Floods typically cause a range of issues, such as electrical failure, fires, property loss, injury, and even death. Electrical safety hazards resulting from floods are nothing to mess with, so it is important to know how to protect yourself and your loved ones during these emergencies. 

When flooding occurs, perform the following steps: 

• Do NOT turn off the breaker box power if you are standing on a wet floor
• Use a dry stick or rubber utensil to turn the breaker box off
• Do NOT step into a flooded area that contains electrical outlets, appliances, or cords
• Avoid all electrical devices, wires, switches, and fuses when wet
• Do NOT use anything electrical that has been exposed to water
• Stay at least 10 feet away from downed power lines and contact the electrical utility provider ASAP

To prevent electrical fires in your home, take the following actions: 

• Plug appliances into a wall outlet instead of power strips, which might cause overheating
• Never use generators in wet conditions
• Ensure light bulbs meet requirements printed on the appliance and are not too powerful
• Use Ground-Fault Circuit Interpreters (GFCIs) to protect yourself against shock hazards in areas where water might come in contact with outlets, such as kitchens and bathrooms

When flooding occurs, never enter a building by yourself. Flooded buildings are risky, dark, slippery, and potentially full of electrical voltage. If you can access the electrical meter, removing it is a good idea to avoid electrocution. Consider all outlets and switches to be decommissioned until a licensed electrician can analyze the situation.

After a flood, most electrical equipment should be replaced, as most appliances are not rated to withstand even a brief submersion in water. Items that typically need to be replaced include: 

• Plastic-sheathed building wire 
• Armored cable
• Circuit panels and breakers 
• Fuse boxes and fuses 
• Sub panels
• Switch disconnect boxes 
• Switches 
• Outlet receptacles
• Motors 
• Circuit boards 
• Non-submersible pumps
• Blowers and fans 
• Lights 
• Heaters 
• Air conditioners 
• Furnaces and boilers 

If you face an unfortunate flood incident, contact State Electric Company who can assess the damage and provide solutions to keep you and your family safe.  

State Electric Company is a leader in the electrification of the nation. Our highly educated and experienced team of professionals uses industry-leading software technology and has partnered with manufacturers to deliver affordable solutions for all your electrical needs. State Electric Co. is also an exclusive distributor for Enel X JuiceBox EV chargers for residential and commercial use. We are fully licensed, insured, and bonded to install charging stations for homes, offices, hotels, and more. With our extensive knowledge of renewable energy, our team provides customers – large or small – with efficient electrical solutions. Contact us today to learn how we can safely and affordably meet your energy needs. 

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

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew faces skeptical Washington lawmakers pertaining to the company’s ties to the Chinese government. Owned by Chinese company ByteDance, TikTok is under serious pressure as government officials in Washington, the United Kingdom, and Canada was forced to delete the application from their smartphones and tablets.

In the United States, President Joe Biden’s administration has set an ultimatum to TikTok saying they either forgo Chinese ownership or face a complete ban. 

The United States government has never banned a media company, let alone delete 150 million monthly users and the most viewed source of online entertainment following Netflix. 

According to Chew, “TikTok has never shared, or received a request to share, U.S. user data with the Chinese government. Nor would TikTok honor such a request if one were ever made.” 

Several pieces of legislation – including a White House-backed bill – suggests a ban is imminent. 

Cathy McMorris Rodgers, chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee said, “Americans deserve to know the extent to which their privacy is jeopardized, and their data is manipulated by ByteDance-owned TikTok’s relationship with China. What’s worse, we know Big Tech companies, like TikTok, use harmful algorithms to exploit children for profit and expose them to dangerous content online.” 

As teachers, teenagers, influencers, and business owners rallied at the U.S. Capitol to express their opposition to the ban, TikTok has been promoting their solution, dubbed “Project Texas.” The project is aimed at satisfying national security concerns and ensuring United States data will be run by a U.S. division. TikTok has already spent $1.5 billion on the project, hiring 1,500 staff to start. 

