York County’s 16th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival is Going Virtual

Charlotte Stories
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York County’s 16th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival is Going Virtual
Celebrate the roots of modern music with infectious rhythms, soulful sounds, and high energy performances at the Arts Council of York County’s 16th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival. The 2020 festival takes place over three nights – October 1, 2, and 3 from 7 – 8 PM, and will feature two of the hottest regional blues and jazz acts each night. The events are all free, at-home, digital experiences, streaming online through the Arts Council’s webpage (yorkcountyarts.org/16thbluesandjazz), Facebook (facebook.com/yorkcountyarts/), and YouTube channel (youtube.com/c/YorkcountyartsOrgSC).
2020 Blues & Jazz artists include Plair, Mellogroove, Weekends, The Tim Hartis Group, Oneppo Brothers Duo, and the Winthrop University Jazz Guitar Ensembles.  Learn more about each band at https://www.yorkcountyarts.org/16thbluesandjazz
The 16th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival
October 1 – 3, 2020 | Virtual Concerts
7 – 8 PM, nightly
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020 | 7 – 8 PM | FREE
Mellogroove with The Tim Hartis Group
FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2020 | 7 – 8 PM | FREE
Weekends with Oneppo Brothers Duo
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2020 | 7 – 8 PM | FREE
Plair with Winthrop University Jazz Guitar Ensemble
The 16th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival is produced by Bobby Plair, Jr, and is presented by the Arts Council of York County. Festival souvenirs are available online in the Arts Council’s ACYC Dry Goods shop, https://www.yorkcountyarts.org/drygoods.
Thanks to the sponsors of the 16th Annual Blues & Jazz Festival: Comporium, City of Rock Hill, Old Town Association, City of Clover/Gallery 120, Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company, and Duke Energy. Video produced by MBaker Photographic and B&K ProAudio and Lighting.
The Arts Council of York County connects people through art, culture, dance, drama, film & music with a vision to create and support a thriving, diverse, and vibrant community in York County, SC. Its mission is to create arts programming that encourages education, economic development and arts advocacy through unique art experiences that engage the community to make York County a regional arts destination. The vision is to create and support a thriving, diverse and vibrant arts community in York County. Please help the Arts Council continue to fulfill its mission by donating to becoming a member. Donations are accepted online at https://www.yorkcountyarts.org/individual-memberships.
The Arts Council is headquartered in downtown Rock Hill, a state-recognized cultural district. For more information on Arts Council events, contact the Arts Council of York County at 803-328-2787, by email at arts@yorkcountyarts.org, or visit our webpage at http://www.yorkcountyarts.org. For event updates, follow the Arts Council of York County on Facebook (@yorkcountyarts), Instagram (@yorkcountyarts).

How to Know You Are Financially Ready to Retire

Cindy Merrill
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How to Know You Are Financially Ready to Retire

Retirement: it’s what many people dream of for most of their working lives. Whether it’s because they’re looking forward to traveling the world, spending more time with grandkids, or just not having to commute anymore, there’s a lot of reasons why people are anxious to retire. 

However, it can be hard to know for sure whether you’re ready to retire. A lot of financial preparation has to be made in order to ensure that you retire comfortably, happily, and with enough savings to ensure you maintain the quality of life you deserve. Let’s review a few of the ways you can figure out whether you’re ready to retire. 

Assess your age and retirement accounts

Some people seek to retire early – for instance, the FIRE movement (financial independence and retire early) consists of young people who strategize the ways they can leave the working world and enjoy their retirement early, often as early as their late 30’s or early 40’s.

Or, you might be in your late 50’s and thinking about leaving your career a little early in order to spend more time with family, or travel to far off and exotic destinations before you’re too old to thoroughly enjoy them. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to assess your retirement account savings to make sure that you have enough to take the plunge. 

Pro tip: Some retirement accounts, like the common IRA or 401k, may issue penalties for early withdrawals. If you are using one of these savings vehicles for your retirement investing, be sure that you’re eligible to withdraw without penalties at the age you hope to. Additionally, some companies offer plans that match your retirement contributions, like the Chevron esip, so be sure to look into all saving options available to you so that you can maximize your retirement funds.

