07 Jan 2014

Medical Practice opens in Davenport

By Carol Slaughter

January 6, 2014 - Davenport, Iowa Mandala Integrative Medicine, 2206 - 52nd Street, Suite A Davenport, Iowa 52807 563-355-7411

Mandala Integrative Medicine opens in Davenport and is accepting new patients, offers a fresh look at how families choose treatment and consultation for overall health wellbeing.

Medical providers on staff include : Sayed A. Shah, M.D., Tammy Conner, Occupational Therapist, Dawn Strauss-Berta, Doctor of Chiropractic, and Becky Holdorf, Reiki Master.

Dr. Shah is accepting new patients looking for a family doctor. Dr. Shah prefers being a guide for his patients and providing a road map that will help them improve their quality of life and lifestyle. He will provide patients with both standard methods of care and alternative approaches to medicine. He provides alternative methods to addressing different symptoms of Autism. His focus on treating autism relies on improving nutrition and environment.

Other services and treatments at Mandala Integrative Medicine include : ADHD, Autism, Chiropractic Care, Detox Infrared, General Medicine, Hypnosis, Life Coaching, Lymphatic Drainage, Meditation, Occupational Therapy, Pain Management, Reiki, Stress Reduction, Weight Management.

Visit the clinic website at www.mimqc.com

07 Jan 2014

Producer Planting Intentions Survey Results Released

By Farm Futures Magazine

Farmers Plan Huge Shift From Corn To Soybeans In 2014

Farm Futures second survey of planting intentions shows growers responding to price signals.

ST. LOUIS, MO., 7:30 A.M., CT, (01/07/2014) -- After pushing corn seedings in recent years, U.S. farmers plan a major shift to soybeans in 2014, according to the latest Farm Futures survey of growers' planting intentions for spring.

Corn acre shift indicated
Producers are ready to slash corn seedings to 92.23 million, down 3.7% from the total USDA estimated in November, and 5.3% less than originally planned by growers in 2013 before cold, wet weather prevented many fields from being planted. Still, if achieved, the 92.23 million would be the fourth most put in since World War II.

All the ground cut from corn could wind up in soybeans. Farmers indicated they want to put in 82.34 million acres of beans in 2014, up 7.6 over 2013 and easily a record. Growers have been trying to get rotations back in line for several years, and changing market conditions could finally allow the transition to occur.

Soybean indicators
Farm Futures' first survey of growers last summer found the shift out of corn already underway, with initial corn intentions put at 94.11 million, with soybeans at 78.75 million. Market signals sent a clear message to farmers, says Farm Futures Senior Editor Bryce Knorr, who conducted the research: Plant soybeans.

"When we first surveyed growers in late July and early August, the ratio of new crop soybeans to corn was trading around 2.36 to 1," said Knorr. "During December the ratio reached 2.58 to 1, providing a clear edge to soybeans, while projected corn profitability dropped to break-even levels."

Weather influences
Adverse spring weather in 2013 also prevented farmers from seeding some spring wheat and durum fields. That ground should return to those crops, helping increase total wheat acreage to 57.64 million, up 2.6%. Winter wheat acres will be up less than 1%, to 43.3 million, according to the Farm Futures survey.


Farm Futures surveyed more than 1,600 farmers by email during December. Results of the spring planting intentions survey were released Tuesday at the Farm Futures Business Summit in St. Louis. USDA releases its prospective plantings estimates on March 31.


2014 Crop Planting Intentions Projected Acres
Survey results by crop:

Crop Acreage Change*
Corn 92.23 million 96.7%
Soybeans 82.34 million 107.6%
Soft Red Winter Wheat 9.1 million 91.0%
Hard Red Winter Wheat 30.9 million 104.3%
White Winter Wheat 3.4 million 96.3%
All Winter Wheat 43.3 million 100.6%
Spring Wheat 12.2 million 105.1%
Durum 2.1 million 143.2%
All Wheat 57.64 million 102.6%
*Corn and soybean change is vs USDA Nov. 2013.

