Think you are safe because you have a Mac ... - Up Time Technology

Mac users used to be able to sleep soundly at night thinking that they were ?immune? from viruses. Well, get yourself some Nyquil because a Mac virus could be coming your way. There are now pesky viruses written for Mac OSX and iOS (iPhone and iPad). A recent Mac virus was able to take control of 500,000 Macs and their owners had no idea their computer was in the hands of hacker!

Computer viruses are everywhere for just about every device (Android, iPhone, Linux, Windows). With mobile computing taking the internet by storm and cloud computing offered by every vendor, do you have a data security plan? Do you know what new Federal Regulations require you to do to secure your data? Is that cheap cloud storage, hosted email or iPhone app up to security and regulatory snuff?

We have certified security gurus who can answer those questions and help you get the most from mobile computing. Get in touch with Up Time and take responsibility for your home or business! www.uptimetech.com.

Up Time Technology is an IT company located in Seattle that has been serving the greater Seattle area for almost 30 years! Yes, 30 years, when technology was just getting started. We are still crazy about tech and ready for the everchanging world it provides. This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

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Advantages & Disadvantages of Novated leases | Business 2 ...

Novated leases have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering benefits to employers and employees alike.

What is a novated lease?

This form of lease is basically a way to finance a vehicle. It?s a formal three-party arrangement whereby an employee agrees terms of the lease with a finance company, selects a vehicle and their employer then takes on responsibility for the lease.

Typically, the employer will make payments on behalf of the employee and deducts them from the employee?s pre-tax income. Terms of the agreement may differ slightly. A full novated lease obligates a company to make payments and guarantee the car?s residual value for the term of the lease. A split novated lease dictates that the employee guarantees the value of the car when the lease is up. In terms of popularity of the novated lease, Australia leads the way.

The Advantages

As an employee, novated leases are effectively a way of incorporating a vehicle into your salary package. Put simply, you secure the lease, but your employer makes the lease payments out of your salary through a novation agreement.

A novated lease allows the employer to take the vehicle payments and maintenance costs from an employee?s pre-tax salary. This cuts the employee?s taxable salary and consequently, the amount of income tax they will pay.

Novated leases offer the employee more flexibility with the selection of the vehicle. They have the option to own the car when the term ends or pay out the current lease and begin a new arrangement. As you own the vehicle and the lease is in your name, you?re in control of the care and maintenance and can use it when you want.

For employers, novated leases provide a simple and cost effective method of adding value to an employee?s salary package, which will work wonders for recruitment and staff retention.

Novated leases provide a far more convenient alternative to running a fleet of company cars and if the employee vacates the job, the responsibility for making the payments leaves with them. This means employers no longer have to deal with the costly and time consuming process of managing and disposing of fleet vehicles left behind.

The good news is there?s no risk. If the person in question leaves the company, the lease is instantly the employee?s responsibility and becomes a two-party arrangement between themselves and the finance company.

The Disadvantages

However, there are some negatives associated with this form of vehicle financing for employees. For one, the tax benefits might not be what you expected. Novated leases are more tax-effective for certain types of individuals, namely those in the higher tax brackets, so check this out before you commit. Your ability to negotiate the price of a vehicle could also be limited, as lease companies will sometimes dictate where you purchase your car.

Another good reason to be fully aware of the agreement you?re getting into is that a number of novated leases will contain a variety of clauses, which are renowned for confusing even those familiar with the language and jargon.

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U.S. sets preliminary duties on China wind towers

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Real Estate News ? Advice On Home Improvements

A well known rule for doing any kind of construction, repair, or renovation work is to measure twice and cut once. This age old saying still holds up today in every circumstance. Following this rule will allow you to avoid costly and time consuming mistakes associated with projects by using less materials and saving time and effort on labor.

In any home with original wood floors, the homeowner considering home improvement projects, should avoid replacing the floors, at all cost. The older a wood floor is, the less likely it is that it can be replaced with an equally attractive floor. It is much better to refinish existing wood floors. Even in cases of the most extreme damage, laying a new floor over the original one is preferable to removing it.

To keep the water pipes under your home from freezing in the winter months, use foam pipe insulation to keep the cold air from seizing your pipes with ice. This pre-slit black foam slips easily onto your copper or PVC pipes, and you can secure it with duct tape.

Consider replacing the front door to the home if it is looking outdated. If the door is in good shape but the door knob is getting flimsy, install a new one. This is the first thing that a potential buyer is going to see so you want to make sure that it looks as good as possible.

Tie a t-shirt around your face! Don?t have a dust mask when you?re sanding? Shame on you! If you?re in a pinch though you can improvise with any close weave natural fiber. It isn?t the best solution but it certainly beats having no protection for your respiratory system whatsoever!

Before starting any demolition job in your house, take steps to minimize the mess. Lay down plastic and contain the area you will be working in. Keep your tools confined to the work area as well. Demolition is a messy job and having to clean a mess throughout the entire house can take hours of extra time.

