(BPT) – A flash of lighting, a loud clap of thunder and BOOM! Suddenly everything goes dark and you know the power in your home is officially out.

Just about everyone has experienced a power outage due to a seasonal storm in their lifetime and it is a trend that continues to grow between super storms and ageing infrastructure. And with more and more homeowners relying on technology to run their homes — from appliances to utilities to entertainment — when the power goes out, consumers are more easily frustrated.

Cummins, a global leader in backup power solutions, conducted a Harris Poll survey to better understand Americans’ intolerance of power outages in today’s digital age. Has modern technology and digital homes made people more intolerant of losing their power?

The survey polled 2,000 adults and 61 percent reported they feel frustration when the power goes out. In addition, 22 percent said there was nothing fun about a power outage. Of those who reported they could be entertained for some time with no power, 32 percent said it stopped being fun after one to four hours. It’s no surprise then that 29 percent of respondents would rather wait in line at the DMV than lose power.

The research also shows Americans’ tolerance for a power outage is at its lowest during the busiest home periods of the day. Sixty-three percent of respondents said the worst time for a power outage was in the evening (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.). This was followed by the morning when people are getting up and trying to get ready to go to work.

When inconvenience turns dangerous

In some cases, a power outage is more than just an annoyance, it can also be dangerous and costly.

“Winter outages are especially dangerous because people take desperate actions to try and provide the heat they need and that can lead to further problems or injuries,” says Natural Disaster Preparedness Expert and Meteorologist Cheryl Nelson.

For example, if your power should go out during the winter, you should never look to kerosene heaters, grills, or any other type of outdoor heater to fill the void. These heat sources can pose fire and carbon monoxide risks. In addition to the dangers of winter storm, losing power can mean losing dollars from spoiled food and costs to repair frozen pipes and water damage.

Nelson says a safer and reliable solution to avoid losing power all together is to invest in a standby generator. The Cummins QuietConnect line of generators present a dependable, energy-efficient solution that turns on automatically in the event of a power outage, allowing power to seamlessly continue running. You can learn more at powertohomes.com.

Power outages increasing

While power outages due to weather seem to be a situational event, research from CNN shows power outages across the world have increased 124 percent over the last 20 years.

In the United States, the worst winter storm in recent memory occurred in January 2009, when an ice storm spanning across Arkansas and Kentucky left 1.3 million people without power, many for as long as 10 days. Forty-two people died and debris from the storm lingered into the summer.

No one knows when another storm like that could appear again, so it’s important to be prepared. Because when your world suddenly goes dark, it’s good to know there’s light at the end and throughout the storm.

(BPT) – A flash of lighting, a loud clap of thunder and BOOM! Suddenly everything goes dark and you know the power in your home is officially out.

Just about everyone has experienced a power outage due to a seasonal storm in their lifetime and it is a trend that continues to grow between super storms and ageing infrastructure. And with more and more homeowners relying on technology to run their homes — from appliances to utilities to entertainment — when the power goes out, consumers are more easily frustrated.

Cummins, a global leader in backup power solutions, conducted a Harris Poll survey to better understand Americans’ intolerance of power outages in today’s digital age. Has modern technology and digital homes made people more intolerant of losing their power?

The survey polled 2,000 adults and 61 percent reported they feel frustration when the power goes out. In addition, 22 percent said there was nothing fun about a power outage. Of those who reported they could be entertained for some time with no power, 32 percent said it stopped being fun after one to four hours. It’s no surprise then that 29 percent of respondents would rather wait in line at the DMV than lose power.

The research also shows Americans’ tolerance for a power outage is at its lowest during the busiest home periods of the day. Sixty-three percent of respondents said the worst time for a power outage was in the evening (6 p.m. to 10 p.m.). This was followed by the morning when people are getting up and trying to get ready to go to work.

When inconvenience turns dangerous

In some cases, a power outage is more than just an annoyance, it can also be dangerous and costly.

“Winter outages are especially dangerous because people take desperate actions to try and provide the heat they need and that can lead to further problems or injuries,” says Natural Disaster Preparedness Expert and Meteorologist Cheryl Nelson.

For example, if your power should go out during the winter, you should never look to kerosene heaters, grills, or any other type of outdoor heater to fill the void. These heat sources can pose fire and carbon monoxide risks. In addition to the dangers of winter storm, losing power can mean losing dollars from spoiled food and costs to repair frozen pipes and water damage.

Nelson says a safer and reliable solution to avoid losing power all together is to invest in a standby generator. The Cummins QuietConnect line of generators present a dependable, energy-efficient solution that turns on automatically in the event of a power outage, allowing power to seamlessly continue running. You can learn more at powertohomes.com.

Power outages increasing

While power outages due to weather seem to be a situational event, research from CNN shows power outages across the world have increased 124 percent over the last 20 years.

