Nestling quietly in the San Francisco Bay, the Alcatraz Island was once known for its stringent jailhouse, which was a home for incorrigible convicts. Currently it is one of the most fascinating attractions from travelers all over the world. This is mostly because it has so much of rugged history attached to its name.
It all started in 1775, when a Spanish explorer Juan Manuel de Ayala, ambled through the waters of the San Francisco Bay and christened it as La Isla de los Alcatraces which means Island of the Pelicans. And gradually, this stony island which was only graced by the presence of the birds became Alcatraz. Almost over 75 years later, Millard Fillmore, the then President of the United States, directed orders to reserve the island for military purposes. During this period of the 1850s, a fortress was erected with the facility of an operational lighthouse for the West Coast. Subsequently the US Army started confining military prisoners in this as well.
Although built from a strategic defense viewpoint, it didn’t have the opportunity to serve the military in a massive way, leading the army to relinquish it to the government. The Justice Department then utilized this area as federal prison to confine convicts that were extremely unfit to be kept in a normal penitentiary. Reinstated as a maximum-security facility in July 1934, Alcatraz has confined the most infamous inmates like Al Capone, George Machine Gun Kelly, Alvin Creepy Karpis Karpowicz, Robert Stroud (Birdman of Alcatraz), Clarence Victor (The Choctaw Kid), Frank Morris, and Roy Gardener.
During the 29 years of the operation, (19341963), Alcatraz witnessed over 14 escape attempts by 36 convicts. Out of these, over 23 men were successfully caught, 6 were shot to death, and 2 went missing. The rest 5 which went missing were presumed to have drowned. One escape endeavor also led to an internal battle, that ultimately led to an intervention by the US Marines. In 1963, the prison permanently closed its doors, as its handling costs was allegedly getting unreasonably high, since it was an isolated island jail. In 1972, it became a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
If you’re intrigued by the twisted past of Alcatraz, then you shouldn’t miss this place the next time you are in San Francisco. From the Pier 33 of the mainland, you can get ferries to get to Alcatraz. You can book the Alcatraz tours tickets online or directly buy them at the ticket counter outside the pier. There are trips leaving early in the morning, afternoon, and night as well.
Independent living for seniors is a convenient way to enjoy life without worrying about the daily monotony of managing a home. Most seniors over the age of 55 now prefer staying in houses that require lesser maintenance, and upkeep.
Independent living allows seniors to enjoy their everyday freedom while living in a conducive environment that can give them a sense of community, adequate mental, and physical stimulation, enough social interaction, and more! Most independent living accommodations offer numerous services including pre-packed meals, laundry, housekeeping, transportation, etc. While most independent living for seniors is in the form of fully equipped private apartments, some people may stay in cottages, condominiums, and single-family homes.
Often, people use independent living for seniors interchangeably with assisted living. While both concepts involve seniors, these are significantly different. The major difference being that independent living for seniors is a set up where residents do not require any sort of assistance with their daily activities. If the many senior housing options confuse you, check out some of the popular types of independent living accommodations that are available for seniors.
Senior apartments
This is one of the most common types of independent living option available for seniors. This is a life that people who desire to live amidst the conveniences of a community opt for. These apartments are usually equipped with certain services that make the lives of seniors comfortable, and happy. Some of the common services offered in independent living for seniors include recreational and educational programs, meals services, transportation, etc.
Housing units
Senior residents can either rent or buy these accommodations based on their needs, and budget. Single family homes, cottages, duplexes, townhouses, mobile homes, etc. are some of the housing units that senior communities may offer. Most of these independent housing units are strategically located beside a senior living community.
Subsidized housing
The Department of Housing and Urban Development offers affordable accommodations as a part of independent living for seniors to those who belong to a low-income group. These houses can only be bought by seniors who fit all the criteria entirely. Many seniors wait for several months before getting ownership of their houses as most of these have lengthy waiting lists.
NORC
Naturally occurring retirement community or NORC is the one that has many senior residents but the community was originally not dedicated towards seniors only. These communities are created organically when people age over time. Naturally occurring retirement communities merely have several older people living in a community but these clusters are not created specifically to meet the requirements of seniors.
Several consumers wish to change their cellphone carriers. And there can be many reasons behind it like rising costs, company stagnancy, or declining network quality. But switching cellphone carriers is not as easy as it sounds. Although this might not be true for all, usually there is some or the other hassle involved like losing your number, an added expense for a new phone or pricey contract termination fees. But you can still cleverly switch your cellphone carrier if you calmly assess your situation, so that you can make the best possible decision for yourself in the long run.
Here are some tips that will help you to switch cellphone carriers with minimum inconvenience.
Research
You need to ace your research when it comes to switching. First try and figure out your actual issue with your current carrier. Is it because expensive monthly bills or lousy network or some other specific reason. Then commence looking for a network that has a potential to fulfill all your expected requirements. Shortlist options and then further compare them in areas of costs, coverage zones and plans.
Porting numbers and devices
If you are going to be staying in the same local area you can port your number from one carrier to another. Once you have decided the new carrier you want to switch to, you can contact them. You will have to fill out your essential details and will also have to provide them with your current carrier information. They will then initiate the switching process. Also remember to confirm whether or not the new carrier supports the mobile device you intend to use. You might have to buy a new phone if the carrier doesn’t work with your current device.
Contract
One of the main reasons why consumers don’t switch easily is because they are in a middle of a contract with their current provider. Switching clearly translates to early termination fees which can go up to hundreds of dollars. But this damage can be minimized if your new carrier is willing to buy you out of your contract, so that you can join them.
Your first step is to figure out what is the exact amount of your termination fee. Some carriers will entirely pay off your old contract when you sign up with them. Some might not pay off but instead give you some lucrative deals in terms of cellphone credit.
After you switch you just have to take care of an activation fee which only costs a couple of dollars.
Two words will suffice to convince you to go for an electric option, the next time you decide to buy a car- the environment‘. With changes in global temperature, rising sea levels, unprecedented climatic changes all which are a result of high carbon emissions, alternative energy is the only safe solution.
But there are other reasons why you should opt for an electric and electric ranger vehicle:
Low maintenance and operating cost: With soaring gasoline prices and increased maintenance charges, the cost of using and maintaining an electric vehicle is very little when compared to the other gas guzzlers out on the road. Not only will you save money on fuel, but will also ensure a reduced carbon footprint on your end to a greener cleaner tomorrow.
Affordability: A standard sized family car which can seat four to five comfortably will cost you more than you might be willing to invest for your first vehicle. If you also want all the essential upgrades and a bright paint job, the price will go up. An average family can cost anywhere between $25000 to $35000 depending on the manufacturer and its make and model. But an electric vehicle will cost you somewhere in the range of low $15000 to $20000. Of course, the better electric models will be a bit pricier, but then again they are still cheaper that way.
Financial incentives: In order to encourage people to opt for alternative fuel vehicles, the government offers certain tax rebates and discounts for people who buy electric and electric ranger vehicles. The federal government allows up to $7500 as tax credit for any electric vehicle purchased along with other attractive incentives. This is applicable for lease deals as well, making some of the expensive model prices slashed down by a quarter to the high $20000 range.
Electric cars have evolved and come a long way from those box prototypes that looked like a stiff breeze would tip them over. Today, it has becoming challenging to distinguish a hybrid from an electric ranger owing to its sleek design and features, with just as much power under the hood when compared with its traditional counterparts.
Some of the popular electric models include: