Business and Society Articles

Southern California remains one of the most desirable places to live in the U.S., as well as one of the most expensive. This is evidenced by the housing market in California being ranked as the 3rd most expensive in the nation with SoCal having the most impact. While high housing prices and demand may cause homeowners to assume selling their homes will be easy and profitable, is this really the case? Ultimately, the answer to this important question will depend on the specific variables involved, yet, in general, selling a house the traditional way is never easy, especially in SoCal. The good news is there are viable alternatives for selling a home the traditional way. In an effort to explain, let's examine 5 benefits of selling a home for cash in Southern California. 1. Declining SoCal Real Estate Market: The real estate market in Southern California saw a decline in 2018 from the year before, as a 2018 article found at CNBC explains: Southern California home sale

cc from topgolf.com Residents and visitors in Kansas City may want to check out the only Topgolf destination in the state, but only if they want to have a great time at a unique place. This popular, multi-level, golf driving range/restaurant/bar/lounge is sure to be a memorable destination for all. Hitting Golf Balls in Luxury One of the unique aspects about Topgolf is how easy it is for everyone to have fun by simply hitting golf balls. Specifically, participants hit balls off one of the three-level outdoor bays while enjoying the luxury setting with couches, tables, and a game board showing electronically how they’re scoring. Whether just playing for fun or taking Topgolf seriously, this is a game nearly everyone will enjoy. Various Topgolf games, leagues, lessons/classes, and the Topgolf Tour ($50k prize) give Topgolfers all the resources and incentive to get better and improve their games. In addition to hitting golf balls off the balcony driving range into a large nette

cc from flickr.com One of the more fascinating attractions in Dallas, TX must be Medieval Times at the Dallas Castle , where dining out takes on an entirely new flavor of excitement. Residents living in Dallas are only minutes away from turning back the clock and having the time of their lives at Medieval Times in Dallas, TX. Dinner and a Tournament Are Only an Arrow's Flight Away! Many may remember this exalted restaurant when it was showcased in the movie "Cable Guy" starring Jim Carrey in 1996. While patrons may not actually get into the arena like the actors in the movie did, essentially, they'll be able to place a cardboard crown on their heads while they eat a meal of kings and queens and watch the two-hour tournament from front row seats, cheering in between bites and drinks of course. The meal-time tournament entertainment consists of 6 knights in shining armour jousting on real-life horses (steeds), sword fighting with real swords, and conducting the

cc from flickr.com Not every modern business is tech-savvy and proficient with digital marketing; in fact, 36% of America's small businesses don't even have a website ; and many of those that do, have nothing more than a lonely website in the shadows. While this is a good start, this type of strategy isn't going to attract many website visitors. The good news is, it doesn't take a marketing genius to start gaining traffic to a business's website, yet it does take some time and effort to develop and execute a viable digital marketing strategy. In an effort to help, let's examine 3 ways small brick and mortar businesses can leverage their websites. 1. Optimize the Website's Sales Funnel: The first thing businesses need to do is optimize their website's sales funnel to make conversions . For brick and mortar small businesses like retailers, restaurants, event centers, etc., gaining a visitor's email is a conversion; for small businesses off

cc from en.wikipedia.org Starting a blog to compliment a website and other digital marketing efforts is a great idea for hotels, yet what should their blogs be about? Consistently posting blogs about interesting topics sometimes isn't that easy. In an effort to help, let's discuss 5 topics hotels can consistently blog about to gain traction online. 1. Local Attractions and Destinations: cc from pxhere.com Local SEO is vitally important to gain attention from search engines, in order to stand out to prospective guests interested in staying in the hotel's local area. Blogging about local attractions gives hotels a large topic to draw upon when brainstorming blog ideas. Even if the hotel is in a relatively isolated location or smaller town, there's always something to write about when it comes to local attractions or destinations. Restaurants, bars, nightclubs, concert halls, sports stadiums, race tracks, wilderness attractions, parks, historical sites,

cc from commons.wikimedia.org Choosing and purchasing the right RV to travel and live in is an important decision to make. The right choice depends on the specific factors and variables involved in each situation, including the preferences of the buyer and the intended use. In an effort to help, let's discuss 3 reasons why travel trailers are the ideal RV choice. 1. Lighter and Easier to Manage: Out of the 10 million households with RVs in America  , travel trailers are the most common RV choice. There are many reasons for this, including the fact they weigh less than 5th wheels. Motorhomes don't need to be towed, so their weight isn't as much of an issue. The choice then is really between towing a 5th wheel with a gooseneck hitch vs. a travel trailer with a ball hitch. An article found on Camper Report called: "Average Camper Weight (with 13 examples)" , explains more: "In short, an average camper trailer weighs around 5,200 pounds...dry we

cc from commons.wikimedia.org When it comes to finding the perfect winter fishing destination, the Oregon Coast won't leave anglers disappointed. The mild weather coupled with an abundance of fishing locations and fish make Oregon's coastline a perfect place for winter fishing adventures. What's the Weather like on the Oregon Coast in Winter? The average temperatures in the winter on the Oregon Coast are around: high 51° F and low 42° F . Other weather factors include high wind gusts up to 80 mph and the bulk of the annual rainfall of 75" coming down from October to May. Basically, the wintertime weather on the Oregon Coast is rugged enough to filter out the fair weather visitors, yet mild enough to welcome anglers looking for some of the best fishing in the world without the crowds. Types of Fish to Catch and Where Weather is mostly a secondary consideration for anglers visiting the Oregon Coast; their first consideration focuses on the ty

