Author Archives: Shaun Chatman

5 Ways to Prevent a Car Accident

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Car accidents are an unfortunate part of driving in the real world, no matter what you do. However, there are some ways you can minimize your chances of getting into an accident. The following are some of the best things you can do to keep yourself and your car safe.

Keep the Car in Good Shape

Prevent Car Accidents

How to Prevent Car Accidents

 

Image via Flickr by Alexandre Prévot

When your car is in good shape, it’ll be more able to handle the issues that tend to lead to getting into accidents. When your tires and brakes are good, you have a much better chance of dodging an accident. When your mirrors are properly aligned and your windows are clean, you can better see what’s either ahead of or coming toward you before it can cause damage.

Keep Yourself in Solid Condition

If you drive when you’re tired, you have a much higher likelihood of having an accident. As well, driving under the influence of even one recently consumed alcoholic beverage can slow your reaction times and muddle your perceptions enough to make an accident more likely. When your condition is at its best, you are more capable of noticing potential problems and heading them off before they become as serious as an accident.

Follow the Laws of the Road

As a good car wreck attorney in Dallas could tell you, following the law is just a good idea. If you don’t follow the law and get into an accident, the law won’t look favorably on your actions and your legal liability could be great. This is particularly the case if there is a large amount of property damage or loss of life because of the accident. If you follow the law, insurance will be more useful if an accident happens and you will be less likely to get into an accident in the first place.

Keep Distractions in the Car to a Minimum

Distracting yourself will only make you more likely to get into an accident. Having a visible screen, an overly bright stereo system or doing things with your phone will all divert your attention. Also, having a serious conversation that could become emotional while you’re driving is also an ill-advised way to go. The fewer things you have around to focus on, the better aware of how dangerous each thing is you’re going to be.

Be Aware of Other Drivers

When you have other drivers around, these are people you can’t control. Don’t imagine you can control them, but you do need to know what they’re doing in your presence. Most of the time this is simple awareness, but every so often you will need to dodge someone in order to avoid getting into an accident. The sooner you know what a reckless or unaware driver is doing, the more easily you will be able to get out of their way. The best way to avoid accidents is to be as far away from the crazy drivers as you can get.

Avoiding accidents isn’t always possible in the real world. However, the above suggestions will make staying out of an accident far easier.

5 Must Have Hybrid Cars in 2013

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Hybrid cars are becoming increasingly popular, with over six million sold to date. But hybrid cars aren’t what they once were; they’re better. Check out the following must-have hybrid cars that come with latest advancements and the best technology.

1. Ford Fusion Hybrid

Top Hybrid Cars of 2013

Ford Fusion Hybrid

 

Image via Flickr by mariordo59

Redesigned in 2013, the Ford Fusion Hybrid look great, and it gets 47 mpg in the city and the highway. The vehicle can reach up to 62 miles per hour on electric power alone. What’s even better is that when the gas engine and electric motor work together, you can reach up to 188 horsepower. It also includes a regenerative braking system and a SmartGuage panel with an EcoGuide to help you get the most out of the hybrid technology. If you’re interested in getting one of the best hybrids out today, check out this spectacular vehicle at your local Ford dealer, like Hoffman Ford, today.

2. Toyota Camry Hybrid

Ranked number two in affordable midsized cars and hybrid cars by USNews, the Toyota Camry Hybrid features 43 mpg city and 39 mpg highway. Drivers rave about the spacious, comfortable cabin and large cargo space. You can also choose to add advanced features including:

  • Rearview camera
  • Bluetooth
  • Blind spot monitoring system
  • Satellite radio
  • And more!

3. Toyota Prius

Top Hybrid Cars of 2013

Toyota Prius

 

Image via Flickr by Bob_Perry

The Toyota Prius is one of the most widely sold hybrid vehicles in the world. In fact, Time reports that the Prius made the top three best-selling cars in the first quarter of 2012, totaling nearly a quarter of a million sales in that period of time. The Prius family currently has four members:

  • The original Prius, with estimated 48 mpg highway.
  • The Prius C, ideal for city driving with an estimated 53 mpg highway.
  • The Prius V, offering the most space with 40 mpg highway.
  • The Prius Plug-in, featuring the latest technology and delivering a whopping 95 mpge in EV mode and 50 mpg in hybrid mode.

4. Ford C-Max Hybrid

CNet.com puts the Ford C-Max Hybrid at the top of the list of best hybrid cars and for good reason. This vehicle’s gas-engine powertrain delivers 47 mpg, but go with the plug-in model and get up to 108 mpge in the city. It features electric power-assisted steering to help you drive in a smooth manner, and the car comes with the customizable SmartGuage panel with EcoGuide to give you real-time tips on how to improve your fuel efficiency. Plus, with safety features such as the personal safety system or the MyKey system, you can ensure safety while driving.

5. Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

Top Hybrid Cars of 2013

Volkswagen Jetta Hybrid

 

Image via Flickr by lotprocars

Not only will you get mpg in the mid-40s with this vehicle, but the Volkswagen Jetta delivers excellent stereo sound quality for the music-lover and up to 170 horsepower with a quiet engine. It features regenerative braking technology, which transfers energy back to the battery every time you apply the brakes. What’s more, it also includes the following incredible features:

  • 15.5 cubic feet of cargo space
  • Keyless access and push-button start
  • Heated seats
  • Touchscreen navigation
  • A 6-speed automatic Tiptronic transmission
  • A 2.5 liter engine

No matter if you’re interested in a more eco-friendly vehicle or you just want to save money on gas, consider purchasing one of these cars when shopping around for the perfect vehicle.

Top 3 Ways You Can Promote Your Business

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There are many reasons to start a business (passion, a desire to be seen as an expert, among others), but no matter the reason for why the business was formed in the first place, a business has to stay afloat financially. To be financially sound, promotion of your business is necessary. Pick new media, traditional media, or combine both to promote your business and get it the recognition and customers you deserve.

Find Your Customers and Hang out Where They do

3 Ways You Can Promote Your Business

Top 3 Ways You Can Promote Your Business

 

Image via Flickr by Rosaura Ochoa

Find your customers and go to them. This sentiment is applicable to both traditional advertising efforts and new, social efforts. Your business is only as great as the customers who drive it so finding that target audience of consumers is imperative. Not just any person will work, but rather, a strategy for who will fuel your business the most should be implemented.

When using traditional media efforts, find out if your target consumer hangs out in coffee shops, at the library, at the senior center, or in the city park. From there, print out flyers, distribute business cards, and join any organizations in those same areas.

When using new media efforts, look for tweetchats where your consumer is hanging out. Tweetchats exist to talk about books, social media outlets, sewing and other hobbies. By participating, connecting and finding out what others are talking about in the field, you’ll be surrounded by those who can find a benefit in your company.

Make Yourself Known

Making yourself and your business known is more than just distributing flyers and connecting online, though there is that. To make yourself known includes these things, but also goes beyond to establishing yourself as an expert, attending conferences in your field, and developing a large presence both online and off.

Incorporate traditional media efforts by handing out a large amount of business cards, advertising on radio and television, and taking out an ad in your local newspaper. Decal and magnet your vehicle, or make t-shirts for your biggest fans to wear.

To incorporate new media efforts into your business strategy, consider creating Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google +, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts. Also, take part in or host a webinar, write a blog, create a video blog, or have a QR code tied to your business. Creating Slideshare presentations, as Lindsay Rosenwald has done, will help you promote your business because you are sharing your expertise with a presentation you have created.

Expand on Word of Mouth Marketing

If you’re producing a quality product (tangible or intangible) and you have loyal customers and clients, word of mouth marketing is the greatest tool at your disposal. Referrals for your business will increase as you form relationships with your customers and continue to offer a product and service that people can stand behind.

Increasing word of mouth marketing is in the business owner’s hand and can be done by asking for referrals, and requesting that current customers review your business on top review sites like Yelp, Google, Yahoo and Trip Advisor. A customer loyalty card or referral card with a deal attached will also work to promote your business.

As a business owner, promoting your business is essential, but doing so in the right ways will secure longer lasting customers who are loyal to your work and products. Encourage word of mouth, make yourself known and be strategic in your promoting to reach maximum potential.

4 Shows Moms Watch to Live Vicariously (That Always Make Us Laugh)

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Television is a popular choice for relaxation and enjoyment, ranking even higher than shopping and talking on the phone in a study of over 900 women in Texas. A poll of 3,000 commissioned by QVC revealed that a tenth of respondents would rather leave their spouse or partner than their favorite show. Television allows women to live vicariously in a way that would otherwise be impossible, and these top shows are some of the best for pure escapism.

Sex and the City – Fashion, Flirting, and Big City Allure

Shows Moms Love to Watch

4 Shows Moms Watch to Live Vicariously

 

Image via Flickr by chirinecarlao

Sex and the City may have gone off the air in 2004, but that hasn’t stopped it from being a continued favorite in the female crowd. Reruns are on the air nearly every day, bringing the fabulous fashionable life of Carrie Bradshaw and her friends to life again. This show focuses on four young, beautiful bachelorettes and gives busy moms a chance to fantasize about youthful exploits, enviable closets, and drawers filled with sexy lingerie panties that see plenty of excitement. The ever-present touch of humor is an added bonus that gives the entire sitcom a fresh, lighthearted air.

