Boise Sandblasting Services to Remove Paint and Prepare Surfaces For painting

Sandblasting is a process that uses sand, glass and high-pressure to remove paint, graffiti, rust and other unwanted material from surfaces. There are many benefits of sandblasting services, including the removal of lead-based paints and prepping surfaces for painting or decoration. Boise Blasting Company offers a wide range of sandblasting services to meet the needs of Idaho businesses or to complete residential projects.

The Importance of Sandblasting Services

Idaho dustless sandblasting services in BoiseSandblasting is used with glass or sand particles to remove paint on surfaces that have been painted over several times. This process can be time consuming, but it will save you money in the long run by removing so much more material than scraping off layers one at a time would allow. That means less filling, priming and repainting required before returning the surface to its original condition. Sandblasting works on many surfaces including wood, metal and stucco.

Sandblasting services for Boise work well for;

a. The removal of lead-based paints

b. Preparing surfaces for painting

c. Removing graffiti from walls or other surfaces that have been vandalized with paint, ink, marker or chalk

Boise sand blasting for metal, wood and concrete surfacesDustless sandblasting services are a great option for homeowners because they are safer and less disruptive to the surrounding area. The sand is contained in a vacuum chamber, which means that it will not be kicked up into carpets, furnishings or ground surfaces as you would encounter with traditional sandblasting services.

Sandblasting is commonly used for removing paint and graffiti from prominent surfaces such as the sides of buildings, freeway signs, billboards or bridges. It is a great option for removing paint from cars, rusted metal, and old paint cans.

Your property will be left cleaner than it was before the sandblasting, which makes this a great option for preparing surfaces for painting or removing graffiti from walls or other surfaces that have been vandalized with paint, ink, marker or chalk.

Boise sandblasting services offer surface preparation services for many types of media, including paint, ink, marker and chalk. it works well on heavy equipment, automotive industry, wood and power coatings.

What Goes Into Designing Boise Gas Stations

Design and Construction Services for Gas Station Upgrades

Driving through Boise we pass by and stop at gas stations frequently. But have you ever stopped to think about how gas stations were designed for optimal safety and efficiency? Gas stations continue to be profitable enterprises for investors and business owners throughout the area. However, the initial design of a gas station will gradually become outdated. This includes from operational, aesthetic, regulatory and environmental perspectives. Through the hard work of a gas station construction firm that has extensive experience with remodeling and upgrading projects, you may successfully and confidently step into the future.

Reasons to Update Your Gas Station

Construction Fuel stations in IdahoA gas station upgrade project does more than infuse the shop’s interior and exterior with a fresh look. The typical life expectancy of your gas station’s underground fuel tanks is approximately 30 years. Depending on the location of your gas station, you may be required to replace the tank before the 30-year mark passes. Many insurance companies will also increase premiums for gas stations with aging tanks. Older underground gas tanks are more likely to leak or fail. If this happens, you will need to make a replacement promptly, and you may be exposed to a wide range of liability issues, fines and even cleanup expenses.

In addition to avoiding these issues, upgrading your gas station comes with a few notable benefits. For example, you can remodel the store, the gas pump island and the gas station. At that time, you may add fuel pumps and increase the fuel storage capacity to meet the modern needs of your gas station. To comply with EMV guidelines, you may need to upgrade the pumps’ payment system as well.

Gas Station Canopy Improvements

Your gas station’s canopy design will affect traffic flow, aesthetics and the number of fuel pumps that your property can accommodate. An experienced gas station design and construction company could present you with an improved layout that ultimately lays the foundation for enhanced profitability and a superior customer experience. Gas station islands and canopies are often damaged by auto impacts, severe weather and other factors. While minor issues could be satisfied by repairs, more significant damages as well as damages on an older structure may warrant the need for a comprehensive upgrade.

Compliance with Idaho State and Federal Regularity Agencies

building gas stationsGas stations are heavily regulated at both the state and federal level. The Environmental Protection Agency has established regulations for underground storage tanks. Depending on the state where your gas station is located, one or several departments may establish other regulations that govern everything from the design to the condition of the tanks and pumps. When various tests and inspections reveal non-compliance with these agencies’ guidelines, the services of a gas station design and construction company may be essential.

What to Expect from a Gas Station Construction Company

Whether you have decided to upgrade your gas station or you are questioning if its repair needs warrant a full upgrade, finding the right gas station construction company to work with is an essential step. Because of the extensive requirements and regulations that your upgrade must comply with, the licenses and certifications of the construction company should be carefully reviewed. The company should have professional licenses for electrical work, equipment operation, plumbing and all aspects of gasoline pipes, tanks, pumps and more.

Regardless of whether the scope of your project extends only to the replacement of the underground storage tanks or covers the entire property, updates to the design and features may bolster operational profits. With this in mind, the right gas station company for your project will have extensive design experience. Both customer service and the ability for the company to deliver turnkey results should be taken into consideration as well.

Boise Gas Station Construction

Your gas station construction needs throughout Boise should only be met by a trustworthy, respected contractor with a positive track record in the community. In addition to reviewing credentials and services, analyze the scope of recent projects that the company has completed. Through your proactive approach to finding the right construction company for your project, you can lay the foundation for a productive, successful experience.

Best Selling Health Supplements In Boise

Metagenics Supplements Overview

Granted, Boise Idaho is home to BodyBuilding.com and the majority of the market turns to them for health and muscle building supplements. There is a market in Boise that isn’t looking to bulk up and that cares more about over-all health than just bulk. Metagenics is a world leader in nutritional supplements, developing, manufacturing, and distributing its own range of products all over the world since its inception in 2006. The company is known for offering high-quality products that exceed the efficiency and quality of regular dietary supplements in the market today, and are known to be committed to research and development.

Here is a brief overview of Metagenics supplements and what makes the company a leading producer of supplements across the globe.

Healthy Supplements

What is Metagenics?

Metagenics is a company based in Aliso Viejo, California, and founded in 1983. They develop, manufacture, and market nutritional and lifestyle supplements for a broad range of health benefits and supplementation. Their range of products targets the support and improvements of the immune system, nutraceuticals and nutritional supplements for blood sugar support, joint health, stress management, detoxification, cardiovascular health, gastrointestinal health, and sports supplementation.

They have a broad range of products available worldwide, which consists of premium vitamin and mineral blends, medicinal foods, probiotics, herbal formulas, and sports nutrition supplements.

For the past 40 years, Metagenics has been committed to exceptional quality supplements and scientific discovery. They are an industry leader in functional nutrition and considered to be a groundbreaking innovator in the health and medical industry.

Practitioner Partnerships

Metagenics works with practitioners all over the world who recommend their range of products for a wide variety of applications. They work with dieticians, nutritionists, physicians, and those who work in the medical field, with over 100,000 of these practitioners located all over the world. Metagenics is considered to be a trusted nutritional supplement company in over 20 countries.

Their practitioner partnership program has become one of the key roles in preserving the company’s edge over the competition. While many companies directly distribute their products to retail stores, supermarkets, and online platforms, Metagenics has set itself apart by working with the very practitioners that promote better health.  This brings about additional credibility and trust in the consumers, which has allowed the company to reach its target market on massive scales.

With long-lasting relationships with health and medical practitioners all over the world, Metagenics has continued to expand and grow with its long-lasting partnerships.

Metagenics Premier Supplements

The People Behind Metagenics

Metagenics employs more than a hundred people all over the world as they execute their duties in the clinical and scientific departments to authenticate purity, effectiveness, and safety of all of their products available to consumers.

To date, the company has over 300 scientific formulations with 67 approved patents for a diverse range of nutritional solutions. The company also has 6 trademarked medical food formulations and counting.

Devotion to Research and Development

MMetagenics is able to provide consumers and practitioners with a range of high-quality products due to its commitment to elevating the supplement market. As a brand, they have continued to pursue innovative and advanced inventions and discoveries in the world of functional nutrition.

They consistently work with research studies all over the world, partnering with educational and medical institutions in their quest to bringing the latest scientific discoveries to the forefront of commercial nutrition support.

