Sports

Better performance and injury prevention in any sport

In the recent 2019 NBA Finals, where the Toronto Raptors won their first and only NBA championship, there were other major headlines surrounding the 6-game series and then the victories themselves. I think no one can argue that if these cases had not occurred, the outcome could have been significantly different. There were 2 career-changing injuries and series ending that occurred in Games 5 and 6 that changed the dynamics of the game. An injury happened to a player that most will agree at the time was the best player on the planet, Kevin Durant. The other injury was to one of the best 3-point shooters of all time, Klay Thompson.

Injuries sustained by top performing athletes in sport have been a common occurrence in recent years. Because of this, we are seeing the highest paid and most talented basketball players from various countries opt out of the world cup that is looming at the end of August. The purpose of the players who do this is to secure their long-term future in the NBA and not risk injury while seeking to play for their country. These frequent crash injuries may seem strange to most people, as advanced training techniques and technology have become so popular.

Some simple reasons why this is happening come to mind. The first is Food. Nutrients found in food are at an all-time low. A small example is cashew nuts. The magnesium content in cashews has dropped 70% since the 1970s. This is all due to commercial farming. The spraying of pesticides and herbicides on crops and soils is affecting nutrients. The fruits and vegetables that grow in this soil are experiencing a huge drop in nutrient value. These chemicals also affect our meats, as the animals we consume feed on damaged soil vegetation or survive on highly processed grains. Also a topic of discussion is the amount of steroids that are used to improve the size of animals for sale, in addition to the use of antibiotics when animals are sick, which is causing more distress to the health of animals than in the previous decades. There has been evidence that even our organic farms are not as nutrient dense as they used to be. The reason is that chemicals from neighboring commercial farms are transmitted through the air to organic farms.

Interestingly, it’s how this is not only affecting our current athletes, but also how it will affect our future players. Studies have shown that eating highly processed foods affects the second and third generations. The study that is published as Pottengers cats showed cases of deformities, diseases and even blindness in cats as a result of eating processed meats, affecting the livelihood of the descendants up to the third generation of cats. You just need to wonder about the increasing rate of disease in the people around you to understand what is happening in our world.

The second reason for frequent and serious injuries is the training schedule and exercises that are prescribed to athletes these days. Training has “supposedly” made leaps in improving performance. The use of balance training, electrical machines, and tricks has been implemented for what is supposed to stimulate an athlete’s coordination and strength to be successful in a given sport when dependent on that skill. However, I have yet to see a study where single-leg balance training, for example, can improve speed, agility, and strength. I’ll bet all my money that the athlete gets really good at single-leg balance training, but not a move in sport. On the other hand, you will find numerous studies indicating that improving strength in a squat as another example can improve vertical jump, sprint speed, and deceleration. Unfortunately, it may take another 10 years before research shows that all these made-up and so-called creative ways of training an athlete are in no way superior to good strength training. Training made famous by some of the strongest men in the world in the 1900s is slowly making its way into combat sports and has already been shown to strengthen athletes in mixed martial arts and American football. .

Athletes are athletes because they are already excellent at what they do. Most likely, they are already very skilled, strong, and fast. All they need is a little guide on how to prevent injury by improving the nutrients you consume and developing your ability to train with weights correctly. This information will not only greatly improve your strength, but also your joint integrity, mobility, and reactive forces on the ground. Improvements in these categories will improve athletes’ strength, agility, and speed along with injury prevention and recovery time. That is an invaluable amount to pay for an athlete’s longevity in their sport.

There are a few simple steps to follow that will help you become the best version of yourself. Whether you are an athlete or simply want to help protect our future generations from illness and injury, these changes can only have positive effects on you, you are children, and you educate those around you. The first is to eat as much organic whole foods as you can by following the 80/20 rule. 80% organic and 20% conventional. If you want a sure way to find which foods are the safest to eat, all you need to do is Google the Cleanest 15 for your country. The top 15 foods are sprayed the least with herbicides and pesticides. If you also want to know the foods to stay away from, Google your country’s dirty dozen. These are 12 of the most chemically charged products in your area.

The second tip is to find a great coach to teach you the correct mechanics of high performance lifting that will make you stronger for your specific sport. Someone who also has the expertise in some form of muscle release technique will also greatly improve mobility and prevent injury. Find ART professionals in your area.

The result of the drastic injuries that occurred this year in the NBA Finals will change the direction of the NBA in the coming years and has already begun to occur. Planning for even more load management for your star players and possibly more days off between games seems like a move in the right direction for those involved. I wonder when they will take a closer look at the off-field circumstances that affect athletes.

Kevin Durant will miss 12 months of action and his goal will be to return to the same player he was before the injury, however, the statistics are against him. Most players who return from an Achilles tear never seem to get back to their best basketball level. Kobe Bryant, the most recent and probably best known basketball player was the victim of this nasty injury and, like Kevin Durant, this happened while making a move on the court. Kobe would soon retire a few years later when a high-level performance could no longer be achieved. Klay Thompson will be out of action for 6 months with an ACL tear and the history of that type of injury is that he is more than likely to be injured again. ACL tears are the most common sports injury we see today.

