Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Things You Should Never Do on an Airplane



If you have been flying for a while, then you know what you should do and what you should not do while in the airplane. If it's going to be your first time flying, it is important to know there are certain things you should never do in an airplane. Some of these things are designed for your own safety and that of other travelers, and failure to observe them would put you at crossroads with the crew. Without further ado, these are some of the things you must never do when you are in an airplane:
 
Sleeping during takeoff or during landing


It may sound harmless why you should not sleep during takeoff or landing, but there are very good reasons why you must stay awake at this particular times. This is because during landing or takeoffs, the cabin pressure changes so fast and it's imperative that stay awake so that your body system can balance between the changes in the cabin pressure and your own system. This equalization must take place when you are awake, and to aid it, you can chew gum, yawn or simply stay awake and take deep breathes.  If you happen to fall asleep during the pressure change, there are chances that you may get super dizzy, and you may potentially get some problems with your eardrums. In some worst cases, your nose may bleed, and you could also end up with unnecessary hearing problems.

Sitting from takeoff to landing
The main reason why you should not sit from takeoff to landing is primarily due to health concerns. The low pressures present in the cabins have the potential of lowering blood circulation in your system, leading to blood clots, especially in your legs. Again, it is never healthy to be in one position for so long. This is why it is recommended that you should walk and stretch during the flight. This is especially recommended when you're flying for long hours without money stops.  You don’t want to go through all the hassles of renew my passport only to have a nasty flight experience simply because you were seated right from takeoff to landing in the next destination.

Sleeping when it's daytime at your final destination



Sleeping when it’s daytime at your final destination will ruin your internal clock system and you'll find it very difficult to adapt to the new time zone. When this happens, you'll find it really difficult to adapt and keep up. This is why it is recommended to adjust your time to reflect the actual time in your destination so that you can fall asleep when only it is time to sleep in the destination you are headed to. Ruining your internal clock would mean a whole range of problems for you, especially if you needed to stay active.

Declining a beverage
You should stay hydrated all the time you are on the plane. You should know that the cabin air is always dry and every time you exhale, you lose a lot of moisture. This is why you need to make it a habit of taking lots of fluids so that you remain hydrated through the period. Don't shy away from calling for more drinks every time the crew makes rounds.

Ordering tea or coffee


To begin with, inflight tea or coffee is an insult to the beverages. In fact, if there's anything you should never do is to order coffee or tea while flying. The reason for this is that the coffee and tea are made from the plane’s tap water, and truth is told,this is not the kind of water you want to be drinking. The tanks are always dirty since they are cleaned just a few times a year, and the tea or coffee will always smell and taste horrible. Additionally, the waters in the plane may contain coliform which is potentially harmful to your health. Therefore, know that you will always be better off not ordering the tea or coffee in the planes. They are the unhealthiest meals you will ever have on the plane.

Drinking anything with bubbles
The reason why you should not drink anything with bubbles such as carbonated drinks or beer is that the changes in air pressure in the cabin can sometimes cause gas is to expand and this will consequently cause the gas from those drinks to expand inside your body by up to 25%. Now, this may not be a very good news for a lot of people because it will come with a lot of discomforts. In turn, you will not enjoy the flight and you may regret why you went for renew my passport so that you take such an uncomfortable trip.

Eating too much of the plane food

 
 
Of course, you should eat when you feel hungry anywhere and not just on the plane alone. The dry cabin air and the low pressures may sometimes make it difficult to tell the difference between salt and sugar and this may sometimes make foods taste so horrible. Additionally, the conditions inside the plane do not make it suitable for digestion to take place properly and so overindulging may cause a lot of stomach upsets for you when you land. Therefore, in as much as some of the foods will be tempting, just be sure to take enough and don’t be tempted to overindulge.
Walking around barefoot
Sometimes walking around in flight barefoot may make you feel a little bit comfortable, especially if you’re in a very long flight, but this is not a very good idea and it’s something you must not do, however tempting it to be. The reason for this is that the floor sometimes maybe super filthy and you will be collecting all manner of filth under your soles. Therefore, before you think about walking barefoot, just think about the amount of that you’ll be collecting and this may potentially have negative health impact on you.
Not relieving yourself when should
 
When feeling pressed on the plane, be sure to visit the restroom and relieve yourself.  Don't fall for the temptation to hold it until you reach your final destination. Even during normal instances, it's unhealthy and it will only make you feel very uncomfortable. Always remember that holding it for a very longer may also lead to infections in your urinary tract.


4 Reasons to Consider Homeschooling Your Kids



Homeschooling in the USA continues to grow at a strong pace, with more and more parents shunning traditional schools in favor of teaching their kids from the comfort of their own homes.

Data from the National Centre for Education Statistics suggest that the number of kids taught at home is growing by 3 to 8 percent a year since the total hovered around 1.8 million in 2012. That puts the upper estimate of those being home schooled at around 3.5 million children.

So why are so many parents turning to homeschooling their kids? Here are four reasons to consider homeschooling your kids.

