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Small businesses are feeling good about the economy and about their personal futures. According to the latest CNBC Small Business Survey, the small confidence index reading has climbed to 59 from its 58 rating in the first quarter of 2019. This means small business owners are optimistic about the direction of their business for the next 12 months. "Businesses are feeling pretty good, the economy is doing well, and confidence is still at high levels," said Todd McCracken, the CEO and president of the National Small Business Association. The survey shows that 60% of respondents expect revenue to increase in the next year. The percentage of small business owners who say they expect their revenue to decline (6%) is the lowest percentage since Q1 2018. What's more, the percentage of business ...

In the U.S., car accidents are all too common. Approximately six million occur every year, leading to 1.25 million deaths. If you're a survivor of a fatal car crash, life can become excruciatingly difficult, whether you were responsible for the accident or not. NFL executive Terry McDonough knows exactly how crippling survivor's guilt can be; he decided to open up about his personal experience with drunk driving that resulted in the death of friend and classmate, Leslie Messina, back in 1982. "Not one day will ever go by," he said, "that I won't think about Leslie." Drugs other than alcohol are involved in approximately 18% of motor vehicle deaths. In McDonough's case, however, the culprit was beer. After having illegally drunk some Miller Lites just one month after his 17th birthday, Mc...

There's little doubt that the United States is in the midst of an opioid crisis. While four out of five new heroin users start out by misusing prescription painkillers, it's now often the prescription drugs themselves that lead to devastation and death. Between 1999 and 2014, more than 165,000 people in the U.S. died from prescription opioid overdoses. While prescription opioids do have their important uses, it's clear that they are far too easy to obtain -- and that many medical professionals are far too willing to prescribe them to patients. Given what we now know about the benefits of pain management alternatives, Arizona is now considering a bill that would add chiropractic coverage to Medicaid policies, in an attempt to keep opioid prescriptions (and addictions) down. Worldwide, mo...

Golf is just as fun as it is challenging and it is one of only two sports ever to be played on the moon. Though courses across the world look different, a lot of them play the same. There are two places where golf feels like an entirely different sport altogether: the moon and Arizona. Golfing in Arizona is unlike anywhere else in the world. The courses are long, dry, and the ball seemingly goes forever. They are hard courses to play, sure, but they are home to some of the most beautiful landscapes and views in the world, as well. Highlighted by a few select courses in Phoenix, Tucson, and Scottsdale, there are more than 300 amazing looking courses across the state -- and many of these courses are improving every year. A few quality landscaping projects can increase a home's resale val...

We're truly living in a technological era. Nearly every single industry -- from sophisticated data centers to gritty manufacturing plants -- has turned to advanced tech in an attempt to streamline their workflow and improve efficiency. With about 79% of consumers shopping online, even the traditional local retail store has had to reckon with this new technological age. Artificial intelligence and machine learning have been at the forefront of these technologies: by allowing an intelligent computer program or robot to take over, the imperfections of human error can be eliminated and work can exponentially expand. The fresh-faced startup Zinier is interested in bringing this automation to industrial businesses by targeting field service management (FSM) systems. What Is FSM? Any job...

Consider how much data you use in your daily life. The average cellphone plan offers users a few gigabytes a month to do with as they please; you can search the Internet, stream movies and TV shows online, and even pay bills. Now, imagine you're a growing business with hundreds or thousands of customers relying on your services. The amount of data required to meet their needs is going to be significantly more than your basic office building or startup location can churn out -- in fact, the average power density of a single data center is 100 times more than that of a large commercial office building. Businesses in this data-hungry day and age are desperate for speed, storage, and smooth connectivity, but what about the future? According to an article posted on DataCenterKnowledge.com...

The world-wide network responsible for transporting packages and daily mail is nothing short of amazing. On any given day, UPS alone handles about 15.8 million packages. However, during the holiday season, that number skyrockets as online gift-buying reaches its annual peak. With a rise in package delivery comes a corresponding rise in doorstep thefts. Dubbed "porch pirates," petty thieves all over the U.S. simply walk up to neighbor's front steps and swipe the neatly-wrapped parcels left by the postman. Though rather comic, every year porch pirates cause some serious damage. In fact, 26 million Americans say they've had a package stolen from their step during the holidays. If you've had a package stolen recently, or if you want to preemptively protect your holiday gifting pla...

Manufactured housing may be the solution to Phoenix, AZ's affordable housing problem. According to AZ Central, factory-built houses have become more popular and prevalent in Phoenix than in any other metro area in Arizona. Phoenix is home to approximately 85,000 manufactured houses. In recent years, mobile homes have grown in popularity because of their affordability compared to other housing options. In fact, a movement is currently underway in Phoenix to increase the number of manufactured homes in existing neighborhoods and new communities. A conference was recently put together by Mark Stapp, a real-estate analyst and director of the master of real estate development program at Arizona University, and the Arizona Department of Housing. The Arizona Department of Real Estate was also ...