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Making Emergency Calls Without a Signal

Modern smartphones are technological marvels that encompass various tools and lifesaving functionality into a pocket-sized object. Through the years, smartphones have enabled people to place phone calls to emergency services during crises. This lifesaving functionality is available to anyone who holds a cell phone throughout much of the developed world.

Smartphones in North America are serviced by cellular network providers. These companies use cell phone towers to provide service to their clientele. The cell towers interact with smartphones when calls are placed. Network providers do not have to own the tower; they sometimes rent services from tower owners. This ensures cell phones are recognized and have permission to interact with a network through different towers.

Each tower between placed cell phone calls is utilized to transmit a signal between one cell phone to another. Whether it’s a text message or phone call, cell phone transmissions are vital for bringing them to life. As long as the cell phone is recognized by the cell tower and authorized for use, it will have service.

When a cell phone shows “no signal” or zero bars, it is an indication that your network is not connected to a nearby tower. Most people think this is because no towers are near the vicinity; however, it simply means your network is not allowed to transmit to the closest tower.

In normal circumstances, this “no service” situation is typically based on what you pay for. In emergencies, it is imperative to circumvent those factors and access the nearest cell phone tower – regardless of whether your provider has a deal with the tower.

If you find yourself in an emergency with no cell service, don’t panic. All you need to do is press the emergency call button on your phone’s lock screen or dialer interface. If you are presented with a keypad, press 911. On some smartphones, you can just press “call” (after pressing the emergency call button), and you will be connected to emergency services immediately.

You can take comfort knowing that emergency calls will be connected. No matter the network, carrier, or tower owner, your phone will be able to contact emergency services without a signal.

Prepping for an emergency? Make sure you have all the necessary supplies – check out Wolf Survival Gear for everything you need in an emergency.

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

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Blind People Could See Again Thanks to Novel Technology

One of the greatest challenges for scientists remains making blind people see again. Diego Ghezzi, Medtronic Chair in Neuroengineering (LNE) at EPFL’s School of Engineering, has been studying and developing technology to help blind people see. A retinal implant they created works with camera-equipped smart glasses and a microcomputer to form artificial vision.

Ghezzi said, “Our system is designed to give blind people a form of artificial vision by using electrodes to stimulate their retrial cells.”

The camera embedded within the smart glasses records images through the perspective of the wearer’s vision. This information is then transferred to a microcomputer placed in one of the eyeglasses’ end pieces. Light signals are created by the microcomputer and transmitted to electrodes in the retinal implant. When a person wears the glasses, they see a simplified, black-and-white version of the landscape in front of them. When the retinal cells are stimulated, dots and light appear in a simplified way. However, wearers will have to interpret multiple dots of light to decipher shapes and objects.

“It’s like when you look at stars in the night sky – you can learn to recognize specific constellations. Blind patients would see something similar with our system,” said Ghezzi.

The technology has yet to be tested on humans, as the research team needs to be certain of their results first. The engineers developed a reality program that enables patients to see implants in a virtual setting.

Are you looking to improve your vision without glasses or contacts? Contact the eye experts at Rohr Eye & Laser Center today.

Rohr Eye & Laser Center offers the most advanced technology available to provide personalized and extraordinary care to our patients. Whether your goal is to maintain or improve your natural vision, we are here to help you. Call us at 877-579-0202 or visit https://www.michiganlasik.com/ to schedule an appointment today.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Millions of Drinking Wells Worldwide Could Run Dry

Over-pumping, drought, and climate change are all factors depleting global groundwater resources. Up to 20 percent of the world’s drinking wells might be encountering impending doom. Without clean, fresh drinking wells, billions of people could be in a water crisis.

According to research published in the journal Science, construction records from 39 million wells scattered across 40 countries were analyzed. The depths were examined and compared to groundwater levels, supported by data from previous studies.

Debra Perrone, a water resources expert at the University of California, Santa Barbara, co-authored the study and said, “We found that this undesirable result is happening across the world, from the western United States to India.”

The researchers found that millions of wells reached less than 16 feet below the water table, putting them susceptible to running dry. At least six to 20 percent of the wells evaluated appear to be in peril. Especially in places already afflicted by drought, the remaining wells can dry up quickly, perhaps up to a meter or more a year. 

To help address the problem, digging deeper wells is a temporary solution, but these wells are much more expensive to build and maintain. 

