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Drought Readiness

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

Reduced rainfall is common throughout much of the United States, with some places experiencing drought more so than others. Are you prepared for drought conditions or know how to adjust your lifestyle if necessary? Keep reading for some general guidelines regarding drought readiness.

Pre-Drought
The best way to prepare for a drought is to conserve water on a daily basis so that when an actual drought occurs, your water use patterns are not affected as drastically.

If you need to dispose of water, think twice before pouring it down the drain. If you can re-use it to water plants, for example, do so.
Leaky faucets should be replaced or repaired by a plumber.
Add flow restrictors on faucets to reduce the amount of water coming out.
Select more energy-efficient appliances that use less water.
Use a low-volume toilet in the restroom, which will use about half the amount of water compared to older models.
Steer clear of decorative outdoor water features unless they are using recirculated water.
Consider implementing rain barrels and connect a hose to water outdoor plants.
Use a drought-resistant lawn seed to ensure grass holds soil moisture.
Keep water bottles on hand to use in emergencies.

Drought Conditions
Contact your state or local government to learn your specific water restrictions during a drought. Generally, the recommendations below will help lower your water usage.

Avoid unnecessarily flushing the toilet; tissues, insects, and other waste can be thrown in a garbage can as an alternative.
Utilize showers rather than baths and turn the water off while lathering.
While brushing your teeth, shaving, or washing your face, avoid letting the water run.
Run laundry machines or dishwashers only when completely full, or set the water level based on the specific size of your load.
Defrost meat or frozen food in the refrigerator or microwave to avoid using hot water.
Water your lawn sparingly in the early morning or later in the day when temperatures are cooler.
Use a commercial car wash instead of a hose at home.

If you are concerned about droughts, participate in local meetings about water conservation. Also, consider campaigning your government to practice better water management. Strive to promote water-efficient devices and practices in municipal buildings and offices.

Droughts can be a serious situation for many people. Even if a drought hasn’t affected you, be prepared for the worst and stay vigilant regarding your water consumption.

Wolf Survival Gear is a hub for your prepping and survival needs. We are your trusted resource for concerned families, avid hunters, or serious preppers. Make us your one-stop-shop and prepare now, before you’ll need it later.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Wolf Survival Gear

Cadillac of Novi receives the first 2023 Cadillac Lyriq, an all-electric SUV

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

Ed Pobur, the general manager of Cadillac of Novi, is proud to house the first 2023 Cadillac Lyriq, an all-electric SUV which is the cornerstone of Cadillac’s future. Receiving the white glove treatment, Cadillac spokesman Michael Albano shares how fortunate the Cadillac of Novi is. “These first early cars, we’re going to make sure everything is perfect. I don’t know if we’ll do that at every dealership. But with Lyriq we’re doing everything we can to assure this launch is perfect,” says Albano. Sharing his excitement, Pobur adds, “No one’s seen the car. Usually, people, the engineers, are running around town with them. But this one’s been kind of a secret. When you see it in person, it’s spectacular.”

Too bad, this particular vehicle is already spoken for, and the vehicle’s owner must wait a week or so for delivery so the team of engineers and specialists can train the technicians of Cadillac of Novi on servicing it. Pobur reported spending $900,000 to make the dealership EV-ready. The crew of specialists from State Electric Company of Holly, MI, updated the electrical infrastructure for the Cadillac of Novi to support the various EV chargers.

Although General Motors is no longer taking new orders for the 2023 Lyriq, Albano states that they have already shipped 2023 Lyriqs to high-demand markets such as New York, LA, and Detroit. The Lyriq is the first Cadillac EV under the General Motors brand that vows to be entirely electric by 2035, so getting your first EV will come very soon! Click here to read more about this exciting vehicle.

State Electric Company was the contractor who made the electrical infrastructure upgrades and installed all the EV chargers for the Cadillac of Novi dealership. If you’re interested in setting up your business or fleet of vehicles with greener technology, contact us today!