Create space in a cramped bathroom. Build floor-to-ceiling cabinets, and store similar items in baskets. This avoids any clutter on the counter top. A corner storage unit in your shower is perfect for holding shampoo, conditioner and any other items you may need. A great tip for creating space is to get rid of everything that isn?t used on a regular basis. This can include out of date medications in your medicine cabinet or beauty products that you tried and didn?t like. By clearing these out, you will have plenty of room for things that you actually use!

When hiring a licensed contractor to perform a home improvement project on your property, never agree to a repair or home improvement contract that requires full payment before satisfactory completion of all contracted work. If you have already made full payment, it is unlikely that problems with the work quality will be fixed without additional payment or legal action.

If your air conditioner is more than seven years old, consider improving your home by replacing it. When purchasing a new air conditioner, look for the Energy Star label. This label will let you know how energy efficient the unit is and if it is a good buy for saving money in the future.

If you would like to change your floor then why not go for mosaic tiles. Most commercial floor companies now stock a range of mosaic tiles and they can be the most fantastic looking if you take your time to choose.

There are few tasks more satisfying than improving your home. Each improvement brightens your day or makes everyday life easier. You will be proud when friends or relatives visit and notice what you have done. So why not find a little time to carry out one or two of the suggestions that you?ve just read about? You?ll be glad that you did.

Looking to find the best deal on commercial floor tiles, then visit www.example.com to find the best advice on glass mosaic tiles for you.

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Los Gatos Plumbing- Find out why plumbing providers are expensive.

Homeowners will be in a fearful expectation of increase in his or her expense which they need to face while they are hiring professional plumbers when they confront plumbing problem. This is because of the large cost that these program have. Most of the people believe these professional folks are just charging far more for their services. Nevertheless, you that getting into e-commerce requires huge amount involving capital as all the plumbing parts are very costly.

Imagine your life without kind of services as well as without a professional business that can help you to find treatment for simple to complex plumbing problems either at home or professional units. Your entire life style and needs will get influenced and you will be frustrated in the event that there are any ailments or malfunction from the plumbing and heating problems. The money that the organizations spent in buying the right equipment and selecting the expert, educated plumbers will all be re-cooped simply by charging fees in order to consumers. Thus you?ll want to accept this truth if you are in need of highest quality of service for all your plumbing needs.

If you are not convinced in regards to the prices of their large tools and equipment, you can acquire information from your neighborhood home improvement shop and request for the prices. You will surely always be overwhelmed on viewing the hefty marking price of each provide has. If you go in search of the price of plumbing then you can clearly understand that even the specific components such as glues, tapes, elephant seals and connection pieces will be costly that is certainly the reason why the simplest tasks are also charging high.

The professional plumbing organizations will bear doing this cost into their consideration. Along with their experience, some time and all these tools as well as equipments they will be definitely charge only affordable rates. If you call for high qualified as well as professional plumbing company to complete all your required plumbing providers, then you have to pay somewhat more per hour. On the other hand several companies may impose a fee lesser as there will likely be lack of expertise as well as right equipment to complete the work right. Paying out little money simply by hiring an lacking company will only amount to more than you expect. All sorts of plumbing and heating providers whether it may be a simple work or a extremely complex issues, experience and expertise will be the essential attributes to get the work carried out a professional and perfect way.

Cost of starting a Los Gatos Plumbing business should be borne wholly by the operator. It is natural that every the business owner tries hard to get their spent money back as soon as possible by causing real profit. Many will derive income only after four to five years of service in the industry. This will be too expensive for their services and the primary reason that the business man charging expensive rates for their services while no one will be willing to run a business that can gain profit following four or five years.

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Video captures plane before it crashes, killing 4

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West expels envoys over massacre of Syrian children

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Western powers expelled Syria's envoys on Tuesday in outrage at a massacre of 108 people, almost half of them children, and peace envoy Kofi Annan urged President Bashar al-Assad to halt the bloodshed as "a tipping point" had been reached.

The killings in the town of Houla drew a chorus of condemnation from around the world, with the United Nations saying entire families were killed in their homes on Friday, some by army tanks and others probably by pro-Assad militia.

"Bashar al-Assad is the murderer of his people," French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told Le Monde. "He must relinquish power. The sooner the better."

U.S. State Department spokeswoman described an "absolutely indefensible, vile, despicable massacre against innocent children, women, shot at point blank range by regime thugs."

U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous, whose monitors are in Syria, contradicted the Assad's government assertion that the killings were carried out by terrorist gangs.

"Part of the victims had been killed by artillery shells, now that points ever so clearly to the responsibility of the government. Only the government has heavy weapons, has tanks, has howitzers," Ladsous told reporters, adding:

"But there are also victims from individual weapons, victims from knife wounds and that of course is less clear but probably points the way to the (pro-Assad) shabbihas, the local militia."