###
07 Jan 2014

New read shows baby boomers how to survive in the new economic landscape

By Marketing Services

Author Michael Hib has created in 'BOOMERVILLE: Getting Off the Corporate Merry-Go-Round' an eye-opening read on how to survive and thrive in today's economy

COVINGTON, Ga. - The Baby Boomers generation has always been fortunate. This is due to the fact that most of them were born after the Second World War and have reaped the economic and moral benefits of the times. Therefore they have reaped the benefits of a higher income and better working conditions and benefits in their lifetime. But with a huge majority of baby boomers reaching retirement age and the world economy in shambles, the collective fates of all baby boomers seem uncertain. In "BOOMERVILLE: Getting Off the Corporate Merry-Go-Round" author Michael Hib has written a helpful guide on how the baby boomer generation can survive and thrive in the new economic arenas.

"BOOMERVILLE: Getting Off the Corporate Merry-Go-Round" shows how as millions of baby boomers head toward retirement and to new ventures, the world in which everyone lives in is shrinking rapidly. Many more countries attempt to become an economic player and US competitor as the global economy emerges. Rapidly expanding technologies and communications are enabling more countries to become borderless within a global economic community of creative destruction ? competitors on a global stage and 24 hour global clock. This highly informative book shows readers how millions of retiring baby boomers getting off the corporate merry-go-round will play a crucial role as freelancers and free agents in bridging the gaps in skills, talent, business wisdom, and sustainability.

This eye-opening and helpful read is a must have for all baby-boomers who wish to survive in the ever changing economic landscape of the times.

07 Jan 2014

CASI WILL OPEN AT NOON 1-7-14

By Sarah Arp
THE CENTER FOR ACTIVE SENIORS (CASI) WILL OPEN TOMORROW TUESDAY JANUARY 7 AT NOON. ALL MORNING CLASSES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED.
07 Jan 2014

WINNING WEDNESDAYS PRESENTED BY T.G.I. FRIDAY'S: IF MALLARDS WIN FANS WIN FREE TICKETS

By Jim Kersten
Fans at This Wednesday's Game Could Win Free Tickets for Up to Six More Games if Mallards Keep Winning on Wednesday

MOLINE, Ill. (January 6, 2014) - Beginning with this Wednesday night's game between the Quad City Mallards and Brampton Beast- the Mallards' first Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's- every time the Mallards win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the Mallards' next Wednesday home game.

Should the Mallards top the Beast this week, all fans at that game will be able to attend the Mallards' Wednesday, February 5 meeting with the Allen Americans free of charge.  Another Wednesday victory on February 5 would mean fans at that game would win free tickets for yet another Wednesday tilt.  It would be possible, if the Mallards went 7-0 at home on Wednesdays, for fans who attended this Wednesday's contest to receive free tickets for each of the following six Winning Wednesdays.

During each Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's, fans will also have the opportunity to purchase $2 hot dogs and beer at iWireless Center concession stands.  After each Wednesday game- including this week's- fans are invited to join the Mallards for a post-game party at T.G.I. Friday's adjacent to the iWireless Center at 1425 River Drive in Moline.

The full schedule of Winning Wednesdays presented by T.G.I. Friday's (all Wednesday games start at 7:05 p.m.):

  • January 8: Mallards vs. Brampton Beast
  • February 5: Mallards vs. Allen Americans
  • February 19: Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
  • February 26: Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
  • March 5: Mallards vs. Missouri Mavericks
  • March 12: Mallards vs. Denver Cutthroats
  • March 19: Mallards vs. St. Charles Chill
Tickets for Wednesday night's game and all Mallards regular season home games can be purchased at the iWireless Center ticket office, Ticketmaster outlets, through ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.
07 Jan 2014

Grassley on Janet Yellen nomination

By Grassley Press

Floor Statement of Senator Chuck Grassley

Nomination of Janet Yellen to be Fed Chairman

Delivered Monday, Jan. 6, 2014

Over the past five years the Federal Reserve has pursued unconventional and unprecedented monetary policy.  As vice chair of the Fed, Janet Yellen has been a strong proponent of these policies.  As chair, she is likely to continue these same easy money policies with the same, if not more, vigor than her predecessor.