We can only hope that coaches will tone down the effect they have on an athlete’s body and aim to make it more durable. For your own information, try Kevin Durant’s shooting warm-up routine on Google. It consists of twists, pivots, one-legged jumps, and mid-air twists. In my opinion, all those movements should be saved for sport and not consume miles for the body in a training or warm-up routine. My synopsis is that in about 10 years from now the measurement of, to some extent, the mileage a body can take before taking a serious risk of injury will be investigated. Hopefully we will see if strengthening athletes and analyzing their nutrition more becomes a point of focus and that they save all other things for movements on the field, court, or practice area.

On a note, I don’t know the extent of these athletes’ nutrition, but as science has shown with the Pottenger cat study, it probably started with their ancestors 2-3 generations ago. Interestingly, that would bring us back to the time of the boom in commercial farming in the US.

I hope this information has pointed many people in the right direction towards their health and performance. We are only as good as the fuel and the knowledge we get.

Arts Entertainments

I want to become a Video Vixen! How I can?

Video Vixens are now treated like celebrities in our society and are more identifiable to the media than some of our politicians. They get instant gratification at an elite club that never existed. Women are turned on by the attractiveness and attention it instantly brings. These girls are immediately catapulted into the limelight, receiving invitations to the hottest parties, modeling contracts, book deals to write about their escapades, dates with wealthy celebrities, and extreme media coverage.

It seems like more aspiring models these days are literally using their bodies to break into the modeling industry. While I don’t think this concept is new, I do believe that with the internet and the influx of reality shows, more women are getting bolder than ever to get attention. They have taken Girls Gone Wild to a different level.

Your assets

If you are not born with improved functions, no problem. All one has to do now is undergo extreme plastic surgery and expand their assets. The bigger your assets, the more fame is sure to come your way. Plastic surgeons once had a conscience, but now it’s about money. If you have access to cash, you can have almost any surgery your heart imagines. If you can’t find a surgeon to do it in the United States, there is always another country where you can probably get the procedure at a discount.

Mission accomplished

Once you have your enhancements instantly, they will be considered as role models in music videos. Once you start making music videos and get more exposure, the doors seem to open. Some women then move on to acting, calendars, organizing parties, reality shows, etc. Women get their five minutes of fame and some video sluts manage to keep it.

LisaRaye, Melyssa Ford, Karrine Steffans, Coco, and Amber Rose are former Video Vixens who are quite successful today. They were more than just a beautiful face and body. They seized the moment and used this as a stepping stone to the next level.

LisaRaye had a brief stint in acting and was the First Lady of the Turks and Caicos Islands until her recent public divorce. Melyssa Ford is doing quite well. She is acting a lot now and is working on producing a couple of movies. In a recent interview, he said that it’s still difficult to remove the stigma from the video slut, even after many years of not making music videos. She takes it with a grain of salt and keeps moving forward. Karrine Steffans is a three-time New York Times bestselling author. He continues to write about all his adventures and is creating his own brand. His most recent book titled The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce and Keep the Man you Want is flying off the shelves. Coco married former rapper Ice-T and Amber Rose is the on-and-off boyfriend of rapper Kanye West, who just signed with Ford Models. I need to say more.

Advice

Make sure you live in an area like Miami, New York, or California where the videos are shot. Video Vixens definitely cannot be shy and must be outgoing and their bodies must be in great shape.

Technology

What qualifies as retrogaming?

Whether or not a game or system qualifies as retrogaming is something difficult to quantify and something that different people will often think of very differently. The ‘retro’ in the word ‘retrogaming’ is itself a bit misleading. Retro, by definition, is a style that intentionally evokes memories of an old style that has since gone out of style. So the movies of the 30s are not retro, but The artist, a recent movie made in the style of an old silent movie, it is retro. If we apply the same logic to video games, then something like Mega Man it’s not retro but a game like Shovel knight it’s because it pays homage to the NES games of yesteryear. Gamers have appropriated the word “retro” in the new word “retrogaming”, but unlike the traditional definition, “retrogaming” refers to playing old games rather than games that are played like old games.

The origins of the word ‘retrogaming’ are, as we have established, rather murky to begin with, but the definition is no clearer. With the speed at which technology develops, games released at the beginning of a console generation look noticeably worse than those released at the end of the generation. And that’s just the lifespan of a single console. Games visibly age quite quickly, but in terms of the actual number of years since they were released, they may not be that old. It also doesn’t help that the contemporary independent development scene has a fascination for making games that look and deliberately play like games of yesteryear. Everything is so confusing. At what point does a game qualify as old enough to be considered retrogaming?