In 2016 alone, Metagenics invested $7 Million in research and science of better nutrition. Over the years, they have worked and partnered with several institutions, which have included the Harvard Medical School. the University of North Carolina, the National College of Natural Medicine, UC San Francisco, Oregon Health and Science University, and the Canadian College of Natural Medicine, among many others.

Commitment to Producing Only the Safest and Most Effective Nutritional Solutions

Metagenics has been devoted to developing formulations and supplements that are safe, convenient, and dependable. The company is known for sourcing raw materials from suppliers who meet the highest standards of purity, quality, and safe sources.

Vitamin and nutrition suppelentsWhen creating relationships with suppliers, Metagenics requires a Certificate of Analysis, features 70 globally dedicated staff for quality control and quality assurance, and spends $1.5 Million annually on quality testing.

The company also features a highly-trained and in-house Research and Development team that specializes in nutritional supplementation ingredients testing. Each tablet, soft gel, capsule, powder and liquid needs to meet the stringent standards set forth by the company before they become available to the general public.

Each product also features the TruQuality feature of Meganetics, where information on consumer safety is available to check on each bottle distributed all across the globe. The TruQuality feature grants full visibility of testing information for every single batch the brand makes.

Metagenics is a leading company dedicated to improving the overall nutritional supplement industry. With their commitment to innovation and scientific advancements in the world of exceptional quality supplements, they will continue to pioneer groundbreaking products that help to improve people’s lives all over the world.

Posted on Categories Life

Lowering Teen Pregnancy Rates in Boise

Over half of all out of wedlock births can be attributed to teen mothers, suggesting that reducing the amount of children born out of wedlock should be addressed during the teenage years. Compared to women in their 20s, teen mothers cost taxpayers a lot of money each year. Conservatively estimated, teen moms run taxpayers $7 billion per year, or $3200 per each teen birth.

Single Parenting In Idaho

Being a single parent isn’t easy at any age, but teenage mothers have it particularly hard. Women who become mothers in their 20s are more likely to have been able to graduate high school or even college, which is an opportunity teen mothers typically don’t have. Due to lack of education, teens are less likely to be able to support themselves financially. Only 20 percent of teen moms receive child support from the baby’s father, with 80 percent ending up on welfare at some point. Currently, around half of welfare recipients had their first child as a teenager.

However, there is an argument that all of the problems that are attributed to teen moms can’t be blamed on the fact that they are teen parents. Some researchers suggest that many of the issues can be blamed on a disadvantaged background, not teen parenthood. In any case, teen motherhood doesn’t make it any easier and would especially have a negative impact on those from a disadvantaged group or background.

Lowering unwanted pregnacy rates in Idaho

Future Boise Children

The children of teen mothers are also more likely to face more issues growing up than their counterparts with mothers of an older childbearing age. Children of these mothers are likely to be born prematurely or have a lower birth weight than other infants. Abuse and neglect are more prevalent among children born to teen moms, as well as poor school performance. They’re also the most likely to end up in foster care.

Idaho Teen Pregnancy Laws

Rates of Unwanted pregnanciesThe current welfare laws address different aspects of teen pregnancy prevention, including $50 million annually for abstinence education programs in high schools, paternity establishment initiatives, child support payment programs, requirements for teen moms to complete high school, $20 million bonuses to the top 5 states that reduce teen pregnancy rates, and requiring states to set goals to reduce teen pregnancy and welfare dependence.

Falling Pregnancy Rates

Most of these policies have failed, with child support enforcement being the only exception. Teen pregnancy has been on the decline since the 1990s, more than likely caused by social and other societal factors. Currently, teenagers are having less sex than they did in the 1970s through 1990s. Better and long lasting contraceptives like the IUD and the hormonal implant are also available, but it can still be difficult to convince teenagers to use these methods.

In the 1990s, there was also an increased fear of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, which may have also contributed. The fear, whether based in reality or not, made teenage boys more cautious in particular. Certain public health and education initiatives like a greater emphasis on sex education in high schools may have also played a role.

Boise Pregnancy Prevention Programs

Information about teen pregnancy in Boise IdahoIt’s clear that only certain teen pregnancy prevention programs work. Increased access to reproductive health services and career counseling has been shown to prevent teen pregnancy, in addition to programs that encourage teens to use contraceptives and delay sexual intercourse until they are adults. Abstinence only programs have not been shown to be very effective in the prevention of teen pregnancy. A lot of it can be blamed on teacher beliefs, as well as how blurred the line is between abstinence only and comprehensive sex education with a brief focus on abstinence.

Some media campaigns have also proven to be effective, with ones that focus on the risks of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS as the most effective. It remains an inexpensive way to reach a large group of teens. Overall, it’s important to keep sex education both cost effective and accurate to get the best results and lower teen pregnancy.

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Debt Collection Compliance for Idaho Financial Institutions

Debt collection is an important component of many Boise based financial institutions. In order to properly and legally conduct this aspect of their business, organizations need to adopt best practices. Not only must banks and credit unions maintain compliance with the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), but they should also look for ways to make the debt collection process as financially favorable as possible. New technology and automation are proven methods for meeting both of these objectives.

The FDCPA Explained

The government instituted the FDCPA to protect consumers from debt collection practices that could cause them undo harm. The law regulates how creditors can interact with debtors concerning personal, residence, or consumer debts. It also determines how creditors can go about uncovering credit information and recovering the payments on debts.

There are other government regulations that creditors must also take into account. The Fair Credit Reporting Act, for example, regulates an institution’s access to an individual’s credit reports.

Why Complying With The FDCPA Is Always Important

While the government only applies the FDCPA to third-party debt collectors operating on behalf of another person or organization, banks and credit unions that collect debts for themselves should also try to maintain compliance. That’s because compliance with FDCPA regulations coincides with a general adherence to debt collection best practices. Boise banks and creditors that comply with the FDCPA are likely to avoid falling foul of any other government regulations. It’s also best for banks to train their employees in universal FDCPA-compliant practices rather than in accordance with rules that are merely intra-organizational.

Automating Debt Collection Compliance

As debt collectors and credit unions deal with an especially hectic year, automation can help them keep up with the increased workload. The COVID-19 pandemic and its economic fallout have left accounts bloated and overall debt levels higher than ever. Technology allows organizations to maintain compliance without hiring a raft of new employees.

Debt collection software comes with all sorts of built-in features that make compliance easier to ensure. The technology can automatically record important interactions in accordance with government regulations. It will also prevent an organization from contacting debtors outside the hours permitted by the FDCPA. It keeps key communication information stored and filed while barring a collector from contacting a debtor who has submitted a valid written order to desist. All of these features combine to take the burden of compliance off the organization.

A Basic Checklist To Ensure Compliance

Banks and credit unions in Idaho should take every possible step to make sure they are in compliance with the FDCPA. The best way to do that is by following a basic checklist. First of all, organizations need to consider whether they’re officially categorized as debt collectors under FDCPA regulations. If they are, then they must remain compliant in order to avoid legal retribution. If they are not, then they must decide whether it behooves them to remain compliant anyway.

Once a Boise organization has decided to aim for compliance, whether for legal or institutional reasons, it should check for the following factors.

  • No communication takes place in a prohibited fashion.
  • All debt-validation protocols are followed.
  • No deception, abuse, or harassment takes place.
  • No more debt has been collected than what is allowed by law.
  • All payments by a single debtor are properly applied.
  • Any legal action is limited to the organization’s assigned court district.

If an organization can successfully complete this checklist, then it is likely FDCPA compliant.

Maintaining Compliance During The COVID-19 Pandemic

The pandemic has brought both a surge in total personal debt and a sudden increase in the sheer number of government policies. In this environment, especially in Boise, Idaho, it will be especially difficult for debt collectors to maintain compliance. Debt collection software can help organizations overcome these challenges by coordinating complicated compliance steps into a single automated workflow.

Using Technology To Cut Costs And Boost Income

Not only can debt collection technology help an organization maintain compliance, but it can also become a successful cost-cutting measure. Rather than hiring more full-time employees to stay on top of compliance issues, banks and credit agencies can use the technology to lighten the load.