I have deep concerns about the long-term effects of pursuing these policies.  Historical evidence suggests that failing to rein in easy money policies on a timely basis risks fueling an economic bubble or even hyperinflation.

It is true that one of the lessons learned from the Great Depression was that an overly tight monetary policy in a recession risks economically debilitating deflation.  Thus, understandably, when the recession hit in 2008 the Fed sought to avoid the mistakes of the past by lowering interest rates to encourage investment.  However, this expansionary monetary policy cannot continue into perpetuity without causing real and lasting damage to our economy.

Just as we should not repeat the mistakes of the Great Depression, we need to be careful not to repeat the mistakes that fueled our recent recession.  Let us not forget that our current economic stagnation began with the bursting of the housing bubble in late 2007.  A housing bubble fueled by rampant speculation that was driven, in part, by historically low interest rates maintained by the Fed between 2001 and 2004.

Yet, once again we see the Fed embarking on a policy of sustained historically low interest rates.  The Fed has now maintained the Federal Funds rate essentially at zero for over five years.  What may be the future consequences of this policy?  What new bubble will arise?  At this point, I do not think anyone can answer these questions definitively.  But no one can deny that the risks are real and could be devastating.

The Fed though has not just sought to maintain record low interest rates.  With its traditional monetary tool tapped out, the Fed has turned to a less conventional and more aggressive program in an attempt to jumpstart our economy and lower unemployment.

The Fed is now engaged in an open-ended policy it has termed quantitative easing.  Essentially, this is a fancy way to say the Fed is flooding the economy with trillions of dollars through large purchases of mortgage-backed securities and longer-term Treasury securities.  As a result of this program, the Fed has seen its balance sheet more than quadruple from around $800 billion to nearly $4 trillion.  Vice Chairman Yellen has not presented a plan to Congress on how the Fed plans to deal with this issue.

While I welcome the news from the Feds' December meeting that it intends to reduce the monthly purchases, I fear it may already be in too deep.  It remains unclear how the Fed will be able to go about unwinding its nearly $4 trillion balance sheet without spooking investors.

The stock market has become addicted to the Fed's easy money policies.  This has led one notable investment advisor to question whether the Fed will ever be able to end the quantitative easing program.

While the stock market has become addicted to easy money, the benefit to Main Street has been questionable at best. Unemployment remains high, bank lending remains tight, and savers discouraged.

While the benefits to Main Street remain unnoticeable, Main Street most certainly will feel the pain should the Fed carry on its easy money policy for too long.

For an example of what Main Street could be in store for, one need look no further than the late 1970s and early 1980s.  The easy money policies of the 1970s intended to spur employment resulted in stagflation, a period of hyperinflation and high unemployment.  During this period unemployment topped 10 percent while inflation exceeded 14 percent.

The experience of the late 1970s and early 1980s made it clear that once you let the inflation genie out of the bottle it is very difficult to stamp it out.   After suffering years of stagflation, Americans were then subject to the pain of unprecedented interest rates as high as 20 percent just to get hyperinflation back under control.

Statements by Ms. Yellen indicate she would be open to inflation exceeding the fed target of 2 percent as a means to achieve full employment.   While achieving full employment may be a noble goal, the Fed has a dismal record at being able to produce sustainable job creation through expansionary monetary policy.

While inflation may aid employment in the very short term, our experience with stagflation in the 1970s shows this tradeoff falls apart quickly as people's expectations change.  Sustainable job growth comes not from inflation, but price stability that promotes long-run economic growth.  We need a chairman focused on a strong dollar and low inflation.

My concerns about the Fed's easy money policies and inflation led me to vote against Chairman Bernanke for his second term at the Fed.   Because it appears that Ms. Yellen will continue to pursue these misguided policies, I cannot in good conscience vote in favor of her confirmation.