Well, depending on who you talk to, you will probably get a different answer. Someone like me, who has been playing video games for over twenty years and started my gaming life with a Commodore 64, will have a completely different perspective on whether or not a game is old for a child whose first console is the PlayStation 4. But that doesn’t necessarily make either of you right, it’s just a matter of perception. I could watch a game like Clumsy prince for the Commodore 64 as a pretty primitive side-scrolling platformer, but for my dad, who grew up with Stink the game was unlike anything he had ever seen.

The PS2 is not a system that instantly comes to mind when I think of retro games; I think sprites, MIDI music, and two dimensions. But those are the eyes of a thirty-two-year-old looking at this, and not a ten-year-old. The likes of The devil can cry, Ico Y Twisted metal: black These are games that I remember learning about and being impressed by, but to a kid used only to PS4, the games can seem positively archaic.

Since we all, depending on our age and experiences, have different ideas about how old something must be to be old, there has to be some kind of objective rule. For my money, once a system has been discontinued by the manufacturer, we can call it old enough that playing it is considered retrogaming. By that definition, the most recent console to fall under the retro gaming umbrella would be the PlayStation 2, and while some of you might resist and scoff at that, consider this; the PlayStation 2 was released sixteen years ago. Every few years another new console joins the ranks of retrogaming, and while they may not adhere to our personal ideas of retrogaming, they still fit the bill.

However, age is only the beginning. All we’ve determined is how long it takes for us to safely refer to something like retro games. If we accept that retro gaming is playing video games or consoles that have since been discontinued, then how these discontinued games are played is the next step in understanding exactly what retro gaming is.

The first and easiest way that we can play old games is to acquire a remaster or a port. These are becoming increasingly common in recent years, and the PS4 in particular gets port after port of popular (and not so) PS3 games, as there is no true backward compatibility available for the system. But the PS4 has also seen the release of some older games. Final Fantasy VII Y X Both have been ported to the latest PlayStation console, and going even further back than that, Gloomy fandango It has been relaunched with some graphical and control revisions.

As technology evolves, there are also more options available to gamers who only have the current generation of consoles. With a service like PlayStation Now, people don’t even need to buy the old games they want to play, and Sony offers a Netflix-like subscription program to get access to a host of older titles. It’s backward compatibility, almost retro games for a monthly fee. If you have the money and a stable internet connection, this might be a preferable alternative to dusting off your old consoles and struggling to get them to work with your high-end TV.

Another way we can play older games by improving technology is through emulation. This is divided into two categories; First, there is the emulation that we see on the PlayStation Store or the Nintendo Virtual Console. Here games are emulated by making your modern console act like an old one. Recently, the PS4 introduced PS2 games to the PlayStation Store and they run via emulation, just like Nintendo does on the Wii U.

Of course, there is also an illegal emulation. Often times, there is no way to play an old game without illegal emulation. Gloomy fandango It has been relaunched recently on PS4, but before that happened, there was really no way to legally play the game unless you had a very old PC and a copy of the game. While it is technically illegal and basically piracy, there should be a better system to make sure that legacy games and platforms are preserved for future generations. A game like Gloomy fandangoYou shouldn’t risk getting lost in time, so while illegal emulation is not necessarily something that I fully approve of, in certain circumstances it may be understandable or even necessary.

The last way we can play old games is the old way. That means taking the console it was launched on and a copy of the game itself and playing as God intended. No download, no emulation, no tips, tricks or cheats. Just you, an old console, a dusty old cartridge, and a wired controller. And there is something incredibly satisfying about that.

Playing an old game on a new system feels inherently different than playing it now and playing it. asyou played it at the time. I still remember playing Final Fantasy VI when I was a kid working on one of the best JRPGs of all time on my trusty SNES. I am currently playing the game again on my PlayStation Vita and the game is as good as ever. The new technology that powers the handheld means that the game runs smoothly, controls well, and looks as charming as ever. But playing it now on a handheld feels different than playing it, as it was released on a control panel connected to a Super Nintendo entertainment system.

There are many reasons to play an old game. It could be that you want to experience historically important moments in the evolution of the medium, or maybe a shorter arcade title fits your schedule better than the last big blockbuster game. But maybe you prefer to play old games. Nostalgia can be a powerful agent, and if it’s nostalgia you’re after, there are few better ways to recapture a gaming moment than by playing it on original hardware.

I’ve been interested in retrogaming for a long time, and it’s not for historical or academic reasons, and it has nothing to do with the amount of free time I have. I enjoy retro games because playing an old game, like watching an old movie or listening to an old song, conjures up memories within me from a long time ago. If I look Return to the future I remember renting the videotape from a local store and watching it on a Sunday afternoon with my parents. When I listen Time Tunnel it does not remind me of Rocky horror, but from old school discos where the song was played regularly.

Similarly, when I hear the initial chords of the Final Fantasy VI theme I don’t think about playing it on my PlayStation Vita, but about being in the guest room of my friend’s house where we would spend a whole day taking turns at the controller to try to get to the end of the story. Playing the game on a SNES feels completely different than playing it on the Vita due to the memories that come back while you hold the controller. There’s something about holding the old controller, blowing the cartridge out to get rid of the dust, and powering up a long-ago system. It is not about experiencing history, but about remembering a time when these things they were not story.

