Influence

9 Hidden Costs Of A DUI And How To Avoid Them

Published on

DUI, or Driving under the influence, is not illegal per se, however, it’s not recommended in any way. Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol cannot possibly end well. Even if you don’t end up in an accident and everyone goes unscathed – if you get pulled over and deemed unable to drive, things are about to get really ugly for you. There are all kinds of consequences at play here – from having a slumber party at the local jail and your driver’s license getting suspended to losing thousands upon thousands of dollars in various fines and hidden costs. Today, we’re going to talk about those hidden costs which you may not know about, how they can change your life for the worse and ultimately how you can avoid them. Let’s get started.

1. Fines & Court And Attorney Fees

Source:thervo.com

The first and one of the major costs of DUI is not exactly a hidden one, but the amount might surprise you. If you manage to avoid jail time, community service, licence suspension and all of the usual punishments – you probably had the best lawyer in the world. However, you’re not going to get out of paying fines, court costs and eventually the attorney’s fee. Now, costs can vary significantly, depending on the state, how intoxicated you were, whether you had to post bail or not and more. On average, all of this is going to cost around $5000. You could end up paying less, but you could also end up paying upwards of the $10,000.

2. Towing And Impound Fee

Source:insurify.com

Considering the fact that you’re unable to drive, being arrested for drunk driving and all that, your vehicle is getting towed and impounded. As we all know, this fee is everything but insignificant. You could end up paying between $500 and $1000 to get your car back.

3. Education Program Costs

According to Dmvedu.org, what usually happens after a DUI conviction is that the convicted party has to go through some sort of drug or alcohol education program. If you’re lucky, you might end up with an 8-hour online class, but that’s highly unlikely. However, ending up in group counselling or months of classes doesn’t happen that often, as well. In most cases, you’ll end up with 30 to 60 hours of online classes if this was your first offence. Once again, your bank account will feel it since this could cost you $700 or more.

4. Reinstatement Fee

Now, once you lose your driver’s licence – you don’t just get it back, you have to pay a reinstatement fee which will set you back about $500 in most cases.

5. Insurance Costs

Now, these are the ones you should really be worried about. After a DUI conviction, in the eyes of the insurance company, you’re a high-risk driver, which means, your premium costs are about to skyrocket. Now, this could vary, but in most cases, you would see an annual increase from a $1000 to even $3000 in your premiums. Now, keep in mind that this is not a one-year thing. Chances are you’ll be considered high-risk for at least 5 years. You do the math on that one.

6. BAIID

Source:illinois-defenseattorney.com

This breath analysing device is going to be in your car for a year after you’ve been convicted of a DUI. Once you factor in all the costs like installation, rental fees, monitoring and so on, you’re looking at another $1500 out of your bank account.

7. Income Or Job Loss

If you’re lucky and you don’t end up fired you’re looking at least one month of ‘unpaid vacation’. If we take an average American salary, for example, that means you’re looking to lose another $4000 for not being able to work. If you lose your job on the other hand – only you know how much that will cost you.

Now, spending money on lawyercarl is something that you’re aware of and you’re paying for a good service – the one you actually need, so that’s okay. However, if we do the quick math, in the best case scenario – ‘hidden’ costs will set you back at least $10,000. On average, we’re looking at $20,000 to $25,000 and if you’re really unlucky, well, let’s not go there. It could ruin your life, let’s keep it at that. Keep in mind, that’s a first offence we’re talking about. Repeated offenders can and will lose a lot more than that.

Now, how can you avoid them?

8. Hire A Good Lawyer

Source:medium

A good lawyer can get your case dismissed. This is by far the best thing you can hope for in case you’re arrested for DUI. Not only will it benefit your financial situation, but it’ll affect the other aspects of your life as well. Not serving jail time, avoiding training and counselling, not paying high-risk insurance rates – this could save you a lot of money and emotional trauma. Even a night in county jail could leave some scars.

9. Keep Of The Road

This is the best advice anyone could give you. Want to save money and not end up handcuffed in the back of the police car? Don’t drink and drive. It’s as simple as that. You may feel like you’re more than capable of operating a vehicle and even if that’s true – don’t do it. You might injure yourself or the others. If you get pulled over and your BAC is over 0.08 an officer has a right to arrest you. You could be at 0.09 and feel absolutely sober – you could still end up arrested.

So, if you’ve had a few drinks – call a cab, phone a friend, order an Uber or just walk home. There are so many things you could do instead of sitting behind the wheel. Everyone’s unreasonable when they’re under the influence, we get that. However, try and reason with yourself and listen to others if they tell you not to drive.

If none of this matters to you because you just have more money than you could possibly spend and you don’t care about the costs – think about the risks. Over 10,000 people die annually in accident caused by drunk drivers. Over 300,000 are injured in some way. Don’t be a part of that statistic, don’t drive under the influence.

