Saving on office supplies

For all the Richmond business owners out there, here's a good article on how to save on office supplies from Office Interiors Filing Systems.

What is third party logistics, and what do these providers do?

The below article comes from Richmond Cold Storage.

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Third party logistics providers offer a plethora of services to a variety of companies and clients on behalf of themselves. They have the capabilities to execute functions ranging from management, physical labor and systems technology. More specifically 3PL providers can carry out transportation, warehousing, distribution, packaging, cross-docking and inventory management.

There are two types of 3PL providers: asset-based and non-asset based providers. The differences are that asset-based providers own some of the elements, or assets, used in supply chain management. They may own and operate a distribution center or warehouse. They may also manage the trucking and freight services their clients need. On the other hand, a non-asset based provider does not fully own or operate any service offered to clients. This is a double-edged sword, while it gives them the freedom to select individual service providers based on the needs of customers; the operations are not done from the non-asset provider’s office or warehouse so there aren’t as many people overseeing that operations are carried out correctly.

Supply chain management offers many benefits to people in the production and manufacturing industries. Having even one key element of your manufacturing and distribution process covered by a logistics company greatly speeds up the entire supply chain. Not only do 3PL providers quicken the time it takes for an item to be ready for purchase or consumption; they provide greater efficiency and customer service to the businesses. Third party logistics and outsourcing companies take over responsibility of a company’s supply chain, and in doing so they build valuable relationships with their customers. The result is better efficiency and customer service, the two key components in running a successful, profitable business. For example, outsourcing warehouse and transportation functions offers the confidence of knowing that your goods will be stored and transported in a proper manner on behalf of the logistics company.

The future of 3PL companies continues to look bright. Many businesses will tend to prefer outsourcing all or some functions because it gives them more time to focus attention on the key elements of their business. One may not think that relinquishing some power over a company to a logistics provider will produce even better control, but that’s exactly what people find true. If you’ve chosen the right 3PL company, their expertise of the industry will ensure your supply chain is followed through and completed properly.

Thanksgiving and The Holiday Season in Virginia

Thanks to Richmond VA new home builder Lifestyle for the below article about the upcoming Holidays in central Virginia!

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In Central Virginia, the acknowledgment of upcoming holidays is often felt throughout the region as early as mid-November. Decorations such as cornucopia, pumpkins and adorned door wreaths are reminiscent of the falling autumn leaves. As families gather around the table for a traditional Thanksgiving feast it is evident that the holidays are in full swing. Once the fresh-cut Christmas tree stands start opening residents get in the spirit of decorating for the holidays. Excited shoppers can find extended hours, and deals, at all of the shopping centers and outlet malls, where Santa and his elves are waiting to greet young children. Each year brings new and annual holiday traditions to Virginia and below is a short guide of different holiday happenings coming to the region, in particular in Richmond and Williamsburg.

Richmond, VA

Ukrops Christmas parade takes place in early December and attracts more than 100, 000 Virginians from all over the state. It traverses two miles of Richmond, complete with marching bands, floats, and life size helium holiday balloons. It is the single largest event of the year in the state of Virginia, and begins at the Science Museum on Broad Street and makes its way deeper into the city at 7th Street.

Gardenfest of Lights at Lewis Ginter is another area holiday tradition. The light show features more than a half million bulbs arranged in botanical themes throughout the beautifully vast gardens at Lewis Ginter. Handmade decorations and lavish ribbons are also used to decorate the gardens for the fest of lights. Months of preparation are put into this event, as organizers and staff start adorning the gardens with lights in August and some aren’t taken down until February. Make a day or night of its beauty and reserve a dinner reservation among the phenomenal lights in the garden.

The Bizarre Bazaar makes a visit to the Richmond Raceway Complex every holiday season. This a large-scale exhibition provides a unique offering of gourmet foods, toys, clothing and accessories, imported and handmade jewelry, quality crafts and fine arts, antiques, reproduction and hand-painted furniture and of course, holiday treats, ornaments and decorative accessories, and this doesn’t even cover most of it! You don’t want to miss this kick-off to the holiday season! The Bizarre Bazaar offers a unique shopping experience, but also grants charities and non-profit foundations the opportunity to raise funds for their organizations through special volunteer hours and sales at the show.

Williamsburg, VA

Busch Garden’s is often referred to as one of the world’s most fanciful theme parks, and the holiday season is no exception. The park’s Christmas Town celebration is an annual holiday event. It includes more than a million sparkling lights, scents of potpourri and fresh baked Christmas baked goods, unique gift ideas, and an extravagant 45-foot, light-animated Christmas tree. Visitors can still enjoy some of the park’s most well-known rides, and its entertaining shows—all with a holiday twist!

