Home

Blog

  • Important Info You Need to Know about Blood Thinners

    Important Info You Need to Know about Blood Thinners

    Blood thinners are commonly prescribed for people with atrial fibrillation and pulmonary embolisms. Common blood thinners, or anticoagulants, are coumadin and warfarin. These medications can be very important, but they do have some side effects that people, especially older men, need to be aware of. Here’s the important info you need to know about blood thinners.

    Important Info on Blood Thinners

    What They’re For

    Blood thinners are commonly prescribed for atrial fibrillation. A fib, as it’s commonly shortened to, is a condition that causes the patient’s heart to beat irregularly. Defibrillation pads are also commonly used to address an acute incident of fibrillation, essentially stopping and restarting a heart that is beating irregularly.

    Blood thinners are also prescribed for those suffering from pulmonary embolism. A pulmonary embolism is a blockage in one of the arteries of your lung. This is a problem, of course, as the lung is where your blood goes to receive oxygen. Blood thinners prevent your blood from clotting, thus breaking up the embolism.

    Prescription

    You can only get blood thinners via prescriptions. They’re not available over the counter. That’s because they have a lot of side effects that you should be aware of, and you should only take blood thinners as directed by your doctor. Blood thinners don’t actually thin your blood: they’re more accurately referred to as anticoagulants.

    That’s because coumadin and warfarin primarily are given to prevent blood from clotting as easily. These medicines do so by blocking certain proteins in the blood from doing their job, preventing your platelets from clotting up.

    Side Effects

    As you may be guessing, there are some notable side effects to this type of medication. Since it prevents your blood from clotting, when you’re on anticoagulants, you need to avoid becoming injured. That might seem like silly advice, as you would of course normally avoid injury. However, being on anticoagulants means you should shift your priorities.

    Since your body can’t create blood clots, you need to avoid any strenuous or dangerous activity altogether. Something as simple as a cut from a kitchen knife could be deadly if you can’t stop bleeding. This goes double for internal injuries. If you were to get in a car accident and had internal bleeding, it would be incredibly difficult to get it to stop.

    If you do become injured while on blood thinners, wrap the injury and apply pressure to it, then call your doctor. If the bleeding is severe, call an ambulance and go to the emergency room. The same goes if you think you may have internal bleeding: don’t waste any time. Call an ambulance and get medical help as soon as possible.

  • What You Should Know Before You Remodel your Kitchen

    What You Should Know Before You Remodel your Kitchen

    If you’re serious about your house looking its best, one of the first places to focus is the kitchen. Who wants to have an old, worn-out looking kitchen? Certainly not us! If you’re looking into getting a kitchen remodel, here are the top things to keep in mind.

    What You Should Know Before You Remodel your Kitchen

    Research the Contractor

    When you start with any project like this, make sure you know who you want to do it. If you’re looking at certain contractors, make sure they’re experienced and accredited. You don’t want some shady contractor coming in and charging you too much for shoddy work.

    Make sure you know up front how the contractor charges. Do they accept a flat fee up front? Do they charge by the hour? These are details you want to have before they walk into your home. Also, make sure you know their policy on unexpected wrinkles. How do they handle unexpected damage, or if one of their guys breaks something?

    Make sure the contractor is also experienced in the kind of work you want done. If they’ve never redone floor tiles, then maybe you should consider someone else for your floor-tile centered remodel. You want a contractor who knows the work you want done.

    Costs

    It’s important you make sure you know what the project is likely to cost. Get in touch with a contractor and see if you can get a good ballpark estimate of how much you can expect the project to set you back. Of course, this is going to be an estimate at first.

    The cost of the project will be directly related to just how much you want done. If you just want new cabinets, that shouldn’t run you too much. If you’re get new counters, new flooring and new appliances, too, then expect to spend a pretty penny.

    Get a Time Table

    Make sure you know before the contractor gets started just how long to expect the work to take. How will the contractor company handle it if one of their workers falls ill or has an emergency? What is their contingency plan if some unexpected damage occurs?

