Teachergive Sale 2023

Teachergive Sale 2023

Are Solar Shingles the Future?

>> May 31, 2017



As technological advancement become rigorous, innovative products such as solar shingles continue to proliferate in the market. Solar shingles utilize photovoltaic cells to generate electricity from the sun’s energy which generally produce 12 watts of power per square foot.
Image:roofpedia.com

Advantages of Solar Singles
As a Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) product, they may either use Copper Indium Gallium Selenide solar cells or mono- or poly- crystalline silicon cells.

This 2-in-1 roofing solutions is a good alternative to conventional solar panels and traditional roof shingles especially when homeowners need to have total roof replacement.

Here are the possible reasons why solar shingles continue to gain popularity in the market:

     Aesthetically Appealing
Solar shingles blend in seamlessly due to its structure similar to traditional roof lines and they come in variety of colors as well. They can be made from asphalt, concrete, glass, clay, or ceramic materials. This only means that the aesthetic appearance and overall architectural design of your home will not be compromised. Moreover, with this innovative product, you can do away with large and bulky solar panels because the same energy-saving mechanism will now be in your roof shingles.

     High Energy Efficiency
Since solar shingles are developed to convert sunlight into useable form of energy, they must yield highly efficient energy that may cover the building’s electricity requirements. Fortunately, solar shingles’ system efficiency is high enough to produce reasonable amount of electricity to sustain your home’s electricity needs. However, this BIPV still needs to be perfected in order to increase its efficiency like that of the traditional solar panels.

     Eco-friendly Roofing Solutions
This roofing solution produces clean energy from the sun. Consequently, it helps in protecting the environment by reducing carbon footprints brought about by fuel-generated electricity. Moreover, homeowners may save up to 40-70 percent on their electricity bills when they opt for solar shingles.

     Price Competitive with Traditional Shingles
The price of solar shingles started to come down and become price competitive with traditional solar panels. This may be more affordable if its production increases and become more accessible to more homeowners. Furthermore, if the savings you will get from electricity bills will be taken into account along with the total amount to be spend on roof replacement and installation of solar panels, solar shingles will cost less.

     Weather-resistant and Waterproof
Solar shingles are still a roof covering so it must still serve as a protection and barrier to all forms of weather elements that may damage the roof. True enough, this product can withstand heavy loads, damaging effects of natural elements and daily wear and tear, making your roof covering last longer. More importantly, solar shingles still make your roof water-resistant to prevent any leakage that may be detrimental to your roof’s integrity.

It is undeniable that solar shingles may replace traditional roof coverings and be utilized as energy saving solutions by every home in the future. This means that solar shingles may replace conventional shingles or solar panel arrays due to the number of benefits it delivers. If you would like to have these efficient and cost-effective roofing solutions, seek the help of authorized roofing contractors to have the product installed correctly at your home.

Written by True Son Exteriors, the best contractor for roofing in Columbia, MO.

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6 Tips to Select a Forwarder for Shipping Freight

>> May 30, 2017



When it comes to shipping freight from one destination to another, you just cannot choose a freight forwarder at random. You need to understand that a freight forwarder will work as your partner and play a big role in the success of your business. If your freight forward is not a trusted partner for your logistics needs, you will end up dealing with serious issues. Here are a few things to keep in mind to select the best freight forwarder:
 
image:en.wikipedia.org
·         Know your unique circumstances and needs. It is important to have a clear idea about your internal requirements before you start your search for a freight forwarder. Get some idea about what specific services will work for you and what mode of transport is more suitable for your business. It is also important to know about the volume you want to ship to select a right forwarder.

·         Educate yourself about freight forwarding industry. This will help you learn what they will be responsible for and what your responsibilities are once you sign a contract with them. Use the internet or talk directly to some freight forwarders to get a better idea about how they work.

·         Opt for a freight forwarder with ability to handle multiple types of shipments. Even if you think you ocean freight is currently the best option for you, you never know when you might need to use air freight. Therefore, it is better to select a forwarder with experience, technology, and capacity to handle different types of shipments.

·         Ensure they have the experience you require. It is important to check if they are capable of handling larger shipments. It is equally important to inquire how they are going to manage your shipment. This is related to designating a person who will serve as your point of contact for arranging documents, coordinating the shipment, and communicating when a problem arises.

