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CEO Daily Updates

CEO Daily Update – 2.11.2021

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Today’s Topics: Lunar New Year | Get Connected with Access Point Deployment Packs | What are Shielded Ethernet Cables? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Thursday!

It’s National Inventor’s Day & National Don’t Cry Over Spilled Milk Day! Maybe we can invent something to help us not spill our milk?! But actually…Here’s to a positive attitude even when things might not be going your way!

This Friday is Lunar New Year (or Chinese New Year), so I thought I would share a little about it from one of our team members, Amy. Amy works in our Managed Accounts team doing lots of work behind the scenes to make sure your orders go out on time. Her family is from Vietnam, and she shared some of their experiences with us:

“Lunar New Year, commonly known as Chinese New Year, this year will be on 2/12. It changes each year depending on the Lunar calendar. It’s usually at the end of January, early February. The Lunar calendar is the reason why some Koreans have two ages, an international age, and a lunar age! You can be born on Dec 31st but be two years old!

Lunar New Year is not celebrated in every Asian country. China, Korea, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, and more countries celebrate it in their own special way. My family is from Vietnam so I’ll share some of our traditions with you. On the day of Lunar New Year, we hand out red envelopes called, Li Xi, filled with lucky money! Now that I’m an adult, I’ve been tasked to hand them out and see less of them haha! We also take this time to set up to pray to our ancestors. We offer them fruit, meals, and water. If you stop by [any Asian supermarket] this weekend, you can commonly find fruit such as apples or oranges in fancy boxes up to 3 to 4 times for this reason. Here are some videos of some meals we have during Tet (Lunar New Year in Vietnamese)!

There are usually lantern festivals celebrated in China towns across the US to celebrate. Dragon dances are my favorite part of the festival. If you are ever in NY during Lunar New Year, I highly recommended stopping by in NYC’s Chinatown and watching the parade they throw. It’s loud, colorful, and filled with delicious food! I recommend stopping by your local Asian Market and buying some moon cakes or a platter of Asian candy to celebrate!”

If you aren’t familiar with Chinese New Year and its traditions, I hoped you learned something today. If you do celebrate, do you do anything differently? We’d love to hear about your experiences!

Christin 

Product Spotlights and Updates:

Today’s Product Spotlight is brought to you by the Cisco AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9 Deployment Pack, which has everything you need for your office’s wireless setup. The kit includes the AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9 access point, which is a fantastic high-performance dual-band device designed for offices and similar RF environments. The radios on the AP support 802.11a through 802.11ac wireless network standards and are easy to manage. The deployment pack also comes with a standard ceiling mount as well as a recessed ceiling grid clip, a console cable, a power injector, and a power supply. It comes with everything, but the kitchen sink (as they say). Perhaps you already have all those accessories and just want the AP. You can purchase the AIR-CAP3702I-A-K9 device stand alone as well. 

Keep in mind these are controller-based access points but don’t fret, we carry Wireless LAN Controllers as well! We find that the AIR-CT2504-5-K9 would fit the bill nicely. If you don’t have WiFi at your office, I’m sorry to say, but you are living in the dark ages. Get out of the dark ages and get your WiFI on. 

What are Shielded Ethernet Cables? – CK Learning Center

What are Shielded Ethernet Cables? 

Currently, the use of high bandwidth applications has been on the rise, and network systems have started venturing into factory environments which have called for the use of shielded cables. In this new installation sector, the cable is used in areas with high electromagnetic interference (EMI). Even with improved ability to reject noise and handle gigabit Ethernet, these cables will not function properly in areas where there is high EMI if not properly shielded. A shielded cable will help in these high EMI installations ensuring safe and efficient data transfer.

STP and S/STP

These are the two basic types of shielded ethernet cables. STP cables with an overall generic shield whereas S/STP cables have a shield for each pair and an overall outer shield. The Shield of STP cables can either be a foil or a braid, but for additional strength, some cables can comprise of a foil shield and an outer braid shield.

SSTP and FTP

Cables that have an overall foil are known as FTP, whereas those with a braid are known as STP. STP is the generic name given to all shielded cables. At times, there arises confusion where FTP cables are assumed to be unshielded or that they are significantly different in terms of performance. In practice, the STP and FTP cables can be used interchangeably, and there is no apparent difference in their performance.

S/STP

The second type of cable is one that has each of the individual pair shielded and then there is an overall outer shield. This type of cable is referred to as S/STP. The purpose of having an inner shield is to ensure that there is no internal cross-talk between the pairs. This will help in ensuring that the cables meet the specifications of the Alien Cross Talk parameter which is significantly difficult to achieve with CAT6a and CAT7 systems. However, Alien Cross Talk is not a requirement when it comes to CAT6, CAT5e, and CATS systems. Additionally, it does not significantly contribute to the overall resilience of the cable when it comes to resisting external RF noise such as the one made at the mains induced spikes. The physical construction comprises of a foil on both the inner and overall outer shield. Additionally, there can be a braid which will improve the cable’s strength and also simplify the connection to the metal shields which are around the connectors.

Proper Ground Connection

It is worth noting that all the shielded Ethernet cables should have a ground connection for their shields. In case your cable has an incorrect ground connection, the chances are there will be ground loop currents and also the associated interference to the Ethernet signal. In the worst-case scenario, where the grounding is poor, the shield can end up acting like antennas; broadcasting high-frequency signals from the cable to the outer environment. This will interfere with the delicate co-located electronic equipment and also allow external detection of the Ethernet data.