Retrogaming can be considered anything up to and including the PS2 generation, and those games can be played through emulation or by choosing a port or remaster. But for me, retrogaming means playing old games the way we played them back then. Playing a Commodore 64 game on PC via emulation is fine, but actually sitting around and waiting while the tape loads is a completely different beast. Having NES classics on your Wii U virtual console is a great way to quickly experiment Mega Man goldThe legend of Zelda Again, but there’s something much more satisfying about putting the cartridge in the slot and sitting cross-legged in front of the TV because the controller cable isn’t long enough to reach the couch.

If you are a gamer, you probably have a different interpretation of what retrogaming is for the next player in line. The boy who thinks Crash Bandicoot it’s old. Thirties who grew up with games that came on tapes. The grandfather who played Pong in the arcades. We all have different ideas about what is considered an ancient game. But what retrogames is to me, what it essentially is, is reclaiming the past and reliving good memories of years past. This is why there is still a Super Nintendo entertainment system in my house and why a few times a year I take it out of the closet under the stairs and spend a weekend under the TV. My friends will come and play Street fighter ii together as we did more than twenty years ago. And there is something incredibly special about that.

What do you think qualifies as retrogaming? Do you like to collect classics to play on PC through emulation? How about waiting for them to get a port to the current generation console you already own? Or maybe you are like me and think there is no better way to experience a game than how it was experienced at launch? Whether it’s through hacking, for academic reasons, or to relive memories, retro gaming is something gamers of all ages can enjoy.

Business

Instagram as a shopping platform

From being a media sharing app to selfies and anything visually appealing, Instagram is branching out into the field of e-commerce.

It will soon launch a shopping feature that retailers and online shoppers will find very convenient.

The social giant is well aware that mobile commerce will overtake PCs within two years or even sooner, so it wants to be one of its cornerstones.

What’s great about Instagram’s new feature is that it could serve as a promotional channel for your products, and even more so for your online store.

As for your potential customers, they will be able to see and explore your products without having to leave Instagram to go to another site.

How to sell on Instagram

Regular Instagram users will find Instagram’s shopping feature very easy to use.

Now, if you are not a fan of this visual media sharing app, but are considering it as a potential source of income, you just need to prepare high-quality photos that highlight your products.

To get started, upload a photo showing up to five products that you are selling.

When a user clicks the tap to see the products link at the bottom left of the photo, a label will appear on each item, showing the name and price of the product.

Once they click on a tag, they will be taken to a page that shows the full description, special features and accessories, if any, of a product.

While the customer is there, they can choose to click on the Buy now link within the product details, which will redirect them to the product on your website where they can purchase it.

Know who buys from you

Instagram recently reported that it has reached 400 million daily active users, many of whom are potential clients of its own.

Using the Instagram shopping feature gives you the opportunity to promote your products and double your sales projection.

In addition to increasing your sales, the shopping feature also gives you access to Instagram Insights, which provides crucial information that will help you improve your marketing strategy.

Instagram Insights registers your followers based on their demographic factors; it also shows you which of your posts attract your interest the most.

Most important of all, it allows you to see who is buying from your store through Instagram’s shopping feature and which of your products are in high demand.

Isn’t that something worth exploring for your business?

Are you already an Instagrammer or do you plan to be by selling more?

Home Kitchen

Tips for buying door knobs

At first, it may be difficult for you to choose the right doorknob. However, if you do your homework and consider a few important factors, you can make the right decision. Focusing on style, function, and location will help you choose the right doorknobs for your doors. Below are the steps you can take to choose the best one.

Measure your door

First, you need to perform the hole measurement. In other words, you need to measure the hole diameter to buy the correct size unit. Write down the size. Next, you need to measure the backset. This is the space between the edge of the door and the hole. Usually the size is between 2 3/4 and 2 3/4 inches.

Find out how your door thinks. Your measurement should start at the left edge and end at the right edge. Interior doors are often around 3.5 cm thick.

Opt for a lock and knob

Opt for a lock. Locks are generally divided into two main categories: cylindrical and mortise. The latter feature a rectangular body that slides into a pocket that is similarly shaped. The other type has a rounded body and tends to go into a hole and is attached to the latch.

In addition, there are electronic locks that use electrical current to work. Generally, you can use electric door knobs for the exterior of your home.

Opt for a pass-through knob to connect your rooms. They are generally ideal for rooms that you don’t need to lock or close. For example, these rooms are for laundry or storage. For example, if you put your unnecessary things in the basement, you can use step knobs for the basement door.

Opt for a privacy knob as they are used for bathrooms and bedrooms. Its locking mechanism is activated from inside the bathroom or bedroom. Mainly, these knobs block access to the room from the outside.

Use a fake goatee to decorate. This type of knob has no formal function and is used for decorative purposes only. They are usually placed on the surface of the door. They are often used for cabinets and cabinets.

