Blog contributor Charles, aka silberma1976 on Fiverr, struggled with writing in high school. After learning to express himself through poetry, his writing improved so much that he was able to get his poetry published. Now, Charles shares his talents on … Read More

The post Go-to Professional Responses for Every Fiverr Situation appeared first on Official Fiverr Blog.

(BPT) – Everyone has favorite moments from the holiday season. For some it’s a present from a distant relative or greeting family members with a warm hug when they get off the plane. For others it’s sitting down together to enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner. Some of these moments are steeped in tradition and others are new occurrences your family will be talking about for years. But old or new, each moment is special in its own way.

Creating a memorable holiday season takes time and dedication, not only that of families across the country, but of thousands of transportation professionals as well. And in the spirit of a season in which it’s better to give than to receive, here are Michelin’s unsung heroes of transportation that deserve thanks for everything they do to make the holidays special for everyone.

* Airport workers. That warm hug in the airport would never happen without the tireless effort of these flight and ground crews. Last year, an estimated 38.1 million people flew during the holiday season — that’s roughly one tenth of the nation’s population — and it’s the hard work of airport professionals everywhere that got them where they were going.

* Farmers. The holiday meal starts with the work of the farmer and each farmer feeds more people than you may have guessed. According to the USDA, each farmer supplies food for 144 people in the U.S. and abroad each year. That’s enough to satisfy all your holiday guests, no matter how many people are invited.

* Truck drivers. However you may travel to your holiday destination — planes, trains or automobiles! — your shipped packages will arrive by truck. An estimated 3.6 million truck drivers will transport nearly 70 percent of all freight tonnage in the U.S. this holiday season. Drivers work long hours to make sure your gifts arrive on time.

* Miners. No one wants a lump of coal in their stocking, but coal miners also produce 210 metric tons of gold producing ore and 1,170 metric tons of silver producing ore. And for those gifts you’d much rather have? Yes, they’re responsible for those shiny baubles and jewelry as well.

* Parcel delivery workers. Those weekly deliveries take on special importance during the holiday season and for parcel delivery workers the job takes on extra volume as well. Research shows parcel delivery workers will deliver nearly 20 billion packages, letters and gifts during the 2016 holiday season, according to the United States Postal Service.

* Snow Plow Drivers. Thousands of drivers are responsible for clearing millions of miles of roadways and bridges to keep roads safe for traveling to holiday events and gatherings.

* Construction workers. Responsible for infrastructure, housing, commercial and governmental projects, these dedicated workers work through the elements to complete roads, bridges, water and wastewater projects and buildings. Whether they built or renovated the home that will host your holidays this year, or the roads you travel to your favorite parties, construction workers play an integral part in bringing your holidays to life.

Say thanks today

The holiday season is magical due to the efforts of these dedicated people, and to say thanks, Michelin is recognizing individuals in the transportation and travel industries throughout the holiday season. Nominations can be made by posting to Michelin’s Twitter account via the hashtag #KeepThanksMoving or by posting on the MichelinUSA Facebook page. Michelin will then randomly select seven individuals to receive a Michelin-themed gourmet gift box from Try the World. You can learn more about the contest at Michelinmedia.com, so get your nominations ready and give back to those who give so much to you during the holidays.

(BPT) – Everyone has favorite moments from the holiday season. For some it’s a present from a distant relative or greeting family members with a warm hug when they get off the plane. For others it’s sitting down together to enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner. Some of these moments are steeped in tradition and others are new occurrences your family will be talking about for years. But old or new, each moment is special in its own way.

Creating a memorable holiday season takes time and dedication, not only that of families across the country, but of thousands of transportation professionals as well. And in the spirit of a season in which it’s better to give than to receive, here are Michelin’s unsung heroes of transportation that deserve thanks for everything they do to make the holidays special for everyone.

* Airport workers. That warm hug in the airport would never happen without the tireless effort of these flight and ground crews. Last year, an estimated 38.1 million people flew during the holiday season — that’s roughly one tenth of the nation’s population — and it’s the hard work of airport professionals everywhere that got them where they were going.

* Farmers. The holiday meal starts with the work of the farmer and each farmer feeds more people than you may have guessed. According to the USDA, each farmer supplies food for 144 people in the U.S. and abroad each year. That’s enough to satisfy all your holiday guests, no matter how many people are invited.

* Truck drivers. However you may travel to your holiday destination — planes, trains or automobiles! — your shipped packages will arrive by truck. An estimated 3.6 million truck drivers will transport nearly 70 percent of all freight tonnage in the U.S. this holiday season. Drivers work long hours to make sure your gifts arrive on time.