It will help your kids love learning

For many of us, school is synonymous with suffering. That suffering comes largely from the pressures of passing tests and completing homework by deadlines. You are made to learn at the same pace as everyone else with no respite. It’s no wonder so many kids end up hating learning as a result of their school experiences. With homeschooling, you have none of that. They can learn at their own pace without any pressure. Most important of all though is that it can make learning fun. If your kids are among those making soccer more popular than MLB among 12-17-year-olds, then get them working out points scenarios and outcomes as part of their math work. If your kids find learning fun, they will learn to love it and that will set them up for life.
Samuel, age 8, in full soccer gear!
You can move with the times and teach your kids the stuff that matters

All too often, schools are stuck in a certain way and method of teaching. They will often deal only in established facts and when a new discovery is made, it can take years for that to filter through and for kids to find out about. With homeschooling, you are free to teach what you want. If there is a Jawbone Discovery that changes what we know about the history of the human race on a Tuesday, your kids can be learning about it by the Wednesday. You’ll also be able to knock on the head skills like calculus problems which hardly any of us have to use in life, instead focusing on skills like budgeting and personal finances which we all need in adulthood.

You can help your kids focus on what they are good at

Your kid might be a talented artist, particularly gifted at music or have a flair for writing. Homeschooling can let them flourish by focusing more on the skills and talents that they are good at, rather than the ones they are not. If they have a genuine chance of being the next Pablo Picasso, Taylor Swift or JK Rowling, then homeschooling can help them achieve their dreams.

They’ll avoid the bullying of the school playground

Bullying is a big issue and it happens in virtually every playground in every school in the country. Even President Obama gave a speech about bullying in 2011. There are people who have a utopian idea that every kid in every school can get along fine, but if we can’t do that as fully mature adults then why should be expect our kids to be able to do it? Homeschooling removes the threat or prospect of your kids being bullied, making them far happier at the same time.

Giving Nature A Real Home In Your Garden

Most people are well-aware of the fact that we’re encroaching more and more on the spaces that many of the species besides us consider their home. As we do so, however, we are creating the potential for new habitats and ecosystems that many of them can live happily in. The sad reality is that not enough people are helping to create that habitat. If you have a garden, then consider doing your part to share it with some others.


Our feathered friends
This isn’t a hard one to convince many of. Most people love seeing birds in their garden and enjoying their songs throughout the day. Feeding them with seed holders and birdhouses are the easiest ways to see more of them around. Ponds or birdbaths will give them even more reason to stop around more often. Don’t be worried if it takes them a while to catch on to the hot new property. Wildlife are naturally cautious around new additions and environments.


A winter guest
There are some creatures closer to the ground that might like a safe haven in your garden if you were to build it for them. One of the most common is the hedgehog. Many people already build homes for them to spend the winter in and it’s as simple as creating a wooden hut with some insulation and an entrance big enough for just them.


Get back to the wild
If you love your garden then you probably consider wildflowers as nothing more than weeds. When you have designs of your own then it is true that you need to economise your soil and fight off unwanted guests. Instead, consider partitioning off a wildflower haven with plenty of distance from the other parts of the garden. It’s easy to get packs of wildflower seeds that contain up to 20 different species that can add a real variety to the garden.


Pond life
Ponds are fantastic ways to add a bit more life to the garden. Fresh water will attract not only birds as we mentioned. Frogs, toads, newts, and dragonflies seek them out for breeding, as well. Of course, you can have your own fish in there living happily as well. But it might be important to consider pond pumps at discount prices to keep the pond fit for the life inside it as well. You need to think about what kind of life you want in there, as some fish species can be rather greedy in eating any other kind of wildlife that try and breed there.


Keep the outdoors outdoors
Some people show a little trepidation about creating a wilder garden because it threatens the sanctity of the home and they expect it will bring about all kinds of new pests. It’s not entirely untrue, either. You have to make sure your home is well-sealed with bug spray around cracks and crevices. If you’re worried about pests eating plants in your garden, then companion plants can serve as a more effective and more environmentally friendly way to get rid of pests. Instead, they invite predators like spiders or ladybugs that eat the pests.
Unless we adapt our ways, we can expect that the list of endangered species will continue to grow even in our own surroundings. Do a bit of good and give nature a home in your garden.

Monday, April 23, 2018

School Bus Safety Tips


 
Here are some of the safety tips to ensure when your child is using the school bus to school every day.

 
1.         Always walk with your child to the bus stop, wait until the bus arrives and your child gets into it before leaving. Repeat the same procedure every day until you feel like they are comfortable doing it on their own.

 
2.         Prepare your child early enough to allow enough time to get to the bus stop. Rushing to the bus stop might likely cause injuries when your child falls over.

 
3.         While walking to the bus stop, don’t let your kids listen to iPods or play video games because they will cause distractions that might lead to serious injuries.

 
4.         Advise your child not to speak to any strangers around the bus stop or enter into a stranger’s vehicle. If a stranger offers to pick them up, advise your child to run back home immediately.

