With the conflict and turmoil present in the world today, doomsday preppers and normal homeowners alike have been preparing for the worst. One of the biggest fears among these communities is that soon clean and reliable drinking water will run out. With the number of waterborne diseases that are prevalent in water, it is understandable then that they would seek out a water filter that can handle the onslaught of pollutants and deliver reliable and safe water at the end.

According to the WHO, nearly 3 billion people go without clean or safe drinking water in the world, with a much smaller percentage enjoying the luxury of not having to worry about what comes out of their tap. That smaller percentage is quickly becoming concerned however, and you should be too. If you have not gotten yourself a reliable water filter, it may be time to consider it before you are faced with an emergency and find yourself lacking one.

What is Espresso?

Espresso is a highly caffeinated blend of coffee that can only be achieved with the specific application of pressure onto ground beans. It has been around for centuries, and is very popular as a more sophisticated drink that packs more of a punch than regular coffee. In this post we will be discussing exactly what goes into making a great cup of espresso and the intricacies involved in the process.

The Right Grounds

A common misconception about espresso is that there are specific espresso beans needed to make a great brew. In fact, “regular” coffee beans can be used, and the brewing method is what really separates the average cup of joe with a great tasting espresso. While any beans can be used, it is important to find different levels of roasts to fit your needs. Some roasts will be better suited to making espresso and vice versa. You can find a variety of online retailers that sell beans for espresso roasts, and a bonus is that they are cheaper than using pods.

Espresso Grinders

This is where things go from simple to more of a science. The aromatic and complex flavors in coffee beans are released during the grinding process, so finding a good grinder is a worthwhile investment. Make sure to do research on grinders to find the best options for making espresso, as various types of grounds can yield different flavor profiles and make or break the final brew. You will need to experiment with the different grinding options to find a blend that fits your personal flavor preferences.
More on How to Grind Espresso Beans

Picking the Right Espresso Machine

Once you have a grinder, you will need to do some research to find an espresso machine to fit your needs. There are many online sources available to find great machines (such as: YourBestEspressoReviews.com) and things like budget, experience, and individual needs will come into play when making your decision. For instance, if you are a beginner, you will want to consider machines that are less complex, with fewer options. A great starter machine is the Breville BES870XL (review found here: http://www.yourbestespressoreviews.com/breville-bes870xl-review/) or if you want to go even more simplistic, you can check out Keurig espresso machines. Each different option comes with its own pros and cons, so before spending the rather large investment on a high end machine, you should be sure to do in depth research on all of your options.

Experimenting to get the Right Blend

Once you have everything you need, you will inevitably need to experiment to achieve the perfect flavor and consistency that is right for you. Many beginner espresso drinkers will start of with a beginners machine and move on to more complex and higher quality products once they are comfortable enough to upgrade.

Bats living in your attic, barn, or other areas of your property is hardly an ideal situation. Fortunately, there are ways to permanently remove the pests from your property and prevent them from ever re-entering. In almost every scenario you will want to contact a local wildlife removal company who are experts at all types of wildlife removal and will be able to assess the gravity of your problem.

Why Bats are a Nuisance

Bats nest in attics, barns or other enclosed structures when their natural habitat is destroyed. Having bats in your home can quickly become a nuisance because not only are they prone to carrying contagious diseases such as rabies, but their feces (also known as guano) creates a foul odor that can be extremely difficult to get rid of. On top of that, once bats begin mating season, it is nearly impossible to get rid of them, and is even advised to wait until the season is over before beginning remediation.

How do you get rid of Bats?

There are specific measures to getting rid of bats, and even some regulations imposed by certain states to do it properly. If you have a bat infestation, the best bet is to call a nuisance wildlife professional. There are many companies both nationwide and local who can handle this for you. An example of a nationwide company would be Orkin, and a local company in the hometown of the author is JacopilleBornheimer LLC Wildlife Removal. Whether you decide to go with a big national company, or go with a local business, it is important to make sure the removal expert knows when it is okay to remove bats, and when it is not. They must also provide cleanup and sealing solutions to prevent the bats from ever finding their way back into your home. This last part is the most important piece of the whole project, because bats can find their way back into a home with relative ease if they have already nested in it.

Sources:

jacopillebornheimer.com/wildlife-removal-buffalo-ny/

wildlife-removal.com/bats-attic.html

orkin.com/wildlife/bats/bats-in-an-attic/

Today I wanted to take a little detour from our recent posts to talk about a very interesting experience I had. An interview with a real life Wicca practitioner. I will describe what Wicca is below then jump into a few important points I got from our conversation.

What is Wicca?

