provider is acquiring a reasonable amount of compensation (out of network) from the insurer and is saving sufficient money, they may offer a compromise to flip the game.

Additionally, providers can emphasize the unique ways in which they can contribute to the network. If the provider is found to be beneficial for the network, the chances of them receiving a lucrative payer contract go up.

#2 Remember to Have a Rate-Increase Clause Added to the Contract

While negotiating a contract and reaching an agreement with the payer are time-consuming tasks, this isn’t where you should stop. If you have negotiated a contract that allows you to rake in a reasonable amount of money on a monthly or a yearly basis, that’s when you start worrying about where can you be in the long run.

And this brings us to our next tip: Always remember to have a rate-increase clause added to your contract. Not doing so will result in you receiving the same rate for the entirety of the contract.

In case your contract says that you are signed at the Medicare rate and the said rate changes over a year, you will end up receiving the same percentage but of a lower reimbursement.

#3 Save Time by Understanding the Authority Levels & Limitations

Have you ever been a part of a situation where you were tasked with convincing someone to buy a product, subscribe to a service, or undergo a procedure? And has it ever happened to you that in the end, you came to know that the individual whom you were trying to convince all along didn’t have any authority and had to discuss your proposal with someone else before issuing a response?

If yes, you are in a perfect position to understand the role played by the level of authority a person has in a negotiation. This applies here too.

So, while you are negotiating a contract with a health insurance company, there’s a strong chance of your case being assigned to a salesperson. So, even though you have a list of terms and conditions that you would like to add to your contract, it’s important to realize that the salespeople are only authorized to comply with your demands to a certain level.

So, an efficient way to save time is by finding out the limitations imposed on the insurance payer negotiators and discussing the contract accordingly. If you are not satisfied with the contract being offered, you can request to negotiate it with someone having more authority than a regular salesperson.

#4 Read & Clarify Everything

Before signing on the dotted line, read each and every term and clause, and make sure that you have understood everything. From language centered on medical necessity to amendment provisions and other one-sided terms and clauses, you must be 100% aware of what you are walking into. According to GatekeeperHQ, you should read a contract management glossary first to get acquainted with the terms used in the contract.

Conclusion

Joining healthcare networks can be financially beneficial for both you and your patients. However, to acquire an ideal payer contract, providers must determine their costs and match those against the revenue they will be generating and unless this connection is financially feasible, the provider should use their negotiating skills to land a decent contract.

6 Best Adventurous Rafting in Colorado

By

Дмитра Врачарић

-

December 30, 2020

Rafting is a common adventurous sport in Colorado. Imagine you are on a raft boat along with your friends in a river surrounded by mountains. The strong waves can drive you from one place to another. It looks adventurous and daring. Many unique spots in Colorado are known as the best rafting place.

Before discussing the spots, we should know the right time to go rafting. Well, the suitable time is between June to September. If you organize a plan for rafting with your friends and family, you can plan in this period.

If you need to go for Colorado Springs Rafting, you can choose Echo Canyon Rafting Expeditions for the best experience. They can offer a fantastic rafting experience in various places. Today, we will discuss different spots that are considered as best adventurous rafting in Colorado.

1. Buena Vista, Arkansas River

You can see lots of boats here, occupied by lots of people every year. It is a popular spot in Colorado, which is highly preferred by the people. The river’s starting point is near Leadville, which flows to the Buena Vista south side, and then it goes from Nathrop to Salida. There are various amazing sessions that you can enjoy with your friends.

The exciting and adventurous thing about this trip is the narrow canyon. High rapids will mesmerize you for sure. Your raft boat will pass the beautiful suspension bridge with trains. Many people crave such an experience.

In between the trip, you will also visit a national museum in between Nathrop and Salida. There are two options to choose the adventure, i.e., half or full day.

2. Durango, Animas River

Durango is a popular place in Colorado, which is known for its high and dense mountains. The population is high, which includes 20,000 residents. It is a historic town with lots of beauty and secrecy. There is a narrow railroad gauge, which one can visit through this river. The river is known for its lazy floats and exploring the white water for half or complete days.

You can do rafting here with your friends and pass impressive rapids. There are 4 to 5 adventurous rapids that people crave for. People from the US come to this place for endless enjoyment and enthusiasm.