What is the Drain Wire in Shielded Cables? 

Every shielded Ethernet cable should have a wire that stretches from the insulated wires to the shield. This is commonly known as the drain wire. Normally, the shield is connected to a specific pin in one end, which can even be the chassis. The connector shells are not connected anywhere and consequently, connecting the drain wire to pin 1 puts the entire cable at the potential of that pin. No current will be flowing, but the cable screening will be effective.

Bottom Line on Shielded Patch Cables

Ethernet cables should be shielded which helps increase the cable’s resilience and also makes it stronger. As such, when going for Ethernet cables, consider going for ones that are shielded to ensure safety and longevity.

This article is from the CK Learning Center

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,586,691 active COVID cases, 17,827,323 have recovered and there have been 483,200 deaths. 
  • Mr. Peanut is joining forces with Spam. Kraft Heinz is selling its nuts business to Spam maker Hormel for $3.35 billion. The business, which includes most Planters products and the Corn Nuts brand, contributed about $1.1 billion to Kroft Heinz’s 2020 sales. Kraft Heinz CEO Miguel Patricio said the sale enables the company to focus on other snack brands, like Lunchables and P3.
  • As part of the massive redesign of Epcot that is currently underway, the Leave A Legacy blocks were removed. But because guests were promised their images would remain on display for 20 years, we knew they were being relocated to a new space outside of the park itself. Now that relocation has commenced, and it turns out Walt Disney World isn’t simply moving the same granite blocks to another location. Leave A Legacy has been completely redesigned. It’s now full of colors, and it looks gorgeous. Check it out. 
  • The effort to immunize more Americans against the coronavirus now includes major retail pharmacy chains. National drugstore chains CVS Health and Walgreens are among the more than 20 major retailers getting supplies of COVID-19 vaccines from the federal government this week. The federal program will be implemented in stages, based on available vaccine supplies, with shipments arriving as soon as Thursday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 
  • Drivers passing through downtown Lawrenceville, Georgia may have noticed something a little different as this week began: a former city vehicle fueling station located on a triangle-shaped property by City Hall has started to disappear. The teardown is laying the groundwork for a gateway plaza and green space that will be built on the property this spring and through the remainder of the year to welcome visitors traveling north on Graying Highway into the downtown Lawrenceville area. 
  • When 31-year-old Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd takes her dating app company public Thursday, she’ll be noted not only for her youth but also as one of the few female founders to lead a firm to an IPO. Bumble, whose board is 73% women, priced its offering Wednesday evening at $43 per share, raising $2.2 billion and valuing Bumble at around $8 billion. The stock market response will act as a litmus test for companies founded by women, who account for just 7.4% of Fortune 500 CEOs. That’s an all-time high but still staggeringly low.

CEO Daily Update – 2.10.2021

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Today’s Topics: Cat Judge | Recessed Rack Adapters | 6 Inspiring Books that will help you face the future with Confidence – Success Blog | News to Start Your Day

Happy Wednesday!

It’s National Cream Cheese Brownie Day! Cream Cheese Brownies are an irresistible dessert. Don’t ya think? It’s been a long time favorite in the bakery world. Add a dollop of whipped cream, berries, or some nuts and they become a decadent dessert in their own right!!

Hey, friends. Happy Wednesday. I don’t have much to share today, but I did see this viral lawyer cat video earlier and thought you all might like it. We all need a little mid-week laugh, right? Can we all agree that every Zoom meeting needs a cat filter now? Enjoy your Hump Day! 

Christin

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Ever have a piece of equipment you racked up in your perfectly configured cabinet that prevented the door from closing? You certainly don’t want to rear mount the equipment, because the ports are in the front. So what do you do? Buy a new cabinet or reconfigure your entire setup? Well, let CablesAndKits offer you a cost-effective solution! Recessed Rack Adapters. 

These unassuming steel brackets will allow you to recess your equipment 3 inches from the face of a cabinet or rack. Door problems solved! Don’t have any door issues? No problem, these Recessed Rack Adapters are perfect for mourning shelves, patch panels, and other standard 19’’ Networking or A/V equipment. The Recessed Rack Adapters come in two sizes – a 1RU version will work for most standard-sized switches and for larger pieces of equipment we offer a 2RU size. Pick up a pair today and get your rack organized!

6 Inspiring Books that will help you Face the Future with Confidence – Success Blog

Think Again – The Power of Knowing What you Don’t Know (By Adam Grant) 

In Think Again, Adam Grant, wants readers to forget, let go and move on from ideas and knowledge that isn’t working for them. “If you can master the art of rethinking, I believe you’ll be better positioned for success at work and happiness in life,” Grant writes. “Thinking again can help you generate new solutions to old problems and revisit old solutions to new problems. It’s a path to… living with fewer regrets.

Sometimes no matter how well-thought-out or carefully laid out plans can be, they can give us tunnel vision, Grant writes. When we become open to new ideas, we begin to see faults in those plans and can identify and prevent mistakes we were likely to make.

Listen Like You Mean It – Reclaiming the Lost Art of True Connection (By Ximena Vengoechea) 

We often tend to be hypocritical when it comes to listening. We get annoyed if someone isn’t giving us their full attention, but if someone else is telling a story, it’s alright if we check our phones mid-conversation. Sometimes that’s fine, writes Ximena Vengoechea in Listen Like You Mean It. But other times, not listening can have serious consequences. 

In her book, Vengoechea doesn’t just offer tips and tricks on how to listen more intently; she goes deeper. Vengoechea also covers how to deepen conversations, how to handle them when they get tough, and how to get more out of them.

