In emerging markets it might be hard to find the money to start up a business. Could cloud computing be a game changer in these markets?
The emerging markets are definitely interesting to cloud developers and providers. Cloud computing is popular because of the low running costs and low need of knowledge, but for the emerging markets, there are still obstacles to overcome.
Advantages.
One of the main advantages with cloud computing is the low cost of implementation. You don’t necessarily need a server, but can instead use of one of the many cloud providers out there. Most small and medium businesses will find that the cloud has a solution to suit their needs. Furthermore this also means that you won’t have to pay for an expensive license. As we’ve seen in both webOS’s and dedicated cloud OS’s most of the software bundled with an OS is included in the monthly subscription or even free. Furthermore if developers need more resources cloud servers are easy scalable, due to the fact that many of the providers offer pay-as-you-go solutions.
Another advantage is, that the cloud can be set up anywhere with an internet access. Since it is possible to store everything in the cloud, you can practically access your systems from a bamboo hut in the jungle. Furthermore if you provide your employees with a cheap netbook, you actually don’t need to provide an expensive office. This also means that if you require a person with certain competences, but such a person isn’t available in your region, you can still collaborate on projects over vast distances. As we saw in LotusLive communication and collaboration isn’t a problem since these functions often are integrated in cloud interfaces.
Then what about finding clients? Well, since your business is already using the internet on a daily basis it is even easier for you to bring it online and by this making your services available to customers worldwide.
Basic issues.
To be productive in the cloud requires some sort of a computer device. One obvious example could be a chromebook, but they are still as expensive as an ordinary laptop. Netbooks are much cheaper and it’s easy to install a hybrid OS or use a webOS. Simmtronics have tried to make use of this and are now selling their 199$ netbook in emerging markets. This is of course positive since several organizations have stated that 200$ is the point where computers becomes widely available to the public in poor countries. It can still be done cheaper. Raspberry Pi, a UK-based nonprofit organization, are currently working on a computer of the size of a credit card. The expected price for their device is 25$. The cheapest monitor on Bestbuy.com is sold for 80$, and then you’ll need a keyboard and a mouse which is 20$. This way you’ll have a full set-up for 125$. Their system runs on Ubuntu, but another Linux distribution, TinyCore, could be configured to start up directly in the web browser.
In developing countries and also emerging markets power isn’t always stable. Since power is necessary for a computer to work, then this is definitely an obstacle. The solution to this problem could be solar power since many of the emerging markets are located in sunny locations.
Another problem is connectivity. In quite a few emerging markets the access to broadband connections is very limited. The reason why the advanced economies are so well connected is that they had a huge density of preexisting phone lines which were easy to convert in to broadband connections. But digging cables in to the ground is expensive. Wireless internet access is much more interesting for small and medium businesses in emerging markets. VSAT was one of the first solutions, but with low bandwidth and high pricing it isn’t a viable solution. Instead 3G and Wimax could be the solution for these countries, but of course wireless as well as wired connections requires investments.
Each year the World Economic Forum publishes a report on the global ICT (internet and communication technology) and measures the network readiness of each country. In this statistic education plays an important role. Education must be prioritized in emerging markets for them to evolve in to an advanced market. In relations to cloud computing the question is if they know about this great concept. Is information available to entrepreneurs in emerging markets?
Three ways to evolution.
The development in the countries which are emerging markets moves to a more urbanised society. Therefore cloud computing knowledge centers need to be established in the biggest cities in these countries. By doing this both providers, developers and users can benefit from the concept. IBM is a huge player in the cloud industry and seems to spend a lot of time on developing new markets. They could be a great provider of such a facility.
To reduce costs and improve connectivity, new businesses could start out in a shared office facility. That way the firms could share a wired broadband connection, which is often more stable and faster than a wireless connection. There are obvious advantages for governments supporting such a facility. If you make it easier to start up new companies, then even if only a small percentage of these grow bigger over the years, these companies create jobs, income, export and in the end an increase of the annual GDP.
Of course we can’t just invest in the main cities. If a country’s leading communication providers don’t continuously work to expand the country’s communication infrastructure, the government has to step in. It must not act as a service provider itself though. It would be far better to present the providers with a reward as for example an exemption of taxes on new network areas within a limited period of time.
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This one particular question always plagues users and businesses across the globe. Usually small business units find shared hosting a very economical and a viable option. However, in due course of time, businesses expand and usually outgrow the shared web hosting plans that they once started with. That’s where Virtual Private Server (VPS) comes into play. VPS, as per a business point of view, serves both, small time business houses, as well as, mid-sized units; both of which have a bulk of data to handle on a daily basis, via their site or by e-mail. In the technical language VPS basically bridges the gap between Shared Web Hosting Services and Dedicated Hosting Services, providing every user an equal amount of freedom from the rest, while maintaining economy in operation.