    Another important thing to know is whether there will be parts of your house inaccessible, and for how long. It’s hard to plan around contractors as-is, let alone without knowing when your kitchen might be inaccessible. Get this info up-front so there’s no surprises. That way you can plan your weeks around the schedule of the remodel!

  • Recruitment Tools to Make Your Hiring Process Easier

    Recruitment Tools to Make Your Hiring Process Easier

    Finding the time to sort through all of your applications can be difficult. Even if you do have the time, how do you find the best people? It’s a huge hassle, to be sure. Where do you even start when you’re looking for the right candidate for the job?

    Today we’re looking at some of the top recruiting tools to help your make hiring a breeze. Find the right candidate, fast, with some of these awesome hiring tools. These are some of our top-rated recruitment sites.

    Recruitment Tools to Make Your Hiring Process Easier

    Recruitment CRM Programs

    CRM, or Candidate Relationship Management, programs are a great new trend among businesses. These CRMs are dedicated to keeping the relationship between employer and employee at a high satisfaction level. They’re often used for both onboarding and back-end relationship management.

    Some examples of CRMs are Avature, Ascendify, Yello, Smashfly and Beamery. The main goal of these sites is to keep the company’s image and values fresh in the minds of employees and candidates while they engage with the company’s content.

    Testing Sites

    Testing sites are overlooked by a lot of companies despite being excellent ways to sort candidates. Those positions that require raw talent in fields like pattern recognition or math benefit greatly from this type of candidate sorting.

    Pymetrics offers game-like activities that score candidates using algortithms. The site prides itself on being “bias-free,” using finely tuned metrics to weigh each candidate fairly.

    Self Management Group, available in over 40 languages, is a straightforward test of science-based knowledge. The tests given on the site are a great way to quickly gauge a candidate’s knowledge for a given position, which can be quite valuable for certain jobs.

    HackerRank is a site that helps to quickly learn about a programmer’s skill. If you’re hiring for a programming position, you really just need someone who has skills. The good news for you is that HackerRank is great at weeding out the wanna-be’s from the really skilled programmers.

    Job Boards

    The most straightforward job recruitment tools are job boards. These boards account for sixty percent of all hires in the US, so they’ve got to be doing something right!

    Indeed is the go-to job board site in the US. It offers ample features for both applicants and employers and is responsible for putting hundreds of thousands of people into their new jobs. Other notable job boards are Career Builder and Google for Jobs.

    You can’t go wrong with any of these job board sites. They all offer ample resources to sort and find the candidate that is right for the position you’re hiring for. You got this!


  • Make What You’re Worth: Top Jobs that Don’t Require a Degree

    Make What You’re Worth: Top Jobs that Don’t Require a Degree

    College isn’t always right for everyone. That’s just the way life is. Not everyone can afford it, and some people can take the time off to got to school when they have bills to pay. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t make decent money without a college degree. There are tons of great jobs out there for those looking to move up without a college degree.

    Top Jobs that Don’t Require a Degree

    Retail Management

    It might sound strange, but retail management is a great path for those looking to move up without a degree. While you might have to bust your tail working hard in the entry level retail positions, good retailers notice hard work. Those who work hard and keep their sights on moving up tend to get promoted pretty quickly to higher positions.

    A job as a manager in a retail environment provides a lot of the same benefits that most degree-requiring jobs do. This includes time-off, insurance and full-time hours that are all critical to moving forward in life. Keep in mind, however, that retail and customer service isn’t for everyone.

    Web Developer

    Maybe you didn’t go to college but you’re killer at making web pages. If so, a job as a web developer would be a great fit for you. In fact, you can make great money designing webpages as either a contractor or an employee.

    Many web developers like the freedom and flexibility of working as a contractor. Others, however, prefer the benefits and security of working for a company. In any event, usually web development positions are entirely based on merit. If you can design a good page, you’re likely a cinch for the job.

    Hotel Management

    Hotel work is great for people without college degrees. After all, they’re consistent jobs with opportunities for advancement and tons of demand. Every city has hotels, and hotels need managers! Getting in on the ground floor with a hotel isn’t terribly difficult, as they always need people to mind the front desk, perform night audits and otherwise cover the administration of the building.