The Bachelor(ette) – Sex, Love, and Romance

The Bachelor entered its 17th season in January 2013 and The Bachelorette will enter its ninth season in the summer of 2013. Both shows depict a string of single yet surprisingly attractive people on the search for love. Contestants cavort in exotic destinations and five-star hotels, going on elaborate dates and predictably falling in love. Women craving a little extra romance in their lives have good reason to flock to these shows, though the outrageous idea that perfect strangers will find a healthy relationship amid this reality show setting is a bit laughable.

The Real Housewives – Lifestyles of the Rich and Fascinating

The original Real Housewives of Orange County spawned a total of six spin-offs, each with a devoted fan base. The outrageous fights and over-the-top exploits of these women are plenty humorous, but the stars themselves seem to take their problems completely seriously. Women watching these shows get an enticing glimpse of how the other side lives, as each series focuses on “real” housewives who are impossibly wealthy and conveniently freed of the need to deal with the day-to-day concerns that most housewives face.

Desperate Housewives – Madness and Mayhem in Beautiful Packages

Desperate Housewives aired its series finale in May 2012, but not before taking viewers along for a marathon of drama and excitement. This drama focuses on the lives of housewives presenting a polished and perfect face for their neighbors, but distinctly desperate behind the scenes. The twisted plot lines that ran through the show throughout its run were nearly impossible to follow for any but the most devoted viewers, but this show had plenty of those who were perhaps a bit desperate for excitement themselves.

Moms looking to live vicariously through their TV counterparts will find plenty of daring ways to escape through these popular shows. Whether they’re still in production or faithfully available through reruns, they all offer lots of fascinating worlds to escape to.

5 Study Techniques for Teens Preparing for the SAT’s

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Taking the SAT’s is a big deal. A good score can help you get into a good school. It can also help you qualify for great scholarships and grants. Before you take the SAT’s, it’s a good idea to study, so that you’re prepared.

Study Early – Don’t Crunch

Study Techniques for Teens

Study Techniques for Teens

 

Image via Flickr by MC Quinn

One of the worst things you can do for any test is to crunch. If you stay up late the night before the test, trying to cram everything in your mind, you won’t remember anything when you go to take the test. Instead, start studying long before the test is scheduled. Study a few things at a time, for the best results.

Consider a Test Prep Program

SAT Prep programs are a great way to study. They help you prepare for exactly what will be on the test. They also put you together with other people who are studying. Working with a study group can help you retain the information that you’re studying. Whether you’re studying with a group online or in person, it’s a great way to make sure you go over exactly what you need.

Take the Practice Tests

If you feel like you’ve studied enough, go ahead and test yourself. Taking a practice test will show you whether or not you’re ready to actually take the official test. If you bomb the practice test, you may want to go back to studying. However, if you ace the practice test, go ahead and schedule the official. The practice tests are a decent gauge of how well you’ll do. The practice tests also help you understand the layout of the test, which can help you when you do get to the official test.

Get Rest

Preparing for the SAT's

Teens Preparing for the SAT’s

 

Image via Flickr by Chris March

One thing that a lot of people forget when they’re getting ready for a big test is that they need to get rest. Your brain needs this rest to be able to remember the information you’re feeding it. If you’re staying up late every night studying, then getting up early every morning for class, you’re probably not retaining as much information as you’d like. Getting a good night’s sleep each night can help you keep up with what you study.

Try Different Study Types

Don’t get stuck in one study type if it’s not working for you. Some people do well with reading and retaining information. Other people need to write things down to remember them. Still others do best when they hear information. Try out a variety of ways to go through the information you’re studying. Flash cards for vocabulary are great, because they incorporate a variety of learning styles. You can write down the words and definitions, read them on the cards, and read them off with others, allowing you to hear them.

Studying for the SAT’s can be stressful. Make sure that you give yourself the time you need. In addition, when you study the things that you know will be on the test, you are saving yourself time and energy. Though studying can be difficult, it doesn’t have to be horrible.

5 Ways to Help Your Children Financially Prepare for College

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As secondary education continues to get more expensive, teaching your children financial responsibility, as well as helping them out with the monetary burden of college, becomes crucial. While you always want your children to have it better than you did, teaching them how to budget and handle money is important not only in saving you some cash, but developing them as productive people. Here are a few simple way to get your child financially ready for university life.

1. Have Your Child Get a Job

Financially Prepare for College

Ways to Help Your Children Financially Prepare for College

 

Image via flickr by Waponi

You should have your child get a job in high school. This teaches him responsibility and how to make money. By the time he reaches college, don’t just hand over money. Offer to supplement his income for spending money, but only if he gets a part-time job.