For Rock/Pop Band Milou Sky, Inspiration Strikes Anytime, Anywhere

Published on
/

Musicians follow different creative processes and find inspiration in different things. Some of Taylor Swift‘s biggest hits, for example, were written when she was feeling anxious and experiencing emotional conflicts. Alex Turner of Arctic Monkeys likes to write songs in the morning, the part of the day when he feels most vulnerable and, therefore, more creative. Jack White of White Stripes prefers working under strict deadlines, forcing creative juices to flow until something good comes out. 

For up-and-coming rock/pop band Milou Sky, inspiration can come anytime and anywhere. “We don’t have a set formula for writing songs, it just sort of happens,” said Ryan Beckett, the band’s lead vocalist, guitarist, and chief songwriter. “Inspiration can come listening to music or simply having a good or bad day, a lyric that you like, really anything can strike an idea.” Unlike White, Milou Sky’s creative process is less restrictive, and all of the members share the role of writing songs. “We’re always writing, and the result is a competitive balance between everyone in the band,” Beckett shared. 

Source:thetechly.com

The band’s primary sources of inspiration are the artists the individual members listened to while growing up in their hometown of Reading, Pennsylvania. Beckett, and his stepbrother Zach Ninfo, the band’s drummer, bonded over 60s classic rock bands, particularly The Beatles. Liam Meadowcroft, the band’s other singer, and rhythm guitarist, looks up to Nirvana, Oasis, and Arctic Monkeys. His brother Nolan, who plays bass for the group, lists Kings of Leon, U2, and XXXTENTACION as his favorites. “We’re inspired by the music we like, and we feed off of what we hear to create our own songs and sound,” Beckett said.

The four also take inspiration from their passions outside of music. Beckett loves to watch movies and is moved by the performances of Leonardo DiCaprio. He is also a fan of football star Tom Brady and looks up to the quarterback’s mental drive and work ethic. He also loves the show South Park, which he credits for his odd sense of humor. Like Beckett, Liam is also into sports and cheers for all Philadelphia sports teams. He also played baseball when he was young. 

During his spare time, Nolan likes to play video games such as Battlefield Three, Call of Duty Modern Warfare Three, and Rainbow Six Siege. When he gets tired of playing, he picks up a book on world history. Nolan also loves to go out and get active by playing golf and baseball. Like Beckett, he is also into football, and his favorite team is the Denver Broncos. 

Source:instagram

With a background in communications media, Ninfo enjoys creating videos and has won in a few competitions at the state and national levels. He loves to watch the reality show Bar Rescue, and just like Nolan, he also enjoys playing video games. He also loves to eat and try out different restaurants together with his bandmates. 

For the songs in their debut EP Compromise that was released last January, the band used the pains and joys of everyday life as inspiration. “The EP showcases the collection of styles that we mashed together to create our sound. These songs are meaningful to us because we can share what we feel with our audience,” Beckett said. The first single of the EP and title track is about the typical frustrations guys feel when dealing with women. A compromise was produced by two-time Grammy Award winner Robert Cutarella who has worked with legends such as Eric Clapton, The Police, and Keith Richards.

Milou Sky also aspires to serve as an inspiration to fans and fellow musicians. Even before the release of Compromise, the band already enjoys a cult following back in Reading, where they used to play in local venues, TV shows, and festivals. Through social media, they were able to expand their fanbase. Currently, their Instagram account has more than 100,000 followers. It’s a significant achievement considering the competitive nature of the social media landscape where millions of artists worldwide vie for the attention of users. 

Source:instagram

The band knows the secret to succeed in social media, and that is to engage your followers continually. “Social media is definitely the way we communicate with our fans,” Beckett said. “It also gives our fans a chance to message us and comment on our posts, so we know how they feel about us.” 

Musicians who double as influencers seem to be the trend of the future, and Milou Sky has wholly embraced the role. Through their social media accounts, the group helps other up-and-coming artists gain exposure by mentioning them on their posts. The gesture is reciprocated with other groups giving them shoutouts as well. Beckett also sees the use of social media as a means for musicians to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. “I think it’s gonna be important to really just use your account to communicate with fans since there are no large gatherings,” he said.

The band is aware of the power of music, the influence it holds on people, and its potential to shed light on social issues. They are open to the possibility of writing more socially conscious songs in the future. “If we have a good idea, we’d definitely try to write a song about it,” Beckett said. The group shares the outrage felt by other musicians on the death of George Floyd and social inequality in general. “We think it’s all horrible that we even have to do this nowadays, bad people kill people all the time, unfortunately, but for someone to be targeted because of the color of their skin is just disgusting,” remarked Beckett. 

Source:instagram

The band doesn’t overestimate the influence of music, however. “It can spread awareness about (social issues)  and unite people to fight for a cause, but at the end of the day, music is just music, and in reality, more people are going to take a song as a song, not a statement,” Beckett said. 