Though both VPS and Shared hosting have several similarities such as, usage of a single server to provide services, similar level of compartmentalization to separate multiple users’ files from each other; they still have a clear distinction. This distinction will be outlined in the rest of this article on very specific grounds.
Private Email Server & IP Address
While shared web hosting solutions share both the web server and e-mail server, with a VPS Hosting Solution an organization, will have the privilege of having its own e-mail server, exclusive to handle all its mails. Since in a VPS, the email would be generated from a unique IP address, it will ensure quick and accurate delivery, ensuring privacy at all times. Moreover it prevents Spammers from infesting your mailbox.
An Exclusive Operating System
With VPS servers, one enjoys the exclusiveness of having, full autonomy in terms of operating systems that would be designed and would cater exclusively to the needs of the VPS to use. While such a system seems identical to having a dedicated server, one still enjoys the benefits of a shared hosting account.
Performance
A very advantageous feature of VPS, that makes it a more viable option over Shared hosting is, that no one customer, is in a position to have access to a larger share of resources. Hence uniformity and reliability always prevails.
Security
As far as security is concerned VPS accounts are insulated from each other, this minimizes the threat that unauthorized access can bring along with, ensuring safety against hackers or other customers. Further since the account is in isolation, any kind of DoS attack, intended for someone else, would not affect the user.
Firewall Customization
With a Shared web hosting, necessary access must be provided to users, to be able to access web-mail, POP, FTP etc. With a VPS system in place, the firewall is capable of being locked down, in order to provide access from specific nodes, to a certain set of services. This is possible as a VPS is a standalone environment.
If it were to be concluded in a nut shell, Shared hosting is like living in an apartment but still not is able to enjoy the privacy, which a VPS service promises. However the ease of operation and low costs still works as a driving factor, for some to choose Shared over VPS.
GERD, which stand for “gastroesophageal reflux disease” and also commonly known as “acid reflux disorder”, is an inflammation of the esophagus caused by regurgitation of the contents of the stomach. It is often recognized by its symptoms of “heartburn” which reportedly affects 1 out of every 10 adults in the U.S. on a daily basis. It is a problem almost everyone experiences at some time but some people experience it in a more severe and frequent manner. Hence, the constant look out for new cures or treatments from the discomfort of this disorder. We will explore some of these gerd natural treatment options in this article.
One of the easiest ways to deal with GERD is by making some simple lifestyle changes. For example, the foods that you consume can affect your acid reflux symptoms. There are foods that you can incorporate into your diet to bring relief from the acid reflux pain. One of the simplest remedy that will bring immediate relief to the acid reflux discomfort is to drink some tea made from anise, peppermint, and lavender. This combination of herbs soothes the pain and reduces the acidic content of your stomach. Anise is known to help with the digestion while peppermint calms the heartburn and gas. Lavender is a soothing body aid that also reduces stomach acid. Such simple changes to our lifestyle is itself a gerd natural treatment.
Certain fruits can help with acid reflux because of their enzymes that aid digestion. Adding a piece of papaya or a pineapple to our meal can reduce the occurrence of heartburns. Papaya helps in digestion and pineapple reduces inflammation, and their high enzyme content can help stop acid reflux. For people who don’t care for pineapple or papayas, chicory root is a great alternative. Boil it in water and drink it as a soothing tea.
Another way to keep acid reflux symptoms at bay is to eat plenty of vegetables and fruits. Incorporating a salad and fruits into your daily meal plan is a great way to reduce the painful symptoms of acid reflux. Best of all, vegetables and fruits are healthy for you as they contain the nutrients and fibers that our bodies need to flourish.
Refrain from eating food that can damage your oesophagus. Any food with sharp edges can cause little lacerations as they go down your oesophagus. You should eat more soft food like potatoes, soups, scrambled eggs or congee during the GERD treatment period. Refrain also from eating spicy foods, acidic foods or anything that you know can cause heartburn. Abstain from drinking alcohol beverages, sodas, carbonated water and acidic drinks such as tomato and orange juice. If you smoke and, or drink coffee, try to cut down on these when undergoing a gerd natural treatment.
Try to drink plenty of water everyday to dilute the acid and normalize the pH in your body. Drinking about 1 gallon of filtered water daily with high doses of quality probiotics goes a long way toward restoring normal stomach function for most people.
Make sure to sleep with your upper body elevated. Often, sleeping at an angle that works in conjunction with gravity allows your stomach acids to properly travel to your stomach right where they belong.
