The Sun is Shining Bright on the Future of the Solar Carport Industry

Earlier this year, websites were blowing up with the news that researchers were experimenting with solar roadways — roads that could be used as energy systems for entire cities, potentially.

The popularity of this idea may have taken some industry analysts by surprise. Though solar power has experienced consistent market growth — experiencing a 41% growth in solar installations in 2013 alone — it has, in many ways, been operating in the background of energy discussions. People have known about it, but haven’t looked into it much.

Now, though, other industries are thinking about ways they can incorporate solar energy into their products or services. Not only is it better for the environment, but it can serve as a powerful additional incentive for a customer to choose one company over many similar options out on the market. One example of this opening solar industry is carports.

Carports, not surprisingly, are used to cover cars — they offer a roof that shields the automobile from sunlight, rain, snow and more. They are affordable, and popular with public and private business parking garages, as well as in residential areas where people might not want to invest in another garage, but want a way to partially shelter their automobiles or boats from some of the elements. According to Green Tech Media (GTM), there are multiple reasons that developers should be excited about the future of the U.S. solar carport market.

They point out that since 2010, the price of solar carports have fallen 51%, and that state-level incentives given for solar energy have been favorable for nonprofit organizations, government entities, and schools. It’s also worth noting that, while the market for carports in 2014 was largely stagnant, the solar carport market segment continued to experience consistent growth. It currently has about a 12% share of the non-residential carport market.

Why else should developers be excited? Thanks to changes in legislation, it is now easier for companies and organizations to invest in solar carports without requiring extensive paperwork or liability acceptance. This means that the customer base for the product is still expanding. Most sales have so far been based in California; as awareness of the technology grows, and states across the country begin offering similar incentives that California does for energy conservation, so too will the market likely grow along with it.

How much will the solar carport market grow within the next several years? According to a report by GTM titled “U.S. Solar Carport Market, 2010-2018,” the industry is expected to hit a high of $843 million in value by 2016.

Amazon Readies to Slug It Out with PayPal, Square with New Payment System

There’s a bigger, badder fish swimming in the payment processing waters. Amazon has announced that it will take on the likes of PayPal, Square, and Intuit’s GoPayment with its new Amazon Local Register payment processing service. The eCommerce behemoth aims to supplant other services with technology engineered specifically to give small and medium businesses a cheaper, more effective way to take digital payments, whether in-store or online. Like Square, Amazon Local Register uses a card reader that can attach to smartphones and tablet computers.

With eCommerce on a Tear, the Move Isn’t Surprising
Amazon has been one of the main drivers of eCommerce for a long time now. In 2011, eCommerce was valued at $1 trillion, in 2013 $1.2 trillion. According to the most recent estimate from online financial analyst eMarketer, 2014 will see online spending spike to $1.5 trillion. Amazon, the company that not too long ago was credited by Forbesas being a bigger influence on online purchases than Google, has truly been the wind in the sails of digital commerce. This new service will allow them to continue that trend.

Amazon Comes with Built-in Brand Recognition, without the negative PR of PayPal
There can be no doubt that news of Amazon entering the market is cause for concern for Square, PayPal, and other big names. After all, Amazon comes into the game with something others never had: brand recognition. Consider, the company’s premium shopping and delivery service hosts 10 million active users. In 2013, along with the general consumer base, these premium members drove Amazon revenue above $74 billion. So far this year, the eCommerce behemoth shows no signs of slowing down.

Meanwhile, PayPal, arguably Amazon’s biggest rival in this sphere, has seemingly been struggling to adapt to meet customer demand for new and improved services. In other words, Amazon enters the payment processing world as the big shark, and there’s already blood in the water.

Amid Growing Concerns Over Nutrition, Chicago Chef Says It’s Time America Changes Its Tune on Food

As packaged, salt and sugar-laden foods continue to saturate the shelves in our markets and dominate American food culture, one chef in Chicago is saying enough is enough. Homaro Cantu, chef and owner of the Michelin Star-rated Moto Restaurant in the Windy City, told The Packer in a recent interview that the time for small measures to reform the way American food is produced, sold, and consumed is over.