    Promotion to higher positions in hotels is comparable to that found in retail. Those who are on time, good at their jobs and cultivate good relationships with their bosses find themselves promoted to higher positions readily. Much like retail, management affords benefits like medical and paid time off, making it a great path for many without degrees.

    Don’t feel as though you have to go to college if you don’t want to or can’t afford it. Remember, there are tons of opportunities out there for people of all education levels.

  • Stop Forgetting Your Medicine With These Prescription Management Apps

    Stop Forgetting Your Medicine With These Prescription Management Apps

    Managing your prescriptions can be really difficult, depending on how many you need to keep up with. One has to be taken every other day, some need to be taken daily. Do you take this with food or without? It’s a lot to keep up with. Thankfully, there are a number of apps that can help you manage your prescriptions. Let’s look at some of the best prescription management apps.

    Best Prescription Management Apps

    Medisafe

    Medisafe is a great, straightforward app for managing all of your prescriptions. It’s really simple and easy to set up: all you need to do is set your medicine in the app and then tell it how often you need to take that medicine. When the time comes, the app will send you a notification and make sure you check-off that you took the medicine.

    If you miss the reminder time, you can set the app to alert your family members. You set in an emergency contact to be alerted if you miss your pills. This way they can check in and make sure everything is okay! It’s a great option for people who take prescriptions who live alone.

    The app also has a lot of fun notification voices. You can pick from celebrities and fictional characters to alert you when it’s time to take your medicine.

    PillPack

    PillPack is an incredibly handy service for people who get a number of prescriptions. The service is a great way to coordinate all of your prescriptions together without having the hassle of going to the drugstore. PillPack is a licensed pharmacy that can coordinate with your doctor and insurance to get you all of your medicine in a convenient package.

    When you get your medicine, it’s all broken up into convenient baggies that are labeled by day, helping you keep up with what you need to take and when. It even comes with a handy chart that helps you keep track of each pill. This way you don’t get mixed up over what you should take and when.

    GoodRX

    GoodRX is a great app for those looking for the best deals on medicine. This app allows you to compare prices from various pharmacies to make sure you’re getting the best deal. Think something like Gas Buddy, but for medicine instead of gas prices.

    For people who have to buy a lot of medication, saving money on those prescriptions can be a big help. That’s where GoodRX comes in. Even saving a few bucks here and there can really add up over time.

  • The Scoop on the New 2019 Ford Ranger

    The Scoop on the New 2019 Ford Ranger

    Who doesn’t love the old Ranger line of Ford trucks? Well, we’ve got good news for you: a full 8 years after the last we saw from the line, it’s being revived. That’s right, the 2019 Ford Ranger is on the way and set to double down on Ford luxury and toughness. What’s in store for the 2019 iteration of the Ranger?

    2019 Ford Ranger

    Trim Levels

    The Ranger will sport three trim levels. The XL, the XLT and the Lariat will be available when the truck hits dealerships. Additionally, there will be the FX4 and FX2 packages for the XLT and Lariat, that will allow for better off-roading. There will also be Chrome and Sport appearance packages for those looking to really show off.

    XLT and Lariat trims introduce blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and rear parking assist. The Lariat is set to be particularly luxurious, with a stellar sound system and smooth, quiet ride. However, all of the trim levels will feature standard safety settings like emergency braking.

    Additionally, cab options like SuperCab and SuperCrew will allow for drivers to pick out which type of interior they want. Both sport a great infotainment screen, including Ford Sync 3 and Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. Not to mention, the infotainment system supports Alexa voice functionality.

    Off-Roading

    The off-roading packages will include shocks and suspension tuned for hitting the trail, as well as a Terrain Management System. This is a set of features previously seen on the F-150 Raptor sub-line of trucks, so it’s probably sounding familiar to Ford fans.

    The TMS, in particular, made its debut on the Raptor. It offers a series of driving modes for various conditions, including snow, grass, gravel and sand. That way you know you’re going to be able to conquer any treacherous terrain!