It is important to note that the GERD symptoms differ from person to person. The same is true of effective methods of treatments. What works for one person may not work for another. If you are sick of the discomfort from the heartburn and want to seek immediate relief, Click Here to learn more about GERD and GERD natural treatment. You can learn about about other health issues and natural treatments at http://www.causetreatmentcure.com
Community association management companies specialize in managing small to large community associations. This would include communities that have home owner’s or property owner’s association. Community association management companies work side by side with the homeowner association in performing all the tasks necessary to have the community running smoothly and within budget. A management company will typically perform annual budget reviews, coordinate all common area maintenance and upkeep, facilitate homeowner’s board meetings, collect association dues, and make sure all residents are within compliance with the CC & R’s of the community. This can be a very demanding job and should only be perform by companies with the experience and expertise to take on these types of properties.
Community association management is becoming an increasingly more challenging and highly competitive field. With per capita population growing in the mid-size to large cities in America, millions of new condominium and residential housing units and developments are being built to accommodate this growth. So why not outsource your community property needs to the experts? The level of professionalism and need for technology your property management company should deliver makes selecting the best more complicated than simply choosing a name and address from the phone book.
Some duties of a Community Association Management team
Usually hired by a volunteer board of directors of the association, they administer the daily affairs, and oversee the maintenance of property and facilities that the homeowners own and use jointly through the association. The management team will prepare financial statements and budgets for the community as a whole. They interact with homeowners and tenants on a daily basis, and can help resolve complaints amongst resident. Collecting association dues or assessment payment from property owners is a common duty of a management company. They will also assist the board of directors in making sure everyone within the community is in compliance with association and government rules and regulations.
In addition to administering the associations financial records and budget, the management companies may be responsible for hiring and coordination of contractors for any major renovation or repair to exterior buildings and common structures. This could include maintenance of community pools, golf courses, community centers, and for the maintenance of landscaping, street lighting, snow removal and parking areas. These types of property management companies also may meet with the elected boards of directors to discuss and resolve legal issues or disputes that may affect the owners, as well as to review any proposed changes or improvements by homeowners to their properties, making sure that they comply with community guidelines.
Things to look for in a community association management company:
* Proven track record of managing planned community properties
* Years in the business could show reliability and a proven track record
* This is a very specialize facet of property management and requires specific qualifications and training
* Is their current portfolios within budget and running smoothly, or are there major issues such as financial problems or rundown communities under their management
* Accurate bookkeeping and records
* Timely response in dealing with issues that may arise
* Enforcement of Covenant, condition and restrictions (CC and R’s) for the community they manage
* Enforcement of HOA dues collection
These are just a few important criteria’s to gage the success of a community association management company. A thriving planned community will be in harmony, beautifully aesthetic and an asset to all that live there as well as for the surrounding neighborhoods.
Karen McDaniel
Principal/CEO
Property Management Profile LLC
Property Management Profile offers the most up-to-date listing of full-service property management companies nationwide. We have become a wealth of information and resource for the first-time landlord as well as the seasoned investors. We should know what we’re talking about, as owner and creator of Property Management Profile, Karen McDaniel, has owned and managed many of her own properties. Today, all are managed by professional property management companies, so she now has more time to continue her work educating and helping others make better choices when it comes to finding a qualified property management company.
For any property management company that is looking to gain national exposure by capturing the attention of out-of-state investors or be found by local clientele, http://www.PropertyManagementProfile.com is the place to showcase their business model and expertise to these prospective clients. We offer an opportunity for all property management companies to list their company on our website, whether you specialize in residential, commercial, vacation or community association management. We accept small to corporate size management companies. We also offer a Free basic listing.
“Do I need life insurance?” “Is whole life insurance a good investment?” “Is term life insurance risky?” Questions like these are posted in online communities on a daily basis. The answers vary widely, with the term life and whole life camps polarized. The tone of the debate is surprisingly strident. After all, the topic is insurance—not a something expected to inspire strong opinions, let alone strong language. But words like “rip-off,” “scam,” and “waste of money” fly back and forth, sometimes accompanied by rows of exclamation marks or worse. What is behind the brouhaha? And which camp—if either—is right?
The two sides do not even agree about whether a person needs life insurance. Whole lifers say, yes. You do not want the death of a family member to disrupt your family’s finances or jeopardize its future. It is hard enough to adjust to the loss of a loved one. Adding financial difficulties exacerbates the problem. With the skyrocketing costs of funerals, even children and seniors should have at least a small life insurance policy.
Not so fast, say the term lifers. The only reason to have life insurance is to replace the lost income of a family member who dies, and then only when the spouse or family is dependent on that income. If you are single with no dependents and no debts that might be transferred to your family in the event you die, then you do not need life insurance. If you are married and your spouse works, you probably do not need life insurance, either, assuming your spouse makes enough to support himself or herself.