Boise Micro Markets Improve The Dining Experience For Company Employees

Micro markets provide a new and exciting way for companies to feed their employees. With delicious menu options, supreme convenience, and state-of-the-art security and safety features, a high-quality micro market offers the ideal corporate dining experience.

Micro Market: Efficient Food Delivery For Idaho Businesses

Micro markets offer food delivery where people can buy fresh meals or other food products at their convenience. They are perfect for large companies that want to offer their employees an easy way to eat during the workday. While micro markets have existed for years, their contactless format has made them especially popular since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Micro Market Benefits

There are countless reasons why a company benefits from installing a micro market. By preparing food on site and restocking vending machines throughout the day, the staff at a micro market consistently provides healthy and delicious meal options. The variety available will keep every member of a large and diverse staff satisfied with their choices.

The technology involved with a micro market also makes the dining process much easier. The entire market is self-serve, and the touchless payment options increase safety and convenience. Employees can even pre-order and prepay to maximize the ease of the transactions.

Micro markets typically offer 24-hour service. Not only will having continual access to the market make employees immensely happy, but it will also increase sales. A company can then use this revenue boost to invest further in the market. This creates a constant cycle of improvement that will leave employees feeling better than ever.

Access to convenient and delicious food generally pleases a company’s employees. Workers who are well fed and content are likely to be more productive. They’re also less likely to leave a company, which decreases costly turnover. These secondary effects are among the main benefits of installing a micro market.

Corporate food service in Boise, idaho

Who Could Benefit From A Micro Market?

Micro markets are typically installed within a company’s office space for the purpose of feeding employees. The markets’ cutting-edge efficiency makes them perfect for the fast-paced environment of the corporate world. They’re especially apt for Idaho companies with over 200 employees. A staff of such considerable size will have no trouble sustaining a well-stocked micro market.

Typical Food Service Options

Not all micro markets are the same. Companies can choose the features that match their particular needs. Grab-and-go service with self-checkout is standard for most locations. This is the feature that allows employees to access healthy food in a quick and easy manner.

Company Cafeteria and market providerPrepay and preorder options, while not universal, are a good idea for companies that really want the dining experience to be as efficient as possible. When employees can order lunch right from their desks, they’ll be able to truly maximize their productivity.

With on-site catering, market staff will deliver individually-packaged food items throughout the building. This will allow employees to enjoy lunch right in their offices. Catering is also perfect for hosting meetings and other staff events.

Take-home meals turn the micro market into an even bigger part of an employee’s life. Instead of merely being a place for lunch during the workweek, the market becomes an easy option for dinner after work or breakfast the next day. Including take home meals with the market increases both sales revenue and employee satisfaction.

Available Food Delivery Service Levels

Micro market providers offer different levels of service, allowing a company to scale its market to the size of its offices. The first level of service, for example, might feature freshly prepared pre-packaged food, cashless payment options, and customer catering. The second level will include all those same amenities as well as preorder and prepay capabilities. The highest service level would bring more market staff, increased menu options, and custom ordering. At any level, a micro market reliably provides a large company with comprehensive and convenient service.

Many major Boise Companies Have Had Success With Micro Markets

While this corporate dining model might seem fresh and innovative, it is far from untested. A number of large companies have installed micro markets with commendable results. The largess benefits for Boise based companies is the ability to keep employees from leaving the office during lunch hours and providing food delivery options for that fit the employee schedule. In a fast paced work environment, not every employee fits into a standard food cycle. From insurance companies to furniture retailers, firms in any industry can benefit from the efficiency and employees satisfaction that micro markets provide.

Idaho Pediatrics Care

What Is Pediatrics?

Pediatrics is a field of medicine that focuses on treating and preventing illnesses and injuries in children. Pediatricians typically provide care in patients up to the age of 18. Pediatrics has been around since the 19th century, so it is one of the newest medical specialties. Idaho offers pediatrics through many of its hospitals, clinics and primary care doctors.

The Job of a Pediatrician

Pediatricians treat children, but they also provide preventative care. Their goal is to help children stay in the best physical, emotional and mental health possible.

The Purpose of Pediatrics

Serving Idahos children through pediatricsPediatrics is focused on promoting healthy lifestyles and helping stopping the spread of disease in children. This field is also focused on treating chronic conditions in children. The field of pediatrics has helped reduce child and infant death rates. Pediatricians can treat the following conditions.

  • Infections
  • Genetic conditions
  • Congenital conditions
  • Organ diseases
  • Cancer

Pediatrics isn’t just about treating illnesses in children. It also helps improve a child’s quality of life by helping them live with a disability or illness. A pediatrician can also address the following issues.

  • Behavior issues
  • Development disorders
  • Social stresses
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Function disabilities

Teaming Up With Other Medical Specialists

Pediatricians throughout Idaho often collaborate with other healthcare providers in order to give a child the best care possible. If a child has complex physical or mental needs, then they may have to be referred to a specialist.

How Is The Field of Pediatrics Different From The Field of Adult Medicine?

There are several ways that adult medicine is different from pediatrics. Children have smaller bodies than adults. That is why they have to be treated differently. It is important to note that children are not just mini-adults.

Not just in Idaho but throughout the United States, children are more affected by developmental problems, genetic problems and congenital problems than adults are. There are also legal issues that have to be addressed when treating children. In most places, children are not able to make their own medical decisions. Legal responsibility, privacy and guardianship are just a few of the many issues that have to be addressed when treating children.

What Type of Training Does an Idaho Pediatrician Receive?

Pediatricians have to start their career off by graduating from medical school. After that, they will have to treat a pediatric residency. A residency will typically last about three years. The focus of the residency is treating children, infants and adolescents.

People who successfully complete their residency will be able to pass an exam that is given by the American Board of Pediatrics. The pediatrician will then be board-certified. A certification will last seven years.

Types of Pediatrics Subspecialties

Pediatricians in Gooding, IdahoA subspecialty is a more narrow focus of a broader field. The following is a list of subspecialties.

  • Critical care medicine
  • Hematology
  • Pediatric oncology
  • Nephrology
  • Neonatal medicine
  • Gastroenterology
  • Endocrinology

When to Take Your Child to the Pediatrician

All children need to see the pediatrician periodically for regular exams. Your child may also get vaccinations during these visits. It is estimated that 16 percent of children who are between the ages of three and 17 have at least one behavior or developmental problem. It is a lot easier to treat a problem if it is identified early.

A pediatrician will evaluate your child’s mental and physical health. They will also make sure that your child is meeting all of the milestones that they should be hitting. Additionally, they will ask questions about your child’s social, sleeping and eating habits.

There are also many health issues that need to be addressed by a pediatrician immediately. If your child is over the age of two and has had a fever for more than three days, then you should take them to the pediatrician. You should also take your child to the pediatrician if they have diarrhea, sore throat, headaches or have been vomiting for more than 24 hours.

Posted on Categories Life

The Boise Airport: From A Small Town Airstrip To Big City Hub

Boise Airport, the largest airport in Idaho, has grown from a handful of airlines serving mostly western destinations to several airlines with flights all over the country. Getting to and from Boise is easier than ever.

Boise Idaho Airport

Boise as a travel destinationIf you’ve never been to the airport, it’s sleek and modern looking. When you arrive at the check-in area, there are wooden benches from the old Boise train depot, adding a bit of Boise history into the modern airport. And if you’re waiting for a friend or loved one to arrive, there’s a comfortable waiting area right outside the doors where passengers exit the main concourse from. A combination of escalators and stairs makes it easy to move between the lower and upper levels of the airport.

Overview Of The Boise Airport

If you’re flying to or from Boise, you have a wide selection of airlines and routes to choose from. Getting to and from Boise has never been easier.

Airlines currently serving Boise:

-United

-Delta

-American

-JetBlue

-Southwest

-Frontier

-Allegiant

These airlines serve most large cities on the west coast, Midwest, and are expanding into the southern United States. JetBlue is the latest airline to fly into Boise with regularly scheduled non-stop flights between Boise and New York City on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. JetBlue’s service is scheduled to start on July 2nd. Further, Delta recently added non-stop service between Boise and Atlanta, Georgia, Delta’s main hub. This will give travelers another gateway from Boise to the rest of the world.