-30-
07 Jan 2014

Old Creamery Theatre Announces 2014 Auditions

By Marketing - Old Creamery Theatre

Amana-The Old Creamery Theatre is seeking Equity and non-Equity adult performers of various ages (college age and up) to fill paid positions in the professional company's 2014 Main Stage, Studio, and Theatre for Young Audiences seasons.

WHEN: Saturday, January 25 from 1pm - 5pm and Sunday, January 26 from 2pm - 5pm
WHERE: The Old Creamery Theatre Main Stage, 39 38th Ave Amana, IA 52203
WHAT: Auditions are by appointment only. Appointments can be made beginning January 6, 2014 by calling The Old Creamery business office at 319-622-6034. Actors should prepare two short contrasting monologues (max. 1 minute each). At least one monologue should be a comic piece (preferably contemporary). In addition to the short monologues, singers should prepare 16 to 32 bars of one (or two contrasting) song(s) sung a cappella or with recorded accompaniment. (A CD player will be available - no accompanist will be provided but there will be access to a piano). Please bring a current headshot and resume.

A limited number of performance internships are available. Internships typically involve onstage and backstage work on Theatre for Young Audiences productions and/or Camp Creamery theatre workshops. Internships may or may not include performance opportunities providing EMC weeks. Membership and applicable weeks in Equity's EMC program are available for regular Main Stage productions only. (EMC is not available for Theatre for Young Audiences or Studio Stage productions).

One technical internship is also available for a candidate with lighting and sound experience.

Internships can begin as early as March, but typically have summer or fall start dates and most require fall availability. All internships include housing plus a $225 per week living stipend. Intern duties involve all aspects of theatre and may include but are not limited to:
performing, costuming, set work, assistant stage management, house management, props, lighting, sound, promotions, assistant teaching, box office, and concessions assignments.
Information regarding the full 2014 season is available at www.oldcreamery.com.

If you are unable to attend these auditions, please send a headshot and resume to:
Sean McCall - Artistic Director
Old Creamery Theatre
39 38th Ave, Amana, IA 52203
Or electronically to smccall@oldcreamery.com

The Old Creamery Theatre is a not-for-profit professional theatre founded in 1971 in Garrison, Iowa. The Company is celebrating 43 years of bringing live, professional theatre to the people of Iowa and the Midwest.

07 Jan 2014

Enjoy a Midwinter Knights' Read!

By Lisa Lockheart

Winter Reading Program at the Rock Island Public Library, Jan. 21 to March 1

Rock Island, IL: Knights, princesses, dragons, kings, and queens are invited to storm the reading castle with the Midwinter Knights' Read winter reading program from the Rock Island Public Library. The campaign to promote winter reading for fun and relaxation runs from Tuesday, Jan. 21 to Saturday, March 1 at all library locations.

 

Reading challenges are available for both children and adult readers. Children from pre-school to 6th grades can pick up a Midwinter Knights' Read reading log, with the goal to read either 12 books or for three hours of accumulated time. As an incentive for registering, children can pick up a pencil, bookmark and sticker with the reading log. Children who complete their reading goal will earn a book and bag.

To help get kids in the right fairy-tale mood, the library will host a Winter Reading party kick-off party at 2:00 pm on Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Rock Island Main Library, 401 19th Street. The Knights & Dragons - It's "Joust" a Party event will include games, fun, crafts and more for children of all ages.

Other medieval themed family events include a Castles & Knights Storytime at 11:00 am, also on Jan. 18 at the Main Library, free children's movies at 1:00 pm on Friday, Jan. 17 and Feb. 14 at at the Rock Island Main Library, and dragon-themed storytimes during the week of Jan. 20 at the 30/31, Southwest and Main Library branches.

Adults ages 18 and up can participate in the reading program by completing one entry form for each adult book, eBook or audiobook completed during the Jan. 21 to March 1 challenge period. Only books read between the contest period should be counted. Entries will go into a random drawing for the grand prize of an Amazon Kindle Fire HD, or secondary prizes of gift cards and passes to restaurants, merchants and attractions.

Children's reading logs and adult reading challenge entries are due back to the library by 5:00 pm on Saturday, March 1. Forms will be available starting Tuesday, Jan. 21 at all Rock Island Library locations.

