3 Tips for Choosing the Right Business Security Systems

Having a security system for your business is a big help in protecting your investment. These articles will discuss some tips to help you choose the right security systems for your business.

 

Below are 3 tips for choosing the right business security systems:

Conduct a Security Review
Since small business owners cannot afford to leave any of their valuable assets —including customer data, inventory and computers — unprotected, many install security systems as a first line of defense against thieves. Small business owners need to know the right questions to ask before plunking down money on equipment and ongoing monitoring.
The types of features and function of an alarm system can vary greatly by the type of business being protected, experts said. A reputable alarm company will perform a site survey before recommending an alarm system or any security equipment. Source: BusinessNewsDaily

Select Security System Solutions
Select solutions to the problem areas in your security system. Address lighting problems by adding motion-sensing lights to your property and removing obstructions like excessive plant growth. Add security cameras to keep sensitive areas under surveillance and use a digital video recorder to keep extended surveillance records. Upgrade locks on entrances and windows. Purchase time-clocks to keep track of employees coming and going. Multilayer your security system. Especially sensitive areas should be protected by locks, security camera surveillance and alarms. Source:Overstock.com

Other Factors to Consider
Another factor to consider is whether you want to be able to control the security features of your business off-site, whether you’re at a conference for a few days, or just home at night looking to make sure all is well at work. You could also choose to give access to these types of controls to certain employees. The choice is yours.
You’ll also want to decide whether a wireless or wired security system is the best fit for your business. If you’re in the planning phases of creating office space, workspace, or a storefront, consider security systems now.  Source: AlarmRelay

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Arne Vancouver – 20 Danish-Inspired Townhomes in Mount Pleasant

This project will bring twenty townhomes to Mount Pleasant, built by Arne by MONDEVO and offering a clean, warm expression that balances architectural modernity with flexible layouts. Its floor space ratio, open courtyard layout, outdoor stroller lockers, and proximity to a park with a playground make this development ideal for young families. Arne’s first two storeys are a very crisp cube in white brick veneer, with form and material emphasizing the individuality of each dwelling. The upper storey is a more subtle, contrasting expression of metal faux wood siding that recedes from view, giving the impression of a smaller external facing.

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Best Log Home Builders in British Columbia (Reviews/Ratings)

If you are considering building a log home, chances are you are doing a fair bit of research. In doing so, you’re going to research different styles and builders to find the builder that best fits what you are looking for. While we can help to build beautiful custom log, timber frame and post and beam homes and walk you through every step of the building process, we understand that you still may want to explore other options before making your final decision.

It’s common for us to hear, “What other custom log builders do you recommend?”. So that is why we have put together a list of some of the top 8 log home builders in British Columbia, Canada.

We want to provide an honest and transparent review of each of these companies as we have become friends and worked alongside many of them on projects in the past. We want to help you make the best decision possible, so let’s dive in!

Pioneer Log Homes: Located in Williams Lake, B.C., Pioneer Log Homes has been building homes for over 40 years. Best known for their hit HGTV TV series, Timber Kings, Pioneer has helped to put log home building back on the map. They specialize in luxury log homes and ship all around the world.

Norse Log Homes Ltd: Established in 1975, Norse Log Homes has been around for a number of years, currently located in Lantzville, B.C. on Vancouver Island. Norse specializes in full scribe log homes and cabins.

Brian Moore Log Homes: Over the last 30 years, Brian Moore has built over 400 homes including timber frame and post and beam. Located in Abbotsford, B.C. they specialize in log and timber frame homes.

Log Homes Canada: In Chilliwack B.C., you’ll find Log Homes Canada. They’ve been building for over 30 years and focus on building with Western Red Cedar. They offer a list of services including log home kits.

Cascade Handcrafted Log Homes: Another staple in B.C. log home building is Cascade Handcrafted Log Homes.They have been around for many years and focus on both residential and commercial designs.

Lake Country Log Homes: Specializing in log cabins, Lake Country Log Homes has been in business for many years as well and is located in Salmon Arm, B.C.

