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Open roads and motorcycle safety is always in style!

Open roads and motorcycle safety is always in style!

 

Blue Skies and open roads are finally here. Not only does that mean it’s time to get your motorcycle back on the road, but also to make sure you are riding with safety.  “While motorcycles are cool, they just aren’t as safe as cars. To some people, that’s part of the appeal. Living life on the edge and taking risks can be part of what makes riding a motorcycle rewarding.” In this blog, you will find many safety tips to make sure you have the best experience possible.

 

  1. Wear a helmet. A helmet can help reduce or prevent concussions, skull fractures, damage to eye sockets or other facial features, and traumatic brain injuries.
  2. Take a motorcycle safety course. http://nysmsp.org/, is one of the many places to offer both basic and beyond basic motorcycle safety courses.
  3. Check your motorcycle before hitting the road. Make sure the lights, horn, blinkers, brakes, and tires are in good working order before you even turn on the engine, especially if you have not been on your bike recently.
  4. Educate your passengers. Make sure to have a spare helmet ready for anyone else who will ride with you on your motorcycle, and talk them through motorcycle safety so you can drive distraction-free.
  5. Keep your hands firmly on the handlebars. Too many drivers take one hand off the wheel, especially to fiddle with the radio or answer their phone. Distracted driving is dangerous enough when you’re surrounded by metal and airbags – when you’re operating a motorcycle, all you have between yourself and hitting the pavement is your safety gear and your awareness. Keep your hands in place, steering your bike, and look out for other drivers.
  6. Look twice at every intersection. Look left, then right, then left again before driving through an intersection. Many drivers do not look carefully for stop or yield signs. A number of drivers involved in motorcycle accidents claim that they did not even see the rider before it was too late. This simple safety precaution can help ensure that you see them and that they see you before it’s too late.
  7. Leave enough space. As a motorcyclist, you will not have the benefit of a bumper if you hit the vehicle in front of you, and you could easily fly off your bike and seriously injure yourself.

 

Along with these safety tips, you should also make sure your insurance is completely up to date. One major detour / red light on your joy ride, could be not having proper coverage, including motorcycle accessory coverage. Here at C.H. Edwards, we make getting proper coverage as easy as cruising through green lights. Give us a call for your no obligation quotation.

Water Conservation Gardening Tips

Water Conservation Gardening Tips

As the weather heats up, many homeowners will be heading outside to start planting their favorite flowers, fruits, herbs, and vegetables.

Along with efficient gardening comes extended and excessive water use. Here are some simple tips that will help you conserve water while keeping your garden in tip-top shape.

The right plants. The best water conservation strategies start and end with plant selection. Look for drought-tolerant plants. Many have gray or silver foliage. Others have thick, fleshy leaves and are called succulents. These plants naturally need less water.

Compost. Adding compost to your garden soil regularly, not only adds beneficial nutrients, but also helps the soil retain moisture.

Shredded Leaves. Shredded leaves make excellent mulch, and better yet, they are free! Spread them in the fall to insulate the soil and prevent frost damage of perennials. The shreds will eventually break down and feed the soil, just like a compost.

Drip Irrigation. If you want to water your pots more efficiently, use a drip irrigation system to put water in the root zone. You can even hook it up to a timer to automatically start and stop irrigation.

These are just a few tips to help you save on water this gardening season. So, get out there, get gardening and save while you’re at it too!

For more information on water conservation please visit http://www.rodalesorganiclife.com/garden/top-10-ways-conserve-water.

Written by: Amanda Haase

Selena Gomez lights up the stage at the Barclay Center.

Selena Gomez lights up the stage at the Barclay Center.

The lights dimmed and in a blink of an eye, the princess of pop had taken the stage. And yes, we are talking about Selena Gomez here. Last week, she had made a stop at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn as a part of her Revival Tour. DNCE and Bea Miller also made an appearance to kick off the start of an amazing show.

Selena performed a majority of songs from her most recent album, which is titled Revival. Some of the hits that she performed included, “Kill Em with Kindness”, “Good For You”, “Me & My Girls” and “Nobody”. She also performed some throwback tunes including, “Who Says” and “Come and Get It”.  From the glittery costumes to the dance routines, there was never a dull moment throughout the entire show.