The library will be closed Monday, Jan. 20 for a staff in-service training day.

Winter reading prizes are sponsored by the Friends of the Rock Island Public Library.

For more upcoming library events, visit the library website at www.rockislandlibrary.org, follow Rock Island Library on Facebook or call 309-732-7323.

(End)

07 Jan 2014

MALLARDS WEEKLY UPDATE: JANUARY 6, 2014

By Brian Lavelle

THIS WEEK
Wednesday, January 8, 7:05 p.m.
iWireless Center, Moline
Brampton Beast vs. Quad City Mallards

Friday, January 10, 7:05 p.m.
iWireless Center, Moline
Wichita Thunder vs. Quad City Mallards

Saturday, January 11, 7:05 p.m.
iWireless Center, Moline
Arizona Sundogs vs. Quad City Mallards

LAST WEEKEND
Friday, January 3
St. Charles 4 Quad City 3

Saturday, January 4
Quad City 5 St. Charles 0

Quad City
16-7-5 (37 points)
5th place
Coach: Terry Ruskowski

Brampton
16-14-2 (34 points)
6th place
Coach: Mark DeSantis

Wichita
11-17-4 (26 points)
8th place
Coach: Kevin McClelland

Arizona
12-18-1 (25 points)
9th place
Coach: Kevin Colley

QUACK TRACKS
Last Weekend
The Mallards rebounded after squandering a 3-1 third period lead in last Friday night's 4-3 home loss to the Chill by scoring four third period goals on the way to a 5-0 win in St. Charles the following evening.

Streaking
While last Friday's loss ended the Mallards' five game winning streak, the Mallards have now won six of their last seven games.  The five game winning streak is the Mallards' longest this season.

Playing the Percentages
The Mallards, who have played fewer games than any other CHL team, boast the league's third best winning percentage (.661).  With a win Wednesday over Brampton the Mallards would overtake Denver and move into fourth place.

Home Sweet Home
Last Friday's loss ended the Mallards' eight game (7-0-1) home regulation unbeaten streak.  That defeat was the Mallards' first at the iWireless Center since falling at home to Brampton November 2.

On the Road
The Mallards have won five straight road games for the first time since they strung together five consecutive away victories between November 23 and December 13, 2011.  The Mallards last won more than five in a row on the road when they ripped off seven straight wins away from home between December 31, 2010 and February 11, 2011.

Goals, Goals, Goals
The Mallards scored five times last Saturday after producing three goals or fewer in 11 of their prior 12 games.  On the season, the Mallards rank fourth in the league in goals per game (3.6) despite the fact no Mallard ranks in the top 20 in the CHL in points.

Stingy
The Mallards, who have given up two goals or fewer in five of their last seven games, rank third in the CHL in fewest goals allowed per game (2.9).

Between the Pipes
Goaltender Thomas Heemskerk made 29 saves last Saturday on the way to his second shutout in his last four games, his second in his last two starts against St. Charles and the second of his career.  Heemskerk has won four straight games and has posted a 1.50 goals against average and a .947 save percentage along with two shutouts during that streak

Rookie of the Month

Goaltender Ty Rimmer last Thursday was named December CHL Goaltender of the Month after going 3-0-2 with a 2.00 goals against average and a .938 save percentage in the final month of 2013.

Streaking, Take 2
Forwards Jim McKenzie (2-4-6) and Gergo Nagy (1-4-5) are on five game point scoring streaks.  Nagy has also produced four goals and 17 points over his last 15 games.  Defenseman Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel scored twice last Saturday and has now ripped off four goals and totaled five points (4-1-5) in his last five games. 

Leaders
Mike Hellyer is tied for second in game winning goals (5)...Among rookies, Thomas Frazee ranks second in assists (15), ranks third in points (22) and is tied for seventh in goals (7)...Heemskerk ranks second in goals against average (2.50) and fourth in save percentage (.919)...Rimmer ranks ninth in goals against average (2.84) and save percentage (.907).