“If you’re tired of getting one-word responses from your partner, colleague, lover, or sibling, it’s time to start asking a different kind of question,” Vengoechea writes. “With connecting questions, we can go beyond the superficial and get to know our conversation partner much more deeply.”

The Way of Integrity – Finding the Path to Your True Self (By Martha Beck) 

Finding the way to integrity can help you find happiness, Martha Beck writes in her new book. That’s because when we’re not honest with ourselves, everything else suffers. 

“It’s probably because you’re internally divided,” Beck writes in The Way of Integrity. “That’s how it feels to be out of integrity. All these inner reactions affect our outer lives. Since we can’t concentrate, our work suffers. Irritability and gloominess make us bad company, weakening our relationships.” 

So how do you find the way of integrity? Beck breaks it down into three phases in her book. The first one is called “the dark wood of error,” where one feels lost, uncertain, and exhausted. Then there’s the inferno, where one discovers the things that cause our suffering. One begins to heal in “purgatory,” where one begins to create new behaviors to match their inner truth. And finally, there’s paradise, where one starts living. 

Your Brain is Always Listening – Tame the Hidden Dragons that Control Your Happiness, Habits, and Hang-Ups (By Dr. Daniel G. Amen) 

In Your Brain Is Always Listening, the prolific Daniel G. Amen, M.D. seeks to teach readers how to tame what he describes as mental dragons—how to put the bad ones in their place and how to get the good ones to work for us. To explain how these dragons can work for or against us, Amen describes four circles of health and illness: biological, psychological, social, and spiritual. 

“When any one circle is unhealthy, your brain is more likely to listen to your Dragons from the Past, from others, and from society, and then let them take control,” Amen writes.

If the dragon metaphor is too much for you, remember Amen knows what he’s talking about. The man has worked in brain health for 40 years. 

“Over 175,000 brain scans later, it’s become even more clear that the problems we treat aren’t mental health issues; they’re brain health issues that steal your mind,” he writes.

ALIEN Thinking – The Unconventional Path to Breakthrough Ideas (By Cyril Bouquet, Jean-Louis Barsoux and Michael Wade) 

Three professors from the Institute for Management Development have teamed up to write about alien thinking. No, not the way of thinking of extraterrestrials. In this case, ALIEN stands for Attention, Levitation, Imagination, Experimentation, and Navigation. The acronym offers readers a “framework… to overcome biases and mental models that can constrain creativity or doom a great idea.” 

The book is intended to help leaders manage themselves and their thinking. The authors admit that while managers were their focus when developing the plan, they believe their model of thinking can work for anyone at any organization. Their hope is that the book offers tools that will work for readers when inspiration strikes. 

“You can use the ALIEN model to catalyze original thinking and fast-track your ability to spot patterns and make the right mental connections,” the trio writes. 

Strong Like Water – How I found the Courage to Lead with Love in Business and in Life (By Laila Tarraf) 

After more than 25 years as a senior human resource executive at companies like Walmart, Peet’s Coffee and Tea, and AllBirds, Laila Taraf came to know a lot about what makes people tick and how to keep an eye on them. But when her husband died of an accidental drug overdose, and she lost her parents soon after, Tarraf was forced to look into a person she wasn’t used to managing—herself. 

In Strong Like Water, Tarraf shares her tale of healing and looking deep inside. It wasn’t easy for her.  

“I used every coping mechanism in my well-stocked arsenal to keep myself compartmentalized and separate from my fear,” Tarraf writes. “Unfortunately, there was a lot of work that needed to be done.”

Tarraf shows readers the processes she went through to find healing and courage. Strong Like Water can read like a memoir, but Tarraf’s real-life examples can be relatable for readers from all walks of life.

This article is from Success Blog.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,680,957 active COVID cases, 17,639,217 have recovered and there have been 479,772 deaths. 
  • Quaker Oats, a division of PepsiCo, had announced last June that it would retire the Aunt Jemima brand. Quaker Oats brought the Aunt Jemima brand in 1925 and had updated the logo over the years in an effort to remove the negative stereotypes. Quaker Oats said Tuesday that its Aunt Jemima brand pancake mix and syrup will be renamed Pearl Milling Company. 
  • General Motors on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter earnings that easily beat Wall Street expectations, but the company warned a global semiconductor chip shortage could cut its earning by up to $2 billion this year. Automakers and parts suppliers began warning of a semiconductor shortage late last year after demand for vehicles rebounded stronger than expected following a two-month shutdown of production plants due to the coronavirus pandemic. GM has already closed care and crossover plants due to the shortage. 
  • Uber will offer free rides to Walgreens stores for people who book a vaccine appointment but do not have transportation and live in an underserved community. The pilot program will start in Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and El Paso, Texas. Walgreens will play an expanded role in the vaccine rollout this week, as it gets direct shipments of doses and administers shots in 15 states. 
  • The crushing coronavirus spike in the U.S. has been showing signs of abating, with 95,360 new cases Tuesday less than a third of the record-high new daily infections of 300,282 on January 2nd. The number of people in U.S. hospitals being treated for Covid-19 totaled 79,179 on Tuesday, the first daily count below 80,000 since November 18th.  
  • Elon Musk’s SpaceX has widened the scope of the public beta test of its Starlink satellite internet service. Prospective Starlink users can enter a service address on the company’s website, with preorders available for $99. Starlink’s website emphasizes that preorders are “fully refundable,” but notes in fine print that “placing a deposit does not guarantee service.” The service will be offered first in the United States, Canada, and the U.K.