Buy a door knob

Go for functionality and style. You can go for a utilitarian design if you want to use your door knob as a storage room. You can get nice door knobs for all your rooms. Just make sure you go for a style that can make your door work well. You cannot compromise the functionality of your doors.

The finish is important. When reviewing the doorknob listings, look at the finish of the doorknobs. Common finishes include chrome, satin nickel, bronze, iron, brass, and metal, just to name a few. Opting for a finish depends on the location and aesthetic taste.

Once you know what you need, you need to buy doorknobs from retailers. Ideally, you may want to shop at major chain stores. Do not forget to consider the guarantees and return policies.

So here are some tips that can help you buy the right kind of door knobs.

Auto

The best sports cars of 2015

What is the classic definition of a sports car? It’s typically a two-seat vehicle, though some have rear seats, designed for nimble handling and spirited performance. Apart from exceptional speed, it offers a more powerful engine and more horsepower.

When choosing a sports car, think about what you need and how the brand makes you feel. There is more than prestige. With features like the most advanced security options, entertainment technology, and customization, it’s no wonder why everyone dreams of owning one.

Here are popular sports car options:

1. Lamborghini Huracan

Dubbed the new “entry-level” supercar, the Huracan showcases an angular design that is sleek and intense. It has a luxurious stealth combat cockpit. It offers a 602-hp V-10 mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automated gearbox. The V10 has direct fuel injection and multi-point fuel injection. Combine the benefits of both systems.

2. Porsche Cayman

Considered one of the most satisfying driving cars, the Porsche Cayman runs with pleasing precision. Its weight distribution is perfect, and the GTS and S models provide more performance. A standard six-speed manual transmission and a seven-speed automatic are available. Your modified engine computer can increase horsepower by 15 horsepower. Its performance is close to that of Porsche’s flagship sports car.

3. Ferrari 458

With exterior styling and a feature designed for aerodynamic efficiency, the Ferrari 458 is a pure sports car on the road. It is absolutely enjoyable to listen, to see, and most of all to drive. It is powered by a 562-hp V-8 engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The engine features direct fuel injection, which is a first for Ferrari’s mid-engine configurations.

4. Aston Martin V12 Vantage S

The V12 Vantage S will hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. It uses a 5.9-liter V12 engine that generates 565 peak hp and up to 457 pound-feet of torque with 376 pound-feet available at 1,000 RPM. It’s included in Aston Martin’s Q customization program, so you can choose from a variety of high-quality fabrics and materials.

5. Porsche Boxster

The Boxster has a six-cylinder sonic engine mounted behind the driver. It offers brilliant handling, along with its three engine options: a 315-hp 3.4-liter S; a 2.7-liter 265 horsepower; and a 330-hp 3.4-liter GTS. Both six-speed manuals and seven-speed automatics are available. This mid-engined two-seater roadster features new and revised engine and transmission specifications.

6. Maserati GranTurismo S

With a great combination of pace and elegance, the GranTurismo has earned its place among the great Maserati of all time. It is the fastest production Maserati ever made with 440bhp, 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds and 183mph. The engine is now a 4.7-liter version, which maintains a fully compliant ride. It has V8 power with a dash of Ferrari magic delivered up to 338kW.

7. Ferrari LaFerrari

LaFerrari is dubbed as the king of all exotic sports cars. First of all, it is a hybrid. It can provide the highest power output of any Ferrari, while reducing fuel consumption by 40 percent. Its maximum speed exceeds 350 km / h and is capable of reaching 100 km / h in less than three seconds, 200 km / h in less than seven seconds and a speed of 300 km / h (186 mph) in 15 seconds.

8. Porsche 911 Turbo / Turbo S

The 911 Turbo has remained the vehicle of legends for decades. It has a monstrous 520 tap hp and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic for shifting. What’s more, it can hit 60 mph in less than three seconds. Porsche 911 Turbo S moves the car from almost exotic to completely exotic.

Digital Marketing

Build your business with Instagram

Like any other social network, Instagram can be used to build your brand for your business when used in the right and smart way. Instagram serves as a tool to make your business available to consumers. Social media marketing with Instagram can open up a world of opportunities for your brand. Therefore, it is obvious that Instagram is very important for your business. The question arises as to how you can build your business with Instagram and below is the answer to that question.

First, you need to do some research to know the best companies on Instagram. You should also check other brands in the industry and also know who your competitors are so that you can know what strategies to use to build your business. You should always set realistic Instagram goals that relate to your business goals. These goals should include increasing awareness with hashtag targeting. Increase product awareness and increase traffic to your website. Next, you should come up with a strategy to publish your content. Here you need to consider how often you post, what time to post, and choose your content topics. You should keep a regular post and at the same time avoid too many posts.

Remember that Instagram is about images. Your profile photo should be your company logo. You must choose a filter that you will use for most of your photos. By choosing a filter for your photos, your brand is easy to recognize. your photos easier for your followers. Be sure to post photos that reflect the character and culture of your business. If you are not sure how to visually represent your business, you should consider monitoring your followers’ accounts to find out what they are sharing. This will allow you to know your trends and therefore help you to present your business efficiently.