The time for life insurance, term lifers say, is when the policyholder’s income is vital to the financial security of the family. If, for example, you have purchased a home together and your spouse could not pay the mortgage and other bills by himself or herself, then life insurance is in order. If you have children, you will want to have enough life insurance to allow your family to maintain its lifestyle after you are gone. This includes not only meeting day-to-day expenses, but also being able to follow through with plans for higher education. Insurance professionals recommend buying a policy with a face value 5-10 times the breadwinner’s annual salary to help family meet expenses for a period of years.
Whole lifers see problems with the term-life scenario. The view it as overly optimistic, even naïve. Many things can happen during the 20- to 30-year period covered by term life insurance that could extend the need for coverage beyond the policy’s end date. For example, children may be born mentally retarded, with severe autism, or with another serious condition that could prevent them from becoming independent when they reach adulthood. Children also can develop a disease or suffer an accident that disables them. A spouse, too, can become disabled. In these situations, the family will remain dependent on the breadwinner’s income long after the term life policy expires.
Term life insurance advocates point out that in such cases, the breadwinner can renew the term life policy, or take out a new one. Now it’s the whole lifers’ turn to say, “Not so fast.” By the time the second term life policy is needed, the breadwinner will likely be in his or her fifties or even sixties. Due to the age of the insured, the cost of a second term life policy will be much higher than the cost of the first was. With the added years come added risks of certain diseases. If the breadwinner is obese, has developed high blood pressure, a heart condition, diabetes, or another disease, the cost of the term life policy will skyrocket. If the individual has developed cancer or AIDS, he or she may not be insurable at all. In such situations, the cost savings realized on the first term life policy could be wiped out by the high cost of a second term life policy.
By contrast, the premiums of a whole life policy are set for life and do not go up with age or medical condition. A whole life policy cannot be canceled due to medical conditions, either. The policy remains in force until death, as long as the premiums are paid.
“Until death” is another advantage of whole life, its advocates maintain. Whole life gets its name from the fact that it insures the policyholder life until death. As a result, whole life insurance is guaranteed to pay a death benefit—the amount the policy pays upon the death of the insured. The death benefit can be increased—at certain points at no additional cost—as the policyholder ages. A small policy designed to cover the funeral costs of a child can be increased to provide adequate coverage during an adult’s peak earning years. Whatever the death benefit or “face value” of the whole life policy, the insurance company guarantees to pay it. As a result, the policyholder or his or her beneficiaries always receive some, all, or more than the premiums paid into the policy.
This is not the case with a term life policy, whole lifers point out. The term life insurance policyholder can pay premiums for 30 years, but if he or she outlives the policy—even by a day—then all of the premium money is gone. The only thing the policyholder will have received is 30 years worth of peace of mind.
Whole life insurance, by contrast, accumulates a value that the policyholder can access during his or her lifetime. This value is known as the cash value or the surrender value. The whole life policy holder can use the cash value as collateral for a loan, or even borrow some of it during his or her lifetime. The policyholder must pay this amount back. If he or she dies before it is paid back, then the unpaid amount is deducted from the death benefit. If the policyholder decides to cancel the policy, the insurance company will pay him or her the cash value, which is then known as the surrender value. Whole life, its proponents maintain, is not only insurance against death. It is an investment for life.
This is where the debate turns nasty. Term lifers often ridicule the investment features of whole life. Because whole life always pays a death benefit, it costs 5-10 times more than term life does. Term lifers argue that a person is much better off getting a term policy for the same face value that they would get a whole life policy, then saving and investing the difference in premiums. Almost any investment will return more than a whole life policy will, term lifer proponents maintain. Over 20 or 30 years, the difference can be vast. Buy insurance to insure, the term lifers say, and use the savings to invest.
Whole lifers respond that the return on a whole life policy is guaranteed at the outset, something than cannot be said for other investments. To earn greater rewards, the term life policyholder must take greater risks in the open market. Many investments will outperform whole life insurance, but not all will. Some investments lose money, as shareholders in World Com, Enron, Peregrine Systems, and many other companies can attest.
Even if the investment will pay out, it is not certain that the term life policyholder will actually make it. To do so, he or she must calculate the amount saved over whole life insurance; save that money every month, quarter, or year; research possible investments; and contribute to that investment regularly for 20 or 30 years. This makes sense for disciplined and savvy investors, but many others will find the endeavor daunting and time consuming. They may not start it, and if they do, they may not continue it. Whole life takes care of insurance, savings, and investment in one easy payment. Even if the returns on whole life are not great, saving something is better than saving nothing, and nothing is exactly how much many term life policyholders will end up saving.
Both whole life and term life have pros and cons. People who are financially savvy and disciplined will gain from the term life scenario. Those who need a convenient and simple mechanism for insurance and savings will benefit from whole life insurance. Deciding which is best for you requires an honest appraisal of your goals, your lifestyle, and your investing skills.