Calculate your monthly expenses, then multiply by twenty years

How can you figure out how much you’ll need to retire? First, calculate your average monthly expenses. This includes everything from rent and groceries to clothing purchases and car payments. 

Add together everything you regularly spend on in a month, then add a little cushion for those just-in-case emergencies. Then, once you have that number, multiply it by 12 for a year, then multiply that by about 20 years to account for the rest of your retirement. 

This is the amount you’ll need to have access to on a monthly basis once you retire. And, without that paycheck from work, it might be hard to make ends meet. Especially when you factor in the fact that, as you age, it’s more and more likely that you’ll have to spend a larger proportion of your income on medical expenses. 

The good news is that many retirement planning apps allow you to factor in the amount you’ll need each month when setting your goals. Some will actively tell you whether you’re likely to hit your goals given how much you’re currently saving. It’s smart to make use of a retirement planning tool to ensure that you’ll have enough once you leave your career behind you. 

Think about other assets

Some people might not have the full amount they hope to by the time they aim to retire. While, for many, this means continuing on in their jobs, there are also options to look into to help fund your retirement so that you can leave your job when you want to. 

For instance, reverse mortgage loans allow retirees to access their home equity as cash or a line of credit. This is especially useful for those who own a home but are low on savings – you can use a free reverse mortgage calculator online to find out whether one of these financial products suits your situation. 

Other retirees have other kinds of assets that they can use to help fund their golden years. Many continue working in a part-time capacity, offering advisory and consulting services in the industries they retired from. Others turn a side-hobby, like woodworking or sewing, into a full-time career. 

However you plan for retirement, the most important thing is to ensure that you have the assets and funding at your disposal that you’ll need. Far too many Americans face retirement without enough stashed away, leading to serious struggles once they leave their jobs. With the right plans and funding strategies, you can be ready to retire when you want to.

2 Panthers Players Just Listed Their Charlotte Homes In The Same Week For Over $6 Million

Steve
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2 Panthers Players Just Listed Their Charlotte Homes In The Same Week For Over $6 Million

With the Charlotte real estate market now at one of its hottest points in decades, two beloved Carolina Panthers players have just decided to list their home in the same week with the same firm – The David Hoffman Group.

Probowl Fullback Mike Tolbert and QB Josh McCown (aka the “Covid Quarterback”) have just listed their Charlotte home for $2.4 million and $3.95 million respectively.

Tolbert’s home is a sprawling 10,000 custom-built estate on 1.5 acres in Weddington (south east of Charlotte). It features 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, 5 fireplaces, a 4-car garage, and a massive saltwater pool and spa for just $2.4 million:

“What I love most about this house is the huge entertainer’s dream basement and the hidden movie theater. We love to bike and walk around the neighborhood and use the wooded trails and it’s convenience to waverly, blakeney, southpark, and uptown Charlotte. Close to the interstate,” said Tolbert. “David Hoffman Group came highly recommended from a great friend who I trust like a brother.”

In David Hoffman Group’s first week of business as an independent firm, they also listed Josh McCown’s home – an equally impressive estate much closer to the Panther’s stadium.

McCown’s 7,420 square foot house features 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms, 2 kitchen islands, 2 rec rooms, a fitness center, a pool house, and an epic pool in the heart of Southpark – all for just $3.95 million:

“With demand for homes that have enough space to both work and live; while enjoying a pool and outdoor living space being at an all-time high, and with both homes being in exceptional shape, we felt that there was no reason to wait another day,” said David Hoffman.

You can check out both of the David Hoffman Group’s new listings here on their website.

What do you think about the homes? 

Active Case of West Nile Virus Just Detected in Rock Hill

Charlotte Stories
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Active Case of West Nile Virus Just Detected in Rock Hill

The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control have just announced that an active case of West Nile Virus has just been detected in a resident of Rock Hill.

As a result, York County Emergency Management announced that they will be spraying a mosquito-killing aerosol over a 1-mile radius surrounding Marshall Street and East Black Street in Rock Hill later today.

vis City of Rock Hill

There are currently no known vaccines or treatments for the West Nile Virus.