Another technique that you can use to build your business on Instagram is the branded hashtag. You should find a hashtag that represents your Instagram brand and encourage your followers to share photos that fit that image. This will allow your brands to be exposed to new potential customers and this is an opportunity for your business to grow. You should also consider geotagging. This is adding your location to your photos when you post them. It is very effective as it lets your followers know where to find you and your business. What’s more, followers who live near you will love interacting with you and your business. You should also post exclusive offers on your Instagram. This can be done by offering discounts to your followers, it will make them feel special and thus tell other people about your business. In fact, Instagram can be used to build your business, give it a try today and enjoy the benefits.

Gaming

Top 10 Tips for Choosing a Budget Laptop

Choosing a Laptop on a Tight Budget: Tips for Canadian College Students

One thing of all Canadian University Students they are going to need these days is a laptop. The main advantage of a laptop over a fixed PC is its size and portability. For many degree programs, a laptop can be an essential tool for most, if not all, of your classes. In the modern digital age, most teachers or class lecturers use PowerPoint or Adobe formats for their class notes and presentations. Most provide copies to students via class websites to download and print, and many classes even require them as daily classroom material. While printing your notes or presentations and following them is a perfectly fine way to manage your classes, using a laptop puts everything in one place.

Imagine sitting in class, following the notes, and writing your own comments or memory aids just below each slide. At the end of the class, press Save, close the laptop, go to your next class and rinse / repeat. While this may seem obvious, it is the not-so-obvious benefits that are causing more and more students to switch from the old pen-and-paper system to a digital one. As you follow along in class, you can catch up on emails, use Wikipedia or Google for more explanations on topics you’re not 100% sure about, or even participate in real-time class discussions on the same notes. you are covering! I had a teacher who encouraged the use of the laptop not only to manage digital notes, but also to participate in a live Twitter feed that I set up every day. Instead of raising his hand and asking a question out loud at the risk of being ridiculous and embarrassing, he would have the students tweet the class Twitter account and answer the students’ questions that way. I have never seen such a useful and extensive class discussion as the one I saw in that class, even if it was partially digital! Anyway, let’s get to the tips!

Tip No. 1 – Choose your size wisely!

While laptops over 16 “are easy to see and very comfortable to use, they are actually not that practical for a student who intends to use them in class. Here’s why: many lecture rooms and classrooms try pack as many desks and students as possible. As a result, personal space is not as abundant. Some classes have long tables with chairs that can accommodate a large laptop, but they definitely don’t. Most conference rooms have chairs with an attached surface that is sometimes as small as 12 “wide! They were built with sheets of paper and clipboards in mind, not 16 “super laptops. So, be wary of larger” entertainment “laptops and always keep in mind what you are actually buying this laptop for. I recommend not to exceed 15.1 “and even then they can be a hassle at times. Try to go as small as you can tolerate.

Tip No. 2: battery life

For most students, a day at school can be 6 hours or more. While much of your time is spent running from class to class or having lunch or coffee, the rest is spent sitting in class probably using your new laptop. This is where a laptop with excellent battery life really pays off. If you’re shopping at an electronics store, ask the seller how long you can expect a full charge to last on average. Try to find a laptop that has a battery with a capacity of at least 2 hours. Apple laptops are famous for their long battery life that often lasts 4 hours or more, but they are also famous for being quite expensive and will probably not be an option for anyone choosing a budget laptop. If you’ve found a laptop you like, but the battery life is short, buying a replacement battery is always an option. If your salesperson is working on commission, see if they will give you one for free. If all else fails, tuck the power cord into your backpack and keep your laptop charged during breaks between classes.

Tip # 3 – Memory

There are two types of memory in a computer, RAM and storage memory (hard drive).

  • RAM is what your computer uses to load programs, play videos, music, etc. Think of it as a handyman workbench. The more space you have, the more projects you can work on simultaneously and the faster you can access each of them. More is always better when it comes to RAM, so don’t try to cut costs on this feature, but don’t break the bank with large amounts either. 4GB should be sufficient.
  • Storage memory is what your hard drive is. It’s where all the things you install and save are stored. If you plan to use your laptop for music, video, games, etc. you’ll want as big a hard drive as you can get. If your laptop is to be used only for casual web browsing, email, instant messaging, essay writing, etc. so this is definitely a feature that you can minimize to save money. I would advise getting at least a 100GB hard drive, as Windows, Microsoft Office, and other essential programs can really increase memory usage over time.

Tip No. 4: processor speed

Again, this depends on your planned use. If you want to play movies and games, you will need a processor that is robust enough to handle it. But if you only do casual tasks like surfing the web, sending emails, etc. So this is another feature where you can cut costs to save a lot of money. Don’t go below 1.6GHz though, this should be your bare minimum.