Despite these security concerns and a looming U.S. government ban, three in four marketers anticipate increasing spending over the next 12 months. The TikTok-committed marketing industry is fairly confident a ban would not happen, but a ban could force other social media companies such as Meta, YouTube, and Snap into the limelight. 

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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/ 

Another year has begun, which means there are inevitably new technological trends slated to release throughout time. This year, tech is trending at an exponential pace. Keep an eye on the developments below and watch them grow throughout 2023. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is everywhere, and it will advance even more in 2023. Between software, services, chips, and more, AI will be present in operational efficiencies, adaptive processes, higher performance, and stronger security. The implementation of AI has skyrocketed during the pandemic, especially since they aid in adaptivity and resilience. AI is only expected to grow throughout 2023, embracing effortless drag-and-drop interfaces, meaning no code will be necessary. In the early days of computers, users needed to understand DOS to interact with the machine, but now, everyone uses computers without understanding the technical jargon and background programming. Similarly, AI will soon become more user-friendly and functional without coding knowledge. 

Quantum Computing
Remember these words: quantum computing. They might seem inconspicuous today, but this technology which uses subatomic particles to form novel processing pathways and information storage is the future of computing. Even the best processors today cannot compete with quantum computers’ ability to solve complex problems swiftly. With government and industry investments poised for growth, hardware and software looks to be progressing upward. 

Cybersecurity
A huge aspect of technology in 2023 will be establishing trust between applications and end-users. Various ways exist to establish secure access depending on the program or instance. This year, a shift in managing trust will enable security mechanisms to function properly. With trust comes a huge responsibility of protecting vital information, so safety must be heightened to accommodate.  

Broadband
High-speed wireless broadband is adapting at lightning speed, with the ability to power augmented reality, whole-home video distribution, telemedicine, gaming, and more. Wi-fi 6E and 7 will use the 6 GHz band, complementing the emerging global 10G. 

Clouds
Cloud infrastructure is already a large part of today’s technology, but in 2023 it is expected to expand even more. Industries such as banking, healthcare, and manufacturing are shifting toward a responsive platform backed by precise options for their specific industry. With an even greater level of adaptability, functionality, and innovation, cloud-based data is edging its way to the top for many businesses. 

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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/ 

A lawsuit filed by the United States Justice Department targets Alphabet’s Google and its monopoly in the advertising space. If the case succeeds, rivals of Google Ads, such as Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon could find an advantage. However, advertisers would have an uncertain future in this scenario.

The Justice Department demanded in the complaint that Google divest its Ad Manager, a suite of tools that allows websites to distribute ads and find customers based on their interests, gender, location, and more.

Apple has been swiftly increasing its emerging advertising sector, endorsing its privacy features, and could be a budding contender if Google Ads loses its stronghold. Since Apple’s data is compiled through phone ownership, its Safari web browser, and the dispersal of applications through its app store, it will have the ability to swiftly diversify its focus into the ad realm.

If the lawsuit filed by the Justice Department succeeds, advertisers and publishers will both experience more leverage with multiple options and an entirely new roster of players. With that comes more competition, as the space will open up to many others.

Google’s advertising competitors are constantly developing new products for publishers (news websites) and advertisers buying those ads. If Google is forced to divest, competitors such as Microsoft’s Xandr will have an edge, as they will continue to work with both sides.

The gains will also come financially for publishers, as they will have more options, inevitably driving down the overall cost in the sector. As more competition emerges, Google Ads will predictably become less effective.

This is not the first time the government has filed lawsuits against dominant companies in an effort to break up monopolies. In 1974, a lawsuit broke up AT&T, which resulted in many advancements and innovations in the telephone industry. In 1998, the Justice Department filed a suit against Microsoft aimed at reining in the company by prohibiting them from extending its dominant operating system to the internet browser. Ironically, the Justice Department and Microsoft settlement paved the way for other internet innovators such as Google.