Some call Wicca a religion, a cult, or just a way of life. While many do not even know it exists, studies say that there are over 100,000 active Wiccan practitioners in the United States alone, and far more than that in Europe and the United Kingdom. From a wide view, Wiccans believe in two deities called the Horned God and the Triple Goddess, who are both nature oriented. Examining closer though, it can be noted that they more so believe in what they Gods represent, which is love and respect for nature and life itself. In terms of modern religion, Wicca can be most related to Buddhism where belief is concerned, but deviates slightly when it comes to actual practice. While both practice offering up sacrifices to the Gods, Wiccans partake in more stereotypical spell casting. Everything from love spells to money spells is viable, and they can often be found with altars, crystals, and talismans on their person.

Main Points from Our Conversation

I spoke with a Wicca known as Furva Rhosyn. This is her “Wiccan name” of course, and she prefers it to her birth name because it has ancient meaning. According to her, Wicca draws its roots deeply from Gaelic tradition and mythology, and this ancient beginning still carries over to modern day practitioners. She tells me she is what is known as a “solo practitioner”, which means she does not belong to a coven or other group, and prefers working alone. Her most successful spells have been love spells, and she now specializes in teaching those wishing to follow the path of The Goddess. According to her, the Goddess now takes more priority than the Horned God because she represents femininity, beauty, and rejuvenation (all of which come in to play when casting love spells). Although she once shied away from the prospect of teaching, Furva says she now embraces it, and likens herself to the Goddess teaching young ones. Her website is full of Wiccan spells for beginners, and her following has grown massively since she started actively taking on students.

Although we discussed a variety of topics, Furva made sure to drive the point home that spells (especially love spells) are not to be stereotyped as typical magic. Rather, they are the key that opens the door to possibility. According to her, love spells cannot actually make someone fall in love with you, as many modern depictions of witchcraft would have you believe. Instead, they help the person you desire notice you, and if it is meant to be, things will work from there. The most key concept, she said, is to forget you have even cast a spell. That is when the true magic happens.

Healthcare Job that Pays 100k/year and Does Not Require a Degree

You read that right. There is such thing as a healthcare job that pays extremely well (over $150,000) and does not even require a medical degree.

A medical salesperson caters equipment and supplies to hospitals for a hefty fee. Heavy equipment like X-Rays, MRI machines, and scanners are the obvious choices, but individuals and companies also sell things like hospital whiteboards for communication, screws, prosthetic limbs, and other implantable devices.  They will also sell to a surgeon directly, and oftentimes be present in surgeries to ensure the equipment is used properly and does not malfunction.

Don’t worry, if you are worried that some guy who has never been to medical school is overseeing your surgery, you can rest assured knowing that the training they receive is the most comprehensive of any sales job (as well it should be).

So, what exactly do they do?

At the most basic function of the job, sales reps sell to hospitals and surgeons respectively. Whichever one it ends up being, sales reps will often sit in on surgeries, meaning the job is not for the faint of heart or those who are squeamish. The purpose of this is to answer any questions a surgeon may have about a particular piece of equipment, whether it be in the operating room or in an office. This means the sales rep has to be very knowledgeable about every piece of equipment a company sells, which in some cases could be as much as 9,000 medical products. It is highly important that a rep is trained on every piece of equipment, as their responses could make a huge impact in the middle of an operation. Of course they will never have to go as far as actually getting hands on with a patient, but they stand feet away from the surgeon during the operation to give guidance whenever needed. As medical advances have progressed, the job has become more in demand, making it one of the fastest growing “unknown jobs” in the country.

The job role is further explained by this territory sales rep for Cardinal Health

Training and requirements

Trainees will typically attend seminars that involve their product line. In many cases, certain reps will specialize in certain areas. For example, one rep may specialize in trauma, but not in another area.

During the product training, reps will help surgeons learn how to use the equipment in live trials on cadavers. Needless to say, this helps weed out the squeamish right from the get go, ensuring only those who can stomach a surgery move forward.

In most cases, companies will only accept people with a degree and a strong skill/knowledge of anatomy, medical equipment, or sales. Once the candidate has passed everything above, they will go through a further 8 – 12 months of training in the field with a mentor and experience both the selling aspect of the job and the operating room.

Conclusion

If you are good at sales and have a knack for the medical field, this is a great way to make a very healthy living doing something you are not only passionate about, but that makes a difference.

The Booming Age of Tech

While some professions remain profitable throughout the course of time (surgeons, business owners etc), some present themselves as society itself progresses. In the last twenty years, technology has quadrupled in complexity and public use, making jobs involving tech a massive commodity.

What Makes Technology Jobs so Desirable?

A number of factors come into play when analyzing the potential profitability of a job. For example longevity (how long will you be able to have a successful career in the field) and demand (do people need your services?) play huge roles in determining whether or not a job is a one hit money wonder, or if it is an ever green cash cow. It is important to look at the whole market and attempt to get a better insight into both of the aforementioned topics instead of looking at the small time picture (if you want a long career of course).

Longevity:

Longevity simply means; “will this job stay profitable for a long time”. Doctors have always made a lot of money because people will always need one! Everyone will always get sick, or hurt, or have something wrong with them that they need someone to look at. When it comes to tech, it is a little more difficult to determine (given the fairly recent boom in the industry) however it is this writers opinion that technology will only keep growing. Seeing how our society depends so heavily on technology already, there is no option but for it to continue scaling upwards.