Tip No. 5: sound and video on board

Don’t let a salesperson convince you to buy a laptop that has separate audio and video adapters, as these greatly add to the overall cost of a laptop. A sound card and video card can often DOUBLE the price of a proper laptop. Again, unless you are doing heavy gaming or video editing these are not necessary and you will never fully use them. It’s like buying an automatic machine gun when all you need is a slingshot.

Tip No. # 6: pre-installed software

Make sure your new laptop has at least Windows 7 and some productivity software. If you don’t have Windows 7 or Microsoft Office, you’ll probably want to try negotiating it with your vendor. If you are trying to sell it to them at full price or even at a small discount, don’t do it, DO NOT buy it from them. Students get steep discounts through campus computer and software outlets, often in the 80% discount range. For example, I can get a full version of MS Office Home and Student Edition for $ 60 and Windows 7 Professional for $ 99. They are regularly priced at $ 160 for Office and $ 329 for Windows 7 Pro, both from Future Shop. (Date written: July 12, 2010) This is another great area to save a lot of money on a student’s laptop.

Tip No. 7: everything else is just extra

As for all the features I haven’t covered, consider them little things or extras. Digital card readers, fingerprint scanners, built-in webcams, auxiliary ports, etc. they are all things you really don’t need to consider. If the model you choose has them and they don’t contribute much to the final result, great. If a salesperson tries to convince you that you will be struck by lightning if you don’t have them, walk away. Never forget what you are buying this laptop for and don’t let words like “premium extras”, “limited edition model” or “media compatible” fool you into opening your wallet more than necessary. Over the life of your laptop, you can use those features once or twice, so they are definitely not worth the $ 100 or $ 200 they will add to the price.

Tip No. 8: compare prices!

Don’t let commission sellers manipulate you into buying right away. “This sale ends tomorrow …” is the oldest line in the book. What they are not telling you is that this sale ends, but a newer, even better one starts right after it. Never feel pressured to cash in on what seems like an amazing deal. If they can afford to sell you that laptop at that price today, they can do it again tomorrow, or even next week. Be sure to compare prices with other stores like Future Shop, Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Costco, London Drugs, and Staples. Then check online at the Canadian sites TigerDirect.ca and NCIX.com to compare how good the deals really are. You’ll often find better deals online as you check the price of deals you found in the store, so keep an eye out for those “online-only deals.”

Tip No. 9 – Accessories

The only accessories I would recommend are a small mouse and a laptop sleeve. Note: It is not a laptop bag, but a zippered rubber sleeve, they are much cheaper. It’s like a wetsuit for your laptop. That’s all you need to keep it safe from bumps and scratches and it fits perfectly in your backpack. I also recommend a mouse for those times when you are in the library or at home and have some room to spread out. The touch pads are great for portability and convenience, but nothing beats navigating with a real mouse that you can hold in your hand. Look for the small wireless mice specifically designed for laptops. Some of the good ones combine a data storage key along with the USB connection component of the wireless mouse, giving you a great place to store documents, resumes, and whatever else you might need quick access to from any computer.

Tip No. 10: guarantees

Many electronics stores and computer outlets offer their own store warranties on the sale of an item. For computers, this can be a good thing if the price is right. They will often tell you how any big or small problem will be fixed for free if you purchase a warranty. What they don’t tell you is that there is almost no limit as to how long they can keep your laptop to do a repair. Canada’s major electronics stores have central service offices to which they submit their warranty claims for repair. In simple terms, you are stuck without a laptop for the time it takes for your computer to be shipped, repaired, and returned to the store where you left it. Depending on repair and parts availability, this can take up to 6 months in some cases! Personally, I think warranties are a waste of money, as I have never encountered a problem so serious that I cannot fix it myself. But I’m sure you’ve all heard the story of someone who bought a computer only to die the next day, so it really comes down to budget and personal choice. For me, I’d rather save the $ 50- $ 100 and pay a local repair shop for faster service if something goes wrong.

Conclution

I hope these tips have been helpful to you! I write them from experience as a Canadian University student who owns a Hewlett-Packard G10 laptop that I bought with the Future Shop gift cards I received last Christmas. I managed to get it $ 200 cheaper using the tips above, so they definitely work! If you think I have missed something or if you have any comments, please let me know in the forum or comment below. Happy laptop shopping!

** original article location here

Legal Law

The Business Case for Executive Coaching: The ICF Global Coaching ROI Study

The Business Case for Executive Coaching

Do you work in a company or law firm where executive coaches help leaders develop their leadership skills? Does your company or law firm offer executive training and leadership development for high-potential, high-performing leaders?

One of the most powerful questions you can ask is “Does providing executive coaching to company leaders have a direct effect on company results?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive training and leadership development for authentic leaders at all levels of the organization.

About 25 to 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies use executive coaches, according to Hay Group, an international human resources consultancy. According to a survey conducted by Manchester, Inc., a Jacksonville, Florida career management consulting firm; About six out of ten organizations currently offer coaching or other development advice to their managers and executives. Another 20 percent of companies said they plan to offer training in the next year.