Flights To Boise, Idaho

With Boise consistently being one of the most popular cities in the country for people to move to, the growth of the Boise airport will continue to grow with new airlines moving in and flights to new destinations.

Airport Amenities

Alaska airlines flying out of BoiseAirports are more than just a place to catch a flight. They also feature restaurants and shops for travelers to enjoy while waiting to board their plane. The Boise airport is no different.

If you’re hungry before or after your flight, the airport has plenty of dining options to choose from. For example, if you just want some fast food, you can try the popular Smashburger located in the main food court (straight ahead after you go through security). If you need coffee and a bagel to get you going in the morning, then check out Einstein Brothers Bagels.

The Boise airport also offers more traditional dining options. As you walk down the concourse towards the gates, you’ll find restaurants like Parilla Grill, a Mexican restaurant that serves a fusion blend of grilled meats and vegetables, topped with salsas and other sauces made fresh daily.

If you’re craving a good pub burger, then you’re in luck, because the 13th Street Pub & Grill serves freshly grilled favorites, from grilled burgers to fresh trout. They also have a wide breakfast selection for all of you early birds.

There’s also a selection of shops and newsstands. The shops sell everything from newspapers and magazines to electronics, unique gifts and souvenirs that are unique to the city of Boise and the state of Idaho.

The airport even has an art gallery that features the work of local artists. The art includes paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and pottery. Most of the art is available for purchase. You’ll find both original paintings, prints and reproductions at the gallery.

Future Of The Boise Airport

While the airport has expanded greatly over the last two decades, it has seen a 50% increase in passenger traffic over the last several years, so it’s not done growing. There are plans underway to add a new concourse, which could add around 6 more gates, including possible accommodations for wide-body aircraft. Boise plans to offer incentives to airlines to make Boise a regular destination by lowering airport and gate fees. Future routes include direct flights to Orlando, Boston, and, if they’re lucky, Honolulu. Each of those destinations currently requires a layover in one of an airline’s many major hubs.

Finally, if you’re visiting Boise or just flying through, take the time to explore the airport and all it has to offer. The airport is seeing increased flights throughout the winter season from flying in to visit Idaho’s top ski resorts. With its modern look and great amenities, it gives travelers the perfect first impression of a great city.

Boise’s Train Depot Historic Monument

If you’re planning a visit to the capital of Idaho, make sure that you include a trip to the Train Depot. This historic monument was built in 1925 for use by the Union Pacific during the heyday of train travel in the northwest. The structure is designed and built in the Spanish style, featuring exposed trusses that show off a rail car design.

The Early Boise Train Depot

In the early days, this Depot was an extremely busy building. It’s situated at the south end of Capitol Boulevard and includes a 96-foot tall bell tower that can be seen from nearly anywhere in the city. The attached Howard Platt Gardens were dedicated in 1927. As of 1948, there were six different passenger trains rolling through this Depot each day, including the City of Portland, the Idahoan and the Portland Rose.

Decline and Repurpose

As train travel waned and the mail began to be transported by air, the last Portland Rose passenger train passed through the Depot in 1971. The Depot was taken over for use by Amtrak for a time in 1977, but this eventually waned as well.

 

A Boise Tourist Attraction

 

A Boise Community Center

In 1990, the Morrison Knudsen Corporation bought the Depot from the Union Pacific Railroad. The facility underwent a three-year refurbishment, creating a community center with attached gardens that serves the city and state as a hosting place for many events, both public and private. The gardens are popular spots for weddings and photo sessions.

Guided tours of the entire facility, including the chance to see the bells inside the tower, can be arranged by contacting the parks and rec department of the City of Boise. If you want to reserve the facility for a special event, you can book up to a year in advance.

Study Idaho History from Inside the Building

This facility is located at 2603 West Eastover Terrace. Once inside the Depot, you can get a look at the original 1925 Barkalow Brothers Newsstand and test out one of the ten original benches offered to early travelers. Initially, there was room for 165 people to sit in this busy train station.

 

Travel destinations in Boise Idaho

 

Boise’s Train Depot Historic Gardens as Well

The Platt Gardens, built as an amenity to be enjoyed by the travelers taking the Union Pacific, include a long winding walkway, a pond for koi, many places to sit and relax, a volcanic rock monument and beds loaded with seasonal flowers. In keeping with the style of the building, these gardens were designed by Ricardo Espino, a well-known Spanish architect.

The Train Depot and gardens are situated on a hill overlooking the Capitol Boulevard. This placement makes the gardens an ideal setting for special events and photo shoots. The roses are particularly enjoyable, so if you’re planning a trip here, try to time things so you can enjoy the garden as well as the Depot!

Train Depot in BoiseVisit Big Mike

Big Mike, one of the Mikado locomotives that traveled through the Boise Depot is on display in Julia Davis Park. Consider starting in the Depot for a full tour and a sense of the history of the locomotive age, then stop for a close-up look at this remarkable locomotive.

Rails to Trails and Other Sites

While rail travel has waned, the rails to trails trend means that there’s great walking and cycling in and around Boise. While in the area, be ready to stretch your legs and check out the beautiful botanical gardens, the Old Idaho Penitentiary and the Boise River Greenbelt.

The city of Boise has done a wonderful job of preserving the history of the region. The Train Depot and Gardens, Big Mike in Julia Davis Park, and the bell tower are all terrific bits of history that we can enjoy today. Call ahead to find out the hours of the Train Depot and the tour options available on your travels in Idaho.

Posted on Categories Life

Boise Hot Yoga

Before OG Yoga hit Boise, hot yoga classes were not gaining the same traction in Idaho as they were other states. With OG quickly filling their new yoga studio the hot yoga experience is picking up steam in the Treasure Valley. For those who have not experienced hot yoga in Boise yet, it is a form of yoga that is done in a room where the temperature ranges from 80 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Some may be too shy for the heat but those who have tried a hot yoga experience boast of the health benefits that typical yoga does not provide.

Heat For Improve Your Flexibility

There is a reason that you are told to stretch before you workout. It is safer for you to exercise when your muscles are warm and the practice of hot yoga can make it easier for you to stretch and improve your flexibility. There was a recent 2020 study done where people were asked to do hot yoga for eight weeks straight. The results of the study showed that the subjects noticed increased flexibility in their hamstrings, shoulders and back. Far more flexible than than the study group practicing yoga at room temperature. With long work days, stress or life and the amount of time the average person is seated throughout the day, turning up the thermostat can quickly unleash tension in tight muscles.

Boise Idaho Yoga Studio

Hot Yoga For Burning More Calories

The number of calories that you burn during hot yoga classes will depend on your weight. However, a person who weighs 160 pounds can burn as much as 460 calories during a 90-minute hot yoga session. This is a lot more calories than you would burn during a standard yoga class. Strength, body control and Bikram yoga poses combined with heat will make you sweat.

Increase Your Bone Density With Hot Yoga

You can increase your bone density by supporting your own body weight. You do this every time that you do a yoga pose. A 2019 study showed that women who did yoga regularly were able to increase bone density in their lower back, hips and neck. The researchers believed that yoga can potentially reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Health Benefits of Hot Yoga

Heat and Yoga Reduce Stress

Many people do yoga because they want to alleviate their stress. There was a 2018 study done where the subjects were asked to do yoga regularly for 16 weeks. The results were shocking with lower hear rates, reduced stress and an over-all level of relaxation. Yoga can also improve your quality of life, which can make it easier for you to deal with the stresses of daily life.

Yoga to Relax and Ease Depression

Yoga can help boost your mood. The American Psychology Association has stated that yoga can be an effective way to manage depression. Yoga helps you relax. If this isn’t enough to make you signup for a hot yoga class than keep reading. It  only gets better.

Improve Your Heart Health

Any type of yoga that you do can help you improve your heart health. However, hot yoga will give your heart even more of a workout. It challenges your entire body. A 2014 study showed that doing hot yoga is the equivalent of walking at a speed of 3.5 miles per hour. Additionally, it can boost your metabolism so that your body burns more calories at rest.