Although college does require studying and class work, there is still a lot of downtime for your child to pick up a 10 to 20 hour a week job. By being employed and earning some of his own income, your child will learn to appreciate the money he gets.

2. Prepare a Budget

Before your child heads off to college, sit him down and show him how to make a budget. Demonstrate the differences between wants and needs and mention that he doesn’t have to pay for other people, be it food or entertainment. List all the different categories of expenditures and what percentage of his money should go to each piece of the pie. This will teach him not to overspend on frivolous things.

3. Utilize Apps

Smart phones offer quite a variety of apps to help money management become simple. Mint is just one of many free apps that allows you to view your bank accounts, income, and expenditures. It also has an alarm that goes off when you are reaching your spending limit. Because the younger generation is glued to their smart phones, why not give your child a constant reminder of budgeting if he is going to be on his phone anyway.

4. Teach About Investing

Often, parents will just give their children money or a credit card when they go to college, but this is actually counterproductive. If you feel you must hand over money, make it into a learning experience. Give them $500 to invest in stocks. The sooner they learn about the risks and benefits of the stock market, the better.

You can even make them read about financial investments. One such book is Fisher Investments on Materials, which can benefit both new and seasoned investors about the materials market, which is ever-changing and growing.

5. Take Out a Student Loan

While this may not seem like the greatest option, the learning value is incredible. Even if you don’t have your child take out a traditional student loan, have him pay you back some of the money. You don’t have to make him sign an official loan with you, just put forward all the information.

Your child will learn about interest and how to pay for a loan on a monthly basis. This will prepare him for the real world when he purchases a house or a car.

Teaching your child fiscal responsibility is a difficult task. But the sooner you teach him the ins and outs of handling money and meeting financial obligations, the more able he’ll be to deal with it once he is on his own. College is just the first step of taking off the training wheels.

 

Jockeying Ain’t Easy: 7 Suprising Facts About Horse Jockeys

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Horse jockeys are the hardworking professionals responsible for riding champion horses in races around the world. If you’re a horse lover, this job may seem like a dream, but the truth of the matter is that horse jockeying is much more difficult than it seems. Jockeys don’t always get the appreciation they deserve in this challenging sport.

Jockeying Ain't Easy

Jockeying Ain’t Easy

Image via Flickr by tinou bao

 

Size Does Matter

You may focus on the physique of the horse when you watch racing, but the size of the jockey is equally important. US weight limits for jockeys typically fall between 108 and 118 pounds, depending on the race. In the Kentucky Derby, jockeys can weigh of up to 126 pounds. These restrictions include all clothing and equipment. These limits create a strict diet for jockeys and some suspect that starvation techniques are even used by some.

That’s Not My Horse

Most competitions prohibit the jockey from owning the horse that’s being raced. The jockey does, however, provide the saddles, bridles, crops, western tack, and other equipment. Additional expenses for the jockey include health insurance, travel costs, and agent fees. Though they own their clothing, they do not pick the colors.

Ch-ch-changes!

Jockeys must become familiar with different horses very easily. A professional jockey might ride as many as 12 different horses in a day. Since each animal is unique, it’s important for jockeys to have a practiced hand at managing different temperaments.

It’s Not about the Money

Though this job may seem prestigious, jockeys only see a small percentage of the winnings. In most races, the jockey receives just 5% of the total prize money if he wins. If he doesn’t win, his fee is typically less than $100. Only a very small amount jockeys enjoy salaries. Most average $35,000 to $45,000 a year.

Little Love for the Jockey

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, in Saratoga Springs, NY, has inducted 179 horses but only 91 jockeys. The riders in these races don’t get nearly as much love as their equine counterparts.

Till Death do Us Part

In 1923, Frank Hayes suffered a heart attack mid-race and was technically deceased when he finished. Amazingly, Hayes stayed astride Sweet Kiss till the end and won the race. Poor Sweet Kiss was known as “Sweet Kiss of Death” forever afterwards.

It’s a Boy’s Club

The majority of jockeys are men, and women often have trouble getting a good mount. The first female jockey was Diane Crump in 1969. Barbara Jo Rubin was the first female jockey to win a race this same year. Only six women have ever ridden in the Kentucky Derby, including Crump who first rode here in 1970. The highest a female jockey has ever placed in the Kentucky Derby is 11th.

Despite some of the dangers and drawbacks, horse jockeying is often a rewarding career for the well-suited people who have a true love for the sport. After all, it’s hard to beat the thrill of navigating the track at up to 40 miles an hour on the back of a beautiful and powerful equine companion.

This post was written by Shaun Chatman, who is a well published author on many authority sites. He lives in Dunedin, FL, and spends his free time playing with his kids or advising friends on everything from tech and gadgets to finance and travel.