It’s shocking that one in three pet owners say they never take their dogs for a walk, and only a little more than half walk them at least once a day, according to a survey of 4000 dog owners by Pet360. Many pet owners think it is enough to let their pet roam in the yard rather than go for a walk. It’s likely that playing in the yard isn’t enough, as a survey of veterinarians by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention in 2012 found that 52.5% of dogs were overweight or obese. As for their owners, 60% of us likewise need to lose some weight. Walking with your dog is a great way to get in the minimum recommended 30 minutes o...
THERE are times in everyone’s life when only a hug will do. Now one Japanese company has come up with a chair that’s always ready to give a comforting cuddle. The “tranquility chair” is built in the shape of a larger-than-life fabric doll with a friendly face and a fetching hat, but more importantly, it has long arms that wrap around the user in an affectionate embrace. “It makes you feel safe. Anyone can use it, but it is designed for older people,” said a spokesman for UniCare, which is selling the chair, at the International Home Care and Rehabilitation Exhibition in Tokyo. Around a quarter of Japan’s population is current...
If you own a business, it is critical to find a tax preparer who understands the tax implications of owning a small business as well as your particular needs in order to establish a beneficial relationship. And just because you’ve used the same professional for the last few years doesn’t mean you have to stick with him or her. When looking for a tax pro, make sure the one you consider is certified. According to Dave Du Val of www.taxaudit.com, “In the United States more than 60% of ‘tax professionals’ are not qualified or certified. Just because a shingle is out doesn’t mean that the person has the proper background to serve you p...
The day after Netflix Inc. defied an order from Canada’s broadcast regulator to hand over its subscriber data, the U.S. video-streaming service insisting it was not bound by Canadian regulations, legal observers said the commission has little recourse to force the matter besides taking the company to court. If the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission does resort to that however, it could put the very power of the government to regulate internet content to the test — and the government may not like the outcome. The CRTC and Netflix are currently stuck in a stalemate over several orders for commercially sensitive info...
If you own a business, it is critical to find a tax preparer who understands that tax implications of owning a small business as well as your particular needs in order to establish a beneficial relationship. And just because you’ve used the same professional for the last few years doesn’t mean you have to stick with him or her. When looking for a tax pro, make sure the one you consider is certified. According to Dave Du Val of www.taxaudit.com, “In the United States more than 60% of ‘tax professionals’ are not qualified or certified. Just because a shingle is out doesn’t mean that the person has the proper background to serve y...
Housing starts slumped in August from the highest level in almost seven years, reflecting a setback in multifamily projects that are at the forefront of the rebound in U.S. real estate. Beginning home construction fell 14.4 percent, the most since April 2013, to a 956,000 annualized rate following July’s revised 1.12 million pace that was the strongest since November 2007, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. Work on apartments and condominiums, which tends to be volatile, dropped 31.7 percent after jumping 44.9 percent in July. As more Americans decide that homeownership isn’t for them because wage growth is slow and qualify...
The Russian rouble has fallen to a new all-time low against the US dollar amid concerns about the effect of sanctions on the country’s economy. The rouble fell about 1% to 38.72 per dollar, the weakest it has been since the currency was restructured in 1998. Last week, the US and Europe introduced further sanctions against Russia for its actions in Ukraine. Former finance minister Alexei Kudrin said on Tuesday sanctions would have a material impact on the Russian economy. “The sanctions that have been imposed are going to have an effect for the next one or two years because they have limited opportunities for investment in this un...
Wearable technology is not a brand new concept. But now it’s more than your wrist that can be adorned with smart technology. Samsung just announced a new wearable device called the Samsung Gear Circle, which is basically a necklace that pairs with the user’s smartphone. The Gear Circle includes a set of headphones worn around the neck like a collar. It notifies the wearer of incoming calls and alerts, and can also be used to take calls, listen to music, and give voice commands using a Bluetooth connection. It’s not the very first product of its kind though. LG offers a similar set of headphones also designed to go around the neck like...
Have you ever tried to unravel the mysteries of what makes a blog post or article go viral, capturing readers’ interest so that they share it again and again across social media platforms? To explore this question, the content marketing company Fractl teamed up with content analyzer Buzzsumo. They reviewed shares of 1 million articles from 190 top publishers (including this one) across five social media platforms over six months–2.7 billion shares in all. The findings were thought-provoking (check out the full report at the bottom of this post): 1. Different social media have different moods. It turns out 70 percent of the 500 mos...
Today’s a great day for making fun of James Harden. Team USA’s defensive stalwart is being mocked online for, well, his terrible defense during the FIBA Basketball Championship. Oh, and he also fell of a Segway. Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson took a swipe at Harden this weekend on Instagram. After watching the Dallas Cowboys’ abysmal defensive performance, Lawson posted a photo of Harden as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. Lawson writes: “Cowboys defensive coordinator ” It’s not really news that Harden is terrible at defense. But seeing him playing side by side with the NBA’s best players… well, his lack of effort on the d...