Practicing Yoga In Boise

Yoga Lowers Your Blood Sugar

Any type of exercise that you do can lower your blood sugar. However, hot yoga has been shown to be especially effective for helping people who are at an increased risk for becoming type 2 diabetics. A 2013 study showed that yoga can improve blood sugar control in people who are obese.

Protect Your Skin

Yoga is not only good for your body, but it is also good for your skin. Doing yoga in a warm environment causes your body to sweat profusely. This helps your body release toxins. It also increases circulation, which can increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients.

How to Stay Safe While Doing Hot Yoga

It is safe for you to do yoga in a heated environment if you are healthy. However, you will still need to take the following steps to keep yourself safe.

  • You will need to drink plenty of water. You are more likely to be dehydrated if you exercise in heat.
  • Talk to your doctor if you have preexisting health conditions.
  • You should also consult with your doctor if you are pregnant.
  • If you have a problem with heat, then you should do yoga at regular room temperature.
  • Listen to your body. You should stop if you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded.

Getting Started With Hot Yoga

  • Wear breathable, lightweight clothing.
  • Bring a towel with you because you will sweat.
  • Bring a large water bottle with you.
  • Use special socks and gloves so that you can have extra grip.
  • Hot yoga is also great for athletes of other sports, anything from tennis to skiing.
Posted on Categories Life

The Benefits of Learning to Play the Guitar

You have been eying the guitar in the store window for weeks now. Your friend asks why you have yet to purchase it. Is it because you have never learned to play?

There are as many reasons to learn to play the guitar as there are excuses for not learning. Here are eight reasons to join the ranks of the guitar-playing population.

Therapeutic

Organizations like schools, charities, and health facilities use music and learning an instrument in their formal therapy sessions. You do not have to be a member of the therapy community to reap the benefits of learning to play the guitar.

Learning to play the guitar

It relieves stress. You lose yourself in the music, and the world disappears, if only for a short time. As little as 15 minutes can give a tremendous boost to your mood.

Good for Heart

The inherent stress relief of playing the guitar is good for the health of your heart. As playing relieves stress, it can help to lower your blood pressure. Your heart rate slows as you relax. Both of these effects are positive in terms of overall heart health. Daily practice is a way to work toward keeping those rates down. And picture playing your small acoustic guitar outside around a campfire for instance and you can get an idea at just how pleasant and soul-warming it can be.

Gives a Sense of Accomplishment

Learning to play the guitar can give you a feeling of accomplishment. You may not feel accomplished as you begin to learn. You might even feel frustrated with the process.

As you continue to practice, you will learn new chords and new songs. With each practice, you will improve. As you improve, you will begin to feel that you have accomplished something. This sense of accomplishment will play a role in the confidence-boosting benefits of playing.

Teaching Guitar Lessons

Playing Guitar Improves Memory

You may expect to start forgetting things as you get older. You may even feel like you have difficulty remembering things now. Learning to play the guitar can help improve your memory now and help you keep it later.

As you learn to play, you memorize chords and progressions. You have to remember which finger goes in what position on the strings and fretboard. This act of memorization helps to strengthen connections within the brain. These stronger connections help you to exercise your memory now and maintain it as you age.

Boosts Confidence and Social Skills

Perhaps you are a shy person. Social situations spawn fear into the depths of your being. Learning to play an instrument such as a guitar can help you break out of your shell.

Playing guitar provides you with a new topic of conversation. Not only that, but practicing will help you improve your skills, which will naturally boost your confidence. As your confidence increases, you could find that presentations at work are no longer as daunting. You might even find that public situations do not seem as fearful.

Lessons Fot Guitar Playing

Playing Guitar Improves Concentration

Do you sometimes have difficulty maintaining focus? You could be in the middle of a task, and suddenly, you find something else more interesting. If you find it hard to pay attention, there is good news for you. Learning to play the guitar can help you improve your concentration.

As you learn to concentrate while practicing, you will be training your mind to focus. This focus will become a new habit, and you could find that this skill translates to other areas of your life. Regular household chores or work tasks could become less frustrating as your concentration improves.

Helps with Eye Hand Coordination

If you have ever played a sport, you know that they take eye-hand coordination. Did you know that eye-hand coordination helps you mentally process things? It can help you with skills such as reading. Eye-hand coordination is an important part of playing guitar.

As you learn to play, you will learn to read chord charts and tabs. Simply knowing how to read the music does not make you a guitar player. You have to translate what you see into how your hands move. The more you practice guitar the better your eye-hand coordination will be.

Increases Arm Strength

When you begin learning to play guitar your hands will hurt. Your fingers will hurt. Your arms will hurt. It will feel awkward to hold the guitar.

Learn to play the guitar

Your instructor will likely teach you exercises to make chording easier. These will probably feel strange in the beginning. As you learn, the movements will become easier. Your fingers and hands will become stronger and more flexible. Your wrists and shoulders will also become stronger.

Be careful not to attempt too many exercises in a short period of time. This could cause injury. The strengthening process is not an overnight achievement. It will happen gradually over a period of time.

Rating The Top Boise Marketing Companies

Rapid Increase in Boise, ID Marketing Companies

Doing a quick Google search for “Marketing Company” we can see that Boise has become the hot bed for marketing companies and digital agencies. This makes sense when we see that the once sleepy town of Boise, Idaho is now one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. With all of these new marketing agencies springing up like a leaky garden hose and flooding the city, how does a business owner know which new marketing agency can carry their weight and deliver business growth?

Boise Idaho 208

Can Math Help Us Select The Best Marketing Agency?

Let’s enter into the world of mathematics and computer algorithms. We can grasp the concept that math does not think or have biased perceptions so we can use it to analyze things that can override our emotions and deliver more valuable data to make decisions. Remember, the goal of any marketing company is to alter your perception of a product or service to sell it. Likewise, marketing companies sell themselves and consumers are given the packaged version of that an agency. Consumers are viewing them through the rose colored glasses that covers their flaws or hide their failures. But what if marketing companies could be analyzed with an unbiased computer algorithm that would allow business owners to easily see which marketing companies have delivered success?

Can Math Validate Success?

But what is success? Any algorithm or analysis must start with a solid idea of success and then build around that concept. From there, data is input into the code to deliver that result in the best possible and accurate manner. Enter https://boise.marketing,  a new website that has developed an algorithm to return the top marketing companies in Boise, Idaho that have delivered the largest business growth and client satisfaction.

Marketing Company in Boise, ID

Looking at many marketing agencies we can see that they tout increasing a social presence, better search engine ranking, greater local branding or even more walk-in traffic to a business. But an increase in Facebook Likes and higher rankings may look really good in a chart or graph, it does not equal an increase in revenue. The marketing industry has found a way to convince business owners that vanity metrics, metrics that look pretty and can easily be faked, actually have value and are worth paying for.

Boise.marketing has turned data points that signify success, wrapped them into a computer algorithm and returned an unbiased version of businesses that deliver growth. There are a lot of factors that go into their algorithm and it is unclear where they are pulling all of their data from but looking at their analysis they use many overlooked and valuable sources.

Idaho Digital Marketing Agencies

The Accountability of Moise Agencies

On one level, a portion of their algorithm looks at a specific marketing companies own marketing and branding. If an agency can’t market themselves or brand their own name, how can they be trusted to complete work for a customer at a high level? Google My Business is one source Boise.marketing claims to use to help garner data points. One of the key components looked at is customer reviews on GMBs. But with many reviews being fake the average consumer has a hard time seeing what is real. Boise.marketing has a system to weed out fake reviews and when tested against their own data, their algorithm was 97% accurate. They even state on their site how shocking it was to see how many Boise based marketing agency have GMBs with fake reviews.

As an online content provider, Fifty6 welcomes this kind of data analysis and it gives consumers a level of transparency that could have easily been overseen.

Seven Rules to Follow When You’re Dating Online in Boise

Remember when online dating was met with whispers and sideways glances? There used to be a taboo feeling when it came to meeting someone from Boise on a dating website. It almost felt desperate and wrong. However, the rules for online dating have changed dramatically, especially with the invention of popular dating apps you can download to your smartphone. Boise Tinder, anyone? Today, online dating can be easy and worthwhile if you follow a few simple rules!