* Miners. No one wants a lump of coal in their stocking, but coal miners also produce 210 metric tons of gold producing ore and 1,170 metric tons of silver producing ore. And for those gifts you’d much rather have? Yes, they’re responsible for those shiny baubles and jewelry as well.

* Parcel delivery workers. Those weekly deliveries take on special importance during the holiday season and for parcel delivery workers the job takes on extra volume as well. Research shows parcel delivery workers will deliver nearly 20 billion packages, letters and gifts during the 2016 holiday season, according to the United States Postal Service.

* Snow Plow Drivers. Thousands of drivers are responsible for clearing millions of miles of roadways and bridges to keep roads safe for traveling to holiday events and gatherings.

* Construction workers. Responsible for infrastructure, housing, commercial and governmental projects, these dedicated workers work through the elements to complete roads, bridges, water and wastewater projects and buildings. Whether they built or renovated the home that will host your holidays this year, or the roads you travel to your favorite parties, construction workers play an integral part in bringing your holidays to life.

Say thanks today

The holiday season is magical due to the efforts of these dedicated people, and to say thanks, Michelin is recognizing individuals in the transportation and travel industries throughout the holiday season. Nominations can be made by posting to Michelin’s Twitter account via the hashtag #KeepThanksMoving or by posting on the MichelinUSA Facebook page. Michelin will then randomly select seven individuals to receive a Michelin-themed gourmet gift box from Try the World. You can learn more about the contest at Michelinmedia.com, so get your nominations ready and give back to those who give so much to you during the holidays.

(BPT) – It’s no secret sleep is critical to one’s overall health and well-being. We’ve all heard getting six to eight hours of sleep is recommended, but busy work schedules and ongoing personal commitments make it difficult to make sleep a priority. So…

(BPT) – It’s no secret sleep is critical to one’s overall health and well-being. We’ve all heard getting six to eight hours of sleep is recommended, but busy work schedules and ongoing personal commitments make it difficult to make sleep a priority. So how can you ensure you’re getting quality shuteye? Next time you’re ready to crawl into bed, apply these four tips to help get better sleep.

Harness the power of light: Light plays a critical role in producing melatonin, the hormone that helps induce sleepiness and regulate your sleep/wake cycle. Setting the right ambiance in your living room or bedroom with warmer, sunset-like shades of white light when you are ready to unwind can help support melatonin production and promote better sleep.

With this in mind, Philips Hue White Ambiance offers a ‘Relax’ mode that delivers a warm, amber-toned light designed to help you unwind and prepare for an undisturbed sleep. The connected lighting system also has a ‘Nightlight’ mode that delivers a dim level of amber-reddish light designed to help you navigate the room to care for a crying child or go to the bathroom with minimal disruption to your sleep cycle.

Keep a consistent sleep schedule: Oftentimes, we tend to sleep less during the work week and make up for it over the weekend. By constantly shifting our sleeping patterns, we subject ourselves to jet-lag-like symptoms. We are creatures of habit and establishing a consistent time to go to bed helps your body react in kind.

The Philips Hue app offers routines to help you maintain a natural rhythm with the right shade of white light. Just set the time you want to start your go to sleep routine and select how long you want your lights to fade out in the app. Your lights will gradually dim until they turn off, helping to gently ease your body into a peaceful sleep.

Pay attention to how you wake up: Exposing yourself to bright daylight is just as critical for regulating your sleep cycle and supporting better sleep quality. Try to make sure you get enough light in the first one or two hours after waking. Light that emits cooler blue tones can help you feel refreshed, be more alert and improve your mood. Philips Hue White Ambiance’s “Energize” mode, which emits cooler blue tones of light, is designed with this in mind.

Tone down the use of technology before bed: In order to prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep, you should try to avoid intense light with cooler blue tones, which suppresses melatonin production. Relax an hour or two before going to bed – tucking away your mobile phone, computer or tablet, which might cause stress or overstimulate you prior to bedtime, disrupting your ability to sleep.

Every day brings new opportunities and challenges, all of which are more easily faced if you’ve had a great sleep. Apply these tips, and you’ll be rested and refreshed, ready for whatever tomorrow throws at you.

(BPT) – It’s no secret sleep is critical to one’s overall health and well-being. We’ve all heard getting six to eight hours of sleep is recommended, but busy work schedules and ongoing personal commitments make it difficult to make sleep a priority. So how can you ensure you’re getting quality shuteye? Next time you’re ready to crawl into bed, apply these four tips to help get better sleep.