The study said, “As groundwater levels decline around the world, only the relatively wealthy will be able to afford the cost of drilling deeper wells and paying for the additional power required to pump groundwater from greater depths. Lower-income families, poorer communities, and small businesses, including smaller farms, will experience progressively more limited access in the many regions around the world where groundwater levels are in decline. The consequences of millions of wells running dry, and perhaps millions more in the decades to come, would be severe and unparalleled at such a scale in human history.”

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 www.reynoldswater.com or call 800-572-9575.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Five Signs of a Sprained Thumb

Thumb sprains are injuries to a ligament, a soft tissue that connects bones at the joints. Thumb fractures, on the other hand, are bone breaks, and different injuries altogether. The most injured ligament is the ulnar collateral, which connects the thumb to the hand on the side closest to the index finger.

These injuries are commonly stemmed from falls or sports injuries. Skiing, basketball, and other contact sports result in many thumb injuries. People generally try to catch themselves while falling, resulting in bent thumbs in awkward positions.

Signs of a thumb sprain

  1. Swelling
  2. Pain
  3. Bruising
  4. Weakness
  5. Inability to hold a glass or write

Jammed fingers are another common issue and can result in similar symptoms. However, jammed fingers can still be used and moved, whereas sprains cannot.

Treatments for thumb sprains

Until you can get into a doctors’ office, elevate and ice the injured hand. Apply bandages, so the thumb is immobilized until a doctor examines the injury.

To determine the severity of your injury, visit a hand surgeon as soon as possible. X-rays might be taken to see whether ligaments are torn or bones are broken. Casts or splints might be prescribed for torn ligaments. If treatment is delayed, damage to the thumb could be permanent. Don’t delay in visiting a medical professional.

Sprained thumbs can be treated with a brace or cast. In severe cases, surgery might be necessary; otherwise, recovery takes roughly three- to six weeks to fully heal.

Patient treatments vary, so ensure you receive the best treatment possible by visiting the experts at Michigan Hand & Wrist today.

Michigan Hand & Wrist was founded in 2001 with the mission to provide the highest-quality care for patients seeking surgical or non-surgical hand or upper extremity relief. Our goal is to exhaust all non-operative measures before discussing or moving on to surgical interventions. We offer on-site physical therapy from therapists committed to improving your quality of life. Our individualized treatments are modern, progressive, and exceptional. Contact us today at www.michiganhandandwrist.com or call 248-596-0412.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Infrastructure Plan Could Bring Electrical Contracting Boom

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2021 “Report Card for America’s Infrastructure,” the United States received an overall C- grade for the state of its infrastructure. Every spring, the nation’s student bodies, businesses, organizations, and local governments (including federal) receive a report card measuring performance.

The report acknowledges the nation’s inadequately updated infrastructure, including the electrical grid. The American Jobs Plan presented by President Joe Biden will cost roughly $2 trillion. Around $698 billion is set aside for the electrical grid, water systems, broadband, school systems, and more.

Funded by an increase in the corporate tax rate (21 percent increased 28 percent), there are many unknowns about how the plan will pan out through the upcoming months. With significant push-back in the Senate expected, the plan could eventually be scaled back.

Biden said that his vision of “building back better” could lead to the creation of “up to 16 million good-paying jobs,” in his May 6 speech in Lake Charles, LA. Biden described it as a “blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America and supercharge our economy.”

James Farrell, executive director of government affairs for the National Electrical Contractors Association, is a proponent of the proposed plan. He said, “The state of our infrastructure is a mess, and we’re at a major disadvantage in terms of its efficiency, quality, and safety when compared to many developed countries. The American Jobs Plan is a very ambitious proposal that will help rebuild and modernize our nation’s infrastructure, and, if this plan or any infrastructure plan is enacted with significant federal resources, it would be a huge boost to the electrical construction industry.”

Farrell said, among its many benefits, “We anticipate a number of jobs to be created as projects roll out from the infrastructure plan over the next few years, as economic studies show that every $1 billion in infrastructure investment creates 28,500 direct and indirect jobs, providing our economy and American taxpayers with a high return on investment.”

With more electricians exiting the industry than joining each year, electrical contracting is seeing a well-known shortage of skilled labor. By 2024, as many as 85,000 unfulfilled positions will be available, according to recent forecasts by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The investment proposed in the plan could lead to between $100- to $200-billlion in electrical contracting activity, along with up to 600 million incremental worker-hours.

J&P Electrical is a full-service electrical equipment company. At J&P, we supply contractors, end-users, and supply houses with new surplus, quality reconditioned, and obsolete electrical equipment. We also purchase a wide range of electrical equipment such as bus plugs, ducts, panel switches, substations, and transformers. Call us at 877-844-5514 or visit us at https://www.jpelectricalcompany.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Six Ways to Create an Open Illusion in a Small or Windowless Bathroom

Bathrooms can sometimes be an afterthought when it comes to windows. This leaves many houses with a windowless bathroom that feels boxed in.