Boise, ID Dating

Boise Dating Tip #1: Always tell the truth

While it is tempting to use a profile picture from ten years ago because you look thinner, don’t. No one wants to meet up with someone who looks nothing like their pictures. Don’t say you love the Boise foothills or hiking in Idaho if you can’t stand the sun, always be upfront about the number of kids you have, and don’t go on about the television shows that you love when you’ve never watched them. Being honest on your profile will get you much further. It’s just easier to maintain a relationship when it starts with the truth.

Boise Dating Tip #2: Don’t take things personally

Dating In IdahoYou may look good together online, but things can change when you actually meet up for the first time. Don’t take bad or boring dates personally. In fact, it’s a good idea to look at these types of dates like practice. Sure, it didn’t work out, but you probably had fun and got to practice socializing with someone else. Just remember, you aren’t going to have chemistry with every date you have, so don’t let a few bad dates ruin your self-esteem.

Boise Dating Tip #3: Try out different websites

Nowadays, you’ll find various dating websites online as well as dating apps you can install on your phone. Don’t limit yourself to just one website or app when you could experiment with a few instead. Some dating websites are more for casual encounters while others are geared toward serious relationships. We have all seen the adverts for the “Farmers Only” dating site and maybe chuckled a little but spend some time to see if there is a dating site catered to your specific lifestyle, religious beliefs, hobbies, or location. Try out a few to find one that fits your needs.

Boise Dating Tip #4: Take a chance

Dating and Romance in BoiseSure, you want to get to know a person before you actually meet them. But with so many apps and websites and so little time, who has the energy to keep a conversation going for long? It’s fine to keep up a short conversation for a little while, but consider asking the person to meet up for coffee or lunch after a few shorter messages. This way, you aren’t investing your time and energy into someone you won’t have chemistry with face-to-face. Once you have established some type of interest in each other, don’t drag things out.

Boise Dating Tip #5: Online dating can take time

You may get lucky and take a chance with your happily-ever-after the first time you meet up with someone from a dating service. But in most cases, online dating takes time and patience. Prepare yourself for a number of first dates, and even some dating disasters, before you find the one who makes it all worth it.

Boise Dating Tip #6: Always be safe when online dating

Boise Dating SafelyNever give out your home address when you are talking to someone online. If you do plan to meet up for a date, arrange for a meeting in a very public place. Use your own transportation to get there and make sure you have a way home. Make sure a friend or family member knows when you are out with someone new. You could also ask them to text you an hour or so into the date to make sure things are going well (and safely) on your end.

Boise Dating Tip #7: Be open and flexible

While it’s advisable to have a series of ground rules for your dates, it’s also okay to be flexible about them. For example, you may have a “no kissing” rule concerning first dates, but don’t be scared to break this rule if your gut tells you that it’s okay. Trust your innermost feelings to do what you think is right. Following your heart may lead you straight to the love of your life!

Top Idaho Ski Resorts Near Boise

Idaho Skiing and Snowboarding

Visiting Boise? Add These Ski Resorts To Your Idaho Activity List

If you live in or are visiting Boise, Idaho, you have access to several different and sensational ski resorts. Some are larger, others smaller but all of them offer you unique skiing options. You may be interested in a larger ski lodge offering lodging, a wider variety of restaurants, more activities, shopping, family-friendly options or the opening date of the resort. Although all of these resorts are a fairly close drive from Boise, some are closer than others.

Top Idaho Ski Resorts

Idaho Offers Some of the Top Ski Slopes in the USA

The descriptions below provide you with the details for driving times, actual mileage, the best local restaurants both on and off-site, available lodgings, the cost of a single-day visit, season passes, family passes and the alternate activities available. This year, Ski Free Idaho day is on January 4th of 2020. Make certain your state park or ski resort is registered before proceeding. This is a good opportunity to have some fun at no cost.

Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho

When you dream about the ideal ski resort, there is an excellent chance you are imagining the Tamarack Resort. This large ski resort is fairly new, extremely comfortable and located close to McCall, Idaho. The Tamarack Resort offers the best skiing in Idaho with a complete ski village including inviting lodges, sensational shopping and a lot more. Unfortunately, many of the residents of Boise miss out on the Tamarack Resort due to the closeness of so many other ski resorts. Instead, many out of state visitors come for skiing, relaxation, enjoyment of the outdoors and the crisp refreshing air.

Tamarack Ski Resort

In addition to skiing, the resort offers numerous activities including concerts and breathtaking firework displays. The Tamarack Resort is just 94.6 miles from Boise. You can drive there in roughly two hours and twenty minutes depending on road conditions and traffic. Your choices for lodging are the Lodge at Osprey Meadows, purchasing a vacation home of your own, booking a condo or chalet and off-site vacation rentals situated nearby. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day Visit: $25 to $75
• Ski Resort Season Pass: $139 to $489
• Family Pass: $1,549

Best Skiing Idaho has to offer

Your dining options at the Tamarack Resort are exceptional including Fern & Feather, Mile High Cantina, Seven Devils Pub and Canoe Grill.

Soldier Mountain Ski Area – Fairfield, ID

This ski resort is not well known but is located near the little town of Fairfield, Idaho. Soldier Mountain is small, generally opening later since there is less snow. This is a good option for backcountry skiing. This resort does not currently offer the additional activities available with the other resorts such as the Tamarack Resort. You will not find any lodging available on-site. Your best option is a vacation rental such as Killdeer Kottage.

Idaho Snow Fall

The resort is a two-hour drive from Boise depending on road conditions and traffic or 112 miles. Your dining options are the Fox Den Pub and the Lodge. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day Visit: $15 to $45
• Ski Resort Season Pass: $170 to $400

Bogus Basin – Boise, Idaho

Although popular with the locals, Bogus Basin is one of the last ski resorts to open. The resort is 18.4 miles from Boise or a drive of 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and road conditions. The resort offers numerous activities including Alpine skiing, winter tubing, snowshoeing, the mountains coaster and Nordic skiing. If you do not live in Boise, you can reserve a condominium. Your dining options include Bogus Creek Plaza, Pioneer Lodge and Double R Ranch BBQ Smokehouse. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Half or Full Day Ticket: $10 to $67
• Ski Resort Season Pass: $29 to $549

Note: The more expensive season passes include ski days at a maximum of 18 other resorts.

Ski and Snowboard Mountain

Little Ski Hill – McCall, ID

Most people are unaware of Little Ski Hill. You will find this little resort in McCall, Idaho, although many prefer the larger resorts. The resort is a two hour and twenty-minute drive from Boise, Idaho depending on the road conditions or 110 miles. This is the only ski resort in McCall offering night skiing but the hours are extremely limited due to the small size. The resort is closed Mondays, open during the week after school but remains open all day on both Saturday and Sunday. The activities include a terrain park, and terrain and Nordic skiing. The only lodging or dining available is in McCall. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day: Starting at $20 per day for adults and $15 for youths with children under four free

• Ski Resort Season Pass: $65 to $275 if you need a family pass with children under four free

Vertical Drop of Idaho Ski Mountains

Brundage Mountain – McCall, Idaho

Brundage Mountain is close to McCall, Idaho, with an earlier opening due to the higher elevation. The resort is a two and one-half hour drive from Boise, Idaho depending on road conditions and traffic or 117 miles. The activities include skiing, snowmobiling, cross country, horse-drawn sleigh rides, snow tubing, snowshoe, fat bike trail and seasonal events. Your lodging options are hotels located in McCall or local vacation rentals. Your dining options are The Upper Lot Pub, The Bear’s Den, Smoky’s Bar & Grill and Main Street Market & Espresso. This is a good option for long runs and fresh powder but not recommended for families. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day: $27 to $73 with the family fun pack including The Bear Chair mid-mountain lift pass and rental gear for four

• Ski Resort Season Pass: $119 to $629

• Family Pass: $1,449

Boise Top Resorts

 

Rank High on Google Searches By Enriching the User Experience

Every business employee who has anything to do with a company’s marketing outreach needs to know the basics of search engine optimization. This marketing strategy, called SEO for short, is responsible for the vast majority of online retail transactions that take place. SEO is the bridge the consumer uses to get from their boring desktop screen to the exciting website offered by companies that promise to fulfill their needs. Consumers simply type a few words into a search bar to get transported to a list of websites that offer products and services that meet their needs, or the consumer might be looking for help with a problem that leads them to the solution provided written by a unique brand.