Even the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown that resulted from it didn’t stop Milou Sky from finding inspiration. They spent most of the time under quarantine writing new songs as they plan to do a follow-up to Compromise later this year.

COVID-19 and Its Influence on Education

Published on

There is, perhaps, no area of life that wasn’t affected by the coronavirus. If half a year ago someone told you that everyone would have to stay at home for a couple of months, all countries would close their borders, and President Trump would issue a $2 trillion bill to support the falling economy, you’d probably laugh in their faces. And yet, this is the reality today.

However, while it may seem that life on the planet has stopped, something is still happening around. Companies are trying to operate remotely; governments are collecting taxes, and, of course, schools are still teaching (or at least trying to). But how do they cope with this task? Let’s find out!

Is Studying from Home Effective?

Source:oxfordlearning.com

Undoubtedly, modern technologies allow students of any university or school to receive all the educational materials they need while staying at home. Books, notes, presentations, and lectures do not require physically taking them from libraries or attending a classroom anymore. Homeschooling saves a lot of time wasted on transportation, especially for those who live outside the campus, and allows redirecting energy more effectively. Sounds like a perfect decision during an epidemic?

Except for the already mentioned advantages, remote education has much more to offer. Consider these points:

  • It saves funds for schools. Infrastructure, personnel, maintenance fees, electricity bills, etc. are significantly cheaper when thousands of kids don’t attend schools every day.

  • Smaller expenses for a private school mean smaller fees for parents. Public schools that are funded by taxpayers benefit as well since the money collected to support the facilities can be channeled somewhere else.

  • Education can become more customizable. While studying at home, everyone can manage their time in a way they believe to be most efficient.

At times, when meeting other people means putting them and yourself under a potential threat to health and life, there is no choice whether to study at home or not. Social contacts bring more harm than good these days, so remote education is probably the best choice during the pandemic. Why don’t schools proceed with this way of teaching in the future then?

Drawbacks of Homeschooling

Source:kprz.com

It turns out that no electronic means of communication can replace old good personal conversations. Sharing knowledge is essential to education, and there is no better way of doing it than gathering in one room and talking to each other. On teachers’ side, speaking to a class while everyone is physically present in one place is much more pleasant than addressing thoughts to a web camera.

Particular subjects and topics require physical presence at school to be taught properly. Physics, Chemistry, or Biology presuppose experiments with dangerous or rare substances that can’t be handled at home.

Online lectures are also a source of technical troubles. Computers tend to break down with time, and an internet connection can be unstable. Issues can arise on both teachers’ and students’ sides, and there is hardly a simple and fast way of fixing them. This can cause significant time wastages, especially when classes are taught online in real time.

Due to the restricted access to communication, students who study at home are encouraged to write more. And while writing would become a passion for some of them, most learners hate spending their time on academic papers. In addition, essays are strictly regulated in terms of format and content, so they aren’t a perfect way of expressing one’s ideas. A decision? Online writing agencies!

Why Order Your Essay from a Custom Writing Company?

Source:knifewarehouse.co.uk

There is a whole bunch of advantages that such services offer:

  • Ordering your essay on the web saves you time. Depending on the length of the paper, you can spend up to a whole day searching for information, locating credible sources, and formatting your essay. For instance, Essayswriting.org can complete orders with deadlines starting from 3 hours. Check out the Essayswriting.org service to find out more data on the subject.

  • Professionals will do the job for you. Entrusting your paper to an online writing agency means that an experienced author who knows how to compile a decent essay will be working on your task.

  • You won’t need to spend much money either. Rates in writing agencies start around $10 for a page but can rise depending on the topic and complicacy of the subject.

The increased flow of paperwork during the quarantine stimulates students to search for assistance, and that’s the right step to take. The efficiency of the studying process is under a serious threat if most of the learners’ energy is spent on putting their thoughts on paper. In a situation when most of the students’ efforts are directed at writing academic essays, asking for expert help is a perfect decision.

However, the extended flow of essays is not the only reason to contact an online writing agency. Most of them can complete almost any type of paper, from undergraduate essays to dissertations and admission letters. And while getting a bad grade for an essay is not the most pleasant experience, failing to enter university because of a poorly composed admission letter is definitely much worse. Some writing services can even design a perfect resume specifically for you.

International Cooperation and Online Writing Services

Source:lifeisanepisode.com

Universities are centers of international knowledge exchange, meaning that there are always plenty of students from abroad in any of them. And while students of one school can speak dozens of different languages, teaching languages are often limited to one or two options. This can be rather inconvenient for international students, especially during their freshman and sophomore years in college. Luckily, online writing services are designed to suit everyone’s needs.

Even if you find casual writing interesting, it’s hard to predict whether you would like academic writing as well. Writing a decent academic paper requires attention to formatting, proper language, and developed research skills. Handing the work over to a writing agency includes all these aspects together with a deep understanding of a topic and the absence of smaller mistakes like punctuation or typos.