West Coast Log Homes: Similar to most of the previous builders we have discussed, West Coast Homes builds a variety of styles. Their speciality is pressure washing the logs rather than peeling them.

Sitka Log Homes: One of the first log home builders to build a home on site, then put it into containers and ship it to it’s final location. Sitka has been in business for many years and specializes in high-end custom log homes.

There are our 8 suggested log home builder in B.C. to consider. We also thought that you might want to look at some of these helpful resources:

• Best Logs to Build a Custom Log Home
• The Difference Between Full Scribe vs Post and Beam vs Timber Frame
• How Much do Log Homes Cost
• Log Homes 101

Also, here are a few associations that provide additional resources and tools about log home builders, designers and other trades:

B.C. Wood: A non-profit organization that represents builders and manufactures of wood-products in B.C. They help ensure a sustainable wood industry in B.C. and Canada offering education, training and promotion of numerous trades.

International Log Builders Association: A non-profit society, the ILBA writes and distributes educational materials on log construction to individuals, institutions, and industry. In addition, the association provides educational services related to the craft of log building, develop and disseminate educational material and programs related to the craft, and establish operating trust funds for scholarships and educational purposes.

B.C. Log and Timber Builders Association: B.C. Log and Timber Builders Association is dedicated to improving business opportunity, craftsmanship, and profitability for British Columbia’s log home and timber frame building industry.

As always, if you have any questions feel free to drop us an email info@artisanlog.com and we would be happy to help you out!

 

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Thank a Teacher in Your Life #thefirstyear

I had the opportunity to blog for ASCD this week on a topic that is near & dear to my heart…appreciating teachers. I hope to always retain my “teacher eyes” and now have the benefit of seeing an entire campus in action. They impress me each and every day.

 

As an educator, I love that my professional life revolves around a school calendar, brand new school supplies each year, and the daily promise of children’s hugs. How very gratifying it is to know that what we do has the power to change a child’s trajectory in life! Teachers are in a unique position to accomplish what so few other occupations can: immortality. They live on forever in the stories shared between generations, the unforgettable memories, and the differences they made in their students’ lives.

As we celebrate teachers with intentionality this week, I hope administrators, parents, and community members are able to take a moment to reflect on what happens behind the scenes. From the early mornings to the late nights, a teacher’s work is never just a job. There are so many cliché jokes that can be made about working from 8:00 to 3:00 or having summers off, but I don’t know of many bankers, lawyers, or accountants who spend their own money on their professional supplies or fight passionately to the point of tears over their “clients” the way my teachers do. Teachers expend energy to the point of exhaustion but never fail to turn on their smiles each and every day . . . all for the students they will teach for a mere 187 days of their academic careers.

I see studentswalk into classrooms, broken and dejected. I watch them blossom under a teacher’s care and see their entire futures being rewritten. Do you think that sounds extreme? Visit a classroom and watch how, when given attention and support, even the students who struggle most will become engaged and grow as learners. My teen, in such a precarious stage in her life, has had the opportunity to be coached by someone who took the time to get to know and support her not only athletically but also personally. He has held her accountable for her playing on the court and her decisions off the court. I’ve watched him devote his time and stay 45 minutes after a game waiting on parents to pick up their daughters, despite having a family of his own at home. These are the adults with which we entrust our future. How very thankful for them we should be!

On my campus alone, I have teachers whose homes were destroyed this week in a hail storm. Their cars were totaled. Their roofs were destroyed. And you know what? They are here. They are here, they are smiling, and they are hugging on our students and listening to their storm adventures—all while their personal world is in ruins. Find me another profession where you see this level of daily commitment. There are dozens of examples of how far above and beyond a “contract” teachers will go. The 4th grade teacher who stays up until midnight, working on papers and trying to advance her education with an administration certificate while simultaneously teaching full time and raising two active kids. The 3rd grade teacher who makes it a point to write a letter of encouragement to a former student with testing anxiety—a student she had four years ago—before our state standardized tests. A teacher who has invited every one of her students to have lunch with her each day for the last month (or more) until STAAR to ensure that they all know they mean more to her than a test score. A nurse who visits a student who had to be hospitalized, just so he knew he was loved and missed. I could go on and on. And I am just referring to one elementary campus. There are examples like this where ever you find teachers.