 
5.         When the school bus is approaching, the children should stand at least 3 feet away from the curb and approach the bus when it stops completely.

 
6.         When alighting or boarding the bus, the children should always use the handrails.

 
7.         If the children drop their personal items when entering or leaving the bus, they should inform the driver first before attempting to pick them. That way, the driver will see the items and become aware of what the child is doing before driving away with the bus.

 
8.         Inform your child to find a seat immediately when they board a school bus and face forward when the bus is moving. They should also fasten their seatbelts immediately.

 
9.         Review the rules set aside by the school district and set by the driver with your child to make sure your kid understands and follows them completely.
 

10.       When choosing a bus company you should use one with a GPS solution that keeps track of the bus. Some nowadays even provide offerings with historical videos, live streaming and up to date GPS as part of their school bus security solution.

 
11.       When in the bus, the kids should talk calmly instead of screaming or yelling to avoid distracting the driver.
 

12.       When in the bus the children should not throw things in the bus or out of the windows.

 
13.       When the bus is moving, the children should be seated and know where to place their arms, feet and hands. Make sure they don’t place their arms or heads out of the window.


14.       The kids should always follow the instructions set by the bus driver

 
15.       The kids should never alight the bus unless it comes to a complete stop

 
16.       When picking your children at the bus stop, you should wait on the same side of the street where they alight to prevent them from crossing the street on their own.

 
17.       The children should be advised not to walk behind the bus since the driver might not see them.
 

18.       If your child is crossing the street after leaving the bus, they should take 6 steps in front of the bus and make sure the driver can see them. They should only cross when it’s safe.

What You Need To Know About Living In Singapore



If you're looking to join a thriving expat community, then there are few locations as attractive as Singapore. Before you start to pack your bags though, there are some things that you'll want to know. Today's post is all about what you need to know when living in Singapore, so read on:

 

Things To Look Forward To

 

-Singapore Was Designed For You

 

Singapore's origins are steeped in trading and commerce. The influx of citizens from many countries make the city a natural place for an expat community to flourish. On any given day you have a good chance of running into someone from a country that you've never been to before. You'll be exposed to new ideas and people in a way that you never could back home. This is the ideal situation for any expat, and after a little bit of time you'll begin to believe that Singapore was specifically designed with you in mind!

 

-A Hub For Adventure

 

For many of you that become expats in Singapore, you'll be looking at your first ever exposure to Southeast Asia. You're in for a treat, and Singapore is the perfect place to travel out of. In particular, you can get quick flights to countries like India, China, and Australia. These are huge countries with literally thousands of adventures waiting to be had by someone like you. Smaller countries are easy to access as well. This is where the whole "born as a trading hub" thing really comes in handy.

 

Within the city itself, travel can seem a bit difficult at first. You need to have a specific certificate from the local government before you're even able to begin shopping for a car. For the price that you'll end up paying, many expats choose to just forgo a car altogether. That's for the best, as the public transportation system within the city is one of the best in the world. You won't spend too much out of pocket either.

 

If you're the type that likes to work out, cycling is extremely popular in Singapore as well, both as a sport and means of travel. You'll be able to get where you're going AND get in better shape!

 

-A Sense Of Security

 

When you first get to Singapore, you're going to notice that things are a lot stricter than you're used to. It's an adjustment, and can be annoying at times; but you'll be happy once you see the payoff. The strict rules and organization of Singapore make it one of the safer cities in the world. As an expat, you'll never feel afraid to go out at any time, or to any place.

 

Things To Keep In Mind

 

-Cost

 

You're going to be spending quite a bit to indulge in the luxury of living in the city of Singapore. The latest estimates by the EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit) has put the average cost of living at about 50% higher than that of New York City. That will seem like a culture shock to some; but most of you expats won't bat an eye. As of 2015, most expats who moved to the city were making well over 6 figures per year. Affordability shouldn't be an issue long-term.

 

-Routine

 

Singapore is not known for being a sprawling place with endless things to experience. Once you've settled in and visited a few places, you're going to end up falling into a routine. Outside of travelling (which is easy to do as mentioned above), there really isn't much to Singapore itself. A lot of people like that, and come specifically for a simple routine that they can get used to. If you want adventure and new experiences, then you're going to have to go looking for it.

 

-New Laws To Adjust To

 

When you move to Singapore, you're going to have to play by their (sometimes very different) rules. Some of these are going to seem strict as you go through your adjustment period. For example: you cannot chew gum or smoke in public. You cannot connect to a WiFi network that isn't your own without being accused of hacking! Perhaps most restrictive is that LGBT rights are currently NOT a thing. This takes getting used to, and Singapore is moving forward (slowly). Be prepared for some adjustments. You will also need a visa to live there - companies such as Immigration Solutions can help with that.

 

The Verdict

 

Singapore has earned its reputation as one of the top 5 destinations for expats. You're going to go through an adjustment period, particularly when it comes to the local laws and culture. What you get in return though: the luxury, the adventure, and the expat community are all worth it.