In the United States, the worst winter storm in recent memory occurred in January 2009, when an ice storm spanning across Arkansas and Kentucky left 1.3 million people without power, many for as long as 10 days. Forty-two people died and debris from the storm lingered into the summer.

No one knows when another storm like that could appear again, so it’s important to be prepared. Because when your world suddenly goes dark, it’s good to know there’s light at the end and throughout the storm.

(BPT) – There has never been a better time to explore health insurance options for your employees through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace at HealthCare.gov.

As a small business employer (generally with one to 50 employees), you want to do right by your employees, and that means making sure they have access to the health care that will keep them, and your business, healthy. Through the SHOP Marketplace, small business employers, including small non-profit employers, can find affordable, high-quality private health and dental insurance.

And, if your business enrolls in SHOP Marketplace coverage, you may have access to a tax credit worth up to 50 percent of your premium contribution (up to 35 percent for tax-exempt employers) — making it even more affordable to offer coverage.

The SHOP Marketplace also offers choice and flexibility when it comes to picking the health insurance that works for your employees and your business. You can pick one health insurance plan to offer to your employees, or you can offer your employees a choice of health plans — and still receive and pay one monthly bill. You can also decide what types of coverage to offer (health, dental or both) and whether to offer coverage to dependents. You also control how much you’d like to contribute to employee and dependent premium costs (you can contribute different amounts to employee and dependent costs). It’s your choice — you decide what works for the needs of your employees and your bottom line.

You can easily browse, apply and enroll in SHOP Marketplace coverage online at HealthCare.gov. If you have questions, SHOP Marketplace-registered agents and brokers are available to review your options and help you apply and enroll in coverage. The SHOP Call Center, 1-800-706-7893 (TTY: 771), is open and available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekdays to answer any questions you may have.

To enroll, find an agent or broker, or learn more about the benefits of the SHOP Marketplace, all you have to do is visit HealthCare.gov/small-business.

(BPT) – There has never been a better time to explore health insurance options for your employees through the Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Marketplace at HealthCare.gov.

As a small business employer (generally with one to 50 employees), you want to do right by your employees, and that means making sure they have access to the health care that will keep them, and your business, healthy. Through the SHOP Marketplace, small business employers, including small non-profit employers, can find affordable, high-quality private health and dental insurance.

And, if your business enrolls in SHOP Marketplace coverage, you may have access to a tax credit worth up to 50 percent of your premium contribution (up to 35 percent for tax-exempt employers) — making it even more affordable to offer coverage.

The SHOP Marketplace also offers choice and flexibility when it comes to picking the health insurance that works for your employees and your business. You can pick one health insurance plan to offer to your employees, or you can offer your employees a choice of health plans — and still receive and pay one monthly bill. You can also decide what types of coverage to offer (health, dental or both) and whether to offer coverage to dependents. You also control how much you’d like to contribute to employee and dependent premium costs (you can contribute different amounts to employee and dependent costs). It’s your choice — you decide what works for the needs of your employees and your bottom line.

You can easily browse, apply and enroll in SHOP Marketplace coverage online at HealthCare.gov. If you have questions, SHOP Marketplace-registered agents and brokers are available to review your options and help you apply and enroll in coverage. The SHOP Call Center, 1-800-706-7893 (TTY: 771), is open and available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET on weekdays to answer any questions you may have.

To enroll, find an agent or broker, or learn more about the benefits of the SHOP Marketplace, all you have to do is visit HealthCare.gov/small-business.

#InDoersWeTrust may sound like a simple phrase, but transforming a no-BS mantra into an international marketing campaign is no small task. The Fiverr team worked with real-life doers such as NY-based agency DCX and award-winning photographer Platon to bring our … Read More

The post Behind the Scenes of #InDoersWeTrust appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

#InDoersWeTrust may sound like a simple phrase, but transforming a no-BS mantra into an international marketing campaign is no small task. The Fiverr team worked with real-life doers such as NY-based agency DCX and award-winning photographer Platon to bring our … Read More

The post Behind the Scenes of #InDoersWeTrust appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

#InDoersWeTrust may sound like a simple phrase, but transforming a no-BS mantra into an international marketing campaign is no small task. The Fiverr team worked with real-life doers such as NY-based agency DCX and Platon, the award-winning photographer behind well-known portraits of President Obama, George Clooney, and Edward Snowden, to bring our punk-rock vision of […]

The post Behind the Scenes of #InDoersWeTrust appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

You’ve decided to stop dreaming and start doing. Great choice. Starting your own brand or business isn’t easy, but you already know that. And you already know it takes more than an idea and hope to get things done. You might be stressed, you might even be freaking out. That’s good. It means you care. […]

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We at Fiverr wanted to celebrate the talented individuals that make the Gig Economy great. So we brought together local Fiverr buyers and sellers for a day-long photo shoot at our NYC office with award-winning photographer Sandro. Meet some of … Read More

The post Capturing the Community: An #InDoersWeTrust Photo Shoot appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.