Ever since “Back to the Future Part II” hit theaters in 1989 with its campy depiction of 2015, Americans have been obsessed with hoverboards. So it’s fitting that during Christmas 2015 “hoverboards” were the number three top search on Google for toys, although these so-called hoverboards don’t quite live up to the name. Although they most definitely have wheels — that most definitely do not hover off the ground — these futuristic devices became a trending item in 2015. They operate like a Segway scooter but resemble a large skateboard, and the boards became an overnight sensation. Unfortunately, a number of Chinese manufacturers in Shenzhen capitalize on trends like this by quickly pumping out bargain versions of consumer products, only without the regulations, standards, and oversight that Western consumers take for granted. Already, Shenzhen manufacturers have shipped millions of hoverboards, including 400,000 in October ahead of the holiday shopping season. Some of these hoverboards ignite when overheated, posing a serious risk to their owners. Airlines banned the products from their planes, Amazon and other retailers restricted sales, and regulatory bodies in the U.S. and U.K. are sounding the alarm. In December, the U.K. National Trading Standards service reported that fully 88% of the 17,000 hoverboards assessed at U.K. border crossings were deemed unsafe and detained. According to a statement from the regulatory agency, “Officers from National Trading Standards Safety at Ports and Borders Teams and trading standards services in Scotland have detained the boards — a ‘must-have’ on Christmas lists this year — due to a range of concerns, such as safety issues with the plug, cabling, charger, battery or the [thermal cutoff switch] within the board, which often fails. Many of the items detained and sent for testing have been found to have noncompliant plugs without fuses, which increases the risk of the device overheating, exploding or catching fire.” Thermal cutoff fuses are a single-use device designed to automatically cut off electrical flow in the event of overheating, and they’re required by regulators in countries around the world. And according to Quartz.com, “Hundreds of makeshift entrepreneurs, many of whom have no engineering or technology expertise, are doing deals with white-label Chinese manufacturers to make hoverboards. They then re-sell them using names like Phunkeeduck, Swagway, Fiturbo, Hover Booster, Galaxy Board, and Cyboard.” That means many of the hoverboards sold in U.S. stores or bought online were designed with faulty or counterfeit thermal cutoff fuses. “All the hoverboards in the US are sold by importers, who barely even know the factories they are buying it from,” Andrew “Bunnie” Huang, a hardware analyst in Singapore, told Quartz in December. “In a hyper-competitive market that’s driven by a fad, taking six months to do a comprehensive testing program for safety means you’re missing out on a lot of business.”

Every parent knows the frustration of how quickly their kids tend to grow out of their clothing. It seems as if every other week, your kids are growing out of their shirts, sweaters, shoes or pants. You have to run to the store, getting them more clothing; and spending more money, only to have them grow out of those items just as quickly. It is frustrating, but what about those parents who cannot afford to continuously purchase new clothing items for their ever growing kids? That?s where great places, various charities come in to donate clothes to these children. These charities rely solely on the donations of clothing from others, to provide these necessities to in-need families. Americans consume nearly 20 billion garments a year. That?s 68 garments and 7 pairs of shoes per person or more than one piece

Most Americans do not get enough sleep. While the National Sleep Foundation recommends people get at least seven hours of sleep each night, few of us actually do. Somewhere between 50 and 70 million American adults suffer from chronic sleep problems. Some research shows that at least one quarter of all Americans suffer from insomnia. This costs the United States economy at least $63 billion every year in lost productivity. This makes improving the quality of your sleep not just good for you but for all of us.
The 6 Benefits of Getting Decent Sleep

1. You will live longer. People who sleep as much as they should live longer. New studies shod that in people aged 50 to 70, more deaths are recorded for those who get less than five hours each night.

Surveys show that 23% of online daters say they have met a spouse or long term relationship through a safe online dating site. Dating websites have grown in popularity, with 59% of all internet users expressing their belief that that “online dating is a good way to meet people.” Among those Americans single and looking for a partner, 38% have utilized online dating sites or mobile dating apps.
But with over 54.25 million singles available and able to tell you anything they want to about themselves, it’s a good idea to ask yourself the question, “Are dating sites safe?” And the answer is a qualified “yes”. They’re perfectly fine for the most part.
What are the most desired characteristics of p

Carpets can offer a comfortable, even luxurious feel to any home. They’re easier to maintain than most styles of flooring, and are often less expensive as well. However, as any homeowner knows, carpets are a magnet for dust, animal dander and other household debris. While vacuuming regularly can help, hiring experienced carpet cleaners to sanitize and revitalize your carpets will make your home feel like new.

If you’re still on the fence about whether you need to have your carpets cleaned, read on to see if it’s the right service for your home.

Why should I have my carpets cleaned?
While it’s common knowledge that carpets collect dust, not many people are aware of exactly how much dust they collect and the associated pests the dust attr

Landscape design can have a major impact on not only how your home is perceived by strangers, but how you feel about your land yourself. Looking out at your yard or garden can be either extremely satisfactory, or a little disheartening. Even if your landscape design wasn’t at the top of your priority list, it’s hard not to be a little embarrassed when your grass is yellow instead of green, or when what once was a garden is overrun with weeds. Plus, there’s a lot more to keeping a beautiful landscape than simply planting seeds and trimming hedges. Your landscape is a living, constantly changing thing. And there are plenty of ways that it can benefit you -

Given uncertain economic conditions, many people believe that buying a home is no longer with in their reach. But they could be wrong. With long term home mortgage rates falling as low as 3.31% in 2012, this is actually a good time to buy a home. A reliable firm of direct mortgage lenders can not help you find low interest home loans, they can also help you with other financial services such as refinancing a loan or consolidating debt.

Home buying 101: A good credit score

In general, according to the Home Loan Learning Center, the majority of commercial mortgage lenders will not approve loans for people with a credit score of less than 680. For FHA mortgage loans, a mi

Luxury home models that sell for $1 million or more aren’t uncommon in today’s designer home market. With price tags of seven figures or more, luxury home buyers have high expectations for the luxury home designs they purchase. If you’re contemplating listing your home on the luxury market or perhaps building luxury custom homes from the ground up, consider these 4 tips on how to help your home compete with the luxury home models on today’s market:

1. Go green
   Luxury home designs are often criticized for being extravagant and wasteful, but today’s environmentally-conscious home buyers have more than good looks on their minds. Ele

Your sleep quality could be being hindered by your sleeping position. Getting undisturbed sleep is very important to falling into those sleep realms that will help you to feel well rested and ready to tackle life without feeling tired. So, just picture it, climbing in to your comfortable bed, cuddling down under the blankets, closing your eyes and falling asleep. Only to wake up hours later feeling groggy, irritated and tired. So, let’s talk about your sleeping position and how that might be hi

If you’re looking for a way to give back, perhaps one of the easiest ways is to make charitable clothing donations. If you have kids, this can be made even easier for you — your kids are probably growing at a rapid rate, which leaves piles of clothing that are in perfectly good condition but that your child is now too big for. Instead of letting it pile up in your basement, attic, or garage, why not making a clothing donation to a charity in need? Almost every charity will take clothes, like veterans charities, homeless shelters, and children’s organizations. Not onl