Milestones
McKenzie has recorded 98 career assists...Darren McMillan has played 494 career games and collected 96 career CHL assists...Vladimir Nikiforov has played 294 career games.

Special Teams
The Mallards rank last in the CHL in power play efficiency (11.8 percent).  The Mallards have now scored on just one of their last 26 power plays, converted just two of their last 50 man advantages and cashed in just three of their last 66.  The Mallards rank fourth in penalty killing (83.9 percent) and are tied for the league lead in shorthanded goals (6).

Head to Head
The Mallards have gone 5-1-1 against Brampton this season.  With a 3-2 victory last Monday, the Mallards completed a sweep of a three game series in Brampton.  They have gone 5-0-1 against the Beast since losing their first ever meeting with Brampton on November 2.  The Mallards have gone 2-1-1 against the Beast at home this season.  Gergo Nagy (3-6-9) and Jim McKenzie (3-6-9) are the top point scorers in the season series.  The two clubs will meet a total of 13 times this season...Friday's game is the first of three this season between the Mallards and Thunder.  Last season the Mallards went 3-3-0 against the Thunder overall and 1-1-0 at home.  All-time the Mallards have gone 5-11-0 against Wichita overall and 3-5-0 at home...The Mallards have gone 0-0-2 against Arizona this season.  The Mallards suffered a pair of 3-2 shootout losses November 22 and 23 in Prescott Valley.   All-time the Mallards have gone 5-2-4 against the Sundogs and have posted a 3-1-1 at the iWireless Center against Arizona.  The Mallards and Sundogs will wrap up their five game season series with meetings March 7 and 8 in the Quad Cities.

Ins and Outs
Defenseman Nicholas Rioux signed a professional tryout agreement with the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild today...Forward Jordan Lane served a two-game CHL suspension during the Mallards' games last Monday in Brampton and last Friday against St. Charles.  Lane was suspended after being assessed a game misconduct during the Mallards' Saturday, December 28 game at Brampton.

NEXT HOME GAME
Wednesday, January 8, 7:05 p.m.- Mallards vs. Brampton Beast
Winning Wednesday Presented by T.G.I. Friday's
This Wednesday game is the Mallards' first Winning Wednesday presented by T.G.I. Friday's.  If the Mallards win a Wednesday night home game all in attendance win free tickets for the next Wednesday game.  In addition, $2 beer and hot dogs will be available during Wednesday night tilts.  After each Wednesday night game, fans can join the Mallards for a postgame party at T.G.I. Friday's next to the iWireless Center.


Friday, January 10, 7:05 p.m.- Mallards vs. Wichita Thunder
$1 Dog/$1 Beer Friday Presented by 97X
This Friday is another $1 Dog/$1 Beer Night presented by 97X. $1 hot dogs and $1 beers are available at iWireless Center concession stands during each of the Mallards' 11 Friday night home games this season. 

Saturday, January 11, 7:05 p.m.,- Mallards vs. Arizona Sundogs
Genesis Jersey Auction
The Mallards will wear special edition Wild affiliate jerseys when they take on the Arizona Sundogs Saturday.  Immediately after the game those jerseys will go up for bid in a live auction to benefit the Genesis Health Services Foundation.

Youth Jersey Giveaway Presented by Scott County Family Y and Two Rivers YMCA
The first 1,000 fans age 12 and under through the doors for Saturday's game will receive a free Mallards replica youth jersey courtesy of Scott County Family Y and Two Rivers YMCA.

ON THE AIR
Fox Sports Radio 1230 is the radio home of Mallards Hockey Presented by Genesis Power Sports Performance.  Mallards games broadcast on AM 1230 also stream live online at www.wfxn.net.  A limited number of Mallards games- including Wednesday night's- will not air on Fox Sports Radio 1230 due to conflicts with University of Illinois basketball and football and Green Bay Packer football.  Free audio webcasts of games that do not air on AM 1230 are available at myqcmallards.com.  CHL-TV pay-per-view video webcasts of all Mallards games are also available at myqcmallards.com.  For a full Mallards broadcast/webcast schedule, go to

TICKETS
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets for all Mallards regular season contests are now available.  Fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 orinfo@myqcmallards.com for more information about tickets.  Single game tickets are also available at the i wireless Center box office, at Ticketmaster outlets, through www.ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free.  The box office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

Group Tickets
Groups of at least ten can receive savings off the walk-up price and a host of other great group benefits.  Mallards group tickets are a great fit for youth organizations, friends, co-workers, family groups, religious groups, school functions and business events.  For more group ticket information, fans can contact the Mallards at (309) 277-1364 or info@myqcmallards.com.

