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Meeting Invitation
Meeting Invitation


    Rebecca Ebert Rebecca_Ebert


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    Millie Zemlak Millie_Zemlak
    (NewsUSA) - Sponsored by GAF - It's time to stop thinking of Millennials as totally uninterested in owning anything just because they were early adopters of Uber.

    The newly released U.S. home ownership rate rose in 2017 for the first time in 13 years - it now stands at 64.2 percent - driven mainly by a shift towards owning over renting by the under-age 35 crowd who'd been wary of committing for both financial and personal reasons.

    "This is happening because young households are buying homes. Full stop," Ralph McLaughlin, chief economist at home listings provider Trulia, told the Wall Street Journal.

    They're not the only purchasers, of course. Which means if you're looking to sell your house now or in the not too distant future, you might want to check out this generational roadmap to four upgrades experts say are worth it to help attract potential buyers.

    * Cross-generational: a new steel door. The only thing that beat it on Remodeling magazine's annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2017 was loose-fill attic insulation, but this project - with a 90.7% return on investment - speaks directly to the report's main takeaway: "Curb appeal projects, by and large, generated higher returns on investment than work done inside the home."

    Plus, as far as Millennials go, while their ideal interiors may differ from older generations - for example, they prefer open floor plans and hardwood floors - Architectural Digest says they're still into "traditional exteriors."

    * Millennials: smart-home tech. Yes, there are Boomers and Generation Xers who are super tech savvy, but Millennials especially crave homes that allow them to control their heating, air-conditioning, home security, and lighting systems from their phones.

    "They want to use their brains for other things, not for remembering whether they adjusted the heat or closed the garage door," Angie's List stressed.

    * Cross-generational: a new roof. It's the ultimate curb appeal enhancer and a perennial Remodeling magazine A-lister, with Credit.com having observed that "buyers pay a premium for one already in place."

    So if the first thing prospects notice even before exiting their cars looks like something out of "Twister," you've got a problem.

    "It's a huge turn-off," said Patsy O'Neill, a sales associate with Sotheby's in Montclair, New Jersey, "and makes buyers of all ages predisposed to find even more things they don't like."

    If your roof does need replacing, those particularly interested in targeting Millennials might want to consider the very affordable Sienna line of diamond-shaped shingles from GAF (gaf.com), North America's largest roofing manufacturer, since they capture that generation's sensibilities.

    "They pick up on key Millennial style trends of natural, clean materials, clean lines, and the integration of artistic elements," said Leslie Franklin, executive director of residential marketing at GAF.

    * Millennials: all-new appliances. Realtors will tell you that major kitchen (and bath) upgrades aren't generally worth their high costs, in terms of return on investment, since prospective buyers' tastes can clash with yours.

    However, Millennials do love, love, love all-new stainless steel appliances. So much so that what RealtyTimes.com called "an astonishing majority of 75 percent" of respondents in a recent survey chose to spend their hypothetical home buying budgets on them.

    Ref: Gardens - in Blogs
    64 0

    Tiya Sowell tiya1969
    ODE TO SATURDAY MORNINGS

    Saturday mornings are meant for rest and relaxation….except in an African American household. Saturdays are meant for a deep scrubbing from the inside to the outside, usually to be completed by noon so we could go outside and ride our bikes and play until the streetlights came on, or in my case, piano lessons until early afternoon and THEN ride the day away all over the city of Columbus on my white 10-speed.

    Early mornings, we would wake to my mom’s homemade apple or cherry turnovers or Bob Evan’s recipe biscuits. My younger sister and I woud have the inside of the house and our brothers would have the outside. Once we all came together in the middle, we would eat, get dressed and head to piano lessons on 18th Street with the incomparable Vincent Walters.

    Music comprehension for one hour, hanging with some like-minded creatives (we really weren’t), and then home to Soul Train at noon and friends, kickball, garden hoses and Dixie cups and the creek for the rest of the day and night. Being a kid was so easy in the 80’s. My only stress was if the neighbor boy liked me more than he did Kim Cherry. That was it. That was all. Childhood and Saturdays was a blast! No cell phones, no child predators lurking the streets (we knew everyone who belonged). Just simple childhood fun.

    What is your ode to Saturday?


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    Aric Feeney Aric_Feeney


    70 0

    Millie Zemlak Millie_Zemlak
    (NewsUSA) - The phrase 'six degrees of separation,' suggests that only a minuscule measurement is what divides one person from another. Today, the Internet of Things (IoT) has decreased those degrees dramatically, connecting us not only to each other, but to everything from our fitness trackers to our coffee makers.

    Consider this: according to a recent report by the Federal Trade Commission, the number of Internet-connected devices tops 25 billion worldwide. And that number is expected to double in the next five years, according to experts cited in the report.

    In a world where everyone and everything is connected, digital security is a must-have, just as important as the lock on your front door or the keys to your house.

    "Technology is revolutionizing the way consumers use cars, homes, work spaces and everyday items," Rep. Darrell Issa, R- Calif., told USA Today in a recent interview. "These devices raise both opportunities and questions about regulatory policy, spectrum space, privacy and more."