CEO Daily Update – 2.9.2021

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Today’s Topics: Snow Camping | Premium Fiber Cables | Do I Need the Latest Server? | News to Start Your Day

Happy Tuesday!

February 9th is National Pizza Day! Whether it’s thin crust, Chicago-style, deep dish, or anything in between, pizza is an American favorite. Did you know Americans consume on average 23 pounds of pizza per person each year?!

Hey there, friends. I hope you all had a good weekend. Perhaps watched the Super Bowl on Sunday? We ended up going on our camping trip. We had lots of fun, spent time with good friends, and the kids played outside as long as the sun was out and keeping them a little warm. It was mostly cold and rainy, but we didn’t mind. The change in pace and scenery was nice. And, the cherry on top of a good trip was that it snowed! We don’t tend to get snow too often here in Georgia, and the kids are always hoping for just a little before the end of winter. It was a nice little treat for them and definitely made the trip more memorable. 

Funny how little things can make your experience memorable. If you’ve ever ordered anything from CK, you should’ve received some M&Ms in your package. A small thing that creates a memorable experience is the idea behind why we include those. We aim to make every experience with us as frictionless and memorable as possible. we can’t conjure up a snowstorm on a whim, but we can throw in extra M&Ms, make sure your package arrives on time, and even pre-configure things like phones for you. If we can ever do anything to make your experience with us better, please be sure to let us know! 

Until tomorrow,

Christin 

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today’s product spotlight will be focused on our Premium Fiber Cables made with ultra-pure corning glass. Corning enables all types of communications to meet the demands of numerous network applications. These premium fibers are more durable and transmit light with low attenuation and low signal loss. They also have ultra-physical contact polish which gives users more reliable signals for data, digital, and telephone applications. 

The Low Smoke Zero Halogen jacket material around premium fibers also reduce the amount of corrosive and toxic gas when exposed to heat. Another great feature about premium fiber cables is their ability to easily reverse polarity. This allows optimal data transmission with fewer cables and higher speed. The premium fiber cables are available in OS2, OM3, OM4, and OM5 cable type. These premium fiber cables also come with various connector types including standard, Uniboot, and Uniboot Push-Pull Tab.

If you want to learn more about the differences between our Standard and Premium cables, please visit our learning center article!

Do I Need the Latest Server? – CK Learning Center

Data centers aren’t cheap. Just the cost of power requirements for keeping your equipment running can be staggering. Adding the cost of new servers can often feel like too much. If you have high demands and a tight budget, you need a way to get more power and performance for every dollar spent. For most applications, the easiest way to do this is to look at refurbished servers and parts. 

The Iterative Cycle of Technology

Computer hardware is an interesting market. Over time, consumers tend to get more value for each dollar spent, but used goods still drop in price like a used car. It all boils down to the iterative process of developing technology. Every year, newer and better parts are released, but they rarely provide dramatic improvements over the previous generation. Here’s an easy example. The first 3.0 GHz processor was the Pentium 4 released in 2003. Today, many servers are running 3.0 GHz processors. Even at the highest end, you’re looking at 5.0 GHz clock speeds. That’s an improvement of 67 percent in 15 years. That means on average, computer components are gaining less than five-percent performance every year. 

Now there is more to a processor than just the clock speed, but overall the rate holds true. Last year’s processor can do all of the same work as this year’s. It’s only every several years that a real breakthrough happens. 

Server Lifespan

So, buying refurbished lets you save money and have parts that are comparable to something brand new, but performance isn’t the only consideration. Servers work hard, and you need something that will last. Well, there’s good news on that front too. Most high-end servers are built to last 5 to 10 years. Despite that, elite data centers (like Google) like to rotate their equipment on a cycle of two to three years. You can buy a refurbished server with seven or more years left on its shelf life that can still hang with brand new equipment. 

Modular Technology

If you were just buying refurbished servers as is, you could save a lot of money without sacrificing performance, but the modular nature of servers gives you a lot more opportunity. Data centers have to adapt and adjust hardware on a daily basis. This has led to a server design that is easily tweaked and customized. This gives you the freedom to upgrade components instead of entire servers. That can extend the life, value, and performance of your refurbished equipment. Best of all, those modular parts can also be refurbished. 

This article is from the CK Learning Center. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,711,640 active COVID cases, 17,512,584 have recovered and there have been 476,405 deaths. 
  • Facebook this week will begin showing its U.S. users information about where and when they can get Covid-19 vaccines. They will direct users to local health agency websites where they can get information about their eligibility to get vaccinated. The company will also provide $120 million in ad credits to health agencies around the world so they can run campaigns about Covid-19 vaccines. 
  • At 43, Tom Brady won his seventh Super Bowl and earned his fifth Super Bowl MVP title after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs. Brady credits his longevity and success to his strict health and wellness regiment, the TB12 Method. One of the key components in Brady’s plan is his sleep routine. Brady said that he sticks to a 9 p.m. bedtime and wakes up at 6 a.m. (for nine hours of sleep) Here’s what else is in Brady’s sleep routine. 
  • Liang Wannian, head of the expert Covid-19 panel at China’s National Health Commission, said ongoing research into the origins of the virus must focus on how it circulated in animals before infecting humans. Scientists have been working in the Chinese city of Wuhan for the past four weeks as part of their search for clues to the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic. The investigators visited hospitals, laboratories, and markets, including the Huanan Seafood Market, the Wuhan Insititute of Virology, and the Wuhan Center for Disease Control laboratory. 
  • CD Projekt says it’s been hacked by attackers who’ve been able to access its internal network, encrypt some devices, and collect “certain data” from the Polish video game company. The Cyberpunk 2077 developers say it will not give in to the demands or negotiate with the attacker and does not believe any personal data of players or service users has been compromised. The hackers are threatening to release the source code alongside internal legal, HR, and financial documents “if we will not come to an agreement.” In its statement, CD Projekt says that it has secured its IT infrastructure, and has begun restoring its data from intact backups. 
  • Canadian satellite operator Telesat announced that Thales Alenia Space will build its next-generation broadband satellite network called Lightspeed. Lightspeed will focus on providing high-speed fiber-like internet to Telesat’s customers around the globe. The company largely focuses on business-to-business customers and expects its Lightspeed constellation will cost $5 billion to build. 