-### Quad City Mallards ### -
07 Jan 2014

Midland Communications Helps Customers Make the Move to Cloud-Based Services

By AJ Odish
Leading Unified Communications Provider Offer Solutions to Enhance Customer Profitability

DAVENPORT, IA - December 31st, 2013 - Midland Communications, a leading provider of unified communications, announced a new program today that enables businesses to migrate from hardware-based technology to cloud-based services. This transition has been accelerated largely due to the maturity of cloud-based services, and their ability to deliver a dramatic competitive advantage across several industries. The impetus for Midland Communications' initiative lies in advancements that have made this technology cost-effective for the majority of small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Midland Communications' cloud-based services enhance their customers' mobility, security and strategic IT capabilities.
The primary reasons that many SMBs look into cloud-based services are for the inherent benefits of mobility, freedom and workforce flexibility. Midland Communications has been able to eliminate the notion of being "chained" to on premise equipment such as servers or traditional desktops. The average employee is in-and-out of the office and can hardly afford to spend time making additional trips to the office to retrieve files, access certain programs and collaborate with team members. According to Global Workplace Analytics, "Regular telecommuting grew by 79.7% between 2005 and 2012...".  It's no secret that the days of the 9 to 5 business are long gone and the increase in the resulting mobile workforce has created a need for employees to stay connected with company data while having the freedom to be away from the office. Virtual workspaces now allows for complete collaboration across various departments regardless of location or hardware.
Further flexibility can be found in the Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) environment. Employees can access company data across multiple devices, operating systems and much more. For example, salespeople can create sales presentations at the office, drive out to an appointment, and make last minute revisions on their iPad while accessing all of the programs, tools and files that are hosted in the cloud. Businesses that can operate on-the-fly have a huge advantage over their competitors.  This is why so many organizations are moving towards this type of technology.
Additionally, cloud-based services have enhanced security features as well. SMBs should make certain that providers deliver enterprise-grade services such as virus, malware, spyware and rogue employee protection. Customers should also expect 24x7x365 network monitoring and system support so they can always be confident that their data is safe and accessible. Midland Communications offers solutions with security measures in place that are on par with military-grade data encryption and have built-in redundancy across the network.
Lastly, the growth in cloud-based services has enabled providers like Midland Communications to take over the day-to-day management of technology so the customer can concentrate on growing their business. Most business owners have recognized the benefits associated with getting their staff "working ON the business" rather than "working IN it."
"Many cloud-services have evolved from being a cheap, low-cost alternative to becoming more secure than the majority of on-premise solutions," stated Jason Smith, Vice President of Midland Communications. "There are significant advantages of moving from on-premise equipment to the cloud and it is our role to educate our customers as well as make it an easy transition."

ABOUT MIDLAND COMMUNICATIONS

Midland Communications began more than 60 years ago in 1946 as the Worldwide Marketing Arm of Victor-Animagraph Projectors. In 1977 a communications division was formed due to a partnership with NEC America. Today, As a distributor of NEC America, for 33 years, Midland Communications has a customer base of more than 3,000 satisfied customers that include general businesses, government agencies, Universities, colleges, hospitals, and hotels.
Midland provides a wide range of communication services including VOIP, PBX and key systems, Wide Area and Local Area networking, computers, Computer integration, voice mail, CCIS, and video conferencing and paging systems. Our philosophy is simple, provide quality products at a fair price, backed by an average emergency response time of twenty minutes, and the best service in the industry. For more information on Midland Communications, call (563) 326-1237 or visit www.midlandcom.com.

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