“We need a moon shot,” Cantu told reporters. “Forget about making incremental changes within the system.” Cantu, like many other respected chefs across the world, believes that governmental and other systemic barriers to making the changes necessary to protect human health and improve food culture make it impossible to implement these changes in any controlled, steady way. The chef says that now is the time for chefs, effectively the fighters on the ground, to start working with local, eco-friendly producers of food to produce healthy, delicious food that doesn’t impact our waistlines or the environment.

Despite Staggering Obesity Levels, Americans Are Malnourished
The biggest problem with American food culture is, of course, that it has led to an obesity epidemic. At last blush, nearly two-thirds of American adults were overweight or obese. The interesting part about that statistic? We are overweight, but we’re also malnourished.

Vitamin D deficiency, for instance, is exceptionally common, with a full 75% of Americans suffering from a lack of this essential vitamin. Vitamin D can be consumed through eggs and fatty fishes, but it can also be synthesized by the body through absorption of sunlight. While Homaro Cantu and other chefs can do nothing to push Americans to get outdoors, they can help to get more of the right kind of food in front of their customers.

Smarter, Healthier Food is the Solution
And that’s really the crux of what Cantu is saying, and it’s what he’s been offering through the respected Moto Restaurant. Microgreens are one of those foods that was before seen as a healthy eating trend for those with extra pocket change; Cantu makes them a focus of many of his dishes.

Usually no more than an inch and a half tall, microgreens are harvested after a shortened growing period. Nutritionists and food scientists have touted microgreens as more nutritionally valuable versions of their fully matured counterparts. Microgreen cilantro, for instance, has 300% more beta-carotene than matured leaves of the plant.

From microgreens to ethically raised chicken, these are the foods Cantu wants to get people excited about. While he and other chefs on the same mission understand that the increased price of organic, ethically produced food may make this a hard sell, Cantu knows that the flavors — and the health benefits — will ultimately speak for themselves.

Do you agree with Chef Cantu’s idea that American food culture needs a revolution? Tell us why or why not in the comments below.

New York City To Impose Used-Car Repair Regulations To Ensure Vehicle Safety

New York City is in the process of cracking down on car dealers selling used cars with known safety defects without having them repaired prior to selling. This new regulation seeks to address what many consumer advocates say is a loop hole in the auto industry’s safety regulations: used car dealers and rental companies are not required by law to repair vehicles with safety defects before selling them to the public.In May, The New York Times reported in May that new legislation to address this issue has been stalled for many years in Congress by dealers who claim the law would cost customers and companies unnecessary time and money.

New York’s requirement is a much stricter interpretation of a state law requiring all vehicles to be operating safely before being sold. However, city officials would like to make it clear to dealers that being safe also includes repairing vehicles under recall.

“In NC, vehicles need to pass a state safety inspection prior to being sold,” says Bill Kratz, Owner at Carolina Auto Service. “I agree with the philosophy of ensuring that used cars are repaired properly. It’s important to get a pre-buy inspection by a qualified repair shop.”Recently, city officials sent out 200 subpoenas to dealerships asking how many used vehicles they had sold during the past year that had been recalled but not repaired, and whether consumers were notified of the recalled defects prior to purchasing. Some dealerships were selected at random, whereas others were targeted due to their history of selling faulty vehicles according to the Consumer Affairs Department. Dealers found to have sold un-repaired used vehicles will be required to immediately notify the vehicles’ owner and make any necessary repairs.

Consumers are encouraged to do research and stay current regarding safety recalls on used cars they are interested in purchasing. When in doubt, consumers are encouraged to contact the manufacturer or their auto repair shop.

New University of Exeter Study Finds Link Between Drinking and Long Term Memory Conditions

A team of researchers from the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom have published an interesting new study showcasing the causal link between drinking and long term memory impairment in The American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. The researchers questioned a group of 6,542 American adults of middle age about their drinking history. Next, they assessed their mental abilities. The results, while not necessarily surprising, are certainly illuminating.

In an interview with The Daily Mail, Dr. Iain Lang, the study’s lead researcher, said, “This finding – that middle-aged people with a history of problem drinking more than double their chances of memory impairment when they are older – suggests… that this is a public health issue that needs to be addressed.”