3. Steamboat Springs and Dinosaur, Yampa River

It is a non-dammed river in Colorado, which is perfect for amazing rafting trips. If you need to relax or go for a lazy boat trip, you can pick it. It is ideal for people who are looking for peace and a sightseeing atmosphere. While rafting, you can go to the Dinosaur National Museum through the Green River.

There is a monument named Dinosaur, which people love to visit. The place is quite photogenic, and people love to take pictures here. There are 3 to 4 mesmerizing rapids. The ideal time for this activity is between May to July. You can also plan for camping and go for short raft trips. It will be good if you plan for the vacation here for 4 to 5 days.

4. Kremmling and Glenwood Springs, Colorado River

In the Colorado River, there are many spots, which are best for rafting. The Kremmling and Glenwood Springs are quite popular among those spots. But this place is perfect for experienced rafters who have enough knowledge of various techniques. You can enjoy 4 to 5 adventurous rapids throughout one session.

The water level is relatively high and is very dangerous for beginners. During your trip, you can visit hot springs, or you can also camp near the riverside. At night, you can enjoy the peaceful environment of the river and spend quality time with your friends.

5. Pagosa Springs, Piedra River

It is a perfect spot in Colorado for rafting for both beginners and experienced rafters. The river is quite long stretched, and you can enjoy long trips. You can also come with your kids with age more than 12 years.

If you want to experience the best rapids, then you must come to this place. There are undoubtedly huge drops, which are quite adventurous for people. This place is known for big thrills and more than six rapids in a single session.

That sounds interesting, and the people who consider this spot also enjoy it a lot. You will get tired, and you need some rest in a peaceful place. You can manage to do such a thing by camping near the riverside. It is possible to make your life enjoyable and exciting by coming to this place.

6. Cortez, Dolores River

It is another popular sport on the Southside of Colorado. Here, you will get limited trips because enjoying the rafting is from April to June. There are some exciting drops and canyons here, which will mesmerize you for sure.

You can plan for the long trip, i.e., 3 to 10 days. It is a beautiful place to visit. You can go rafting here if your age is above 10. The water level is quite good in the available time period. Many people plan for the long trip and go to Durango through the Dolores River.

It sounds quite exciting and tiring. But this trip goes beyond ten days, and it sounds more like an adventure. Within the trip, the batch will experience impressive rapids and other crucial hurdles.

The Bottom Line

Undoubtedly, there are various spots for experiencing the best adventurous rafting in Colorado. People from the United States come here to get a fantastic experience. It is possible to involve kids along with you if they are also in love with adventures. The level of water is relatively high in these areas, which seems adventurous to rafters.

You can plan for camping near the riverside and enjoy quality time with your friends and family. Plan for the raft session is any nearby or desired destination to get close to nature and enjoy the rivers’ rocking tides deeply. Expose your adventurous soul to these activity spots and live your life with such adventures.

Residential and Commercial Solar Benefits – 2024 Guide

By

Anne Kelly

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December 30, 2020

solar panel — img source: homeimprovementsau.org

Today, the world strives towards an environmentally friendly habitat. To achieve the latter, people need to change their lifestyles. They should observe and eliminate everything that alienates the world from becoming an environmentally friendly habitat. The primary aspect of the latter is literate energy consumption. What type of energy do we consume? Fossil fuel energy. What is the source of fossil fuels? Non-renewable sources like coal, oil, natural gas. What are the environmental consequences of fossil fuel consumption? Pollution, global warming, climate change, and land degradation.

Should we switch to another source of energy? Definitely! Affordable, plentiful, renewable: all about solar energy. Solar energy is a huge step towards the world to become an environmentally friendly habitat. Solar panel installation is a simple procedure to switch from fossil fuels to solar energy consumption. Residential and commercial consumption of solar energy has environmental and financial benefits.

What Are The Benefits Of Residential Solar Panel Installation?

Cost-efficiency

Installing solar panels at home relieves the financial burden that people face with energy bills. Solar panels reduce energy bills. The reduction of energy bills occurs as a result of solar energy conservation. During sunny summer days, solar panel batteries conserve energy. It allows you to consume energy during cloudy winter days. If you live in a location that has no to little exposure to sunlight, no worries! The solar system absorbs and supplies indirect sunlight during cloudy days, while solar batteries assist in conserving excess sunlight energy for later use. No matter where you live and to what degree your place of residence is exposed to sunlight, solar panel installation is key to affordable energy consumption, according to LA Solar Group.