No matter how the consumer finds the company through their internet search, landing on a webpage through clicking is an organic experience to the user. The consumer feels like they found their answers through their own actions, and the answer they were looking for happens to come from a webpage written by your company. This example illustrates why it’s important to rank high on Google searches. Ranking high on Google searches is one of the most successful marketing strategies. Many modern marketers agree that ranking high in search results on Google is worth the investment, and the way to do this is by unlocking some of the most guarded SEO secrets.

What Determines How High Your Company Ranks

If the goal is to rank high on Google searches, the first thing that needs to be done is to figure out what criteria determines how high a company will rank. The criteria that Google’s algorithms relies upon includes how easily their automated system is able to crawl through websites. Google takes the quality of the user’s experience into account, so the site must also have content that is relevant, engaging, and information to the user. Lastly, in order to rank high in Google searches, companies need to display that their business is an authority on the content that they are promoting.

Learning How to Crawl

Before your company runs with the best companies in your industry, you must learn how to crawl through the website. Learning about how Google crawls through your company’s website will help the site rank higher when you make it easier for Google to discover more information on your company’s website. Linchpin SEO explains this concept: “For the most effective crawling, it’s imperative that the information architecture is constructed in a way that mirrors their thought processes.” Think like the user to help Google have a better time crawling through the pages of your website.

The User Experience is Vital

Not enough can be said about how important the user’s experience is to each website’s rank on Google’s search results. The value of this secret comes from the fact that user experience encompasses all other ways to rank high on Google. Try to think of ways to bring value to the people that visit your website by coming up with interesting content. Unique content on your site will increase its value to the user. Instead of selling a product, website content should be focused on solving actual problems for real people.

Google Listens to Authority

Google wants its users to be satisfied with the pages that it suggests, so it lists sites with high authority in their industry at a higher ranking than those companies without authority. The way to become more authoritative doesn’t involve gaining another degree in your field. In fact, websites gain authority that Google favors by being referenced by other sites on the web. In academia, the same could be said about scholars who are referenced by other scholars in their chosen field. Bring authority to your company’s website to rank higher by making great content that other people want to reference.

Don’t underestimate the Power of Local Marketing

A business Google My Business profile builds the entity of a business. Dan ODonnell of Crevand SEO, a Boise SEO agency, suggests that the future of both national and local marketing is branding through local citations, brand mentions and acquiring reviews. “Businesses should look closely online for high quality resources where they can share their company information and build their brand entity”, says Dan. “A few places I really like are Upcity, Inc.com, Yelp, and local chambers. Also look for industry specific directories that rate companies (ie. Best Firms or Brand Yourself)”.

Which Industry Sectors Dominate Digital Ad Spending in The United States?

Ad spend increasing for top US Business Sectors

Digital Ad Spend on the rise for key market sectors in the United States.

 Today, most people appreciate the importance of digital advertising as a promotional medium. As the public’s reliance upon a host of mobile tech devices has increased during recent years, businesses have gravitated in large numbers towards multimedia and social advertising campaigns. Indeed, the role of digital ads appears to have expanded dramatically within a comparatively brief span of time. 

Recently, Marketing Charts reported findings collected during a ground-breaking e Marketer survey. The research offers fascinating insights into the types of commercial enterprises responsible for placing digital advertising in the United States. It confirms the economic impact of this new medium; during the 12 month period ending in July, 2018, companies purchased an astounding $107.3 billion in digital ad buys. If accurate, the data suggests digital ads now surpass conventional TV advertising by some $30 billion! 

An Ongoing Trend 

Of course, many sources have noted the profound impact of mobile technologies (like cell phones, tablets, and wearable tech) on modern society. It likely surprises no one market analysts foresee continued heavy spending on digital ads during the three year period between 2016 and 2019. The U.S. economy will witness healthy projected estimated growth rates of 14.9% in digital ad spending during this period. Much of that money will likely contribute to ads designed specifically for mobile devices. 

Some sectors of the economy anticipate even higher digital ad spending increases, however. Just consider some of these industries and their estimated rates of increased digital ad buys: 


  • Entertainment Companies (17.7%)
  • Communications Media (16.8%)
  • Consumer Electronics And Computer Goods (16.8%)
USA digital ad spend growth.

 Account executives will still obtain new digital ad buys from loyal customers in industries which frequently market heavily in other mediums, too, of course. Among the economic sectors with the slowest rate of growth in digital ad spot purchases,anticipate slower ongoing increases in digital advertising from three groups: 


  • The Healthcare And Pharmaceutical Industry (11.7%)
  • The Travel Industry (13.2%)
  • Telecom Companies (13.5%)


In many cases, these rates of growth likely rank near the bottom due top previous heavy utilization of multimedia advertising already. Across the United States, savvy marketers have awakened to the impressive potential of digital ads to spur increased consumer interest and attention. 

Heavy Hitters This Year 

In terms of current industry spending, which economic sectors in the USA presently devote the most dollars to placing digital ads? Perhaps not surprisingly, retailers lead the way. A growing number of brick-and-mortar stores have discovered benefits in wooing online consumers. This year alone, retail establishments accounted for over one fifth (21.9%) of all digital advertising nationwide. They have expended an impressive $23.5 billion to reach prospective customers in the United States. 

Automakers have also taken this message to heart. They account for an estimated 12.6% of this year’s digital ad spending, and have committed over $13 billion towards this effort during the past 12 months alone. These results should please advertising industry executives as the competitive holiday auto sales season approaches its climax. Other prominent purchasers of digital ads during the past 12 months include the financial services industry (over $13 billion spent so far), telecommunications firms (over $11 billion in ad buys) and the consumer goods sector (over $9 billion). Numerous companies in these industries hope to cultivate online customers for their goods and services. 

An Exciting Future 

Digital advertising has enjoyed rapid growth during recent years. This trend shows little sign of ending in the near future. This situation bodes well for many advertising agencies and multimedia content production companies. 

The Threat of Internet Censorship to the People of India

Those living in the developed western world can easily lose track of what a remarkable privilege free and unfettered internet access is. Residents of Europe and North America typically have whatever information they could ever want right at their fingertips, and many of us have become so ingrained in this new connected world that it can be hard to imagine what life was like before the internet.

Net Safety and Censorship

But it’s an advantage we’re lucky to enjoy. Censorship and surveillance of the internet are rampant in countries like China, Bahrain, and Ethiopia, and North Korea. These censorship efforts are largely an opportunity for political operatives in power to retain that power, but the effect it has on their populations can be dramatic and unfortunate. Such is the case in India. The ruling Bharatiya Janta Party has strict rules in place about what their populace can access, and it’s having the most meaningful effect on the poorest and most vulnerable citizens. That India is positioned as one of the world’s preeminent providers of software development and web marketing while denying those tools to swaths of their population is no small irony.

The truth is that the ruling politicos have plenty of reason to be concerned about free and open internet access. Their heavy handed attempt to control both digital and print media is all in service of repressing class struggle. As a nation that enjoys a wide disparity between the wealthiest and the poorest, the well-heeled elites have plenty to lose if the more unfortunate have access to a global pool of information and more flexible means of communication. Rebellions against the current government are very real and could potentially pose a meaningful threat to those in power. Because in addition to their burgeoning tech startups, India’s economy is largely borne on the back of mining operations. As mining companies expand increasingly into the Northeastern regions of India – where the wealth gap is especially pronounced – they displace native groups. These are communities that already have limited access to education, medical care, and basic utilities.