Alcohol Forces the Brain to Mimic Symptoms of Alzheimer’s, Other Diseases
This new study is just the latest in a long history of trying to bridge the gap between alcohol intake and debilitating, life altering neurological diseases. A previous study from Suzanne L. Tyas, Ph.D. published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism tried to ascertain whether or not alcohol abuse led to a higher chance of developing Alzheimer’s Disease.

While no causal link was found, the research did find interesting similarities between the way brains act under the influence of alcohol and the way Alzheimer’s forces them to act. For instance, the average person can recite a phone number 10 times and have it memorized. If you put the same task to an inebriated or mentally impaired person, they will likely show the same degree of difficulty or confusion with the task.

Many posit that this effect of alcohol could be what prompts the brain to deteriorate into the various states of mental impairment that plague the elderly population. This newly established link between heavy drinking in young to middle age people and long term mental impairment in the twilight of life could be the first step toward solving the issue.

Are you worried that your drinking habits will lead to a mental condition later on in life? Tell us why or why not in the comment section below.

Google Fiber Inspires Competition to Double Download Speeds

Comcast is boosting its broadband internet speeds in areas were Google Fiber is set up. They’re also enhancing their services in areas without Google Fiber, but they didn’t fool anyone with their announcement last week that they would be increasing speeds in Kansas City, a Google Fiber market.

These new-and-improved internet speeds come at no additional cost to customer. Those paying for 25 megabit service will be upgraded to 50 megabits, those paying for 50 megabits will get 105, and those paying for 105 megabits will get a whopping 150 megabits, which is enough for all but the most voracious of video streamers.

To put this perspective, 25 megabit per second download speed is plenty fast for most people. However, the higher the download speed, the higher-quality streaming experience you get on sites like Netflix and YouTube.

Google Fiber, however, is on a completely different level, offering download speeds at 1 gigabit per second. At this speed, users can download a full two-hour movie in less than a minute.

But speeds are always increasing with increasing demand. Just last year, a download speed of 50 megabits per second was viewed as exceptionally high, beyond what would be necessary for the majority of internet users. 6-10 mps was seen as the good middle ground for most users.

Time Warner is also “coincidentally” doubling their internet speeds in Google Fiber markets. AT&T is also building out a gigabit network in Kansas City, as well as elsewhere, to compete with Google Fiber’s.

Companies are scampering to increase their download speeds because consumers are growing less and less patient in this era of instant gratification. Research shows that consumers typically only wait four to 20 seconds for a web page to load. With that kind of impatience, internet providers who can’t provide the highest speeds are going to be out of the game.

With consumer eyeballs spending so little time on webpages, it’s important for companies to make the most of their web marketing. Hiring a web design company to provide your customers with the most pleasant web experience possible is not a bad idea. You want your customers to be able to easily navigate your website, to get the information they need as quickly and efficiently as possible.

People of All Age Groups Saving for Retirement More, Study Reveals

A recently-released report is showing that Americans are putting more money toward their retirements than ever — and the trend is taking place across all age groups.

According to a July 23 USA Today article, the average contribution to individual retirement accounts (IRAs) during the tax year 2013 grew by 5.7% over the year before, bringing the amount to an all-time high of $4,150, and the average IRA balance increased 10% to $89,100.

The average IRA contribution increased for every age group as well, according to the Fidelity Investments study published on July 23. Respectively, the average contribution grew by 3.9%, 6.7% and 6.2% for people in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

Another Fidelity Investments study showed that the top New Year’s resolutions this year were to save more, pay off debt and spend less, USA Today reports, which may explain the rise in contributions toward retirement savings.

“People are increasingly hands-on, from on-the-go cameras to on-design 3D printing. Part of this trend is taking control of your finances,” said Beth Kurth, President, Corporate Forum. “When people take an active interest in investing, there’s a virtuous feedback loop. It’s like a diet only in reverse. With a diet you’re motivated to eat less when the scale shows fewer pounds. With savings you’re incented to put away more as you see your investments grow.”

There are plenty of reasons for Americans to allot more of their money toward retirement. About one of every four Americans will have to work until age 80 in order to retire with enough money, and the number of employers offering retirement funding plans for their workers has decreased significantly over the last decade.

Plenty of challenges and hurdles to saving for retirement exist as well, however — including most people’s preference of instant gratification over investing toward a long-term goal like a retirement.