·         Do not forget to ask about their network of agents working in your destination country. This is extremely important to ensure that your customer faces no issue when shipping freight. You should also inquire about it to avoid dealing with any issue for any DAP, DDU, DDP shipments.

·         Organize a list of requirements before going any further. It is always better to have a clear idea of when you want to begin. You should also have your objectives clear in your mind – it could be related to commodities being shipped, delivery time, terms of sales, special packaging requirements, volume, and more.

It is important to pay attention to all these points to be able to select the best freight forwarding company working with you. However, you should also choose to work with a company that comes with multiple service contracts and offers cargo insurance policies for all your shipments. This will ensure that you are working with a professional and that your shipment stays safe as well. Not all freight forwarders are going to offer insurance, so be sure to know this in advance to avoid any problem later.

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The Top 5 Most Expensive Movies To Hit The Cinemas



Movies come and go. But those that remain in our minds are either our favorites or are the most expensive.

Over the past decade, movies have become very expensive. The entire process of making movies is no joke; it is a very costly undertaking. You have to pay for its special effects, props, equipment, and sets. And you need to pay as well the actors, directors, designers, technicians, and other staff. Moreover, after wrapping up the film, it will have to undergo another process of special effects and major editing.

The film industry is a massive money-making machine. Movie budgets continue to exponentially increase over time despite the fact that not one person can exactly determine when it all started. No one can even single out the particular elements that caused these budgets to increase. But more or less, this phenomenon could be a result of our current obsession with fantasy or action-filled superhero films. This type of films requires increased budgets to pay for its stunts as well as its visual effects.

Though film producers do not disclose their exact budget, a unanimous decision has been made based on reports and interviews about how much money was spent for each film. Below are the top 5 most expensive movies to hit the cinemas.

5.   Spider-Man 3 (2007)
The entire production of the third installment of the Spider-Man trilogy amounted to $258 million as verified by Sony. The film was directed by Sam Raimi and was shot in New York, Cleveland, and Los Angeles. In this film, Spider-Man (Tobey Maguire) battled with Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), Venom (Topher Grace), and Harry Osborn as the New Goblin (James Franco).

The film reportedly grossed $890.9 million. Even though it was welcomed with mixed reviews, it was the most financially successful installment of the trilogy. Before Raimi and Sony had a falling out, a fourth installment was supposedly considered. Sony eventually moved on, and five years later, rebooted the franchise casting Andrew Garfield as the new Spider-Man.
 
image:en.wikipedia.org
4.   Tangled (2010)
The Disney animated movie Tangled costs more or less $260 million, making it the most expensive animated movie to ever hit the screen. Its story is loosely based upon Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm. It is the first Disney film that utilizes 3D animation technology and was in production for six years.

For an animated film to hit the box office, Tangled performed well with a worldwide gross of $591.8 million. It was well received by critics, was nominated for an Oscar and two Golden Globes, and won a Grammy for its soundtrack 'I See the Light'.

3.   John Carter (2012)
John Carter is a science fiction movie set on Mars that was based on Edgar Rice Burrough's A Princess of Mars. It stars Taylor Kitsch and was shot in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The tax rebate from the United Kingdom exposed the cost of the film to be over $300 million ($306.6 million to be exact and $263.7 million after tax rebate). Unfortunately, the film became a box office flop and only grossed $284.1 million . The amount it made did not make up for the entire cost of its film marketing and production. A lot of film scenes have been reshot making the filming process much longer than expected. Moreover, after production, over 2000 visual effects were added.

Because of its box office mediocre performance, especially in the United States cinemas, plans of a sequel were put on hold.
 
image:en.wikipedia.org
2.   Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
Avengers: Age of Ultron is the sequel to the first Avengers movie directed by Joss Whedon. It features a cast of A-listers including Robert Downey, Jr. as the Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, and Scarlett Johansson as the Black Widow. The film was initially shot in England with on-site filming in New York City, South Korea, Italy, and Bangladesh. The tax rebate from the United Kingdom revealed that the entire cost of the film was $330.6 million ($279.9 million after tax rebate).