The South Carolina Department of Health recommends dumping any standing water on your property, including flowerpots, gutters, buckets, pool covers, birdbaths and pet bowls. The EPA recommends using natural BTI on standing water to quickly kill mosquito larvae.

They also encourage people wear insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, essential oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR 3535 before going outside on humid days.

Several Charlotte-Area Counties Among Highest COVID Test Positivity Rates in America

Charlotte Stories
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Several Charlotte-Area Counties Among Highest COVID Test Positivity Rates in America

For the first time since America’s COVID-19 outbreak started, a federal public health agency released county-level testing data. On Sept. 3, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published a dataset showing COVID-19 test positivity rates broken out by U.S. county.

North Carolina has a 6.2% test positivity rate, the 28th highest in the nation, and South Carolina has a 13.3% test positivity rate, the 12th highest in the nation. In the Charlotte region, Mecklenburg County has a 6.9% rate, the 38th highest in the state, but several South Carolina counties are considerably higher, some are even among the highest in the nation. York County has a 16.3% rate, Chester County has a 24.7% rate, and Cherokee County has a 26.4% rate.

A test positivity rate describes the percentage of tests conducted in a particular area that return a positive result. For example, if 1,000 people in a New York county are tested for  COVID-19 in a particular week and 10 of those people test positive, the county would have a positivity rate of 1%. Meanwhile, if 25 people in an Oklahoma county are tested and 5 test positive, the test positivity rate for that county is 20%.

These positivity rates are typically reported for a short period of time, either one day or one week, and are used to reflect a region’s testing capacity over time. If a region has a higher positivity rate, that likely means either many people there have COVID-19, the region does not have enough testing available to accurately measure its outbreak or both. If a region has a lower positivity rate, on the other hand, that likely means a large share of the population has access to testing, and the region is diagnosing a more accurate share of its infected residents.

Test positivity rates are often used as a key indicator of how well a particular region is controlling its COVID-19 outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a test positivity rate of 5% or lower. This figure, and a more lenient benchmark of 10%, have been adopted by school districts looking to reopen and states looking to restrict out-of-state visitors as a key threshold that must be met.

Stacker has visualized the positivity rates reported by the CMS. These figures reflect average weekly test positivity for the week of Aug. 27 to Sept. 2. CMS has categorized counties according to their positivity rates:

  • Green: test positivity under 5% in the past week (or with fewer than 10 tests in the past week)
  • Yellow: test positivity between 5% and 10% in the past week
  • Red: test positivity greater than 10% in the past week

The visualizations also include state-level positivity rates for the same time period, sourced from the COVID Tracking Project at The Atlantic, and county-level case and death counts from the most recent week of data available (Sept. 3 to Sept. 9), sourced from the New York Times COVID-19 data repository.

Visualizations

CMS classifications (Green, Yellow, Red) by U.S. county

Stacker

Heatmap of positivity severity by U.S. county

Stacker

Johnson C. Smith University’s Esports and Gaming Program Partners with Riot Games

Charlotte Stories
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Johnson C. Smith University’s Esports and Gaming Program Partners with Riot Games

Johnson C. Smith University’s (JCSU) Metropolitan College of Professional Studies is pleased to announce the establishment of a partnership between its Esports and Gaming trifecta and Riot Games, the world’s leading Esports organization. Based in Los Angeles, Riot Games develops and publishes popular video games led by League of Legends and VALORANT, with the League of Legends World Championship serving as the premier esports tournament in the world.

JCSU is the first HBCU to boast an Esports and Gaming trifecta: Esports and Gaming Management academic program, JCSU Esports Lab, and Golden Bulls Esports Club, as well as an ESG Certificate program. Through this partnership, Riot Games will provide curriculum support, guest lecturers, industry consultation, scholarships, Esports lab furnishings/equipment, internships, and career insights to students participating in the Esports and Gaming programs.

“Riot is humbled to team up with JCSU and encourage students to pursue opportunities in the growing Esports industry.  This partnership amplifies Riot’s own diversity & inclusion endeavors, supports outreach programs and creates opportunities for diverse candidates through scholarships and internships,” said Scott Adametz of Riot Games.