    When and How Much?

    Expect to see the Ranger hitting dealerships by Summer 2019. The much-anticipated revival of the Ford Ranger is set to start at $24,300 for the stock XL Trim. That puts the Ranger in the lower end of the mid-sized truck competition out of the gate, putting it against the Toyota Tacoma and GMC Canyon trucks.

    For those looking to really show out, however, the Lariat trim allows for a ton of luxury and expression. The fully-equipped Lariat, complete with all-wheel drive, off-roading and an appearance kit, would set you back a cool $38,385. That’s nothing to sneeze at and sets the Ranger as a flexible entry for Ford in the crowded pick-up market.

  • Natural Heartworm Treatments that Could Save your Dog’s Life

    Natural Heartworm Treatments that Could Save your Dog’s Life

    Heartworms can be very dangerous for dogs of all sizes and ages. Depending on the stage of heartworms in your dog, the symptoms could vary. In the case of severe heartworm infection, your dog could be displaying a cough, intolerance to exercise, and even weight loss. If your dog has been tested positive for heartworms but has no symptoms, then they are likely still early in the infection.

    No matter what stage your dog is at, there are steps you can take to help them. In addition to the treatments your vet suggests, you can try some of these natural heartworm treatments. In conjunction with traditional treatment, these could even save your dog’s life.

    Natural Heartworm Treatments

    Homeopathic Remedy

    While homeopathic remedies have hit-and-miss results in helping dogs with heartworms, they’re generally quite safe and worth trying. Many suggest using combinations of the following homeopathic treatments in conjunction, using them twice a day and over the course of a few months.

    The remedies suggested to be used in concert are Croton tiglium, Lycopersicum, Tanacetum, Allium cepa and Allium sativum. These are suggested to be mixed together and given to your dog orally via a dropper. Two or three drops twice a day is the suggested dosage.

    While giving these remedies to your dog, it’s recommended you consult your vet and have your dog regularly treated to see if they still have heartworms. In the event that they don’t take to this treatment, consider other remedies.

    In Older Dogs

    If your dog is older, or quite sick, it could be advised to also use Crataegus, or hawthorn, herbal tincture. This herbal tincture has properties that help the metabolism and strengthen the heart. This can be used in conjunction with the above homeopathic remedy, helping your dog’s organs during the progress of the remedy.

    Conventional Treatment

    The reason many owners opt for natural remedies for heartworms is that the conventional remedy can cause organ damage in some dogs. Older dogs, especially, can have a lot of stress put on their heart by such procedures. However, no treatment is without side effects or risks, and heartworms can be life-threatening for your dog.

    When you’re considering how to treat heartworms, make sure you consult your vet. It’s very important that you take the disease seriously and take any steps necessary to protect your dog. Depending on the stage the heartworms are at, it could be better to opt for conventional treatment due to the amount of time your dog might have left to be treated.

  • Netflix Cancels Punisher and Jessica Jones

    Netflix Cancels Punisher and Jessica Jones

    It’s official: the era of live-action Marvel TV shows on Netflix has come to a close. After each show got a few seasons and the crossover “Defenders,” it looks like the Netflix MCU is now history. The last show we’ll see on the service will be the third season of Jessica Jones.

    Netflix Cancels all Live Action MCU Shows

    The End of an Era

    This news isn’t surprising: after Netflix canceled Iron Fist and Luke Cage, it seemed like their other shows were on thin ice. Daredevil’s cancellation followed shortly after. The cancellation of Punisher and Jessica Jones is unsurprising, if disappointing.

    “We are grateful to Marvel for five years of our fruitful partnership and thank the passionate fans who have followed these series from the beginning,” stated a Netflix representative. It’s odd to think that the first season of Daredevil aired way back in 2014, but now that era has come to a close.

    A Future?

    Disney is starting its own streaming service, Disney+, later this year. They’ve already confirmed that the service will host all of their movies, including MCU films, as well as Disney-owned television properties. There’s a possibility that Netflix’s cancellations of these shows was in order to pave the way for Disney+ versions of the Netflix shows.