With its all-star cast, the second Avengers movie is always expected to be an expensive film even before taking into account the total cost of its special effects after production.

It ranks sixth among the highest grossing films of all time, making a total amount of $1.403 billion at the box office. Despite the large figure, it was not able to beat the first Avengers movie that ranks fourth among the highest grossing films of all time. Its upcoming two-part sequel, Avengers: Infinity Wars, is rumored to be more expensive. Trusted sources claim that it could be more or less $1 billion

1.   Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
The fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, is the first film to have a budget of more than $400 million. The film was shot in Hawaii and in the United Kingdom and stars A-list actors Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Penelope Cruz as Angelica. It features around 1200 computer-generated services and utilized the same 3D film technology as James Cameron's Avatar (appreciate the movie in 3D technology with the use of your trusted smart TV box; check out http://www.wgtvboxes.com).

The tax rebate from the United Kingdom uncovered the entire cost of the production to be $410.6 million. This, of course, makes the film the most expensive movie of all time.

The investment was just worth it, anyhow, as it grossed a total amount of $1.046 billion at the box office.

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Best Educational Apps for Kids



In today’s generation, kids have more access to information more than ever. With the internet being more accessible to everyone, information can now be received just a few clicks away. Along with information being accessible, education has also improved. More children around the world have access to the best education available out there. With more and more children having access to the internet, it is important that this should be used for productive activities. One of the best ways to keep your children productive is by using apps. To keep your child productive and educated at the same time, here are some of the best educational apps for your children.

Flow
Photo Courtesy: appsafari.com
One of the more popular mobile games on this list, Flow is a simple but engaging puzzle game that taps into your child’s spatial and analysis skills. The goal of the game is to connect two lines of the same color in a grid. The puzzles start out as simple, and as the game progresses, it gets more challenging. With lots of levels and challenging gameplay, Flow is a game that your child will enjoy.

Drawing Pad
Photo Courtesy: mzstatic.com
If you want your child to tap into his artistic and creative side, then this app will definitely help hone those skills. Drawing Pad is a nice way to have your child do some drawings and painting, minus the mess that would come with actual art supplies. This app lets your child develop their art skills, which helps in the child’s creative thinking skills and focus. Although simple, Drawing Pad is an app that can provide enjoyment, and artistic expression at the same time.

iStoryBooks
Photo Courtesy: play.google.com
Having your child spend time reading is always a good activity, and a great way to get your children interested is by have them read stories. Having children read stories can improve their reading and understanding skills. iStoryBooks is an app that gives you some of the most popular children’s stories in a single place. With colorful and lively illustrations, even voice narration, this app can give your child a fun and productive time reading which they will enjoy. 

Hooked on Phonics
Photo Courtesy: play.google.com
If you want a fun and entertaining app that also helps develop your child’s reading and grammar skills, then Hooked on Phonics is the app your child would enjoy. The app provides a wide variety of lessons, games, and songs that help your child learn basic reading, grammar, and phonetics skills. The lessons contained in the app are progressive, which means that your child progresses through these games and activities as he/she improves their skills.

PBS Kids Video
Photo Courtesy: pbskids.org/apps/
With more children interested in watching videos from the internet nowadays, it is best to have them watch videos that they can learn from. PBS Kids Video offers a wide selection of educational cartoon videos that offer a large variety of lessons. Parents can also monitor the videos that their kids are watching through a parental tracker. With a good amount informative content available at your child’s fingertips, this app will help them learn, while also be entertained at the same time.

As mentioned earlier, with the diversity of information children can get from the internet, it is best to make sure that they are getting the ones that help them become productive and help them hone their skills. These apps would not only entertain your children, but also educate them as they learn new information and skills.

About the Author:
Esther Diaz
A 22-year-old graduate of graphic design, DIY enthusiast, make-up lover and has a love-hate relationship with desserts. I dream to be soon one of the known bloggers.

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About This Blog and Me!

Welcome to my blog. I'm a home maker, a stay at home wife. I'm just an ordinary woman who has interest in reading, working at home and learning to write. We live in Bogor, Indonesia.
This blog contains articles in family topic.
Contact me at linalg4@gmail.com

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