CEO Daily Update – 2.8.2021

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Today’s Topics: Commercial Bowl 2021 | UV Light Phone Sterilizer w/Wireless Charging | Tax Season 2021 – Dave Ramsey | News to Start Your Day

Happy National Clean out Your Computer Day! Today is the perfect time to do some general housekeeping on your computer! All computers need regular organizing and cleaning up and after all this time working from home, I’m sure a lot of our computers could use some love!

So, last night was the Super Bowl game…or for most of the world, it was the 2021 Commercial Bowl. Congrats to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady. There were so many firsts and all kinds of history made last night. One of the biggest, thanks to Covid, was that Tampa Bay became the first team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium. If you are a Bucs fan, then you have to be very happy and pleased with everything in the game last night. Brady, Gronk, and the Bucs Defense were all great last night. Love or hate Brady, you have to truly admit that he is a phenomenal player and leader.

In the year of Covid and how it has changed everything, you could see that effect on the commercials. There were several very impactful ones with great messages during this time. There were also some pretty funny and crazy ones like the Flat Matthew Doritos one, the Horses one from Sam Adams, and It Wasn’t Me by Cheetos. What were your favorite commercials from the Super Bowl last night?

On another note, a quick update on the house…God is so good! Everything with the appraisal came back great and everything is good to go for the closing. I appreciate all the thoughts and prayers for this last week. I was packing like crazy this weekend and got a ton done. It felt great to clean a ton of stuff out and have that much stuff packed up and out of the house. The new house is coming along very well, also. The plumbing and electrical are done and drywall should be going in this week. It is crazy how quickly it is coming together.

Have a great Monday and a great week!

Jason

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Happy Monday! We are still offering FREE SHIPPING on all Safety Supplies! Just use the Coupon Code: PPESHIP at checkout! Along with free shipping, our UV Light Phone Sterilizer w/Wireless Charging is now on SALE! Want to disinfect all your electronics? Tired of smudges on your phone after cleaning it with a napkin or cloth? This product might be for you! This box allows you to CHARGE AND DISINFECT your phone, Airpods, and Apple watch at the SAME TIME! You can sit back and watch as this box effortlessly sterilizes your everyday electronics! This box is also portable so you can take it with you anywhere and share with your family and friends! 

Tax Season 2021 – Dave Ramsey Blog

With over 30 million Americans working as independent workers or “solopreneurs,” not to mention the endless free social media and selling platforms, there’s never been a better time or bigger audience to launch your own side gig.

Maybe you’ve always had a knack for repainting old thrift store furniture. Or maybe you’re a gifted musician who could coach other young aspiring talent. Maybe you have a specific education, training, experience or skill that you could develop into a freelance business such as financial planning or graphic design. Whatever your “thing” may be, there are plenty of good reasons to get going.

First, you can make extra money on the side. Extra money is always a good thing! Second, you can set your own schedule. That way you can build your business around your life versus the other way around. Also a good thing! And finally, you get to utilize something you’re good at and enjoy. Also a good—and fulfilling—thing!

Regardless of where you are now, you can get started now!

But, of course, getting started is the hardest part! I coach women with side businesses through my Business Boutique events all over the country, and I know how difficult and overwhelming it can seem. So, to help, here are the first five steps you can take to jump-start your side business.

1. Find community.

Just because you’re doing it on your own doesn’t mean you have to do it alone. Find other people who can help support your dream, provide resources or connections that may help you, or give you advice when you need it.

2. Create a plan.

It doesn’t have to be fancy or 14 pages long. You can make your own or search for a template online. It doesn’t matter how you do it; it just matters that you do it.

3. Be prepared to get scared.

Fear is just a part of the journey, and if you know that going in, you can set yourself up to overcome it. Putting yourself out there can feel vulnerable and scary, but you can’t succeed unless you do it! I write on this topic frequently because I battle fear just like you do.

4. Just take the first step.

Business can be overwhelming with all that you have to do, especially when you’re starting out. But don’t focus on all that you have to do. Just focus on one thing that you have to do. When you take that one baby step, it fuels your focus and gives you the confidence and momentum to take that second baby step.

5. Do it now.

If you wait until you’re ready, until you have more experience, or until all the details are perfect before you go for it, you’ll never do anything. Go for it now, when you’re not ready, you don’t have experience, it’s not perfect, and you’re scared out of your mind. Do it anyway. Do it scared. Ready is a myth.

There you go! These are the first five things you need to do to get started. And notice not one of them was “go buy a bunch of equipment and materials” or “pay $10,000 for a professional website.” Those things aren’t a bad investment later down the line when your business revenues justify it. But when you’re starting out, the problem isn’t the design of your website; it’s your fear, doubt, and hesitation.