cc from commons.m.wikimedia.org When it comes to soccer, Frisco, Texas is on the map with the Toyota Stadium. This is a stadium specifically designed for soccer, yet does have a stage located at one of the ends for concerts or shows. Mostly, the main stadium area is for watching its MLS home team: the FC Dallas soccer club. Visitors can enjoy a MLS game in the 20,500 seating capacity stadium all throughout the summer and fall, as the FC Dallas soccer club plays 8 more home matches from July 4th through October 21, 2018. Visitors can also watch the FCS NCAA Division I Football Championship, Frisco ISD high school football games, a concert on October 20 for the National Soccer Hall of Fame induction weekend, and other various athletic and performance events. As alluded to already, Toyota Stadium (formerly Pizza Hut Park 2005 – 2012) is also the site for the National Soccer Hall of Fame museum. This really puts Frisco on the soccer map, as MLS is the top league for the United States

cc from publicdomainpictures.net Getting in the water and swimming is something most people would like to do more often, yet with all the distractions of modern life, this enjoyable activity is usually placed on the back burner. In an effort to help get swimmers motivated, let's examine 7 good reasons to go swimming more often. 1. Get Away from Online Technology: Although they do have waterproof smartphones and digital devices, swimming is generally a time people spend away from online technology. This is a great reason to take a dip, as it gives people a needed reprieve from their continuous smartphone monitoring and use – don't worry, the smartphone can be close-by. 2. Forming a Healthy Habit: By all standards, swimming is a healthy habit to start, as it works to build muscle, increase stamina, and bring weight loss. An article on Everyday Health called: "The Health Benefits of Swimming" , validates this by saying: "Swimming works your whole body, impr

cc from flickr.com The healthcare industry is going through a significant transition , mostly, induced by HIT changes and system reform; in the process of these disruptive changes, thought leadership is trying to strategically develop a plan of action for reaching interoperability. Interoperability is part of the holistic solution , as it works to connect patients with providers and share EHR clinical data with them and referrals. Let's discuss this topic more by examining how healthcare CRM solutions and ZDogg are solving the digital divide between providers and patients . Defining the Digital Divide This is a term that emerged most prominently after the “meaningful use” of EMRs became a requirement for providers on January 1, 2014 . Since then, cloud and mobile computing technologies have also played a large part in the digital divide equation – mostly, trying to solve pain points with healthcare enterprise systems . To learn more, let's look at two different a

cc from picpedia.org  Generating quality traffic to an online store is something 1.3 million eCommerce businesses are trying to accomplish in North America alone. With millions of eCommerce stores vying for website visitors, the competition to be on favorable search engine results pages (SERPs) is inevitably thick. Fortunately, there are many free and paid SEO resources businesses can use to rank higher in search engines. One of the most popular and effective resources is HubSpot; let’s discuss how to use HubSpot to develop an effective eCommerce SEO strategy. Before we begin, let’s hear HubSpot’s definition of SEO strategy from their article called “How to Create an SEO Strategy for 2018 [Template Included]” : “Modern SEO strategy is the process of organizing a website’s content by topic, which helps search engines like Google understand a user’s intent when searching. By optimizing a web page around topics first, you can rank well for long-tail keywords related to that topic

cc from geograph.org.uk In the modern digital age we're living in, setting up a community garden may be exactly what HOA neighborhoods need to get their members off their digital devices and back to nature a bit. Community gardens promote positive relationships within neighborhoods , provide healthy activities for people of all ages, and if done well produce a good amount of healthy food. In an effort to help planners get their thoughts aligned, here are 6 tips for setting up community gardens in HOA neighborhoods. Gain and Gauge Support from Homeowners Board members and homeowners interested in starting a community garden should start by gauging the support for the idea with community members. Planners can gain and gauge support with methods such as: surveys emails text messages phone calls flyers word of mouth announcements at board meetings articles fundraiser events  The main idea is to see how much support there is for such an idea; just keep in mind that som

cc from flickr.com The idea of owning a yacht may be a dream for most, yet this dream comes true for many every day. Owning a luxury inland waterways or seagoing vessel is a great way to enjoy vacations, retirement, or just a weekend trip from a private dock. However yacht owners plan to enjoy their yachts, they must first choose how to acquire the perfect one. In this regard, let's examine the pros and cons of buying a used vs. new yacht. Buying a New Yacht The biggest con of buying a new yacht is paying full price and then having it depreciate quickly; within five years a new yacht can depreciate upwards of 40% from the original price. With that said, buying a new yacht means buyers have more selection when it comes to choosing from new models and types of yachts. Whether they're buying an express cruiser, a pilothouse motor yacht, sedan bridge, or a mega yacht, they'll have more selection with type and customization. Buying a new yacht gives owners the assurance

cc from maxpixel.com From 1998 to 2015, over 1,400 hospital mergers have transpired in the U.S . They’ve been increasing nearly every year, especially since the ACA was enacted in 2010. Healthcare systems are consolidating for both financial and strategic reasons; these challenging and complex transactions bring growth opportunities as well as risks. An article found on CIO called: “What is merger and acquisition due diligence?” , written on June 9th, 2015 by Dewey E. Ray, explains the 4 areas of due diligence to focus on:  “Strategic Position    Financial Data    Operational Assets    Legal Matters”  Operational assets are a major aspect of M&A planning and implementation. Effectively dealing with the capital equipment involved in a transaction takes consideration, strategy, and organizational software tools. In this regard, let’s discuss 3 reasons to prioritize capital equipment planning during healthcare system mergers. Definition of Capital Equipment Equ