  1. Use Glass and Lucite: Without windows, you might want to decorate with objects that don’t absorb light. With a small amount of color and transparent yet functional pieces, Lucite is a perfect accessory on the counter. Glass is more delicate; either material is not only functional but can de-clutter your space with ease.

  2. Embrace White: One of the best ways to reflect light is to use white throughout the space. White accessories and furniture can be used instead of paint – think outside of the box and keep the room fresh by adding a breezy chair, delicate rug, fixtures, and more.

  3. Mirror, Mirror: Known to expand spaces, mirrors are great for creating distance or double the space visually. Full mirrors are especially handy for extending areas and, bonus, are super easy to install.

  4. Airy Vanity: These can sometimes be clunky and chunky aspects of the bathroom, but if you can store some bathroom items in a nearby closet, a longer, more open vanity will help the area feel less boxy. You can also add a towel shelf to open the space up.
  • Fake It: Though your bathroom might not physically have a window, you could make it appear as though a window is there. If you add a bathroom shade in front of a blank wall and add a light behind it, it will give an illusion of a window.
  • Lighting: Windows allow horizontal light in the room to balance overhead light, so without a window, vertical lighting can flatten the space. Wall fixtures offer another option for horizontal light and can bring a glow into your space.

Interested in remodeling your bathroom? Contact the reconstruction experts at JFC Remodeling today!

JFC Remodeling is committed to providing top-quality home reconstruction services to clients throughout Livingston County. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, our licensed contractors create unique, individualized, and polished renovations. Whether the site requires an improvement, repair, or is a new construction, you can trust our experts to deliver remarkable results. Call: 810-923-1123, e-mail: jfcllc@comcast.net, or visit us at: www.jfcremodeling.com today.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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What Does Closing Entail?

Finding the house you want and making an offer are just the first steps before purchasing a home. After the inspection and appraisal come back adequate, it’s time to submit the required documents. Finally, the last step is to get your keys during closing.

An exciting yet nerve-wracking point in the process, closing is the last thing standing between you and your house. As long as you are working with a great mortgage provider and real estate agent, you can expect closing to be (almost) effortless. Check out our tips below to help get you through the process with ease.

Before closing

  • Arrange for utilities to be transferred, effective on the closing date
    • Internet
    • Gas
    • Electric
    • Water, etc.
  • Perform a final walkthrough a day or two ahead of time

During closing

  • Usually takes an hour or less
  • All parties gather around the table and sign documents
  • Ensure you have your photo ID and funds required for costs (you will have a total ahead of time)
  • Required closing costs:
    • Origination fee
    • Underwriting fee
    • Appraisal fee
    • Credit report fee

After closing

  • First mortgage payment is due the first Friday of the month after the 30 days following the closing
  • You can choose a new homeowner’s insurance provider after you’ve closed on a purchase or refinance and the escrow impound account has been established

Finding your dream home can be difficult, but adding a mortgage and closing process can be overwhelming. You can trust the experts at EB Mortgage to help make the process as seamless as possible.

EB Mortgage is a locally-owned mortgage company with experts in new home purchase, refinancing, and commercial loans. Our wholesale rates can’t be beaten. We offer more products, more options, and more solutions. Our “3C” Process is simple: complete our pre-approval request, consider options based on your requirements, and choose the offer that suits your needs best. Call us at 866-246-0516 or e-mail contact@ebwmtg.com today.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Microsoft Will End Support for Windows 10

Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 by October 2025. The phasing out includes the Home, Pro, Pro Education, and Pro for Workstations. The last day for support will be on October 14, 2025. After ten years, the operating system will run without help or updates from Microsoft.

Microsoft’s latest version (21H1) of Windows 10 was released in May 2021. Microsoft had previously stated that Windows was supposed to be the last version; however, the company has recently announced an event called “What’s Next for Windows.” Satya Nadella, Microsoft CEO, calls the update the “Next Generation of Windows.”

A new Windows will be announced on June 24 during a virtual event. Microsoft will probably keep the Windows name alive, but the numbering system could be dropped. Much like Apple uses for their operating systems, Microsoft could transition to a naming convention. Apple refers to their macOS 12 as Monterey, for example.

Windows is the most common operating system for desktops, with more than 1.3 billion active computers running it. State-of-the-art features such as touch input, a voice-based virtual assistant, face login, improved security against antiviruses and malware, and mixed reality tools accompany more handheld activities such as screenshots, arranging windows, and receiving notifications.