If you do these five things, you’ll be well on your way to joining the movement of people making money doing what they love!

This article is from the Dave Ramsey Blog.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,782,082 active COVID cases, 17,354,388 have recovered and there have been 474,933 deaths.
  • Did you tune in to watch the Superbowl commercials? This year’s Super Bowl brought ads from Bud Light, Cheetos, Robinhood, Chipotle, Pringles and many more. Read here for more on the ads and watch them again after they debuted on the game. Check them all out here. 
  • Apple is close to finalizing a deal with Hyundai-Kia to manufacture an Apple-branded autonomous electric vehicle, sources previously told CNBC. A so-called Apple Car would put pressure on legacy automakers to increase their self-driving vehicle technologies, much like Tesla has done with EVs. An Apple car – known as Project Titan – has reportedly been on and off for years. 
  • Senator Bernie Sanders said he opposes lowering the income cap for people to receive a full $1,400 direct payment as part of the next coronavirus relief bill. Senator Joe Manchin has raised concerns about the checks going to too many people, and President Joe Biden has said he would be flexible about eligibility to receive the money. Individuals making up to $75,000 would receive the full sum as of now, but Democrats are considering lowering the threshold to $50,000. 
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved marketing of a new device that could help patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea. The device is the first device of its kind to be intended for use during the day, most devices are intended for use during sleep. FDA assessments found that the device reduced loud snoring by more than 20% in 87 out of 115 patients.
  • Dogecoin rallied 65% in 24 hours to a record high of $0.083745 on Sunday, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Dogecoin, based on the “doge” meme, was initially started as a joke but has since gained a following. Elon Musk, Snoop Dogg and Gene Simmons have tweeted about the cryptocurrency recently.

CEO Daily Update – 2.5.2021

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Today’s Topics: Julia Child, what an interesting woman | Stay Connected with our 1080P HD Streaming Webcam | Reasons to Buy a Refurbished Server | News to Start Your Day

Happy Friday!

Happy World Nutella Day! Are you a fan of this delicious hazelnut spread? Today is the perfect day to create or try a new recipe! Don’t have any? Well, here are a few you can try! Nutella Banana Bread – Nutella Bread Pudding – Nutella Mocha Latte

Random thought for you today: Julia Child, what an interesting woman. 

Julie & Julia is one of those movies that I wouldn’t say I loved, but I’ve found myself watching it multiple times in a sort of fascinated way, wondering about the real life of Julia Child. Recently in random conversation with a friend I was told that Julia was once a spy. I had to learn more, so I looked her up. Turns out that’s a simplified way of stating it, but she did in fact work as an intelligence officer in the office that was the predecessor to the CIA. Julia also was the executive assistant to a scientist who developed a shark repellent. 

A secretary turned intelligence officer with top security clearance, an American living in Paris, author of one of the bestselling cookbooks of all time, a pioneer in the television cooking show arena; what an interesting life she lived. I’m fascinated by people like her who are seemingly fearless enough to take chances and in return live rich, adventurous lives.

Life is short, yet there is opportunity for many adventures if one can take a chance. Have a great weekend, friends!

Christin

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Happy Friday everyone! I wanted to pass along some good news that our brand new 1080P HD Webcam is on SALE! We know that quality webcams are hard to come by these days which is why we wanted to add this product to our catalog! In a world full of virtual meetings, it is more important than ever to have a webcam that delivers on video & audio quality! This webcam is perfect for all of your video conferencing needs! It works seamlessly with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, FaceTime, Skype, YouTube and more! It seriously has it all! 

  • 1080P Full HD quality for a clear, crisp, lifelike picture
  • Built-in Noise Reducing Microphone to cut out the unwanted distractions from background noise
  • 90 degree Wide View Angle to give you the wide view you’re looking for
  • Plug & Play to make it easy to use! Ready to go in less than 1 minute!

Reasons to Buy a Refurbished Server – CK Learning Center

As your company’s IT manager, you are required to make many decisions when it comes to selecting which technology you will utilize to best fit the needs of your company. One of the decisions you will be faced with is selecting a server that fits your needs for both price and performance. When it comes to shopping for servers, the options and price ranges are nearly endless. You might become overwhelmed and begin to think that you will have to sacrifice either price or performance, however we’ve got good news. You can have the best of both worlds by going with a refurbished server. Here are some reasons this might be the best choice you could possibly make!

Price

Of course, price is an important factor to consider when you are working within a tight budget. Although new servers may have ever-so-slight advantages over refurbished ones in term of performance, most often the differences in performance are minor but the price difference is great. Buying a refurbished server can see you save 10, 20, or even 50 percent per unit. As a smart shopper, you want to get the most out of each dollar and buying a refurbished server allows you to do just that, which means you have more money left over for other IT needs.

Performance

There is a misconception that the refurbished servers‘ performance is inferior to new ones. The truth is that the performance of a server is based on the configuration (drives, memory, processors, etc) of the particular server. A new server with the same configuration as a refurbished server should perform exactly the same. 

Most IT departments replace their servers, not because they are damaged but because of schedules that they follow or agreements with manufacturers. Consequently, it is possible to get a refurbished server that in excellent shape and can be used for another 5 to 10 years without any issues. Next time you need to replace your server, contact us for a refurbished server that may even see you achieve better performance, and for a fraction of the price.