India and the Internet

Despite the level of poverty in these communities, they’ve latched on to internet technologies to assist in organizational efforts, and these efforts are largely focused on mobilizing against political repression. Due to its encrypted nature, WhatsApp has become an especially useful tool for these communities. And while the government could make plausible arguments for how free and open internet could prove a public risk, it provides a worrying pretext. A spate of fake news disseminated in northeast India led to a gruesome series of lynchings, crimes which led the local government to shut down all internet access in the region. And while the crimes committed were very real, these acts of suppression can dramatically curtail the freedoms of their people. While the argument may be that these emergency shutdowns can be used in a case of national emergency, they’re just as often used to silence protesters and dissidents that don’t necessarily pose a clear and present threat.

For their part, American tech companies like Google have been outspoken in their criticism of India’s censorship practices, but there’s only so much activism that we can expect from profit-driven businesses. Google has already caved on China’s own censorship efforts. Engaging these issues directly will demand an outcry from people throughout the world, and it may need to happen sooner rather than later. If the disenfranchised of India don’t have the means to signal boost their plight, it’s unlikely that anyone with the means to change matters will be able to hear them.

Article Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/julianvigo/2018/11/05/net-freedom-in-india/

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/07/internet-censorship-india-democracy

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/censorship-justified-name-national-security

The Perfect Facebook Family

My wife and I attended a marriage retreat a few years ago. We like to do this from time to time as a commitment to each other and as a sign that the health of our marriage is important to us both. It is often easy to get carried away with work, personal hobbies or the basic survival necessities; $300 trips to Costco, daycare drop-offs, the 8 loads of laundry that need to be completed each weekend and an endless pile of bills. A weekend marriage-minded get-away can be good for the soul.

Through social media we see images posted of what appears to be the perfect family. The Mitchells took a great trip to Florida last week and all of their kids are smiling at Disneyland while the Palmers just ran a family half marathon and joyously went out for ice cream after. It is easy for people looking at those photos to think that a perfect life exists or that their own family is dysfunction by contrast. In the real-world, my Facebook posts would contain images of my son having a meltdown in the backseat of the car or maybe pictures of my over-grown lawn that desperately needs care. Despite what jaded world Facebook may show us, in reality, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” family.

The Perfect Family
Generally, people only show the good aspects of their family on the Internet. Sure, there’s always that one friend who airs their dirty laundry all over social media, but they are the exception, not the rule. People post images of who they want to be rather than who they really are. This faux reality is unhealthy to both the poster and the viewers.

Naturally, people only want others to see good things. While they’re not aiming to deceive others into believing that, in their world, everything is perfect and their families don’t have any negative issues. It’s completely normal to avoid throwing yourself and children under the bus by avoiding posts with negative or embarrassing images . Who wants to be Debbie-Downer? Instead, we are being selective about what we share and selective in a way to frame the perception of happiness.

Social Media Families

Family dynamics are always changing. Nobody on this Earth is perfect, so no family can be perfect, either. Judgement of other families and comparison through social media can be detrimental to overall family health.  I have often thought the Facebook “Like” button should go a little deeper with the level of response it reflects. It could easily be replaced with a short anonymous button entitled, “Nice photo but your family isn’t perfect. I saw your son punch Billy on the playground last week and don’t forget your daughter was the one that shared lice with her entire 3rd grade class”. Just something short and sweet that functions more as a reality check than a sharp jab in the side. Just kidding, of course, but I have had this kind of thought run through my mind once or twice. The structure of Facebook with Likes and comments naturally puts viewers in a position that suggests comparison and competition.

Happy Families Don’t Need to Be Perfect

Never think that anyone else’s family is perfect or even better than your own. At the end of the day, all families have issues. Strive to celebrate the joys of other families as, at some point, your family will also have exciting news, great accomplishments or successes that you will want to share. Never let social media images of “perfection” fool you. All families have flaws and it is all part of being human. Focusing on your own family and happiness is the best way to strengthen the bonds in your family.

The Foundation Of Success Starts With A Solid Morning

There’s an unfortunate myth out there that you either are or aren’t a “morning person.” You may feel like it’s your destiny to hit the snooze button four times, begrudgingly roll out of bed and rush through everything before barely making it to work or school on time.

Morning RunThe good news is that anyone can be a morning person. It’s all a matter of knowing how to build the right morning routine, putting in the effort and staying disciplined.

A Morning Routine

How can you set up the right morning routine? Your best option is to reverse engineer it. Start by making a list of all the activities you’ll need to do every morning, and that does mean everything. Include an estimate of how long each activity normally takes you.

For example, your morning routine may include getting up and brushing your teeth, putting on sweats, going for a three-mile jog, taking a shower, getting dressed for work, and finally driving to your job while eating a small meal on the way there. Separate all these activities and put a time estimate next to them.

The Clock Is Ticking

Then, subtract that time estimate from when you need to arrive at work or school, and you’ll have the latest time you can wake up every morning. If you need to be at work by 9 a.m. and your routine takes you two hours, then you can’t get up any later than 7 a.m. By giving yourself enough time, you’ll avoid stressful mornings where you’re rushing to get ready.

Sleep Is Critical

To be ready for that morning routine, you need enough sleep, and the optimal amount for most people is around seven to eight hours. Subtract this amount from your wake-up time to figure out when you need to be in bed every night. Using the example above where you need to wake up at 7 a.m., you should make sure you’re in bed by 11 p.m. or midnight every night to avoid feeling groggy when your alarm goes off.

Brekafast to start the day

Reverse engineering your morning routine this way can make a huge difference in the quality of your mornings, but there are still a couple other improvements you can make. One is getting a quality breakfast. When you eat a breakfast full of nutrients, you’ll feel better throughout the day and have more consistent energy levels. Aim for a healthy meal with a nice balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

TV and Radio Can Make Or Break Your Day

Last but not least, pay attention to what you’re watching or listening to as you start your day. Avoid anything that gets you emotional or stressed, because that will carry into the rest of your day. Comedic podcasts or music you enjoy are good choices to start your day with the right mindset.

Don’t buy into the myth that you’re not a morning person. If you set up your morning routine properly, eat a good meal and find the right content to start your day, you’ll improve your productivity and be in a better mood.

Meditate to Motivate: Getting More Done With The Power of Meditation

Relaxing To Do More

In the current cutthroat business world, increasing productivity can help workers keep and thrive in their jobs. However, striving to improve output sometimes leads to heightened stress, ultimately bringing on a decrease in productiveness and even a hatred of the work itself! Many productive employees keep their minds clear and calm by meditating or using yoga.

Meditating, which Merriam-Webster defines as engaging “in mental exercise… for the purpose of reaching a heightened state of spiritual awareness”, involves clearing the mind and focusing solely on breath or a mantra. It helps reduce tension and increase clarity.

Meditation at the office

The Promise of Productivity

Studies show that calm and composed minds, like those achieved through meditation, operate most efficiently. The creative right half of the brain lights up after meditation, allowing its practicers to come up with inventive concepts for their work. Devoting only a few daily minutes to meditation can dramatically improve the quality and quantity of work produced.

Perks of meditating include an increased ability to re=energize, greater memory, improved circulation in the brain, boosted planning competence, lessened stress, and augmented creativity– and, best of all, it’s free!

Meditating once a day has been shown to improve focus, leading to better productivity over time. Practicers of the exercise can expect to get more work done in less time.

Focused meditation

Beginning Is Easy

Wondering how to start? Simply sit upright on a level surface and concentrate on naturally inhaling and exhaling. It may take more than one try to keep focused for an extended period of time, so be patient and don’t be afraid to start again after losing concentration. As time goes on, maintaining this attention to breath becomes easier.

Guided meditation may be the best option for beginners who continue to struggle with independent focus. Search online for a meditation audio guide or look up the nearest meditation center in order to find help. Before long, the focus and satisfaction in meditating will come more easily. To experience the most benefits, fuse the meditation practice with pranayama yoga.

Key Personal Benefits of Meditation

By giving full attention to the breath and eliminating thoughts from the mind, those who meditate can connect to their sense of power, stamina, and inner harmony. Importantly, remember to always let the breath come and go naturally; forcing things will not lead to the best results.

Try meditating and hot yoga to experience increased energy, creativity, and productivity. Many workers have discovered meditation improves general health as well as concentration. Give it a try and see the changes!