Harness the power of light: Light plays a critical role in producing melatonin, the hormone that helps induce sleepiness and regulate your sleep/wake cycle. Setting the right ambiance in your living room or bedroom with warmer, sunset-like shades of white light when you are ready to unwind can help support melatonin production and promote better sleep.

With this in mind, Philips Hue White Ambiance offers a ‘Relax’ mode that delivers a warm, amber-toned light designed to help you unwind and prepare for an undisturbed sleep. The connected lighting system also has a ‘Nightlight’ mode that delivers a dim level of amber-reddish light designed to help you navigate the room to care for a crying child or go to the bathroom with minimal disruption to your sleep cycle.

Keep a consistent sleep schedule: Oftentimes, we tend to sleep less during the work week and make up for it over the weekend. By constantly shifting our sleeping patterns, we subject ourselves to jet-lag-like symptoms. We are creatures of habit and establishing a consistent time to go to bed helps your body react in kind.

The Philips Hue app offers routines to help you maintain a natural rhythm with the right shade of white light. Just set the time you want to start your go to sleep routine and select how long you want your lights to fade out in the app. Your lights will gradually dim until they turn off, helping to gently ease your body into a peaceful sleep.

Pay attention to how you wake up: Exposing yourself to bright daylight is just as critical for regulating your sleep cycle and supporting better sleep quality. Try to make sure you get enough light in the first one or two hours after waking. Light that emits cooler blue tones can help you feel refreshed, be more alert and improve your mood. Philips Hue White Ambiance’s “Energize” mode, which emits cooler blue tones of light, is designed with this in mind.

Tone down the use of technology before bed: In order to prepare yourself for a good night’s sleep, you should try to avoid intense light with cooler blue tones, which suppresses melatonin production. Relax an hour or two before going to bed – tucking away your mobile phone, computer or tablet, which might cause stress or overstimulate you prior to bedtime, disrupting your ability to sleep.

Every day brings new opportunities and challenges, all of which are more easily faced if you’ve had a great sleep. Apply these tips, and you’ll be rested and refreshed, ready for whatever tomorrow throws at you.

(BPT) – With a population of more than 55 million and estimated buying power of over $1.5 trillion, Hispanics in the United States are continuing to shape economic trends; however, as new research finds, they’re shaping digital trends as well.

This year’s Bank of America Trends in Consumer Mobility Report shows Hispanic consumers are increasingly reliant on mobile devices to navigate daily life. In fact, 35 percent of Hispanics say they are more likely to interact with their smartphone in an average day than anything or anyone else, including their significant other.

The survey, which explored mobile trends and banking behaviors among adults across the country, found this digital lifestyle also extends to how they manage their finances. More than three-quarters (78 percent) of Hispanic consumers use a mobile banking app and 69 percent cite digital as their primary method of banking. These numbers mark a stark contrast from non-Hispanic users, whose percentages were 51 and 61 percent, respectively.

“This survey reinforces what our Hispanic customers show us every day — the Hispanic community leads the way in mobile adoption, usage and engagement,” said Michelle Moore, head of digital banking at Bank of America, adding that it was the actions of the Hispanic community that spurred Bank of America to release its mobile app in Spanish. “We’re committed to delivering solutions that meet the needs and behaviors of these consumers.”

The report revealed further insights into Hispanic consumers’ mobile-first mindset.

* Texting becomes the new small talk. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of Hispanics cite texting as their preferred communications method. The vast majority (80 percent) feel that the appropriate response time to a text is under an hour, and 54 percent text someone when they’re in the same room.

* Documenting life moments. Hispanics are more inclined to share events with others, as nearly all (95 percent) say they want to have their smartphone on hand to capture important life milestones. They’re also more likely than non-Hispanics to post these life moments on social media (78 percent, compared to 69 percent).

* Growing comfort with emerging payments. More than half (56 percent) of Hispanics would use or already use their phone to make purchases at checkout, compared to just 36 percent of their non-Hispanic counterparts. Seventy-seven percent of Hispanics say they’re likely to use emerging payment methods such as mobile wallets and social media apps, and 72 percent cite they would use or already use their bank’s peer-to-peer payments service.

For more information, visit bankofamerica.com/convenience.

(BPT) – With a population of more than 55 million and estimated buying power of over $1.5 trillion, Hispanics in the United States are continuing to shape economic trends; however, as new research finds, they’re shaping digital trends as well.