    As of yet, none of the characters in Netflix’s MCU shows have appeared in any Marvel films. As such, Disney+ has a lot of options. They could ignore the shows altogether, which would be a shame. They could recast the characters for appearances in other media, which would also be unfortunate.

    Hopefully, the shows will all be picked back up with the new streaming service. It would be a shame for shows as good as these to simply go dormant over some rights issues. After all, we still haven’t seen Luke Cage and Iron Fist team-up to become the Heroes for Hire!

  • Amazon Cancels its Planned New York Headquarters

    Amazon Cancels its Planned New York Headquarters

    Amazon has announced that it is canceling the construction of a New York headquarters. The project was slated to be an “HQ2” and involved a $3 billion incentive package from New York City.

    Protestors decried the incentive package and largely resisted the idea of Amazon further straining New York’s infrastructure. Another issue protestors brought against Amazon is their largely non-union workforce.

    Amazon HQ2 Canceled

    Amazon’s Statement

    Amazon’s statement says that they had to back down from the project due to pressure from local politicians. Notably, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, and Bill de Blasio, the mayor, had strong support for the Amazon HQ project.

    “After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens. For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term.”

    Mark Hamrick, an online bank analyst, had harsh words for those who opposed the Amazon HQ project. “For those who didn’t want Amazon to bring the promised 25,000 new jobs and added economic vitality to the area: Be careful what you wish for.”

    Mounting Pressure

    The HQ2 project was abandoned following intense pushback by New Yorkers. Local union supporters and the city council both decried the project as being another example of corporate welfare. The generous incentive package of $3 billion was considered unseemly, given that Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos is the wealthiest man on Earth.

    City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer had words of encouragement for the opposition to the Amazon headquarters. “Defeating an unprecedented act of corporate welfare is a triumph that should change the way we do economic development deals in our city and state forever,” Van Bramer stated.

    A statement given on Thursday by Chelsea Connor, head of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, was quite an indictment of Amazon. “Rather than addressing the legitimate concerns that have been raised by many New Yorkers, Amazon says you do it our way or not at all, we will not even consider the concerns of New Yorkers – that’s not what a responsible business would do.”

  • Google Hardware News for 2019: Expect More Pixel Devices

    Google Hardware News for 2019: Expect More Pixel Devices

    Early reports of the “Made by Google” lineup for 2019 are here, thanks to Japanese newspaper Nikkei. The biggest news is mostly unsurprising, though it’s nice to have solid locks on the pieces of tech we’ve been speculating about. Namely, a budget Google Pixel, a Google Pixel 4, a Google watch, a new Nest cam and a new Google Home.

    Google Hardware News

    Google Pixel Lite

    The Google Pixel isn’t exactly known for its affordable price, but Google wants to change that. In their quest to go toe-to-toe with Apple’s iPhone, Google is launching a Google Pixel 3 Lite later this year. Reports hold that the new phone will actually undercut the iPhone XR in price, allowing Google to come out as the more affordable of the two luxury smartphone makers.

    Google Pixel 4

    The next step for the Pixel line of phones, of course, is the Pixel 4. Not much is known about the successor to last year’s Pixel 3 at the time of writing, aside from the fact that it’s slated for a late 2019 release. The Pixel 4 will likely be the first Pixel phone with 5G capabilities, and we’re likely to see even more emphasis on biometric security like face scanning technology or in-screen fingerprint readers.

    Google Pixel Watch

    The ongoing quest to be like Apple also means that Google’s expected to launch their own wearable tech, much like the Apple Watch. The expected Pixel Watch will likely feature fitness tracking, vital monitoring and music playback capabilities, much like the Apple Watch. We can expect to see the Pixel Watch by the end of 2019, according to reports.

    Next Generation Google Home?

    A new Google Home, as well as Nest Cam, are also slated to be unveiled soon. It’s unclear whether the new Google Home devices coming in 2019 will be a second generation of the existing smarthome speakers or a completely new line of technology.

    However, the good news is that we can expect to see all of this from Google before the end of the year. It’s going to be a big year for the tech giant!