Although once used as an intervention with troubled staff, coaching is now part of standard leadership development training for executives at companies such as IBM, Motorola, JP Morgan Chase, Hewlett-Packard, and many others. Brokerage firms and other sales organizations, such as insurance companies, use coaches to reinforce people’s performance in stressful and high-pressure jobs.

Global ROI Study of ICF Coaching

The 2009 International Coach Federation (ICF) Global Coaching Client Study reported that the average ROI of coaching was 700%. The study results are quite dramatic and provide much-needed metrics for this popular leadership development strategy.

The International Coach Federation conducted a qualitative and quantitative global client survey and interview research project between May and December 2008. The full research report was made publicly available on June 11, 2009. Highlights Highlights related to the return on investment of coaching are reported here. This is a crucial research topic: what do coaching clients say is the value of coaching?

The research design phase consisted of three components: First, fourteen in-depth interviews were conducted with an international sample of coaches to assist with the design of the questions to be used in the qualitative and quantitative study. Second, the qualitative research phase consisted of five focus groups with a total of 41 participating clients. The focus groups allowed for an in-depth survey of qualitative issues. Third, the quantitative research component consisted of 2,165 coaching clients from 64 countries who participated in a 20-minute online survey.

What do clients say that motivates them to start training? Clients cited career opportunities and business management as the top reasons for seeking coaching services.

Both coaches and consumers of coaching services are interested in return on investment (ROI) studies on coaching. A frequently cited ROI study on executive coaching, Coaching for Greater Profitability: How to Deliver and Demonstrate Tangible Results in the Bottom Line by Merrill C. Anderson, Ph.D. MetrixGlobal (2003) had reported a coaching ROI of 788%.

In apparent confirmation of that finding, the ICF Global Coaching Client Study Executive Summary (April 2009) reports: “The vast majority (86%) of those who can provide figures to calculate company ROI indicated that your company at least In fact, almost a fifth (19%) indicated an ROI of at least 50 (5000%) times the initial investment, while another 28% obtained an ROI of 10 to 49 times the investment. of the company is 700% which indicates that, in general, a company can expect a return seven times higher than the initial investment. “

Source: ICF Global Coaching Client Study, Executive Summary, April 2009, in consultation with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Association Resource Center inc.

Working with an experienced executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help company leaders improve their leadership skills. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, inspiring people to fully commit to the vision and mission of your company or law firm.

Lifestyle Fashion

Family Vacation Ideas – Need Some Suggestions? Here are 6 affordable places for families to visit

There is no need to feel stressed about your next family trip. There are so many fun and safe places to take kids and grandparents these days. In any case, everyone may have different ideas of where they want to go. Children have different interests based on age and personality. Get the family together to create a list of places and start narrowing down the results. Here are some family vacation ideas and recommendations to get you started.

Vacation destinations in the USA

Washington dc

Many of the attractions, including the museums, are absolutely free to visit. Visiting the Natural History Museum can be a very fun AND educational experience for children as there are dinosaurs! Since hotels unfortunately have a reputation for being a bit pricey, you can stay in one of the nearby cities like Annapolis or Arlington.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

This is one of the least expensive beaches to visit on the Atlantic Coast. It can get very crowded, so try to visit out of season if possible. To save money, book a room without an ocean view. You will see it every day anyway. Spend the afternoons having fun as a family on a miniature golf course or bowling alley.

Portland, Oregon

Head to the Pacific Northwest for some spectacular (and affordable) fun. There are many hotels in Portland that cost less than $ 100 a night. Visit the Oregon Zoo or explore a submarine. Get everyone’s lunch in a food truck and buy some snacks at the farmers market.

Ideas for international family vacations

Baja California Sur, Mexico

If you want to try the last minute, this is a good option. Airlines frequently offer last-minute discounted flights (to Cabo San Lucas), and there is no shortage of all-inclusive family resorts in the area. It is easy to find airfare + hotel packages for 5 nights.

Dublin, Ireland

Here is a great city with endless charm. Take an inexpensive airliner like Aer Lingus Wow Air or Norwegian Air. You can reduce your ground transportation costs with a Dublin Pass. For family fun, head to the Dublin Zoo and Dublin Falconry.

Bali, Indonesia

As long as you can fly from New York or Los Angeles, Bali can be an affordable vacation for the whole family. There are many activities for children, such as the Elephant Safari and Bali Bird Parks. For kids who enjoy water slides, they can visit Waterbom Bali Park and Splash Water Park. And of course there are many exotic beaches to enjoy.

Here are some examples of fun places to visit for children and adults of all ages. Once again, get everyone together to create a list of family vacation ideas, do some research, and shop around. Hopefully everyone can agree on where to go and what to do.

Here’s one way to save money on your family trip – use coupons online. Check out current deals on everything from airfare to amusement park tickets. It’s easy to research family vacation ideas and plan itineraries online.