Chiropractor Who Attempted Insurance Claim Fraud Sentenced to Prison

With any system, there are people trying to game it. This was the case for Philadelphia chiropractor Lawrence S. Herman, who has been sentenced to five months in prison because of a falsely submitted personal insurance claim.

While fraud only comprises a small percentage of submitted insurance claims, they can be costly, and unfairly burden everyone else who relies on their insurance to cover them when something bad happens. Every year, scam insurance claims for auto injuries add up to about $5 billion.

Herman was in an accident back in 2012, and submitted a claim for injuries. As evidence, Herman showed that he had received chiropractic treatment for injuries to his neck and back. His insurance company, the U.S. Automobile Association, originally denied his claim. Herman then hired a lawyer and sued the company for $60,000.

Prosecutors, though, weren’t buying his story. They pointed out that the accident which supposedly caused the ongoing injuries was a “minor, fender-bender type accident” and that Herman was running multiple marathons at the same time he was supposedly recovering from, and receiving treatment for back injuries.

Herman finally admitted during his guilty plea hearing that he had fabricated his injury, and that he had never received treatment. Instead, he had, allegedly, told an employee of his practice to create the medical records and then submit them using fake company letterhead.

The prosecutors were also not impressed that Herman continually tried to shift the blame for his crime, first accusing his personal injury lawyers who drafted the insurance settlement demand, and then the employee who he had asked to falsify the records.

“Personal stresses, provided by work pressures and economic circumstances resulting from the divorce, weakened Mr. Herman’s judgment and contributed to precipitating the infraction,” said Michael McCarrie, Herman’s lawyer, in a memorandum for the court.

Why Every Investor Should Be Selling Their Junk Bonds

In today’s investment market, there’s no real reason to keep junk bonds in your portfolio.

Or so says one June 26 USA Today article.

“There really are very few happy outcomes from junk bond funds right now,” the article advises.

Currently, investors across America have a collective $326 billion in junk bonds, otherwise known as high-yield bonds.

But why are junk bonds so dangerous right now?

A junk bond is essentially a long-term loan that an investor gives to a company with a bad credit rating. And because companies with bad credit have to pay higher interest rates for loans, a junk bond can, in many cases, be a financially sound investment to add to one’s portfolio.

However, USA Today reports, prices for high-yield bonds are at an all-time high right now, which means yields for these bonds are at all-time lows. In late June, the Barclays Capital High-Yield Index yielded a mere 4.83% — the lowest yield recorded for junk bonds in history.

Yields could technically rise again — but it’s not worth the risk to keep junk bonds in one’s portfolio. USA Today reports that yields this low, in a worst-case scenario, could cause another financial meltdown like the one of 2007-2008.

So, to protect your finances from going under if junk bonds continue to produce record-low yields, it’s best to sell them while you can. This is especially true for male investors, as studies have shown that 61% of men who wait too long to sell off a bad investment will repeat their mistake, compared to 48% of women.

And if you had been thinking of investing in a junk bond for the first time, it may be a good idea to wait a while.

Magistrate Grants Landlord Additional Time to Move Tenants from Severely Neglected Apartment Building

A Pittsburgh city magistrate recently granted a landlord an additional 30 days to help his tenants find replacement housing after their building was found to have numerous health code violations. These violations necessitate the removal of 10 families, including several Bhutanese refugees, to new housing due to the serious risk to their house. As a result, many are confused by the magistrate’s ruling, given how the landlord so seriously neglected the building in the past.Davin Gartley, the landlord in question, has been cited multiple times by the Allegheny County Health Department and the Pittsburgh city codes enforcement office. The violations discovered at his apartment building include a faulty foundation, bad electrical wiring and rodent infestation, as well as problems with sewage, water, and trash collection. Additionally, the Health Department has reported that two lead paint violations endangered a 1-year-old resident, who tested positive for elevated levels of lead toxicity.

“Ignoring maintenance problems does not make them go away,” says Joseph Ord, President of AMOSO Properties. “It is better to spend a little money now rather than a lot of money later.”

Gartley was reportedly first notified of the health code violations in October of 2013. Yet, in spite of this, Health Department employees report that they saw no improvements in the poor quality of the building, and were surprised that the magistrate had granted the landlord additional time. When the tenants finally do leave their apartments, the Health Department plans to condemn it.