Maintenance

Maintenance cost is an important consideration when buying a new or refurbished server. One major benefit of going with a server that is one or two generations behind the new ones is the availability of spare parts. Getting replacement parts for refurbished servers can be easy and affordable, reducing maintenance cost and stress that comes with trying to find the correct replacement parts.

Warranty

Many people go for new servers because they trust the brand of the server and they feel confident that they can rely on the warranty (assuming one is provided). However, most warranties offered by other companies are limited to 2-3 years and, in many cases, they even cost you extra money. We’ve got your back, though. Here at CK we offer an industry-best lifetime warranty on all of our servers. That means that if you experience trouble with the server or components in the server, we will make it right!

In Conslusion

Newer isn’t always better. We are huge advocates of refurbished servers because of the many advantages they bring. When you throw in our lifetime warranty, there’s really nothing to lose! We can help you replace your servers stress-free.

This article is from the CK Learning Center.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,755,273 active COVID cases, 17,031,629 have recovered and there have been 466,988 deaths.
  • Johnson & Johnson applied for an emergency use authorization from the FDA for its coronavirus vaccine. The company released data last week showing it was about 66% effective in protecting against the virus. If J&J’s application is approved, it would be the third Covid-19 vaccine authorized for emergency use in the U.S. being those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. 
  • As Covid-19 cases spike around the country, so does the demand for s’mores in American homes. Chocolate and candy sales have been on the rise since the start of the pandemic as people are cooped up inside their homes searching for every small occasion to celebrate. Chocolate sale were 40% to 50% higher in areas with an increased number of Covid-19 cases than areas that were lower, reported Hershey. 
  • Demand for Peloton’s at-home fitness equipment has surged during the Covid-19 pandemic, and customers’ deliveries are being delayed due to backlogs. Peloton says it’s making investments to be able to offer customers more clarity on when their cycles and treadmills might arrive. 
  • Health tech company, Clover Health Investments responded to allegations made by short-seller firm Hindenburg this week. Clover acknowledged that it did not disclose inquiries made by the Department of Justice about its business prior to its IPO through a SPAC backed by Chamath Palihapitiya, but characterized the inquiries as standard practice. Clover also said it received a letter from the SEC following Hindenburg’s report and said it would cooperate with the agency. 
  • Iceland, like much of the world, has embraced Disney’s popular streaming service, Disney+, since it arrived there late last year, with characters from Mickey Mouse to Mulan now available to watch on demand in homes across the country. But there is a problem, the government says: None of the moves or shows are dubbed or subtitled in Icelandic. The country’s education minister sent a letter of complaint to Bob Chapek, The Walt Disney Company’s chief executive, this week, urging the company to cooperate in the country’s efforts to preserve its language. 

CEO Daily Update – 2.4.2021

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Today’s Topics: Charades for Kids | Cisco Compatible USB to RJ45 Console Cables, When DB9 is not an Option | Can I Buy or Sell a House in 2021? – Dave Ramsey Blog | News to Start Your Day

Happy Thursday!

Happy National Thank a Mail Carrier Day! I think all of our mail carriers deserve lots of “thank yous” for surviving the holiday season! Let us know how you show your mail carrier some love throughout the year!

Hey, friends. I hope you enjoyed Jason’s message yesterday. So many people we know are moving right now. The real estate market is very active, due in no small part to interest rates being so low. I love seeing people get into new homes.

How’s your week been? I had a really productive day yesterday, which felt great. Hoping for more of those as February rolls on.

We decided to go on our camping trip this weekend. It is going to be cold and maybe windy, but no rain. We decided we could deal with that for some quality time with great friends. I’m looking forward to a change of scenery for a couple of days.

Our daughter’s birthday celebration was fun! She and her sister dressed up like princesses for cake (after sister followed through and woke her up by singing Happy Birthday), and she loved her gifts. One of her gifts was Charades for Kids. I have to tell you, it is doubly funny playing charades with an early reader. “Baby bottle” becomes “baby battle” and you wonder what in the world your child is doing, haha. Great memories being made!

Wishing you a happy Thursday.

Christin

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today’s Product Spotlight brings you to the CAB-CONSOLE-USB-RJ45 Cable. This is a USB to RJ45 console cable that essentially replaces the older DB9 to RJ45 console cables. Most laptops and PCs today don’t even come with DB9 ports and in the past, you had to end up cobbling together a bunch of adapters or a USB to DB9 and a DB9 to RJ45 Console cable together. Once connected you would say a small prayer and cross your fingers in hopes that it might work. Well with this cable you can leave those worries behind. We essentially eliminated the need for adapters and combined the RJ45 and USB connectors into one unit. This will allow you to interface with your switches, firewalls, and routers with ease. Did we mention this cable is plug-and-play? It doesn’t require any drivers to work, no more tiny CDs or searching endlessly on the web for the right download!

One reviewer said this cable “Works like magic!” Check out their review and the other glowing reviews here!

Need to learn more about Console Cables and what they are used for? Check out our console cable guide!

Can I Buy or Sell a House in 2021? – Dave Ramsey Blog

So you want to buy or sell a house, but, well . . . coronavirus. This pandemic has probably kept you from doing a lot of things you want to do: You can’t go to a concert, you can’t watch sports live (in most places), you can’t travel for fun (without quarantining)—you can’t even hug your grandma!

If you’ve already got all your ducks in a row and don’t want to put your housing goals on hold for yet another year, all those restrictions might have you asking, Can I buy or sell a house this year?