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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/ 

When purchasing an Electric Vehicle (EV), ensure you are well-read on the benefits and risks prior to signing the dotted line. One of the most common questions associated with EVs is their ability to tolerate cold weather. Lithium-ion batteries do not perform well in cold, frigid weather, and many EV batteries are lithium-ion equipped. However, don’t let a slight decrease in overall battery performance affect your judgement of EVs. We dive deeper and examine how winter weather affects driving range. 

Many EVs boast a driving range – the distance it can drive without being charged – some up to 500 miles, but the inconsistent presence of charging stations throughout the country makes the range a legitimate concern for many potential owners. Combine this with a decrease in range thanks to battery reduction in cold weather, and it could become an issue. 

All vehicles (gas-powered, hybrid, and electric) are taxed more during extreme temperatures and cannot function at their peak performance. At 20° F, conventional gasoline vehicles generally see a 20% reduction in fuel economy, according to FuelEconomy.gov. However, it’s often more noticeable with an all-electric vehicle where drivers depend on knowing their exact range in order to reach their travel destinations.

The colder the temperature, the more power is required to keep warm and function properly. EV batteries are susceptible to freezing temperatures due to the drop in warmth which affects the battery’s ability to produce essential chemical reactions. Research shows that while battery performance drops during frigid weather, it can lower the driving range by as much as 41 percent in some cases.

Gas-powered vehicles receive natural heat from combustible engines, which can be redirected to the cabin when necessary. No engine means EVs rely on energy-intensive resistance or heat-pump style heaters instead. Moreover, the darker winter months require headlights to run longer, defogging, de-icing, and more. All of these extra mechanics suck up power from the battery. 

To maximize your EV’s winter weather range, follow these tips: 

• Make sure your battery is above 20 percent before starting up
• Use heat efficiently and don’t warm the back cabin if there are no passengers
• Park in a garage whenever possible
• Inflate your tires to achieve the best efficiency
• Drive in eco- or conserve mode to limit energy consumption
• Install winter tires to improve snow, ice, and slush driving conditions
• Pre-heat your EV while it’s still plugged in 
• Utilize heated seats/steering wheels instead of heating the entire cabin with heat

Many EV owners enjoy running their EVs year-round, despite a slight drop in performance. If you are concerned about these factors, look for a plug-in hybrid EV that can use gasoline if necessary. 

State Electric Company is a leader in the electrification of the nation. Our highly educated and experienced team of professionals uses industry-leading software technology and has partnered with manufacturers to deliver affordable solutions for all your electrical needs. State Electric Co. is also an exclusive distributor for Enel X JuiceBox EV chargers for residential and commercial use. We are fully licensed, insured, and bonded to install charging stations for homes, offices, hotels, and more. With our extensive knowledge of renewable energy, our team provides customers – large or small – with efficient electrical solutions. Contact us today to learn how we can safely and affordably meet your energy needs. 

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

Have you ever emerged from a shower in a new place – whether on vacation or at a family or friend’s house – and felt like your hair or skin were different? A jaw-dropping 85 percent of households throughout the United States have hard water, and many people are used to its effects on their bodies. 

Calcium, iron, or magnesium-rich water is evident by scale build-up in coffee makers, bathroom sinks, shower curtains and walls, bathtub faucets, and more. 

Skin and scalp that comes in contact with mineral-rich water can be left feeling dry, flaky, itchy, and irritated. Minerals are, in fact, beneficial for our health, but this external bombardment can be too much for skin and hair. 

Hair
Hair can be affected by having a residue that alters its overall texture, health, and appearance. If your hair feels filmy, thin, straw-like, dull, or limp, you more-than-likely have a hard water issue. Color-treated hair fades more quickly with hard water. Overall, hair loss or the inability to get the shampoo to a full lather are also signs of hard water. 