“We are honored to partner with Riot Games. Their support is paramount in catapulting our students into unlimited career paths within the Esports and Gaming industries,” said Dr. BerNadette Lawson-Williams, advisor of JCSU’s Esports and Gaming program, and Online Sport Management Program Coordinator at JCSU’s Metropolitan College of Professional Studies.

“We are excited and thankful for the ongoing support, continued growth and educational/industry recognition of what we are building with our Esports/Gaming educational program and ecosystem. This fabulous strategic partnership with industry leader, Riot Games, will reap great benefits for our students, JCSU, and the HBCU community-at large,” added Professor John L. Cash, Jr., ESG Program Adjunct Professor, sports & entertainment industry professional, board member and officer of Community, a leading minority-owned, non-profit Esports and Gaming educational and social impact organization led by HBCU graduates.

“We are excited about the dynamic opportunities that these partnerships will provide our students as we collaborate and engage with leading Esports industry organizations,” added Dr. Laura Colson McLean, Dean of Metropolitan College of Professional Studies.

Why You Should Purchase A Light Therapy Device Today

Robert Tilman
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Why You Should Purchase A Light Therapy Device Today

Light therapy is a treatment method that has quickly gained a lot of traction within the realms of the beauty industry. However, not many people are aware of exactly how they work and their proposed benefits. 

Light therapy, as a method of therapy, was introduced by NASA. The agency tried out this therapy method to see if it could help generate plant growth in areas which are not particularly renowned for their plant growing abilities. Light therapy is based on these results which have proven to be effective in helping plants grow and are thought by many to be a very successful method of treating ailments. The frequencies at which this light therapy is shown to show results is such that it can reach the deepest layer of the skin. In this very deep layer of the skin, light therapy has been shown to enhance the regrowth of cells which also means that it increases blood flow and stimulation which has added health benefits. 

Some of the most notable benefits of Light Therapy are listed below. They are listed according to the specified color: 

Benefits of Red Light Therapy

Benefits of Red Light therapy include some very notable benefits. Red Light Therapy has rejuvenating effects on the skin. It helps cells develop faster and helps with repairing old or dead cells. As we age, this effect has a much more valued and profound effect. The light from this type of therapy has the potential to reach the deepest layers of the skin. The therapy helps with skin brightening as well. 

Red light therapy has also been known to help diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the skin, which is another very desired benefit of this therapy method. Red light therapy in general helps make the skin look younger and firmer. 

Red light therapy also helps with tissue repair and healing of wounds. The wavelength of this light is such that it helps with the reconstruction of some important cells. What this basically means is that wounds and skin tissue are helped in their repair process by this therapy. 

When you undergo a red light therapy, you will see that your mood is also affected for the better. This is because exposure to red light therapy helps with the release of Serotonin, the happy hormone of the body. This is a primary reason that people feel happier in summer months as more sunlight equals more serotonin. 

Another remarkable effect of those going through red light therapy is the noticeable reduction of cellulite in the body. 

Benefits of Green Light Therapy

Green light therapy is another type of light therapy that really does help with making the skin look and feel lighter and smoother. Whenever you go through a light therapy session, you will see that your skin is visibly clearer and lighter. The reasoning behind this is that when undergoing the treatment, your body will recognize the melanin particles that are shown by the light and it then discards them

The natural process of aging has some effects on the skin that we really don’t care for that much. One of these issues is the prevalence of spider veins on our skin as we get older. The light from this type of therapy can decrease the occurrences of these types.

Green light therapy also has been shown to help with reducing hyperpigmentation and age spots. 

Exposure to this type of light in a therapeutic sense helps with relieving pain. When you undergo this type of therapy, you will find that it really helps with muscle stiffness and works very well as a method of relieving pain. 

Benefits of Blue Light Therapy

This type of therapy is usually UV-free. This type of therapy is an ideal treatment for those suffering from acne. It helps a great deal with destroying the bacteria that causes irritation in the skin. This helps greatly in combating acne. Another notable benefit of Blue Light Therapy is how it helps prevent oily skin on the user. Oily skin is not at all desirable as it subsequently leads to other skin problems and Blue Light Therapy is very adept at fighting this condition. 