The United States, France, Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia and Bulgaria gave Syria's envoys hours or days to leave their capitals in a coordinated move meant to isolate Assad further diplomatically.

Some had already expelled ambassadors or downgraded ties and so, like Washington, ordered out less senior charges d'affaires.

Western countries that have called for Assad to step down hope the Houla killings will tip global opinion, notably that of Syria's main protector Russia, towards more effective action.

The killings have contributed to doubt about whether a peace plan backed by Annan, a former U.N. secretary general, has any chance of success. Some of Assad's opponents say Annan's plan is only making the situation worse by buying Assad time.

"WE ARE AT A TIPPING POINT"

Annan said that in his talks with the Syrian leader in Damascus he "conveyed in frank terms the grave concern of the international community about the violence in Syria, including the recent shocking events in Houla."

"We are at a tipping point. The Syrian people do not want the future to be one of bloodshed and division. Yet the killings continue and the abuses are still with us today."

More than 10,000 people have died in the uprising against Assad and a crackdown by his loyalists, which began in March last year as part of a wave of revolts across the Arab world.

Western leaders have loudly called for Assad to go for months, but have so far shown little appetite for the sort of armed intervention that toppled Libya's Muammar Gaddafi last year. Any suggestion that force might be threatened has been blocked at the U.N. Security Council by Moscow and Beijing.

French President Francois Hollande said armed intervention could not be ruled out, but only with Security Council support.

"Military intervention is not excluded, provided it is carried out under the auspices of international law, namely a Security Council resolution," he told France 2 TV. "It is down to myself and others to convince Russia and China, and also to find a solution which is not necessarily a military one."

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the United States had not taken any options - including military intervention - off the table, but believed armed action was not the right course at present because it would lead to greater carnage and chaos.

Moscow backed a non-binding U.N. Security Council text on Sunday criticizing the use of artillery and tanks in Houla, but has twice vetoed tougher resolutions. It has shown little sign of changing its stance this week.

Vladimir Chizhov, Moscow's envoy to the EU, criticized the Western expulsions of Syrian envoys: "I believe it rarely is conducive to maintaining dialogue with the other side."

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was "alarmed that some countries ... are starting to use this event as an excuse to put forth demands of the need for military action in an attempt to put pressure on the U.N. Security Council."

"We are troubled by the ceaseless attempts to frustrate Kofi Annan's peace plan."

Annan urged the armed opposition to cease violence but appealed first to the government, as the stronger party, to take "bold steps now - not tomorrow, now" by stopping all military operations and showing "maximum restraint".

The plan calls for the government to withdraw all heavy weapons from towns and cities, followed by a cessation of fighting and dialogue with the opposition, but has stalled at the first hurdle.

Assad's government denied having anything to do with the deaths in Houla, or even having heavy weapons in the area, despite the contrary evidence found by United Nations monitors.

Assad himself repeated to Annan Syria's line that "terrorist groups" - Syria's term for the rebels - were stepping up killings and kidnappings across the country.

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told reporters: "Syria has not committed a single violation of Annan's plan or the initial understanding between Syria and the United Nations.

"At the same time, the other party has not committed to a single point. This means that there is a decision by the armed groups and the opposition not to implement Annan's plan and to make it fail."

The estimated number of internally displaced Syrians has more than doubled to 500,000 since an April 12 ceasefire and the flow of refugees abroad has gathered pace again, U.N. officials said on Tuesday.

SPENT SHELLS AND TANK TRACKS

U.N. monitors found spent shells and fresh tank tracks in Houla, evidence of weaponry that Syria's lightly-armed rebels do not have in their arsenal.

But the U.N. human rights office in Geneva said the bulk of the 108 mostly civilian dead in Houla had been executed at close range. Survivors told U.N. investigators that the killers were pro-Assad "shabbiha" militiamen, who in the past have assaulted and intimidated hotbeds of opposition to Assad.

"What is very clear is that this was an absolutely abominable event that took place in Houla, and at least a substantial part of it were summary executions of civilians - women and children," said Rupert Colville, spokesman for the U.N. human rights office in Geneva.

He said 49 children and 32 women were among the dead. "At this point, it looks like entire families were shot in their houses."

The report was at odds with a note sent by Syria to the Security Council that said: "Not a single tank entered the region and the Syrian army was in a state of self-defense ...

"The terrorist armed groups ... entered with the purpose of killing and the best proof of that is the killing by knives, which is the signature of terrorist groups who massacre according to the Islamist way."

Gruesome video footage distributed by opposition activists has helped to shake world opinion out of growing indifference to a conflict in which more than 10,000 have been killed.

Opposition sources said rebels had killed 20 soldiers in heavy fighting close to the border with Turkey.

They said six civilians and six rebels, including two commanders, had also been killed over the past 24 hours in fighting that began when the army launched an offensive with tanks and helicopters to retake the region around Atareb.

(Writing by Kevin Liffey and Peter Graff; Editing by Jon Hemming)

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