In most parts of Williamsburg, you can feel the holidays approaching when the town decorates in a fashion true to their roots—in colonial 18th century fashion. Ranging from the Grand Illumination, lighting of the town’s Christmas tree, caroling and 18th century live holiday stage productions, this area of Central Virginia does not fall short on holiday happenings!

Better Bone Check

This article comes from AT Home Care - a provider of elderly care in Virginia.

Osteoporosis, a disease characterized by porous bones, threatens the quality of life of millions of older Americans. As it advances, bones weaken and become brittle, sometimes fracturing from minor falls or even just coughing or sneezing.

Who is at risk?


Most at risk are slim, small females of Caucasian, Asian or Hispanic descent-and the incidence is increasing most rapidly among Hispanic women. A family history of the disease increases the likelihood of developing osteoporosis. Other contributing factors include poor diet, early menopause, excessive alcohol consumption, tobacco smoke and a sedentary lifestyle. Long-term use of steroid medications and certain illnesses, like thyroid disease or anorexia, add to the risk, too. Although males develop osteoporosis too, it is four times more common in women than men. Ten million Americans have the disease and another 34 million have low bone density, putting them at risk of developing osteoporosis.

Bones continually break down and rebuild, but the rate at which this remodeling proceeds slows with age, making osteoporosis a major public threat for Americans 50 or older. In 2005, it was responsible for more than 2 million fractures.


While not curable, osteoporosis is preventable if bone loss is detected early. Once diagnosed, it is treatable. Left untreated, however, it can impede mobility and hasten death. Women start out with lower bone mass than men and lose more after menopause because of decreased estrogen production, putting them at risk of osteoporosis earlier than men. Men are most at risk after age 75.

Prevention


Osteoporosis advances symptom-free. Most people don't know they have it until they suffer a fracture, most commonly of the hip, spine or wrist, although any bone can be affected. Other signs include severe back pain, loss of height due to vertebral fractures, and spinal deformity, such as a "dowager's hump." Hip fractures, the most feared, usually require surgery or hospitalization and often cause long-term or permanent disability or even death.

Osteoporosis prevention can begin in adolesence. Regular weight-bearing exercise and adequate consumption of calcium and Vitamin D, which is necessary for the body to absorb calcium, are essential for forming strong bones. By age 18, girls have 90 percent of their adult bone mass; boys, by age 20. Peak bone mass occurs at about age 30, after which bone growth slows.

In the five to seven years after menopause, bone loss accelerates rapidly, and women can lose 20 percent of their bone mass in that time period. Because of this, doctors recommend that women with risk factors for osteoporosis consult their doctor well before menopause about possible tests, treatments or necessary lifestyle adjustments. At any age, it is possible to build bone mass.

Diagnosis


A bone mineral density test is the common method to detect osteoporosis or osteopenia, which is mild bone loss that increases the risk of developing osteoporosis. Doctors review a patient's risk factors and medical history in determining whether a bone density test is needed. Repeated at intervals of a year or more, these quick, painless tests can track bone loss and help predict the likelihood of fractures.

Bone density scans aren't perfect. While tests like DEXA are the gold standard for detecting the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, they can sometimes miss fracture-prone skeletons and can deliver false alarms that lead to unneeded prescriptions for bone-bolstering drugs. A better check is here. Just ask your doctor to enter your bone density score-along with about nine other key risk factors for broken bones-into a new fracture assessment calculator called FRAX.

Developed by the World Health Organization, FRAX was made available in the United States in the spring of 2008. The online calculator makes adjustments to account for bone differences between women and men and among people from four different racial and ethnic groups: African-American, Asian, Caucasian, and Latino. It also takes risk factors into account, including your age, weight, height, personal and family fracture history, alcohol and steroid use, and whether you have rheumatoid arthritis. The result: You get a personalized 10-year-risk score, which can help your doctor decide whether you need an osteoporosis drug, says Bess Dawson-Hughes, MD, director of the Bone Metabolism Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.

If your doctor doesn't offer to run your personal data through FRAX, ask her to do so by logging on to www.shef.ac.uk/frax.
Bone density tests are recommended for all postmenopausal women with one or more risk factors or postmenopausal women who are not taking hormone therapy; men aged 50 to 70 with one or more risk factors; all women 65 or older and men 70 or older.

Depending on the test results, your doctor may recommend a treatment plan that includes medication, exercise and diet.