Apart from reducing acne and oily skin, another very important skin benefit of Blue Light Therapy is how it helps with fighting and reducing blackheads. Light from this type of therapy is very adept at penetrating the skin and killing off the bacterias that cause blackheads.

Blue Light Therapy, according to a bunch of reputed studies, has been shown to have very beneficial effects for those suffering from Eczema and Psoriasis- conditions which are basically inflammations in the skin. This type of therapy helps a great deal with issues of this sort, namely inflammations of the skin. A few sessions of this therapy will go a long way in combating inflammation and hence help with the visible physical symptoms of inflammation.  

Blue Light Therapy also helps a great deal with the happy hormone, Serotonin. Blue Light Therapy helps the body produce more serotonin and as a result makes the patient happier. This type of therapy can be particularly useful for those living in colder climates and especially in places where sunlight is scarce. This type of living in prolonged darkness can lead to seasonal affective disorder. By incorporating Blue Light Therapy into your daily routine, you can really help yourselves in the difficult winter months, in keeping a stable mood. 

Light therapy, even though a relatively much newer form of treatment, has already shown to have numerous health benefits. This may be an unorthodox treatment method but it is definitely one that we should keep in our minds. It is especially useful in combating a lot of skin problems and also helps with seasonal affective disorders. So this may be a must for you if you live in the colder climates. 

3 Tips to Improving Your Financial Health

Robert Tilman
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3 Tips to Improving Your Financial Health

Many people struggle when it comes to managing their money. In fact, roughly 53% of Americans report living paycheck to paycheck. Without proper financial planning, you leave yourself vulnerable to catastrophe. What happens if there’s an emergency? What if you suddenly lose your job? 

Don’t put yourself in a risky position. Upgrade your money management skills and improve your financial health by following these three tips. 

Tip #1: Start budgeting

Creating a budget can be extraordinarily helpful in managing your financial situation. It enables you to keep track of how much money is coming in and going out each month. 

If you have specific financial goals in mind, a budget can be a fantastic tool to help you achieve them. With a clear idea of your income and expenses, you can determine how much you need to put aside and how long you must save for in order to afford that new car or dream vacation. 

But perhaps, if you’ve never created a budget before, you’re wondering how to get started. The first thing you should do is determine your monthly take-home income. Then make a list of all your projected expenses in a month—this list should be as detailed as possible, and include everything from rent to restaurant checks. 

So, after these two steps, you’ll have your total income and expenses for the month. The next steps you take depend on the kind of budget you’re creating, but many beginners find the “50/30/20” rule to be a useful guide for their budget. 

This rule states that you should spend 50% of your income on essentials and 30% on non-essentials, while putting 20% into your savings. It’s a good general guideline, although it can be adjusted depending on how much you make, where you live, and your own personal financial situation. To simplify the whole budgeting process, try using a personal finance app. 

Tip #2: Cut down on costs

Sit down and take a detailed look at your expenses to find areas where you can cut costs. Of course, having a budget in place will help with this process, as you’ll be able to identify every expense and the exact amount it’s costing you per month. 

As far as where you should look if you’re trying to save money, there are a number of different approaches. First, see if there’s any way you can lower or eliminate some of the small expenses in your life. 

Review how much money you spend on eating out, entertainment, luxury items, and other non-essentials. Reflect on whether there are alternatives to your current spending habits that would save you money— for instance, buying food at the grocery store and prepping meals rather than going out to eat. 

After you go through your small expenses, you’ll want to take a look at the largest expenses such as rent and transportation. Try to see if there are any measures you can take to cut down on these big costs. Maybe, instead of living alone, you could save money by finding a roommate on a website like Diggz. Or perhaps you could save by taking the bus instead of driving a car. It may not be ideal, but it can save you money. 

Tip #3: Set financial goals  

Whether you’re trying to save money or earn more of it, you should know why you’re doing what you’re doing. What motivates you? What’s your definition of success? 