The quick answer is yes. Before the start of 2021, the number of home sales across the country hit nearly 7 million in one month—that’s over 25% more sales than the year before! So did those home buyers and sellers experience any challenges you should prepare for? We’ll walk you through what to expect.

Buying or Selling a House this Year

It’s true that the pandemic outbreak caused many buyers and sellers to hit pause on their housing plans in 2020. In fact, existing home sales dropped to their lowest point of the year during what’s usually the hottest time for real estate—by May 2020, home sales took a plunge of nearly 27% compared to May 2019!

On the bright side, it was only a temporary drop. By the end of 2020, there was such a surge of home sales that it more than made up for the number of losses during the spring. Crazy, right? It was probably thanks to real estate agents learning how to practice social distancing guidelines, which eased buyer and seller worries. And now, the housing market forecastshows no sign of home sales slowing down in 2021.

Takeaway: If you’re determined to buy or sell a home this year, there’s a really good chance you can make it happen.

Home Prices During COVID-19

Let’s get right down to it. While some might have expected home prices to drop in the wake of the coronavirus, that hasn’t been the case. In fact, as of December 2020, the national median home price actually went 13% from last year to $340,000. And experts believe2021 home prices will grow by 8% overall.

So, whether you’re buying or selling, it seems like prices are holding steady. But there’s still a lot that can happen, especially in different areas of the market. That’s why it’s so important to know how to find a real estate agent who has experienced the ups and downs of market changes so you can get the best deal whether you’re buying or selling.

Mortgage in 2021

The good news for home buyers right now is mortgages are being offered at rock-bottom interest rates. For example, the annual average interest rate for a 15-year fixed-rate conventional loan in 2020 was only 2.61%—the lowest it’s been since Freddie Mac started reporting nearly 30 years ago!

But keep in mind, dozens of factors go into how a lender decides what interest rate you qualify for—there are no guarantees. At the height of the pandemic, some lenders raised their down payment and job history requirements. That’s why you might’ve heard how some buyers were pulling teeth just to get approved last year. Lenders had to be extra careful to avoid taking on too much risk. In fact, some lenders might still request proof of a buyer’s job security as late as one day before closing so they can cancel financing if the risk is too high.

Don’t let a strict lending requirement get you down—it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sure, you might want to buy a house ASAP, but if your job and income aren’t stable, you still have debt, or you don’t have a down payment of at least 10–20%, buying a house isn’t a good idea—coronavirus or not.

Viewing a home during the Pandemic

Forcing us to wave to grandparents from behind a window isn’t the only way social distancing has interrupted our lives. It’s also added some new challenges to buying and selling a home.

In fact, in the spring of 2020, a few real estate agents said social distancing made home buying and selling nearly impossible or that it was postponing deals from getting done. But most agents said wearing masks and gloves or doing remote deals worked just fine. Again, your situation might be different. But if you’re determined to buy or sell right now, there are ways to close the deal while still following social distancing efforts. Here are some tips:

Selling Tips

Last year, most home sellers made changes to how people interacted with their home—including stopping open houses, doing virtual showings, or requiring buyers, home inspectors, and appraisers to pretty much put on a hazmat suit before entering. Then again, some sellers went the traditional route, despite the coronavirus frenzy. So your experience will really depend on what you’re comfortable with and where you live.

Buying Tips

As a buyer, you might have the option to view inside a house through a virtual showing. Watching a video tour has become a popular way to work around social distancing efforts during home deals. And with easier access to video technology, this pandemic might just make virtual showings the new norm as a no-hassle resource when searching for a home you love.

As you get ready to make an offer on the perfect house, you might also come across a COVID-19 addendum. In response to the crisis, some home deals include addendums that allow the buyer and seller to extend the closing process or cancel the contract if issues related to the coronavirus make it impossible or unlikely to close. No harm, no foul.

When it’s time to close the deal, don’t be surprised to find yourself doing a “drive-by closing” where you pull up to the curbside of a title company’s office as if you were ordering takeout. A legal professional will probably come out to you decked in a mask and gloves to drop off a mountain of paperwork for you to sign in your car for a few hours. (Again, this may be different depending on where you live.)

This article is from the Dave Ramsey Blog.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 9,781,749 active COVID cases, 16,906,778 have recovered and there have been 461,930 deaths.
  • Apple is close to finalizing a deal with Hyundai-Kia to manufacture an Apple-branded autonomous electric vehicle at the Kia assembly plant in West Point, Georgia. Chung has made it clear, mobility is the future of the company. That’s important because that Apply Car will be fully autonomous. 
  • Toyota will air a 60-second ad titled “Upstream” in the second quarter of Sunday’s game to tell the story of Paralympic swimmer Jessica Long. The company said it wants to share an “uplifting message of hope and strength.”
  • Merck CEO Ken Frazier will retire effective June 30, the company announced on Thursday. Frazier will be replaced by the company’s CFO Robert Davis and will continue to serve on Merck’s board of directors as executive chairman. 
  • Amazon unveiled new renderings of its northern Virginia headquarter, which included plans for a 350-foot-tall tower dubbed “The Helix.” The tower is part of Amazon’s proposed development plans for the second phase of HQ2, which the company hopes to complete in 2025. HQ2 plans submitted to Arlington County, Virginia, to provide a closer look at what the new campus could look like. Check out a video of the building design here.  
  • Zoom has come up with a way to let people visiting offices check in with a receptionist without physical contact. It involved starting a Zoom call. The development shows Zoom recognizes it must make sure its products remain valuable after people return to the office, after a month of working from home during the Covid-19 pandemic.