Not only do we sell EV chargers, but State Electric Company is also a certified installer for all EV chargers on the market today. Our professional and experienced team will review your goals, inspect your infrastructure, design, and install the EV charging station(s) customized for your property and key metrics. We are licensed, bonded, and insured to install EV charging stations in residential homes, apartment complexes, office buildings, universities, dealerships, municipalities, and more! For turnkey solutions, contact State Electric today.

State Electric Co.

LASIK Procedures Double Since Pandemic

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

Laser eye surgery gained popularity during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the American Refractive Surgery Council (RSC). Compared to 2020, the RSC saw 32 percent more laser vision correction procedures in 2021.

According to the RSC, “The total procedure volume for 2021 topped 833,000 for the first time since RSC began tracking LASIK, SMILE, and PRK procedures in 2015, demonstrating a significant consumer shift toward refractive surgery options to glasses and contacts.”

Some factors contributing to the rise in LASIK popularity include more people working from home, foggy glasses while wearing a mask, dry eyes, an increase in contact lens wearers, and more. Since more people started prioritizing their health, self-care also experienced a boom. Money once saved for travel and entertainment is now being allocated for self-care.

Moreover, patients who experience LASIK have been more inclined to tell friends and family about their positive experiences, which trickles down the referral pipeline.

Younger adults seem to be driving the increase in LASIK patients, with the average age being 34 years old, a seven-year difference from the early 2000s.

Since Laser Sight Technologies Inc.’s Kremer Excimer Laser System was granted U.S. approval in 1998, an initial boom in the early 2000s was followed by a slow pace during the Great Recession. In early 2004, online searches for LASIK peaked and bottomed out earlier this year. When the pandemic hit, searches spiked, and now the industry is set to hit $4.1 billion in sales by 2027, more than doubling 2018’s total.

Quarantines and social distancing caused weight gain and much more self-consciousness due to up-close-and-personal video chats. Spikes in Botox injections, breast implants, and repairing droopy eyelids were also seen during the pandemic.

If more people are working out of the office, they have ample opportunity to recover in the privacy of their own home after certain procedures. Whereas before, it was almost taboo to take time off, now, people can get these procedures done without anybody at work knowing about it.

But it’s not just elective surgeries seeing the spike; knee, hip, and ankle replacements are also picking up after the initial Covid wave. LASIK has an advantage over the other procedures, as the recovery period is quite minimal. After a brief consultation, patients can have surgery the same day and notice better vision within a few hours.

Now is the time to schedule your LASIK eye procedure appointment. Call the experts at Rohr today.

Rohr Eye & Laser Center offers the most advanced technology available to provide personalized and extraordinary care to our patients. Whether your goal is to maintain or improve your natural vision, we are here to help you. Call us at 877-579-0202 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Michigan Lasik

Novel Cancer Treatment Headed to McLaren Flint

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

An innovative new technology headed to Flint will be used to treat cancer with proton therapy. The McLaren Proton Therapy Center is the first to receive the new machine that treats patients upright, enabling cancer treatment with more precision.

Leo Cancer Care developed the proton therapy called “Marie,” which will take up less space yet provide more accurate treatments since there will be less organ movement.

The Proton Therapy Center in Flint will receive the first two upright units and be used within the next two years, pending FDA approval. The largest proton center in Michigan, the new machine will allow more patients to be treated.

According to a news release from McLaren, proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy that uses protons to accurately target tumor cells and leave healthy surrounding cells undamaged.

Stephen Towe, CEO of Leo Cancer Care, said, “The goal of Leo Cancer Care and McLaren Proton Therapy Center’s collaboration is to bring proton therapy to more patients, and we know there are clear advantages with proton therapy. The McLaren Proton Therapy Center is well-positioned to become the first to potentially treat patients with the revolutionary Leo Cancer Care technology.”

Construction to add the “Marie” units to the Proton Therapy Center in Flint will start in the spring of 2023 and be fully operational by the fall of 2024.

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RadParts is the world’s largest independent distributor of OEM replacement parts. We specialize in low-cost parts for repairing linear accelerator and radiation equipment. Our mission is to provide high-quality, user-friendly, low-cost parts and support for linear accelerators and radiation equipment. Contact RadParts at 877-704-3838 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

RadParts

Google and Oracle Forced to Close due to Heatwave

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

Technology giants Google and Oracle suffered major power outages after massive heatwaves hit much of the United Kingdom, forcing cooling systems at London data centers to shut down.