When you set and pursue specific financial goals, you’ll have a clear idea of what you’re working towards. Thus, you can more easily come up with a money management strategy tailored to your aspirations. 

Make sure that when you set financial goals, you make them specific, measurable, and realistic. Your goals should also be time-bound so that you can accurately measure whether or not you’re on track to achieve them. Here are a few examples of what good financial goals look like: 

  • “I want to pay off all of my credit card debt by the end of this year.” 
  • “I want to have $5,000 in my savings account by March of next year.”
  • “I want to purchase a $10,000 car for my son’s birthday this year.” 

These are just a few random examples—what’s realistic for some may not be realistic for others, and of course priorities vary from person to person. 

Also, if you want expert help in achieving your financial goals, consider using a wealth management service. Companies like Cetera can provide you with advisors who assist you in devising a financial strategy tailored to your own situation and goals in life. 

Each person’s financial situation is different. Some people have plenty of disposable income while others barely get by. Different people have their own priorities and goals. So, when incorporating these tips into your financial strategy, keep your own situation in mind and do what’s best for yourself. 

What We All Want To Know About Horse Racing

Robert Tilman
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What We All Want To Know About Horse Racing

It doesn’t matter if you are a veteran gambler or a beginner to wagering, the intricacies of horse racing can make it hard to pick a winning bet. To make informed and good bets, whether at the bookies or online with Timeform,  you will want to have researched some specific information and put in the time to understand the different and detailed facets of this ancient sport. Whacking money down on a horse after only a tiny bit of research or just choosing at random may get you a winner. But it’s not a formula for winning in horse betting. Let’s have a look below at the different avenues of research you can explore and see what we all want to know about horse racing. 

Do the conditions match up?

Like many other sports the conditions and setup in horse racing really do matter. Particularly important is understanding which type of race is being run. In times gone by there was loads of variation in race types but nowadays it tends to boil down to a flat race or a steeplechase (or jump racing). Flat races do what they say on the tin and steeplechases are obstacle based races. Depending on the prestige of the race there will be Grades placed on the competition with Grade I being the best. Noting which type of race it is along with other information such as the condition of the turf and the horse types and you will complete your equation. The turf is actually a big factor in horse racing. Like other sports such as tennis where the ground makes a difference for some players (we all know and love Nadal on clay), different horses perform better on different turf from soft to hard. Finally, the type of horse you are betting on should be another point of research. Some horses can only compete in certain events with thoroughbred, arabian and quarter-horse being preferred on the flat and jockeys inclined to use thoroughbreds alongside AQPS horses in jump races. Understanding which set of conditions are best for the bet you are going to make is important. 

Type of bet/Odds

Before you even consider which horses you are going to pick you will need to have a look at what type of bet you are going to place and at what odds. In sports betting it is common to stick accumulators or multiple bets on, and whilst this is an option for horse racing, the unpredictable and vast nature of horse racing makes this unfavourable. Other options for betting in horse racing have gained increasing popularity in recent years as well with Lucky 15 and Each Way bets becoming very common. These types of bets allow a payout from the bookies for your horse placing in the top 3 rather than just first. The saving grace here is that whilst the odds for favourites tend to be lower, underdogs win all the time. In fact, the favourites in horse racing actually only win a third of the time. This means you are likely to get winners at high odds with 8/1 picks regularly winning races. Knowing the background knowledge on your type of bet and the logistics around what you are going to wager is almost as important as picking the horse itself. 

Picking a winning horse

Now that you have sorted yourself out with all the external background knowledge you need to put your research into what horse you are actually going to pick. This requires research and is clearly the most important part of the process. Whilst luck and choosing horses based on their names/jockeys colour scheme is fun, you are going to struggle to regularly pick winners. For this you will need to do your research and check the statistics. The best way to do this is to use racecards (both in person or online) to view form, racing schedules and previous recent racing stats. This means you can see how the horse has been performing and if they are racing well. There are numerous factors at play here but if you stick with these main ones you should find yourself with enough information to make a well educated pick. Additionally, if you would rather go for the more traditional and superstitious method of picking a horse, having a look at them in the paddock or parade ring can be hugely useful. More subtle markers are used here to identify potential winners like muscle definition, the body language of both the horse and jockey, and also how shiny the horse’s coat is.