You never forget the teacher who made an impact on your life.

As we celebrate teachers across the nation, I hope that you take the opportunity to reach out and thank a teacher in your life. There are so many ways to show teachers or staff members that you appreciate their time and energy (thanks, Pinterest!), but even a simple thank you or a handwritten note can make an entire year’s worth of energy worth it. We are blessed to have those we call teachers . . . let’s make sure they know it!

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Appreciatingly,

Amber

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20 Gift Ideas for the Female Entrepreneur

Photo by Michael Schwarzenberger Gifts can be tricky, but we’re here to help! Here are 20 gift ideas for the female entrepreneur in your life, sure to [...]

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Pineapple Fluff

Pineapple Fluff comes together in a matter of minutes to create a dreamy pineapple dessert that is perfect for spring. Your barbecue guests will love it!

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Campfire® Marshmallows. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that continue to make My Baking Addiction possible.

If you read MBA on a regular basis, you know that we’re kind of obsessed with fluff desserts around here. From Cranberry Fluff and Orange Fluff to Ambrosia, creamy, dreamy desserts are where it’s at – especially during the warmer months.

Since making Orange Fluff last month, I’ve been all about experimenting with different flavor combinations and this Pineapple Fluff is most definitely our new favorite.

(more…)

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Sustainability and Service

        So next October we will host a regional GIN (Global Issues Network) conference at our school, and the opportunity that this affords us is immeasurable. It’s an opportunity to deeply inspire our students and our surrounding community around the world’s biggest and most important issues like sustainability and service, which will hopefully transform not only how we educate our kids, but how we live our day to day lives.

        We’ve already been working hard to find solutions to important local and global issues through our ongoing curriculum units, which use a design thinking process and a project based learning approach, and this year our Grade 5 PYP exhibition of learning is focused on how student passions can be leveraged to make our world a better place. The trick however, is how to make this approach to sustainability and service well…sustainable!

        We’ve had wonderful student led initiatives over the past several years here at school, and we’ve had incredible student leaders who have been working tirelessly to bring their passions for creating a sustainable world to life around our campus…but we just haven’t yet been able to turn the corner and create a culture of service and sustainability that is pervasive throughout all that we do…we’re getting there however.

        We’re hoping that the momentum that has been generated lately through our community service expectation in the Middle School, the amazing support that we’ve seen from our entire community following the recent earthquake, and the 85 students who have asked to join our new GIN elective for next year in the Upper School, will finally be the tipping point for us…this momentum, coupled with the hosting of the conference and our recent partnerships with other local international schools, makes me feel optimistic that the fabric of our school is about to change…forever.

        Giving our students the opportunity to impact meaningful change for their futures, and finding ways to make their learning relevant to their lives right now is our ultimate goal…and having kids think critically about ways that they can positively contribute to the betterment of our world is a huge focus for us…and they are responding incredibly well. I couldn’t be more proud of our students and our teachers for taking on this challenge, and for the ease in which they have been changing their mindsets around what is truly important in education…kids owning their learning and being true difference makers for their futures and for our world!

        I’m excited about the direction that we’re headed as a school, and I feel like we’re on the road to affecting incredible change as an international school community in our collective approach to sustainability and service…it all begins with our students as you know, so keep finding ways for them to lead the way. Have a wonderful week everyone and remember to be great for our world and good to each other.

Quote of the Week…..

It’s not too late at all.  You just don’t yet know what you are capable of – Mahatma Gandhi

 

Global Issues Network –

http://ift.tt/1U1oZw9

 

Interesting Articles – 

http://ift.tt/1Y17SxF

http://ift.tt/1X24V1o

http://ift.tt/1Y17UWo

http://ift.tt/1X24T9U

http://ift.tt/1eailC1

 

Thought Provoking Videos –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R45HcYA8uRA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9I3Q6-ZSTI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FS7o4g5kzMM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJliYqEXfeI

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