House Value Upgrade

Homeowners view a solar panel system as valuable additions to the house. A house with a solar panel costs more than a house without it. Lawrence Berkeley’s study demonstrates that photovoltaic systems add almost $15,000 of monetary value to houses. Isn’t it amazing? For sure! Imagine you want to sell your house at a higher price, but you can’t because of its location, size, or equipment depreciation.

Solar panel installation will instantaneously increase the value of your house, and you will be able to sell it at a higher price. The secret here is that people spend the majority of their income on covering energy bills. With solar panel systems, energy bills are lower, and the desire to pay for the house a higher price is stronger.

What Are The Benefits Of Commercial Solar Panel Installation?

Solar Income

Solar panels provide abundant energy for on-site consumption. As with all solar panel systems, commercial solar panels conserve energy. Energy conservation leads businesses to sell surplus energy to the grid. How does it work? In large companies, the saving benefits of selling to the grid come when solar panels generate approximately 1 million kilowatts of power. It requires a roof space of about 100,000 square feet. If these statistics scare you, don’t worry!

Commercial solar panels are large enough to generate this much of energy. In small companies, renewable energy credits come to help. Solar renewable energy credit is 1 megawatt of solar energy. Utility companies that operate under Renewable Portfolio Standards buy a certain quota of surplus solar energy from small businesses. It turns out that with commercial solar panel installation, large and small companies benefit as solar panels become an extra income source for them.

Energy Security

Power outages in commercial buildings result in a loss of revenue and delay of work schedules for the business. How can power outages in commercial buildings be ignored? Solar panel installation is an affordable and long-lasting solution for power outages in commercial buildings. Solar photovoltaic systems optimize the energy consumption of commercial buildings. They conserve excess energy and supply it whenever needed, including during power outages. Besides, off-grid solar panels reduce commercial buildings’ dependence on the grid. Commercial buildings may not fear power outages, revenue losses, and work schedule delays with solar panels.

Do Residential And Commercial Solar Panel Installations Have Environmental Benefits? Yes!

Balanced Greenhouse Effect

What is the greenhouse effect? A natural process called the greenhouse effect warms the surface of Earth. The imbalance of the greenhouse effect leads to environmental hazards, including global warming and climate change. Fossil fuels are major actors in the creation of the greenhouse effect imbalance. Solar energy is a solution to the imbalance of greenhouse effects. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions that fossil fuels generate. Solar energy balances greenhouse effects. How can you have your stake in the maintenance of the greenhouse effect balance?

Installing commercial and residential solar panels is the key. Solar panel installations sustain businesses and houses with solar panels that supply solar energy. With plentiful solar energy, the dependency on fossil fuels decreases. Your commercial and residential solar panels take care of conserving energy and supplying it whenever you need it. With commercial and residential solar panel installations, you have the opportunity to be a major contributor to the balanced greenhouse effect and eliminate environmental hazards, including climate change and global warming.

After reading this article, a few key points to consider before consuming fossil fuel energy:
You have the opportunity to purchase residential solar panels for your home. These photovoltaic modules allow you to live in a cost-efficient manner, save money on energy bills, have limitless energy throughout the whole year, upgrade your house value, and balance the greenhouse effect through environmentally friendly solar energy consumption.
For your commercial building, you have the opportunity to purchase commercial solar panels. They allow you to generate solar income, enhance energy security, ignore power outages, and align with sustainability standards by balancing the greenhouse effect through solar energy.

Solar energy solves the issue of an imbalanced greenhouse effect. As solar panels supply solar energy, the installation of commercial and residential solar panels is a solution to the greenhouse effect imbalance. The resolution of imbalanced greenhouse effects through solar panel installation benefits households and commercial buildings. However, it has a collective benefit for the world. With solar energy consumption, both in residential and commercial platforms, we collectively reduce the probability of global warming and climate change. These two are environmental hazards threatening the lifespan of Earth – our habitat. Let’s go solar, live better and longer.

Everything You Need to Know About Sports Scholarships for College

By

Дмитра Врачарић

-

December 30, 2020

Playing sport at college is an exciting and fulfilling experience that can open plenty of doors for you, keep you fit and healthy, improve your brainpower, and help you to make some lifelong friends on the way. Not only that, it could even help you to support yourself financially. In the US, sports scholarships are some of the most prestigious awards you can get for college. As well as helping with the cost of your studies, they can also ensure that you have access to the very best facilities and training whilst you’re at university.