Skin
On the skin, chronic conditions such as eczema and psoriasis can be aggravated by hard water. The most common effect of hard water on the skin is extreme dryness. The lack of moisture and high levels of minerals can shift your natural skin hydration, leading to breakouts and other issues. 

Though many cities throughout the United States treat their water, others are left with untreated or well water that needs to be softened by the homeowner. To get a better snapshot of your home’s specific levels, contact a water treatment expert who can determine how to properly manage your water woes. 

Generally, filtration systems are the best bet to combat hard water. The price varies, but whole-house filters are important for ensuring your drinking, bathing, and washing water are safe and mineral-free. People living in apartments should also consider a shower head filter and faucet filters for drinking water.

Is your home or business troubled by hard water? Contact the water treatment experts at Reynolds Water Conditioning today for affordable solutions to improve your water experience. 

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/

“Why do I even need a blog for my business? People can find me through social media.” Sound familiar? Before we delve into why this statement is incorrect, let’s examine some facts. 

Businesses with regularly updated blogs see 55% more visitors and 67% more inbound links than those without blogs. Content creation is the most effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) technique for companies; the more content you publish, the better your odds of securing conversions. 

Google especially favors websites that share high-quality content with their audience, putting them higher in search rankings. When there is content on your website that Google can index, it swiftly pushes it to the top.

Digital marketing can improve your brand by bringing you to the top of indexed website pages, plain and simple. Blogging is one of the most effortless and economical ways to boost your business to generate new leads. It also helps give you a platform to publish less-competitive keywords. 

Blogs are geared toward getting your company more online visibility. Internet users either find your business by manually typing in your site URL or looking on a search engine. 

Every time you publish a new blog post, it’s an opportunity for your website to appear in search queries, linking your blog post and boosting your SEO. Moreover, content creators are always looking to share information on social media, so your blog could be shared on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn. 

Blogs help to accomplish the following for your business: 

• Brings traffic to your website 
• Index your website so it can be more easily found
• Creates company authority
• Forms a long-term solution for generating leads (even years later)
• Provides valuable information to your audience, keeping them coming back
• Gives your company a voice
• Converts traffic into leads

As you can see, blogs have an incredible impact on the growth of your business. If you are thinking of improving your overall web presence, let our professional digital marketing team at CPS help. We write blogs, and create social media graphic posts, newsletters, and more. Contact us today to get started!

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/

Businesses of all sizes are increasingly susceptible to viruses and phishing scams. As hackers constantly update and change their tactics, employees fall prey to new schemes, and companies become vulnerable. 

The 2022 Small Business Cybersecurity Report by Comcast Business reported that during the 12-month span between July 2021 to June 2022, 55 percent of Comcast Business customers were victims of botnet attacks, and 50 percent fell victim to malware and phishing attacks. Phishing scams specifically targeted financial brands, which made up 41 percent, and high-tech brands, at 36 percent. 

Shena Seneca Tharnish, VP for cybersecurity products at Comcast Business, said, “Attackers do not just target large enterprises. Recent reporting shows companies with less than 100 employees are three times more likely to be the target of a cyberattack – yet, often lack sufficient cybersecurity measures and resources to manage their risk.”

Small and medium-sized businesses can minimize their risk of falling vulnerable to phishing attacks by implementing anti-virus programs, firewalls, and network security solutions. However, this is not a “cure-all” for every business. 

Ivan Shefrin, executive director at Comcast Business, said, “These attacks are not ransomware and e-mail compromise; they are not things experienced by just large government organizations or corporations with highly valuable secrets to steal. This is really in the face of every business today.” 

Cybercriminals are constantly examining ways to target vulnerable businesses, since they typically lack security resources and professional expertise. E-mail phishing is one of the most popular tools hackers use to breach data, leading to ransomware attacks. 

To protect themselves, businesses should update their operating systems regularly. These updates generally include patches that remedy code vulnerabilities. Systems that are unpatched are much more susceptible to hackers. Employees should also undergo cybersecurity training to familiarize themselves with what to expect if a threat is imminent. 