Demand:

Demand is fairly straightforward and plays into longevity in the sense that when there is one, there will be the other. Simply put, demand is the value your product (or in this case job) has to others; how much do they want it? When it comes to tech, people can’t seem to go a few minutes without checking their cell phone whether it be for a Twitter update, news update, or to text a friend. In conjunction with that, companies realize the technological age is not slowing down, so massive amounts of money are being allocated to research and development, as well as the sale of new technologies to every day citizens. To put it simply, yes, it is in demand.

What Kinds of Technology Jobs are There?

Below we will list and briefly discuss the most profitable types of technology jobs available today.

Research and Development – Creating New Technology

Once upon a time, technology was something only massive corporations had access to or could afford. Now, every day consumers are getting access to more and more state of the art technology that a couple years ago could not even be fathomed. Because of this, massive amounts of money are being put into research and development, creating new products that can be considered top of the line in an increasingly competitive market. Some of the most profitable technologies for consumers include: high end home automation, smart devices, and various other small electronics such as cell phones.

Information Security – Stopping hackers and bad agents

For many young people delving into technology, this is a common route to take when it comes to job seeking. Given the massive increase in cyber attacks recently, companies are looking everywhere they can for qualified information security professionals to protect their assets. This job is highly lucrative and ever evolving as cyber criminals update their tactics and methods with the times.

Information Technology Technician – Help with company computer systems

It does not sound nearly as glamorous as the other two, but IT Techs make HUGE amounts of money managing company systems because nobody else in the company knows how to do it. This involves managing a company internal network, website, email and account setup, etc.

Conclusion – Get a job in tech if that is what you love

Considering the high demand and high profitability of tech jobs, it seems silly not to get one if that is your thing. If it is not however, there are plenty of other jobs which remain highly profitable throughout the course of time, and we will be covering all of them in the next few months.

Getting into Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is on the rise, and although there is extensive schooling needed to enter the profession, it has been proven to pay dividends if you know what you are doing. Location will play a key factor, as well as what type of service you are offering. To tap into the business mindset of a successful plastic surgeon, you must put yourself in the patients shoes. Below we will discuss what might go through a patients mind as they pick the perfect plastic surgeon.

The Location and Mindset

There are many people in California who’re curious about plastic surgery. However, most of these people do not go ahead because of lack of knowledge and misconceptions related to plastic surgery. In case you are one of those people, you do not need to worry anymore. In this post, we will give you proper insight about plastic surgery in California and the importance of choosing a good plastic surgeon. You can find one of the top breast augmentation surgeons in California at breastaugmentationorangecountyca.com for further reference.

Are You A Viable Candidate?

In case you are healthy and do not have any unrealistic expectations about your physical appearance, you will be the perfect candidate for plastic surgery in California. Whether you want breast augmentation surgery or rhinoplasty, you need to consider some important things. Before your surgical procedure, you should discuss everything with the plastic surgeon. This meeting will allow your plastic surgeon to make an informed and realistic assessment of your candidacy.

There are many people who keep wondering if age is a major issue associated with plastic surgery. Although age is a basic factor, your overall health plays a more important role. A healthy individual’s age would not matter much. In simple terms, if you are healthy and want subtle changes in your appearance, a plastic surgeon won’t hesitate to begin your treatment.

How should You Prepare for the Surgery?

If you have met with a plastic surgeon in California and already decided to go ahead with plastic surgery, there are some important steps you should take to prepare yourself for the surgery. Some of the important ones include :

Quit smoking a few weeks before the surgery

Stop taking medication or drugs which may have anticoagulant properties

Reschedule the procedure if you have acne, pimples, cold, fever, cough or some other form of illness 

There are also certain steps you need to take on the day of the surgery : 

You should not drink or eat anything on the night before your surgery

You should take a bath with an antibacterial soap

You should not scrub areas marked for your surgical procedure

You should not shave the marker area or apply makeup

Why Choose a Good Surgeon?

Whether you are looking for breast augmentation surgery in Orange County CA, or some other kind of plastic surgery, it is important to choose a good plastic surgeon. An experienced professional makes sure everything is handled in the best possible manner. Moreover, the right surgeon will reduce the chance for complications or risks.

In addition to this, a good surgeon offers high quality work and gives positive results. He makes sure your procedure is conducted properly, and enhances your aesthetic appeal. With a good surgeon, you do not have to worry about any complications. Most importantly, the offers services at the right price.

Most good surgeons have their own websites, where you can check reviews and testimonials. This gives you a clear idea about the quality of services, price and other details to make an informed choice. When you choose the right surgeon, you are completely satisfied and do not experience any problems.

Other Types of Surgeons

College and Business, Do They Mix?

Below is a video illustrating college and business, and all the hype and stereotypes that encompass getting a degree.