Feeling nervous without support? We’re here for you! Contact the Windows 10 experts at Creative Programs and Systems today for help with your Microsoft system.

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 staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Richard Ernst, Inventor of MRI, Dies

Richard R. Ernst, a Swiss physical chemist, and Nobel Laureate, died on June 4. He was 87. Ernst won the Nobel Prize for inventing specific methods to analyze the chemical properties of atoms, which created the foundation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI. He helped improve MRI sensitivity, which was first tested in the 1940s to create images of body organs. 

Born in the same city where he died, Winterthur, Ernst graduated from the federal technology institute ETH Zurich. He spent his entire career there, receiving numerous honors, including the Nobel Prize for Chemistry (1991), the Wolf Prize for Chemistry (1991), the Horwitz Prize (1991), and the Marcel Benoist Prize (1986).

In 1963, Ernst began working for Varian Associates as a scientist. During that time, he invented Fourier transform NMR, noise decoupling, and other approaches. In 1968, he returned to ETH Zurich as a lecturer, gradually working his way up to Assistant Professor in 1970, Associate Professor in 1972, and full Professor of Chemistry in 1976 and the years thereafter.

A research group dedicated to magnetic resonance spectroscopy was led by Ernst, director of the Physical Chemistry Laboratory at ETH Zurich. Two-dimensional NMR and several pulse techniques were developed by Ernst, along with magnetic resonance tomography and the NMR structure determination of biopolymers in solution. He also studied intra-molecular dynamics and retired in 1998.

Ernst was a member of the following:

  • Estonian Academy of Sciences
  • US National Academy of Sciences
  • Royal Academy of Sciences, London
  • German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
  • Russian Academy of Sciences,
  • Korean Academy of Science and Technology
  • Bangladesh Academy of Sciences
  • Foreign Member of the Royal Society
  • World Knowledge Dialogue Scientific Board

Ernst’s awards included:

  • John Gamble Kirkwood Medal (1989)
  • Marcel Benoist Prize (1986)
  • Wolf Prize for Chemistry (1991)
  • Louisa Gross Horowitz Price of Columbia University (1991)
  • Tadeus Reichstein Medal (2000)
  • Order of the Star of Romania (2004)

Ernst had several honorary doctorates including those from:

  • Technical University of Munich
  • EPF Lausanne
  • University of Zurich
  • University Antwerpen
  • Babes-Bolyai University
  • University Montpelier

A 2009 film called Science Plus Dharma Equals Social Responsibility was produced by Carlo Burton and takes place in Ernst’s hometown.

Survivors include his wife, Magdalena Kielholz, and their children Anna Magdalena, Katharina Elisabeth, and Hans-Martin Walter.

Acceletronics is an industry leader in delivering the best equipment performance and service reliability from CT Scanners and Linear Accelerators across all major brands and models. Call 610-524-3300 or visit our website: https://www.acceletronics.com.

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.

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Food Supply Storage Hacks

Prepping food supplies is an art. Food storage can be an issue in small spaces, but it doesn’t need to be. Food storage is one of the first things people think about when they begin prepping. Having enough emergency food on hand is imperative. Most households do not have enough food to last a week, which is generally okay as long as the homeowner can make a trip to the grocery store. If stores aren’t an option, are you prepared with enough food?

To store food efficiently, maximize your available space to the fullest.

Vegetable drawers/cabinets: Some vegetables store best in cool, dark places. Potatoes, squash, beets, and onions last longer when stored properly. Use empty cabinets or extra space in drawers to store these root vegetables.

Hanging baskets: These are so simple to install – all you need is a screw-in hook, and voila! You have a hanging basket. Baskets are handy for all kinds of food such as bread, bananas, garlic, fruit, and more.

Freezer shelves: Freezers are sometimes over-stuffed and packed to the brim. Try using magazine holders or wire racks (widely available at big-box stores) to stack and store.

Door organizers: Many people look over these handy organizers when it comes to the kitchen. Use them for cans, pasta boxes, etc., and you’ll be amazed how much you can store.

Furniture: Couches, ottomans, under beds, and other hollow furniture are a great place to keep heavier, non-perishable items such as larger freeze-dried packages or cans.

Physical space shouldn’t be a limitation for preppers. Narrow storage areas can be cleverly converted for food supplies.

Want to stock up on your food for emergencies? Shop at Wolf Survival Gear – we have top-quality food that’s perfect for prepping.

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

Written by the digital marketing staff at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.