If you or your child are a high school athlete this probably sounds very appealing, but you might be confused about what exactly these scholarships are and how to go about getting one. So here’s a quick overview to help clear this up.

What is a sports scholarship?

A sports scholarship is an award of financial aid to help support student athletes whilst they are at college. It is intended to enable them to both fulfill their academic potential and perform at a top athletic level, so they can represent their school in their chosen sport. Some scholarships are awarded on a yearly basis, whilst others last for the entirety of your studies provided you continue to meet the eligibility criteria. In contrast to student loans, the money you get from any kind of scholarship does not have to be paid back.

What does a sports scholarship cover?

The variety of sports scholarships available is extremely diverse, and each one will differ in precisely what it covers. The most generous—and hence the most competitive—are full scholarships. These are also known as “full-ride” scholarships, and cover all of your tuition fees in addition to accommodation costs, food, books, plus any equipment or kit you need for your sport. They don’t cover other costs such as travel from your home to college, visas for international students, entry exams, or NCAA registration fees. Partial scholarships might cover tuition fees only, or provide a certain amount of money that you can use towards tuition or accommodation.

Which sports can I get a scholarship for?

Scholarships are available for a wide range of sports, and not only the most popular ones such as football and basketball. There are awards for everything from tennis and golf to fencing and gymnastics, so wherever your talents lie you’re sure to find there’s a scholarship that suits you. Bear in mind that full scholarships are also the rarest, and may not be available for every college in every sport. However, it is possible to be awarded multiple partial scholarships, which can still add up to a substantial amount.

Who is eligible to get a sports scholarship?

There are a variety of requirements you will need to meet in order to be eligible for a sports scholarship, with each one potentially having slightly different criteria. These will cover both your sporting and academic ability. For instance, when it comes to academics, you will need to take certain core courses and maintain a minimum GPA throughout your studies. In terms of your athletic ability, bear in mind that only amateur athletes can receive a scholarship—not professionals.

Most sports scholarships are open to everyone regardless of which city or country you come from, so even international students can apply for them (just remember to check the equivalencies to see if your academic qualifications are high enough).

How good of an athlete do I need to be to get a sports scholarship?

This depends on which type of scholarship you are applying for, so be sure to check the relevant criteria. As a general guide, if you are hoping to get a full scholarship you will need to be competing at a national or international level in your chosen sport. You’ll be required to have national or international rankings, plus verified results. Those who are looking at partial scholarships will need regional, state, or provincial results and rankings, in addition to verified sport specific statistics.

What do I need to do in order to get a sports scholarship?

Firstly, be aware that the process of applying for and being granted a sports scholarship for college—particularly a full-ride scholarship—can be long and complex due to the highly competitive nature of these awards. This is one of the reasons why many student athletes sign up with agencies such as asmscholarships.com to give themselves the highest chance of success.

If possible, you should be preparing to apply right from your first year of high school (but don’t worry if you’re already older than this, as it’s not essential). Start building up a portfolio of achievements in your chosen sport to create a sort of athletic resumé that you can send to recruiters. These days, having video footage is key, and most student athletes create a short film of their sporting highlights to market themselves with.

Then it will be time to start making contact with coaches at the colleges that you’re interested in. Be sure to always keep this personal and professional in order to get the best response. Plus, if you are interested in Division I or II schools, you will need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center so that you can go on official school visits and receive scholarship offers.

What other factors will recruiters look at?

In addition to your sporting ability and academic achievements, recruiters will look at references from your coaches to get a better idea of your personality. For example, they will see if you have a criminal record, and assess your general attitude towards achieving your goals. Any additional awards, certificates, or accolades that you have will also count in your favor.

Coaches want to make sure that they choose the right players for their team. They will want to see that you have certain necessary traits such as confidence, hard work, leadership, dedication, and the ability to learn from your mistakes. You should also be a good sportsperson, and of course, be passionate about your chosen sport!