Data centers hold thousands of computers and are the foundation behind hundreds of online services. Since so many computers are processing, a massive amount of heat is generated; therefore, cooling is absolutely necessary.

Oracle, a huge American database software and technology company, reported overheating issues by stating, “Following unnecessary high temperatures in the UK south (London) region, two cooler units in the data center experienced a failure when they were required to operate above their design limits. As a result, temperatures in the data center began to climb, which caused some systems to shut down as a protective measure.”

The heatwave was also detrimental for the Google Cloud data center in London. They reported, “There has been a cooling-related failure in one of our buildings.” To prevent damage, machines were shut down, so only a small number of customers were affected.

Since the data centers are incredibly valuable to customers, they are constructed with plenty of cooling capacity and back-ups. Typically, these large-scale failures do not take place. However, the unprecedented temperatures were a surprise for many.

Paul Hone of Redcentric, which operates data centers in London, Reading, and Cambridge, said that data centers are designed to withstand hot weather, but the “heatwave’s temperatures would be at the upper end of design expectations for a lot of data center operators.”

Companies such as Microsoft are putting data centers underwater as an experiment to measure reliability and operation. With future data centers potentially being plunged into the ocean, the chances of heat waves affecting them will be minimal.

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Founded in 1994, Creative Programs and Systems provides professional results for all computer needs. We design, create, and code an array of custom software programs and websites; offer top-notch digital marketing services including enhanced Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and paid advertising; repair and provide support for computers of both residential and professional nature; build custom systems and servers, and offer secure data backups. Need assistance or want to learn more? Call us at 810-224-5252 or e-mail info@cpsmi.com.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Creative Programs and Systems

Understanding Construction Bond Claims

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

Experienced contractors generally make a conscious effort to avoid claims situations, while being proactive about understanding the process. Utilizing the perfect surety gives those contractors the knowledge and power they need for their claims team. For any contractor to take on bonded jobs, basic comprehension is essential.

The three main types of construction bonds are: bid bonds, payment bonds, and performance bonds.

Bid Bonds
These bonds stem from situations when the principal is the successful bidder but cannot enter into the contract or provide final bonds. In bid bonds, the principal and surety are required to pay a specific sum to the obligee. The bond form caps liability at a particular amount (the difference between the principal’s bid and the next highest bidder’s bid) instead of exceeding the penal sum of the bid bond. The responsibility of this task is between the principal and surety.

Payment Bonds
When the principal fails to pay subcontractors, laborers, and/or suppliers, payment bonds give the surety the right to assert all of the principal and surety’s defenses, which sometimes include limitations on notice and time. Only proper “claimants” can benefit from these bonds, so the principal and surety need to confirm the claimant can pursue the claim.

Performance Bonds
A performance bond claim arises when the obligee defaults or terminates the principal for non-fulfillment regarding their contractual obligations. Handling a performance bond claim has various levels of importance, including cooperation, agreements, and challenges. One of the most trying decisions is to admit or deny liability. After analyzing contract documents, bond forms, factual issues, and possible defenses, the surety has to eventually decide whether to perform.

Surety partners will typically work in conjunction with contractors to avoid claims or mitigate the damages. Selecting the ideal surety with a good track record of minimizing legal fees while resolving claims is paramount for any contractor.

If you are seeking a construction bond, contact the specialists at Construction Bonding today.

At Construction Bonding Specialists, we work with new and experienced contractors to find the most satisfactory bond solutions. As a distinct surety-bond-only agency with decades of bonding experience, we work to discover surety solutions for all types of cases ranging from ordinary to challenging. Call us at 248-349-6227 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Construction Bonding Specialists

Particle Accelerators Create Potential Cancer Treatment in Lansing

Posted on August 11, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

A Lansing company called Niowave has begun producing actinium-225, a silvery metal isotope that barely exists on Earth, with a superconducting linear accelerator. The reason? This isotope is a promising cancer treatment; however, researchers don’t know its full potential due to the absence of clinical trials.