    Underscoring Issa's concerns are high-profile hacks, including one that took remote control of a Jeep on a busy highway. Experts warn who consumers need to understand that, although convenient, the IoT is an interconnected system, and security is needed to prevent a weakness in one device (like a SmartWatch) from becoming an open door to attack in another device (such as a connected car).

    The good news is that sensitive industries such as banking, government, and healthcare have worked with companies like Gemalto, a global leader in digital security, to solve difficult security challenges. While most may not recognize the name "Gemalto," experts say that almost everyone uses at least one or two of the company's solutions, which are embedded in a wide variety of connected devices, credit cards, passports, and ID badges.

    So, to ensure that your data is protected from hackers, Gemalto recommends the following tips:

    * Secure the device. Sensitive devices need an added layer of protection, such as a SIM card or a tamper-resistant Secure Element that stores data in a safe place.

    * Control the access. Implement two-factor authentication to ensure that only authorized people are granted access to the data.

    * Secure the data. Ensure that sensitive data is encrypted and that encryption keys are stored in a separate and safe place.

    For more information, please visit www.gemalto.com.

    Ref: Codes - in Blogs
    60 0

    Ramiro Williamson Ramiro_Williamson


    83 0

    Twister Twister
    Welcome to Twister, the only agency you'll need to travel around the world. From flight reservations to tour guide, and from Alaska to Jamaica, we have it all, and at a very special price. Please visit us to learn more.

    What we need

    We're looking for influencers to help us attract new customers worldwide. We need you to post invitations on social media to invite followers to visit our website via a 15 second video. We'll send you $500.00, or 50,000 gift-points once the post is done. If you're interested, simply say you're Interested in a comment below this post.

    CONDITIONS

    Audience
    Worldwide

    Language
    Any

    Channels
    Lifestyle, Fashion, Beauty, Travel

    Minimum Followers
    1000

    Age Group
    18-65

    Genders
    Any

    Post Type
    15 Second Video

    Pay Per Post Amount in Money
    $500.00

    Pay Per Post in Points. 100 points = $1.00
    50,000

    Commission Per Sale
    $0

    Item Shipped For Review
    None

    Must Create a New Creative From Scratch
    Yes

    Must Use The Images And Video Supplied
    No

    Must Follow Some Specific Guidelines
    No

    Must Avoid Saying or Showing Specific Things
    No

    Content Must Be Approved Before Posting
    No

    Delivery Delay in Days
    5 Business day

    Delivery Exact Date
    None

    Our Website URL
    Twister


    115 7

    Millie Zemlak Millie_Zemlak
    (NewsUSA) - Today most homeowners want to do right by the environment while also caring for the health and wellness of their own families. But they don't always know what measures they can take with the design, construction, and furnishing of their houses to achieve eco-friendly, health-enhancing results.

    "Many responsible consumers are uncertain what a 'sustainable' product or material is," notes Linda Jovanovich of the American Hardwood Information Center, www.hardwoodinfo.com.

    "It simply means the particular resource is self-replenishing - something we can use freely now without fear that its supply will run out in the future. Since American hardwood forests renew themselves almost twice as fast as they are harvested, the U.S. supply of hardwoods for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, and millwork is sustainable now and for generations to come."

    As well as being plentiful and sustainable, American hardwood is carbon neutral: Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and break it down into oxygen, which is returned to the air, and carbon, which is used to create roots, trunk, branches, and leaves. In short, the use of natural American hardwoods throughout a house helps with the long-term removal of carbon from the environment.

    Hardwood can also benefit a household's general well-being.

    When artist Hadley Williams renovated her family home in California's Bay Area, she asked the makeover team - designer Sherry Williamson, architect Andrew Mann, and builder Michael McCutcheon - for a clean-lined, ultra-eco-friendly residence. They wrapped all the floors, ceilings, walls, and casework in the gutted interiors with plain-sawn American white oak, achieving a beautiful balance among aesthetics, sustainability, and healthfulness.

    Since the latter was a priority, each and every building product used was screened for a comprehensive list of more than 900 chemicals of concern. Using solid timber helped avoid the unhealthy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in laminate glues. Thanks to those efforts, the house has been certified LEED Platinum - the U.S. Green Building Council's highest ranking.

    Architect Stephanie Horowitz of Boston-based ZeroEnergy Design is another expert at creating contemporary, environmentally sensitive, family-friendly homes.

    "We regularly specify domestic, sustainably harvested hardwood floors," she says.

    "When paired with a non-VOC finish, a hardwood floor helps maintain healthy indoor-air quality while allowing us to support local business and overall environmental health."

    Such was the case with a house she recently designed for a client who wanted an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment in a traditional neighborhood. By installing quarter-sawn white-oak floors, and selecting other durable materials and finishes with low or no VOCs and no added urea formaldehyde, Horowitz was able to achieve LEED-platinum certification for the house and, more importantly, ensure that its inhabitants can breathe easy.

    Visit www.hardwoodinfo.com for more about sustainability and healthfulness in relation to home applications and products using American hardwoods.

    Ref: Construction - in Blogs
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