5 Reasons Why is Women’s Tennis so Unpredictable for Gamblers- 2024 Guide

By

Anne Kelly

-

December 30, 2020

Women’s Tennis — img source: calbears.com

Tennis is often called a “queen of all sports”. There are a lot of reasons why this is true. Both men’s and women’s categories are highly popular among people from all over the world. You just need to take a look at the number of spectators at every match, at practically every tournament that comes to your mind. Every seat is occupied by someone.

The popularity of these sports has risen significantly after the appearance of tennis players like Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Carolina Wozniacki, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Maria Sharapova, etc.

Surely, the players are the biggest reason for the rise in the popularity of this sport. For a quite long time, the results of these matches were unpredictable due to the fact that there were a lot of players who were considered favorites. Different from men’s tennis, we can see that women’s category cannot be predicted as they used to be, which makes it much harder for gamblers to score it big. There is a couple of different reason why this happened. So, we are going to get into this topic for a bit.

1. The Lack of Favorites

When you take a look at the top 10 rankings, we are pretty sure that you will not see too many well-known faces and names. So, it can be said that one of the most important reasons why WTA has become so unpredictable is the lack of favorites. In the last couple of years, we can see a lot of different younger players who’ve entered the stage.

Plus, many of them have managed to enter the top 10, but this is a story for its own segment. Besides that, we can see that many popular players retired in the last couple of years. We are talking about names like Martina Hingis, Marion Bartoli, Maria Sharapova, Daniela Hantuchova, and Agnieszka Radwanska. Surely, their retirement has left a significant void in WTA.

2. New Stars Arrive Every Year

We’ve mentioned the fact that the frequent arrival of new players to WTA is something that happens pretty frequently. There’s not a year where we don’t have the opportunity to see at least one of them per year. We are talking about players like Elena Svitolina, Bianka Andrescu, Aryna Sabalenka, Belinda Bencic, Iga Swiatek, and Sofia Kenin. Just take a look at the top 10 or top 20, and you will see it for yourself.

Different from the situation we’ve had just a couple of years ago, we can see that every second tournament is now won by the new person. Now, Serena Williams doesn’t win at pretty much every tournament. We are not in a situation where we can say that the winner of these matches is considered to be a favorite and there are more and more surprises by the day.

For more information about tennis matches and odds, take a look at https://tennisbetslab.com/.

3. Serena’s Absence

When we are talking about Serena Williams, nobody can say that she is not the best player in the history of WTA. During her really impressive career, she managed to win 23 Grand Slams, and the last one she won as 2017’s Australian Open. She even participated in a couple of tournaments when she was a couple of weeks pregnant, which is surely one of the things which talk about her greatness in this sport.

Whenever she entered the tournament, she was the number one favorite. With her being absent for quite a lot of time, we can see that there are a lot of new players who’ve tried to take her place as a favorite. Since they are not at the same level as her when it comes to skills, we can see that establishing the favorite is harder than it has ever been, at least in WTA.

4. Equal Quality

With the fact that there are no favorites in WTA, the thing that makes the most sense is to say that pretty all players have the same amount of quality. It means that nobody stands out from the crowd. As you can presume, it is the main source of the unpredictability we are witnessing these days. When you take a look at the current top 10 in WTA, you will see a couple of names that are pretty much of the same quality.

Osaka is often described as the player with the best overall skills. However, she has her ups and downs pretty quickly. She is currently lying in third place in the WTA. The first place is reserved for Barty, and the second is one is reserved for Simona Halep. All in all, we can expect some major changes in the future due to the fact that there are no favorites at pretty much any tournament.

5. The Lack of Consistency

Now that we’ve established a couple of facts why WTA is so unpredictable, we can say that the lack of consistency is the biggest problem with results in women’s tennis. We can see that there’s not a name that wins a couple of tournaments in a row. Instead, the titles are going to different players. So, now you see that the lack of consistency from all the players is a pretty big problem that WTA faces these days.

With that said, making any predictions wouldn’t be as effective as it was until recently. So, this becomes a pretty big problem for gamblers who are aiming to score it big by betting on some matches. One famous tennis players stated that the current situation can be described as some kind of musical chairs at the top place of WTA. We can definitely agree with this statement.

The Bottom Line

The unpredictability of WTA is one of the biggest problems for gamblers. The situation isn’t nearly as clear as it was just a couple of years ago. Therefore, we can see that a lot of players are avoiding betting on these matches. Sure, we will need to wait for some time before the situation is once again good for gamblers in WTA. There are no predictions about this as well.