Over the past few years, Selena has gone through many rough patches. Including her extremely public breakup and also being diagnosed with lupus. This tour meant a lot to her and her confidence had made it clear that this was in fact, her revival. “This show is so centered around me, and I mean that in a way of confidence, of strength,” Gomez says. “It has a beautiful feel to it, but it is about me, so if I wanted to come in one day and say I want to change [a song in the show] or add this, I can do that. That’s the first time I’ve ever really been able to do that in my life. And I feel, I feel great about it. It’s not me making sure I hit all the dance moves. There’s so much I want to prove to myself for this tour and it’s just based on me, it’s based on my voice, it’s based on what I say to my crowd,” she adds. “That’s all I really want.”

Selena is also taking this tour to bring awareness to lupus. She will be donating the proceeds from each ticket sold to the Alliance for Lupus Research. “Based in New York, ALR (Alliance for Lupus Research) is a national voluntary health organization whose mission is to find better treatments and ultimately prevent lupus. Gomez’s camp says ALR was selected because of its broad reach. Gomez revealed her lupus diagnosis in a 2015 Billboard cover story.” With the success of her current tour and with all of her future plans, Selena is definitely taking the world by storm.

Stay cool for the summer with starbucks!

Stay cool for the summer with starbucks!

Starbucks is about to give you some new options to wake up in the morning and to stay cool all summer long. This summer, Starbucks is releasing two new types of Cold Brews. These two new menu items will be Nitro Cold Brew and Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew.

 

Let`s start off with the Nitro Cold Brew. This is considered a spin on the signature Cold Brew. But this time is unique because it’ll be infused with nitrogen. The reasoning behind this combination is to give a smoother and more creamy texture to the beverage. What makes it even more fascinating is that it will be poured to perfection right out of a tap. “Nitro Cold Brew is cold right out of the tap and served unsweetened without ice. A Tall (12-ounce) serving has 5 calories and 0 grams of sugar.” This new way of serving up a classic Cold Brew is definitely going to be interesting to see. “We start with a small, chilled keg of Starbucks Cold Brew coffee,” said Anthony Carroll, a 20-year partner on Starbucks Coffee team. “Then it’s infused with nitrogen, which unlocks the super-smooth, natural sweetness of the Cold Brew coffee, which then cascades from the tap with a velvety texture you can see and taste.” Currently this beverage is being offered in select stores in Seattle. By the end of the summer, the list of participating stores will increase. And we are in luck, because New York is on the list! Along with 500 company-operated stores in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

 

The second Cold Brew is a sweeter version of the signature drink. “We wanted to create a coffee-forward iced beverage with a splash of sweet cream,” said Christal Canzler from Starbucks beverage development team. This delicious combination will be made with Starbucks Cold Brew over ice and finished off with a house-made vanilla sweet cream. “A Tall (12-ounce) serving is 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar.”  These two new beverages will definitely help you stay cool for the summer. Which one will you try first?

 

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Happy National Doughnut Day! Are you planning on celebrating this sweet day? One way you can do this is by stopping by your local Krispy Kreme. No matter what kind of doughnut you like, they are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Aside from the free doughnuts, there’s actually a lot more behind this day. This sweet tradition goes all the way back to World War I. During this time, the women who volunteered for the Salvation Army would make doughnuts for the soldiers who were fighting over seas. The Salvation Army then took this idea and launched National Doughnut Day in 1938 in Chicago. The purpose of this day was to raise funds and awareness for the organization.

This tradition then carried into World War II. But this time the Salvation Army volunteers had a new title. They would be called either Salvation Army`s dough girls or dough lassies. As LIFE wrote of the volunteers, “They are hand-picked for looks, education, personality and experience in recreational fields. They are hardy physically and have a sociable, friendly manner.” The soldier’s spirits were instantly lifted when they were delivered doughnuts. The slogan “doughnuts will win the war”, was also commonly used. Now you know the historical facts behind this delicious treat. You can also donate to the Salvation Army when you pick up your free doughnut at Krispy Kreme!

 

Don’t Get Caught Without Renters Insurance

Don’t Get Caught Without Renters Insurance

Homeowners and auto insurance are “no brainers” for most Americans. Well, why shouldn’t renter’s insurance be too?

According to a recent survey, 60% of renters do not carry renters insurance. Many people think that they can’t afford it, or it’s not important. Truth is, renters insurance is one of the most affordable and most important policies you can carry when being a renter.

More than half of renters without a renter’s policy reported that they didn’t think they could afford it. Prices vary depending on the level of coverage you choose for your policy. The average cost of a renter’s policy is about $15 a month! That’s less than what the average American worker would pay a month on coffee.