This year’s Bank of America Trends in Consumer Mobility Report shows Hispanic consumers are increasingly reliant on mobile devices to navigate daily life. In fact, 35 percent of Hispanics say they are more likely to interact with their smartphone in an average day than anything or anyone else, including their significant other.

The survey, which explored mobile trends and banking behaviors among adults across the country, found this digital lifestyle also extends to how they manage their finances. More than three-quarters (78 percent) of Hispanic consumers use a mobile banking app and 69 percent cite digital as their primary method of banking. These numbers mark a stark contrast from non-Hispanic users, whose percentages were 51 and 61 percent, respectively.

“This survey reinforces what our Hispanic customers show us every day — the Hispanic community leads the way in mobile adoption, usage and engagement,” said Michelle Moore, head of digital banking at Bank of America, adding that it was the actions of the Hispanic community that spurred Bank of America to release its mobile app in Spanish. “We’re committed to delivering solutions that meet the needs and behaviors of these consumers.”

The report revealed further insights into Hispanic consumers’ mobile-first mindset.

* Texting becomes the new small talk. Nearly one-third (32 percent) of Hispanics cite texting as their preferred communications method. The vast majority (80 percent) feel that the appropriate response time to a text is under an hour, and 54 percent text someone when they’re in the same room.

* Documenting life moments. Hispanics are more inclined to share events with others, as nearly all (95 percent) say they want to have their smartphone on hand to capture important life milestones. They’re also more likely than non-Hispanics to post these life moments on social media (78 percent, compared to 69 percent).

* Growing comfort with emerging payments. More than half (56 percent) of Hispanics would use or already use their phone to make purchases at checkout, compared to just 36 percent of their non-Hispanic counterparts. Seventy-seven percent of Hispanics say they’re likely to use emerging payment methods such as mobile wallets and social media apps, and 72 percent cite they would use or already use their bank’s peer-to-peer payments service.

For more information, visit bankofamerica.com/convenience.

(BPT) – Thousands of Americans who are in the process of building their own home, or simply looking into it, are faced with hundreds of different questions. Granite or quartz countertops? Neutral or bold colors? Tile or hardwood flooring? And those questions are just the tip of the iceberg.

Being able to make these detailed choices is a big part of why you decided to build and design a custom home that will show off your unique style.

But as any professional builder will tell you, the secret to building a truly great house isn’t what fixtures you choose or the type of crown molding you install. Rather, the most important components of a house are hidden behind the build.

The following five points represent some of the most important hidden aspects of any new home construction that will ensure your house retains its beauty for decades.

1. Proper insulation. No matter where you are in the country, it’s likely that the temperature outside will get too hot or too cold. In such situations you’ll rely on heating or air conditioning. Good insulation not only saves money, but keeps your furnace and AC units working longer and more effectively. In cold areas, proper insulation is key to preventing destructive ice dams from forming.

2. Subflooring. Whether you use hickory, maple or bamboo, everyone has their preference when it comes to flooring, but something that all flooring materials need is a solid subfloor. Like a box-spring for your mattress, AdvanTech(R) subflooring from Huber Engineered Woods provides a solid foundation that prevents sagging and squeaking, keeping your finished floor looking better, for longer.

3. A smart house. Just like our phones, cars and televisions have been radically changed by the digital revolution, so have our homes. Today’s modern smart homes are designed to fit our digital lives. Some features to consider are a consul to place your WiFi router so you can set up the appliances and thermostat for wireless. That way you’ll be able to access them from a tablet or phone. You might even want to install some USB outlets.

4. Modern kitchen solutions. Today it’s all about expansive, open-concept kitchens. With stone countertops and larger refrigerators, engineers have noticed the combination of heavy appliances and a larger floor surface area puts more stress on the finished floors. Installing AdvanTech subflooring creates a solid base for floorboards and heavy modern appliances to rest on, thus helping to prevent squeaky or uneven floors in your kitchen.

5. Choose the right exterior walls. The exterior “shells” of homes are being built tighter. In other words, new products and practices are being used to help reduce air leakage as part of the overall energy efficiency design. Next-generation exterior sheathing systems like ZIP System(R) sheathing and ZIP System(TM) tape have built-in water barriers and taped panel seams to create one continuous protective barrier underneath your finished exterior to help lock-out water and air.

If you haven’t already, talk with your builder about the hidden elements of your home, like AdvanTech subflooring, that will help your home stand up to the tests of everyday life. After all, this is the house you always envisioned, and behind the beautiful layout, you want to make sure you have a solid foundation and good bones to ensure lasting beauty and life.