Niowave has secured a $5 million deal with Fusion Pharmaceuticals to start production in 2024. Between Russia, the United States, Germany, and Canada, there are only two curies (unit of measurement for radioactive materials) of actinium-225. Niowave plans on making one curie per week.

In 2019, the federal government gave Niowave $15 million, and another $13 million last year, to produce molybdenum 99, which is used for medical imaging. Since other countries subsidize its production, making a profit from molybdenum 99 is tricky.

After working with uranium for years, the federal government determined Niowave could function safely with another highly radioactive element, radium, to create actinium-225.

Cancer therapy isotopes emit beta particles, which can destroy cancer cells but also kill healthy cells around them. Actinium-225 delivers more targeted alpha particles, which can emit more energy at a shorter distance.

Justin Wilson, an associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology at Cornell University said, “If you can get those alpha particles to the cancer cells, they have the capability of doing more damage but in a more confined region. Which, in theory, could prevent hitting healthy cells that maybe aren’t part of the small metastatic lesion.”

Eric Burak, chief technical officer at Fusion Pharmaceuticals, states that they are working on formulating three separate drugs that use actinium-225. He said the isotope is “One of the rarest elements in the entire planet, and, with more companies interested in its therapeutic potential, everyone is scrambling for actinium supply.”

Fusion Pharmaceuticals are investing $5 million to help Niowave create actinium-225 in exchange for a guaranteed share of the end result.

Niowave’s superconducting linear accelerator has been moved to a concrete room as radium is extremely radioactive.

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 to learn more.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Acceletronics

Toxic Chemical Spill in the Huron River

Posted on August 5, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

As of August 2^nd, the State of Michigan is advising people to avoid the Huron River downstream of the city of Wixom. Chemicals from Tribar Technologies, an auto supply factory manufacturing chrome plating, were accidentally released into the sewer system, which discharges into the Huron River.

The release of several thousand gallons of Hexavalent chromium, was discovered by Tribar on August 1^st;however, they indicated that the spill could have occurred as early as Saturday morning, July 30^th.

Hexavalent chromium, or hex chrome, is a carcinogenic chemical used in plastic finishing. It can cause numerous health problems through inhalation, skin contact, and ingestion. Because it is so hazardous, companies generally use other harmful chemicals such as PFAS or “forever chemicals” to coat plating baths to help protect workers from chromium inhalation.

The Huron River runs through multiple counties before flowing into Lake Erie. Ann Arbor is the largest city on its banks, which draws its drinking water from. Experts believe the contaminants should not reach the city’s water intake for several weeks.

In the meantime, the Michigan Department of Health (DHHS) advises all people and their pets to avoid contact with the Huron River between North Wixom Road in Oakland County and Kensington Road in Livingston County. Norton Creek, Hubbell Pond (aka the Mill Pond) in Oakland County, and Kent Lake are included in this advisory.

People should not wade, play, or swim in the water. People should not drink from, water their plants, or consume fish caught from the Huron river.

How these chemicals were spilled is still unknown. Authorities are continuing their investigation and assessment efforts. Liesl Clark, director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) says, “Our teams are in the field now assessing the situation. We will stay on the job as long as it takes to ensure residents are safe and impacts to the ecosystem are minimized.”

DHHS is urging people with questions regarding potential hex chrome exposure to call the MI Toxic Hotline at 800-648-6942, between 8 am-5 pm.

This is not Tribar Technologies first mishap. The current “Do Not Eat” fish advisory is still in place for the Huron river, largely due to their release of PFAS chemicals. In February 2022, parts of the Huron River were shut down in Wayne County due to the discovery of an oil spill traced back to Flat Rock Metal Inc.

Toxic contamination in our drinking waters unfortunately is still an issue that requires more oversight and protection from all. More and more members of Michigan and federal government are starting to take notice.

For pure, clean, quality drinking water, contact Reynold’s Water Conditioning today.