Are you looking to protect your company from cyber threats? Contact the experts at Creative Programs and Systems today for a free consultation. 

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/ 

Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge are two Internet browsers that use extended spellcheck features to transmit form data, including Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and passwords to their parent companies. 

While this feature is intended to assist the browser user, it does raise privacy concerns and calls the efficacy of password protection to question.  

“Spell-jacking” is the term used to describe the process of a browser sending PII from spellcheck to Google, Microsoft, and the like. Transmitted PII form data can include Social Security Numbers, Social Insurance Numbers, personal names, addresses, e-mails, dates of birth, contact information, bank information, and so much more. 

Josh Summit, co-founder and CTO of JavaScript security firm otto-js, unearthed this issue while testing script behaviors for his company. When Google Chrome Enhanced Spellcheck or Microsoft Edge Editor is enabled, nearly everything you type in form fields is instantaneously transmitted to Google and Microsoft. Clicking on “show password” can spell-jack your data. 

Summit stated, “Some of the largest websites in the world have exposure to sending Google and Microsoft sensitive user PII, including username, e-mail, and passwords, when users are logging in or filling out forms. An even more significant concern for companies is the exposure this presents to the company’s enterprise credentials to internal assets like databases and cloud infrastructure.” 

Though the transmission of form fields is securely sent through HTTPS, what happens to the user data after it reaches Google’s server, for example, is not exactly clear. Some companies have mitigated the issue by adding ‘spellcheck=false’ to all input fields; however, this could cause problems for users who can no longer use the spellcheck feature. 

Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge users can turn off spellcheck (or remove Edge’s Editor add-on) until the companies revise their code to exclude passwords and other PII from sensitive fields. 

Do you need assistance with adding or removing spellcheck from your browser? Has your data already been compromised? Contact the computer experts at CPS today – we can assist!  

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/

“Zero-day” is becoming a more popular term to describe recently discovered security vulnerabilities exposed by hackers and used to infiltrate computer systems. The phrase literally means the developer has zero days to fix the issue caused by hackers. 

Zero-day threats are unprecedented virus attacks that exploit either a new variant of malware or previously unknown software (zero-day vulnerability). Since these malware viruses are unique, they are impossible to detect by typical signature-matching tactics. Zero-day is sometimes written as 0-day, and the term is often associated with the words: vulnerability, exploit, and attack. Keep reading to learn the difference between the three. 

Zero-Day Vulnerability
Hackers unearth these software vulnerabilities before vendors can be made aware of them; therefore, no patch or fix exists, making them more likely to infiltrate systems.

Zero-Day Exploits
This term refers to the hacking method used to attack systems with a previously unknown vulnerability. 

Zero-Day Attack
The actual term describes the execution of a zero-day exploit to cause damage or steal data from an unprotected system. 

Hackers can exploit security vulnerabilities found in software, called exploit code, and ultimately wreak havoc before developers can remedy the situation. When anti-virus companies release “patch” updates, they are essentially covering a hole that was previously discovered by hackers. Unfortunately, this process can take months, as these security vulnerabilities are not immediately distinguished. 

Signature matching is a specific strategy used to identify malware by analyzing samples of destructed data to create a signature file and then distributing an update for anti-virus software to identify the specific signature. Zero-day threats can sneak past these signature matching tactics, ultimately affecting many victims. 

Zero-day attacks are immensely dangerous and typically aimed at operating systems, web browsers, office applications, open-source components, hardwired firmware, Internet of Things (IoT), and more. Potential victims include those who use a browser or operating system, intellectual data property owners, run hardware, firmware, and the IoT through large businesses, organizations, government agencies, etc. 

Cyber threats are continually infecting thousands of computers with zero-day threats. To protect your network, applications, and data, contact the experts at CPS. Our engineers can engage an advanced threat prevention system that can test untrusted files, links, and e-mails before they get to you.

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/