Conclusion

Weighing up all these factors can be tough but it provides you with a much better base to make an educated wager on your desired horse. It’s certainly what we all want to know about horse racing and you know what that means? More chance of picking a winner and walking away with some tidy profits.

How Can Companies Put Artificial Intelligence to the Test?

Charlotte Stories
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How Can Companies Put Artificial Intelligence to the Test?

Artificial intelligence, or AI, can be used by virtually any business in any industry to enhance productivity, streamline customer support and analyze data. Now that AI tools are easily accessible and affordable, businesses of all sizes are looking for ways to put this powerful technology to the test.

Here are some of the many ways you can incorporate AI into your operations.

Chatbots

When businesses first dive into artificial intelligence, they typically start with chatbots. It’s a simple way to start using AI, and it also helps enhance your customer service. 

Chatbots are available 24/7 to answer customer or visitor questions. Bots are available in a varying range of complexity. Advanced bots use machine learning and information from your website to answer questions or assist customers with different tasks. 

Visitors and customers like chatbots because they are available any time of the day or night (i.e. they’re convenient) and they provide immediate assistance. There’s no need to wait on hold or for an email response. Chatbots figure out a customer’s problem and use the power of AI to solve it. 

If a problem or question is too complicated for the chatbot, the issue can be escalated to the right person or team for human support.

Website Testing

Testing plays an important role in website and app development. It promotes a positive user experience and ensures that the site is functioning properly. Automated testing provides a significant advantage of manual testing due to its ability to save time and reduce errors. AI and machine learning takes test automation to the next level by eliminating routine test maintenance.

Businesses can put AI to the test by implementing this technology into the testing process. 

Manual website testing services can be paired with AI-powered automated testing to streamline and enhance the process. This allows sites and even apps to be put to market faster with fewer issues.

Automate Workloads

The goal of AI is to simplify and accelerate manual processes to save businesses time and resources. Automating workloads allows for greater efficiency and improved production among employees.

In fact, 80% of businesses say that AI improves productivity and generates more jobs.

Using the power of AI, businesses can automate:

  • Routine tasks
  • Appointment management
  • Customer service requests
  • Routes for service requests
  • Data analysis, and more

To determine whether AI can help with workload automation, sit down and create a list of redundant, non-core tasks that eat up employee time. Do some research to see if AI-driven solutions are available to streamline or automate these processes. This will save your employees time and allow them to focus their energy on important core tasks.

Data Management

Data is a valuable thing. It can help you improve all aspects of your business, from building personas to marketing, cost-cutting, customer support and improving your operations. 

AI can help you mine for data, interpret it and analyze it. You can use this information for brand building, marketing, product development and more. 

Data can give you a competitive edge, and AI tools simplify the process of gathering this important information. Businesses can also use their data to improve their products and services. Inefficiencies can be spotted, and customer feedback can be analyzed to see which areas can use improvement. 

Performance Projections

AI-powered tools can help project performance and behavior based on historical data. An AI application may be able to help predict when your brand may reach its sales goals or improve its customer support call response.

These algorithm-based projections provide a higher level of accuracy and help you save time. Calculating manual projections is a time-consuming process that’s vulnerable to human error. With AI tools, you save time and generate more precise forecasts.

Supply Chain Management 

Brands can use AI to boost the speed and efficiency of supply chain management and logistics. Companies can use AI-powered software to:

  • Manage their inventories
  • Track and manage raw materials
  • Automate ordering and deliveries when stock is running low

There are many AI tools available for supply chain management, but not all are beneficial to every business. It’s important to determine your needs first. This will help narrow your search to only the tools that will fulfill your needs – nothing more, nothing less.

Artificial intelligence will continue to grow and be adopted by businesses all over the world. As AI becomes more advanced, new tools and applications will be introduced that allow more complicated tasks and decision-making processes to be automated. 

Meta Description: Artificial intelligence is the wave of the future, but it’s playing an integral role in the world today. Learn how companies can put AI to the test.

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