Reynolds Water Conditioning was established in 1931 and is Michigan’s oldest water conditioning treatment company. Still owned and operated by the Reynolds family, we take pride in providing the highest quality products at a cost-effective price. If your tap water lacks the quality you deserve, contact us today at 800-572-9575.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Reynolds Water

All About Rust in Water

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

What is rust? Is drinking rusty water dangerous? What does rust in your water mean? How do you treat rust in water? Read on to discover the answers to these questions and much more.

The most telltale sign of rust in your water supply is when appliances such as dishwashers become dirty more quickly, laundry transforms white fabric to yellow, or when toilet bowls, sinks, and showers turn an orangey brown color.

Rust is the byproduct of oxidizing iron or other metals, causing well water to become corrosive and destructive toward fittings, fixtures, and pipes. Moreover, it can be dangerous for humans to consume.

While humans need a minuscule amount of iron to survive, excess iron can be detrimental to human health. Water can appear rusty when levels are above .3 mg/L. Large chunks of iron can cut your internal organs, and high concentrations of microscopic iron can cause iron poisoning.

The symptoms of iron poisoning are fever, headache, dizziness, low blood pressure, fast/weak pulse, shortness of breath, fluid in the lungs, grey/blueish/jaundice skin, and/or seizures. Iron poisoning can eventually cause death by liver failure or circulatory system shock.

Add a water softener to your system to remove rust in your water, which will help make your water crystal clear. Some softeners can be improved by using an enhancement product, which specifically targets iron and removes it from the water softener’s regeneration process. Rust filters are fantastic options to remove this pesky sediment as well.

Since rust can be so damaging, it might be a good idea to replace your plumbing system to ensure there are no traces of rust in your drinking, bathing, or cleaning water. Additionally, adding alkaline minerals such as magnesium oxide or calcium carbonate can improve the pH of corrosive water.

Sometimes, rust is trickling in through the municipality’s water supply, which would require your local government to replace their pipes. Most pipe replacements can be astronomically expensive, though many municipalities are already heading in that direction.

If you have rust in your water, contact Reynolds Water Conditioning today – we can help your home be rust-free.

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Reynolds Water

Clarifying the Worldwide Computer Chip Shortage

Posted on July 25, 2022 by Creative Programs and Systems

Game consoles, graphics cards, processors, and so much more have been hard to come by lately. The consumer technology industry has suffered a shortage of computer chips, which has impacted the entire global supply. The chip drought has resulted in issues through hundreds of markets such as automotive, cryptocurrency, smartphone, vehicle, television, and a multitude of other technological advancements.

Samsung CEO DJ Koh forecasted “A serious imbalance in supply and demand of chips.”

Limited supply, combined with huge demand, created the chip shortage of 2021. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, at-home entertainment boomed. Working from home caused laptop sales to reach their highest in decades. Cryptocurrency started booming, resulting in high demand for a multitude of high-end processors.

Though gadgets and other technological handhelds have felt the impact first-hand, the automotive industry has been credited with igniting the shortage. In the beginning of the pandemic, automakers ceased orders for processors, anticipating a drop in sales. However, this decision was premature, and vehicle sales rebounded almost immediately. To compensate for the discrepancy, the automotive market attempted to buy back manufacturing, but it was too late. Other sectors were also pushing more production due to high demand. With a maxed-out production capacity, both markets were competing for chip assembly.

Gigantic technology companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Nvida, AMD, Apple, Qualcomm, and more do not actually produce their own processors. TSMC and Samsung build a majority of the world’s cutting-edge semiconductors. Intel is a unicorn in the market, as it manufactures its own processors and has not experienced shortages like its competitors.

Trying to catch up with production is not as easy as it sounds. Extending production lines can drag on for months, and constructing new facilities can take years, not to mention cost billions of dollars.

Forecasts show that chip shortages will continue throughout 2022. According to Xiaomi company president Want Xiang said, “The chip supply crunch is still challenging, but the situation will significantly improve in the second quarter, and such supply woes will be fundamentally solved and even revert in the second half of 2022.”

Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: https://www.cpsmi.com/

Creative Programs and Systems