17% of renters without a renter’s policy said that they didn’t think renter’s insurance was important. Although that is far from the truth, it is very easy to think that a catastrophe won’t happen to you. In the United States, a house fire takes place every 90 seconds and break-ins occur every 15 seconds. When it comes to replacing everything you own in the event of a loss, the costs can add up very quickly. This is where renter’s insurance comes in.

If you are like the 16% of renters who choose not to purchase renters insurance and don’t fully understand what is covered, it is easy to think that you do not need it. In fact, many people assume that they are covered under their landlord’s policy or their family’s homeowner’s policy when renting at home. Your landlord’s policy only covers damage to the building, and your family’s homeowner’s policy will not cover your personal belongings, if you are over the age of 18.

Individual renter’s policies generally cover personal items that are lost due to fire, smoke, wind, hail, theft, vandalism and, in some cases, water damage.
Bottom line, avoid being the 60% of Americans that don’t have renters insurance.

For more information on renters insurance, please visit our website at www.chedwards.net

Written by: Amanda Haase

Calling all WWE fans!

Calling all WWE fans!

Are you a wrestling fan? Well I have some good news for you! There is a SmackDown mash up about to take place every week. The best part is that it will be live! Every Thursday, starting July 19th. This is considered to be the second longest-running weekly episodic program in all of television history.

 

The star-powered roster has never been stronger. This includes appearances from competitors from WWE NXT, and top superstars like John Cena and Seth Rollins. All of this excitement will be brought right to your living room every Thursday. Now with it being live, you’ll feel like you are actually there!

 

“WWE’s flagship programs will both leverage the incredible depth of our talent roster, distinct storylines and the unpredictable nature of live TV,” WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon said. “This move will undoubtedly build more excitement and deepen engagement with our fans around th­e world.” Don’t forget to tune in Every Thursday on USA Network at 8/7 C. WWE is about to be shaken up like never before and it’s something you won’t want to miss!

Hands-free driving is about to have a new meaning!

Hands-free driving is about to have a new meaning!

Hands free driving is about to get a new meaning. One of the first self-driving cars will debut in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania next week. And the company debuting this vehicle is Uber. This past February, the ride-sharing company announced that they would be partnering with Carnegie Mellon University to open its Uber Advanced Technologies Center in Pittsburgh. It is preparing to launch autonomous vehicles in to its fleet by 2020.

“Self-driving cars have the potential to save millions of lives and improve quality of life for people around the world,” Uber said in a blog post on its site, citing a statistic that 94% of car accidents that result in the loss of live involve human error.

Uber`s rival Lyft, is also trying to get in on all of this action. Lyft has released a statement this month that they are currently in the same process. “Executives at Lyft and Uber have said one of the top hurdles to their success is navigating a patchwork of regulations that govern the use and liabilities of autonomous vehicles. Federal regulators are working to help companies figure out how to meet safety standards when designing cars.” This project is still in the early stages for both Lyft and Uber. With all the pros and cons to this, it’s interesting to see what will happen.

Natural Gas Safety

Natural Gas Safety

Whether you are at home, at work, or in a public place, it is likely that you are in an area served by natural gas. Natural gas pipelines quietly and efficiently transport natural gas every day to residential homes and businesses.

Just like with other forms of energy, natural gas must be handled with proper care. Despite the industry’s excellent safety record, a gas leak can occur at any time and potentially cause a hazardous and dangerous situation.

Many gas pipelines are underground in public areas. These areas are marked off with lines to show an approximate location of the pipeline, however, this line will not indicate its depth. These markers will also display the pipeline’s operator and telephone number where the operator can be contacted in case of an emergency.

It is important to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of natural gas and prepare yourself to act quickly in the event of an emergency.

A gas leak can be often recognized by three of the senses, smell, sight, and sound.

Smell – Natural gas is colorless and odorless. However, it has a very distinct, and pungent odor. Similar to rotten eggs.

Sight – You may see a white cloud, mist, fog or bubbles in standing water or blowing dust. You may also see vegetation that appears to be dead for no apparent reason.

Sound – Hearing a roaring, hissing or whistling noise, could also be a sign of a gas leak.

If you recognize any of these, move to a safe place and call 911 immediately.

Do not smoke or operate electrical switches or appliances, as this can cause an explosion. Most importantly, do not assume that someone else will report the condition. Provide an exact location to where the gas leak is when reporting to the police.

For more information on gas leaks and gas safety, please visit https://www.nationalgridus.com/Long-Island-NY-Business/Natural-Gas-Safety/

Written by: Amanda Haase